Treating Students Fairly Essay Example for Free

Treating Students Fairly Essay I think it makes much more sense to treat all learners differently. I think of it as a parent. If I have 4 children it is my responsibility to address each child’s needs. You can raise all children in the same home and they will all 4 walk away with a different experience and interpretation of what went on. I see the classroom the same way. A relationship should be built from the beginning. This way the students know that everyone in the classroom has different needs and I will do my best to meet them all. There is no favoritism just fairness. This has to be explained and revisited throughout the school year. There is a definite overrepresentation of African Americans in special education. I think the contributing factors are their environment, some not all are coming from single parent households and the value of education has to be examined. I think it is a sad state of affairs. Children who misbehave are not necessarily behavior problems. I think the genetics are different from African Americans and their counterparts. The diet is different as is the influences around them. More needs to be done to stop this but it won’t be easy. To start with a culturally responsive classroom I think there should be some ground rules set. Different cultures should be explored and discussed as a class. That would be best practice. In addition there should be pictures that reflect diversity around the classroom. Behavior and motivation will follow suit if addressed early. I think the students will see how the teacher responds and in turn respond the same way.

The Mystery of Kurtz in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness :: Heart of Darkness Essays

The Mystery of Kurtz in Conrad’s Heart of Darkness Many works of literature not readily identified with the mystery or detective story genre nonetheless involve the investigation of a mystery. Sometimes finding out the answer of the mystery can illuminate the meaning of the work as a whole. This is present in Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. The mystery in this novella is about a character named Kurtz. Kurtz was an English man who traveled to the Congo in search of excitement, money and experience. To many people back home, he was known to be a loving intelligent young man. In Congo he was also known as being very intelligent, but also as being insane. The question is what happened to Kurtz how and why he let his self go insane. In a way you can say that he found the â€Å"heart† of his â€Å"darkness,† embraced it and could not escape it. In dealing with Kurtz many questions became visible for an example towards the end of the book what did he mean by â€Å"the horror, the horror!† was he referring to what he witnessed and experienced while he was in command of his ivory station or was he talking about the civilization of Europe and how he did not wish to return? Perhaps he saw Europe as being his darkness and the Congo being his light or vice versa. When reading each page, a sort of investigation begins in trying to figure out how Kurtz became insane. However, that investigation was not fully closed because in the end no one knew what had happened to him. In a way his character presented the idea that perhaps the darkness, his darkness was his own and was all along in him waiting to come out. Because there were other men living and working in the Congo who had not become insane as he did, such as the Russian trader or the ivory company’s accountant.

Lego Group, Marketing and Operation Management Report

FOUNDATIONS OF MANAGEMENT (PART A) LEGO Group Marketing and Operations Management Report Prepared: For: LEGO Group By: Eva Gaal On: 17 November 2008 Introduction At the request of the LEGO Company, this report advises the company on the expansion of its operation based on market segmentation, appropriate marketing mix, new product design and development, including total quality management for outsourcing new partners. LEGO Group is the fifth-largest toy manufacturer of the world and has operated successfully for 75 years; however, it has had some problems in the last couple of years. To solve these problems, LEGO introduced a seven-year strategy plan, which consists of some fundamental changes regarding to the processes, procedures and structure of the company. This strategy so far has been executed successfully as shown in the financial results; however, LEGO is going to face some more challenges in the future. (LEGO Annual Report 2007, 2007). 1. / Market segmentation ‘Market segmentation is defined as the subdividing of a market into distinct and increasingly homogeneous subgroups of customers’ (FM-A, 2004, p. 3) and ‘it centres on the assumption that customers demonstrate heterogeneity in their product preferences and buying behaviour’. (Green, 1977, Wind, 1978, cited in Dibb, 1998, p. 394). ‘The business did actively segment its market’ (Dibb, 1998, p. 399), as LEGO identified itself from the very beginnings as a toy manufacturer it therefore automatically determined its marketing segmentation approach. In the children's toy market the primary segmentation base is the age (the older the more complex product); however, the real buyers are the parents (e. g. LEGO Duplo). Such an approach is popular because it is convenient, clear-out, easy to implement and stable over time. ’ (Curran and Goodfellow, 1989, p. 23, cited in Dibb, 1998, p. 399). During the company operation LEGO identified more and more secondary segmentation variables (FM-A, 2004) such as †¢ gender (dollhouse for girls: LEGO Belville and robots, football stars for boys: LEGO Sports, LEGO Racers), †¢ geographical area: level of income and purchasing power (matured countries – more complex products like Technic, Bionicle, developing countries – simple products like Duplo, Creative Building) education (different product rages for classroom education and for child development at home) †¢ psychographic, lifestyle: reflects the parents believe in the importance of education and creativity of the LEGO produc ts LEGO related its products directly to this segmentation group and positioned them in the certain markets. Why is market segmentation important? Identification of market segments, physical product configurations and brand positioning (LEGO positioned itself as a premium brand) are the most important decisions that companies face in the global marketplace. (Hassan et al. , 2003). LEGO identified country-wide segments and targeted them with its products range, based around the importance of education and creativity. Universal segments across country boundaries are considered as micro factors for values, attitudes, lifestyle and perception. (Hassan et al. , 2003). Even if market segments can be identified as LEGO did, it does not necessarily mean they are attractive or that a suitable marketing mix can be designed for each segment. This can be one reason why LEGO had difficulties in early 2000, however, ‘there is a lack of quantifiable evidence about the impact of segmentation on business performance’. Dibb, 1998, p. 396). The other reason could be that despite the well documented benefits which segmentation offers, businesses continue to encounter implementation difficulties. (Dibb, 1998) Marketers are using intuition rather than systematic analysis to identify segments (Wind and Cardoza, 1974, cited in Dibb, 1998) – follow their competitor s (LEGO started to create high-tech toys) with the lack of critical analyses about their attractiveness to the business. By recommendation it is that LEGO should review its segmentation approach including identification of segment profitability and life cycles (see Appendix 1. ; collection of segments data; global buyer based vs country based features etc. to identify new market opportunities and niches. Although there is a lack of quantitative research on the question of segmentation success factor, there are guidelines that divide 3 part (before – during – after) segmentation process, Kotler’s check-list and attractiveness criteria (Abratt,1993, cited in Dibb, 1998), (see Appendix 2. ). The result of this analysis should then be applied in the development of the existing segments (e. g. argeting older age-groups 20+, enter into new markets e. g. in Asia or identify new segments) to make decisions about targeting and to determine positioning. (Dibb, 1998). 2. / Marketing Mix After the market has been successfully segmented, target segment selected, and positioning strategies created, the marketer needs to proceed with development of the marketing mix. (Goldsmith, 1999, p. 181). The marketing plan consists of the eight main elements below which are the major areas to achieve and expand the sales and profit goals (see Appendix 3. ). Some of them are unique for Technic products (like product & price) but some of them cannot be separated as they are associated to the brand (cost-effectiveness). Product LEGO’s vision is that the Group will increasingly refine and improve its product range to enable its new product range to compete (LEGO Annual Report 2007, 2007), for example with the many electronic toys on the market, other companies are determined to reach buyers. Therefore in the 1970’s LEGO started to launch the Expert Builder sets, which included parts like gears, axles and cogs, which could be used to build working models of vehicles and machines (e. . cars, trucks, tractor etc. ). These products were more advanced, therefore more suitable for teenagers (12+). They were designed to help children learn creatively through play and to improve abilities to solve complex problems. In the 1980s the Expert Builder series was renamed to the Technic series. (Regani and George, 2007). By the early 1990s h igh-tech toys appeared in the market from other companies. Therefore the LEGO Technic series had to be improved to build robots and other automated or interactive systems to keep up with its competitors. Price LEGO’s unique position is based on the high quality, durability and safety of its products, utilizing a premium branding strategy where a higher price is associated, which therefore differentiates LEGO in relation to its competitors within the current market. The Technic products consist of more complex and special elements, therefore the production cost is higher than the standard bricks. Customers are prepared to pay this higher price to get the added benefits of the special design product of LEGO. However, this higher price (? 60-? 120) completely fits into the LEGO products price range (? 20-? 200). Place LEGO uses the following channels to provide their products (including LEGO Technic products) to customers (LEGO Annual Report 2007, 2007): – distribution: two centres in North America, two centres in Europe – direct sale: brand stores, mail order business, online sales (e. g. Amazon) Promotion The LEGO brand is the sixth most well known brand in the world (HVG, 2004) and this gives competitive advantage against the competitors in the promotion activity. LEGO is using to promote the Technic products through advertising during TV children programs (e. g. Off Roader) and through sales promotion (e. g. pecial online offers, Technic Gallery). Increasingly, online reviews written by satisfied customers are used to promote their products. Other possibility to promote Technic products would be to build one of them in the brand store to demonstrate how it works. People Not only in the production have LEGO maintained a high quality, but also in the performance of the servic e for customers. By TECHNIC products is very important that appropriate training for employees is given due to the complexity of the products. Processes ‘Lego products have to satisfy all market standards regardless where they were manufactured. (Regani and George, 2007, p. 6). It also has to provide high quality technical support especially such a complex product as Technic and customer service. ‘LEGO customer service was thus awarded the prize for â€Å"Best Centre for Customer Service† in Europe. ’ (LEGO Annual Report 2007, 2007, p. 19). Physical evidence The high quality production of the LEGO product (ISO 14001) guarantees that the Technic toys can be easily assembled following the technical instructions and there are no missing parts and all elements fit perfectly well together. The assembled toy looks and works exactly as shown on the packaging. Personalisation As the newest element of the marketing mix, personalisation offers a personalised version of the brand. This has a direct impact on all other elements relevant to LEGO products. Customers who are unhappy with mass produced products can design their own individual TECHNIC product on the internet and order this more personalised version online. However, ‘personalised products may imply personalised prices’. (Goldsmith, 1999, p181. ). 3. / New product design development It may be easier to develop a personal version of an existing product than to develop a wholly new product. New products come in five versions: product improvements, line extensions, brand extensions, new brands, and new-to-the-world innovations. (Peter and Donnelly, 1997, p. 125, cited in Goldsmith, 1999). From the very beginning LEGO shows a high commitment to new products innovation. When LEGO created the first non-toxic (ABS) interlocking plastic bricks in six different colours and launched their little yellow minifigure these were new innovations and built a base of their success as LEGO was named ‘Products of the Century’ by Fortune magazine. The LEGO elements which have been manufactured since 1958 are fully compatible, therefore LEGO sets can be passed on from one generation to the next. (Regani and George, 2007). As children’s interests changed over the years LEGO had to design new high tech product ranges to keep up with the present technology. The product development takes place primarily at the company’s Billund headquarter (internal brainstorming), but the LEGO Group has bases all over the world to monitor the latest trends, review of competitors’ products and also monitor the customers’ requirements and feedback. LEGO Company Profile, 2007). Innovation and creativity can be expensive and LEGO has lots of primary limitations of its product design; therefore each design option must be evaluated and assessed against a set of design criteria. (FM-A, 2004). The new products have to comply with the existing ones. The new product has to fit to the production line, because to adjust or create a new production process has a high additional cost. LEGO Group’s motto â€Å"Only the best is good enough† and to fulfil this ambition all products have to comply with the appropriate safety and quality standards. Several activities such as quality management, environmental (green) issues, preventive action and testing on mechanical, chemical, electrical properties to ensure the product is free from hazards. Along with the high tech and licensed products LEGO should – and indeed must – concentrate on the development of its classic product lines (e. g. variety of product line extensions which are fit with the existing ones and wide range of possibilities of packaging (smaller supplementary parts are relatively cheaper for customers than bigger packs, etc. ). 4. / Total quality management for new outsourcing partners It has a lot of elements therefore hard to find the right definition of TQM. There are some interpretations which concentrate on different aspects (FM-A, 2004) like participation and quality circles (IshiKawa), quality cost, employee participation and motivation (Crosby), internal and external focus of customers, fitness for use (Juran) and Six Sigma (see Appendix 4. ) . One of the overall definitions of TQM is n effective system for integrating the quality development, quality maintenance and quality improvement efforts of the various groups in an organisation so as to enable production and service at the most economical levels which allow full customer satisfaction. (Feigenbaum,1986, cited in FM-A, 2004, p. 380). As definitions are wide and different in the practice the TQM is different company by company, however we could find some basic statements. LEGO is a good example of TQM as quality is the core of LEGO’s activity. Quality is firmly rooted in our fundamental beliefs, or mission statement, or strategy goals, and our values. As a world leader in the field of quality experience, service, and products, we focus on the customer’s perception of quality. (Regani and George, 2007, p. 6). In reflects of competitiveness and being cost-effective, it was a strategic decision to outsource its large production to Flextronics. However, outsourcing includes risks; can the quality and the time-management (JIT) be assured? What are the crucial factors of the LEGO’s successful TQM which they should absolutely recommend to their outsourcing partners? †¢ Participation: commitment at all levels Both parties have to participate to successful quality management. Senior and middle managers: |Should avoid |Should consider | |autocracy |support | |individualism |team building (team spirit) | |restrict behaviour |training | – Employees: Employees’ involvement improves morale. (FM-A, 2004). ‘We view the implementation of this policy as the shared responsibility of all LEGO employees. (Regani and George, 2007, p. 6). †¢ Culture – Adopt a quality-conscious philosophy as LEGO’s motto: â€Å"The best is good enough† – Organizational culture, LEGO established e. g. a department for Corporate Quality Control †¢ Training – Institute training on the job; self-improvement to be proud of their jobs. (FM-A, 2004). LEGO implemented a new competence model which defines the eight most important competences for LEGO employees and regularly asking their workers about their opinion of the process. †¢ Continuous improvement – ‘Quality management is the continual examination and improvement of xisting processes. ’ (FM-A, 2004, p. 382). Not enough to introduce but also need to open the continuous improvement. As LEGO meets the highest quality standards they independently show how changeable the market is. LEGO takes care to stay up-to-date in the safety requirements (EU CE, ISO). †¢ Monitoring (including preventive activities) – LEGO quality management aim to prevent defective production (18 out of every million elements are defected) therefore have to assure quality in the production process internally and externally (quality assurance), rather than inspecting goods after they have been produced. FM-A, 2004). Although the high quality production which avoids defaults LEGO carries out regular inspections of production. What can LEGO provide the company they outsourced to with? †¢ Documentation – A company quality manual may summarise the quality management policy and system. – A procedures manual sets out the functions, structures and responsible for quality in each department. – Detailed work instructions and specifications for how work should be carried out show how to achieve the desired quality standards. Training – Integrated relationship (training in LEGO’s place) – Knowledge sharing: train the trainer program (LEGO provide trainers) †¢ Monitoring – LEGO can delegate people from its monitoring team. Summary and conclusions Following the seven-year-strategy plan in the last couple of years, LEGO’s situation has already stabilized. The further expansion of the operation is possible. LEGO needs to rethink their attractiveness of the market segments and approach them to identify new market opportunities and niches. By actively using the appropriate elements of marketing mix (not only the classical 4Ps) and thinking about the product design possibilities they should also consider the existing competitive advantages of their product and the cost of fitting to the process involved. In case of outsourcing as a cost-saving LEGO needs to support its partners to keep up the quality as LEGO’s core value. REFERENCES Abratt, R. (1993) ‘Market segmentation practices of industrial marketers’. Industrial Marketing Management, Vol. 22, pp. 79-84. Cited in Dibb S. (1998) Market segmentation: strategies for success. Marketing Intelligence & Planning, 16/7, 1998, pp. 394 – 406. Curran, J. G. M. and Goodfellow, J. H. (1989), ‘Theoretical and practical issues in the determination of market boundaries’. European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 24 No. 1, pp. 16-28. Cited in Dibb S. (1998) Market segmentation: strategies for success. Marketing Intelligence & Planning, 16/7, 1998, pp. 394 – 406. Dibb S. (1998) Market Segmentation: Strategies for Success. Marketing Intelligence & Planning, 16/7, 1998, pp. 394 – 406. Goldsmith, R. E. (1999) The Personalised Marketplace: Beyond the 4Ps. Marketing Intelligence & Planning, 17/4, 1999, pp. 178 – 185. Green, P. E. (1977) ‘A new approach to market segmentation’. Business Horizons, Vol. 20, February, pp. 61-73. Cited in Dibb S. (1998) Market segmentation: strategies for success. Marketing Intelligence & Planning, 16/7, 1998, pp. 394 – 406. Hassan, S. S. ,Craft, S. , Kortam, W. (2003) Understanding the new bases for global market segmentation. Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 20 No. 5 2003, pp. 446-462. HVG (2004) Bajban a LEGO Mar nem jatek [Online]. Retrieved from: http://hvg. hu/200403HVGFriss77_U. spx [Accessed 20 October 2008]. Kotler, P. (1994) Marketing Management: Analysis, Planning, Implementation and Control. (8th ed. ) Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall. Cited in Oxford Institute of International Finance (2004) Foundations of Management Part A. London: BPP Professional Education. LEGO (2007) Annual Report 2007 LEGO Group [Online]. Retrieved from: http://cache. lego. com/downloads/about us/annualreport2007UK. pdf [Accessed 19 October 2008]. LEGO (2007) Company Profile An Introduction to the LEGO Group 2007 [Online]. Retrieved from: http://cache. lego. om/downloads/aboutus/LEGO_company_profile_UK. pdf [Accessed 19 October 2008]. Oxford Institute of International Finance (2004) Foundation of Management Part A. London: BBP Professional Education. Peter, J. P. and Donnelly, J. H. Jr (1997), A Preference to Marketing Management, 7th ed. , Irwin, Burr Ridge, IL. Cited in Goldsmith, R. E. (1999) The Personalised Marketplace: Beyond the 4Ps. Marketing Intelligence & Planning, 17/4, 1999, pp. 178 – 185. Porter, M. (1985) Competitive Advantage. New York: Free Press. Cited in Oxford Institute of International Finance (2004) Foundation of Management Part A. London: BBP Professional Education. Regani, S. and George, S. S. (2007) ‘Quality and Safety Practices at LEGO’, ICFAI Centre for Management Research (ECCH), Case Study Reference no 607-015-2007. Wind, Y. and Cardoza, R. (1974) ‘Industrial market segmentation’. Industrial Marketing Management, Vol. 3 No. 2, pp. 153-66. Cited in Dibb S. (1998) Market segmentation: strategies for success. Marketing Intelligence & Planning, 16/7, 1998, pp. 394 – 406. Wind, Y. (1978) Issue and Advantages in Segmentation Research. Journal of Marketing Research, Vol. 3 No. 2, pp. 153-66. Cited in Dibb S. 1998) Market segmentation: strategies for success. Marketing Intelligence & Planning, 16/7, 1998, pp. 394 – 406. BIBLIOGRAPHY Economist (2008) Toy story What European toys say about Europian views [Online]. Retrieved from: http://www. economist. com/world/europe/displaystory. cfm? story_id=10607422 [Accessed 20 October 2008]. Gronroos, C. (1994) From Marketing Mix to Relationship Marketing: Towards a Paradigm Shift in Marketing. Management Decision, Vol. 32, No. 2. , 1994, pp. 4-20. Harari, O. (1997) Ten Reasons TQM Doesn’t Work. American Management Association, January 1997. HVG (2006) Atalakuloban a LEGO-vilag Osszerakos jatszmak [Online]. Retrieved from: http://hvg. hu/200616HVGFriss1515107. aspx [Accessed 20 October 2008]. HVG (2007) Megis kell a kreativitas? Tuljutott a valsagon a LEGO [Online]. Retrieved from: http://hvg. hu/20071118_lego_hagyomanyos_eptoelem_sikeres_uzlet. aspx [Accessed 24 September 2008]. HVG (2008) Bucsu a Flextronicstol A LEGO maga gyart jatekot Magyarorszagon es Mexikoban [Online]. Retrieved from: http://hvg. hu/20080701_lego_flextronics_nyiregyhaza_mexiko. aspx [Accessed 24 September 2008]. LEGO (2008) Product Quality & Safety [Online]. Retrieved from: http://www. lego. com/eng/info/default. asp? page=safety [Accessed 20 October 2008]. Vas Nepe (2008) Ez mar korantsem jatek [Online]. Retrieved from: http://www. vasnepe. hu/gazdasag/20080703_ez_mar_korantsem__jatek [Accessed 23 September 2008]. Wood, L. (2000) Brands and brand equity: definition and management. Management Decision, 38/9, 2000, pp. 662-669. Yong, J. and Wilkinson, A. (2001) Rethinking Total Quality Management. Total Quality Management, Vol. 12, No. 2, 2001, pp. 247-258. Appendix 1. [pic] Appendix 2. Kotler’s check-list: segments should be Abratt (1993) attractiveness criteria: ability to reach buyers Appendix 3. The marketing mix Appendix 4. Six Sigma [pic] ———————– Segment profitability and life cycle Turnover Year 1970 1990 1958 2008 LEGO Brick LEGO Technic LEGO Star Wars Substantial Accessible Measurable Stable Actionable Expected market growth Competitive position Market size Market fit with organisational objectives and resources Personalisation Product Price People Processes Place Physical evidence Promotion The Marketing Plan Defect reduction Yield improvement Customer delight Profitability improvement

Henrik Ibsen’s play A Doll’s House Essay

Henrik Ibsen’s play A Doll’s House is about â€Å"domestic politics† (Hurwitt, 2004, p. D-2).   Ibsen created a seemingly perfect atmosphere, enough to make one believe that marital bliss exists in such a setting.   As Hurwitt (2004) narrates, â€Å"the whole household contributes to the impression of marital bliss† (p. D-2). However, as the play progressed, it slowly becomes obvious that Ibsen wanted to show more than the problems of a married couple.   He evidently wanted to paint a socially significant picture.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The play’s story is domestic in scope, primarily because two of the main characters are husband and wife.   Nonetheless, the play did include broader issues.   It showed how society in the 1800s view marriage, the functions assigned to man and wife, and the limitations it gave to women in general.   It is also climactic in structure. The three main characters are Nora and Torvald Helmer, and Krogstad.   The gist of the play revolved around them.   Nora is the play’s heroine; the beautiful loving wife and doting mother.   Torvald is her husband, who works as a manager in a bank.   Then there is Krogstad, the character responsible for the past to slowly unfold and for the story to begin.   A few years back, when Torvald was sick, Nora was forced by circumstance to borrow money from Krogstad.   She kept that from Torvald, and she was scared for him to find out.   Now that Torvald is manager, he could now also fire Krogstad, who also works at the bank. Krogstad now threatens Nora that he will reveal her secret if she does not help him keep his job.   Nora then talks to her husband and tries to put in a good word for Krogstad, but to no avail.   Thus, the past is revealed to Torvald through the letter, and the real story begins.   Torvald is outraged, and begins calling Nora names.   What she has done is out of duty to her husband, being the obedient wife that she is.   Instead of thanking her, he greets her with anger.   Torvald is simply infuriated. By the time he forgives her, however, Nora has had a realization and decides his forgiveness no longer matters.   Nora undergoes a drastic transformation, a change in her individual persona that Torvald did not expect.   Hurwitt (2004) describes Nora as, â€Å"so animated in her kittenish sexuality, so maddeningly delightful in her teasing manipulations, and so punishingly fretful in her fear of discovery – that the stillness in her final disillusionment is enormously eloquent† (p. D-2).   Nora is the doll referred to in the title.   She was Torvald’s doll: she was his possession, his play thing.   She was under his control, and was extremely dependent on him.   Their home is the house; â€Å"the room is very much Nora’s dollhouse domain, as indicated†¦by the child’s table, chairs and tea set downstage† (Hurwitt, 2004, p. D-2). All her actions, decisions and choices are made by her husband, and she operates on his demands.   Everything she is involved in is mere play, because she is but an object.   His husband cannot even discuss serious matters with her because she herself is not taken seriously.   This is until she decides to leave everything behind and free herself from the prison that is her marriage.   She walks out the door and never looks back.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Ironically, in contrast with Torvald’s treatment of her wife, the overall quality of the characters is serious, simply because it mirrored a serious social problem.   The majority of the play can be considered tragic, except the hopefulness described by Nora’s escape.   The characters are simple.   At the same time, they hold meaning and weight because not only are they telling the story of a problematic marriage, they are also trying to discuss gender issues. The other aspects of the play also helped in clearly conveying the message.   The language used was easy to understand.   It remained faithful to the language Ibsen used, one that was neither shallow nor overcomplicated, yet it revealed real life emotion.   It was â€Å"emotional, thematic, and metaphoric† (Hurwitt, 2004, p. D-2).   The stage set-up was also instrumental in bringing the message to the audience.   In a play, usually these things are overlooked.   Yet if one pays enough attention, the setting call also help tell the story and make the play come to life. Hurwitt (2004) observes, â€Å"A box constrained within boxes of social strictures, the Helmers’ tidy living room is redolent of the genteel poverty from which Nora dreams her husband’s new job as a bank manager will allow them to escape† (p. D-2).   The living room is then responsible for telling the viewers the social status of the family.   There were no special techniques used, no special music. With an already weighty play to speak of, it would be unnecessary to overembellish it.   In the instance of viewers, it was interactive in a sense; the play’s â€Å"deliberate pacing somewhat undercuts the tension, leaving room for audience members to make their own vocal contributions on opening night, rooting for Nora to get out and slam that door behind her† (Hurwitt, 2004, p. D-2).   The audience had been able to contribute to the play. In the end, Ibsen’s play is as personal as it is communal.   The family is the basic unit of society, and affairs between husband and wife are private matters.   Nonetheless, these matters are also influential in the social sphere, hinting that the problems of individuals are also characterized by issues in society.   Everyone should watch A Doll’s House because Henrik Ibsen’s masterpiece is as relevant then as it is now.   References Hurwitt, R. (2004, January 16). ACT draws out sexual politics in ‘Doll’s House.’ San Francisco Chronicle, p. D-2.

An Introduction to Virtue Ethics

An Introduction to Virtue Ethics â€Å"Virtue ethics† describes a certain philosophical approach to questions about morality. It is a way of thinking about ethics that is characteristic of ancient Greek and Roman philosophers, particularly Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.   But it has become popular again since the later part of the 20th century due to the work of thinkers like Elizabeth Anscombe, Philippa Foot, and Alasdair MacIntyre. The Central Question of Virtue Ethics How should I live?   This has a good claim to being the most fundamental question that you can put to yourself.   But philosophically speaking, there is another question that perhaps has to be answered first: namely, How should I decide how to live? There are several answers available within the Western philosophical tradition:   The religious answer:  God has given us a set of rules to follow. These are laid out in scripture (e.g. the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament, the Koran). The right way to live is to follow these rules. That is the good life for a human being.Utilitarianism: This is the view that what matters most in the world in the promotion of happiness and the avoidance of suffering.   So the right way to live is, in a general way, to try to promote the most happiness you can, both your own and that of other people– especially those around you–while trying to avoid causing pain or unhappiness.Kantian ethics: The great German philosopher Immanuel Kant argues that the basic rule we should follow is neither â€Å"Obey God’s laws,† nor â€Å"Promote happiness.† Instead, he claimed that the fundamental principle of morality is something like: Always act in the way that you could honestly want everyone to act if they were in a similar situation. Anyone who abides by this rule, he claims, will be behaving with complete consistency and rationality, and they will unfailingly do the right thing. What all three approaches have in common is that they view morality as a matter of following certain rules. There are very general, fundamental rules, like â€Å"Treat others as you’d like to be treated,† or â€Å"Promote happiness.† And there are lots of more specific rules that can be deduced from these general principles: e.g. â€Å"Don’t bear false witness,† or â€Å"Help the needy.† The morally good life is one lived according to these principles; wrongdoing occurs when the rules are broken. The emphasis is on duty, obligation, and the rightness or wrongness of actions. Plato and Aristotle ‘s way of thinking about morality had a different emphasis. They also asked: How should one live? But took this question to be equivalent to What kind of person does one want to be? That is, what sort of qualities and character traits are admirable and desirable. Which should be cultivated in ourselves and others? And which traits should we seek to eliminate? Aristotles Account of Virtue In his great work, the Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle offers a detailed analysis of the virtues that has been enormously influential and is the starting point for most discussions of virtue ethics. The Greek term that is usually translated as â€Å"virtue† is arà ªte.  Speaking generally, arà ªte is a kind of excellence. It is a quality that enables a thing to perform its purpose or function. The sort of excellence in question can be specific to particular kinds of thing. For instance, the main virtue of a racehorse is to be fast; the main virtue of a knife is to be sharp. People performing specific functions also require specific virtues: e.g. a competent accountant must be good with numbers; a soldier needs to be physically brave. But there are also virtues that it is good for any human being to possess, the qualities that enable them to live a good life and to flourish as a human being. Since Aristotle thinks that what distinguishes human beings from all other animals is our rationality, the good life for a human being is one in which the rational faculties are fully exercised. These include things like the capacities for friendship, civic participation, aesthetic enjoyment, and intellectual enquiry. Thus for Aristotle, the life of a pleasure-seeking couch potato is not an example of the good life. Aristotle distinguishes between the intellectual virtues, which are exercised in the process of thinking, and the moral virtues, which are exercised through action.   He conceives of a moral virtue as a character trait that it is good to possess and that a person displays habitually.   This last point about habitual behavior is important.   A generous person is one who is routinely generous, not just generous occasionally. A person who only keeps some of their promises does not have the virtue of trustworthiness. To really have the virtue is for it to be deeply ingrained in your personality. One way to achieve this is to keep practicing the virtue so that it becomes habitual. Thus to become a truly generous person you should keep performing generous actions until generosity just comes naturally and easily to you; it becomes, as one says, â€Å"second nature.† Aristotle argues that each moral virtue is a sort of mean lying between two extremes. One extreme involves a deficiency of the virtue in question, the other extreme involves possessing it to excess. For example, Too little courage cowardice; too much courage recklessness. Too little generosity stinginess; too much generosity extravagance. This is the famous doctrine of the â€Å"golden mean.†Ã‚   The â€Å"mean,† as Aristotle understands it is not some sort of mathematical halfway point between the two extremes; rather, it is what is appropriate in the circumstances. Really, the upshot of Aristotle’s argument seems to be that any trait we consider a virtue as to be exercised with wisdom. Practical wisdom (the Greek word is phronesis), although strictly speaking an intellectual virtue, turns out to be absolutely key to being a good person and living a good life. Having practical wisdom means being able to assess what is required in any situation. This includes knowing when one should follow a rule and when one should break it. And it calls into play knowledge, experience, emotional sensitivity, perceptiveness, and reason. The Advantages of Virtue Ethics Virtue ethics certainly didn’t die away after Aristotle. Roman Stoics like Seneca and Marcus Aurelius also focused on character rather than abstract principles. And they, too, saw moral virtue as constitutive of the good life– that is, being a morally good person is a key ingredient of living well and being happy.   No-one who lacks virtue can possibly be living well, even if they have wealth, power, and lots of pleasure. Later thinkers like Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) and David Hume (1711-1776) also offered moral philosophies in which the virtues played a central role.   But it is fair to say that virtue ethics took a back seat in the 19th and 20th centuries. The revival of virtue ethics in the mid-late 20th century was fueled by dissatisfaction with rule-oriented ethics, and a growing appreciation of some of the advantages of an Aristotelian approach. These advantages included the following. Virtue ethics offers a broader conception of ethics in general.  It doesn’t see moral philosophy as confined to working out which actions are right and which actions are wrong. It also asks what constitutes well-being or human flourishing. We may not have a duty to flourish in the way we have a duty not to commit murder; but questions about well-being are still legitimate questions for moral philosophers to address.It avoids the inflexibilities of rule-oriented ethics.  According to Kant, for instance, we must always and in every circumstance obey his fundamental principle of morality, his â€Å"categorical imperative.† This led him to conclude that one must never tell a lie or break a promise.   But the morally wise person is precisely the one who recognizes when the best course of action is to break the normal rules. Virtue ethics offers rules of thumb, not iron rigidities.Because it is concerned with character, with what kind of person one is, virtue ethics pay s more attention to our inner states and feelings as opposed to focusing exclusively on actions. For a utilitarian, what matters is that you do the right thing–that is, you promote the greatest happiness of the greatest number (or follow a rule that is justified by this goal).   But as a matter of fact, this is not all we care about. It matters why someone is generous or helpful or honest. The person who is honest simply because they think being honest is good for their business is less admirable that the person who is honest through and through and would not cheat a customer even if they could be sure that no one would ever find them out. Virtue ethics has also opened the door to some novel approaches and insights pioneered by feminist thinkers who argue that traditional moral philosophy has emphasized abstract principles over concrete interpersonal relationships. The early bond between mother and child, for instance, could be one of the essential building blocks of moral life, providing both an experience and an example of loving care for another person. Objections to Virtue Ethics Needless to say, virtue ethics has its critics. Here are a few of the most common criticisms leveled against it. â€Å"How can I flourish?† is really just a fancy way of asking â€Å"What will make me happy?†Ã‚   This may be a perfectly sensible question to ask, but it really isn’t a moral question. It’s a question about one’s self-interest. Morality, though, is all about how we treat other people. So this expansion of ethics to include questions about flourishing takes moral theory away from its proper concern.Virtue ethics by itself can’t really answer any particular moral dilemma. It doesn’t have the tools to do this. Suppose you have to decide whether or not to tell a lie in order to save your friend from being embarrassed. Some ethical theories provide you with real guidance.   But virtue ethics doesn’t. It just says, â€Å"Do what a virtuous person would do† which isn’t much use.Morality is concerned, among other things, with praising and blaming people for how they behave.   But what sort of character a person has is to quite a large extent a matter of luck.   People have a natural temperament: either brave or timid, passionate or reserved, confident or cautious. It is hard to alter these inborn traits. Moreover, the circumstances in which a person is raised is another factor that shapes their moral personality but which is beyond their control.   So virtue ethics tends to bestow praise and blame on people for just being fortunate. Naturally, virtue ethicists believe they can answer these objections. But even the critics who put them forward would probably agree that the revival of virtue ethics in recent times has enriched moral philosophy and broadened its scope in a healthy way.

Music and Painting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Music and Painting - Essay Example Both music and painting are the visualizations of a theme. The painter or the musician through their works expresses the theme in their own style and pattern. For example, a musician who wanted to create a happy or thrilling mood among audience will make use of fast and pleasant music notes. On the other hand a painter who wanted to portray the dark side of our life may make use of colors like black and gray or a mixture of colors to express his ideas. Both music and painting are mood creative art forms. The person who witnesses the painting or hearing the music will definitely change his moods. For example it is often argued that hearing music will reduce stress and in some cases music therapy can be effective in curing some stress related diseases. Music always changes the moods of the listener. The listener will be forced to follow the moods generated by the music. For example, a person who listens a sad music will be in that mood while who listens fast numbers might be in a thrilling mood. On the other hand watching good paintings will also changes the moods of a person. Good paintings will force the person who watches it to think in terms of the theme provided by the painting. Or in other words paintings always lead us to another forgotten world of our life. Music is an audible art while painting is a visual art. We are using our eyes to enjoy the artistic works while we are utilizing our ears to enjoy the music. Our senses ar e responsible for creating positive and negative thoughts in our minds. It is only through our senses the brain identify the surroundings. Music and painting can enlighten our visible and audible senses.

Week 10 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Week 10 - Essay Example Generally, the higher the proportion of operations financed by intergovernmental revenues, the greater is the risk borne by the government. Local government can keep low the risks connected with intergovernmental revenues by ensuring sound budgeting traditions. Establishing local sources of finance can reduce the relative impact of any fall in federal revenues. The ratio will determine whether the government is able to meet its obligations and supply the services that the public demand. Nonfinancial information that may be used to evaluate the performance of a college or university include: college or university governance, students satisfaction level, the level of satisfaction of employees, workers turnover, policies and objectives of the college or university. The information that provides the most insight to financial performance is turnover of employees because it points at dissatisfaction of workers, which may also indicate poor management, consequently leading to poor financial performance. The identified nonfinacial information can be said to be playing a crucial role in enhancing conventional financial reporting. They enhance the capability of the users of financial statement to appraise and forecast financial performance. Nonfinancial information is crucial predictors of financial performance. However, nonfinancial information about organizations is not usually available like financial information (Mohammadi, yusoff & Arumugam, 2011). I prefer IFRS tax approach to GAAP. Under IFRS, deferred tax allowance (DTA) is recorded at net if only it is anticipated to be realized while GAAP demands valuation if part or entire DTA will not be realized and the valuation is recorded at gross with corresponding allowance. Under IFR, the substantially enacted tax rate is applicable whereas under GAAP tax rate used for estimating deferred taxes is the prevailing tax