Story Analysis of Popular Mechanics by Raymond Carver

Popular Mechanics, a very short story by Raymond Carver. It was included in Carvers 1981 collection called What We Talk About When We Talk About Love and later appeared under the title Little Things in his 1988 collection, Where Im Calling From. Popular Mechanics describes an argument between a man and a woman that rapidly escalates into a physical struggle over their baby. Meaning of the Title The title of the story refers to a long-running magazine for technology and engineering enthusiasts of the same name. The implication is that the way the man and woman handle their differences is widespread or typical—that is, popular. The man, woman, and baby dont even have names, which emphasizes their role as universal archetypes. They could be anyone; they are everyone. The word mechanics shows that this is a story about the process of disagreeing more than it is about the outcome of those disagreements. Nowhere is this more evident than in the final line of the story: In this manner, the issue was decided. Were never told explicitly what happens to the baby, so its possible that one parent managed to wrest the baby successfully from the other. However, the parents have already knocked down a flowerpot, a bit of foreshadowing that doesnt bode well for the baby. The last thing we see is the parents tightening their grip on the baby and pulling back hard in opposite directions. The parents actions couldnt have failed to injure him, and if the issue has been decided, it suggests that the struggle is over. It seems most likely, then, that the baby was killed. Intentional Wording The use of passive voice in the final sentence is chilling, as it fails to assign anyone responsibility for the outcome. Additionally, the words manner, issue, and was decided have a clinical, impersonal feel, focusing again on the mechanics of the situation rather than the humans involved. But the reader wont be able to avoid noticing that if these are the mechanics we choose to employ, real people do get hurt. After all, issue can also be a synonym for offspring. Because of the mechanics the parents choose to engage in, this child is decided. The Wisdom of Solomon The struggle over a baby echoes the story of the Judgment of Solomon in the book of 1 Kings in the Bible. In this story, two women arguing over ownership of a baby bring their case to King Solomon for resolution. Solomon offers to cut the baby in half for them. The false mother agrees, but the real mother says shed rather see her baby go to the wrong person than see it killed. Because of this womans selflessness, Solomon recognizes that she is the real mother and awards her custody of the child. Escalations and Winning Unfortunately, there is no selfless parent in Carvers story. At first, it appears that the father wants only a photo of the baby, but when the mother sees it, she takes it away. She doesnt want him to have even that. Angered by her taking the photo, he escalates his demands and insists on taking the actual baby. Again, he doesnt really seem to want it; he just doesnt want the mother to have it. They even argue about whether theyre hurting the baby, but they seem less concerned with the truth of their statements than with the opportunity to hurl accusations at one another. During the story, the baby changes from a person referred to as him to an object referred to as it. Just before the parents make their final pull on the baby, Carver writes: She would have it, this baby. The parents want only to win, and their definition of winning hinges entirely on their opponents losing.  Its a grim view of human nature, and one may wonder how King Solomon would have dealt with these two parents.

The The Song Of Roland - 1289 Words

The lives of knights depicted in the â€Å"The Song of Roland† are a demonstration of the fierce warriorship, aggressiveness, and deep faith of French Knights. A code of chivalry or gallantry existed among these men. At the top of this code of conduct were the highly regarded virtues of honor, faithfulness, courage, compassion, truth, and obedience. Noble knights prized the wares of their trade, such as fine warhorses, armory, battle skills, and fine regalia. In this epic poem, Roland and the other Knights show great obedience to their liege, King Charles. Roland volunteers for tough missions like leading the rear guard as the army made its way thru the Pyrenees Mountains. He promised the King that France would not lose any†¦show more content†¦Knights were dedicated to their God and Church. These brave men truly believed that even though the battle was not always in their favor, God is the only one who could overcome the odds. Victories are God’s way o f showing he approves of the knights mission. All things happen because God knows it will happen. Roland follows his lord and his God with complete faithfulness. â€Å"His whole sense of what a Christian knight must do is nearest to what pleases God, for it comes from God.† Many of the poems passages tell of the knights’ individual courage and their battle prowess. It seemed as though God was willing each of the French blows to be lethal and the Pagans blows to miss their mark. The warriors fought bravely no matter what the odds. They were not afraid to lead or make tactical decisions. They valued good judgment. At one point, Oliver questions whether Roland made a good decision not to call the army. At the end of the battle, as Roland lay dying, he also questioned his decision not to blow the Oliphant to alert King Charles’ Army. The poem notes that the idea of service to all is the same as service to the King. In the trial of Ganelon, they first see France as their complete realm of unity. They value their homes, families, and country. Ganelon’s treason was a threat to their France. The pagans do not identify that closely as a country. Good knights show compassion for their comrades and enemies

Cell Phone Usage in School Should Be Banned Free Essays

Kaitlyn Sebastian Cell Phone Usage in School In a Wireless survey, it has been said that 91% of Americans use a cell phone. These devices have majorly advanced within the years and can be used for many things. Although cell phones have many great and convenient features, their usage in school should be banned because teens ignore the enforced rules, it can be used to cheat, and most have a camera feature that can be used to take inappropriate pictures of others. We will write a custom essay sample on Cell Phone Usage in School Should Be Banned or any similar topic only for you Order Now Teens these days are very â€Å"rebellious† in my opinion. Most don’t like being told what to do and like to be independent. So, when they know that there are rules in school against having cell phones around with you throughout the day, they ignore them because they always think they will never get caught. Teens can be very sneaky with what they do and can hide things easily. They know that the worst that can happen is having their phone taken away for the rest of the school day and then getting it back after. Some schools could enforce the rule all day but, â€Å"Kids kind of roll their eyes, and I’m sure they have it out again 10 or 15 feet down the hall,† high school teacher Ed Stried remarked. Many schools allowed to have their phones collected in the beginning of the day and then at assigned times, students are able to use their cell phones, like during Study Hall, or lunch break. Many have found this unsuccessful because kids ignore it and can pretend that they did not have a cell phone on them and hide them through the day, sending texts or pictures. Teachers should not allow this because it can be such a distraction. Their phones should be checked and kept in their locker until school is over. Taking pictures brings me to my next point. Many new phones today have a built in camera feature that allows people to easily take a â€Å"quick-pic† anytime without bringing a whole different device, such as a digital camera. Despite its handy uses, this cool feature can be used inappropriately. Bullying is also a major issue in school and it comes in many forms, like cyber bullying which includes through phones. Students, if allowed to use their cell phone at anytime throughout a school day, can also take pictures at anytime. Some may be used to shoot a memorable moment, and some may be used to take an embarrassing picture of someone. Many teens are on social networks, always posting updates and uploading pictures of their whereabouts. Many cellular devices allow a quick share feature that can upload the photo that you took straight onto your website. Students can take an advantage of this and may have intentions of not being nice to others in school. They can easily take a picture to make fun of someone or harass them and post it right away on Facebook for example. Having phones allowed to be used during school can cause other dangerous issues and can pose for serious consequences. These serious consequences can also take part when kids do the wrong things with the ability to text and take pictures. One major problem that usage in schools can lead to is cheating. Again, with a camera, kids can take pictures of tests or quizzes to share with other students who have it later in the day. They can also easily get away with texting their friends because most can text without looking at the keyboard. Another important thing is that you can also access the internet. They not only could go to inappropriate websites but also look up answers right in the palm of their hands. Yes, students can enjoy the freedom of being able to text their parents a quick message or check their email but this is unfair to all the students who do not cheat and work really hard studying, so this can be a real problem. Overall, being able to use a cell phone in school can lead to serious issues with students. It should be banned because students ignore the rules, can be used to take pictures inappropriately, and to cheat and/or share answers with others. The result of banning cell phone use in school will help maintain a safe and distraction-free atmosphere that all students can enjoy. Source Citation: â€Å"Schools continue to deal with cellular misbehaving. † Janesville Gazette [Janesville, WI] 5 Dec. 2010. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 26 Apri. 2012. â€Å"EDITORIAL: Policy on cell phone use effective. † Daily News [Bowling Green, KY] 30 Oct. 2009. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 26 Apri. 2012. How to cite Cell Phone Usage in School Should Be Banned, Essay examples

Object

Object-Oriented Programming Vs. Procedural Program Essay mingIt was way back in the 1970s when Kernighan and Ritchie were working on creating a new programming language they would soon call C. It was called this because a language called B preceded it. C was created with simplicity and flexibility in mind. Its primary use was for writing operating systems, however it became popular for a wide variety of other programs. The one thing that C lacked was support for objects; it was a procedural-oriented program. In a procedural-based programming language, a programmer writes out instructions that are followed by a computer from start to finish. This kind of programming had its advantages, but an object-oriented language makes programming clearer and easier to understand. Object-oriented software is all about using objects. An object actually contains code (member functions) and data (data members). Traditionally, code and data have been kept apart. For example, in the C language, units of code are called functions, while units of data are call ed structures. Functions and structures are not formally connected in C. A C function can operate on more than one type of structure, and more than one function can operate on the same structure. In object-oriented programming, code and data are merged into a single indivisible thing an object. This has some big advantages. A primary rule of object-oriented programming is this: as the user of an object, you should never need to peek inside the box. The way objects work are that a message is sent in and the object knows how to handle it. Thus the user never needs to see the implementation details. By not knowing what is going on inside an object, the user is unable to change the internal implementation code. Providing access to an object only through its messages, while keeping the details private is called encapsulation. The benefits of objects do not stop with encapsulation. Objects also have the special ability to inherit functionality from other objects. When thinking about inhe ritance and objects, it is useful to distinguish between an is a relationship and a has a relationship because objects can have both types of relationship with each other. If the relationship between class 1 and class 2 can be said, as class 1 is a class 2, then class 2 can derive from class one. If class 2 has a class 1 you use composition to put a class 1 object into class 2 as a data member. So, one may ask, What is the benefit of inheritance? Well, with inheritance, if you find that someone has already developed an object that is mostly what you need, you can easily add new features without breaking the old ones. In other words, inheritance allows you to easily reuse code. The last aspect of object-oriented programming is polymorphism. Objects are smart enough to be dynamic. Specifically, they have the ability to react differently depending on the situation. Well using polymorphism, an object can be made to handle any scenario with the exact same method name. Thus, depending on what the object is asked to print, it will be able to print it. Polymorphism refers to the ability of an object to have numerous methods with the same name. This is also referred to as method overloading. An object can have multiple methods with the same name but different parameter lists. The appropriate method to execute is chosen at run-time depending on which parameter list is provided in the method call. Instead of having separate methods like printPicture(), printLetters(), and printNumbers() you have one unified print() and the object itself determines how to handle the different types of situations. Perhaps the most serious limitation of procedural programming is the tendency for large procedural-based programs to turn into spaghetti-code. Spaghetti code is code that has been modified so many times that the logical flow shown in the figures above becomes so convoluted that any new programmer coming onto the project needs a two month prep-course in order to even begin to understand the software innards. Thus, an object-oriented approach is taken to limit this so called spaghetti-code. In object-oriented programming, you build small, self-contained bits of code, which correspond more closely to how you think about your program. Thus object-oriented programming offers a new and powerful model for writing computer software due to objects, which send and receive messages. This approach speeds the development of new programs, and, if properly used, improves the maintenance, reusability, and modifiability of software. Procedural-oriented programming is actually very powerful; so dont l et the hype make you think that it has no place in your arsenal of programming tools. A well-written procedural-oriented program can actually be easy to understand. It is just that well written procedural code is hard to find, especially when teams of programmers, working on multiple versions are involved. The fact is that procedural languages typically lack the ability to enforce abstraction. .u05d6a4b8a1a27ec49e3ff7a4afe7e7a4 , .u05d6a4b8a1a27ec49e3ff7a4afe7e7a4 .postImageUrl , .u05d6a4b8a1a27ec49e3ff7a4afe7e7a4 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u05d6a4b8a1a27ec49e3ff7a4afe7e7a4 , .u05d6a4b8a1a27ec49e3ff7a4afe7e7a4:hover , .u05d6a4b8a1a27ec49e3ff7a4afe7e7a4:visited , .u05d6a4b8a1a27ec49e3ff7a4afe7e7a4:active { border:0!important; } .u05d6a4b8a1a27ec49e3ff7a4afe7e7a4 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u05d6a4b8a1a27ec49e3ff7a4afe7e7a4 { 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; } .u05d6a4b8a1a27ec49e3ff7a4afe7e7a4:active , .u05d6a4b8a1a27ec49e3ff7a4afe7e7a4:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u05d6a4b8a1a27ec49e3ff7a4afe7e7a4 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u05d6a4b8a1a27ec49e3ff7a4afe7e7a4 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u05d6a4b8a1a27ec49e3ff7a4afe7e7a4 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u05d6a4b8a1a27ec49e3ff7a4afe7e7a4 .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; } .u05d6a4b8a1a27ec49e3ff7a4afe7e7a4:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u05d6a4b8a1a27ec49e3ff7a4afe7e7a4 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u05d6a4b8a1a27ec49e3ff7a4afe7e7a4 .u05d6a4b8a1a27ec49e3ff7a4afe7e7a4-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u05d6a4b8a1a27ec49e3ff7a4afe7e7a4:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Medicinal Marijuana EssayBibliographyWho knows.. Computers and Internet Essays

McDonald’s At the Face of the Competitive Challenges in HRM Essay Example

McDonald’s: At the Face of the Competitive Challenges in HRM Essay McDonalds proclaims itself as the worlds community restaurant and is proud of their long-standing commitment to a workforce that values diversity. McDonald’s believe in developing and maintaining a diverse workforce that will strengthen the McDonalds system (McDonald’s Company Website).Recruitment at McDonalds is usually the same process in most countries. The applicant fills in an application form and, if successful, will be invited for an interview. Until the 1970s, the corporation routinely put applicants through a half-hour lie detector test in some US restaurants, largely to determine whether or not they had any sympathy for trade unions. This practice was only ended after threats of legal action and changes in American labor law (Vidal, 1997). At present, it appears that having the right attitude is the most important attribute to obtain employment at McDonalds. As a global company, McDonald’s successfully fulfilled the six competitive challenges facing human resources management departments: Going Global, Embracing Technology, Managing Change, Developing Human Capital, Responding to the Market, and Containing Costs. In an article entitled McDonalds Serves up HR Excellence, it claimed the food chain excelled at pulling potential employees into its company: Satisfying the six competitive challenges that human resources management, the company has attracted one-eighth of the American work force (Flynn, 1996). Thus, it is safe to say that McDonald’s fulfilled these six challenges in their strategies in human resources management. In a nutshell, McDonalds basic HR philosophy works in most operations are always open to change.   However, the prime reason why McDonalds HR is so successful because it always remembers its people. McDonald’s goal is to ensure that their work force is committed and the difference between McDonal d’s among other folks is about the commitment that they are able to engender through their people. We will write a custom essay sample on McDonald’s: At the Face of the Competitive Challenges in HRM specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on McDonald’s: At the Face of the Competitive Challenges in HRM specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on McDonald’s: At the Face of the Competitive Challenges in HRM specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer References Flynn, Gillian. (1996, January).McDonalds Serves Up HR Excellence, Personnel Journal, 75.1. McDonalds Company Website. (2005). Corporate Values. Retrieved March 25, 2006, from http://www.mcdonalds.com/corp/values.html Vidal, J. (1997). McLibel: Burger Culture on Trial, London: Macmillan.

Marx Communist Manifesto Summary Essay Essays

Marx Communist Manifesto Summary Essay Essays Marx Communist Manifesto Summary Essay Paper Marx Communist Manifesto Summary Essay Paper Essay Topic: Communist Manifesto All throughout history. there has ever been a sense of hierarchy in society such as the elites over the provincials. blue bloods over plebeians. etc. Although there was much social alteration in the clip of revolution. this subordination of categories did non. Sprouted from feudal society. businessperson continues the division of social categories: Bourgeoisie and Proletariat. The work of the Proletariats was to merely happen occupations and work. They’d continue working so long as it increased the capital. However. Proletariats did non necessitate any â€Å"individual character† to be working. They were merely an â€Å"appendage† to the machines in the mills. Not much accomplishment or instruction was needed to work these machines. hence. the cost of bring forthing the stuffs was really limited. As work increased. their rewards would diminish. As industry increased. so did the Proletariat. Factories were rapidly going packed with more labourers. Conditionss of life for them began to equalise. nevertheless their rewards seemed to fluctuate in response to the competition between other mills. Technologically. the machines weren’t progressing due to their trust on the workers to hasten production anyhow. This began to rupture down the Proletariats vibrant support. so they began to make groups against the Bourgeoisie. Their stria to gether helped them maintain better path on the stableness of the rewards and were more powerful in their occasional rebellions. At times. they would be successful in these rebellions. However. their existent success stemmed from their prevarications. The continual laden behaviour of the Proletariat was no longer compatible with society.

Gender inequalities in the workplace Research Paper - 1

Gender inequalities in the workplace - Research Paper Example Although it is evident that there have been significant gains in the workplace regarding equality in recent times, it is also evident that progress, to ensure equality, has stalled or slowed down. Despite being more than five decades since the idea of empowering women to participate in all the key sectors of the economy was born, it is evident that women face issues related to sexism in their workplace. In effect, this has had an effect of slowing down the gains achieved in ensuring equality. In the United States, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was one of the instruments that contributed to the participation of women in the workplace. This article not only prohibits discrimination due to gender, but also prohibits discrimination of people from the workplace based on their origin and religion (Gregory 1). Inadvertently with the advent of Title VII, it is evident that the world witnessed sweeping changes in the economic and social trends, which enhanced the participation of women in the workplace with the statistics increasing ever since. In the contemporary world, the United States continues to witness women rising in positions of power and their elevation to professional and corporate levels that were previously not fathomed. Despite all these achievements, various issues continue to underline inequality in the workplace. Sex discrimination in the workplace and other key areas of the economy might have subsided although it has not ended. Commenting about the participation and discrimination of women in the workplace, Abrams noted, â€Å"The present day finds us not at the end of the path, but navigating a crucial bend in the road† (1183). In this regard, women have realized that they have made substantial gains in the workplace although there are factors that inhibit their participation in the workplace. In line with this, it is crucial to point out that today’s woman can secure

The Second World War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Second World War - Essay Example Woodrow Wilson came up with 14 points and based on them, he formulated a treaty strong enough to spread peace in Europe if implemented. On the other hand, Georges Clemenceau wanted to take revenge from Germany. Lloyd George consented with Wilson but the people of England felt like Clemenceau did, so George tried to find a middle way between Wilson’s and Clemenceau’s approach. ïÆ'Ëœ Hitler’s Actions After becoming the Chancellor of Germany in 1933, Adolf Hitler started to secretly develop weapons and army in Germany. He expanded the German army in 1934, started to make warships, and developed airforce in Germany. Hitler then started confiscating land from the non-Germans. Countries that were demanded land from included Austria and Czechoslovakia. Expecting Poland to be the next country in the list, the governments of Britain and France resolved to take military action against Germany. On 1 September 1939, Germany invaded Poland. ïÆ'Ëœ Ineffectiveness of the League of Nations The League of Nations was established in the year 1919 as an international organization to sustain peace in the world. All countries were supposedly the members of this League. Disputes would be resolved through dialogue rather than war. If a country showed non-conformance, she would be stopped trade with and if this did not work, war was inevitable. The League of Nations eventually failed for certain reasons.... These and many other factors caused the outbreak of the Second World War. Involvement of the US Foundations of the involvement of the US in the Second World War were laid with the invasion of Manchuria, China by Japan. In 1931, China was suffering from depression, which made it all the more easier for the Japanese to establish themselves in the Southern Manchuria. Russia was not content with the Japanese invasion of China, and so was the US since the US had good terms with Russia. In addition to that, the US had many political and economic reasons to enter the Second World War including the export of weapons to countries. The War in Europe There was a lot of subjectivity created about the country that would dominate Europe after the First World War. â€Å"The tremendous dislocations caused by the war laid the groundwork for the collapse of democratic institutions there and set the stage for a second German attempt at conquest† (â€Å"A Brief History†). The German democr atic regime was destroyed as a result of the spread of the Great Depression. Adolf Hitler strengthened the Nazi Party in 1933 and put an end to the parliamentary government. The Nazi government strengthened the armed forces in Germany and in an attempt to recover the German territories, overturned the Versailles Treaty. Hitler’s policy was directed at the expansion of Germans in the Eastern Europe. â€Å"Soon Germany, Italy, and Japan became allies, facing Western democratic governments that wanted to avoid another war and the Soviet Union whose Communist government was widely distrusted† (â€Å"A Brief History†). The War in the Pacific The timeline of events

Organizational Behavior in Best Buy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Organizational Behavior in Best Buy - Essay Example they operate the Geek Sqaud which is a customer service business where they assist their customers both bin the Best Buy stores and in customers’ homes. Future Shop and Best Buy are two brands of large, broad-based customer electronics stores they operate in Canada. They also serve their customers through four websites - BestBuy.com, FutureShop.ca, Magnoliaav.com and GeekSquad.com. Their corporate vision is to make life fun and easy. The company is strongly associated with technology as they think technology should serve people. Since its inception in 1966 the company has grown steadily through innovation. They have overcome numerous challenges on the way and grown stronger. With a customer centric approach the employees have been trained to respond to their unique needs and aspirations. Changes in organizational behavior have become essential to sustain the market forces and competition. Employees at Best Buy are stressed out and find it difficult to maintain work-life balance. Organizations are constantly being challenged to develop new dynamic, adaptable structures. This is what Best Buy (BB) was experiencing till they decided to bring about a drastic change in their corporate culture. Attrition rate had increased at Best Buy when the company decided to introduce the ROWE (results-only work environment) program (ICMR, 2007). The vision of the program was that productivity should be measured by output and not by the number of hours spent at work. Turnover has reduced following the implementation of the program (Business Week, 2006). Change management is difficult and BB too faced problems. Implementing ROWE required a complete overhaul of people’s attitude towards work. There was a lot of confusion in the beginning. To manage change motivation is the key to empower the staff and get the front line managers to take collectively responsibility (Landale, 2004). When BB implemented this, they gradually found that employee engagement, a measure of employee

Role Of Project Manager In Communication Management Plan Management Essay

Role Of Project Manager In Communication Management Plan Management Essay The role of a project manager in project communication management consists of Identifying stakeholders, Planning communications, Distributing Information and Managing Stakeholder expectations and Reporting performance A key role of the project manager is to create a communications management plan to analyze stakeholder communications needs and disseminate important information efficiently. Richer forms of communications should be used for important objectives The Tuckman model developed by Dr. Bruce Tuckman in 1970 describes 5 stages of team development such as Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing and Adjourning If project managers depended too heavily on money, penalty or authority, the project was more likely to fail compared to work challenge and expertise which were more influential Project Managers should set an example by leading their teams such that the team members should know how to deal with conflicts, where team members work out small conflicts amongst themselves before elevating them to the higher ups Project managers and team members could use these strategies such as confrontation, compromise, smoothing, forcing, withdrawal and collaboration Project practitioners should adhere to the PMIs Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct in dealing with conflict amongst team members. 1. Introduction: There are four core knowledge areas of project management that deal with project scope, time, cost and quality management which help in defining the specific project objectives. Human resource, communications, risk and procurement management are the four facilitating knowledge areas. These four facilitating knowledge areas are processes that help in achieving the project objectives and hence are important. The greatest threat to any project is the ineffective communication between the project manager, team and the key stakeholders. Many problems in completion of projects are attributed to unclear scope or unrealistic schedules which indicate communication problems between the project manager, team and stakeholders. It is crucial for project managers and their teams to understand Project communication management. Project communication management deals with generation, collection, dissemination and storing of project information (Schwabe, 2010) This next section deals with the role of a project manager in a communication management plan and the elements involved in it. Further sections show how project managers establish team culture, the characteristics of motivation, conflicts, strategies on conflict resolution and ethical behavior in dealing with conflicts. 2. Communication : Communication is very important for the success of any project. It is also closely related with team work and team building and hence also affects how conflicts happen. A communication management plan for the entire project is very necessary. The role of a project manager in project communication management is given as follows: a. Identifying Stakeholders : This stage identifies the people involved in or affected by the project. The project manager creates processes and manages relationships with them. The project manager must create a Stakeholder register and Stakeholder management strategy. b. Planning communications : This stage identifies the communication needs and the channel of communication required by the stakeholder. A communications management plan and project documents update are required made by the project manager. c. Distributing Information and Managing Stakeholder expectations : The Project manager makes important information available to project stakeholders efficiently and in a timely manner, such that it satisfies the communication needs and expectations of the project stakeholders. Formal or informal plans, procedures, policies are the output of this stage. d. Reporting Performance : A project manager collects and reports project performance information to the stakeholders in the form of status reports, forecasts and progress measurements (Schwabe, 2010) Developing information and making it available to all the stakeholders is an important function of the project managers and team. Project managers and their teams must decide the recipient of the information and distribution channels for the information. They should also decide on the format of the information, such as written reports or meetings etc. A key role of the project manager is to create such a communications management plan to analyze stakeholder communications needs and disseminate important information efficiently. According to the Daft and Lengels Media richness theory, the richness of the media in communication is directly proportional to the time and cost spent on it. Hence face to face communication is preferred to email because of better communication but it is more costly and more time is spent. Thus richer forms of communications should be used for important objectives (Markus L, 1994) 3. Establishing team culture Team work and people management are the most important issues in project management. Establishing and motivating teams are interlinked with communication and are important to understand before understanding conflict and the ethical issues related with conflict. Belbin observes that, The essence of a team is its members form a co-operative association through a division of labor that best reflects the contribution that each can make towards the common objectives. To establish a team the project manager can use the following graphical techniques: Work Breakdown Structures shows major tasks broken down into smaller tasks Linear Responsibility Charts shows relationships between tasks and people Organizational Hierarchy Charts shows structure of a project team or organization The Tuckman model developed by Dr. Bruce Tuckman in 1970 describes 5 stages of team development such as: Forming an important stage of introducing team members either at initiation, or as new members are introduces Storming team members have different opinions on how a team should work. Usually conflicts occur during this phase Norming team members have developed common working method and cooperate with each other Performing Team members are likely to build loyalty towards each other. Team can cope with greater change and complex tasks. Adjourning After completion of work and successful reaching of goals, this stage consists of the break-up of the team (Cadle and Yeates, 2001) This model gives a brief idea about where conflict occurs within a team and at what stage. This could be used by the project manager to handle conflicts effectively during the storming stage. Establishing the right balance of roles in any team is crucial in avoiding or resolving conflicts. In a successful team there is a good combination of different personality types. According to Meredith Belbin a successful team needs the following combination of roles: The chair calm, strong and tolerant individual The plant an individual who generates ideas The monitor-evaluator Evaluates ideas The shaper an individual who focuses on the objectives The team worker helps create a good working environment The resource investigator finds information and resources for the project The completer finisher checks details, deadlines, proof reads The company worker works hard, similar to team worker (Belbin, 1996) A good blend of different personality types in a team will help in formation of less conflicts and resolving conflicts faster. According to Patrick Lencioni, lack of teamwork could lead to a) Absence of trust b) Conflict c) Lack of commitment d) Avoidance of accountability e) Inattention to results which could lead to failure of organizations. The team consists of individuals with different needs and expectations from the team. Motivation plays a very crucial part in the development of a team and its individuals as discussed in the next section 4. Motivation : To understand the various factors that influence motivation we need to understand the hierarchy of needs of an individual. In the late 1940, Maslow suggested that people are motivated according to their circumstances. In this theory is the idea that the employees needs have to be satisfied from the bottom up as shown in Fig. 2. The bottom level consists of basic survival and safety needs. The need for belonging and to be part of a group or a team comes second. The fourth level is about the ego and esteem needs and the final level is the personal fulfillment level. Project manager and project team members need to understand their respective motivations with regards to social, esteem and self actualization (Cadle and Yates, 2001) Self-actualization Personal growth and fulfilment personal growth and fulfilment Esteem needs Achievement, status, responsibility, reputation achievement, status, responsibility, reputation Belongingness and Love needs Family, affection, relationships, work group, etc family, affection, relationships, work group, etc. Safety needs Protection, security, order, law, limits, stability, etc protection, security, order, law, limits, stability, etc. Biological and Physiological needs Basic life needs air, food, drink, shelter, warmth, sex, sleep, etc basic life needs air, food, drink, shelter, warmth, sex, sleep, etc. Fig: 2 Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Some of the methods employed by project managers to motivate or influence team members to work towards achieving a successful project are: Authority PMs right to issue orders Assignment allocating duties Budget Authorization of funds by PM Promotion Money Pay rise and benefits Penalty causing punishment by PM Work Challenge such that it motivates the team member Expertise PM commands respect from team members based on his special knowledge Friendship ability to establish friendly relations Thamhain and Wilemon found that if project managers depended too heavily on money, penalty or authority, the project was more likely to fail compared to work challenge and expertise which were more influential (Schwabe, 2010) Some of the factors that affect motivation of employees are as follows: Environment Manipulation Scheduling pressure Lack of appreciation Technically inept management Lack of involvement Low quality 5. Conflict Resolution and Ethics The possibility of conflict between team members is always possible unless good communication isnt observed. Some of the common reasons for conflict between team members are as follows Scheduling Project priorities Human resources Admin procedures Personality clashes Costs Technical opinions and trade offs Project managers should help identify and manage conflict by using their human resources and communication skills. Project Managers should set an example by leading their teams such that the team members should know how to deal with conflicts, where team members work out small conflicts amongst themselves before elevating them to the higher ups. The project manager must separate people from the problem and use negotiation to resolve dispute. Unethical behavior should be avoided by both the parties. Negotiation amongst project manager and team members such that: Focus on interests: negotiator needs should keep in mind the interest of the parties to the dispute as against the position the parties have drawn up Inventing Options for mutual gain: Negotiator should find win-win solutions such that no party compromises on the project objectives Insist on objective criteria: negotiator should determine the quality of outcomes rather than positions. According to Meredith and Mantel, negotiation skills are particularly required a) when using subcontractors b) different teams are brought together to work on a task c) during change management. In the event of a conflict, the following principles of negotiation should be adopted: Without damaging the project objectives the conflict must be resolved Honest negotiations must take place All parties should be satisfied by the solution to the conflict (Schwabe, 2010) Strategies for resolving conflict Project Managers and team members could make use of the 5 basic modes of conflict resolution as suggested by Krezner in 2003 1. Confrontation: Project managers directly face conflict in the confrontation mode by using a problem solving approach such that affected parties work through their disagreements towards a win-win solution. This is the most preferred method of conflict resolution amongst project managers (Schwabe, 2010) 2. Compromise: Project managers adopt the compromise mode to bargain and search for solutions that bring some degree of satisfaction to the parties in dispute, similar to give and take attitude. 3. Smoothing Project managers adopt the soothing mode such that they de-emphasize or avoid areas of conflict and emphasize the area of agreement 4. Forcing Forcing mode is also termed as the win-lose approach such that a competitive or autocratic project manager exerts his viewpoint at the potential expense of another team members view point. 5. Withdrawal This is the worst conflict-handling mode where project managers retreat from a potential or actual disagreement and hence called the withdrawal mode 6. Collaborating This is a fairly recent conflict resolution mode called the collaborating mode, where different viewpoints and insights are encouraged by decision makers to develop consensus and commitment Successful project managers also use collaboration and compromise to resolve conflicts. Smoothing, forcing and withdrawal are hardly used by successful project managers for resolving conflict. A standard process for resolving conflict could be detailed as follows: Identify conflict and discuss with stakeholders Gather information Analyze solution List options for conflict resolution Decide conflict resolution mode Carry out conflict resolution Ethical Behavior in dealing with Conflicts Project Managers and their team members are required to make ethical decisions in personal and professional lives. In terms of conflict resolution too, project management practitioners should conduct their jobs in an ethical manner. According to the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct present on the website, the practitioners should behave in the following manner with regards to professional integrity and conflict resolution We make decisions and take actions based on the best interests of society, public, safety and the environment We fulfill the commitments that we undertake we do what we say we will do We accept only those assignment that are consistent with our background, experience, skills and qualifications We inform ourselves about the norms and customs of others and avoid engaging in behaviors they might consider disrespectful We listen to others points of view, seeking to understand them We approach directly those persons with whom we have a conflict or disagreement We demonstrate the transparency in out decision-making process We constantly reexamine our impartiality and objectivity, taking corrective action as appropriate We proactively and fully disclose any real or potential conflicts of interest to appropriate stakeholders We earnestly seek to understand the truth We are truthful in our communications and in our conduct (PMI Code of Ethics, 2010)

Bowling For Columbine as a Carnivelsque Essay -- essays research paper

To what extent can BFC be viewed as drawing on key elements of Bakhtin’s notion of carnivalesque? Bowling for Columbine is a post-structural film produced by Mike Moore. It leaves a message about America and its people. Today, the world is not a safe place. However, the world is made unsafe by the people who don’t believe it is safe. This is what the film is based on: fear and guns. Bowling For Columbine is a carnivalesque to an extent as it contains many elements of a carnivalesque. These elements are shown through repetition, polyphony of voices and the creation of another world. Many responders would believe that this movie is a misleading act based on Mike Moore’s self-promotion. When looking beneath the surface however, we can see that the film is trying to say something about America, even though there is no clear answer to the question being asked. This is why the film is a post-structural text. There is more than one answer and texts are interpreted depending on the responder’s context. It is not a documentary however because a documentary is a discussion based on evidence for and against. Although Bowling for Columbine provides facts, it is biased. Mike Moore presents a film that is dialogical in nature. He arranges questions and scenes in the film to get the answer or response that he wants. Also, the camera used is analogous to Moore’s own gun. He targets certain people and appears on the scene so as to make himself seem bigger. His camera is also used to ‘shoot’ people with questions that he already knows the answer to. This happens to people such as the bank employees and youths Bent and BJ and this is why responders may think the film is a reason for self-promotion. There is no clear cut answer to the question that is constantly being asked throughout the film. This is why Bowling For Columbine’s narrative is polyphonic. Polyphony allows multiple voices to be expressed. As there are too many different people in the world that have different contexts such as age and cultural background, one clear answer can not be stated in the film. This silence is important because it shows that what is important is missing, the answer to why so many people are killed each year. Polyphony also makes it possible for anything to be said as there are no dominant voices. It does not matter what ranking in society you are or where you come from, all people ca... ...l and maybe The Ramones version of â€Å"What a wonderful world† would be more appropriate. People in the movie itself also make fear and guns seem insignificant and funny such as the news reporter who is only interested in how his hair is instead of the shooting of a primary student. All these ideas shows the unserious attitude used so that people can survive in this harsh world. These elements all show how Bowling For Columbine is a carnivalesque. A polyphonic narrative allows for everyone to speak their opinion so that an idealogy that tries to have the last word on the subject is destroyed. Repitition of the same idea and random images presents many ideas and shows that the question is never answered. The creation of another world and humour helps deal with the harsh world in which we live in. The world can not be peaceful when fear is so easy to be bought through guns. It seems that the question, why are there so many killings in America, is never answered in the film and until there is an answer there can not be a solution on which everyone will agree on. Analysing Bowling For Columbine as a carnivalesque shows what kind of world we are living in; not exactly a wonderful world.