Explain the 'open systems' approach to organisations, and how Essay

Explain the 'open systems' approach to organisations, and how environmental factors can affect the business organisation. Use the case to illustrate your answer - Essay Example In an open system, all aspects of an organisation starting from inputs all the way through the production process of outputs, and evaluation are all considered as being important. Boundaries and the external atmosphere are also very important to an open system. Strong open system analyses information that it receives from its surroundings makes the necessary changes in the organisation and then transmits the essential feedback to its environment (Thompson, 2011:12). Icy Foods Limited had no strong because when its external environment changed, it did not make the necessary changes in internal environment in order to boost their sales. Scott (2003) proposed several aspects that characterise open systems. These include self-maintenance, protection, boundaries and subsystems (Scott, 2003:89). In self-maintenance, organisations get the resources they need from the environment to survive. In terms of protection, organisations do not have to safeguard the environment, rather they use it as a source of information. In terms of boundaries, organisations have boundaries that are difficult to define. Lastly, when addressing subsystems, Scott (2003) notes that organisations have subsystems that are correlated in dynamic interaction (Scott, 2003:90-91). The organisation, being an open system relies on its external environment for the procurement and use of what it produces and the products that it offers. If the requirements of the organisation’s external environment change, they directly affect the organisation’s ability to sell what it produces. As seen in the case of Icy Foods Limited, the growth of the total sales of ready meals by large supermarket chains reduced the number of independent supermarkets that Icy Foods Limited used to supply to. Since several of Icy Food’s customers were forced out of business, the sales of the company reduced greatly. As a result of the

1918 Flu Pandemic Brings Higher Fatalities than World War 1 Research Paper - 1

1918 Flu Pandemic Brings Higher Fatalities than World War 1 - Research Paper Example The third section investigates the public health and medical issues at the times of the outbreak. Medical response to the pandemic is investigated in the fourth section and finally, the lessons learned from the outbreak are discussed in the fifth and final section. According to CDC (2006), the 1918 flu pandemic killed 2% of the world’s human population because of lack of sufficient knowledge about the virus and ineffective medical response. The 1918 flu pandemic provides important lessons for effective monitoring and management of flu outbreaks. Flu pandemics are serious threat to human existence, because of viral antigenic drift that produces new variant strains in every two to three years (Michael, 1998). Introduction The world today remains under serious threat of influenza pandemics. The last ten years have been characterized by outbreak of flu in different parts of the world causing deaths and widespread panic. Although the scale of the recent flu outbreaks do not compare with 1918 pandemic in terms of infections and fatalities, it is evident that the world population remains highly vulnerable to the infection. The United States Department of Health and Human Services (2006) classifies influenza into three different categories. These include seasonal flu, avian flu and pandemic flu. Seasonal flu also called common flu is a respiratory infection that affects people frequently. Although there is a vaccine for seasonal flu, the immune system of most people is capable of fighting the infection. Bird or avian flu is a zoonotic infection transmitted from wild birds to human beings. The H5NI virus that causes avian flu is extremely infectious and fatal to domestic birds. The main medical concern of the avian flu is that currently, there is no effective vaccine against the infection and people do not have immunity. Finally, pandemic flu is highly infectious ailment affecting human beings and it has the potential of causing global outbreak and severe disease s (United States Department of Health And Human Services, 2006). People have minimal immunity against flu infection and therefore the disease is transmitted quickly across an expansive geographic area. In the last century, devastating flu pandemics were reported in different parts of the globe. CDC (2006) estimated that over 43 million people in the world died from flu pandemics in the last 20th century alone. Some of the major flu pandemics included the 1918 Spanish flu, the Asian flu pandemic in 1957 and the Hong Kong Flu of 1968. Historical Perspective of the 1918 â€Å"Spanish Flu† Pandemic Before investigating the historical background of the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, it is important to interrogate the meanings of pandemic and influenza. Michael (1998;51) defines pandemic as an â€Å"epidemic of human ailment that occurs over a wide geographical area, crossing international boundaries and affecting large number of people†. There are different forms of pathogens t hat cause pandemics, including the current HIV/AIDS virus, influenza and in the past, the plague that infected and killed numerous people in the world around 14th century. Flu is the short form of influenza and it causes respiratory disorders in human beings. According to Barry (2004), the common symptoms of flu infection includes fever, muscle aches, cough and in rare circumstances, opportunistic infections such as pneumonia occurs in patients infected with the virus. Flu virus is one of the major causes of death and it affects people of all ages. Human beings are the primary hosts of the virus but it can also spread to domestic animals including horses, pigs and

Degree Plan Essay Essay Example for Free

Degree Plan Essay Essay For the last sixteen years I have been working as a professional. In my current professional environment I have found that advancement is limited without some type of degree on your resume. In speaking with my colleagues I have heard many good things about the degree programs offered by ESC CDL. Prior to this application I have participated in two non matriculated classes to both familiarize myself with the online style and to gauge if I was ready to attend college. I have chosen to continue with ESC due to the extreme ease of the online course structure and the willingness of the faculty to assist in any way. I have worked very hard over the last sixteen years to achieve the success that I have obtained. I started my career as a production operator and have excelled at every position I have held. Through my work I have attained the current position of Manager. I am currently in charge of a maintenance department with sixteen direct reports and have also been given the responsibility of a six million dollar budget. With these added responsibilities comes the need to further educate myself to stay relevant and up-to-date. My ambition is to become an Operations Manager which controls all facets of a manufacturing facility. This will not be possible without continued education. This would first require more management skills and a good understanding of how business works. This is the driving force for me to join the college ranks and earn first, an Associates Degree and second, hopefully, a Bachelors Degree. My skill set has been mostly geared toward the technical aspects of my field of choice (maintenance). I have only earned a high school diploma along with many trade certificates and trainings. I have always been one that learns quickly and adapts to change very well. My personal time for the last ten years has been spent developing the minds and nurturing my two wonderful sons whom are now nine and eight. They have become the driving force behind my community involvement which has included coaching their soccer and baseball teams. I have found this to be the most rewarding and special moments in my life. I have found it to be an important step in my development as a man. All of this has brought me to the conclusion that continuing my learning would be most beneficial not only for myself, but will help in showing my sons how important a real education is. Thank you for the opportunity and I look forward to any and all feed back received through this communication.

Competitive Corporate Strategy Strategy In Context Commerce Essay

Competitive Corporate Strategy Strategy In Context Commerce Essay The very definition of strategy is elusive as there are many different opinions on what strategy actually involves. Often a generalised description is given such as top managements plans to attain outcomes consistent with the organisations missions and goals (Wright et al., 1993, p3). However, De Wit and Meyer (2010) state There is no simple answer to the question of what strategy is. They continue to describe strategy in terms of three main dimensions: process, content and context. These are referred to as the input, throughput and output of strategy, or the How, the What and the Where. Each of these dimensions should be regarded as parts of the whole and while one can focus ones attention on any single dimensions it should never the less be in regard to the interaction with the other two (De Wit Meyer, 2010). Accordingly it is with this proviso that this report looks at the strategy process. The complexity and contradictions of strategy with regard to the above mentioned dimensions offer many different strategy perspectives, often contradicting one another. This gives rise to particular tensions and result in strategic paradoxes that are best analysed using a dialectical approach (De Wit Meyer, 2010). By analysing two opposing points of view the strategist can identify the tension as a paradox and reconcile the opposites as best as possible, hopefully arriving at a best of both worlds conclusion. Figure . Tension as a paradox (Aidan ODriscoll, 1986) 3.0 The Strategy Process 3.0.1 Aspects of the Strategy Process De Wit and Meyer (2010) identify strategy process in terms of how, who and when. How is the strategy to be made, who is involved and when do such strategic activities take place? Many argue that the strategic process is not linear, such as in analysis, formulation and implementation, it is more intuitive and creative. It is considered that there are three areas of the strategic process: strategic thinking, strategy formation and strategic change but that these are not phases, stages or elements of the strategic process but rather different aspects of the strategy process, which are linked and overlap ( De Wit Meyer, 2010) Figure . Aspects of the Strategy Process ( De Wit Meyer, 2010) Foe each of the strategy topics certain paradoxes can be identified and associated with two complementary perspectives. Figure . Strategy topics, paradoxes and perspectives ( De Wit Meyer, 2010) For each of the strategy topics case studies (or short case studies) have been used to illustrate the strategic dichotomies that exist and show how the individual companies implemented the opposing types of strategic perspectives. 3.0.2 Strategic Thinking De Wit and Meyer (2010, p 53) suggest that managers must go through a strategic reasoning process in order to find ways to resolve the challenges of strategic problems. This strategic reasoning is a string of strategic thinking activities directed at defining and resolving strategic problems. The cognitive activities involved in strategic thinking are categorised as defining a strategic problem and solving a strategic problem. As can be seen in Figure 4 below defining constitutes identification and diagnosis while solving consists of conception and realisation. However, the thought processes adopted by managers do not always follow such a formulated and logical ideal. It is often a case of a mixture of structured analytical process combined with intuitive reflection. Figure . Elements of a strategic reasoning process ( De Wit Meyer, 2010) It is this mixture of opposites, analysis and intuition, in varying degrees that create a tension and produces a paradox of logic and creativity. Logical thinking involves analysing empirical facts, formulating strategic options and subjecting them to formal evaluation (De Wit Meyer, 2010). This allows the manager to understand what is actually happening rather than what is perceived to be happening, based on habits, routines, and personal beliefs. Generative reasoning and creative thinking describe the use of intuition to bypass the restrictions of logical thinking to make leaps of imagination and create new ways of looking at old problems (De Wit Meyer, 2010). This is not without substance; such reasoning is based on knowledge gained through education, experience and interaction with others. This knowledge resides in the form of cognitive maps (Tolman, E., cited by Downs and Stea, 2005) which combined with observed behaviour can then lead to the prediction of behaviour (Eden, 1992). The paradox of generative reasoning and creative thinking is further discussed in Appendix 1 where two short case studies are used to compare the different approaches applied by Berkshire Hathaway (rational reasoning perspective) and Google (generative reasoning perspective). 3.0.3 Strategy Formation Strategy formation is concerned with realising both strategic formulation and strategic action. It encompasses intended strategy (a pattern of decisions) and realised strategy (a pattern of actions) (De Wit and Meyer, 2010). This concedes that strategy is a pattern as in a consistency of behaviour over time (Mintzberg et al, 2009, p 10). While still using the four elements of a strategic reasoning process discussed earlier (See Fig 4) there are additional activities that can be further developed into eight basic building blocks of strategic formation process (Fig. 5). Figure . The main strategy formation activities (De Wit and Myer, 2010) Who carries out strategic formation in an organisation varies from CEOs to those on the shop floor. De Wit and Meyer (2010) identify three variations in who carries out these activities: Top vs. middle vs. bottom roles Line vs. staff roles Internal vs. external roles De Wit and Meyer (2010) also give a warning regarding a formalised strategic planning system. While this can give a framework for the setting of tasks and responsibilities etc it can also become over bureaucratic and not only stifle innovation and creativity but become a means of demotivation. Mintzberg et al. (2009) identifies a formalisation edge where a structured, formalised system has a break-point, after which instead of supporting strategic activities it begins to become intrusive. Figure . The formalisation edge (Mintzberg et al, 2009) Mintzberg (1987) argues that definitions of strategy as a plan and strategy as a pattern (of behaviour) can be independent of each other. He describes a planned strategy as intended strategy and a pattern of strategy as realised strategy. This allows us to distinguish between deliberate strategy, where previous intentions were realised and emergent strategies, where patterns developed without prior intention (or unrealised intentions). Figure . Deliberate and emergent strategies (Mintzberg, 1987) The tension between deliberate strategy and emergent strategy are discussed in Appendix 2 in relation to the case studies of Strategic Planning at United Parcel Services. 3.0.3 Strategic Renewal Organisations change, whether to maintain competition with its rivals, change through innovation in technology or the changing environment of the business. Growth itself is dependent upon change and management of such changes is paramount. Clarke (1994) states Change is an accelerating constant (cited by Senior et al, 2006). De Wit and Mayer (2010) suggest that change can be strategic or operational stating that While operational changes are necessary to maintain the business and organisational systems, strategic changes are directed at renewing them. Organisational structure, organisational processes and organisational culture are the pillars on which the business system stands (De Wit and Meyer, 2010). The hierarchy of a company, its policies and procedures and its shared beliefs determine the companys capabilities, what type of renewal it is capable of and how such renewal can be managed and implemented. Much of these organisational components are hidden within the company as informal elements and requires careful consideration to identify accurately the true situation within a company (see Fig. 8). Figure . The Iceberg Model (Senior and Swailes, 2010) There is a distinction in particular between disruptive change and gradual change. Revolutionary and evolutionary are used here to describe the paradox between these two types of changes (Greiner, 1972). De Wit and Meyer (2010) state that it is widely accepted that a balance is required between Strategic (revolutionary) change and operational (evolutionary) change. Figure . Types of change (Prime Ministers Strategy Unit, 2010) Appendix 3 discusses the application of change in the case study on Ferrari Transforming the Prancing Horse. 4.0 Conclusion The tensions that are apparent throughout the strategy process and their resultant paradoxes suggest strategic activities are either of one side of the paradox or the other. In some case this may be accurate; the acquisition of a company by another may well, though not always, constitute a revolutionary, big bang, change where fundamental changes are made across each company in a relatively short space of time. However, in order to facilitate the actual implementation of the change and to provide some consistency during and after such a change will require the adaption of existing systems, processes and procedures within each company. This suggests that even in such a situation there is a combination of strategic approaches both revolutionary and evolutionary, indicating that a pluralistic approach is required to develop, implement, manage and sustain change. It can also be seen that even with such paradoxes as logic vs. creativity there is a balance between the two in how they are applied. In the short case study for Google, for example, it is clear that this is a highly creative organisation with a deliberate strategy of promoting free thinking, but within boundaries. These boundaries allow for intuition and creativity but only within a cooperate structure that is very much aligned to the business model and its goal to sustain and increase the companys profitability. It would also seem that few strategies are purely deliberate or purely emergent; there is generally a mixture of the two to some degree. Strategies have to form as well as be formulated (Mintzberg et al., 2009). So, in essence, it is the decision of the strategist to reconcile these opposites, decide what sort of balance is to be made and provide the best of both worlds solutions. References De Wit Meyer. (2010). Strategy: Process, Content, Context (Vol. 4th). Andover, Hampshire, UK: Cengage. Aidan ODriscoll. (1986). Exploring paradox in marketing: managing ambiguity towards synthesis. Retrieved March 20th, 2011, from Journal of Business Industrial Marketing: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?articleid=1657811show=html Buttel, M. (2010, March 3rd). 10 years on:When the bubble burst. Retrieved March 20th, 2011, from Financial Service Technology: http://www.fsteurope.com/news/when-the-bubble-burst/ Downs, R. and Stea. D. (2005). Image Environment: Cognitive Mapping and Spatial Behaviour. New Jersey: Transaction Publishers. Eden, C. (1992, May). Journal of Management Studies. Retrieved March 20th, 2011, from Wiley online Library: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-6486.1992.tb00664.x/ Greiner, L. (1972). Evolution and Revolution as Organisations Grow. Harvard Business Review. Mintzberg, H. (1987). The Strategy Concept I: Five Ps For Strategy. California Business Review , 13. Mintzberg. H, and Alhstrand. B, and Lampel. J. (2009). Strategy Safari. Harlow: Pearson Education. Prime Ministers Strategy Unit. (2010). Change Management in Practice. Retrieved March 20th, 2010, from Strategy Survival Guide: http://interactive.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/strategy/survivalguide/skills/pd_change.htm Wilson, I. (2010). From scenario thinking to stratgic action. In D. w. Meyer, Corporate strategy: process, content, context (p. 153 to 157). Andover: Thomas Renvoize. Wright, P., Pringle, C., and Kroll, M. (1992). Strategic Management: Text and Cases. Needham Heights, Massachusetts, USA: Allyn and Bacon. Appendix 1 The paradox of generative reasoning and creative thinking 1) The Rational Reasoning Perspective Two short cases studies have been used from the course book De Wit Meyer (2010). Strategy: Process, Content, Context (Vol. 4th). The first is Exhibit 2.2 (p66), The Rational Reasoning Perspective Berkshire Hathaway:Not Outside the Box (2009). The study introduces Warren Buffett (The sage of Omaha), a highly sucessful investor and owner of the insurance and investment conglomarate Berkshire Hathaway. Although at his peak as an investor in the 1980s and 1990s it was regarded that he had failed to grasp the investment potential of the new paradigm for the Information Age based on the Internet . Instead he continued to invest in established old firms, such as Coca Cola and Gillette and completely avoided the opportunity to invest in Internet stocks, which he regarded as chain letters. As the dotcom boom subsided it was clear that the volume of those trying to exploit the opportunity had far outweighed the actual performance of the companies involved. It is not accurate to say the dotcom boom was a failure, those that had good business models succeeded spectacularly (such as Google, Amazon, Wikipedia sites eBay) but it is clear that the over investment was not justified and that many companies were just not generating enough profits to continue. There were added complications such as the US Federal Reserve had increased its interest rate six times over 1999 and the beginning of 2000, the federal court decision that Microsoft was a monopoly as well as the bellwether (or barometer stock the stock of a company that is regarded as a leader in its given industry) sale of high tech stock shares of March 10th 2000. These include selling of shares of Cisco, IBM, and Dell etc. and while coincidental to the actual dotcom boom itself would have undermined further the confidence in an already falling market (Buttel, 2010) Buffetts insistence on sticking to a formula he understood and was well proven enabled him to escape the ravages of the dotcom bubble burst and instead of being derided as being outdated was again lauded as a canny investor. This was not the first time Buffet had gone against the trend, in 1969 he avoided the stock market frenzy which other investors had thrown themselves into, declaring I am out of step with present conditionsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦On one point however I am clear. I will not abandon previous approaches whose logic I understand. Again, in 2008, Buffett went completely against the trend and, in the worst recession since the Great Depression (1929 to 1940) and despite already loosing up to 25 billion USD of market value within one year invested 5 billion USD in Goldman Sachs, quoting Today my money and my mouth both say equities. Buffett states his reason for his success as including: Analyse the company to separate investment from speculation Meticulously diagnose the sustainability of the competitive advantage of the company Stay away from ill-understood businesses in fast-changing environments Understanding that risk comes from not knowing what you are doing He is also wary of those witch doctors proposing to be scientific and rational while selling investment advice. Buffetts criterion for investment is a highly structured analytical method which appears almost devoid of any type of intuitive or innovative behaviour. It is based upon consistent, well tried decision making that refuses to stray away from what has been a successful formula. He is, without doubt, following a strategic reasoning process in a highly formulated and logical manner. It is obviously a successful formula for Berkshire Hathaway but there must be some doubt about whether such a rigid style is suitable for other companies without the existence of such a charismatic character as warren Buffett at its helm. And this raises its own questions: is the strategic thinking deployed by Buffett as rigid as it would first appear? Is there actually an element of intuitiveness inherent behind the strategy? Would someone else, using the same formula for investment, come up with the same results, or is the presence of Buffett in the mix the catalyst that makes for a successful formula? 2) The Generative Reasoning Perspective This uses the short case study Exhibit 2.3 (p69), The Generative Reasoning Perspective Google: Experiment in Anarchy. Google, as mention previously, is one of the companies that managed to sucessfully navigate out of the dotcom era. Since 1998 it has continued to grow to over 22,000 employees and over 22 billion USD (figures for 2008). Googles missionto organise the worlds information and make it universally acceptable and usefull. No idle boast, Google has introduced a phenominal range of products which has allowed it to achieve its stated mission, so much so that in 2006 the Oxfor English Dictionary include the verb: Google : intr. To use the Google search engine to find information on the Internet. trans. To search for information about (a person or thing) using the Google search engine. (OED, 2010). Googles innovative company structure includes Google labs, small teams working on ideas and experimenting with possible solutions. Sharing all its development across its teams and allowing other teams to make suggestions and give feedback feed the innovative and intuition that is the hallmark of Googles success.There 70/20/10 model allows for 70% of a persons time to be spent on mainstream business activities, 20% on new, approved projects and, perhaps the most innovative of all, the remaining 10% on developing personal projects as dreams as long as it is in line with the spirit of the core company value to do no evil. The strategy of creativity with generative reasoning is clear and has had a fundamental effect on the success of Google and its impressive employment record. The bottom-up approach certainly allows for innovation and resulting ideas to be turned into working applications within relatively short timeframes. Googles CEO, Eric Schmidt states we dont have a traditional strategy planning process, like youd find in traditional technical companies and while this may be true this does not mean that there is no planning or indeed a lack of a structured strategic process. Perhaps the final paragraph of this case study is most telling. Jim Lewinski, Googles managing director, states Creativity loves constraintà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.let people explore, but set clear boundaries for that exploration. Rationality is not absent in Googles strategy, it is just tempered with the culture of innovation. Unlike Buffetts rigid and controlling influence of Berkshire Hathaway, Google has a far more flexible strategic approach that, given the continuation of its established company culture, will continue to thrive no matter who is at the helm. Appendix 2 The paradox of generative reasoning and creative thinking Strategic Planning at United Parcel Services A case study has been used for this analysis from the course book De Wit Meyer (2010). Strategy: Process, Content, Context (Vol. 4th). Strategic Planning at United Parcel Services By David A. Garvin and Lynne C. Levesque (pp 702 to 718). United Parcel Services (UPS) has grown from its beginnings in 1907 to a 37 billion USD global corporation with a workforce of over 384,000, over 3,500 retail locations in the US alone and servicing more than 200 countries. In addition it has its own airline (UPS Airlines) which is ranked the 10 largest in the world (figures as of 2005). The companys founder, Jim Casey, developed a reputation for running the company like a military operation. With an emphasis on efficiency and discipline UPS developed a culture of continuous improvement, which Casey called constructive dissatisfaction. UPSs workforce was known for its longevity; all the companys CEOs were time-served and had risen through the company from the lowest ranks. Until the early 1990s it is started that UPS had no actual formal strategic planning process, although in the mid-1970s a decision had been made to expand the company globally and over the following ten years resulted in the forming of a Strategic Technology Group charged with developing technological solutions. In the early 1990s it was recognised that the companys execution mentality was hindering managements ability to see significant changes in the environment. This led to the setting up of a Strategic Advisory Group in 1996 to consider and debate strategic issues. In addition another group, CSG, was setup to develop strategic processes for planning for the future. From these activities the company began developing its own strategic process using scenario planning, strategic planning and support for strategic decision-making and strategy implementation. Although using multiple tools and methodologies the approach was made to work, this was helped by the continued support of the CEO who was himself regarded as the chief strategist. A major aspect of UPSs strategy from 1997 was to adoption of scenario planning. This is a management tool designed to explore what could happen given certain situations. Creating different scenarios allows managing to have a better understanding of possible events and help in the decision making process. The aim of scenarios is to develop a resilient strategy within the frameworks of alternative futures provided by the scenarios (Wilson, 2010). The use of scenario planning had been popularised after an article by Peter Wack in 1985, describing a scenario building exercise at Royal Dutch Shell (Mintzberg et at., 1990) The use of these scenarios had a fundamental impact on the company. They defined the companys new corporate charter, a change in the companys mission statement, identification of key themes and insights, the creation of a platform for management and discussions and, according to the authors of this case study, a mind-set shift for at least some managers. In 2002 the company developed their Centennial Plan, a long term strategic plan to take the company not just into their 100th year but also into the new millennium. The plan developed four key strategic imperatives: Winning team Value-added solutions Customer focus Enterprise excellence To support this Strategic Road Map was formulated which formed teams to work on specific strategic areas. Each team broke down its imperative to 24 discrete projects (critical initiatives), themselves supported by more than one hundred specific projects. Because of the complexity of the plan John McDevitt was brought in (from being Vice President of Air Operations) to be in charge of strategic integration. In 2002 the company developed their use of scenarios further to extend its focus into the new millennium. While understanding the limitations of scenario planning it allowed for creative thinking within a planning environment. This would seem to be a situation where formal planning, a deliberate strategy, works with the help of an instrumentalist, emergent approach. While scenario planning, in name and nature is very much part of the planning school of thought the creativity of thought applied and the adaption of scenarios to develop further scenarios is very much an incrementalist approach. UPS, while using a planned approach to strategy, are also encourage the use of innovation within their strategic thinking.

Essay --

Fate plays an important role in Romeo and Juliet. Who thought this four letter word would play such a big part in this play? In this play we see that the characters believe fate is what rules their lives, and that it is their reality. Their lives lie in the hands of fate. It always brings trouble, especially between the Capulet and Montague families. The fates of both Romeo and Juliet were predetermined in the prologue when it said â€Å"a pair of star crossed lovers take their life.†(Prologue) As their love for each other progresses, so does the ominous signs of death that show up. Characters start having premonitions and dreams of their unhappy ending. Even after the omens and signs, the lovers loved each other so deeply that they did not care about them as they just easily dismissed them. We as the audience know that Romeo and Juliet will die in the end, and their fate is shown and unraveled throughout the plot. Because as the audience we know the fate of Romeo and Juliet from the beginning, we are always hoping that they will take different paths of life. However, both their fates a...

Child And Parent Behavior Observation Essay -- Sociology Child Psychol

Child And Parent Behavior Observation   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I am almost always surrounded by the interactions between children and their parents. I hear it at my work, I hear it in restaurants, but most of all I hear it at my house. My mother owns a daycare and every night I hear parents being hit by a barrage of questions. When children are being picked up they always have a couple of questions for their parents. Children are always asking about the meal for the night or whether they can go over to a friend?s house or have some body over. Every night I see 12 different children with twelve different parents and it seems that each parent acts differently then the next.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When I thought of observing the children that attend my mothers daycare I decided that I should observe the interactions betwe...

Indigenous and Non Indigenous Essay

1. Indigenous people had an extremely close relationship with land. They worshipped and had ceremonies for the land. Without proper management of land it would have been very difficult for aboriginals to survive. The land was like a god to them, it was very important in their culture. Aboriginals didn’t harm the land instead they co operated with it, too help them survive. Aboriginals used land to help them survive, they didn’t use it for business or profits. No one owned the land instead the land owned them. The land was their home. Certain tribes were given specific land. 2. To non-indigenous people the land was no more than dirt on the floor. They owned the land. It was used for business and financial gain. They aimed to get money through selling or cultivating the land. 3. The dreaming is the creation of the universe according to the aboriginals. The indicates a psychic state in which contact is made with the ancestral spirits. It is the concept of moving from a dream to reality which is an act of creation. 4. The dreaming explains the process of creation according to the animals. The ancestors spirits wandered the bare and sparse land and created the landscape. After the creation the spirits turned themselves into rocks or trees or a part of the landscape. 5. Aboriginal spirituality is feeling connected and attached to all that lives and breathes. It is a sense of belonging to the community, land and earth. They believe all objects are living and share the same soul as the aboriginals. 6. The aboriginals spirit/soul will be reincarnated back to earth as another human, plant, animal or rock. 7. Non indigenous people think that land is a possession to them, it can be used for profit or business but to the aboriginals believe the land owns them, it is their mother. The care of the land and water is a very big priority to the aboriginal as the land is their mother, they believe they have a responsibility to look after it. They are connected to the land spiritually, culturally, physically and socially whereas no indigenous land may just be used for financial gain. Aboriginal people tried hard to co operate with the land and live with it but non indigenous people used the land to get personal gains like business. To an non indigenous person the land is no more than what they see but to an aboriginal is more than that, it s where their an sectors and spirits dwell, it is sacred historic landscapes, it is the gift their ancestors preserved and maintained for centuries before it was passed down. it is their mother. For non indigenous people the land is just the area around them or something they own but for aboriginals it is the centre of their culture. They feel a sense of belonging and oneness with the land, they share a spiritual connection. 8. When aboriginal people take care of land, they are taking care of their culture as the management of land is central to the culture. Research shows that aboriginal people get sick when they are removed from their traditional place, examples include the stolen generation (when aboriginal children were taken from their parents by the white settlers in hope of slowly wiping out the aboriginal race). There is a strong link between aboriginals health and land management. It is stated that the health of the indigenous peoples are negatively impacted when they are separated from their land. ANU GEORGE 32 SYDNEY STREET GLEN? ELD SYDNEY 7463 23/11/14 TO THE AUTHORITIES OF THARAWAL LOCAL ABORIGINAL LAND COUNCIL, I AM WRITING TO YOU TO SHARE MY UNDERSTANDING AND VIEWS OF THE MEANING OF LAND TO ABORIGINALS. I ALSO WISH TO ENCOURAGE AND HELP YOU COMPREHEND ON WAYS IN WHICH WE AS COMMUNITY CAN ASSIST THE ABORIGINAL SOCIETY IN CONTINUING THEIR SACRED CULTURE THROUGH MAINTAINING LAND. AS THE TRUE OWNERS OF THE LAND IN WHICH OUR COMMUNITY IS SITUATED ON, THE ABORIGINALS HAVE CERTAIN LAWS AND RITUALS WHICH ARE SACRED TO THEIR CULTURE THAT THEY NEED TO PERFORM. HOWEVER BECAUSE OF OUR COLONISATION IT HAS BECOME EXTREMELY DI*CULT FOR THEM. ABORIGINALS HAVE AN EXTREMELY STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH LAND. IT IS NOT JUST LAND TO THEM, THEY ARE CONNECTED TO IT SPIRITUALLY, PHYSICALLY, MORALLY AND CULTURALLY. THE LAND IS THEIR MOTHER, IT OWNS THEM. I DON’T THINK WE CARE ABOUT THE LAND AS MUCH AS THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE- TO US ITS EITHER SOMETHING WE OWN OR SOMETHING WE CAN USE TO GET MONEY . THE LAND IS THE CENTRE OF THEIR CULTURE-WITHOUT LAND, THEY WOULD NOT BE THERE ACCORDING TO THEM. RESEARCH EVEN SHOWS THAT SOME ABORIGINALS ARE NEGATIVELY A0ECTED IF THEY ARE SEPARATED FROM THEIR TRADITIONAL LAND. IT IS PART OF THEIR CULTURE TO LOOK AFTER AND RESPECT THE LAND AS IF IT WAS A LIVING THING . DUE TO BUILDINGS, HOUSES, ROADS ETC, IT IS DI*CULT. DESPITE THAT, WE AS A COMMUNITY HAVE A DUTY TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE ABORIGINES NEEDS AND HELP THE PRESERVE THE LAND THAT WAS ORIGINALLY THEIRS. ALTHOUGH MANY OF US WOULDN’T CARE, THE MORE I LEARNT ABOUT ABORIGINAL CULTURE THE MORE I REALISED HOW SACRED THE LAND IS TOO THEM. IF EVERYBODY WAS EDUCATED ABOUT ABORIGINAL PERSPECTIVES OF LAND, I AM SURE THAT THE MAJORITY WILL SUPPORT AND BE CONSIDERATE OF THE WAY THEY ARE TREATING THE ABORIGINALS LAND. THERE ARE MANY WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ABORIGINALS. IT CAN BE AS SIMPLE AS LOOKING AFTER THE ENVIRONMENT E. G. NOT LITTERING, USING BIODEGRADABLE AND ENVIRONMENT-FRIENDLY PRODUCTS, LOOKING AFTER THE GREENERY AND PLANTS. WE CAN EVEN PETITION AGAINST BUILDING THINGS IN SACRED PLACES. WE CAN PROTECT THEIR BLESSED PLACES BY LEAVING IT ALONE AND STOPPING PEOPLE FROM USING THE LAND. TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE THEIR LAND A â€Å"NO TRESPASSING AREA†. HELP THE ABORIGINALS BY GIVING THEM RIGHT TO THE LAND, ONLY THEY CAN ENTER OR CHANGE THE LAND. THE SACRED PLACES OF THE ABORIGINALS CAN BE MADE OF LIMITS TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. WE CAN CO OPERATE WITH THE ABORIGINALS SO THAT THE LAND CAN BE USED IN A WAY THAT IS NOT HARMFUL OR DISRESPECTFUL TO THE LAND. CONSULT THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE BEFORE CHANGING OR USING THE LAND. MAKE SURE THAT WHEN CONSTRUCTING SOMETHING NEW, IT WON’T RUIN THE LAND. VOLUNTEERS CAN CLEAN THE LAND. AFTER ALL IT WAS ORIGINALLY THEIR LAND†¦ I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT IF EVERYBODY WAS EDUCATED ABOUT THE MEANING OF LAND TO THE ABORIGINES, THEY WOULD BE CAUTIOUS AND CONSIDERATE OF THE WAYS THEY TREAT IT. THEY WILL RESPECT THE CULTURE OF ABORIGINALS. THEY CAN BE EDUCATED THROUGH LESSONS IN SCHOOL OR AT WORK. THERE CAN BE A NATIONAL ABORIGINAL CULTURE DAY WERE WE LEARN ABOUT THEIR RACE. EVEN IN THE COMMUNITY, PEOPLE CAN ORGANIZE A LAND CLEANING GROUP. LEA8ETS AND PAMPHLETS CAN BE SENT HOME PROMOTING CIVILISED USE OF THE LAND. PEOPLE CAN GO AROUND COMMUNITIES EDUCATING AND INFORMING OTHERS OF THE MEANING OF LAND TO ABORIGINALS AND HOW WE NEED TO CO OPERATE WITH THEM. IF YOU KNOW OF THE IMPORTANCE OF LAND TO THE ABORIGINALS, SPREAD IT, TELL YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY. WE NEED TO REMEMBER THAT THE ABORIGINALS WERE THE TRADITIONAL OWNERS OF THE LAND. WE NEED TO COMPREHEND AND REALISE HOW IMPORTANT LAND IS TO THEM. THE LEAST WE CAN DO IS RESPECT THEIR HELP MAINTAIN THEIR LAND AND BE CONSIDERATE OF THEIR CULTURE. I ALSO HOPE THAT I HAVE GIVEN YOU IDEAS IN WHICH WE CAN ASSIST THE ABORIGINAL SOCIETY IN CONTINUING THEIR SACRED CULTURE THROUGH MAINTAINING LAND. YOURS SINCERELY ANU GEORGE.