Wednesday, August 26, 2020

Human Resource Management (case study) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Human Resource Management (contextual analysis) - Essay Example Besides, the furniture will be normalized and customer’s prerequisites won't be met on the grounds that it can presumably expand the expense. Be that as it may, the organization isn't in a situation to adapt up to any impromptu change since it can’t bear the cost of any adjustments in the creation procedure and the structure of item because of the unnecessary expense of actualizing the changes. Question 2: Based on your assessment of the technique drew closer by every association what might be the most probable HR procedure? Answer: The working conditions and sets of responsibilities will be fixed and unbending. The sets of responsibilities will cover obviously characterized assignments and duties with no space for adaptability. The activity obligations will give practically zero space for vocation movement to the representatives in light of the fact that the assignments will require specialization in one explicit zone and the workers won't have the option to learn new aptitudes and capacities. The odds for preparing and improvement are very restricted in light of the fact that the furniture is produced on essential norms which don’t require refreshing the abilities. Subsequently, the exhibition evaluation will be done on productivity and viability of the workers. At the end of the day, the representatives will be assessed on the amount of things delivered regardless of value. The wages of forefront workers will be founded on number of things created every hour and extra/prizes can be normal on overproduction. The pay structure of the workers will be serious and friends will pay at/underneath the business gauges. Endeavors will be made to select modest works and the occupations of generously compensated specialists will be unbound with the goal that cost can be limited and the chiefs will guarantee that work efficiency is upgraded and representatives don’t sit inactive. In general, a momentary benefit making approach is received. Que stion 3: Is this methodology of connecting Porter’s serious technique to HR procedure has its confinements? Assess what you consider these restrictions can be. Answer: the porter’s serious methodology is nonexclusive and its methodology is exceptionally constrained and slender. Watchman says that the organization ought to follow just a single methodology at once with the goal that it doesn’t lose center. On one hand, Benchill and Sons utilizes tight cost control to lessen costs however then again, it needs to change its strategies with the changing patterns in the market and the economy. For example the organization can go for mechanical headway or might be it can buy crude materials structure modest nations like china or India, so as to diminish cost. Be that as it may, this methodology is down to earth for non-benefit associations on the grounds that their sources are restricted yet for altruistic proprietors this methodology isn't useful for the notoriety of the organization. Then again, revenue driven creation organizations, the foundation of business person, the idea of industry, contenders, purchasing behaviors of clients, innovation and least guidelines set by ISO are significant components to consider before embracing any serious technique. The best business practice is to guarantee better usage of assets while not misusing the laborers, keeping up a reasonable quality norm and utilizing relationship showcasing way to deal with guarantee rehash deals so as to beat the contenders. SPEKE FURNISHINGS Question 1: assess which of the Porter’

Saturday, August 22, 2020

Discussion Board Ford And Taylorism Theory

Question: Examine about the Discussion Board for Ford and Taylorism Theory. Answer: Presentation: The Management is a key capacity of the hierarchical exercises. This is the explanation, standards of the logical administration are basic for the firm. Through the thought on the Fayolism and Taylorism, an association can accomplish authoritative objectives and target in a successful and proficient way (Goetsch and Davis, 2014). These are additionally useful in planning the work structure of the association. In the PC, portable, vehicle, medical clinic and eatery businesses, the utilizations of these standards can be effectively observed considerably following 70 years of their detailing. This blog incorporates the two significant areas. The primary area is identified with the key discoveries from the thoughts extricated from the Ford and Taylorism hypothesis. Then again, the subsequent segment remembers the use of these key thoughts for an association. Changes in the Production Process Henry Ford (Founder of Ford vehicle) was a visionary individual. Under his visionary thoughts, the organization entered in association with Alexander Malcomson in 1908. The motivation behind this arrangement was producing vehicle under The Ford Motor Company. Through this arrangement, the organization needed to accomplish cost productivity in the creation and increment in the piece of the overall industry. For accomplishing this goal, the organization changed its creation procedures and strategies. During that time, Ford was firmly affected by the standards or strategy for the Fredrick Taylor (Ford and Taylor Scientific Management, 2008). Decrease in the Unnecessary Activities at the Workplace The administration hypothesis of the Taylor displays that the profitability of an association can be expanded by limiting the pointless exercises at the work environment. Taylors standard, the time the board is successful to improve the profitability of the laborers (Post and Preston, 2012). As per this guideline, every moment of a representative is huge in the working environment for the organization. All the important hardware and assets ought to be organized as sparing the hour of both the representative and friends. Henry utilized this guideline in the creation to the extraordinary degree. In the underlying stage, the organization dissected the basic parts of the creation procedure and after this, the organization masterminded them as indicated by limit the pointless exercises of the representatives (Pearson, 1945). Rebuild the Assembly Line Passage rebuilt its sequential construction system so as to accomplish the proficiency in the creation and for expanding the creation yield. In this, the organization embraced a progressive thought. It served to the representative to stay fixed at the working environment. Rather than the workers moving, body of the vehicle was moving starting with one spot then onto the next spot. Every specialist completed its specific work before move assortment of vehicle one spot to somewhere else. This procedure was proceeding until a total vehicle was readied. It assisted with fording to decrease the expense of the item and upgrade the creation level (Altenburg and Sullivan, 2012). Appealing Offers for Employees Portage concentrated on the drawing in the planned worker through the contribution a compelling bundle to them. The organization received the significant salary technique for the hard and legit laborers with the goal of the holding them for quite a while. Utilization of Modern Technology The organization utilized the advanced and programmed innovations in the gathering of a vehicle, whose immediate advantage were watched, for example, diminishing the time on the creation of one vehicle. Because of this, the organization had the option to create record benefit. In the achievement of an association, the fundamental standards of the administration are huge. These standards are successful for the cutting edge the executives to stay ahead in the opposition (Post and Preston, 2012). The selection of the rule of the sparing time and endeavors of the individuals is successful to lessen the expense. It drives the organization to expand creation amount that can build the high income (Post and Preston, 2012). In this, the professional stability guideline is likewise recognized so as to keep up the profitability of the firm. This rule depends on the keep representatives glad, which help to complete numerous sorts of issues in the business (Lee and Wong, 2013). As worried of current business condition of the Australia, America or Europe, the representatives and specialist would not acknowledge Taylorism in its unique structure. It is on the grounds that the present business depends on the manual work just as upon innovation and mechanization. It maintains a strategic distance from the hypothetical idea of the administration. For instance, in call focuses; there is use of the principals of the Taylorism. Notwithstanding, it is hard to state that the Taylorism hypothesis can be applied in the call place all things considered. It is on the grounds that; the capacity of a call community is separated in the divisions or people. In the call community, the work is offered to an up-and-comer as indicated by its expertise and specialization. It serves to viably deal with the capacity of the firm with accomplishing the cost adequacy (McKinlay and Wilson, 2012). By and by, the entrepreneurs and originators accept on the inventive strategies that can diminish the time or cost of the creation (DeWinter, et al., 2014). And yet, a few impacts would see as the administration firm and make the coordination of the various exercises of the firm. There are different enterprises over the world, which are required to the use of the Taylorism hypothesis so as to since a long time ago run. The logical administration was presented the 100 years prior by Frederick Taylor. The rules that come in it, they keep the effect on the business procedure. These standards assume a huge job in the easily running business. The Taylorism based standards are beneath: Science, Not Rule of Thumb Amicability, Not Discord Participation, Not Individualism Improvement of Each and Every Person to His/Her Greatest Efficiency and Prosperity (Grachev, M. what's more, Rakitsky, 2013) Reference Altenburg, K. furthermore, Sullivan, S., (2012) A matter of standard: Heritage the executives in Australia and China. Noteworthy Environment, 24(1), p.41. DeWinter, J., Kocurek, C.A. also, Nichols, R. (2014) Taylorism 2.0: Gamification, logical administration and the entrepreneur apportionment of play. Diary of Gaming Virtual Worlds, 6(2), pp.109-127. Passage and Taylor Scientific Management (2008) You Tube: Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PdmNbqtDdI (Accessed: 22 August 2016). Goetsch, D.L. what's more, Davis, S.B. (2014) Quality administration for hierarchical greatness. UK: pearson. Grachev, M. what's more, Rakitsky, B., (2013) Historic skylines of Frederick Taylor's logical administration. Diary of Management History, 19(4), pp.512-527. Lee, R.C. what's more, Wong, S.L.C. eds. (2013) Asian America. Net: ethnicity, patriotism, and the internet. UK: Routledge. McKinlay, A. what's more, Wilson, J. (2012) All they lose is the shout: Foucault, Ford and large scale manufacturing. The board Organizational History, 7(1), pp.45-60. Pearson, Norman M. (1945) Fayolism as the Necessary Complement of Taylorism, American Political Science Association, 39(1), pp. 68-80 (https://www.jstor.org/stable/1948832?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents) Post, J. what's more, Preston, L. (2012) Private administration and open strategy: The standard of open obligation. USA: Stanford University Press.

Monday, August 17, 2020

Best Tips to Become More Confident

Best Tips to Become More Confident Powerful Ways to Improve Self Confidence Home›Tips for Students›Powerful Ways to Improve Self Confidence Tips for StudentsSelf-confidence is an essential component that influences and quite literally defines the quality of our life. It helps us to achieve life dreams and career success, and build strong, positive relationships with people. According to a broad range of experts, almost 85 percent of people in the world needlessly suffer from a lack of self-confidence. They do not know that everyone can learn to be more self-assured. Recent studies confirm that every individual is able to increase confidence, improve leadership and public speaking skills.Useful hints on how to gain confidenceSo, how can we teach ourselves to be self-assured? To answer this question correctly, let us first have a look at some useful tips from a bestselling author Becky Blalock and learn how she has become a self-confident person:1. Start every day with gratitudeBecky Blalock emphasizes the importan ce of beginning every day with gratitude for everything we have in our life. People, who regularly practice gratitude, experience a bigger amount of positive emotions, feel more alive, express more sympathy and kindness, as well as demonstrate a high confidence level. She says, If you start your day with a positive state of mind and gratitude, you will be in the right mood for the rest of the day.2. Know what you want in lifeBecky Blalock claims that many people do not know what they want to do in life. They are not aware of the fact that understanding their wants and needs can help them succeed in life. Becky Blalock says, “Knowing what you want is a key. Whatever activity you do, it must lead you where you want to go.”3. Find a good mentorWhatever you intend to do, there may be people, who have already done, and who can offer you some good pieces of advice or become an example to follow. Find such people and learn as much from them as you can. There are lots of self-improvemen t tips that can help everyone to learn how to gain self-confidence without any external help. We hope that these simple suggestions for building self-esteem will make you feel better about yourself and help you to achieve your life dreams.

Sunday, May 24, 2020

Grief in The Iliad Essay - 510 Words

Grief in The Iliad There are many lessons that can be learned from reading Homers The Iliad. One of which is understanding the stages of grief. One can literally watch Achilles go through all five stages when he morns the death of his comrade Patroclus. Achilles moves through Denial and Isolation, Depression, Anger, Bargaining and Acceptance in the short time after his close friends death. Sheltered under his curving, beaked ships he found him, foreboding, deep down, all that had come to pass (18.3-4). In this sentence, Achilles is trying to avoid learning about his friends death. He has isolated himself in hopes that it is not true. He knows that it is so but feels that if he can keep from hearing the truth that it will not†¦show more content†¦A black cloud of grief came shrouding over Achilles. Both hands clawing the ground for soot and filth, he poured it over his head, fouled his handsome face and black ashes settled onto his fresh clean war-shirt. Overpowered in all his power, sprawle d in the dust, Achilles lay there, fallen#8230;tearing his hair, defiling it with his own hands (18.25-30). In this passage Achilles is acting out some of the classic symptoms of depression such as sadness and hopelessness. Another symptom of depression is suicide. Homer demonstrates this well in the following passage, Antilochus kneeling near, weeping uncontrollably, clutched Achilles hands as he wept his proud heart out#8212;for fear he would slash his throat with an iron blade (18. 36-38). Achilles once again speaks of killing himself as he passes from depression into the stage of anger. My spirit rebels#8212;Ive lost the will to live, to take my stand in the world of men#8212;unless, before all else, Hectors battered down by my spear and gasps away his life, the blood-price for Patroclus, Menoetius gallant son hes killed and stripped! (18.105-109). In anger the grieving person may be furious at the person who inflicted the hurt, much as Achilles was towards Hector. Achilles also briefly passes through the stage of bargaining when he is having a conversation with his mother, Thetis. Youre doomed to a short life, my son, from all you say! For hard on the heals of Hectors death your death mustShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Homer s The Iliad Essay1231 Words   |  5 Pagesthe Iliad is a tale of war and aggression (Puchner 183). Written in the 8th century, it remains relevant to society today. The basis of the Iliad, warfare, brings with it portrayals of death, grief, and the real problem with humankind: we are not peaceful beings. In a war-ridden world, these topics remain pertinent to society. These terrors of war showcased in the Iliad generate an anti-war message. With this said, Homer creates a timeless lesson against war with his work. While the Iliad has beenRead MoreThe Iliad Character Analysis749 Words   |  3 Pages Throughout Homer’s epic poem, â€Å"The Iliad,† the Trojans and the Greeks fight a violent war. Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite engage in a contest to know who the fairest Pantheon goddess is. Zeus, the king of Gods, chooses Paris, â€Å"a man who [keeps] his word† (Friedman), to elect the most beautiful goddess, but Aphrodite bribes him by saying â€Å"Helen of Sparta, the most beautiful woman in the world will fall in love with you†(Friedman 3). Seduced by the goddess of love’s offer, Paris immediately declaresRead MoreAntigone vs. Iliad Essay948 Words   |  4 Pagesemotion. In both Antigone and The Iliad there are many different types of love portrayed. The love one has for their child for example, or the love for a close family member or friend. There is also the love one experiences when they feel they have found their mate in life. In examining the excerpts from Antigone and The Iliad I was able to draw the conclusion that Antigone portrays the different types of love in a more realistic way. When I read The Iliad for the first time the portrayalRead MoreThe Iliad : An Ancient Work1131 Words   |  5 PagesMaddie Hughey 1128 The Iliad is an ancient work, written near 750 BCE, and yet, almost 3, 000 years later, we still study it. It still resonates with modern readers because war is not just an old concept. We still have war; we still have soldiers. We might not fight these wars with spears and chariots but the Iliad speaks to something more than just victory or defeat. The Iliad exposes the grief and loss that comes along with war and ultimately speaks against it through negative descriptionsRead MoreHelpless Mothers: Ceres and Andromache981 Words   |  4 Pagesboth the Iliad and in Ceres and Proserpina is the role of women in Greek and Roman mythology. To read the history of Ancient Greece as it has been written for centuries is to enter a thoroughly male world (Blundell, 226). When it comes to a poem like the Iliad, this is even more particularly true as the reader enters a universe of war, where women are very much on the peripheral and the men are the dominant characters directly implied in t he bulk of the action (Blundell, 47). The Iliad is a poemRead MoreThe Epic Of Gilgamesh And The Iliad Essay1397 Words   |  6 PagesThe destiny in Gilgamesh and The Iliad stories are believed to be a power that controls what happens in the future. The story of Gilgamesh and the Iliad destinies are moderately the same in significance of the conflicts and the ways of life both of the stories focused on a significant deaths. The Iliad and Gilgamesh is a remarkable reminder of the way life is in the present, but also how it is a little different. Both stories are similar in goals and destinies and how it affect the main charactersRead MoreThe Code Of Honor In The Iliad And The Odyssey1684 Words   |  7 Pagesindividual has risked or sacrificed his life. In the Iliad and the Odyssey, the code which administers the conduct of the Homeric heroes is a straightforward idea. The aim of every hero is to achieve honor. Throughout the Iliad and the Odyssey, different characters take on the r ole of a hero. Honor is essential to the Homeric heroes, so much that life would be meaningless without it. Thus, honor is more important than life itself. Throughout the Iliad, heroic characters make decisions based on a specificRead MoreEpic Heroism And Values Of The Iliad1030 Words   |  5 PagesHope Schoenhut DWC 101: Paper 1 November 1, 2017 Epic Heroism and Values of the Greek and Roman Culture The image of Achilles killing Hector and the image of Aeneas killing Turnus classify them as epic heroes. In the Greek epic poem the Iliad, Homer portrays Achilles as an enraged warrior fighting for revenge for a woman he loved. In the Roman epic poem the Aeneid, Virgil portrays Aeneas as fleeing the city of Troy to establish a new city. Achilles and Aeneas are epic heroes because they bothRead MoreThe Iliad And The Odyssey1317 Words   |  6 PagesThroughout The Iliad and The Odyssey, both Achilles and Odysseus go through intense acts of heroism, internal and external hardships, and fluctuations in confidence. During the epic, The Odyssey, the main character, Odysseus, has to endure many hardships which show. He has to show tremendous amounts of heroism and confidence just to keep his crew and himself alive. He has to rival and face many gods that despise him along with many humans. This theme can also be reflected from Homer’s The Iliad, where theRead MoreFamily Dynamic s in Homers Iliad969 Words   |  4 Pagestheir sons in the Iliad are not relationships we expect to see in today’s society. The Iliad portrays the relationships between fathers and sons as something more than just physical and emotional. It is based on pride and respect for one another. The expectations of their son are more so to pass on their fathers reputable name and to follow in their father’s footsteps of being noble warriors. These relationships are the driving forces in the Iliad, making each son in the Iliad identifiable first

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

Sad Life of Edgar Allen Poe in his Poetry - 1885 Words

Edgar Allan Poe â€Å"I became insane, with long intervals of sanity.† -Edgar Allan Poe (BrainyQuote) Edgar Allan Poe has become a household name since his poetic debut â€Å"The Raven†, his most well-known poem. However, many are unaware of his haunting past and the emotional disturbances he was forced to deal with over and over throughout his life. From the death of his parents to the rejection of his adoptive father, it seemed that the aspiring Poe could never catch a break. It was Poes dark and haunting past that influenced the tone of his works to also be very disturbing. Edgar Poe was born in†¦show more content†¦He also became very close to his Mother-in-law, and they developed an intimate bond. During this time he published The Raven. Virginias Illness was worsening and Poe got involved with Frances Osgood, a married mother of two. They sent flirtatious poems back in forth to each other. Soon their relationship became scandalous when another writer found one of the letters that they had exchanged. The situation ended in a fist fight and he was banned from Literary salons in New York. In 1847 Virginia painfully lost her battle with tuberculosis. After the death of his wife, Poe attempted to remarry, involving himself with 3 women simultaneously, but after being denied by one of his mistresses, he attempted to kill himself by swallowing a lethal dose of Opium. His attempt was unsuccessful. He then planned on proposing to Elmira Royster, his original lover, but became ill and deranged. He recovered, settled his affairs, and planned once again on proposing to Elmira Rose. However, on October 3rd of 1849, he was found at a Baltimore Tavern in disarray and semiconscious. He was emitted to the hospital, became delirious, and died four days later. It is believed that he died of a lethal dose of alcohol. â€Å"My mother- my own mother, who died early, was but the mother of myself; but you are mother to the one I loved so dearly, and thus are dearer than the mother I knew † (Poe: Poetry and Tales, pg. 101). This quote is fromShow MoreRelatedEdgar Allen Poe and His Dark Stories673 Words   |  3 PagesEdgar Allen Poe, an amazing writer and poet, known for his dark themes and use of literary elements. Many individuals read his stories and poetry, but do not know who Edgar Allen Poe is, aside from being a writer and poet. They also do not know why he wrote this way. The amount of time it took for him to be able to publish his first book or how sad he felt when his wife died, people do not know these things. These are the events that helped him become so determined and write so sorrowfully. Read MoreThe Raven by Edgar Allan Poe702 Words   |  3 PagesEdgar Allen Poe did not just create poems - he created an entire genre of literature. Among the sweetly composed rhythms of his words, a strong culture of gothic literature began to grow. Poe is to this day perhaps the most famous figure of gothic culture. However, what gave rise to such a fame was not without its price; Poe suffered greatly during his lifetime. Mourning over lost loves and the severed soul of his wife, much of his poetry seems like a grievous eulogy. In response to his frequentRead MoreEdgar Allan Poe1245 Words   |  5 Pagesdiscussing about my poet Edgar Allan Poe. Poe had written numerous of poems and stories but the one I chose was â€Å"Annabel Lee†. This poem was written in 1849 which was a long time ago. Even though this poem is centuries old, it is still a well known poem. This whole project includes a biography, literary movement, and a explication about the poem. The biography includes where Poe grew up and how his lifestyle were. Through research and sources, I found out that Poe lived a hard life. He was in a lot ofRead MoreThe Life of Edgar Allan Poe1279 Words   |  6 PagesA Dream Within a Dream: The Life of Edgar Allan Poe As short fiction has become a more accepted genre in literary circles, Edgar Allan Poe’s stories become more popular. He’s story passed on and on, and he now consider to be the father of the short story by many. His stories were strong and powerful, one called them mystery. Not only his story, but also his life. Edgar Allan Poe was a famous detective story, science fiction, horror fiction, symbolism story and aestheticismRead MoreEdgar Allan Poe s Life And The Way1453 Words   |  6 Pagesperson that I choose to write about is Edgar Allan Poe. I choose Edgar Allan Poe because he is widely acknowledgeable as the inventor of the modern detective story and an innovator when it comes to the science fiction category. The reason I picked Poe is because I like the way he writes and how it’s kind of spooky and mysterious his poems and short stories The time period Edgar Allan Poe lived in affected his life and the way he wrote literature. When Poe first started out he was living as America’sRead MoreLife and Talent of Edgar Allan Poe906 Words   |  4 PagesEdgar Allen Poe was bone in Boston on January 19 1809 to David and Elizabeth Poe. He lost his parents at the age of two years and had to be adopted by John Allan and his wife Frances Valentine Allan. John Allan was a very wealthy man but he only gave Edgar a third of his school requirements and this alienated him from Edgar. When Allan’s wife dies Edgar also decides to move out because he could not put up with John Allan. Edgar loved poetry from a tender age. He even wrote verses to girls that heRead MoreAnalysis Of Edgar Allan Poe s Writing874 Words   |  4 PagesGrowing up as a kid in Avondale located in Birmingham, Alabama reading and writing was not the most popular thing to do, it was just one of those things that people detest. Avondale was a place where life seems to have been sucked out, instead of grass mostly everybody had a yard full of dirt, there were gang symbols spray painted on nearly every wall/surface in sight, and everybody seemed to detest each other’s presence. It was just rough to grow up in Avondale, and the people that live in AvondaleRead MoreEdgar Allen Poe’s Contribution to World Culture 1035 Words   |  5 PagesEdgar Allan Poes contributions to American literature have become increasingly more prominent as the years have passed. As short fiction has become a more accepted genre in literary circles, Poes theories are studied with more passion. Although he lived a rather melancholy existence, Poe did experience moments of joy, and desired to capture beauty through poetical form. He is also credited as the inventor of the mystery-fiction novel with short stories such as, â€Å"The Raven† and â€Å"Annabel Lee†. IndeedRead MoreEdgar Allen Poe s `` A Valentine ``861 Words   |  4 PagesEdgar Allen Poe’s most recurring themes deal with questions of death, includ ing its physical signs, the effects of decomposition, concerns of premature burial, the reanimation of the dead, and mourning. Many of his works are generally considered part of the dark romanticism genre, a literary reaction to transcendentalism which Poe strongly disliked.â€Å"A Valentine† has a different view about what he typically writes about. I choose this poem because Poe has find out his riddle within the text. AsRead MorePoes Poetry Essay1269 Words   |  6 PagesWith fascinating rhyme scheme and an enthralling setting, Edgar Allen Poe draws readers into his dreadfully frightening poems. His poems are best known for being extremely grim and macabre, but with a hint of Romanticism in them. â€Å"The Raven† and â€Å"Annabel Lee† depict Romanticism being described by feelings and imagination. These poems reflect the reality that the author is dealing with different views in the way lovers grieving and the way of dealing with death. He is also able to make two poems that

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Dfffg Free Essays

I Had lost my bag together with some of my personal documents and one f which is my passport. Whereas, I lost the above afore mention under the following circumstances: That during that time, I was inside the comfort room where a woman next to me had snatch my bag and without further a do. The women succeeded. We will write a custom essay sample on Dfffg or any similar topic only for you Order Now . That all of my belongings during that time were also taken such as my cell phone, my wallet. , my postal id and also my passport.. 3. Despite diligent efforts exerted, I could no longer locate, find or recover the said passport of mine and other documents oaken to me and to the best of my knowledge, the same is truly lost. 4. The said passport with serial numbe has not been confiscated by any officer of the law or the issuing office or agency due to the violation of any law, statute, order, rule or regulation. 5. In the event that the lost passport should hereafter be found or located, I undertake to forward or surrender the same or to report the same in its Government How to cite Dfffg, Papers

Monday, May 4, 2020

Coriolanus Essay Thesis Example For Students

Coriolanus Essay Thesis A monologue from the play by William ShakespeareMENENIUS: I am known to be a humorous patrician, and one that loves a cup of hot wine with not a drop of allaying Tiber int; said to be something imperfect in favoring the first complaint; hasty and tinder-like upon too trivial motion; one that converses more with the buttock of the night than with the forehead of the morning. What I think, I utter, and spend my malice in my breath. Meeting two such wealsmen as you are, I cannot call you Lycurguses if the drink you give me touch my palate adversely, I make a crooked face at it. I cannot say your worships have delivered the matter well, when I find the ass in compound with the major part of your syllables; and though I must be content to bear with those that say you are reverend grave men, yet they lie deadly that tell you you have good faces. If you see this in the map of my microcosm, follows it that I am known well enough too? What harm can your bisson conspectuities glean out of this character, if I be known well enough too? You know neither me, yourselves, nor anything. You are ambitious for poor knaves caps and legs. You wear out a good wholesome forenoon in hearing a cause between an orange-wife and a forset-seller, and then rejourn the controversy of threepence to a second day of audience. When you are hearing a matter between party and party, if you chance to be pinched with the colic, you make faces like mummers; set up the bloody flag against all patience; and, in roaring for a chamber-pot, dismiss the controversy bleeding, the more entangled by your hearing. All the peace you make in their cause is, calling both the parties knaves. You are a pair of strange ones. Our very priests must become mockers, if they shall encounter such ridiculous objects as you are. When you speak best unto the purpose, it is not worth the wagging of your beards; and your beards deserve not so honorable a grave as to stuff a botchers cushion or to be entombed in an asss pack-saddle. Yet you must be saying Marcius is proud; who, in a cheap estimation, is worth all your predecessors since Deucalion, though peradventure some of the best of em were hereditary hangmen. Good-een to your worships. More of your conversation would infect my brain, being the herdsmen of the beastly plebeians. I will be bold to take my leave of you.

Sunday, March 29, 2020

The Importance of Managing the Project Lifecycle to Achieve Successful Project Outputs

Introduction For a long time, project planners have established that project management is pivotal in helping project managers to undertake complex tasks (Priority Management International 1; The University of Akron 1). Without an effective project management plan, it would be difficult to realize positive project outcomes or complete a successful project.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Importance of Managing the Project Lifecycle to Achieve Successful Project Outputs specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, proper project management requires advanced technical skills on the part of the project manager because project deliverables are often complex to maneuver (Priority Management International 1). Managing the project lifecycle is one way of simplifying the project management process. This paper explains the importance of managing the project lifecycle for purposes of achieving positive project outputs. Ho wever, before delving into the details surrounding this topic, it is essential to understand the project lifecycle. What is the Project Lifecycle? According to The University of Akron, â€Å"Lifecycle planning involves setting goals, defining targets, establishing schedules, and estimating budgets† (2). The project life cycle consists of four steps – planning, execution, controlling and closure. The planning stage is the first among the four phases described here. It outlines the structure of the project and may include different deliverables, including the financial plan, resource plan, quality plan, risk plan, and acceptance plan (Hillson 65). The second phase (initiation) involves defining the purpose and scope of the project plan. This stage also involves recruiting the project team and evaluating how they would help to achieve the key deliverables of the entire project plan (Priority Management International 1). The planning phase involves the development of key d ocuments that would guide the project team to complete different tasks. The execution phase involves the physical construction of key deliverables. After completion of this task, the project manager seeks the client’s acceptance. If there are no objections, the project is ready for closure. The diagram below summarizes the project lifecycle Figure 1: Project Lifecycle (Source The University of Akron 3) Advertising Looking for essay on project management? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The following sections explain the importance of managing different aspects of the project management lifecycle. Importance of Managing Project Lifecycle Stages Planning Project lifecycles are naturally chaotic. By organizing and planning their tenets, the management process organizes this chaos. This is why Haugan (18) says it is difficult for project managers to manage complex business processes without careful planning and organization . According to Lewis (159), the initial objective of life cycle planning process was to control project costs. This is why many projects incorporated technology in their project plans because they believed it would prevent the escalation of project costs. In the absence of planning, all the different aspects of the project lifecycle would be meaningless. Haugan (18) says in the absence of a project plan, project managers are bound to â€Å"cut corners,† which is a mistake that could jeopardize the rest of the stages that characterize a project. It is important to develop an elaborate project plan because it would outline the foundations of the entire project. An elaborate plan should consider different aspects of a project, including a stakeholder engagement plan, benefits mapping plan, and a risk management plan (among other tenets of a project) (Hillson 65). It is essential for project managers to handle the planning process effectively because without it, there could be a complete project failure. Some key reasons highlighted as reasons for project failure include the lack of stakeholder engagement, poor communication within the project team, and the lack of clear roles and responsibilities among project members (Haugan 18). Having an elaborate project plan could help to overcome some of these challenges. By managing the planning process in the project lifecycle, it is easy for the project manager to find direction during the execution of project deliverables. One desirable outcome of this process is helping all employees to support the project manager and work towards achieving the same objective. In this way, managing the planning process of the project lifecycle plays an important role of attaining the objectives of the project. For example, suppose the planning process outlines the completion of key construction targets, all departments of the project would work towards achieving this goal. Furthermore, the process of designing their objectives w ould be in lieu of attaining the construction targets. In this regard, managing the project lifecycle prevents managers from making costly mistakes during later stages of the project lifecycle.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Importance of Managing the Project Lifecycle to Achieve Successful Project Outputs specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More By doing so, managers have a better chance of completing their projects on time and within their budgets. The main reason why experts recommend proper planning is to avoid making hasty decisions that would be too costly to implement (Hillson 65). In such cases, the client could abandon the entire project Executing Scope Definition A project scope outlines what a project plan entails. Team members are able to understand what to expect and what clients expect of them, through this representation. According to Westland (132), a project scope outlines different attributes of a project plan, including the team name, start and end dates of the project, objectives, deliverables and other attributes of a project plan that are material to its implementation. Through an effective definition of a project’s scope, it is easy to allocate tasks and provide direction to team members regarding what the project manager expects of them, in lieu of the project plan (Hillson 65). Without a project scope, it would be difficult for project managers to define a project timeline or understand the client’s expectation regarding executing other project tasks (Lutchman 15). By defining the project scope, project managers would easily understand the project objectives and make appropriate schedules that would meet them. Proper Resource Allocation Most project managers are supposed to complete project tasks with limited resources. The best way for them to meet their targets (with the limited resources) is through effective resource allocation (Westland 132). The go al of resource allocation is to get the best results out of the available resources. This way, project managers would avoid the possibility of over allocating project resources to one phase of the project plan, at the expense of another. Such a strategy would also ensure that the entire project management plan is efficient and effective in meeting its goals (Westland 132). Through a proper resource allocation strategy, project managers could easily know which methodology to use when aligning project phases with appropriate resources. This step would help them in improving their decision-making processes because they would know when and how to use different strategies for correcting resource allocation problems (Westland 132). For example, they would know when to delay a task to optimize resource efficiency. Similarly, they would know when to substitute resources across different project phases to make sure they allocate available resources to phases that have appropriate skill deman ds.Advertising Looking for essay on project management? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Doing so would decrease cases of work interruptions and decrease the duration taken to complete project tasks. This analysis shows that proper resource allocation would help project managers to complete their projects on time. Similarly, it would help them to manage their resources efficiently (Project Insight 1). Proper Project Scheduling The project scheduling process depends on an efficient management of the project plan because it is a tool that specifies the types of projects that should be undertaken in a project, the resources applicable and the time that the project team should take to complete them (Project Insight 1). Project scheduling is a key part of the project lifecycle because it helps project team members to know what duties they need to undertake and when to do them. Through the proper management of the project-scheduling plan, the project manager is able to understand all the work that should go into delivering the project on time (Priority Management Internationa l 1; The University of Akron 1). The process also helps the project manager to communicate all the resources that go into completing the project. Some project managers often use computer software to manage their project schedules. Such tools help them to track different aspects of the project schedules, more effectively than doing it manually. Nonetheless, it is important to manage project schedules as part of the evaluative stage of the project lifecycle phase because it helps project managers to know the overall status of the project. Controlling Dye (155) says it is important to manage the project lifecycle during the controlling stage because this is the only way that project managers can control a project’s resources. For example, this is the only way that the project manager would control the financial costs of the organization (Priority Management International 1). Others have pointed out that this method also helps to reduce project risks and improve the odds of succe ss. Cost and quality control are key parts of the control phase. Quality Control The quality control process is among the last processes undertaken in a project lifecycle. During the planning stage, the project manager outlines a set of standards (requirements) to guide project phases. Quality control strives to make sure that the processes underlying a project plan meet the standards stipulated in the project requirements section (Schwalbe 303). Therefore, nothing that does not conform to the project requirements falls within the criterion of acceptable quality standards. Quality control is subject to the standards outlined in the quality management plan. This plan states the quality control manager, outlines his/her duties and outlines the metrics that they should use to evaluate their duties. According to Hill (141), a key function of the quality control process is making sure that the quality of outputs and inputs used in every project phase meets the stipulated standards. Peopl e use quality control and quality management terms interchangeably because of the perception that the control process stems from the overall quality planning process (Dye 155). It is essential for project managers to ensure that the quality control process is functional because it has a strong bearing on the client’s level of satisfaction and the reputation of the firm/person that is undertaking the project. For example, in the absence of a sound quality control process, different project phases may produce outputs that deviate from the project requirements, thereby leading to customer dissatisfaction (Hill 141). In such cases, there could be damage to the reputation of the contractor. In some cases, this outcome may lead to firm deregistration. In fact, according to Schwalbe (303), quality control is essential in building successful businesses. By meeting or exceeding customer expectations, they are likely to enjoy repeat business, or increased customer loyalty, which are so me of the building blocks of successful businesses. Therefore, it is important to manage quality aspects of a project as a prerequisite for the successful completion of acceptable project outcomes. Cost Control CLARIZEN (1) says that a critical part of a successful project management process is not only managing customer expectations, but also ensuring the proper calibration of different aspects of the project management plan. Although time and resources are important aspects of project management, the successful completion of project management plans depends on how well a project team would optimize project outputs using effective cost management. Based on this understanding, the Project Insight (1) emphasizes the importance of undertaking effective cost management as a subset of effective project planning. Here, it encourages companies to manage different aspects of cost control, including budget costs, actual costs, committed costs, current costs and other expenses associated wit h the project plan (Project Insight 1). This way, project managers can develop team-based and task-based cost sheets. In the same way, they could optimize, evaluate, and control different aspects of their cost management plan. According to Kliem (98), this is the best way that project managers can ensure the proper alignment of project costs with the forecasted project budget. Without it, there could be runaway costs that would affect other aspects of the project plan. Project managers could also easily track actual productivity of project outcomes for purposes of billing or ensuring that the project deliverables meet the desired project outcomes. In this regard, the bottom-line is that project managers cannot afford to overlook cost control because it is a critical part of their resource plan (Project Insight 1). Poor cost control also has the power to affect other aspects of the project management plan. Therefore, poor cost control could lead to undesirable outcomes in all other a spects of the project management plan. Closure Closure is the last stage of the project lifecycle. Managing it is crucial in reflecting through the overall project plan. The importance of managing this last stage is to come up with lessons learned throughout the project execution and management process. This step is important in improving the performance of future projects because the project manager will know what to do in future project management processes (SQA 1). In this regard, the project managers would take advantage of the existing room for improvement because no project is perfect. The process of noting the lessons learned should not only include management because other members of the project team should also give their input regarding what lessons they have learned. The project manager could collect their views using questionnaires or any other data collection tool and analyze them to come up with general findings for improving future projects (SQA 1). Managing the last stage of the project lifecycle is also important in maintaining good relations between the client and the project manager. This step is useful in developing the final project report (required by many clients). Effective management of the closure stage should enable the project manager to prepare an effective and holistic project management report (SQA 1). Through such documents, clients and sponsors learn important information about the project. For example, they could learn about changes made to the project and their effects on the overall project plan. The final report may also include information omitted in the project plan (Westland 132). Clients and sponsors could also learn about the recommendations made by the project manager for purposes of improving future projects. While sponsors are divided regarding the format of the final report (written material or PowerPoint presentation), managing the last stage of the project lifecycle would help the project manager to develop a goo d report. Conclusion This paper has shown the importance of managing the project lifecycle for purposes of achieving positive project outcomes. This analysis emerges within the different tenets of the project lifecycle – planning, execution, control, and closure. The importance of managing the project lifecycle during the planning stage manifests through the need for the project manager to have direction when executing the project. Managing the planning stage of the project lifecycle helps them know this direction. Through this analysis, this paper has shown the importance of developing an elaborate project plan because it outlines the foundations of the entire project. By failing to plan, it is difficult to control all other aspects of the project. This paper has also shown that managing the planning stage helps the project manager to develop clear communication plans and define clear roles for team members. These factors are important in the proper management of the entire project. For the execution phase, this paper has shown that managing the project lifecycle is critical in scope definition, resource allocation, and project scheduling. Managing the project lifecycle is also important during the control stage because it helps project managers to undertake effective control processes. People can underestimate its importance during the last stage of the project lifecycle (closure) because managing the project lifecycle during this phase is critical in identifying new lessons for improving future projects and improving the relationship between the project manager and the sponsors. Collectively, the insights highlighted in this paper show the importance of managing the project lifecycle for purposes of achieving successful project outcomes. Works Cited Archibald, Russell. The Importance And Value Of Project Management  For Enterprises And Institutions. 2004. Web. CLARIZEN. Importance of Cost Management In Project Management. 2015. Web. Dye, Lowell. Ma naging Multiple Projects: Planning, Scheduling, and Allocating  Resources for Competitive Advantage, New York, NY: CRC Press, 2002. Print. Haugan, Gregory. Project Planning and Scheduling, New York, NY: Management Concepts Inc., 2002. Print. Hill, Gerard. The Complete Project Management Methodology and Toolkit, New York, NY: CRC Press, 2009. Print. Hillson, David. Managing Risk in Projects, New York, NY: Gower Publishing, Ltd., 2012. Print. Kliem, Ralph. Ethics and Project Management, New York, NY: CRC Press, 2011. Print. Lewis, James. Project Planning, Scheduling Control: A Hands-On Guide to Bringing  Projects in on Time and on Budget, New York, NY: Probus Pub Co., 1995. Print. Lutchman, Chitram. Project Execution: A Practical Approach to Industrial and  Commercial Project Management, New York, NY: CRC Press, 2010. Print. Priority Management International. The Importance of Project Planning. 2015. Web. Project Insight. Project Scheduling. 2015. Web. Schwalbe, Kathy. Informat ion Technology Project Management, London, UK: Cengage Learning, 2015. Print. SQA. Closure and Evaluation. 2007. Web. The University of Akron. Project Life Cycle. 2015. Web. Westland, Jason. The Project Management Life Cycle: A Complete Step-by-step  Methodology for Initiating, Planning, Executing Closing a Project Successfully, New York, NY: Kogan Page Publishers, 2007. Print. This essay on The Importance of Managing the Project Lifecycle to Achieve Successful Project Outputs was written and submitted by user D0m1n0 to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Saturday, March 7, 2020

Life of Al Capone essays

Life of Al Capone essays Imagine a city where gangster ruled. In the 1920s, Chicago was a town known for being controlled by its criminal element. Half of the police force was paid by mob rulers; illegal alcohol was flowing free in the streets during the Prohibition Era; and the fire of tommy guns was a familiar sound to everyone who lived in downtown Chicago. In the windy city, Al Capone was the epitome of a gangster whose lifestyle involved crime, prostitution, and bootlegged alcohol. In his youth, Al Capone already started a life of crime which led to his being a notorious gangster as an adult; however, it was not his violence but his lifestyle that brought about his demise. As a child, Al started to become involved with some gang-related activities and also met some people that helped develop a lifestyle that shaped the way he would live. Al Capone came from a humble beginning. Gabriele Capone, a barber, and Teresina Raiola, a seamstress, were both born in Naples, Italy, where they were married. (Al Capone) They had three children in Italy, but desired a better life for their family. They decided to move to America, the land of the free. Once, in America they made their home in Brooklyn, New York. This is where their fourth son, Alphonse Capone, was born on January 17, 1899. Though living in poverty, their parents provided a decent standard of living for their children. When Capone was old enough to start school Als parents sent him to a public school in Brooklyn. Later he dropped out at the age of fourteen due to a fight with his teacher and the schools principal. Now, Capone had plenty of free time on his hands. Family members and friend s noticed that Al was very wise when it came to living on the streets of New York. He had a clever and somewhat ingenious mind when it came to life on the street. He had what most people called street smarts. Now that Capone was spending more time on the streets, he starte...

Thursday, February 20, 2020

Gender bias in mathematic achievement Research Paper

Gender bias in mathematic achievement - Research Paper Example In a study conducted by Arnot (134), it is difficult to separate the adoption of these attitudes from the powerful and diverse forces, which dictate the expectations of students. The third theme is drawn from a recent research study conducted by Bevan (4), which established that gender differences in Mathematics achievement essentially arise through variations in learning styles, organization of learning, and teaching styles. Based on such underpinning tenets, it is necessary to examine and account for causes of gender bias in Mathematics achievement. In his study, Becker (221) identifies that boys are best, relative to girls, in both practical and applied areas while girls do best relative to boys in computation involving decimals, whole numbers, and some algebra related aspects. Attitude towards Mathematics also played a significant role in creating the existing gender bias in Mathematics. Boys have a significantly greater tendency towards judging topics in Mathematics a s easy and significantly, more girls than boys believed that they had difficulties in remembering formulae, understanding Mathematics concepts, and in applying the work that had studied in class (Bevan 4). The perception of learners about Mathematics has a greater contribution towards gender bias. Three factors constitute learner perception towards Mathematics: learner expectations of Mathematics, types of activity that entail their Mathematics education, and prevailing stereotypes about Mathematics. As affirmed by Becker (223), the greater the agreement exists in these strands, the less the digression between Mathematics achievement and gender. Even though the variations in attainment are considered relatively insignificant, variations in the attitudes of both girls, and boys towards Mathematics is striking. Moreover, the uncertainty exhibited by girls’ and confidence in boys, both extend beyond individual

Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Taxation in Estate Planning Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Taxation in Estate Planning - Assignment Example The shares may be gifted to some family members in order to benefit from annual tax exception. It is important to note that any property owned in a Family limited partnership impact positively on estate tax exemptions. Applicable distribution period Under retirement plans, the applicable distribution period is pegged on the age of the retiree or that of the beneficiary and allows for the calculations of benefits accruing to each beneficiary. The internal revenue code provides for three tables which assist in finding the applicable distribution period. The first table is used only by the beneficiaries while the second table is used by account holders whose beneficiaries are spouses, who are 10 years junior in each, the last table deals with situations where there are no beneficiaries. Life expectancy is used in the calculations of applicable distribution tables. A special use valuation This is a design used in evaluating all assets in a successor’s gross estate where specific r eal property such as those used for farming or business is valued. Before benefiting on this design, one must demonstrate that 25 per cent of the adjusted value of the decedents gross estate consists of the adjusted value of real estate property used in the business and that 50% of the adjusted value of the decedent’s gross estate consist of real or personal property used in business. A Special Use Valuation has the following benefits; it saves couple of hours of research on specific tax planning topics from this area, access to important practice documents such as tables, charts and lists. It saves time used in accessing relevant sections of tax laws, regulations, court cases, IRS documents and more and offers alternative approaches valuable tax scenarios. Historically, one needed to prove that the decedent had substantially took part in the business for five of the eight years before death. Alternate valuation date Alternate valuation dates facilitates the determination of the value of the gross estate. Property distributed, sold exchanged or which is disposed of within 6 months of the death of the decedent shall be valued as at the date of distribution, sale exchange or other disposition. Those not dealt with as above shall be valued 6 months after the death of the decedent. Estate affected by mere lapse of time is included as of the time of death. However adjustments are made for any difference in its value as of the later date and not to mere lapse of time. Special rules provide that deductions shall not be allowed if allowance is given by the alternate valuation. Any bequest, legacy devise transfer and marital deductions shall be valued as of the date of the death of the decedent. Charitable lead trust A charitable lead trust is intended to reduce the amount of taxable income for deceased estate beneficiaries. This is done by donating a portion of the income to charities and after a specified time transferring the remaining trust to the beneficiar ies. Taxable termination This is the termination of an interest in property held in a trust. The termination can be by way of death, lapse of time or release of power provided that immediately before the termination non-skip person has no interest in such property and that at no time after such termination, a distribution is made to a skip person including distribution on such trust. Certain partial terminations may

Monday, January 27, 2020

Brief History Of Positive Psychology Psychology Essay

Brief History Of Positive Psychology Psychology Essay The advent of positive psychology as we know it today can be traced back to Martin E. P. Seligmans 1998 Presidential Address to the American Psychological Association (Seligman, 1999). Following a serendipitous holiday meeting between Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi in winter 1997 (Csikszentmihalyi, 2003), and an epiphanic moment when gardening with his daughter Nikki (Seligman Csikszentmihalyi, 2000), Seligman realized that psychology had largely neglected the latter two of its three pre-World War II missions: curing mental illness, helping all people to lead more productive and fulfilling lives, and identifying and nurturing high talent. The advent of the Veterans Administration (in 1946) and the National Institute of Mental Health (in 1947) had largely rendered psychology a healing discipline based upon a disease model and illness ideology (Maddux, 2002; Maddux, Snyder, Lopez, 2004). With this realization, Seligman resolved to use his APA presidency to initiate a shift in psycholo gys focus toward a more positive psychology (Seligman, 1999). Seligmans presidential initiative was catalyzed by a series of meetings in Akumal, Mexico, of scholars who could inform the conceptualization and early development of positive psychology, and the establishment of the Positive Psychology Steering Committee (Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Ed Diener, Kathleen Hall Jamieson, Chris Peterson, and George Vaillant). From this followed the Positive Psychology Network, later to become the Positive Psychology Center at the University of Pennsylvania, the first Positive Psychology Summit in Washington, DC, and a special issue of the American psychologist on positive psychology to mark the new millennium. Further, in the 7 years since Seligmans presidential address, there have been numerous positive psychology books, journal special issues, and the establishment of regional positive psychology networks that span the globe (Seligman, 2005). Now, in 2006, we have the first dedicated positive psychology journal, The Journal of Positive Psychology. These are remarkable achievements for any psychology movement in such a short space of time. Many readers may well be wondering why, and below we offer some thoughts in response to this question. As the leading advocate of positive psychology, Seligman has been exceptionally successful at catalyzing and uniting the efforts of the many distinguished scientists who have become some of the key players in the positive psychology movement. These include the Positive Psychology Steering Committee (Csikszentmihalyi, Diener, Jamieson, Peterson, and Vaillant) and the leaders of numerous positive psychology research centres, research pods, and grant holders (Seligman, 2005). Other notable figures include C. R. (Rick) Snyder, who edited the special issue of the Journal of social and clinical psychology (2000) and the influential Handbook of positive psychology (2002); Chris Peterson, who headed up the Values-in-Action project that led to the VIA classification of strengths and virtues (Peterson Seligman, 2004); and the winners of the prestigious Templeton Positive Psychology Prizes: Barbara Fredrickson (2000) for her work on positive emotions; Jon Haidt (2001) for his work on the posit ive moral emotion of elevation; and Suzanne Segerstrom (2002) for her work on the beneficial effects of optimism on physical health. A further critical factor in the success of many of these initiatives was the financial support that made them possible, provided by such donors as the Templeton Foundation, The Gallup Organization, the Mayerson Foundation, the Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands, and the Atlantic Philanthropies, among others. And given the research imbalance between psychopathology and disease, relative to human strengths and well-being, positive psychology also offered excellent opportunities for rapid scientific advances, simply because many topics had been largely ignored (Gable Haidt, 2005). Thus, the development of positive psychology was clearly shaped and energized by the considerable efforts of Seligman and the other major players in the field. Their deliberate sociology of science approach, recognizing and building on the structural forces that shape the discipline of psychology, cemented positive psychologys place through bringing in major research funding, providing considerable research leadership, engaging the wider public media, and attracting some of the brightest early career scientists through the provision of training institutes, research collaborations with senior scientists, and funding support for their work. However, it is also eminently clear from a cursory examination of the research literature that positive psychology did not begin in 1997, or 1998, or 1999, or 2000 (McCullough Snyder, 2000). In fact, positive psychology has always been with us, but as a holistic and integrated body of knowledge, it has passed unrecognized and uncelebrated, and one of the major achievements of the positive psychology movement to date has been to consolidate, lift up, and celebrate what we do know about what makes life worth living, as well as carefully delineating the areas where we need to do more. Research into positive psychology topics has gone on for decades, and might even be traced back to the origins of psychology itself, for example, in William James writings on healthy mindedness (James, 1902). In broad terms, positive psychology has common interests with parts of humanistic psychology, and its emphasis on the fully functioning person (Rogers, 1961), and self-actualization and the study of healthy individuals (Maslow, 1968). Indeed, we note that more than 50 years ago, Maslow lamented psychologys preoccupation with disorder and dysfunction: The science of psychology has been far more successful on the negative than on the positive side. It has revealed to us much about mans shortcomings, his illness, his sins, but little about his potentialities, his virtues, his achievable aspirations, or his full psychological height. It is as if psychology has voluntarily restricted itself to only half its rightful jurisdiction, and that, the darker, meaner half (Maslow, 1954, p. 354). Initially at least, positive psychology may not have paid sufficient tribute to its historical antecedents, leading to some criticisms (Taylor, 2001; Tennen Affleck, 2003). However, there is now a growing recognition that positive psychology can learn useful lessons from earlier research and theorizing, and we hope that the animosity that has sometimes characterized previous exchanges will be replaced with increasing respect and collaboration (Joseph Worsley, 2005), not least so that positive psychology can prosper through integration, rather than whither through isolation. WHAT IS POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY? In asking this question, one is faced with the inherent danger that 10 positive psychologists would provide 10 different answers. Should this be taken to suggest that nobody really knows, exactly, what positive psychology is? We would argue that this is actually far from the case, yet equally we have a very real sense that positive psychology might often be interpreted as being all things to all people. Indeed, in the course of numerous presentations to hosts of different audiences, psychologist and non-psychologist, academics and practitioners, we have the consistent experiences of eyes lighting up and people saying Ah, positive psychology, thats what we need. And when we ask what they understand by positive psychology, we receive different answers every time. In this sense, positive psychology is perceived of as a panacea for many modern ills. It is not. But, by providing a different interpretative lens, it offers a different worldview and thereby novel answers to some questions th at have been around for a long time, and shines the light of scientific inquiry into previously dark and neglected corners. Consider, for example, the following definitions of positive psychology, all taken from authoritative positive psychological sources: The field of positive psychology at the subjective level is about valued subjective experiences: well-being, contentment, and satisfaction (in the past); hope and optimism (for the future); and flow and happiness (in the present). At the individual level, it is about positive individual traits: the capacity for love and vocation, courage, interpersonal skill, aesthetic sensibility, perseverance, forgiveness, originality, future mindedness, spirituality, high talent, and wisdom. At the group level, it is about the civic virtues and the institutions that move individuals toward better citizenship: responsibility, nurturance, altruism, civility, moderation, tolerance, and work ethic (Seligman Csikszentmihalyi, 2000). What is positive psychology? It is nothing more than the scientific study of ordinary human strengths and virtues. Positive psychology revisits the average person, with an interest in finding out what works, what is right, and what is improving . . . positive psychology is simply psychology (Sheldon King, 2001). Positive psychology is the study of the conditions and processes that contribute to the flourishing or optimal functioning of people, groups, and institutions (Gable Haidt, 2005). Positive psychology is about scientifically informed perspectives on what makes life worth living. It focuses on aspects of the human condition that lead to happiness, fulfilment, and flourishing (The Journal of Positive Psychology, 2005). There are certainly core themes and consistencies, but also differences in emphasis and interpretation. In thinking about how best to represent positive psychology, and how best to position its understanding in the first issue of The Journal of Positive Psychology, we believe it would be helpful to provide what we see as a definition of positive psychology that identifies and delineates the different things that it might mean to different people. We also specify what positive psychology is not, in the hope that we can lay to rest some of the ghosts of criticism that have haunted positive psychology (sometimes with justification, often with misunderstanding) since its inception. Further, as will become clear later in the article, this definition and understanding of positive psychology helps to inform and develop the potential future pathways and applications of positive psychology that we map out below (Linley et al. 2006). PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING INTRODUCTION Historic Introduction to Positive Psychological Functioning Throughout history, psychologists have offered different descriptions of positive psychological functioning, or well-being, in the context of the different branches of psychology, such as developmental or clinical psychology. From the perspective of developmental psychology, Erikson [1950] presented the concept of a à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ healthy personality in the context of Freudian theory. Erikson perceives development of the personality as a process in which each personality factor is related with the others, in such a way that the personality as a whole depends on the correct development of each of its components. In his analysis of the growth process, this author talks about how the components of mental health develop over the following series of sequential stages: a sense of basic trust, a sense of autonomy, a sense of initiative, a sense of industry, a sense of ego identity, geniality, generativity and integrity. During each of these stages a conflict takes place, and the persons development will be more or less healthy, depending on how this conflict is resolved. According to Eriksons vision, development of the ego is a continuous growth process, which progresses, throughout a persons lifespan, towards a superior capacity. This same perspective of continuous growth throughout the lifespan can be found in Bà ¼hlers theory [1935], which speaks of the so-called à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢curve of life. Buhler concluded that, in spite of individual differences, there is a regular sequence in which events, experiences and achievements appear in peopleslives, and that improvement or deterioration in psychological well-being does not necessarily occur at the same rate as changes in physical well-being. From the perspective of clinical psychology, authors such as Maslow, Allport and Rogers have offered other descriptions of well-being. In his well-known pyramid, Maslow [1958] includes 5 basic needs that a person must fulfill to become fully-functioning. A person begins by satisfying the most basic needs and after fulfilling the first one, then moves on to the next, on the level immediately above. Firstly, the most basic needs for an organism are considered to be physiological ones. These are, undoubtedly, the most important in the pyramid, in that when a person loses everything in life, his strongest desire is to satisfy this type of need. The most important goal in a person without food, love or safety, will most certainly be to find food before anything else. When none of the needs are satisfied and the organism is dominated by physiological requirements, the other needs cease to exist or become less important. In second place, when the physiological needs are satisfied the need for safety takes over. When a person is in this stage, safety becomes more important than anything else, even than the physiological needs that are already covered. Maslows third need concerns the requirement to belong to a group, and for affection and love, which comes into play when the previous two needs have been satisfied. The person is now interested in forming relationships with others and becoming part of a group, and will work hard to achieve this. The person is now more interested in doing this than in anything else and forgets the little importance he attributed to this when he was hungry. Maslows fourth need corresponds to a persons self-esteem. This author considers that everyone (with the exception of some mental illnesses) needs a positive opinion of himself, self-respect and self-esteem and also to be valued by others. These needs can be classified into two sub-groups: on the one hand, a desire for fortitude, achievements, independence and freedom and, on the other hand, a desire to earn a good reputation or prestige, defined as having gained the respect or esteem of others. Finally, we come to the need for self-actualization, defined as a person realizing his full potential, which comes into play when all the other needs are satisfied. According to Maslow à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ what a man can be, he must be, and he calls this need, self-actualization. If a person has the talent to do something, he will be unsatisfied or unhappy if he cannot fully develop this part of himself, in other words, a musician must make music and a poet must write poems. This need refers to the desire for a person to develop his full potential, to seek personal growth and to become everything he is capable of being. Clearly, these desires vary greatly from one person to the next. Some people may feel self-fulfilled by becoming top sportsmen, while others will acquire a feeling of self-fulfillment by being good parents. MULTIDIMENSIONAL MODEL OF PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING In relation to the concept of psychological well-being, Ryff [1989a] proposes a multidimensional model composed of 6 different dimensions: Self-acceptance, Positive relations with others, Autonomy, Environmental mastery, Purpose in life and Personal growth. These 6 dimensions of psychological well-being can be defined as follows: Self-acceptance: This is a key part of well-being and concerns the positive opinion a person has of himself. It does not refer to narcissistic self love or superficial self-esteem, but instead to a constructed self-regard that includes both positive and negative aspects [Ryff and Singer, 2003]. Other authors spoke about this previously, [Jung 1933; Von Franz, 1964] emphasizing that only a fully-individuated person can accept his own failures. The concept of ego integrity introduced by Erikson [1959], also refers to a person coming to terms with his own triumphs and failures in past life. This acceptance of self is constructed with an honest self-assessment; the person is aware of his personal failings and limitations, but has the love to accept and embrace himself as he is. High scores in this factor are indicators of people with a positive attitude, who recognize and accept the multiple aspect of the self, including their good and bad qualities, and can look at the past with positive feelings [Ryff and Keyes, 1995]. Low scores in this factor appear in people who are largely unsatisfied with themselves; they are uncomfortable with what has happened in their past life, are concerned about some of their personal qualities and want to change [Ryff and Keyes, 1995]. Positive relationships with others: These include the fortitude, pleasures and human delights that come from close contact with others, from intimacy and love [Ryff and Singer, 2003]. Theories about the stages of adult development also emphasize close relationships with others (intimacy) and the guidance and care of others (generativity). The importance of having positive relationships with other people is repeatedly emphasized in definitions of psychological well-being [Ryff and Singer, 1996]. High scores appear in people who have warm, satisfactory and trusting relationships with others, who are concerned about the well-being of others and have the capacity to feel empathy, affect and intimacy and understand the give and take in human relationships [Ryff and Keyes, 1995]. Low scores indicate that a person has few close and trusting relationships with other people, finds it difficult to be warm, open and to feel concern for the wellbeing of others. They feel isolated and frustrated with social relationships. These people do not want an important commitment with others [Ryff and Keyes, 1995]. Autonomy: This refers to a persons ability to march to his own drum and to pursue personal convictions and beliefs, even if these go against accepted dogma or conventional wisdom. It also refers to the ability to be alone if necessary and to live autonomously [Ryff and Singer, 2003]. Also, in theories about self-actualization, the self-actualizers are described as functioning autonomously and as being resistant to enculturation. In studies into the concept of a fully functioning person, this person is someone with an internal frame of assessment, who is mainly uninterested in what others think of him, but will evaluate himself according to his own personal standards [Ryff and Singer, 1996]. High scores in this factor show people who are self-determined and independent, capable of resisting social pressure and of acting by regulating their behavior from an internal frame of assessment. These people self-evaluate according to personal standards [Ryff and Keyes, 1995]. Low scores indicate people who are concerned about the expectations of others, they depend on other peoplesjudgments before making important decisions, and their thoughts and actions are influenced by social pressures [Ryff and Keyes, 1995]. Environmental mastery: This is another essential factor in well-being and concerns the challenge of a person mastering the environment around him. This ability requires the skills of creating and sustaining environments that are beneficial to a person [Ryff and Singer, 2003]. The ability of an individual to choose or to create environments appropriate for his mental state is defined as a characteristic of mental health. According to life-span developmental theories, for a person to adequately master his environment, he needs the ability to manage and to control complex surroundings, emphasizing from this perspective the need to move forwards in the world and to change it creatively with physical and mental activities [Ryff and Singer, 1996]. High scores in this factor are obtained by people with a sense of mastery and competence of their surroundings, who can make effective use of opportunities that arise and can choose or create contexts appropriate for their needs and personal values [Ryff and Keyes, 1995]. Low scores indicate a difficulty in managing daily affairs, or changing or improving their environment and making the most of opportunities that arise, and a lack of control about the world around them [Ryff and Keyes, 1995]. Purpose in life: This is a persons ability to find a meaning and a direction in his own experiences, and to propose and set goals in his life [Ryff and Singer, 2003]. The definition of maturity also clearly emphasizes an understanding of the purpose of life and the presence of a sense of direction and intentionality. A positively functioning person has goals, intentions and a sense of direction, and all of this helps to give a meaning to life [Ryff and Singer, 1996]. High scores in this factor appear in people who have goals in life and a sense of direction; they feel that both the past and the present of their lives has a meaning, they hold beliefs that give their lives a purpose and have goals and reasons to live [Ryff and Keyes, 1995]. Low scores appear in people who feel their life has no meaning and have no goals or sense of direction; they cant see any point in their past experiences [Ryff and Keyes, 1995]. Personal growth: This factor concerns a persons ability to realize his own potential and talent and to develop new resources. It also frequently involves encounters with adversity that require one to dig deeply to find ones inner strength [Ryff and Singer, 2003]. It is associated with being open to new experiences, which is a key characteristic of the fully functioning person. Life-span theories also explicitly emphasize the importance of continuing to grow and to tackle new tasks or challenges in the different stages of ones life [Ryff and Singer, 1996]. High scores indicate people who want to continue to develop. They regard themselves as growing and expanding, are open to new experiences, feel they are fulfilling their potential, they can see improvements in the self and in their behavior over time, and change towards ways that improve their self-knowledge and effectiveness [Ryff and Keyes, 1995]. Low scores appear in people with a sense of personal stagnation, with no improvement or growth over a period of time, they feel bored and lack interest in life. They feel incapable of developing new attitudes or behaviors [Ryff and Keyes, 1995]. This model was studied in a representative sample of 1108 adults over 25 years old. In the confirmatory analysis of the factors, it was found that the results supported the multidimensional model proposed, and was the model which best fitted the six factors combined together to form a factor of higher order, called psychological well-being [Ryff and Keyes, 1995]. In this same study, it was found that the factors self-acceptance and environmental mastery were highly correlated, so it was proposed to combine these factors to obtain a model with 5 factors. In any case, the authors concluded that well-being is more than simply feeling happy or satisfied with life; nor is it merely an absence of negative emotions or experiences which define the well-lived. Instead it entails having a rich perception of these experiences and successfully managing the challenges and difficulties that may arise [Ryff and Singer, 2003]. MEASURES OF PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING Bradburn Affect Balance Scale One of the first scales that could be used to measure psychological well-being, which later served as a reference to validate subsequent scales is the BABS (Bradburn Affect Balance Scale) [Bradburn, 1969]. This is a ten-item scale divided into two subscales, one that evaluates positive affect and the other that evaluates negative affect. Each of these subscales has 5 items. These items refer to pleasant or unpleasant experiences over the past few weeks which are intentionally treated with a degree of ambiguity [Bartlett and Coles, 1998]. The score is obtained by adding one point for every yes answer and summarizing separately the responses to the positive and negative subscales, respectively. After this, the difference between the scores is calculated and a constant is added to eliminate possible negative results. The test-retest reliability was evaluated by Bradburn [1969], and in a sample of 200 people with an interval of 3 days the reliability calculated for positive affect, negative affect and the affect balance were 0.83, 0.81 and 0.76, respectively. The Short Form 36 The Short Form 36 (SF-36) was developed to measure the services provided by different health departments in the United States [Ware, Snow, Kosinski et al. 1993]. It is a self-administered scale comprised of 8 different subscales that contain Likert-type items. The 8 different concepts are each evaluated by their own scale: Physical functioning. Role limitations because of physical health problems. Bodily pain. Social functioning. General mental health (psychological distress and psychological well-being). Role limitations because of emotional problems. Vitality (energy/fatigue). General health perceptions. Both the General mental health and the Vitality subscales have psychological implications. The authors of the SF-36 scale understand mental health (measured by the General mental health scale) as part of a construct of psychological well-being with a positive pole and another negative pole [Bartlett and Coles, 1998]. This scale has received some criticism, such as that from Hunt and McKenna [1993] who question the design of the scale, both in the selection of its items and also its objective. For example, Hunt asks how many British people could answer the question à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬ ¢Does your health limit you in your ability to do vigorous activities, such as sports, running, lifting heavy objects? when most of them dont even do this kind of activity. Hunt uses another example with the question Does your health limit you in your ability to walk a mile?. He considers this question is complicated with the factor of necessity. He explains that some people wont walk a mile even if they are in good health, while others, from necessity, because they live in the outskirts or for other reasons, will walk the mile in spite of having poor health. McHorney, Ware and Razcek [1993] provided evidence to support the validity of SF-36, showing that the mental health scale can discriminate between groups by using the mean scores. A group with minor medical conditions has a mean score of 83, a group with a serious medical condition would have a mean score of 78 and a group with a serious medical condition with psychiatric comorbidity would obtain a mean score of around 53. Satisfaction with Life Scale (Swls) This is a self-administered scale with 5 items relating to level of satisfaction with life. The possible responses are 1 to 7, where 1 indicates that the person strongly disagrees with the statement and 7 that they strongly agree [Diener, Emmons, Sem et al. 1985]. The score is the total of the responses to these 5 items and can be used to classify the person into one of the following categories: 30-35: extremely satisfied, well above average. 25-29: very satisfied, above average. 20-24: quite satisfied, average for adult United States citizens. 15-19: slightly dissatisfied, a little less than average. 10-14: dissatisfied, clearly below the average. 5-9: extremely dissatisfied, far below the average. The test-retest correlation was carried out with 2 months difference and gave a result of 0.82. The alpha coefficient of the scale is 0.87 [Diener, Emmons, Sem et al. 1985]. This is a scale to measure subjective well-being and in its original validation the authors calculate the correlation existing between SWLS and other scales to measure subjective wellbeing, including the Bradburn scale (BABS) described previously. The coefficient of correlation for Bradburns positive affect subscale is 0.5 and that for the negative affect subscale is -0.37. Psychological General Well-Being Index Short (PGWB-S) The PGWBI scale is a 22-item scale that evaluates self-perceived psychological wellbeing, each item is evaluated on a 6 point scale. The scale assesses 6 dimensions of quality of life relating to health: anxiety, depression, positive well-being, self-control, general health and vitality [Grossi, Groth, Mosconi et al. 2006]. There is a considerable amount of information about the original scale since it was used widely in studies in the United States and worldwide, and has been translated and validated in several languages, for example to Spanish by Badia, Gutierrez, Wiklund et al. [1996]. The short version of the PGWBI aims to reduce the number of items but to maintain the validity and reliability of the scale. In its final version, the PGWB-S has only 6 items that reflect 5 of the 6 items assessed in the original version (except for general health) and reproduces 90% of the variation in the result of the PGWBI. The high Cronbach alpha value (between 0.8 and 0.92) indicates a good reliability when compared with the original scale. Psychological Well-Being Scales (PGWB) One of the most widely used scales to measure psychological well-being is Ryffs scale [1989a]. This scale breaks down the construct into 6 different dimensions [Ryff, 1989b] that are analyzed separately, each with their own subscale. The dimensions analyzed are: Self-acceptance, Positive relations with others, Autonomy, Environmental mastery, Purpose in life and Personal growth. Each of these subscales has 20 likert-type items in which the patient self-assesses himself by choosing from the six possible responses, from strongly agree to strongly disagree. This test has high test-retest reliability and a high internal consistency. Moreover, its convergent and discriminate validity with other measures have also been studied. The test-retest coefficients per subscale (with a retest of 6 weeks) were self-acceptance 0.85, relations with others 0.83, autonomy 0.88, environmental mastery 0.81, purpose in life 0.82 and personal growth 0.81. The alpha coefficients for the subscales were: self-acceptance 0.93, relations with others 0.91, autonomy 0.86, environmental mastery 0.90, purpose in life 0.90 and personal growth 0.87. Ryffs article gives an in-depth explanation of convergent validity [1989a]. Here, we indicate the convergent validity values for the different dimensions with Bradburns Affect Balance Scale: self-acceptance 0.55, relations with others 0.30, autonomy 0.36, environmental mastery 0.62, purpose in life 0.42 and personal growth 0.25. The fact that this covers 6 scales (120 items), combined with its good psychometric qualities have given rise to the development of shorter versions, which still maintain good fits and consistency. These versions include the one by Van Dierendonck [2004] which, with only 39 items, obtains a goodness of fit indicator (GFI) of 0.88 and Cronbachs alpha between 0.84 and 0.70 (depending on the subscale). CONCLUSION Overall, Positive Psychologys goal, as by Seligman (2002), is to develop the individual strengths of our young people so they may realize their personal potential and fulfill the second goal, that of creating a thriving community of civically responsible and productive members. Psychological well-being has been reviewed immensely. Moreover, the take-home message is that positive emotions are worth cultivatin

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Pride and Prejudice Essay

Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice (1813) is believed to originate from the manuscript called First Impressions that have been written between 1796 and 1797. The initial title indicates that characters’ behavior and evaluations are influenced by their first impressions. The second title stresses the importance of such psychological traits and mechanisms as pride and prejudice. In a course of the novel personages change a lot so far as they understand that perfunctory attitudes and assessments are false when being devoid of knowledge of the context and understanding of an individual’s character. The present paper tackles upon analysis of Austen’s book as being researched through a lens of psychology. Contemporary science introduced the â€Å"social stereotypes† concept which significantly influences people’s interaction within a given social group. Among many other important contributions, the novel of interest teaches us to approach carefully decisions as related to our interpersonal acting and judgment of group members according to first impressions. The effects, dangers and consequences of premature evaluations as based on social stereotypes will be analysed with specific examples from the book. The novel under review is believed to be an example of psychological writing or novel of human relationships. As Sherry has acknowledged, the writer is always aware of â€Å"the presence of other individuals with whom it is either a duty or a pleasure to mix† (611). The very title of the book consists of two psychological concepts. The one of â€Å"pride† denotes a trait of character associated with high self-esteem. Another one of â€Å"prejudice† refers to a situation when a person makes decisions regardless of the context and relevant features of a case or individual. In regard to the issue of Austen’s psychologism, critic Bloom has cited Ian Watt, an important theorist of literature from Stanford University. The latter has claimed Austen to be â€Å"the commenting narrator† in the sense that her â€Å"analyses of †¦ characters and their states of mind, and her ironical juxtaposition of motive and situation †¦ do not seem to come from an intrusive author but rather from some august and impersonal spirit of social and psychological understanding† (39). In his turn, another literary critic, Ryan, has defined Austen’s psychologism as an â€Å"experiment in schematic psychology† (33). The latter definition with its emphasis on the writer’s schematism in delineating people’s behavioral patterns and analyzing their internal and external drives seems to be really accurate, given the recent developments in psychological science. Just think of the plain statistics: in Austen’s text, there are 48 references to the phenomenon of â€Å"pride,† which is accessible through direct observation, but there are only 8 cases of mentioning the phenomenon of â€Å"prejudice,† which requires a deeper understanding of psychological mechanisms and social contexts. It seems that the writer lacks instruments and concepts to analyze human behavior at a deeper level but this is not Austen’s fault. Being unaware of any of the recent theories of social sciences, she nevertheless hits the very essence of the process that would later be called â€Å"social stereotyping. † Let us prove this hypothesis on the example of the â€Å"pride† concept. First time it is explained in Chapter 5 by Mary Bennet, the most earnest of the Bennets, who is interested in social theory. Upon the ball at which the local society has got acquainted with Fitzwilliam Darcy, the rich and handsome gentleman from London, women start discussing the newcomer and label him as being â€Å"eat up with pride† (Austen 25). On occasion, Mary has demonstrated her education, saying: Pride is a very common failing†¦ human nature is particularly prone to it, and †¦ there are very few of us who do not cherish a feeling of self-complacency on the score of some quality or other, real or imaginary. Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us. (ibid. ) The validity of Mary’s (i. e. , Austen’s) remark has been acknowledged many decades afterwards by contemporary psychologists including Hunyady and Ryan. Whereas Mary Bennet operates the phrase â€Å"opinion of ourselves,† when referring to characteristics ascribed to the self by an individual, Ryan uses the term â€Å"self-ratings† (191), and Hunyady employs the term â€Å"self-image† (189). Both Mary (i. e. Austen) and modern scientists are aware of the complexity of perceptions as featured by the subject and members of the group. To proceed with comparison, whereas in the novel there is made a distinction between â€Å"pride† as a self-rating and â€Å"vanity† as the rating imposed by the community, Ryan speaks about the concept of â€Å"social stereotype. † The psychologist has ac knowledged that it consists of the two basic elements: â€Å"the perceived stereotypicality of a group (i. e. , the perceived extremity of the central tendency) and the perceived dispersion, or diversity, of group members† (191). This point is not Ryan’s unique invention. On the same issue, another social scientist, Hunyady, has stressed the duality of social processes as occurring both within the specific group and outside it. Observing the complexity of relationships in dynamic social contexts, Hunyady has emphasized the following: †¦ [T]he categories of persons and the related stereotypes do not stand on their own but rather are components of some kind of a system. †¦ [S]tereotypes are the mosaic pieces of a picture formed of the whole society. One not only gets to know his individual companions or groups of his companions but also tries to get a comprehensive view of the entire human world and of society, in which he and his fellows have a place and a more or less stable environment. (189) In other words, psychologists argue that in a process of exhibiting the new object to the social group, the behavior of group members in regard to this object is predicted by realistic group conflict theory and social cognition theories of social categorization. Every subject unit of the group obeys to a certain set of normative regulations. An individual does not function on his/her own but clearly fits into this or that community. Subsequently and inevitably, a person evaluates oneself according to the degree of membership, or the extent to which his/her ratings of the self, the group and social processes conform to the summated ratings of other people belonging to that group. As Ryan has indicated, there is a â€Å"central tendency,† or the core perception of the phenomenon that is agreed upon by all group members as being guided by a set of shared norms, and there are also deviations from the mainstream. The latter are allowed by those group subjects who are less inclined to stereotype the phenomena of life due to their intellect and character. Taking this conceptual framework into consideration, we should admit that the stages of the social stereotyping process are brilliantly revealed by Austen in Pride and Prejudice, albeit the narrator employs a simple, non-scientific language. There is a specific group in the countryside 19th century England whose members share the common regulations concerning people and events. The highest value is attributed to the upper class membership, wealth, and appearance. There is â€Å"the aura of a small, enclosed community of talking, visiting, and company† (Sherry 611) that confines every person to the specific role and place. In this social atmosphere, first impressions, which are based on the abovementioned features of appearance and sweet manners (i. e. , those which do not deviate from the central tendency), become the long-lasting tags for an individual. It is extremely difficult to overcome the sustainability of these immediately formed stereotypes. Since the very moment of his entry to the ball room, Fitzwilliam Darcy drew the group’s attention. He is a new person to the community, and at first sight he seems to be in accord with the shared set of norms so far as the man is high, good-looking and enjoys a substantial income of ten thousand a year. However, conforming to the stereotype of a â€Å"good man† in the sense of outlook and social position, Darcy becomes a breacher of discipline in terms of his relationships with other group members. Darcy is claimed â€Å"to be proud; to be above his company, and above being pleased; and not all his large estate in Derbyshire could then save him from having a most forbidding, disagreeable countenance† (Austen 14). The reason for such a shift in attitudes is the man’s denial of the spirit of companionship that is somewhat more important to the community than the characteristics of its individual subjects, however handsome and wealthy they are. The clue to understanding the first impression of Darcy is provided in the scene where young women are discussing him after the ball. Charlotte Lucas, the best friend of the second Bennet’s daughters Elizabeth, who is the main female personage of the story, justifies Darcy by the fact that his high self-rating is understandable so far as he possesses every feature admired within the group: His pride does not offend me so much as pride often does, because there is an excuse for it. One cannot wonder that so very fine a young man, with family, fortune, everything in his favour, should think highly of himself. If I may so express it, he has a right to be proud. (Austen 25) In other words, this is not the man’s high self-esteem that hurts the senses of the locals. His drawback tackles upon not the pardonable attitude of pride but the regrettable vanity, or the overt negligence of the shared persuasion that the given social group is the best environment for any dignified individual. Regarding the eagerness to enter the local community and borrow its toolkit of stereotypes, Darcy represents a sharp contrast to an amiable young officer, Mr. Wickham. The latter is as handsome as the former but is more eagerly accepted by the group so far as he gladly steps into social intercourses with every member of the circle. As the personage himself has confessed, â€Å"I have been a disappointed man, and my spirits will not bear solitude. I must have employment and society† (Austen 98). This weakness and lack of the so to say inner rod is initially perceived as a virtue by group members. Austen’s mastery is made evident in the scenes documenting the usual intercourse between group members so that the reader can get impression of the relationships permeating the group atmosphere and learn the principles which back up the social stereotypes of that time. To make a clue to her heroes’ characters, the writer provides short explanations of the people’s psychological background. People and events are evaluated by many people who exchange remarks on the issue of interest, although Austen takes a particular interest in the phenomena as perceived through the eyes of Elizabeth Bennet. This is a beautiful and intelligent young lady of 20 years old who displays â€Å"a lively, playful disposition, which delighted in anything ridiculous† (Austen 16). She deserves the reader’s appreciation, demonstrating â€Å"more quickness of observation and less pliancy of temper than her sister, and †¦ a judgement too unassailed by any attention to herself† (Austen 20). Due to her intellect and sociable yet a bit absent-minded character, Elizabeth exhibits the perfect ability to deviate from the central tendency in her assessments and evaluations of life matters. The second of Bennet’s daughters is obviously the only group member who could have appreciated Darcy’s ability to let the world slide, if not for the case of personal injustice. She cannot forget the pain that has been caused to her own self-esteem. The thing is that Elizabeth has heard the handsome newcomer admitting that she is not enough beautiful to dance with. The remark is enough for the young lady to start detesting the offender to her pride. As Elizabeth herself has stated, â€Å"I could easily forgive his pride, if he had not mortified mine† (Austen 25). The first impression of Darcy’s rudeness at the ball is driven by the clash of self-esteems, and negative perceptions color the young lady’s further conceptualization of the hero up to the very moment when he reveals his love toward her in Chapter 34. The futility of first impressions is demonstrated through the description of Elizabeth’s relationships with Darcy and Wickham as well as her understanding of Bingley’s character. As it has been stated earlier, all three men fit the shared group’s concept of â€Å"an appropriate gentleman† in terms of their looks and wealth, albeit Wickham is not as rich as the other two men and pretends to be a man who is unjustly insulted. He pretends to be modest and good-hearted when he says, â€Å"I have no right to give my opinion† or â€Å"I am not qualified to form one† (Austen 96) in regard to Darcy’s background, and immediately afterwards he does his best to ruin Fitzwilliam’s reputation. All Wickham’s envy of Darcy is demonstrated in the following characterization: â€Å"The world is blinded by his fortune and consequence, or frightened by his high and imposing manners, and sees him only as he chooses to be seen† (Austen 97). The remark provides the reader with a hint concerning Darcy’s manner of functioning within the upper class social circle. Among this threesome with Bingley being superficial and Wickham being villainous, Darcy is the only person to be criticized for the lack of that â€Å"agreeable manner† that Wickham demonstrates speaking even about insignificant matters. The intelligent and kind-hearted Lizzy cannot but â€Å"feel that the commonest, dullest, most threadbare topic might be rendered interesting by the skill of the speaker† (Austen 94) when she socialized with Wickham, whereas Darcy’s brisk and unwilling manner of speaking makes the young lady feel uncomfortable. This is true that being compared to his friend Bingley or his rivalry Wickham, Darcy is not the object to readily fall in love and admiration with. He dances only with the two selected ladies and neglects the rest. This manner is regarded an offense to the aura of amiability, and he abstains from the social chit-chat. Besides this gentleman directly expresses his opinions of other people instead of camouflaging them under the veil of behind-the-back gossip. This personage makes it too clear that the local society is â€Å"a collection of people in whom there was little beauty and no fashion, for none of whom he had felt the smallest interest, and from none received either attention or pleasure† (Austen 22). He reveals indignation, boredom, or sarcasm in the situations when other men pretend to be pleased and amused. Judging from first impressions, Charles Bingley is more favored by the locals since he treats them as the nicest people he has ever met. In his turn, Wickham’s reputation is based on the assumption that Darcy has devoid him of wealth, which puts the two men in the positions of a victim and an offender. This is only throughout a course of the plot development that the narrator makes clear that Bingley’s sociality is explained by superficiality, and Wickham is a cheater who has attempted to seduce Darcy’s younger sister. Utilizing the theories of social categorization, one may say that Wickham has been admitted to the local group more easily than Darcy because the former has readily belittled his self-rating in public conversations and demonstrated the greater extent of willingness to share the pre-established social regulations of the given group. Being compared to the sweet Mr. Bingley’s behavior, Darcy’s behavioral pattern is rooted in the wider cognitive scope and finer spiritual development. The latter is strong enough to disregard the central tendency as it exists in the given group. Being cleverer than his friend Mr. Bingley, who has managed to become the crowd puller, Darcy falls into the sin that is not pride per se but rather vanity. The local society would gladly accept him as the most important person if he had been willing to put himself on one leg so to say with other group members. It is only in Chapter 10 when the narrator lets readers learn more about Darcy’s understanding of pride and related concepts. In public opinion, his high self-esteem is a manifestation of haughtiness, whereas Wickham’s seemingly low self-rating is a sign of appropriateness as shown through humility. In his turn, Darcy detests â€Å"the appearance of humility† that is genuinely the â€Å"carelessness of opinion, and sometimes an indirect boast† (Austen 60). Contemporary psychologists would call Darcy’s conceptualizations of â€Å"pride,† â€Å"humility,† and â€Å"boast† as being driven by functional utility of human behavior. According to this hero, this is inappropriate to put down one’s self-esteem just for the sake of being praised by other group members. Throughout the novel this personage remains the vivid example of a person who shares certain believes common to the central tendency of stereotypicality but reveals energy to display also diversity in his ratings of the self and other people. The complexity and dynamism of social stereotypes is shown through Darcy’s and Elizabeth’s attitudes to each other. Whereas Lizzy’s stereotypes in regard to the man remain sort of frozen for a while under the man’s â€Å"satirical eye† (Austen 30), Darcy is being engaged into the fast proceeding process, in a course of which he changes the initial perception of the young lady. The narrator specifies Darcy’s turn toward re-evaluating Lizzy Bennet as follows: But no sooner had he made it clear to himself and his friends that she hardly had a good feature in her face, than he began to find it was rendered uncommonly intelligent by the beautiful expression of her dark eyes. To this discovery succeeded some others equally mortifying. Though he had detected with a critical eye more than one failure of perfect symmetry in her form, he was forced to acknowledge her figure to be light and pleasing; and in spite of his asserting that her manners were not those of the fashionable world, he was caught by their easy playfulness. Austen 29) In other words, Darcy’s first rejection of the second daughter of Bennets has been caused by the incongruity between Elizabeth’s outlook and his own classical perception of beauty as a reckless symmetry of forms and elements. It is clear that the gentleman has initially been blinded by both his personal and group set of stereotypes that required women to conform to certain standards. Elizabeth does not seem to be classically beautiful, and her gaiety during the first meeting has poked the man away as a manifestation of social inappropriateness.