Jane Austen s Pride And Prejudice - 1434 Words

Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice was considered a radical novel back in 1813 when she wrote and published the piece. It is a social commentary on the treatment and societal standards of women, as well marriage expectations at the turn of the 19th century. Austen criticizes the patriarchal society, materialism, double standards of men and women by centering the book around Elizabeth Bennett, a young woman of decent means who does not understand the reason for the pressure to find a suitable husband as soon as she is of marrying age, nor does she feel the need to commit herself to one man for the rest of her life when there is no romantic involvement in the relationship, although her mother pushes her to do so. Through the characters in†¦show more content†¦Later on in the story, Lydia, one of Elizabeth’s younger sisters, runs off with a man because they were supposedly in love. Lydia s uncle, Bennett’s brother, hears of this incident before Mr. Bennett, and he offers the money necessary for Lydia to marry. The Bennetts soon hear of the union and once again, they have differing viewpoints on the subject. Although they both miss her, Mrs. Bennett could not be happier that one of her daughters was getting married, exclaiming, My dear, dear Lydia!... This is delightful indeed! -She will be married!- She will be married at sixteen!...† (Austen 316), whereas Mr. Bennett is upset, because his pride is hurt when his brother paid the dowry before he could. Austen’s ideals of marriage expressed in the book were unique back in her time period, because the typical marriage did not require love, only logic and material fortune. Many married spouses came to love each other after time, but it was not mandatory in the beginning. Charlotte, Elizabeth’s good companion, accepts a marriage proposal from a clergyman after Elizabeth refused his offer, because he has enough wealth to ensure her good property and the kind of lifestyl e that is admired in that time. Elizabeth has a problem with this because she disapproves of their union, especially since there was no attraction between the two of them and they only viewShow MoreRelatedJane Austen s Pride And Prejudice1231 Words   |  5 Pagesfinancial stability. In the novel Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen states that the desire for better social connections interferes with the workings of love through the relationship between Darcy and Elizabeth to criticize the social class structure of the 19th century. Anxieties about social connections or the desire for better social connections, interfere with the workings of love. Darcy and Elizabeth s realization of a mutual and tender love seems to imply that Jane Austen views love as something independentRead MoreJane Austen s Pride And Prejudice1294 Words   |  6 PagesJane Austen s exceptional novel Pride and Prejudice has been depicted as a classic that is as much a social study on class, marriage and gender as it is a romantic tale. It is an amusing representation of the social atmosphere of the late eighteenth and mid nineteenth century England, and it is primarily required with courtship rituals of the English high class. The novel is more than a romantic tale, however through Austen s subtle, and ironic style, it addresses gender, class, and marriageRead MoreJane Austen s Pride And Prejudice992 Words   |  4 Pages It is unfortunate that many people tend to dismiss Jane Austen’s novel, Pride and Prejudice, as simply a roman tic love story, even labeling it a â€Å"chick flick.† Upon a shallow reading, it may appear to be such, but a closer look at the novel reveals so much more embedded in the story. In addition to describing the entertaining relationship between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, the novel serves to forward Austen s personal values and ideas. Furthermore, there is one issue of her era that she particularlyRead MoreJane Austen s Pride And Prejudice1138 Words   |  5 PagesPride and Prejudice is a novel about the superficiality of marriage during the late 19th and early 20th century, which largely influenced the decisions made by individuals, based on connections and social rankings. The novel takes its characters through various changes influenced by their decision to or rather not to marry certain individuals. It begins not by a man desiring to marry for love, but by a mother who desires nothing more than to marry her daughters well. As the novel develops, Jane AustenRead MoreJane A usten s Pride And Prejudice1211 Words   |  5 PagesJane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice was greatly influenced by the time period in which it was written, This novel follows the story of Elizabeth Bennet and her sisters as they are faced with marriage proposals. The marriage and roles of women in this time period are shown throughout this story. During the time Austen was writing this novel, a woman’s role for her family changed. Daughters started to become a way for their family to achieve more money. Because their family depended on this financialRead MoreJane Austen s Pride And Prejudice1675 Words   |  7 PagesIn Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, she has specific criteria that her characters follow when choosing their mates. In today’s society, most couples still follow these criteria and more when choosing their ideal mate. What are these important criteria that Austen’s characters consider when choosing a mate? For Austen, the important cr iteria that she has for choosing a mate are that couples are personally compatible, they are in love with each other, and they must have a good moral character. Read MoreJane Austen s Pride And Prejudice1678 Words   |  7 PagesAfter reading Jane Austen’s most popular piece of work, the effects of the high societal expectations can be acknowledged through viewing the lives of the Bennet family and friends and noting such effects. Through the examination of the characters in Pride and Prejudice it is easily deciphered between marriages based upon true love and marriage based upon the expectations of society. Society’s main goal for woman in the Victorian era was marriage. As seen many in Pride and Prejudice, marriage wasRead MoreJane Austen s Pride And Prejudice1468 Words   |  6 Pagesestablished over time. In Jane Austen s novel, Pride and Prejudice Elizabeth Bennet is the main character who is a lady in the Regency Era. Elizabeth lives in Longbourn with her parents, Mr and Mrs Bennet and her four sisters. In the beginning of the novel, Elizabeth s prejudice mindset and strong opinion blinds her from realizations happening around her. Soon, Elizabeth s prejudice disappears allowing her to open up and fall in love. Throughout Jane Austen s novel, Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth growsRead MoreJane Austen s Pride And Prejudice1649 Words   |  7 PagesIn her novel, Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen is pre-occupied with the theme of marriage. Marriage is a central issue of a woman’s life but it was even more crucial for the women of her society where women were largely depen dent on the men in their lives. As a result, women pursued socio-economic stability through marriage. However, it is clear through the novel that Austen did not agree with this part of her society. In Pride and Prejudice, she gives preference to a marriage which is based on loveRead MoreJane Austen s Pride And Prejudice1304 Words   |  6 Pages Introduction In Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen portrays themes of love, class, reputation, and marriage. From the beginning it is seen that the question of marriage is very important to the Bennet family. Upon not marrying, the girls cousin Mr. Collins will inherit Longbourn due to the absence of a male heir. This means that the family will become destitute since they won t have any support or a place to live. The only solution for them would be marriage. During this era, since women

Things Fall Apart - 831 Words

By: hulseb Things Fall Apart: An Evaluation In Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe tells two different stories at the same time. One is of Okonkwo, the villager whose rise to power is halted because of all of his misfortunes. The other is of Okonkwos village, Umuofia, and its struggle to hold on to its cultural tradition while facing colonialism from the West. The title, Things Fall Apart, describes perfectly what happens to both Okonkwo and his village. Okonkwos life falls apart and as a result, he commits suicide by hanging himself. The cultural tradition of Umuofia falls apart, and becomes influenced by the West. In Things Fall Apart, Achebe uses Okonkwo and the villages falling out to show how African culture, as well as†¦show more content†¦When the white missionaries arrived, the villagers did not take them very seriously. They refused to see the missionaries as a threat and this led to their demise. However, because of the strength of the west, the villages falling apart might have been inevitable. Very few civilizations, if any, were able to withstand the threat of Westernization. It was a force that was too powerful and sophisticated for such common people to fight. Achebes book shows how Westernization led to the demise of many ancient cultures. The reason this book sold so many copies, I believe, is because it can be applied not only to Africa, but to all of the other cultures around the world that were ruined by Westernization. In Things Fall Apart, Achebe not only describes the life and death of one man, but also the life and death of the worlds many different cultures, as a result of Westernization. Word Count:Show MoreRelatedThings Fall Apart910 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿Okonkwo Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is a novel about a man in West Africa. It tells about his triumphs and trial ultimately leading to his demise. It explains how the â€Å"white man† came into his country and took over. It show you how the â€Å"white man† mad things fall apart. Okonkwo was a very large and tall man. He had big bushy eyebrows and a huge nose. As stated in Things Fall Apart, â€Å"He was tall and huge, and his bushy eyebrows and wide nose gave him a very severe look (3-4).† He was extremelyRead MoreThings fall apart1057 Words   |  5 Pages Reflection on the novel Things Fall Apart The Idea of Culture in Things Fall Apart The novel Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe is a story about personal beliefs, customs and also about conflict. There is struggle between family and within culture and it also deals with the concept of culture and the notion of the values and traditions within a culture. The word culture is Latin and means to cultivate. To cultivate has several meanings; it can mean to plow, fertilize, raise and plantRead MoreThings Fall Apart875 Words   |  4 PagesOkonkwo is a tragic hero in Things Fall Apart Question ( 2 ): Discuss Okonkwo in Chinua Achebe s â€Å"Things Fall Apart† is a tragic hero. Answer: In Chinua Achebe’s novel â€Å"Things Fall Apart† Okonkwo is a tragic hero. Aristotle’s Poetics defines a Tragic Hero as a good man of high status who displays a tragic flaw ‘hamartia’ and experiences a dramatic reversal ‘peripeteia’, as well as an intense moment of recognition ‘anagnorisis’. Okonkwo is a leader and hardworking member of the Igbo communityRead MoreThings Fall Apart977 Words   |  4 Pagesdifferently by two different readers? Things Fall Apart Language and Literature Things fall apart is a novel written by Chinua Achebe. It is set during the late 19th, early 20th century in a small village named Umuofia situated in Nigeria. This time period is important because it was a period in colonial history when the British were increasing their influence economic, cultural, and political influence in Africa. The novel deals with the rise and fall of Okonkwo, a man from the village ofRead MoreThings Fall Apart818 Words   |  4 PagesEnglish oral presentation Cultural strengths of the Ibo society before the invasion of the colons. The novel Things fall apart by Chinua Achebe describes the social and cultural traits of a culture based on the principles of labor and masculinity, conformity and kinship and finally on solid juridical system. The worth of a man was measured by his strength and the amount of work he could accomplish and how efficiently feed his family, the concepts of masculinity is strictly related withRead MoreThings Fall Apart2539 Words   |  11 PagesSociety (Things Fall Apart) Women are often thought of as the weaker, more vulnerable of the two sexes. Thus, women’s roles in literature are often subdued and subordinate. In Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart, women are repressed by an entrenched structure of the social repression. Women suffer great losses in this novel but, also in certain circumstances, hold tremendous power. Achebe provides progressively changing attitudes towards women’s role. At first glance, the women in Things Fall Apart mayRead More Things Fall Apart Essay763 Words   |  4 PagesChinua Achebes Things Fall Apart shows an odd similarity between the cultures of Ancient Greece and the Lower Niger. Despite the fact that two societies can exist during different periods of time and have conflicting cultural values, their stories and behavior can have surprising overlaps. Things Fall Apart is structured like a Greek Tragedy in its use of a chorus and in the presence of a tragic hero whose actions ultimately lead to his downfall. The Egwugwu from Things Fall Apart act like the chorusRead More Things Fall Apart Essay714 Words   |  3 PagesThings Fall Apart Opposites do not Attract In Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, Mr. Brown, the first missionary in Umuofia, was a kind and respectful man. Not to say that Reverend James Smith was not, but his degree of kindness and respect were present in a whole different level. They both wanted to convert the lost, all those in Umuofia that were not in the church. Mr. Brown made friends with the clan and â€Å"trod softly on his faith,† (pg.178) while Mr. Smith told them how thingsRead MoreSummary Of Things Fall Apart 716 Words   |  3 PagesJory Alkhudair Mr. Meister English 10th 26 October 2017 Things Fall Apart I am writing about Ekwefi , Okonkwo’s second wife, and who was once the village beauty. Ekwefi is also the mother of Ezinma , Okonkwo’s only daughter . Ezinma is her only surviving child, her other nine died in infancy. Ekwefi constantly fears that she will lose Ezinma too. The festival was only three days away. We were scrubbing the walls and the huts with red earthRead MoreColonialism In Things Fall Apart1824 Words   |  8 Pageswritten by Chinua Achebe which shows the main theme of the novel Things Fall Apart, and even represents the theme within the article, â€Å"The Benefits of British Rule†. There are many cultures with different values or practices that might seem obscure to one group but normal to another, therefore no one can determine what culture is wrong or right, but it s up to society to determine the best way of life. The novel Things Fall Apart and the article â€Å"The Benefits of British Rule† examine two different

Adopting Africans not the answer Free Essays

In Adopting Africans not the answer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, argues against an appeal that Madonna has made on television: adopt an African child. Her opinion is summarized as, â€Å"Madonna could have urged others to help solve the problems by empowering, not failed leaders, but the people.† Adichie’s opinion can be categorized under both persuasion and deliberation. We will write a custom essay sample on Adopting Africans not the answer or any similar topic only for you Order Now First, she expounds on what Madonna says on TV and then tries to persuade others to believe that Madonna, could have said something better. Therefore, her goal is to clarify what Madonna has said, and make a resolution as to what Madonna could have said. In the process of doing this, she also simultaneously presents to her readers the situation for children in Africa and how the public can help. As she narrates her African background and urges people to look more closely at Africa, and essentially, look far beyond what Madonna has said, she also deliberates on the better type of action between adopting a child in Africa, or sending a donation to check to malaria-eradication organizations. Adichie wants her readers to believe that the better thing to do is send donation. My outlook on Adichie’s opinion is perhaps similar to her own opinion of Madonna – I wish Adichie could have focused on the fact that Africa needs donation, instead of going around in circles, telling a lot of things that could not strongly prove a point. Adichie’s article was full of herself. She starts with her childhood, goes on to tell what she feels, and ends the article with what she would think, which is only a poor anticipation of a scenario that do not give enough kick to support her arguments. Adichie could have been more straightforward, and started with what Madonna said on television. From there, she could have skipped some parts of her story and went straight to correct â€Å"the underlying notion that one helps Africa by adopting Africa’s children.† Instead, she dragged on and took Madonna’s adopted child’s biological father on the scene without empowering her opinion. Yet, when Adichie needed to expound, she failed. She wrote, â€Å"I wish she (Madonna) had added that Africa cannot depend on aid alone, that aid is like salted peanuts: The more failed leaders get, the more they want. I wish she had said she was setting up an organization run by locals to use donations as micro-credit.† Adichie could have directly compared the effects of helping a micro-credit and adopting a child in a bid to help Africa as a nation. But Adichie just carelessly went on without painting a clearer and crispier picture in the minds of her readers. Towards the end of her argument, she peppers her words with a lot of â€Å"I wonder,† which made her arguments a lot weaker and immature than what it should be. She may gotten the message across that Madonna could have said something better; but she did give a lot of depth to her explanation for that. So after a while, her reader forgets about what Madonna has said, and what she herself has said. It’s a shame because Adichie almost made a point – that Africa can be helped not just be adopting its children. But she merely touches on the â€Å"why† part of her article — where she was meant to strengthen her point and create an imprint in people’s minds — and clearly loses control of her argument. Overall, her article is doomed to be forgettable. SOURCE: CHIMAMANDA, N.A. (2006). Adopting Africans not the answer. News Day.   Retrieved November 15, 2006, from http://www.newsday.com/news/opinion/ny-padi144975329nov14,0,116074.story?coll=ny-vi How to cite Adopting Africans not the answer, Papers

Alexander the great 3 Essay Example For Students

Alexander the great 3 Essay On the surface Alexander the Great appears to be similar to many modern generals and military leaders. Tojo, Hitler, Patton, Napoleon Bonaparte ,and Norman Scharttzcopf all could be considered military Geniuses on the same level of Alexander the Great. It is however upon examining their motives that the similarities begin to disappear. Tojo and Hitler were great conquers but were racist and merciless in their pursuit of political ideas. As a result they were feared by the people they were conquered. The opposite was true of Alexander the Great. Alexander was fighting for personal glory and for unity and the vast majority of the people he conquered him were pleased with his rule and prospered under it. Patton and Shcartzcopf also were driven by different motives . Although both exhibited the use of aggressive tactics the fought they played the opposite role of Alexander and were liberators of conquered people. This leaves Napoleon. Napoleon like Alexander was generally welcomed by the people he conquered . Alexander fled from his father Philip II when he divorced Alexanders mom. Alexander then remained isolated and insecure fearing his father until he eventually took control of his fathers empire. Alexander the great came to power in 336 B.C. after his father was mysteriously assassinated. He was supported by the army who immedialty recognized him as King. He used his influence with the military to have all potential rivals killed and then worked on gaining the allegiance of Macedonian nobles. He succeeded in this and at the same time gained the allegiance of the Greeks. H liberated the Greek cities of Anotilia and then went on to defeat the Persian army being lead by Darious. Alexander then went to Egypt was excepted as Pharoh and founded Alexandria. He went on to conquer much of Mesopatamia and Susa while fighting internal revolt. He died at the age of 33 while planning a conquest into Arabia. When Alexander died he did not appoint a successor and his kingdom fell into a state of anarchy. Alexanders reign spread Hellenistic culture, paved the way for the Greek Empire, and helped prepare the way for Christianity by opening up the Greek world to Oriental influence. Napoleon and his family were forced to flee Marseilles after coming into conflict with Pasquale PAOLI, a Corsican nationalist. Napoleon for his role in the French Revolution was eventually appointed commander of the Army of the Interior . From this position began his practice of dividing and conquering and successfully defeated the Sardinian and Austrian armies in Italy. Napoleon began to meddle in political affairs and it was suggested that he conquer Britain, but instead he chose to occupy Egypt in order to threaten India, which was then under British rule. On May 19, 1798 Napoleon took 35,000 troops and sailed towards Alexandria. Stopping to seize Malta on the way Napoleon reached Egypt July 1. Napoleon fought bravely in this and many other violent conflicts and was eventually Crowned himself emperor of France in a ceremony presided over by Pope Pious VII. Napoleon tried to defeat the British economically by imposing sanctions against Britain called the Continental system. In an effort to enforce this embargo he invade Russia eventually reaching Moscow where the Russians employed a defensive technique that would serve them well again in the 1940s. The Russians set Moscow on fire forcing Napoleon to retreat from the city, he was then encircled by Russian troops and forced to retreat losing almost as many men to the severe winter weather as to Russian attack. This severely reduced Napoleons popularity and eventually he was exiled. Napoleon returned to France to rule for a short period of time only to be Exiled again. .uf7caa0fd2bcb727fa8009ea5e61ca159 , .uf7caa0fd2bcb727fa8009ea5e61ca159 .postImageUrl , .uf7caa0fd2bcb727fa8009ea5e61ca159 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uf7caa0fd2bcb727fa8009ea5e61ca159 , .uf7caa0fd2bcb727fa8009ea5e61ca159:hover , .uf7caa0fd2bcb727fa8009ea5e61ca159:visited , .uf7caa0fd2bcb727fa8009ea5e61ca159:active { border:0!important; } .uf7caa0fd2bcb727fa8009ea5e61ca159 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uf7caa0fd2bcb727fa8009ea5e61ca159 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uf7caa0fd2bcb727fa8009ea5e61ca159:active , .uf7caa0fd2bcb727fa8009ea5e61ca159:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uf7caa0fd2bcb727fa8009ea5e61ca159 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uf7caa0fd2bcb727fa8009ea5e61ca159 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uf7caa0fd2bcb727fa8009ea5e61ca159 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uf7caa0fd2bcb727fa8009ea5e61ca159 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uf7caa0fd2bcb727fa8009ea5e61ca159:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uf7caa0fd2bcb727fa8009ea5e61ca159 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uf7caa0fd2bcb727fa8009ea5e61ca159 .uf7caa0fd2bcb727fa8009ea5e61ca159-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uf7caa0fd2bcb727fa8009ea5e61ca159:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Strategic Decision Making Essay As can be seen Alexander the Great and Napoleon where both military geniuses, both slightly mad, and both driven to pursue glory and expand the sphere of influence of Hellenistic and French culture respectively. Both men although Heroes in their day would probably not be regarded son in a more modern setting because of the high price paid in blood for their conquests. .

Employee Retention in Workplace

Table of Contents Introduction Factors contributing to high turnover rates How to retain employees What rewards do employees want What makes a good workplace Conclusion References Introduction According to Prakashan (2008, p.1-51), â€Å"employee Retention involves taking measures to encourage the most productive employees to remain in the organization for the maximum period of time† or up to completion of their projects. Additionally, Carsen CCH Incorporated (2005, p.2) note that ‘retention of employees also involves weeding out underperformers in order to free up resources and space for high achievers.’Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Employee Retention in Workplace specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More High turnover in a firm can adversely affect the firm’s productivity and profitability; however, low turnover is not necessarily beneficial as it can also harm performance of firms. The causes of voluntary turnover are classified into two groups; low job satisfaction and labor market conditions (Jackson, Schuler Werner, p.217). Employees’ retention is very essential to business because the cost of turnover can be exorbitantly high as it includes costs of advertising, paying recruiters. According to Smith (2007), it costs approximately $7-17 to replace an hourly employee and more than $40000 to replace a manager. Moreover, globalization has led to stiffer competition for quality employees. Besides, the United Nations predicts that labor shortages in the coming years will be a real problem (Jackson, Schuler Werner, p.217). Some industries have general high turnover rates compared to others; thus, it is necessary for businesses to identify the specific trends in their industries in order to set up appropriate measures. Low turnover among high performers contributes to improved firm’s performance (Jackson, Schuler Werner, p.217). Therefore, productivity of an organization is directly linked to retention of its most productive employees. Employees are compelled to leave a certain organization because of some specific reasons. Factors contributing to high turnover rates include job and employee mismatch, and failure of meeting the employees’ expectations. Thus, it is important for management teams to realize that turnover is not caused by a single event, but rather, a string of processes in the organizations. Retention of employees involves four major factors namely compensation, growth and career, relationship in employee retention programs and support (Prakashan, 2008, p.1-53). These strategies are all geared at increasing employees’ satisfaction, and boosting employees’ morale. Moreover, employee retention practices exist in three levels; low, medium and high levels. Further, selecting and hiring the right employees who fit in the organization culture in itself facilitate retention. According to A rmstrong (2002), rewarding of employees should be based on the value they add to an organization; these rewards are usually in the form of financial and non-financial. Rewarding employees is one method of motivating and hence retaining employees. Besides, through rewarding employees, a business is able to grow its revenue and profits, retain its most productive employees, and inspire peak performance among its staff (Deeprose, 2007, p.1).Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Moreover, Reward system used as a motivating technique should be aligned to the unique needs of employees. Additionally, in order for employers to have maximum benefits from rewards, employers need to link rewards to organizational goals. The employers need to identify values or behaviors that they desire to reinforce and they attach rewards to them. This paper outlines specific issues contributing t o high turnover rates in organizations, and identifies the specific ways of rewarding employees. Moreover, the paper will outline what an organization should do in order to retain its productive workforce. Factors contributing to high turnover rates Employee turnover â€Å"occurs when employees voluntarily leave their jobs and must be replaced† (Smith, 2007). Business owners and management teams need to recognize factors that lead to high turnover rates in their specific businesses and industry. Moreover, factors that contribute to turnover rates among a specific group i.e. gender, race or certain ethnic groups should be explored. Factors contributing to high turnover rates can be classified in two categories; those beyond or within the control of the employer (Smith, 2007). Thus, employers need to identify factors related to high turnover rates which are within their control and put in place strategies to mitigate their occurrence. One factor contributing to high turnover ra tes is economic factor; employees leave a business in order to obtain better paying jobs. Indeed, some employees have been reported to leave an organization for another that provides an increment to their previous salaries or wages. Additionally, employees are constantly looking for job opportunities that give better compensation packages such as bonuses, health insurance. Further, organization experiencing performance difficulties have higher turnover rates; this is due to speculation of future layoffs. Employees in organization which are in the process of restructuring for example merging or being acquired tend to leave the firm due to uncertainty of job security. The organizational culture in a firm influences satisfaction, hence the rate of turnover. Organizational culture includes these aspects of reward system, strength of the leadership and development of shared goals. Generally, organizations with good support work environment have lower turnover rates (Prakashan, 2008, p.1- 53). Subsequently, organizations with limited career growth opportunities are exposed to high turnover, as employees seek for new challenges and career growth. Indeed, findings suggests that employees who had progressed through different jobs were more likely to remain in an organization compared to those who had remained in one job since being hired (Branham, 2005, p.204). Besides, high-performers stuck in one position for too long have a high tendency of leaving.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Employee Retention in Workplace specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The characteristic of a job also determine its turnover rate. For example, employees who are compelled to perform duties that take up personal time are likely to leave employment (Smith, 2007, p.24). In addition, job’s status determines its attractiveness or the lack of attractiveness. Usually, â€Å"job’s attractiveness will be aff ected by many characteristics, including its repetitiveness, challenge, danger, perceived importance, and capacity to elicit a sense of accomplishment† (Smith, 2007). Jobs which are monotonous and have limited opportunities for career growth experience high turnover rates. According to Jackson (2002), dissatisfaction with growth and career development prospects in a firm also cause employees to leave. Impractical expectations and general ignorance from employees at the time they accept a job offer fundamentally affects turnover rates. Subsequently, if employees are constantly assigned duties that do not match their qualification or personalities, they are compelled to leave (Prakashan, 2008, p.1-53). In addition, demographics of employees also contribute to their decisions of leaving an employment. Indeed, â€Å"empirical studies have demonstrated that turnover is associated in particular situations with demographic and biographical characteristics of workers† (Branham, 2005, p.204). For example, employees who have attained additional qualification (degrees) are more likely to leave a firm if they feel their achievements are not recognized or there is no room for utilizing their qualifications (Branham, 2005, p.204). Substandard working conditions in an organization also contribute to high turnover rate. Employees require adequate materials and equipment necessarily for accomplishing their responsibilities. Subsequently, the workplace environment should be hygienic and safe, for instance, proper lighting and well ventilated. Moreover, it is noted that there is high turnover in departments where the managers leave. Changes in management can destabilize an organization. How to retain employees Management of businesses can reduce employees’ turnover by using some basic HR practices. Turnover is not caused by a single event; rather, it is mostly caused by a series of processes in the workplace. Therefore, management teams need to diagnose reaso ns that cause employees to disengage so that management can interrupt the process hence save a lot of resources (Jackson, Schuler Werner, p.217). Employers need to make special consideration during mergers or acquisition or low performance because organizations are more vulnerable to higher turnover rates.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Smith (2007) outlines pay, promotion opportunities, and work/life balance as the most essential needs from their companies. Firstly, organization should appoint a retention committee that is tasked with dealing with all issues regarding retention of the workforce; this is essential especially in large organizations. Organization with retention initiatives reported up to 40% turnover decline among salaried employees and 25% decrease in hourly employees (Branham, 2005, p.205). Moreover, it may be necessary to re-interview the organizations staff yearly to review employees in terms of growth and areas where there is need for training. Additionally, large organizations should create an employee alumni organization where former employees can be contacted and possibly rehired. Organizations should offer competitive compensation packages to its employees depending on the industry. The compensation package includes wages, salaries, bonuses, stock options and vacations. Jackson et al (2002) recognizes compensation given to employees plays a crucial role in retaining them. The compensation given should reflect the amount of skills and experience of the employee and the amount of time spent working. Employers also need to train sectional or departmental managers on the importance of employees’ retention and factors that lead to high turn over rates. Besides the department managers should be given retention goals. In order to establish why employees are leaving their employment managers should conduct exit surveys where the managers conduct an interview to establish the reasons for dissatisfaction (Jackson, Schuler Werner, p.218). Importantly, departmental managers should be encouraged to remain in their position since their departure can cause turnover from their junior staff. In the event that a department manager has to leave, the position should be filled by an internal candidate trusted by the current employees (Branham, 2005, p.204). The organization should facilitate their employees to assess the organization hence pinpoint possible retention problems. Smith (2007) recommends two approaches through which organization a can be assessed; through a regular, informal assessment of employees by their supervisors and a formal assessment where employees can express their views regarding their company. Further, during frequent staff meeting, managers should identify productive staff whose departure would hurt the organization. Moreover, the management should establish and implement ways of to better the needs of these key employees (Branham, 2005, p.204). According to Prakashan (2008), growth and development are fundamental issues to every employee. Therefore, organizations should focus on the career development needs of their employees and broaden the employees’ marketability. Besides, findings suggest that nonexempt employees who advanced to exempt stay longer in businesses. Consequently, the organizations should provide coaching to encourage their nonexempt employees to grow their knowledge and capabilities hence attain career growth opportunities (Branham, 2005, p.204). Moreover, the managers should ensure that the employee’s personal goals and objectives are met as they participate in organization responsibilities. Further, the employees need training on various aspects of the organization in order to facilitate easier working. Subsequently, employers need to appraise its workforce and provide feedback and recommendation of improving their performance. First-year turnover rates are usually very high due to poor selection and hiring processes. To prevent this first-year turnover, an organization should select employees who can easily fit in the existing organizational culture, thus avoid employee-job mismatch, which causes dissatisfaction. Normally, new employees need to be properly oriented in a bid to make them fit into the system smoothly without having to kill their morale to work so early in their career. New employees who fit in the organization’s culture tend to have maximum length of time in a firm. Additionally, the management may need to review new-hire orientation process and training of new employees during the first year of employment (Branham, 2005, p.204). Additionally, employers need to explain explicitly, job responsibilities when hiring new employees, since unexpected responsibilities can cause dissatisfaction. In this case, employees should be made aware of what roles they are likely to play in the organization from the beginning of their engagement. Employees can also to be retained through creation of a supportive work culture, which enable employees to develop and boost employee satisfaction (Prakashan, 2008, p.1-53). A supportive work culture should encompass the following; respecting all employees, assigning appropriate job profiles and promoting or disciplining all employees according to the corporate culture. Additionally, the organization should support its employees to be successful. In addition, it is necessary for an organization to â€Å"support its employees during personal crisis through providing personal loans during emergencies or counseling services† (Prakashan, 2008). What rewards do employees want As stated earlier, rewarding employees is important to a business as; it grows revenue and profits, helps to retain productive employees and inspiring peak performance among the workforce. Effective reward programs in businesses have a great bottom-line impact. Rewarding employees also helps to great a positive work environment, motivates high performance, and reinforcing desired behavior. Moreover, organizations which recognize the efforts of their employees register better performance than organizations which do not recognize and reward its employees. Moreover, ‘organizations need to formulate employees reward systems that consist of integrated policies, processes and practices of rewarding employees dep ending on their contribution’ (Armstrong, 2002, p.4). Contrary to believe of many employers that rewarding employees is an expensive strategy, rewarding can actual have no or minimal cost. Importantly all rewards used by employers should be frequent and personalized since employees have unique needs. Therefore, employers require understanding of the unique needs of their employees in order to have an appropriate reward scheme for each. Most employers tend assume that their employees require rewards and incentives in form of monetary form. Conversely, as much as monetary rewards is an important way of recognizing employees achievements, there are many other forms of rewards which employees require as discussed below. In deed most studies conducted on employees suggest than money is not ranked highly among motivating factors. Ideally, rewarding of achievements and progress should be done on daily basis. Employees require recognition, praise and appreciation from their employers ; this can be in form of a personalized written praise (Stredwick, 2005, p.338). The employees need their employers to publicly recognize their efforts or achievements so the whole company can share in their accomplishments. In deed when employees perform a good job, employers should show appreciation. Employees require flexible working hours in order to maintain work/life balance; besides, new technology can facilitate working from home (Armstrong, 2007, p.38). The employers should reward top performers with flexible working hours or facilitate them to work from home. Where possible give opportunity to deserving employees to determine their working schedule; this strategy facilitates in building trust and good relationship between employers and key employees. Additionally it is essential to compensate for any extra time worked by employees. Further, the employees’ life schedule should fit with their work; example female workers may require more flexible working hours due to their maternal duties. Subsequently employees need learning and development opportunities where they can improve their marketability and career growth chances. Employers need to offer training and guidance to their employees in order to equip them with necessary skills (Armstrong, 2007, p.36). This is in realization that employees are always see\king an opportunity to advance their career and personal development, thus can be part of motivation. Additionally, employees require employers to consider employees voices and decisions, and in this case, ensure that all employees are allowed to participate whenever key decisions that touch their roles are being made. Employees want to be rewarded with greater responsibilities and leadership position. High achiever employees should be rewarded will new challenges; therefore, they should be rewarded with opportunity â€Å"to choose their assignments and rise to new challenges offered by new responsibilities† (Armstrong, 2007). Moreove r, employees need higher degree of autonomy and independence when performing their duties. By giving room for employees to work independently they are able to be innovative. What makes a good workplace The quality of a workplace influences motivation, satisfaction of employees and hence productivity of the firm. Generally, the structure and corporate culture of an organization determines the quality of a workplace. The quality of working relationship between co-workers and employees and management determines the quality of a workplace. In organization where workplace relationships are solid and supportive they form a good environment for working. Moreover, the work place relationship is influences the work environment, work teams cohesion and job satisfaction (Ganster Perrewe, 2010, p.118). Additionally workplace friendships affects work place experience positively; they contribute to job satisfaction and job involvement. Employees are willing to stay in organizations where they ha ve clear understanding of what is expected from them. Good workplaces offer guidance of meeting goals but they do not control the employees. Thus, management needs to effectively communicate their expectation from each employee and then give autonomy and independence for employees to attain the goals through their preferred routes. Subsequently, good workplaces have adequate materials and equipment necessary to maximum their potential. Moreover, employers should facilitate training employees on how to use provided equipment. Employees are motivated to stay in workplaces where duties that match with the right individuals. Additionally, workplaces with culture of appreciation are more attractive to employees. Further good workplaces provide opportunities for growth and development to its employees. Besides, employees are compelled to stay in organizations, which have high productivity culture. Conclusion Employee retention is a major concern for many employers; management teams of suc cessful organization have to realize the importance of retention its most productive workforce. High turnover leads to loss of valuable workers whose replacement is costly. It is important to note that a high employee turnover is normally unhealthy to an organization’s performance as well as the productivity of other presumably loyal employees. Moreover, turnover affects productivity of remaining employees since they may be compelled to perform duties of more than one person or allocated duties that do not match with their training. Employee exit from an organization may be a subject of variant factors; however, although some are avoidable, other factors may be too strong for the employer to control. It is fundamental for employers to identify these factors and establish strategies of preventing their occurrence. Primarily, turnover is attributed to lack of job satisfaction or economic conditions. Lack of job satisfaction is mainly caused by unmet expectations, the nature of job, corporate culture in the organization and personal demographics. On the other hand market conditions influence turnover through availability of better job opportunities with improved compensation. In order to limit harm of high turnover, employers need to utilize some strategies so as to improve job satisfaction and hence retention. Primarily, an employer should review his compensation packages, the workplace relationships, career and development prospects, and support in the workplace to facilitate retention of high-performers. The employers should offer competitive compensation packages depending on skills and experience of their employees and duration worked. Moreover, the employers can allow high-performers to formulate their work schedule or flexible working hours. Besides, the employers should compensate the employees for any extra hours. Further, employees want more independence and autonomy whenever handling their duties. Moreover, employers can retain employees through providing career development opportunities and training. The workplace culture influences the productivity of employees and also the rate of turnover. Management need to instill a supportive culture in the workplace as it leads to higher job satisfaction, therefore lower turnover. Additionally, the workplace relationships affect quality of the workplace. Thus, employers are required to establish strategies which promote internal cohesion. Besides, a good workplace has necessarily materials and equipment while the staff has been trained on how to effectively use the provided materials. References Armstrong, M. (2002). Employee reward. London: CIPD Publishing. Armstrong, M. (2007). A handbook of employee reward management and practice. London: Kogan Page Publishers. Branham, L. (2005). Seven Hidden Reasons Employees Leave. NY: AMACOM Div American Mgmt Assn. Carsen, J. CCH Incorporated. (2005). HR How to: Employees Retention. IL: CCH Incorporated. Deeprose, D. (2007). How to recogniz e reward employees: 150 ways to inspire peak performance. NY: AMACOM Div American Mgmt Assn. Ganster, D. C. Perrewe, P. L. (2010). New Developments in Theoretical and Conceptual Approaches to Job Stress. London: Emerald Group Publishing. Jackson, S., Schuler, R. Werner, S. (2008). Managing Human Resources. OH: Cengage Learning. Prakashan, N. (2008) Human Resoure Management: Managing People at Work. Bangalore: Nirali Prakashan. Smith, G. (2007). 401 proven Ways to Retain Yours Best Employees. Georgia: CYC Publications. Stredwick, J. (2005). Introduction to Human Resource Management. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. This research paper on Employee Retention in Workplace was written and submitted by user Jeremiah W. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

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Personal And Professional Development For this essay I have audited my leadership skills using theoretical models and referred to specific situations and experiences. This encompasses personal, academic and professional reflections and explores opportunities for my career paths and personal development with an Action Plan for the future. This has required critical evaluation of my own development needs in light of my own aspirations, establishing an understanding of my transferrable skills and how these can be enhanced. For this I have considered situations in which my leadership traits, styles and skills have been utilised to help create successful outcomes. Background My career path has involved working closely with and taking an interest in people, both clients and colleagues alike. In developing my management skills, I am continually pursuing further ways of improving the effectiveness of these interactions which is immensely rewarding for me. On leaving school, my first employment was within the travel industry. From the outset, I sought to improve skills and enjoyed the challenge of meeting the needs of customers, budgetary targets, training of staff, problem solving, through to the opening and management of a travel agency branch several years later. Apart from the GCSE qualifications gained at school, any further academic or professional learning has been gained whilst in employment. The skills and achievements in my personal life are equally transferrable to my work life. For example, as Chairman of a genealogical society for several years and public speaking engagements both serve as reminders that I have organisational, research and presentation abilities which I can and should be utilising and developing along my career path. I am a prison officer and, three years ago, I learnt that my establishment was funding a Foundation Degree in Offender Management. My initial reaction was one of excitement as I had, for several years, considered some form of Higher Education by way of personal and professional development, but had never explored the options. It was a source of immense satisfaction to pass the course and achieve Distinction grade. My learning journey, experiences and personal developments, undertaken in the last three years, would take more than the word count of this essay allows, yet there are key points to reflect on in order to analyse my own leadership skills and continue their development. Theoretical Models and Personal Experience of Reflection in my Professional Development: From my earliest days in retail employment, then Care Work and on to prison officer, I have been fascinated by people and behaviour. Working alongside others, as well as empowering and training gives me great personal and professional satisfaction. Using reflective models such as Gibbs (1998), shown in Appendix III, I came to realise that how I interpret situations influences my interactions with others. As I will illustrate, this relates directly to my personality style and how I manage people and situations. Linked to this is the importance I place on how I am viewed by others and naturally seek collaborative and open relationships. Many of these values are found in Carnegie (1938), listed in Appendix I. The Study Skills Self-Assessment which I completed on 23 October 2007 (Appendix II) highlighted three main employability skills I need to develop as: Improving own learning and performance Application of number (data collection and interpretation) Information and technology proficiency Alongside these, to develop, are my personal attributes of Self confidence Flexibility and adaptability Judgement In this assessment I also reflected on my own specific weaknesses which include being too self-critical and not praising my own achievements enough which can affect my ability to be objective about my performance. I have a strong underpinning need to defend others and leap to their rescue which I have come to see as a hindrance to my own development and of those I seek to help. This is a particularly important area for me to address as future management roles will require me to allow others to take their own personal responsibility and only offer guidance as appropriate. This rescuer style is schema-related and I have considered schema theory and how this applies to me. Beck, (1967:233), described a schema as ..a cognitive structure for screening, coding, and evaluating the stimuli that impinge on the organism. In short, schemas are the filters or core beliefs we have about ourselves or the world around us which influence how we interpret different situations in our lives. The nature of the work I do in offender rehabilitation requires me to undertake regular de-briefing, supervision, yearly health reviews and bi-monthly counselling. This, together with schema theory and other therapy models I use with prisoners, which I have also applied to myself, means I spend a lot of time being introspective and sharing reflections with colleagues. This helps define practical steps for a successful future but also enables me to gain wider perspectives in understanding, leading and managing others with a range of resources and situational analysis capabilities. Whereas, in the past and even recently, I have questioned the decision making processes of management, this has reshaped into a desire to gain a holistic overview of the work environment. Understanding the way we think and manage ourselves and others has been an important facet of my learning over the last three years. Straker (2008) who expands on the work of Gardner (2006) was helpful in appreciating that how we interact with people, at all levels, and is crucial for self development. Overcoming objections to understanding others, for fear that this might disprove our own theories about ourselves and the world are key hurdles of which I must continually be mindful. Negative experiences in this have resulted in an unhealthy view of the workplace but, as I said earlier, the benefits of a more engaging view have proved beneficial in my work and personal well being. As well as using Gibbs Reflective Cycle (1998), Kolb (1984) also helped me to evaluate experiences and test hypotheses but I did not find it took me to the point of action whereas Gibbs sets out the plan for ongoing development which is crucial for me so as not to remain procrastinating. Moon (2004) has been a useful resource on reflective practice, reminding me that reflection is not just important in itself, but must also lead to positive change, In observing what gets in the way, rather than being stuck in analysis, to move beyond and set goals for positive development has been essential learning for me and has been a surprising benefit which I had not expected several years ago. Leadership Employability Skills I recently completed an Employability Skills self assessment exercise which we first undertook in the first semester of the Foundation Degree. On doing this, I compared the results from the two. It was encouraging that one of my main developments appears to have been in problem solving and I consider my Higher Education studies over the last three years as contributing to my deeper analysing abilities. In light of earlier descriptions of my learning journey and reflective logs, it is gratifying to see that I have come a long way in, not only overcoming my own obstacles to learning, but making measured and significant achievement which then enables me to guide others in their roles. Among the key learning experiences for me, alongside the above, are a recognition of the roles of others, networking and effective communication. My career path has involved working closely with and taking an interest in people, both clients and colleagues alike. This was particularly apparent when I recently updated my Curriculum Vitae (Appendix IV), which was last compiled almost fifteen years ago. In developing my management skills throughout my degree studies, I have discovered further ways of improving the effectiveness of these interactions which is immensely rewarding for me. Through networking with management and departments for resources on researching prison policy, security and management skills, I am now feeling positive and motivated to succeed in career development. Not only is this important from a practical, self-development perspective, but also the fulfilling sense of achievement this will bring. Until recently, I was Supervisor of the Core Sex Offender Treatment Programme which was an important role in developing my leadership skills, promoting staff well-being as well as guiding staffs professional development. Another important aspect of this was to remain flexible yet consistent in balancing these needs whilst focussing on the goals of the establishment Business Plan and Key Performance Target (KPT) priorities. This mirrors Handy (1987) who argues for such flexibility in his Trust Control Theory. I find myself taking the opportunity to develop the skills of others very seriously and is personally rewarding and empowering. The values I attribute to this mirror those of Kandola and Fullerton (1994) in their Mosaic Vision which I have included in Appendix V. In Transactional Analysis Theory (Bern, 1961), every individuals personality is made up of three parts Parent, Adult and Child. An assessment of my own revealed a predominantly Nurturing Parent relationship style which is immensely rewarding personally, but can prove emotionally draining and is not without its practical problems. However, developing assertiveness skills in establishing my own identity and skills base has the benefit of overcoming any negative rumination and keeps lines of communication open. An example of achieving this was in challenging my line manager over my yearly performance review where I was rated Achieved and not Exceeded which I felt was deserved. I could have overlooked this and ruminated unhelpfully, believing him to be responsible for not recognising my achievements, but chose instead to manage my manager and argued my case. I found the www.h2training.com website interesting which had useful strategies for reminding me how to maintain my own degree of self-determination. Quoting from this site: Its unreasonable to expect your manager to be entirely responsible for accelerating your career: ultimately, its your own responsibility. Remember that an expectation is also resentment waiting to happen, and it is very difficult to hide resentment. http://h2training.com/managing_manager_tips.html [accessed November 2010] Suffice to say, my performance record was amended accordingly. I recently had to step down from Sex Offender Treatment work which I found difficult to accept. I, therefore, reappraised my personal development and used reflective skills (Kolb, 1984 and Beck 1967) to help evaluate the experiences and to understand how I was interpreting them. By doing this, I was able to negotiate a role within the drugs support team after originally being offered an office based assessment position which I would have found unfulfilling. Indeed, on reflection, assertiveness and negotiation are two core management attributes which are now part of my skills set. Drawing together the range of experience and interests I have enjoyed over successive years keeps me, first and foremost, actively engaged in working for and alongside others. My role as a drugs support worker requires the key skills I possess with the realisation and expectation that they can be further developed with a particular emphasis on evaluating the management requirements of this work. This is encouraging and, in this period of change, I have come to realise the importance of job satisfaction as a key motivator for me. An important element of my professional life is to uphold personal and corporate values of decency and ethical practice including cultural diversity. I was pleased to be able to highlight these values in my Diversity Foundation Degree project from January 2009 where I made recommendations for valuing the diversity of staff and prisoners and improving ethical practice in Programmes Awareness training at Full Sutton. This was well received by the treatment management team resulting in the training being strengthened in this area. On sharing the findings of my Transactional Analysis with a work colleague, my nurturing parent style was acknowledged and confirmed through my perceived empathic nature. In looking at my management style, it is important that I maintain a balance between this and being careful not to go into White Knight schema-driven mode, where I need to defend others at all costs. Developing a style which cares for others yet enables them to function on their own merits allows me to function better as a genuinely caring person in my work and as a leader. Maslows Hierarchy of Needs theory (1943), reminds me that my own needs count as well as those of other people. In other words, putting other people first all the time is detrimental to my own well-being and valuing myself is, in itself, a key assertiveness skill. I continually remind myself of the announcements on aircraft during safety briefings where, in the event of oxygen masks being deployed, you are instructed to put your own on first before aiding anyone else. If you dont, you might pass out beforehand and then no one is saved. Critically evaluating My Leadership and Management Style Some years ago, a colleague of mine who has since retired, told me his thoughts on a particular Senior Manager. He used a phrase which, though meant in a derogatory sense, I have never forgotten. He said ..as a leader of men, I would only follow him out of curiosity. This colleague had spent many distinguished years in the Armed Services as a Regimental Sergeant Major and had been in the Prison Service for around 15 years. He had, therefore, some considerable experience of different management and leadership styles. Using established theory I continually analyse my own strengths and weaknesses in areas of leadership and management. Fayol (1916) highlighted five commons elements of management which are essential to the role. These include the ability to look to the future, to be organised and co-ordinate the organisational objectives, leading (though he defined it as commanding which is unhelpfully autocratic) and, finally, to control the above elements using all means at his or her disposal. Whilst this was written at the beginning of the last century, the basic tenets of management Fayol lists are still valid though ones own personality also engenders an effective workforce which can achieve results. The latter is personally important as I seek to have followers rather than delegates and makes me, as a manager, more of a leader. I recently completed the Myers Briggs Personality Type Questionnaire. Having done this a couple of years ago, I decided to redo this using an internet-based assessment resource (www.teamtechnology.co.uk) [accessed 15 September 2010], which produced a comprehensive 200 page report. Summary in Appendix VI The results proved very interesting and formed a cohesive assessment which affirmed the beliefs about my personality and leadership attributes gained over the last few years. This was confirmed through the initial questionnaire together with a separate subtest which had similar outcomes and, interestingly, the results were very similar to my previous assessment two years previously. Essentially, I have a strong focus on values, feelings, compassion and important beliefs where current experiences hold great learning importance. Team values are high and my role in ensuring the well-being of those with whom I work is important to me. There are, however, elements of this personality type which I am aware can be problematic if not managed appropriately. I do have a tendency to avoid conflict yet can be stubborn where my own values come into conflict with corporate ideals in which I run the risk of failing in objectivity. These are negative traits which I have been consciously working on over the last few years and serve to remind me that, whilst having a default style, this does not preclude effective working on these to the benefit of all concerned. Interestingly, the top two best matches of jobs for me based on enjoyment are actor and musician; for match came out as counsellor and customer care and a combination of match and enjoyment came out as counsellor and actor. All of these I have both experience and interest in and the traits from these have indeed shaped my leadership style. The Humanist approach described by McGregor (1964) looked at how individual attitudes can affect behaviour. He purported that there are 2 types of leader (using an X and Y continuum ranging from a negative to positive view of subordinates respectively). The latter, he showed, have a greater chance of effective performance from the workforce through a nurturing approach which I can identify with. A reflective log from December 2009 is included in Appendix VII. Again, as with most models, there is a typical style for each individual manager but even the most open and supportive one can revert on occasions to X-typical strategies and responses. This can be somewhat confusing and lacking in continuity for the workforce and, potentially unsettling as I will illustrate later in this essay. The model is similar to Tannenbaum and Schmidt (1958) who use the continuum from Authoritarian Task Orientation to Democratic Relationship Orientation where I operate towards the latter and Goleman (2000) on which I identify with the Affiliative (people come first) stage. Operational leaders, as covered by Maxwell (2002) have great value to an organisation in providing stability, devising systems and solving problems with positive engagement. However, because of their focus on detail they can overlook the bigger picture, sometimes lack motivation and are not effective in dealing with conflict. Very often, paraphrasing Maxwell here, operational leaders are not very good at getting their hands dirty but readily raise the flag at the moment of achievement. Thankfully, whilst viewing myself as an operational leader, I do like to share in tasks as well as delegate. John Adair (2002) in his range of leadership treatises, (which, incidently, build on the previous models of Maslow (1943), Herzberg (1964) and Fayol (1916) highlights three key management responsibilities under his banner of Action Centred leadership. Achieving the task Managing the team or group Managing individuals Whilst advocating a shared responsibility between the individual and external factors, it does not, however, take stock of the individual in the leadership role which I view as crucial. A similar but more complex model I have become interested in, is known as Crew Resource Management (CRM) which was originally devised by NASA to explore the human factors in civil aviation accidents in the 1970s. Several industries have adopted and adapted their own models accordingly and my interest will culminate in a dissertation for my Degree on the benefits of adopting a CRM approach to Prison Service critical incidents. Tasks or people? Workforce or Team ? It is clear that leadership is different to management though a good leader will have good management skills. In considering whether I impose myself as leader to focus on task or allow the team to flourish utilising their own skills, I completed the T-P leadership questionnaire (Appendix VIII). This scored exactly midway between the two, highlighting my awareness and flexibility to respond to both important aspects. How we respond to a leader gives some indication of our own skills and that of the one in the supervisory role. As one who aims to lead by inspiration, I am more inclined to follow Kolbs (1984) model of learning and encourage people to adapt concrete way of doing things to update their skills base and find more effective ways of working (feeling, watching, thinking, doing). An autocratic leader would be less inclined to allow such flexibility and attempt to ensure compliance from those who might be more inclined to kick and scream in and against the process. An effective leader should also take individual learning styles into account as no one method fits all. Honey and Mumfords Learning Style Inventory (1982), highlights the differences that exist, as I have found even within small teams, yet we all work together and effectively, notwithstanding that everyones experience of being under the same leadership will be different. One of the most important sources of reflection in considering my own style of leadership, plus a reinforcement of my own beliefs and values, is represented in the Style Theory of Leadership developed by Blake and Mouton (1964). This, essentially, follows on from McGregors X-Y theory and is more relevant to those predominantly on the Y axis and where a level of trust in management structure exists in the workplace. However, Blake and Mouton explored the benefits of those that put tasks before people and vice versa. Ultimately they considered whether concern for people or concern for production was more important for leaders. As with other models, the day to day style of individuals in leadership roles can vary but everyone has their own default mode. Where productivity appears more important than the maintenance and well-being of the staff, I can find myself at odds with the management and perceived ethos of the establishment at which I work. With the Blake Mouton model, I was relieved to have my default leadership style confirmed as Team Leader. This is indicative of high concern for both people and production where emphasis is placed on a spirit of teamwork and mutual co-operation. This also engenders a safe environment in which commitment from all sides is more readily forthcoming. However, in completing a recent practical assessment for a promotion board I failed to attain the required grade. I knew this as soon as the assessment was over, though I had to wait two months for the official result. In fact, I knew during the assessment, I was reacting totally contrary to my normal sense of priorities when faced with a constant stream of problems to solve. I found myself focussing primarily on the tasks and not enough on the personnel. For example, when faced with a member of staff who was emotionally upset at a domestic issue, I asked if he was okay to continue to get his landing unlocked and would look to help him with his problem later. Afterwards I learnt that the assessors were looking for Utopian responses in all scenarios assuming all needs could be immediately provided so I could have put staff welfare first, getting his role covered immediately so he could then get home to sort his issues. However, I reverted to my current work role where the pressure to meet deadlines sometimes overrides well-being. As this was completely at odds with how I believed I would normally have reacted, I was left feeling ill at ease and questioned why I persisted in this way when I am naturally Y (using McGregors model, 1960) and more team focused than task orientated (Blake Mouton, 1964). Whilst I may not fully understand why, at least it is a recognised trait à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..theory X managers (or indeed theory Y managers displaying theory X are primarily results oriented Internet source http://www.businessballs.com/mcgregor.htm [October 2010] On reflection, I am convinced that the culture and environment of the higher management structure (which demands and focuses on results and targets) filters down and, no matter how much one tries to resist or even kick against it, it permeates ones own work practice after a while. The climate in which I work consistently places emphasis on the meeting of Key Performance Targets (KPTs) and now, the Service Level Agreement (SLA). In meeting these as well as ever increasing budgetary constraints, every facet of work culture is placed under the microscope and, wherever possible, cut, yet the targets must be met regardless. However, no matter the circumstances in which we find ourselves or expectations laid at our office door, it is how we respond that is important and the acceptance of our personal responsibility to be channelled into effective working. An important element of relationships, at all levels including personal and business, is trust. Where one perceives this to be eroded or not present due to conflict in aims or values, it can have a destructive affect on effective co-working. As can be seen above, this is something I am struggling with in the corporate ethos where I am constantly second-guessing the motives behind management decision-making. However, to be an effective manager, I am mindful of maintaining a healthy approach to embracing the mission of the workplace even though I may not fully understand or have access to the full rationale behind the decision making processes from Higher Management. As a leader, I have to convey to those I wish to work effectively under me, that this mission is achievable and in the common interest despite my own such uncertainties. Maintaining personal integrity and establishing trust are essential in my personal, professional and leadership identity. Straker (2008:208) talks of transaction cost and trust boundaries. Essentially he argues that trust, if allowed to erode or not fostered within an organisation can impact on delivery and there has to be a cost on both sides to re-establish this. As he says .. the overall cost can be minimised with up-front investment in, and subsequent maintenance of, trust. If one does not have that sense of belonging within the trust group then there is something wrong with the work relationship and part of effective management and leadership performance is to be pro-active in fostering trust and encouraging people to enter the trust boundary. It begs the question, therefore, who and under what conditions will we follow? Should we be expected to lead and expect blind faith? What criteria and principles should be presented in order for others to set out on the journey with us ? Handy (1987) suggests that in order for an outcome to remain constant, the Trust-Control balance might need to shift between leader and subordinates and I can see merits in this as relationships, as well as work pressures, are fluid in nature. There are three established styles of leadership: autocratic, paternalistic and democratic. History records successful leaders who have exhibited all of the above. Each style can work and produce results but demands a flexibility on the part of the workforce to fit in with the style and it is that response which can be acknowledged and worked with or not as the case may be, As for my own style, confirmed as a nurturing parental approach, this has immense benefits for myself and for those who work under me as they feel supported and, more importantly in my opinion, affirmed in their roles with their own skills base recognised and developed. As with any style there are costs and, as I am finding, where my own sense of values conflicts with the demands laid upon me, this can have a detrimental effect to my own sense of purpose within the organisation. It is important, therefore, that structures and lines of communication are open which allow for that expression of view. However, this, in itself, is not without the potential cost. As I found when raising my head above the parapet on several occasions, to express concern and personal frustration with the direction expected by senior managers, it can blot ones copybook. Again, it is important for me to consider how much of this is down to my own personal perception and how able I am to see my subordinates perspective and, crucially, the aims and focus of the establishment delivery objectives. Conclusion In terms of future roles, I am best placed to consider managerial positions. The Foundation Degree and BA(Hons) are regarded as valuable qualifications both for their content relevant to the Criminal Justice System and Leadership and Management but also symbolising the desire and commitment I have and have shown for continued self development (Appendix IX). In the final analysis, the human dynamic is the most beneficial resource in the workplace but it is also the most fickle and, at times, fragile. To lead is a privilege and to follow is an opportunity. I can only strive to make myself worthy of the trust placed in me to, not only get the job done, but to enable others to be the very best they can be and, in the process, ensure I am followed out of respect and not coercion or, indeed, curiosity. Appendices: I. Excerpt from Carnegie (1938) II. Study Skills Self Assessment III. Gibbs (1998) Reflective Cycle IV. Curriculum Vitae V. Kandola and Fullerton (1994) Mosaic Vision VI. Myers Briggs Personality Type Questionnaire VII. Reflective Log on McGregor X,Y Theory VIII. T-P Leadership Questionnaire IX. Professional Development Plan Appendix I Excerpts from How To Win Friends and Influence People Carnegie (1938) Fundamental Techniques in Handling People Dont criticize, condemn, or complain. Give honest and sincere appreciation. Arouse in the other person an eager want. Six Ways to Make People Like You Become genuinely interested in other people. Smile. Remember that a mans Name is to him the sweetest and most important sound in any language. Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves. Talk in the terms of the other mans interest. Make the other person feel important and do it sincerely Twelve Ways to Win People to Your Way of Thinking Avoid arguments. Show respect for the other persons opinions. Never tell someone they are wrong. If youre wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically. Begin in a friendly way. Start with questions the other person will answer yes to. Let the other person do the talking. Let the other person feel the idea is his/hers. Try honestly to see things from the other persons point of view. Sympathize with the other person. Appeal to noble motives. Dramatize your ideas. Throw down a challenge. Be a Leader: How to Change People Without Giving Offense or Arousing Resentment Begin with praise and honest appreciation. Call attention to other peoples mistakes indirectly. Talk about your own mistakes first. Ask questions instead of directly giving orders. Let the other person save face. Praise every improvement. Give them a fine reputation to live up to. Encourage them by making their faults seem easy to correct. Make the other person happy about doing what you suggest. Appendix II. Study Skills Self Assessment Appendix III. Gibbs (1998) Reflective Cycle Appendix IV. Curriculum Vitae Appendix V My Personal and Pr

The Maltese Falcon :: essays research papers fc

Dashiell Hammett’s San Francisco: A Unique Setting in the Changing World of Early 20th Century Detective Fiction The Pacific coast port city of San Francisco, California provides a distinctively mysterious backdrop in Dashiell Hammett’s The Maltese Falcon. Unlike many other detective stories that are anchored in well-known metropolises such as Los Angeles or New York City, Hammett opted to place the events of his text in the lesser-known, yet similarly exotic cultural confines of San Francisco. Hammett used his own intricate knowledge of the San Francisco Bay Area - coupled with details collected during a stint as a detective for the now defunct Pinkerton Agency - to craft a distinctive brand of detective fiction that thrived on such an original setting (Paul 93). By examining the setting of 1920’s San Francisco in The Maltese Falcon, it becomes apparent that one of Hammett’s literary strengths was his exceptional ability to intertwine non-fictional places with a fictional plot and characters in order to produce a logical and exceedingly believable detective mystery.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Dashiell Hammett called the San Francisco area home from 1920 until 1936. For a portion of those fourteen years, he shared an apartment on Eddy Street with his first wife Josephine Dolan. This apartment was located very near the San Francisco Public Library on Larkin Street where in 1921 Hammett first conceived the idea of his writing detective fiction. San Francisco historian and author Don Freeman explains: In the library he would read the magazines and the books and one day after reading several detective yarns he said, ‘I can do that.’ The truth is, he could. And he did. He wrote for Black Mask, a pulp detective magazine, and then as his skills increased he began to write novels. It was in this library that Dashiell Hammett saw his future. (79) Hammett contributed stories to Black Mask for ten years until The Maltese Falcon gained public and literary acclaim. Many of the stories that Hammett penned for Black Mask were set in San Francisco, as the city provided him with a unique atmosphere in which to observe and record different cultures, norms, and fads. In the 1920’s, San Francisco was thought of as an exotic melting pot of culture that was rivaled only by its eastern cultural counterpart of New York City. Therefore, it is no surprise that Hammett used San Francisco as the setting of The Maltese Falcon to further illustrate the exotic and striking nature of the plot and characters within the text (Dumenil 211).

Mind Is Not a Vessel to Be Filled, but a Fire to Be Kindled Essay

â€Å"Education† may be an ordinary word to most people, but very few actually understand the deep meaning beneath it. In this dynamic world, we need to be equipped with the necessary skills and hard work to survive. Understanding the education system is integral to allow students to understand the purpose of studying, the purpose of going to school everyday. Is education in Singapore really â€Å"holistic†? Are there flaws? What is education? By definition, it would be something along the line of â€Å" transferring knowledge†. I beg to differ. In my opinion, education consists of more than just knowledge. From Kindergarden to University, students are put through the daily routine of waking up early in the morning, going to a place where teachers teach â€Å"the same old stuff†. By that, I am referring to knowledge. Knowledge is power, you might say. Indeed, being knowledgeable helps you stand out among the rest during the tests and examinations. But is that all about education ? Acing the tests and getting a degree? I’m afraid no. Years after years, Singapore universities and institutions are well-known on the global front for being able to produce students with top grades. These results just keep getting better and better. Foreigners come to Singapore for education. Most people might therefore think education in Singapore is perfect. I also acknowledge that these are true, but only to a certain extent. On the other spectrum ( which is usually not shown), there are students who are not performing as well as their peers, students who are doing well but facing a lot of unnecessary stress. This is prevalent as well. The obsessive reliance of tuition to produce grades, online forums to discuss ways to â€Å"headstart my child in education†. I find no meaning in these. This is passive learning. Similarly, there are exceptional cases which bring out the ugly truth about education in Singapore. Students faking degrees to earn scholarships, jobs , graduates saying vulgarities during graduation ceremony to ‘rejoice’ over the achievements, even local scholar prosecuted overseas for doing unethical things such as watching child pornography. If education in Singapore is so perfect, why would such disgraceful incidents occur? Let us look at some possible reasons. Memorizing dictionaries, memorizing textbooks, doing thousands of assessment books, attending endless tuitions and supplementary classes†¦ These are some things most pupils in Singapore are going through. They have my sympathy. Everything I have described until now is about passive learning, which revolves around results and lacking in true meaning of education. Now, let us zoom into another aspect. Imagine this : a child who does his work consistently, revises on daily basis, reads newspapers everyday. Everything without being told. Seems like a utopian child? No. It is possible. The only thing he has compared to other students is the passion. The burning passion inside him to learn, to absorb knowledge. This drive pushes him to do everything on his own. There is no tuition, no supplementary classes, reasonable number of assessment books. Yet, this child is scoring ‘A’s for his subjects. In Singapore schools, Ministry of Education is encouraging a whole new approach towards â€Å"holistic† education. Co-curricular activities, Community Involvement Program, Civics & Morals Education†¦ these are programmes put in place after much effortful planning of the education ministries. There are even more recent policies such as not revealing top students for national examinations such as Primary School Leaving Examinations. I respect them for that. However, there are rooms for improvement. CCA, short for co-curricular activities, is a word that is often hung in the pupils’ mouth. Whether they say it out of pride in a good way or bad way, I do not know. This brings me to the point of CCA mismatch. Students who feel they are â€Å"not good enough† for a CCA only after a few years in that CCA, students who feel indignant as they feel they could have gotten into â€Å"better CCA†. What are the consequences of this? Students not attending CCAs regularly, students complaining about how ‘ sien ‘ ( boring and uninteresting) their CCA is. This leads to stereotyping about CCAs and split between different CCAs, especially Sports vs Non-Sports. While you might say it is good that CCAs are bonded together as a team, the purpose of bonding is wrong. They are making fun of other people and things they do. In the long run, this will not work. Another thing is when pupils do not attend CCAs, the school has no choice but to use deterrence methods such as demerit points. To tackle this whole situation, there is Direct- School- Admission put in place to reduce scenarios like this however the success is limited. After talking about limitations of the current education system put in place, I have some suggestions. What I will say is also something simple : passion. Again, a simple word yet deep meaning behind it. If a student is an active learner, problems such as late/no submission of work, lack of focus during lessons, loss of notes, game/social networking addiction etc will all be eliminated at once. Students will not complain ‘ Life is Tough’ or ‘ There is too much work yet too little time’ etc. Teachers no longer have to chase after the students for work, give students boring supplementary classes. Teachers no longer have to scold students, which deviates their focus on teaching that will result in drop in productivity. This will lead to more supplementary/remedial classes which make students get tired of learning. Ultimately, they lose passion in learning. This evil cycle of mad chase, forced homework, drilled practice will keep on going until the students change their attitude. If the students take charge of their own learning, they will automatically focus during lessons and give constructive feedback that can engage the whole class in a positive manner. This will accelerate learning so much that the teachers will be more willing to teach and even plan fun activities for pupils to play and learn at the same time. At the same time, the students will strive to do their best in everything including daily worksheet, assignments. Ultimately, success ( which is good grades people chase after) will follow them. Therefore, I strongly feel that passion is much more important than knowledge. To put this passion in them, I think teachers, parents and students themselves all play a crucial role to ‘kindle the fire’ within them. They can help create encouraging environment to allow pupils to share their opinions on certain topics and letting them think ‘out of the box’. They can reduce things such elitism stereotyping to encourage the pupils to exchange feedback healthily and letting them learn from one another. Occasionally, having useful motivation courses in schools by professionals also might help. Once this fire is lit, the action will follow. Students will start finding joy in learning and unknowingly, they will get good grades without even getting stressed or tired.