Book Review: Human Communication as Narration

In perhaps his most important contribution to rhetorical theory and the understanding of human communication, Walter Fisher presents an explanation of his narrative paradigm in Human Communication as Narration: Toward a Philosophy of Reason, Value and Action. This book essentially elaborates on and refines Fisher’s previous articles on the narrative paradigm and aims to present a more complete explanation of the theory’s roots, as well as its main tenets and relevant applications.Human Communication as Narration begins with an exhaustive examination of the history of narratives and logic, which includes his assertion that the logic by which human communication should be assessed return to the roots of the original meaning of logos: â€Å"story, reason, rationale, conception, discourse, thought† (p. 10). He asserts that Plato and Aristotle transformed the word logos into a specific term that applied only to philosophical/technical discourse, which launched a †Å"historical hegemonic struggle† that has lasted for more than 2,000 years (p. 10).Fisher explains that the positivist, â€Å"rational-world paradigm† that emphasized formal logic and reasoning (p. 58) is improved upon with his view of a more post-modern, ontological foundation where meaning is co-created through less formal structures like stories. In resurrecting the original meaning of logos, grounding his theory in ontology, and classifying human beings as â€Å"Homo narrans† (p. xi) , or storytelling animals, Fisher rejects the notion that technical logic is the only path to truth and knowledge, and argues that, as the ancients believed, all human communication is rational and contains truth and knowledge (p. 0). This more inclusive account of human communication together with the view that all human communication needs to be seen as stories sets the foundation for Fishers’ theory of narratives. In presenting the main points of his narrative theory ov er several chapters, Fisher explains that humans experience and understand life as a series of ongoing narratives, and that these stories are symbolic interpretations of â€Å"aspects of the world that [are] historically and culturally grounded and shaped by human personality† (p. 9). Given that stories are more than just a figure of speech and have the power to both inform and influence, Fisher establishes â€Å"narrative rationality† as a universal logic and means for the assessment for stories that is accessible by nature to all human beings (p. 47). This assessment is tested against narrative â€Å"probability (coherence) and fidelity (truthfulness and reliability)† (p. 47) – in other words, humans come to believe in and act on stories in so much as they relate to and identify with them.Going back to his assertion that human communication doesn’t have to exist in perfect structures of rhetorical arguments, he further explains that all humans po ssess the ability to reason and can therefore both communicate and accept truth as â€Å"good reasons† (p. 105). Perhaps an even better, more succinct explanation of this comes earlier in the book where Fisher states that â€Å"the materials of the narrative paradigm are symbols, signs of consubstantiation, and good reasons [are] the communicative expression of social reality† (p. 5). By including both formal logic and a logic of â€Å"good reasons† in the basis for argument, Fisher’s narrative paradigm contributes to rhetorical theory by expanding the meaning of persuasion just as Burke’s theory of identification did. Since the average person isn’t trained in formal logic, Fisher believed that the logic of good reasons (i. e. common sense), sits above all other persuasive means since it is universal and inherent in all human communication.Fisher goes on to assert that narrative rationality should also be â€Å"the foundation on which a com plete theory of rhetoric needs to be built† (p. 194). In this sense, the selection of stories we tell and come to accept is demonstrative of who we are and what we want others to believe about us. In the final section of his book, Fisher applies his narrative rationality in several real-world case studies including the rhetoric of Ronald Reagan, Death of a Salesman, The Great Gatsby and the philosophical discussion between Socrates and Callicles in Plato’s Gorgias.These examples provide a helpful demonstration of how narrative rationality can be used to assess the coherence, truthfulness and reliability of stories across a wide range of contexts. In conceptualizing and applying narrative rationality, Fisher contributes an important method for the study of narratives in a variety of communication contexts, which is one of the most important contributions he makes to the study of communication. Through Human Communication as Narration, Fisher provided a more accessible, u niversal means for communicating and understanding human truth.Drawing inspiration from the works of Kenneth Burke, Alasdair MacIntyre, Stephen Toulmin and Chaim Perelman, Fisher’s narrative paradigm argues that formal logic and the positivist view are inadequately prepared to account for the motives and values in human communication. He offers a broader explanation that all forms of human communication are driven by and evolve from our inherent need to determine whether an accounting of new knowledge matches up with what we already know.In the 30 years since Human Communication as Narration was first published, scholars and professionals from a wide range of disciplines have applied Fisher’s narrative paradigm in a variety of contexts. Narrative methods for rhetorical analysis and criticism have been used by Barbara Sharf (1990), Hollihan and Riley (1987), and Michael Cornfield (1992), among many others. In 1993, David Mains argued that the time was ripe for a move to ward narrative sociology, which asserted that â€Å"sociology’s phenomena is made up precisely of stories† (p. 2) as well as that sociologists are mainly narrators. The use of narratives as a means for persuasion in advertising and public relations has been widely documented in recent years by Cinzia Bianchi (2011); Barbara Stern, Craig Thompson and Eric Arnould (1998); and Melanie Green (2006). The narrative paradigm has also been deployed in interpersonal communication and organizational communication (Ashcraft & Pacanowsky, 1996). And a large body of research has been dedicated to the study of narratives as a strategy in conflict resolution as well (Gergen & Gergen, 2006; Sandole et al. 2009). These are just a few of the ways in which Fisher’s narrative paradigm still contributes to the understanding of human communication today. But while the narrative paradigm has enjoyed a renaissance of late with new research that refines and extends the theory (Currie, 2 005; Kirkwood, 1992; McClure, 2009; Stroud, 2002), largely due to its growing multi-disciplinary interest as noted above, it has also attracted much criticism. But while these scholars recognized its value, they have also demonstrated that it is not as useful for critical analysis as it aimed to be.Stroud (2002) found issue with the lack of account for contradiction in stories when assessing narrative rationality. Kirkwood (1992) felt that Fisher’s narrative rationality is limiting in that it doesn’t allow for the possibilities of new stories to be accepted and acted upon. He goes on to argue that a â€Å"rhetoric of possibility† presented through narratives can better account for how rhetors challenge people with â€Å"new and unsuspected possibilities of being and action in the world† (Kirkwood, 1992, p. 31).McClure (2009) also specifically argued that the narrative paradigm must also account for the â€Å"inventional possibilities of new narratives, t he rhetorical revision of old narratives, and the appeal and acceptance of improbable narrative accounts† (p. 191). He also asserts that by expanding the role of Burke’s identification, the narrative paradigm can become a more viable theory and method of criticism. While several scholars have both praised and criticized Fisher’s narrative paradigm, the part of his story that related to narrative’s origins, philosophical foundation and relevance to human communication rang true for me.In my study of rhetorical theory I, too, have often felt that the structures of formal argument are too constricting and limiting in their ability to interpret all forms of persuasive communication. When using Fisher’s own narrative rationality to measure the coherence and fidelity of Human Communication as Narration, I find it to be both coherent and true – especially from my viewpoint as a woman living in a post-modern, post-structuralist society who works in t he field of public relations where stories are the very fabric of our communication strategies.And while I recognize the validity of the proposed extensions of his theory by Kirkwood (1992), McClure (2009) and Stroud (2002), I feel they also serve as proof points for the generative power of Fisher’s paradigm in new ways of thinking about stories. References Ashcraft, K. & Pacanowsky, M. (1996). â€Å"A woman’s worst enemy†: Reflections on a narrative of organizational life and female identity. Journal of Applied Communication Research, 24, 217-239. Bianchi, C. (2011). Semiotic approaches to advertising texts and strategies: Narrative, passion, marketing.Semiotica, 183, 243-271. Cornfield, M. (1992). The press and political controversy: The case for narrative analysis. Political Communication, 9, 47-59. Currie, M. (2005). Postmodern narrative theory. New York: St. Martin’s Press. Fisher, W. R. (1987). Human communication as narration: Toward a philosophy o f reason, value and action. Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina Press. Gergen, M. & Gergen, K. (2006). Narratives in action. Narrative Inquiry, 16, 112-121. Green, M. (2006). Narratives and cancer communication. Journal of Communication, 56, 163-183.Hollihan, T. & Riley, P. (1987). The rhetorical power of a compelling story. Communication Quarterly, 35, 13-25. Kirkwood, W. G. (1992). Narrative and the rhetoric of possibility. Communication Monographs, 59, 30-47. Maines, D. (1993). Narrative’s moment and sociology’s phenomena: Toward a narrative sociology. The Sociological Quarterly, 34, 17-38. McClure, K. (2009). Resurrecting the narrative paradigm: Identification and the case of Young Earth Creationism. Rhetoric Society Quarterly, 39, 189-211. Sandole, D. , Byrne, S. , Sandole-Saroste, I. & Senehi, J. Eds. ). (2009). The handbook of conflict analysis and resolution. Routledge: New York. Sharf, B. (1990). Physician-patient communication as interpersonal rhetoric : A narrative approach. Health Communication, 2, 217-231. Stern, B. , Thompson, C. & Arnould, E. (1998). Narrative analysis of a marketing relationship: The consumer's perspective. Psychology & Marketing, 15, 195-214. Stroud, S. (2002). Multivalent narratives: Extending the narrative paradigm with insights from ancient philosophical thought. Western Journal of Communication, 66, 369-393.

Managing Ethically Essay

Today’s business world often requires that employees work longer hours and travel extensively. This forces many to sacrifice family time and other personal responsibilities for their careers. In a one to two page paper, answer the following: What are the ethical implications of requiring that employees dedicate long hours and extensive travel time to their careers? What obligations, if any, does a manager or employer have to enable employees to create a balanced professional and private life? Support your answers with examples. Understanding, that ethics is about fairness and equity. Businesses are cutting labor, but not cutting the amount of work that has to be done. I work for a very large company, and three years ago there was a large reorganization. The team I was on went from 22 people down to 12, but the workload did not drop. We were required to pick up the extra work. There was no choice, the work had to be done, and someone had to do it. Managers do not have any obligations to their employees to provide balance for them, but it creates a bad working environment. Employees that are not happy at their jobs are not as productive. It can also bring down morale for the entire team. There are things that can be done to help eliminate some of the ethical issues that could arise. There are plenty of workaholics out there that want to work longer hours and travel extensively, find out who wants to do it, and who does not. This is not a guarantee, but could stop a problem before there is one.

MBA Corporate Governance And Responsibility Essay

Why did it take 10 years to bring Harshad Mehta to justice? What weaknesses in the financial markets allowed such abuse to succeed? Harshad Mehta’s scam was one which involved huge magnitudes, which is why it probably came into light in the first place.[1] Scams of smaller magnitude are happening almost everyday at the Bombay Stock Exchange but not coming to light. There are many reasons for this. Some of the major reasons are briefly discussed below. The Indian businesses have traditionally being family owned. Owing to concentration of money in a few hands, most people have concentrated on survival and security due to which the risking loving entrepreneurial skill has not developed much. Being family owned businesses, a lot of insider and sensitive information is often available to the owners and their relatives even though the company is technically a separate legal entity. Given this insider information and the relatively weak legal machinery, it is easy for the insiders to manipulate prices of stocks by large buying or selling. The reason outlined above also gives rise to the herd mentality i.e. if bulk activity is seen on a stock on a particular day in a particular reaction; people seem to trust it quickly believing that some one with insider and reliable information is acting upon it. This is what helped Harshad Mehta in pulling off the scam. Further, there are hardly any checks and balances on the end use of loans given by banks and other financial institutions. They seem to be satisfied by the reputation of the borrower and once they are convinced that he can return the money, the end use of the same whether for speculation or any other activity is hardly looked into. It took as long as ten years to bring Harshad Mehta to justice due to the combination of many systemic failures and procedural lacuna. Firstly, it is difficult to pin point in such a huge market as to where the first default or breach of law took place. Further, there are many procedural approvals that must be taken before the regulator can take any concrete action. The country’s civil procedure process is quite slow too, with many appeals available before an offender is finally convicted. Therefore, even high profile cases such as these often take several years before finally being disposed off. How can ethics in the boardroom be monitored and controlled? Ethics, in the first place, is a rather complicated and complex issue. There is no straightjacket formula as different situations would demand different measures. In the boardroom, where money is at stake, and everyone has their own business to mind, it is probably even more difficult. This has been a subject of considerable debate, and there are certain measures which companies should generally apply, with specific variations in accordance with the particular situation at hand. Some of these general principles are briefly discussed below.[2]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Firstly, there has to be strict avoidance of concentration of important powers and functions in a few hands. As can be seen from the Maxwell Affair of 1991, too many responsibilities in different areas of management are likely to be fatal to the company. Further, the delegation of power must not be absolute. Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. There should be checks and balances right upto the top level. At the top most level, where it is difficult to have checks and balances in a vertical hierarchy, the same should be had using a horizontal structure.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Strong ethical base and principles must come in from the top and trickle down to the bottom. It is important that these principles are insisted upon, no matter how bad a situation a company is in. They should be introduced as non-negotiable to every new employee who joins, so that when he climbs the ranks in the corporate ladder, he is equally insistent about such principles. Gradually, a strong ethical culture is built. Is there a discernible difference between Enron’s fraud and Madoff’s appeal to elite investors? There is quite a discernible difference between Enron’s fraud and Madoff’s appeal to elite investors.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Enron’s fraud was a clear case of lack of watchful auditing and poor accounting practices. The profits were terribly overstated and the accounts were shown to pose a rosy picture of the state of affairs of the company. The true state of affairs was not revealed to the shareholders and other stakeholders in the company. The auditors were cleverly deceived, and they too didn’t do any follow up action.[3]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Madoff’s case is a much more complex one than Enron. Madoff’s case has largely been seen as one which could never be expected, and therefore no laws are in place to remedy such a situation. Unlike Enron’s case, which can be foreseen, Madoff’s case was completely unique and innovative. Enron’s case has been foreseen by the law makers, due to which many laws are in place to keep in check of the same. Firstly, there are accounting standards and conventions which must be adhered to by all companies. Second, all companies are statutorily required to get their accounts audited so as to doubly ensure that they reflect a true and fair view of the affairs of the company. Although it has been said in a landmark decision, that an auditor is a watchdog and not a bloodhound, it can be said that the auditors failed to do an upto-the mark job in Enron and hence the scandal.[4]   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, in complete contrast, Madoff’s case is so unexpected that there are no laws which effectively deal with such a situation. He used his reputation of being an expert at the Wall Street and a continued promise to offer secured and steady returns to swindle many high net worth individuals of millions of dollars. Such an exercise of personal confidence is difficult for the law to stop. Now, in retrospect, of course there are laws which mandate certain disclosures in case of any broker or person dealing on another’s behalf in the stock market. Further, there are investor awareness and know-your-rights campaigns by the regulator.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thus, another importance difference between the two scandals which essentially flows from the main difference is the solutions that they demand are very different from each other. What steps would you take as an independent director on the board of a company where you had reason to believe that fraudulent or unethical activities were being carried out by the high-profile company leader? First of all, being an independent director, there is a great amount of responsibility on my shoulder to ensure that such policies are pushed for, which make it near to impossible for fraudulent or unethical activities to be carried out by any individual in the company. However, if this was to happen, there would be a series of measures I would attempt to take. Firstly, it would be important to get the whole Board of Directors, or as far as it may be practicable, into confidence so as to ensure that the top level management is not divided on such an important issue. Once this is done, it is important to have an internal conference with the suspected offender about his objectionable activities. It is important at this stage to consider all possible solutions to the problem, as open action against such a person should be the last resort, given that such information is particularly sensitive, and it would adversely affect the reputation of the company, if it were to get leaked. Therefore, it is also important that only so many people are made aware of such a situation as are required. It is essential that the matter not be lingered, and damage control be the top most priority.   Again, every possible option should be explored including plea bargaining and settlement through mediation or negotiation.[5] The suspected offender should also be taken into confidence that full disclosure would be in his best interests too. No threat or action should be immediately taken against him, as then he might attempt to conceal the substance of the matter, which would be eventually then take a long time to be fathomed. Any severe action contemplated should be taken only once the issue has been fully resolved. Finally, once the issue has been resolved, there should be a fall back to see why such an event happened, and what can the company do in future to prevent it. The offender should not be let off lightly, as this may go on to set a bad example. At the same time, the best interests of the company in the long run must be kept in mind. REFERENCES Anonymous, â€Å"Harshad Mehta: A Scandal to Remember† f. www.casestudy.co.in (Last Visited 25 July, 2010). Anonymous, â€Å"Key Biscayne Connection in Madoff Scandal†, Key Biscayne Times, 23 July, 2010. Cathy Thomas, â€Å"Behind the Enron Scandal†, TIME Magazine, June 2002. Kevin MacDonald, â€Å"Is the Madoff Scandal Problematic?†, Occidental Quarterly Online, July 2010. Stephanie Maier, â€Å"How global is good corporate governance?†, EIRIS Report, Aug 2005. [1] Anonymous, â€Å"Harshad Mehta: A Scandal to Remember† c.f. www.casestudy.co.in (Last Visited 25 July, 2010). [2] Stephanie Maier, â€Å"How global is good corporate governance?†, EIRIS Report, Aug 2005. [3] Cathy Thomas, â€Å"Behind the Enron Scandal†, TIME Magazine, June 2002. [4] Kevin MacDonald, â€Å"Is the Madoff Scandal Problematic?†, Occidental Quarterly Online, July 2010. [5] Anonymous, â€Å"Key Biscayne Connection in Madoff Scandal†, Key Biscayne Times, 23 July, 2010.

Learning style inventory paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Learning style inventory paper - Essay Example The assessment of learning style in this assessment has used multi-intelligence theory, and as evident from the analysis, I although have different forms of intelligence, my predominant intelligence is intrapersonal. I have scored positive points in each of the questions posed in section 4, and according to this theory my intelligence is intrapersonal. This means I have ability of self-analysis and reflection. I can quietly contemplate my accomplishments. I often examine my own feelings and behaviour. I set goals for myself through examination of my abilities and through plans. In a nutshell, I have capacity to know myself. It also indicates I would benefit from learning myself with my own effort with preference for belonging to my own private world through independent and introspective learning. Since in most of the cases I focused on my thoughts and concentrated on my feelings I would say that my learning style is intrapersonal. The learning style is an important parameter for development of an educational programme. The learning style, as indicated by Dureva and Tuparov (2006), reflect the method of processing and accepting information by the learners. Therefore, while designing an educational programme, awareness of student learning styles would be very important (Dureva and Tuparov, 2006). Evans and Waring (2006) indicated in their study that although many of the differences of learning achievements between different cognitive styles were not apparent, at least the interpersonal and intrapersonal characteristics of the wholists and the analytics were perceived to be important in designing a program of education. They are known to considerably impact the delivery and planning in the classroom. It has been concluded that if a truly inclusive educational program is intended to be designed, due consideration to the learning styles of the students must be paid (Evans and Waring, 2006). Applying Hoerr (2000) p rinciples, the

Nuclear arms race during the Cold War Research Paper

Nuclear arms race during the Cold War - Research Paper Example 6). An increasing distrust of communism developed among most Americans by the end of the war. Their aim was to ‘hide’ nuclear secrets from Soviet hands. America had a monopoly on nuclear weapons, which ensured that Russia was more manageable from a political point of view. Tension brewed between these two states, and sparked a nuclear arms race. The nuclear arms race was a period where several countries developed and examined the power of a myriad of nuclear technology. They kept buffer stocks of thousands of nuclear weapons with an aim of being ahead of one another. Power was tested by the country with the best technology. This was a dangerous era, since the possibility of an all-out nuclear war between countries always loomed. The 20th century had a fair share of near catastrophes and uneasy international policies (Swift p. 14). The Cold War did not make it into the 21st century. Its history explains a period where nations increased their quality and quantity of ‘tools’ of military power; â€Å"An arms race.† This period was first encountered in the 19th century where Russia and France confronted Britain’s naval superiority. Germany had attempted to outdo Britain’s fleet, and the effects spilled over into World War I. After the war between Britain, Japan, and the United States, an arms-limitation treaty took place at the Washington Conference. The degree of tension among nations was high. Nations were incited to develop and test weapons that would wipe out an entire generation. This regime lasted up to November, 1990, when the Conventional Forces in Europe treaty was signed. The entire generation lived under the shadow of looming catastrophe; the survival of humanity was questionable. Any provocation or misunderstanding could have initiated the extinction of humanity. Stockpiles of weapons were developed to levels far beyond

Public Information Officers Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Public Information Officers Report - Essay Example CSR is not a new concept in the corporate world. The business organizations across the globe, both small and big have realized the significance of being socially responsible from the past experiences of many socially unsuccessful companies such as Enron. It has been well acknowledged by the corporate community that companies that seriously take care of CSR are more likely to sustain than those who do not. In fact, it takes into account the interest of all stakeholders. The benefits of being socially responsible are manifold. Some of the main include: Conforming to the social and ethical corporate practices results in not only corporate citizenship but it offers a numerous benefits as well. Consumers always prefer to buy products of those who are at the helm of CSR. In an article from Practical advice for Business, the relevance of being CSR conscious is illustrated as, "sales of environmentally friendly" products continue to grow - and these products often sell at a premium price. Ben & Jerry's ice cream became as famous for its approach to responsible business as for its products" (Business Link, n.d.). The benefits of CSR companies as an entity of society are manifold. They include economic, social, and ecological benefits. Besides, company's overall performance including financial performance can have a multiplier effect Corporate Financial Performance and CSR The closeness of corporate economic performance and CSR has been a topic of debate among the scholars and practitioners for years. Many studies have been conducted across the globe since the inception of the concept CSR to find whether any relationship exists between financial performance and CSR. Perhaps, all might have come out with positive results, though a very few responded in the negative. Majority of the studies argue that there is a positive correlation between corporate financial performance and CSR (Doran, 1994; Berkhout, 2005). When companies become CSR conscious, they are offered a plenty of benefits (reported above) that eventually contribute to augmented profit. Apart from this, many Studies have been done to analyze whether there is any relationship between the stock price and the economic performance. Recovery after a crisis is typically easier One of the challenges faced by a company that wants to operate under the principles of CSR is that how to balance its social and environmental responsibilities with its more clearly defined economic responsibility to earn a profit. It is important for promoters of CSR to acknowledge that at some point the cost of being socially and environmentally responsible outweighs the benefits. When this happens, most firms will cease to engage in new initiatives. In

ROLE OF ABU DHABI POLICE IN REDUCING SERIOUS OF ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS Dissertation

ROLE OF ABU DHABI POLICE IN REDUCING SERIOUS OF ROAD TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS TO IMPROVE THE TRAFFIC SAFETY IN EMIRATE OF ABU DHABI - Dissertation Example The impact of these injuries to those who suffer from major incapacitation represent significant disability which may cause them to quit their work and to rely on full-time assistance to carry out their daily activities. For the breadwinners in the family, it represents a loss of income and reliance on additional healthcare services which implies even more financial burdens on the family. These issues only represent a small aspect of the bigger problem of road traffic accidents. The following discussions shall cover in detail the global statistics and elements relating to road traffic accidents. 2.2 Current state and general statistics About 1.24 million have been estimated to perish from road accidents worldwide yearly, with 20 to 50 million suffering from nonfatal injuries due to these road accidents (WHO, 2013). Such fatalities and injuries have been known to impact significantly on families, families who often suffer major life-altering changes because of these injuries or fatali ties. The WHO (2013) also reports that road injuries have been counted as the 8th leading cause of death worldwide; these estimates are similar to death rates caused by communicable diseases (WHO, 2009). Such road accidents are also considered the primary cause of death for teens and young adults aged 15 to 29 years. Injuries incurred at a very young age have a major impact on these individuals at being or entering the most productive period of their life. Figure 2.1: Estimated increase in road traffic accidents deaths (WHO 2013) Families who are already financially challenged are often the families affected the most due to the medical costs and the lost wages resulting from the injuries. Road traffic injuries also represent significant financial costs to developing countries with injuries costing about 1-2% of the gross national product (WHO, 2013). Even with the significant impact seen from road traffic accidents, the general health agendas for concerned countries have not conside red road traffic safety a priority (Puvanachandra, et.al., 2012). As a result, funding relating to any necessary interventions has not sufficiently matched the demands of the issue. This is even more unfortunate in the face of the fact that road accidents are very preventable and evidence indicating the efficacy of preventive measures has been extensive (Kurppa, 2012). Road traffic injuries are even increasing, especially for the low income nations where their figures are about double the rates for developed countries. This can be credited to the fast pace of motorization in developing countries, without the commensurate adjustments and changes in road safety measures, (Kurppa 2012). Although road traffic incidents have been decreasing in developed states, the high rates of road traffic crashes in developing states has still pushed the global rates of road traffic accidents higher. In fact, the current trends in road traffic injuries indicate that where no safety measures would be i mplemented, by 2030, road traffic injuries would be a fifth leading cause of death in both developed and developing countries (WHO, 2013). Nonetheless, reports from various countries indicate success stories in the prevention of road accidents, mostly assisted by coordinated national efforts. Various countries like Australia, Canada, France, Sweden, and the United Kingdom have been able to secure reduced rates in

Kuwait-Iraq War (The Gulf War) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Kuwait-Iraq War (The Gulf War) - Essay Example After the cease fire of Iraq-Iran war in 1988, Kuwait’s oil pricing policy was pushing Iraq into a bankrupt state. Iraq threatened Kuwait to change its oil prices and stop directional drilling in Iraq’s Rumaila Oil Field. The first phase of the conflict of Gulf War was diplomatic negotiation to convince Iraq to leave Kuwait. It started from August 1990 and ended in the Second phase that was air war between Allied Forces and Iraq started in January 1991. The third phase of the conflict was ground war which ended, in the end of February 1991, in cease fire and with drawl of Iraqi forces from Kuwait. The parties in this conflict were the Governments of Iraq, Kuwait, United States of America, Saudi Arabia, Israel, and the United Nations. A lot of other countries provided their troops to support US attack on Iraq. Geneva Convention: Geneva Convention was named after the establishment of Red Cross in Geneva. It was formulated to reduce the damages of war by protecting civilians, war prisoners and wounded fighters. US forces reportedly violated Fourth Geneva Convention of protecting civilians by making attacks on residential areas of Iraq. On the last day of ground fighting, the last of the Iraqi troops were massacred, by US forces, by dropping fragmented bombs over them that could be avoided. The Third Geneva Convention was also violated by United States and Saudi Arabia by not registering their war prisoners. Iraqi government clearly did not bother to follow Geneva Convention through out the war. Iraqi troops were reportedly harassed, tortured and killed several civilians in Kuwait. Iraq also fired several SCUD missiles aimed into the non-military areas in Saudi Arabia and Israel, provided that Israel was not even a party to the conflict. Iraq also did not attempt to register war prisoners with the International Committee of Red Cross and several war prisoners were humiliated by showing

Marketing Strategy of Nintendo Wii Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Marketing Strategy of Nintendo Wii - Case Study Example In most present day strategy literature, competitiveness seems to cover state-of the art thinking. "Strategic positioning is concern with the impact on strategy of the external environment, an organisation's strategic capability (resources and competences) and the expectations and the influence of stakeholders. (Johnson, Scholes& Whittington, 2005:17). Using Porters five forces framework, one will see that the intensity of competition in this market is very high, coming primarily from the market leaders like Sony and Microsoft. How ever, there are some other niche players in Asia and Europe. The Entertainment industry has become diverse especially with the current pace of technological advancement. Buyer's loyalty will be high with respect to those producers who dance to the taste of time (The case of Sony), offer customers a good value for their money and see them as strategic partners and not customers Suppliers tend to have a low bargaining power with the respective dealers. In the entertainment market, mostly the main company set the price including wholesalers and retailers commission. Thus, working with suppliers is not an issue at stake as their switching cost is high. "The influence of words over men is astounding." -- Napoleon. ... With the current level of sales and profit being enjoyed by participants in the market, s threat of potential entrants from China or Asia is high. China is presently considered as an emerging market. A solution for Nintendo will be to offer customers a better value for their money using the marketing mixes. 1.3 Nintendo Strategic marketing Objective "The influence of words over men is astounding." -- Napoleon. As the whole world gears for peace, marketers and other business people talk in terms of war. We see battle words everywhere in business: Japan bashing, corporate raiders, hostile takeovers, cola wars. Marketing is war. With the advent of events, ordinary business executive fancy themselves as warriors. Aggressively attacking weak companies, and defending market shares. Positioning products in people's minds and making them attractive to market segments requires careful formulation of the marketing mix. Getting the right blend of the product, promotion price and distribution is essential to put the carefully carried out analysis into operation. The aim is to portray an image for the product or service that will match with how one wants the product to be visualized in people's mind2. Thus with the recent launching of the Nintendo WII in the UK market, these features were carefully integrated to give the product a break through. Table 1: A summary of what constitute each of the Ps of the 4Ps Product Tangible products Psychological attributes Quality Services Benefits and features Packaging Styling Image Branding Customer service After care Guarantees Image Pricing Selling price Price positioning Distributor margins Credit Discounts Payment methods Price promotions

The most appropriate form of market research Essay

The most appropriate form of market research - Essay Example In the context of the study on 360 communication technique of marketing the market research process for the same is quiet identical to the concept of the old techniques. The processes conducted are implemented for the new techniques of communication to understand the needs of the new market and act in a more customer centric manner. The market research process first identifies the problem involved with the customers for the company. Identifying the appropriate cause of the problem helps to design the research in an effective manner. The main problem for the company is to conduct 360 communication techniques in a more cost effective manner by identifying the appropriate way of communication in a particular market. For generating more revenue from the new customers the company need to segment the market and choose the target market for the communication technique to be adapted. Then understanding the problems of the existing customers through various methods of 360 communication approa ch can help the company to cope with the issues and implement strategies accordingly. Finally the communication technique through public relation and social activity helps to convey the company’s approach towards the customers and receive feedbacks for the different strategies implemented by the company and understand the need of the target market which will help the company to improve in the sector in accordance with the market needs.Collection of data from the respondents through primary or secondary research reveals. the attitude of the

The perception of freshmen computer engineering students Essay Example for Free

The perception of freshmen computer engineering students Essay Poverty is one of the biggest concerns that our world encounters at present. Many solutions have been made to alleviate this problem but none of them seem to work. Everyone thinks that overpopulation is the reason behind why the populace lives in a life of insufficiency. Because of this common thought, the United Nations Organization (UNO), in collaboration with the World health Organization (WHO) started to inform the people concerning reproductive health and everything tied with it. The UNO and WHO thought that this would be the answer to overpopulation. By informing the people about natural and artificial family planning methods, it will be of great help in minimizing and controlling the birth rate. In this world with over 7 billion population, in the years that passed by, we cannot negate the fact that our world will be occupied to spilling level soon. And because of this, poverty might be a greater issue. Our country is considered a third world country. This only indicates that most of the people living in this nation are below average. According to United Nations World Population Prospects, the Philippines is ranked 12th among countries with large population. And to overcome this problem which results to poverty, many programs and solutions were made and one of them is the Reproductive Health Bill which was signed into law on December 21, 2012 and now known as Republic Act 10354. It is an act providing for a National Policy on Reproductive Health, Responsible Parenthood and Population Development, and for other purposes. It is also an act which guarantees universal access to methods on contraception, fertility control, sexual education, and maternal care. It is also an act aiming to fight against poverty. But as a Christian country, the Catholic Church emphasizes the rejection of the RH Law. The Catholic Church strongly opposes the said act. The Catholic Church pointed out that the opposition was not about a Catholic decision but a deliberation of the â€Å"fundamental ideals and aspirations of the Filipino people† (Sison 2011). There are also many people and agencies that are against the RH Law. Even so, the Congress, the Senate and the President of the country believe in its potential to answering problems on overpopulation. Saint Mary’s University, as a Catholic School, and a center for excellence, has also a side in this issue. The young students must be knowledgeable of what is going at present. The RH Law is a current issue and a good subject to deal with. Every individual should involve himself in present concerns. Dr. Jose Rizal once said that young people are the hope of the nation. In this context, everyone must know the position of every youth. This study was conducted in order to know the perception of youths particularly the freshmen Computer Engineering students toward the RH Law, if either they say Yes or No. Statement of the Problem Reproductive Health Law is a timely issue and a good subject to talk about. Students who belong to different gender, religion and cultures of Saint Mary’s University should be involved in it. This study was conducted to know the views of freshmen Computer Engineering students towards RH Law and its benefits. Specifically, it seeks to answer the following questions: 1. What is the perception of students towards the Reproductive Health Law (Republic Act 10354) and its benefits? 2. Is there a difference in the perception of students in terms of: a. Gender, and b. Religion? Conceptual Framework Figure 1. Conceptual Framework The study is about the Reproductive Health Law. This topic was chosen for it is timely and a good subject to talk about. The perception of the students will be known through the perceived benefits of the Reproductive Health Law. As the study goes further, the researchers will determine the relationship of gender and religion on the perception of the respondents. Significance of the Study This study was conducted to help people widen up each and every individual’s mind setting about our society nowadays. This study will relatively serve the following. The Students. This study will be of great help to them in becoming aware and knowledgeable about the current situations. This will also help the students to think of their stand on the subject of this study. The Church. The results of study will help the church become aware of the thoughts of the young generation particularly the students. The Government. The results of this study can be one of the basis of the government to know whether the implementation of RH Law is significant or not in the present times. The Future Researchers. This study will also be important to the researchers that will study the same subject in the future. With this study, it will help them think of the ways to improve this research. Because the topic of this study is a current issue, with its limited resources, the results will be helpful to them. Serving as a supplement to their study. Scope and Delimitation This study is only about the perception of the young generation particularly the freshman Computer Engineering students of Saint Mary’s University towards the Reproductive Health Law (Republic Act 10354). This is conducted during the second semester of the School year 2012-2013. Moreover, this study is also conducted to determine if there is a difference in the perception of students in terms of their gender and religion. Other students of different courses are not included for easier data gathering process. Definition of Terms The following terms are defined operationally to facilitate comprehension of the study. Bill. This term in the political process refers to a proposed law placed before a legislative body for examination, debate, and enactment. Law. This term refers to body of official rules and regulations, generally found in constitutions, legislation, judicial opinions, and the like, that is used to govern a society and to control the behavior of its members. Perception. This refers to the view, opinion, and stand of the respondents towards the benefits of the RH Law which reveals if they disagree or agree with the subject. Reproductive Health. This term refers to the state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, reproductive health or sexual health/hygiene, that address the reproductive processes, functions and system at all stages of life. Chapter 2 METHODOLOGY Research Design This study used descriptive and survey type of research in determining the perception of the respondents. It aimed to find out if there is a difference of the respondent’s views in terms of gender and religion. Understanding the sections of the Consolidated Reproductive Health Law and classifying the benefits of the Law made it descriptive. The study was made a survey type of research because of the manner of data gathering. Research Environment This study was conducted at Saint Mary’s University, a Roman Catholic institution owned by the Belgian missionary congregation CICM located in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya. This learning institution is comprised of 8 college departments, namely School of Engineering and Architecture, School of Accountancy, School of Business, School of Health Sciences, School of Arts and Sciences, School of Public Administration and Governance, School of Education, and School of Computing Science and Information Technology. Subjects of the Study The participants of the study are the freshmen Computer Engineering students of the Engineering and Architecture Department of Saint Mary’s University S.Y. 2012-2013. The researchers randomly chose 40 respondents. The participants are 28 males and 11 females. They are again classified according to their religion. There are thirty (30) Roman Catholic respondents, five (5) Born-Again, four (4) United Methodist, and one (1) Jehovah’s Witnesses. Research Instrument This study used questionnaires. The questionnaire contained the benefits of the Reproductive Health Law as stated in the sections of the Consolidated RH Law. The sections which the benefits were derived from are the following: Data Gathering Procedure Figure 2. Data Gathering Procedure Everyone was given the task to get information about our subject in the library. The researchers gathered data from newspapers and some used the internet in finding resources. With the information sought, we formulated our research problem. Given the needed information and the problem, we were able to create and formulate the questionnaire. The questionnaire was verified and was readied for distribution. The questionnaire was distributed to 40 freshmen Computer Engineering students. The results were gathered, classified, assessed and interpreted. Data Analysis To answer the questions, the data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency counts and percentages. The researcher tallied the respondents’ answer on component numbers 1-15 and also if it was â€Å"strongly agree, agree, undecided, disagree, or strongly disagree†. After it, the tallying the result were summed up. To get the percentage, the frequency count was divided by the total respondents multiplied by 100. Chapter 3 presentation, analysis, and interpretation of data This chapter describes the analysis of data followed by a discussion of the research findings. The findings relate to the research questions that guided the study. Data were analyzed to identify the perception of Computer Engineering students toward the Reproductive Health Law. The data were also analyzed in order to describe the relationship and difference in the perception of the respondents in terms of gender and religion. A total of 40 questionnaires were received, however, only 39 were usable in classifying the male and female respondents because 1 respondent did not complete the questionnaire and left the gender unchecked, and so in tallying, 1 respondent checked twice under the component number 6 making it null and void. The table shows the perception of Catholic Computer Engineering students about the RH Law. It can be seen that 13 or 43.33% strongly agree on the component number 6 (Parents will be instructed and become knowledgeable about responsible parenthood.); 20 or 66.66 agrees on the component number 5 (All serious Reproductive Health conditions such as HIV and Aids will be given maximum benefits as provided by Phil Health programs.); 11 or 36.66% are undecided on component number 2 (Hospitals will be established and upgraded.); 6 or 20% disagree on component number 15 (Unwanted pregnancies will be avoided.); and only 1 respondent strongly disagree on component number 8, 11, and 14 (Children will know the limitations in their sexual life/aspects; Individuals will have an easier access in purchasing Family Planning Supplies; and Abortion will be prevented). We can see that Catholic Computer Engineering Students supports the benefits that RH Law gives. We can infer in the table above that opposing the RH Law is one of the teachings inside the Roman Catholic Church. This implication is in accordance with Sison (2011) in which he said that there is an obvious and strong disagreement of the Catholics toward the RH law. Table 4 shows that 3 out of 4 or 75% of United Methodist Computer Engineering students answered strongly agree on the benefit of RH law which is stated on item 8 (Children will know the limitations in their sexual life/ aspects.); 4 or 100% agreed on the component number 10 (Maternal death will be lessened.); 3 or 75% are undecided on components number 5 (All serious Reproductive Health conditions such as HIV and Aids will be given maximum benefits as provided by Phil Health programs.) and 9 (Violation against women will be eliminated.); 1 or 25% disagreed on components number 2 (Hospitals will be established and upgraded.) ,11 (Individuals will have an easy access in purchasing Family Planning supplies such as contraceptives, pills, etc.), and 13 (The youth will become more responsible through sex education.); and none strongly disagreed on the benefits stated. This implies that United Methodist Computer Engineering students are pro-RH Law. This is contrary to Silverio (2012) in which she said that the non-Roman Catholic Churches in the Philippines (NCPP), which includes the United Methodist Church, supports the RH Law mainly because it dwells on the issues of responsible family and recognizing the right of couples to determine how to plan their family. Alonto, N. (2011). Unknown voice: A Muslim’s view of the RH Bill. Retrieved January 15, 2013, from http://fightrhbill.blogspot.com/2011/04/young-muslim-versus-rh-bill.html. Amores, A. Capistrano, J. (2007). Pills be with you: A comparative content analysis of thecoverage of reproductive health bill issues by the Philippine Daily Inquirer and the Philippine Star from 2008-2010. Comparative Content Analysis, University of the Philippines Diliman, College of Mass Communication.p.34. Bill. Microsoft ® Student 2009 [DVD]. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation, 2008. Cabradilla,P.M. and Malaki,N.M.R. (2007). The allocative efficiency of the devolved Department of Health and its impacts on family planning. Undergraduate Thesis, University of the Philippines Diliman, School of Economics.p.6. Diaz, J. (2012, December 3). RH fight in final stage. The Philippine Star, p. 22. Gonzales, J. (2011). Reproductive Health Bill in the Philippines (Part 1): Facts and salient features. Retrieved on January 4, 2013 from the website http://politikalon.blogspot.com/2011/02/reproductive-health-bill-inphilippines.html. Introduction to Jehovah’s Witnesses. (n.d.). Retrieved January 14, 2013, from http://www.ethnicityonline.net/jwitnesses.htm Macaraig, A. (2012). Senators approve RH bill on final reading. Retrieved January 4, 2013, from the website http://www.rappler.com/nation/18112-senators-approve-rh-bill-on-final-reading. Probert, Walter. Law. Microsoft ® Student 2009 [DVD]. Redmond, WA: Microsoft Corporation, 2008. Silverio, I. (2012). Non-Catholic groups recognize value of RH bill to maternal health. Retrieved January 4, 2013, from the website http://bulatlat.com/main/2012/08/10/non-catholic -groups-recognize-value-of-rh-bill-to-maternal-health/. Tinoco, M.L.A.K. (1999). A study on the perception of child-bearing couples on themessages conveyed by television advertisement on contraception. Undergraduate Thesis, University of the Philippines Diliman, School of Economics.p.10, 13.

Structuralism Pleasantville Essay Example for Free

Structuralism Pleasantville Essay Semiology telling a deeper tale†¦ Pleasantville may not be so pleasant after all In the film Pleasantville, David is obsessed with the 50’s sitcom Pleasantville. He uses this show as an excuse to escape from the harsh reality he is forced to deal with everyday. In relevance to society†¦ if Pleasantville acted as a religious allusion, could humanity be turning to religion to provide them with a light in the dark when the going gets tough? Just as David looks to this unrealistic TV show to escape from the darkness surrounding his family, high school and teenage years? How is it that elements of a plot such as symbolism and allusions can hide the fact that Pleasantville may not be so pleasant after all? The main element in the structuralist criticism is semiology; the film Pleasantville has many subtle themes and meanings camouflaged by allusions and signifiers. This film takes many elements of religion, controversy and censorship into consideration; the film demonstrates these themes with symbols and allusions directly related to historical events that have been learned about for generations. In the upcoming paragraphs, these symbols, themes and meanings will be thoroughly discussed. The idea of religion, mainly Christianity was present throughout the film. The aspect of Christianity was supported by references to historical events and biblical ideas. For instance, when we are introduced to Pleasantville, the town seems to be perfect, as if nothing could go wrong: wrong is unheard of. An example from the film would be when the Pleasantville basketball team simply couldn’t miss a shot, it just wasn’t possible; or when the Pleasantville firefighters are called to rescue cats from trees, because that is ‘in the town’s reality’, one of the only problems needing attention from emergency personnel. Right from the beginning the viewer feels the unsettling religious connection from the bible stories he or she may remember as an innocent child. This place, Pleasantville was in theory the Garden of Eden. This phenomenon becomes quite clear to the viewer when he or she recognise the first colour change within Pleasantville, something as simple as a flower, triggered by change, knowledge of good and evil, emotion and freewill, or in theory sin. Mary sue demonstrates sexual freedom, which she is unaware that ‘hooking up with boys’ is not allowed in this town. From this act of showing emotion, and changing the so-called ‘normal’ or ‘unharmed’ way of life is Pleasantville, Mary sue begins the cycle of change and/ or sin; which will continue as a constant theme in the film. Throughout the beginning of the film David tires to contain Pleasantville’s innocence by encouraging his sister Jennifer, and everyone around him to be naive to reality, and to avoid thinking outside the box; David does not want the only pleasant place left in his own life to be spoiled by reality. David’s approach begins to change at a crucial moment in the film. When David (Bud) takes Jennifer on a date, she offers him an apple; this poses as the driving force of evil (or otherwise freewill and knowledge). Bud acknowledges this moment and realizes it is time to accept the change in Pleasantville, and maybe being naive to reality isn’t such a pleasant thing after all. Could change really be that evil? As we can clearly see towards the middle of the film, the characters in Pleasantville are becoming oddly familiar, as if they are also from out childhood bible stories. At this point it becomes quite obvious that we have assigned biblical figures to certain characters in the film. First of all, Mary sue is seemingly the most recognizable comparison. Mary Sue invites sin into Pleasantville as she visits blank at lovers blank. This compares to Eve eating the apple in the Garden of Eden and committing the first sin among humanity, therefore beginning the cycle of knowledge of good and evil and temptation mankind has faced ever since. It is obvious that David is Adam and he eventually stops trying to hold Mary sue back and gives into temptation, just as Adam and eve did in the bible. The next character could potentially be difficult to make a connection with. Bill Johnson who owns the diner is a huge force of change in the film. He is has the biggest influence on Pleasantville next to Jennifer and David. Bill paints the Christmas mural every year in Pleasantville, and has the opportunity to tap into his thoughts and beliefs. This could be what triggers him to be such an influence on the community during the time of drastic change. Bill is the first man open to change, he learns how to handle the diner by himself, and he embraces it. This triggers his trapped freewill to be released. When bill becomes more comfortable with his newfound sense of freedom, he begins to pain in color releasing new emotions and in turn, Bill lets himself fall in love. Bills character could represent the progress humanity makes to set themselves free from their belief system and thinking outside the box; Bill encourages this. It is ironic how such a quiet man’s thoughts could cause such a huge impact, as well as symbolize a step forward for mankind. The last character allusion that would most likely not be picked up on just by watching the film for enjoyment is the repairman. The repairmen could doubtlessly play the role of a higher power in Pleasantville; an omniscient force who could be compared to god himself. The repairmen is the one who sent Jennifer and David to Pleasantville in the first place, just as god put Adam and eve on earth to live, and abide by his rules. David and Jennifer indubitably disobeyed the repairman’s orders, after the repairman trusted David to be in his paradise because of David’s excessive knowledge of Pleasantville and how things work around there. The repairman continued to show up on televisions in Pleasantville telling David and Jennifer basically to smarten up, just as god warned Adam and eve to repent from in, as explained in the bible. Although characters helped the viewer relate to the theme of the film, there were also very prominent allusions to renowned historical events and controversial literature. Along with religion, controversial literature and events in history were involved to help release freewill and open minds in Pleasantville. This film shows somewhat the progress of humanity through history from the time Adam and eve first introduced sin into the world. Many of the conflicts in the film came from this idea. To begin, towards the end of the film as freewill and color spread quickly through Pleasantville, there remained a group of stubborn people who could not comprehend the idea of change (as there always is in history). These people in Pleasantville began to burn coloured books filled with information that encouraged freewill and open-minded thinking. This scene in the film is identical to a situation that took place in history when religious people were desperately trying to contain purity and innocence by abstaining to read about things that were not in the interest of god. This shows us that if everyone is history had have been as open to change as bud and bill Johnson had been. Certain conflicts wouldn’t have arisen. Another allusion to history is the famous courtroom scene that is shockingly similar to the trial that took place in ‘the kill a mocking bird’ by Harper Lee. This scene in Pleasantville demonstrates how the idea of freewill and diversity was being oppressed by stubborn people who were absolutely oppose to change. In ‘to kill a mocking bird’ we see history moving forward with the help of Atticus finch defending a black man. This same theme applies here as David and Bill Johnson, as well as other coloured Pleasantville citizens encourage change for the better. One of the Last allusions in the film was very broad and has occurred in history repeatedly. This idea was that painting and artistic expression was being oppressed in Pleasantville just as it was in the western world for countless years for the same reason as the burning books and the courtroom trial. It is human nature for people to become anxious and unsettled when it comes to change; citizens of Pleasantville became upset when artwork appeared around the city because seeing something so controversial was extremely nerve wracking. The small mentions of other controversial literature such as Moby dick, of mice and men and lord of the flies painted into the artwork also gave viewers the sense history repeating itself. Ultimately, the signifiers in this film were very clear however as an analyst of the structuralist perspective it was much more difficult to find the meaning of each allusion in the film. Structuralism’s main analytical element is semiology. Pleasantville’s many hidden themes and meanings can be revealed through symbolism and historical, religious allusions. After all, the viewer could combine the semiology to form a theme interpreted as so†¦Jennifer and David played the role of Adam and eve in the Garden of Eden; they are placed on the flawless earth (Pleasantville) with the knowledge of good and evil and the gift of freewill. In the bible, Adam and eve take advantage of this and commit sin against god by doing wrong in Eden. Many Christians believe this is the reasoning for all evil on earth. However in Pleasantville this could be considered a step forward for humanity, discovering things. The real question after watching this film, is religion holding us back? Is religion the phenomenon that could be causing humanity to continue repeating history and constantly making the same mistakes? The film Pleasantville really makes you question humanity and how it interferes and intertwines with religion and a higher power. Will history keep repeating itself until mankind finally gets it right? Or will we continue to learn from our repetitive sins and always end up in the same spot history seems to keep throwing us into, Pleasantville.

Management of Site Staff and Direct Labour

Management of Site Staff and Direct Labour The physical resources in a construction project account for a considerable amount of money and time. It is fundamental to the success of a construction project that these physical resources are managed and scheduled properly. Patrick (2004) comments that resource management is one of the most important aspects of construction project management in todays climate because the construction industry is resource-intensive and the costs of construction resources have steadily risen over the last several decades. Good project management in construction must vigorously pursue the efficient utilization of labour, material and equipment. (Hendrickson, 2008) It is the role of the project manager and site management team to ensure that the three main physical resources: labour, plant and materials, are managed efficiently and effectively. Failure to do so will result in delays and often expense caused by situations like resource shortage, resource queuing, poor plant productivity and poor labour relations. According to the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), (2010 p67) the main roles of the project manager during the construction phase include; Ensuring contract documents are prepared and issued to the contractor. Reviewing the contractors construction schedule and method statements. Ensuring the contractors resources are adequate and suitable. Ensuring design information required by the contractor is supplied by consultants. These roles all include scheduling and management of physical resources, which include; Site staff and direct labour Plant Materials Information Sub Contractors These are similar to the 5 ms as specified by Griffith and Watson (2004 p118) When considering resources there are five factors to take into account (the 5Ms) Materials Manpower Machinery Money Management As labour constitutes a large percentage of the construction cost and the quantity of labour hours performing a task are more susceptible to the influence of management than are materials and plant, it is important it is managed correctly and efficiently. On this project Farrans manage many different sub-contractors who have a workforce ranging from 2 40 people, as these people are not under the direct control of Farrans management team it will be discussed in the next chapter Management of sub-contractors. The authors feel it is paramount to the success and profitability of a project to manage the workforce successfully as construction workforce especially in developing countries is not seen as an important input, although project labour generally make up the most variable and the largest percentage of total project costs(Journal of civil engineering and management 2008,p1). 3.1 Planning of Site Staff and Direct Labour Employed by Farrans Labour is usually planned for before the construction work begins using ASTA Power Project to construct a programme similar to that used to produce the construction program. By using this system it again allows the site team to highlight areas where a labour shortage might occur. In theory this program allows adequate time for the project manager to allocate more labour to labour intensive work; this is done by making a formal request to their head office team for extra labour. Ultimately it is the site mangers responsibility to ensure the site has an adequate workforce whether it is labourers or sub-contractors. The clerk of works also have an input and can offer their opinion on whether more labour is needed. At each monthly meeting a scheduled review should take place to determine the following months activities and to determine the resources needed. Farrans enforce and strictly adhere to the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 regarding health and safety. They value the health, safety and welfare of all people on their sites and are only too aware of the dangers that construction sites pose. Also as the main contractor they realize that a severe accident can cause delay or even shutdown of a site. Farrans recognise the importance of training and basic health and safety awareness. It is for this reason, that they enforce a policy where only people who hold a Construction Skills Register (CSR) card or equivalent are allowed to work on their sites. The aims of these registration schemes are to raise standards of health and safety and provide recognition of skills, experience and qualifications attained. To ensure all workers on site hold a valid CSR card, Farrans make it mandatory to provide proof before any operative can start work. In order to ensure that this is being enforced by the main contractor we will monitor the site induction file and do spot checks to ensure records are up to date and anyone not holding this card will not be permitted to work on-site. 3.2 Daily Allocation Sheets Each day the site manager in theory should hold two labour allocation sheets (a copy of which can be seen in appendix 3).; One created by the site manager for Farrans direct labour and one created by each individual sub-contractor which is then passed onto the project manager. This sheet contains the tasks done each day by each labourer as well as the number of hours spent doing that task. At the end of the week these sheets are forwarded to Farrans head office via citrix system, in order to calculate labourers weekly hours and pay. These sheets proof useful in order to evaluate labour productivity on-site. It provides valuable insight into how long a task should take, and can be helpful in forecasting the amount of labour for the following tasks. It also allows the site manager to check if any labourers are slacking, for example if it took one labourer, 2 hours, to do task A ,on week one then it should take the next labourer a similar time to do a similar job. 3.3 Discipline Management of labour inherently involves disputes among direct labour and between sub-contractors. It is the job of the site manager to mediate these disputes unofficially but were site rules are broken staff will face disciplinary proceedings. These matters must be resolved quickly in order to remain focused and on schedule. If further action is required the case will be dealt with by Farrans head office team. This two 3.4 Holidays and Training Farrans like most Northern Ireland construction companies, offer employees two week holidays twice a year at Christmas and the July fortnight. When time off is required outside these periods a holiday request form must be completed which is held in the site managers office. This request form must be submitted with details of time off and must give at least two weeks notice. This notice is used to find cover. 3.5 Conclusion and Recommendations One area of labour Farrans could improve on is employees motivation. Farrans do not provide overtime payment for their Site management team. Staff sign a contract which says they will not get paid for more than 39 hours work per week. Therefore employees have no incentive to work extra hours and may feel obliged to work more than 39 hours which will reduce motivation, especially as periods of the construction project will require 60 hours per week with no reward. Another recommendation we would make is that Farrans hold meeting between rank and file workers and their management team. This motivates site staff and makes them feel part of the team, as often rank and file workers feel uncomfortable with their boss. A research study into construction labour motivation carried out by the business roundtable (1989, online) found that; Workers who are actively involved in decisions that affect them are more receptive to change, work harder as they develop more enthusiasm, become more loyal to the employer, do not suffer from job alienation, experience greater job satisfaction, and show increased morale and creativity. Employers benefit from better worker-management relations, increased productivity and increased profits. Appendix for Management of Site Staff and Direct Labour Print- Copy of staff time sheet Daily diary issue 1 Daily diary completed Record of site operations 4.0 Management of Sub-contractors Many large contracting firms rely heavily on the involvement of sub-contractors in order to undertake large scale projects. A study carried out by Karim et al (2006,online) found that As much as 90 per cent of the construction work is carried out by a variety of subcontractors while the main contractor tends to focus on management and coordination. It is common in the industry for main contractors to operate solely as a management team, coordinating and scheduling sub-contractors on site. Sub-contractors are often specialised in one area, therefore they have the tools, experience and expertise to complete their task. This cannot be said for the main contractor. Sub-contractors have specialist expertise, usually trade related, for the supply and installation of an element of the total works (CIOB 2010,p69) The benefits of using sub-contractors are plentiful; it enables the main contractor to spread the risk by sub-contracting different elements of the project to sub-contractors at a reduced price than what they originally estimated the work for. Using specialist tradesmen allows for a higher quality of work by using specialist tools and equipment not available to the main contractor. Sub-contracting reduces the amount of supervision that the site manager has to supply, it also reduces the number of personnel that the site team must manage. It benefits the site manager in that there is one single point of contact for each sub-contractor and task. Sub-contracting can reduce the administration costs for the main contractor, for example the main contractor is not responsible for human resources, staff holidays, direct training etc for sub-contractors personnel. However, it must be noted that the main contractor is still responsible for the health and safety of the sub-contractors, health and safety responsibilities are defined by criminal law and cannot be passed from one party to another by law. The success of any construction project can be directly influenced by the performance of the sub-contractors. Therefore the success of a project can be directly related to how the main contractor manages sub-contractors. This view is shared by Ronchi (2006) who comments The success of a project is, to an extent, related to the degree of collaboration and coordination existing among the actors involved The main contractor has the ultimate responsibility to deliver on cost, quality and time and therefore if is paramount to manage the sub-contractors and the supply chain effectively. Management systems must be implemented to ensure the smooth coordination of sub-contractors onto and off the site. This should be dictated by the project master programme, as outlined in section 2 of this document. The site management team must be capable of arranging sub-contractors to ensure this process is free flowing and continual. The disruption of sub-contractors site schedules can cause major delays to the project, the site team must make amendments to the schedule when delays do occur or when tasks can be brought forward. This can reduce friction between sub-contractors and the main contractor and promotes Cooke and Williams view that (2004, p280) Good liaison and mutual respect must be established as early as possible in the contract period as possible and maintaining contact with subcontractors helps to build up an early working relationship 4.1 Management system employed by Farrans Farrans operate as a management team on their site, with the aim to keep direct labour to a minimum. Farrans use strict programmes and meetings in order to control sub-contractors and ensure the sub-contractor is meeting quality, time and specification targets. In order to satisfy Farrans Sustainable Procurement Policy they; Request details from Sub-Contractors regarding environmental policies, management systems, environmental breaches, and assess this information as part of our Company approval process Use local suppliers and Sub-Contractors where possible to minimise the environmental impact associated with transportation and to support the local economy 4.1.1 Meetings Meetings are required to maintain effective communications between the project manager, project team and the other parties concerned (CIOB 2010, p230) Meetings are in place to provide; effective communication between the main contractor and sub-contractor, address problems as they arise and to review progress as work continues. Farrans use two types of meetings; start up meetings and site meetings. Start up meetings Start up meeting take place after the sub-contractor has been chosen for the contract but before the sub-contractor starts work on-site. The meeting is held between the project manager, site manager, site engineer and sub contract manager. However in some cases not all members must be present only that of the project manager and sub contract manager is required. The aim of these meetings is to firstly build a working relationship between the site team and sub-contractor. It also provides a way of outlining the scope of the task and ironing out any grey areas are areas of uncertainty before work commences. It is the responsibility of the sub-contractor to provide all documentation relating to health and safety before site work begins, documentation includes: Method Statements Risk Assessments Insurance Documents Construction Skills Register Documents of the workforce The meeting will also outline the attendances that are required from Farrans, as well as the time frame of their element of the project. It is the responsibility of Farrans to notify the sub-contractor when they are due on site it is therefore important for them to know how much notice they require before they can come to site. Site Meetings Once the sub-contractor has begun work on-site they must attend weekly site meetings. This meeting is held by the site manager, project manager, site engineer and all sub-contractors manager. Other attendees might be the quantity surveyor, architect, designers etc. This meetings takes place on site usually on a weekly basis, they are used to monitor progress. It is the responsibility of the site manager to implement short term programmes derived from the master program . These weekly progress meetings enable Farrans to address any issues regarding programmes, it is also a useful way for sub-contractors to communicate between each other to make sure they are working in sync and that any delays which affect a follow on trade are communicated effectively. Any delay identified by the site team will be discussed at this meeting. It is normal at these weekly meeting for an informal question and answer session to take place, where different sub-contractors can air any issues relating to the project, the result of these sessions are useful in projecting progress and allows sub-contractors to address their time schedule, for example if the plasterer start in one weeks time, and it will take the electrician ten days to finish their first fix then action needs to be taken whether it be, delay the plasterer or else use more resources and men to stay on schedule. A weekly progress document is drawn up either before or after these meetings, as part of this document any health and safety issues are addresses including any accidents, near misses or complaints. 4.1.2 Inspection of Subcontractors Work Monitoring the actual progress of sub-contractors can prove troublesome for the construction manager, where the construction manager has no experience in that field. For example construction managers have various backgrounds whether that be; site engineer, foreman or tradesman. A foreman may be competent in assessing progress of the interior fit out but unable to project progress of the structure. It is for this reason that Farrans employ several other members to work on the project. They are known as clerk of works specialising in different elements of the project. These are broken down into mechanical and electrical, externals and fit-out. As the construction manager has not got the expertise or familiarity with this specialised work the clerk of works act as sub-contractor co-ordinators. Once one element of the sub-contractors work is completed, it will be visually inspected by the clerk of works for quality and specification and either passed off or rejected. Once the work is complete and ready to be signed off the clerk, engineer and sib-contract manager will sign the specific check sheets. 4.1.3 Work Packages Work packages are used to effectively manage sub-contractors more easily. It involves breaking down each task on the master program into specific sections and sub-sections, to which sub-contractors are assigned. An example of Farrans works package breakdown can be viewed in the Appendix at the end of this section.Associate Considerate Constructor 4.1.4 Sub-Contractors Complaints On occasion a complaint may be made from the general public, regulatory bodies, the client or site staff. These complaints must be logged into Farrans complaint log as shown in the figure below. This has the benefit of making sure the actual complaint does not fall on deaf ears and also so that action is taken to resolve the matter. This is an effective way of dispute resolution and promotes ambience between the parties involved and Farrans. Farrans are a member of the considerate constructors scheme a recognised initiative under the construction confederation, this initiative was set up to improve the image of construction. Dealing with complaints is a vital section of this initiative and as Farrans are a registered member they are expected to deal in a considerate manner with any complaints or concerns resulting from the sites activities. A template of Farrans Complaints Log can be viewed in the Appendix at the end of this section. Conclusion and Recommendations Farrans use programming as an effective tool to manage and co-ordinate sub-contractors. They use a standard Gantt chart and work packages in order to effectively plan their work. The Gantt chart is employed by most construction companies and simplifies a complex program by outlining clearly start, finish and duration of each sub-contractor. This allows close observation of the critical path and any conflicts that may appear. After reviewing Farrans management of sub-contractors and reviewing relevant literature surrounding the topic of sub-contractor management the authors fell that Farrans have an effective framework running throughout their sites in order to mange and co-ordinate sub-contractors. The authors feel that start up meetings and work packages are useful tools which are not adapted by all large contractors in Northern Ireland. One of the authors spent a year working with McAleer and Rushe, a design and build contractor based in Cookstown, Nothern Ireland. The first interaction between the site management team and the sub-contractor was the same day the sub-contractor was due to start work. This caused some confusion in that the sub-contractors usually showed up unexpectantly and no arrangements were in place for their task. Often sub-contractors showed up with no health and safety documents and their workforce were unaware that CSR identification was needed. This shows what can happen if sub-contractors are mismanaged. As a well and long established leading construction firm, they have developed the necessary approach needed to avoid mismanagement of sub-contractors. Through years of experience they have adapted and fine tuned these methods in order to be successful. Appendix for Coordination of Sub-Contractors 5.0 Management of Materials and Waste 5.1 Waste Material waste has been recognised as a major problem for the construction industry, it has important implications for the efficiency of the industry as well as the environmental impact of the construction project. It is estimated that the United Kingdom construction industry uses 400 million tonnes of resources every year with 100 million tonnes ending up as waste (CIOB 2010). Research carried out by CIRIA (undated, cited in CIOB, 2010 p199) estimates that as much as 13% of all materials delivered to site end up in a skip without ever being used. The importance of waste management is demonstrated in England where it has become legal requirement from April 2008 to have site waste management plans (SWMPs) for all construction and demolition projects valued over  £300,000. It is ethical and has commercial value to prepare a SWMP for a development. The reason for this is to provide a framework for managing the disposal of waste throughout the life of the construction project. The rationale behind introducing a SWMP is to ensure that waste management is thought about from the outset and facilitate the selection of construction techniques and materials to effectively reduce waste. A SWMP reduces waste by relying on a plan-do-check-action, which follows the figure below:. Typically this action plan aims to reuse, reduce, recycle or recover materials on and off site and if none of these actions are suitable disposal is required. It is the principle contractors duty to enforce the plan as well as recording actual waste against the estimated figures, therefore checking the effectiveness of the plan. The document is the main contractors responsibility during the construction stage and should contain the following information: Ownership of the document Information about who will be removing the waste The types of waste to be removed Details of the site(s) where the waste is being taken A post-completion statement confirming that the SWMP was monitored and updated on a regular basis An explanation of any deviation from the plan An example of a standard SWMP recommended by the CIOB (2010 p72) can be seen in appendix 5. (CIOB 2010, p72) 5.1.1 Farrans Waste Management As part of Farrans waste minimisation police they have committed to: Prevent and/or Reduce waste Reuse materials Recycle waste Send minimum amounts of waste to landfill To fulfil this commitment Farrans have implemented waste management plans on all their sites to ensure good waste management and cultivated a work ethic and awareness of waste minimisation. An important aspect of waste minimisation is to try and eradicate it through design which Farrans do. Practically on-site Farrans reduce waste by organisation of the site layout which in return reduces waste caused by poor storage of materials, and prevents damage or theft where possible. The site has security 24 hours a day which again reduces theft. Sub-contractors are made aware penalties they face for producing excessive waste through bad workmanship and bad planning. 5.2 Materials Strict monitoring of materials is both beneficial to the main contractor and the environment by; Increasing profits Decreasing overheads Minimising waste and consequent disposal costs Useful Marketing tool Lessons for the future Complying with CDM regulations The CIOB (2010) believe that it is the duty of the project manager to not only monitor the projects progress but to also monitor any work undertaken by suppliers that have an independent input into the completion of the project. The contractor has overall responsibility for the management of the supply chain, the project managers duty is to ensure that the chain is managed efficiently to avoid potential delay or completion of the project. This is an important issue as it is often the case that problems further down the contractual chain are responsible for delays. One technique that the CIOB (2010, p230) recommend during planning is; The production of an outline construction schedule indicating the latest date for placement of orders (materials equipment contractors) and design release dates. However, it is not important that every material is scheduled, it is only when major construction materials and materials concerned with the critical path lack scheduling that a disruption will occur. Materials often arrive on site in three ways, on time, too early or too late with the latter often causing the most problems. Good scheduling will ensure that materials arrive on site on time. When materials arrive on site too early the main problem is with storage. Storage on a construction site will often be limited. Storing materials on site for long periods can leave them susceptible to damage due to weather or accidental damage and vandalism and theft. Handling materials more than once will also increase the likelihood of accidental damage, for example storing materials in several locations before arriving at the actual location for use. Materials arriving too late can cause a significant delay to the completion of the project. For example a week long delay in bricks will have a knock on effect to the fit out as the building as it will not be sealed on time. The contractor will then be liable for late fees for not handing over the development on time and will result in the client not being able to rent or sell units in the development. Cooke and Williams (2004, p364) state that The responsibility for handling materials, distribution around the site and fixing them in position belongs to the site manager, who is also responsible for material loss and accounting for excessive waste. 5.2.1 Farrans Material Management Materials Planning Before construction work begins Farrans complete a materials schedule included in this schedule is major materials needed for construction. Some elements included in the project at Carmonney, Northern Ireland are concrete and reinforcing steel. These materials are essential to the critical path of the project. Farrans schedule such materials in order to allow for the manufacturers lead in time and so that they ultimately arrive on site, before or just in time. Materials Inspection Farrans check the quality and condition of all materials arriving on site, whether it be materials ordered by the main contractor or sub-contractors. Sub-contractors materials are checked to ensure specifications are as designed. Material Orders Farrans record all orders of concrete and stone in an order book complete with a unique order number. This information is sent to head office and checked against invoices received from the supplier. All material invoices are also kept in the site managers office in case of any discrepancies between site and supplier. This is a form of control put in place by farrans to ensure all materials that are delivered to site are received and paid for. Materials being removed from sight are also controlled and have to be signed off. This is done for a similar reason to materials signing, to ensure the company only pay for the actual removal of site materials. For example when soil is excavated it must be removed from sites. Conclusion and Recommendations Farrans should ensure materials arrive on-site but not too early. Material and waste is not a massive issue on this particular project, the main material ordering is reinforced steel and concrete normally which are normally ordered to demand. 6.0 Management and Maintenance of Plant and Equipment Plant and equipment as well as the other physical resources represent a large area of expense on a construction project. It is also essential to schedule plant to ensure delay does not occur due to a piece of equipment not being on-site. Scheduling of plant is needed for items of plant not held on site. Similar to materials scheduling the main contractor must make a plant schedule dating periods of when other specialist plant may be required. Plant scheduling is arguably not as critical as materials scheduling due to lack of demand in hire companies caused by the recession. McCaffer and Harris (2006) estimated in 2006 that between 50 60% of plant used on projects was hired. Usually hire companies can deliver plant at short notice meaning delays are not often incurred due to lack of scheduling. Under the CDM regulations clients as well as contractors are accountable for the impact they have on health and safety. Therefore it is imperative that as project managers we try and control factors which affect health and safety on site as well as to the surrounding area. Most contractors are aware of the impacts plant and machinery has on the environment as well as the accident risk they pose. A contractor that owns plant must be prepared to provide maintenance and servicing of the equipment (Harris and McCaffer 2006, p145). Many firms try to avoid these costs by providing minimum maintenance which results in unexpected breakdown and delays. It is good practice for the main contractor to implement a system of planned preventative maintenance. The main contractor should ensure they keep the health and safety file updated with maintenance documentation for all items of plant on site. Also included must be the next required date for inspection and how frequently this must be carried out. It is the contractors duty to ensure all plant is continually inspected and maintained, it is also their responsibility to check that hired items of plant are in good working condition and regularly inspected and maintained to a good working order. The health and safety executive (HSE) require that all operators of plant must hold the relevant license to operate it. Evidence of this certification and any relating insurance documents must be kept in the health and safety file for inspection at any time. Noise generated from plant and machinery can often be unavoidable, but measures can be taken to restrict or reduce the disturbance. In order to ensure minimal disruption the main contractor should: Maintain all plant Uses noise barriers where appropriate Plans deliveries as to avoid early morning disturbance Uses alternative less noisy plant where available Scheduling of plant is needed for items of plant not held on site. Similar to materials scheduling we will require the main contractor to make a plant schedule dating periods of when other specialist plant may be required 6.1 Farrans Management and Maintenance of Plant and Equipment Farrans use the following procedures to ensure adequate maintenance of plant and equipment and also to ensure no delays as a result of bad plant scheduling. 6.1.1 Planning and Programming Site planning is needed to identify necessary items of plant required throughout the construction phase. It is the responsibility of the planning team to know what piece of equipment is needed as wee as the period of time it is needed for. The ASTA software used by Farrans can produce Gantt charts to illustrate each item of plant, length of time it is needed and for what dates. At each monthly meeting, mentioned in earlier sections, the coming months plant requirements are ev

Sustainability Essay -- Sociology Third World Economy Essays

Sustainability Max Weber believed in the power of an idea. This political theorist discussed how Calvinism was one idea that perpetuated the rise of capitalism. Few people ever examine the power of an idea, but if one examines and contemplates this theory, a realization comes across: that ideas drive society. The key premise is that some values of our society must be altered in order to avert catastrophic consequences. The way of life in developed countries is "the origin of many of our most serious problems"(Trainer, 1985). Because developed countries have high material living standards and consume massive quantities of all resources, "hundreds of millions of people in desperate need must go without the materials and energy that could improve their conditions while these resources flow into developed countries, often to produce frivolous luxuries"(Trainer, 1985). People's way of life seems to be a glaring example of values leading to high rates of personal consumption of resources and the waste of these same materials. In addition to overconsumption, the services used to supply our society with goods, (examples of these goods would be food, water, energy, and sewage services.) tends to be wasteful and expensive. Production is organized in such a way, (usually highly centralized) that travel becomes an enormous burden. Another consideration is that our population is expected to increase to rise to eleven billion within the next half century. Considering the mineral and energy resources needed in the future, these estimates must also include the consumption of a population almost doubled from its current status and these same figures must include an expected increase in the affluence of developed countries. "If we are willin... ...st be adopted by every person on the planet, (starting in the developed world), otherwise the world will cease to support life. Bibliography Holdgate, Martin. From Care to Action. 1996. Earthscan Publications Ltd, London. Trainer, F.E. Abandon Affluence. 1985. Zed Books Ltd, London. Von Tunzelmann, G. N. Technology and industrial progress : the foundations of economic growth. Aldershot, Hants, England ; Brookfield, Vt., 1995. Adams, W. M. Green development : environment and sustainability in the Third World , W.M. Adams. London ; New York : Routledge, 1990. 5. Anderson, Anthony, B. Alternatives to deforestation : steps toward sustainable use of the Amazon rain forest , editor. New York : Columbia University Press, 1990. 6. Auty, Richard, M. Approaches to sustainable development , edited by Katrina Brown. London ; New York : Pinter, 1997.

The Bluest Eyes Essay -- essays research papers

A Search For A Self Finding a self-identity is often a sign of maturing and growing up. This becomes the main issue in Toni Morrison’s novel The Bluest Eyes. Pecola Breedlove, Cholly Breedlove, and Pauline Breedlove are such characters that search for their identity through others that has influenced them and by the lifestyles that they have. First, Pecola Breedlove struggles to get accepted into society due to the beauty factor that the norm has. Cholly Breedlove, her father, is a drunk who has problems that he takes out of Pecola sexually and Pauline physically. Pauline is Cholly’s wife that is never there for her daughters. Pacola is a little black girl has a hard time finding herself. Brought up as a poor unwanted girl, she desires the acceptance and love of society. The world has led her to believe that she is ugly and that the epitome of "beautiful" requires blue eyes. Every night before she goes to sleep, she prays that may she wake up with blue eyes. The image of "Shirley Temple beauty" surrounds her. In her mind, if she were to be beautiful, people would finally love and accept her. This idea of beauty has been imprinted on Pecola her whole entire life. Many people have inscribed this notion into her. Her classmates also have an effect on her. They seem to think that because she is not beautiful; she is not worth anything except as the focal point of their mockery. As if it were not bad enough being ridiculed by children her own age, adults also had to mock her. Mr. Yacowbski as a symbol for the rest of society's norm, treats her as if she were invisible. Geraldine, a colored w oman, who refused to tolerate "niggers", happened to walk in while Pecola was in her house. By having an adult point out to her that she really was a "nasty" little girl, it seems all the more true. At home she was put through the same thing, if not worse because her family members were the ones who were supposed to love her. It was obvious to Pecola that her mother preferred the little white girl of the family that she worked for over her. One day as Pecola was visiting her mother at the home where she is working, Pecola accidentally knocked over a blueberry pie. Obviously burned by the hot pastry, her mother completely ignored Pecola's feelings of pain and instead tended to the comforting of her white "daughter". For a ... ...es. The more time she spent with her own black family, the more time she realized how ugly, poor, and unworthy they were. In coming upon this realization, Pauline has a decision to make. She could have stuck with her biological family, continued to be unsatisfied but be accepted as an equal, or she could completely give up on her own family and devote all her time, energy, and love on her white charges. However she fails to realize that by committing herself to a servant's life that's all she will ever amount to be - a black servant in a white world. Pecola's search for identity was defined by her everlasting desire to be loved. Her purpose in life was to be beautiful and as a result of that to be loved. Her family and community made it impossible for her to ever be sanely content. Cholly's family (or lack thereof) and his community as a boy ultimately influenced the way he was as a man. Their effects on him molded his personality and as a result influenced his identity. Pauline’s confusion whether to love her family or the white family that she works for leads her to not caring that much at all. She realizes that whoever she ends up living with will not change who she really is.