Learning Styles Essay Example for Free

Learning Styles Essay The reason for doing this report is to try and discover which is my best and worst way to learn and then to come up with a strategy for improving my ability to learn. The first thing that I need to do is research what different learning styles there is, after I have done this I can determine what are my preferred learning styles. Types of Learning Styles After doing some research I have discovered that there are four main ways of learning. For each of these four ways there is a continuum, this continuum determines which particular style somebody may prefer. The first continuum of learning is Active and Reflective, this style is to do with the way in which a person may go about his/her learning. Active learners tend to retain and understand information best by doing something active with it, discussing or applying it in a hands on way. Reflective learners prefer to think about it quietly first. The second continuum of learning is Sensing and Intuitive, this style is to do with the information that a person has to learn. Sensing learners often prefer to learn and memorise facts but intuitive learners prefer to learn around new ideas and concepts. The third continuum of learning is Visual and Verbal, this style is to do with the way in which the information is presented. Visual learners remember best what they see e. g. pictures, diagrams, flow charts, time lines, films, and demonstrations. Verbal learners get more out of words including written and spoken explanations. The fourth and final continuum of learning is Sequential and Global. This style is to do with the way in which learners put together the information they have been given. Sequential learners tend to gain understanding in linear steps, with each step following logically from the previous one. Global learners tend to learn in large jumps, absorbing material almost randomly without seeing connections, and then suddenly getting it. To be an effective learner you need to be able to learn in every single way depending on the way in which the information is presented or the environment in which you are learning etc. This is why the best learners have balanced learning styles and therefore can adapt the way they learn. My Learning Style Preferences are? To find out my learning style preferences I took part in a on-line test (http://www. crc4mse. org/ILS/self_test. html) which asks a series of questions and then gives you a score for each one of the four learning continuums. For three of the continuums I was biased towards one particular style, these are active, visual and global. This would indicate that I learn best when I can get involved and try things out. It also indicates that I absorb information best when it is presented visually in things such as diagrams, tables, graphs etc. furthermore, the test showed is that I learn best if I get an overview of the whole topic before I start concentrating on the smaller details. The final thing that this test points out is that Im neither sensing nor intuitive. Due to this I am able to learn the facts surrounding a subject but I am also able to grasp theories and ideas. I absolutely agree with the results of this test and would say it is a fair judgement on my learning preferences. My Learning Style Weaknesses are? As discussed before the best learners have a balanced learning style and therefore my greatest weakness is that I dont have the ability to adapt my learning style to all situations. Because of this I may miss out on some vital information because it isnt presented in a format that I am totally comfortable with. Even though I am a good learner when I learn actively I dont learn as well when there is nothing practical for me to take part in, in order to re-enforce the things that I have learnt. I also find it difficult to absorb information when it is not presented in a visual format. Another weakness of mine is that in some cases I need to have an overall understanding of a subject before I appreciate the smaller details. This is a weakness because sometimes it can over complicate a topic if I try to understand everything before I understand the basics; therefore this makes it more difficult for me to put everything into context. The fact that I struggle to adapt my learning styles isnt my only weakness, by doing a skills audit I have discovered other areas of learning where I am weak. My weakest area in the skills audit is spoken communication. This includes things such as speaking in front of a group, expressing my views verbally and delivering a presentation. I feel the reason why I am weak in this area is because I dont like being the centre of attention and when I am I become very self conscious and nervous. I am fine when talking one-to-one but when it comes to talking in front of large groups I am not comfortable at all. This needs to be improved though because it is an important skill in any industry. My Strategy for effective learning is? The first step to make my learning more effective is by identifying my weaknesses. I feel that I have done this successfully by doing the online test and by completing the skills audit. The next step is to come up with a strategy to improve my weaknesses and make the most of my strength. I am aware that my spoken communication skills will improve with practice and by using stress management techniques when I am giving presentations, talks etc. but, trying to make my learning styles more balanced may be more difficult. To improve my reflective side of learning I could take time after lectures to read through my notes again and do further reading on a topic but I could also relate the things that I have learnt in the lecture to a practical situation and therefore learn it the way that best suits me. The way in which I could improve my verbal way of learning is by getting somebody to talk through a diagram, graph etc whist Im looking at it. This will allow me to recognise the information verbally as well as visually because I will be relating what the tutor is saying to something that I can understand easier. Finally the way in which I can become more of a sequential learner is by taking topics step by step and try to forget about the overall picture until I have gat all of the pieces. This will help me because it will stop me from getting confused if I stop thinking about things that arent important in the early stages. With all of these things it may be better for me to adapt what is being taught to me and fit it into my preferred learning style, rather than adapt my preferred learning style to fit in with the material that is being taught. If I do things this way I am always going to learn things in my preferred way but realistically I know this isnt always a possibility and therefore I am aware of the need to become a more effective learner.

European Studies Essays Inter-War Period

European Studies Essays Inter-War Period What conditions existed in the countries of central and Eastern Europe in the inter-war period that allowed the Communists to take power there after 1945? Various factors contributed to the emergence of communist regimes in Central and Eastern Europe after 1945, some arguably in the Inter-war period. These factors differed in effect and contribution from country to country. The factors will be discussed in greater detail below. Individual countries within the central and Eastern European region had communist parties with various levels of support and capabilities. Above all the situation in the Inter-war period presented internal and external factors that allowed for the implementation of communist regimes aligned to the Soviet Union, the debate being whether these factors contributed to the communist takeovers after 1945. Some of the countries in the region, most notably Poland had suffered under Nazi occupation whilst other countries such as Romania and Hungary had been allied to Germany. Politically much of the region could have been described as backward at the start of the Inter-war period (excepting the Czechoslovaks and Hungaria ns) and not as advanced as their western neighbours. Political backwardness was not a stumbling block to the communists obtaining power as Lenin and Trotsky had proved in Russia in October 1917. Aside from a short-lived Soviet Republic in Hungary during 1919 the communists had failed to gain power in the region prior to 1945.   Socialists rather than communists dominated the Hungarian Soviet Republic. Indeed the removal of the Soviet Republic led to the counter revolutionary if not fascist regime of Horthy who violently repressed the radical socialists and communists. The communists were ousted but they were not destroyed and were able to survive their persecution.   Lenins hopes of a revolution in Germany that would spread to her neighbours to the west and east were also dashed with the defeat of the Sparticus Putsch in 1919.   Communists throughout the region expected revolutions to occur quite rapidly, believing that the tide of history would move in their favour. In the 1920s especially after Stalin gained power the Soviet Union concentrated on building Socialism in one country ‘ instead of actively promoting revolution in the rest of Europe. The Soviet regime had too much to concentrate on internally without promoting revolution.   However the Soviet leaders were always looking for opportunities to cause revolutionary agitation abroad and funded communist parties in Germany, France, the United States and China as well as central and eastern Europe.   The Kremlin’s money certainly maintained the position of the various communist parties even if they were unable to gain power during the Inter-war period.  Ã‚   Communism was not particularly popular in parts of Central and Eastern Europe. Czechoslovak forces had actively fought against the Red Army during the Russian Civil War whilst the Poles had taken advantage of the collapse of the Tsarist empire (combined with German and Austrian defeat) to gain independence.   While P oland was in theory a democracy for most of the inter-war years it was virtually a dictatorship under Pilsudski and his successors most of it’s population being anti-German, anti-Russian and anti-Communist. Poland’s victory in the war of 1919-21 with the Soviet Union ended the threat of the Soviets providing military aid to communist revolutionaries or coups throughout the region during the 1920s and much of the 1930s. For the majority of the 1930s Stalin was more interested in collectivization, industrialization and carrying out the purges then actively seeking to promote revolution in central and Eastern Europe.   It was only after it became clear Hitler was a serious threat did Stalin seek allies in central and eastern Europe and giving their communist parties more instructions.   Poland’s communists had remained weak as they seen as too close to Moscow and had not been enthusiastic in campaigning for independence.   Across the region most of the commun ist parties would be banned at some stage during the Inter-war period and had to learn to survive as underground movements.   Experience of surviving underground proved beneficial during the war when communists became involved in resistance and partisan movements.  Ã‚   Future success would follow from gaining support amongst the peasantry. For much of the period communist parties were hampered by their image as been internationalist rather than nationalist in outlook, but conversely the communists also nurtured Yugoslav and Czechoslovak identities instead of rival ethnic nationalities.   It is worth noting how both states disintegrated rapidly after the end of communist rule.   The emergence of communism in Central and Eastern Europe was aided by the apparent failure of liberalism during the inter-war period. The states that appeared in the region in 1918 were to varying degrees economically backward. Only Czechoslovakia had a semblance of large-scale heavy industry and was also the closest to democracy. Poland and Hungary had industrial bases as well but also had large agricultural sectors. In the immediate aftermath of the First World War the region like the rest of Europe suffered from increasing unemployment and inflation that in turn produced social, political and industrial unrest. These conditions certainly gave the communists the opportunity to gain influence if not power. They largely missed this opportunity but not by the fascists and the far right when the situation deteriorated in the 1930s. The apparent economic recovery of the mid 1920s offered more stability. There was little or no economic co-operation between these countries and all suffere d after the Great slump of 1929. The economic dislocation was not as great as that of Germany that assisted the Nazi rise to power but it was bad enough to disrupt the capitalist system. In the 1930s the region laid between the two powers that offered a viable alternative to liberal democracy, Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. Communists also made some ground in the region by emphasizing collective security and popular fronts with other parties as a counter for fascism, Nazism, and the ruling right wing authoritarian regimes. The concept of collective security was undermined by appeasement. Communists also had difficulty in explaining the Nazi – Soviet pact. Stalin had been prepared to defend Czechoslovakia but then eagerly partitioned Poland. The communists were however able to redeem themselves in the role they played resisting the Germans.   The use of popular fronts was a useful way of gaining popular support and obtaining power without people realising they voting for a communist regime. That strategy would prove most successful in Bulgaria.   The adoption of popular fronts came too late to prevent Hitler gaining power in Germany, without that the communists could have made further ground in the region during the Inter war years. The communists of central and eastern Europe like many of their counterparts in Comintern did not see fascism as a serious threat rather more as a portent of capitalisms demise. If they had have done perhaps the regions convergence to communism would have happened earlier. The same conditions that helped undermine liberal democracy favoured the fascists and the right wing authoritarian parties as much if not more than they favoured the communists.   Fascists might gain power but (the communists hoped) inadvertently accelerate the victory of Marxist Leninism in the process. In a roundabout way that is what happened in much of the region eventually.   Social and economic developments during the Inter-war years meant there was a radicalisation of the working and peasant classes across the region sometimes mixed with ethnic and nationalist tensions in countries such as Poland, Czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia.   Yugoslavia suffered not only German occupation but a civil war based on ethnic divisions. In reality for large parts of the region the communists seized power after 1945 due to the close proximity of the Soviet army rather than the success or otherwise of the national communist parties during the Inter-war period.   Defeating the Germans gave Stalin the opportunity to establish communist regions friendly or submissive towards the Soviet Union. Communists gained power with help from Moscow and with the understanding that the Soviet army would ultimately back them up. The only exception was Yugoslavia were Marshall Tito and his partisans seized power themselves after defeating the Germans and winning the civil war. Those opposed to the new communist regimes also realised that the Soviet Union was given a free hand in central and Eastern Europe in return for Britain and the United States having the main influence in the west were ironically the communists enjoyed mass support in France, Italy and Greece.   Stalin was not bothered by how enthusiastic the peoples of the ce ntral and Eastern Europe were towards having communist regimes, what mattered to him was the Soviet Union’s security.   Stalin clearly understood that without Soviet military intervention only Yugoslavia and Albania would have turned communist on their own, and they would prove unwilling to be told what to do from the Kremlin.   The Hungarian communists had not done particularly well since the crushing of the Soviet Republic but they did start to recover during the war. The Czechoslovak communists were only outlawed after absorption into the German Reich but their patriotism was important in gaining support. The Poles and Hungarians proved most reluctant to accept communism and only hard bargaining and the threat of Soviet intervention would keep their regimes in power. Although communist regimes were also forced on Romania and Bulgaria they were eventually more enthusiastic. Therefore the communist parties within central and Eastern Europe were able to lay some if not all the foundations for their gaining of power during the Inter war period. The strength and success of the communists differed from country to country.   The communists laid the strongest foundations in Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia despite facing right wing regimes, being allied to or occupied by the Germans.   In some ways the communists best success in the Inter-war period was presenting themselves as patriots in a time of impending war and as a force of resistance once it had started. The communists realised too late the possibility of popular fronts in preventing Hitler seizing power but their adoption in central and Eastern Europe proved useful at the end of the Inter-war period.   It was the prominent role that the Czechoslovak and Yugoslav communists played in resisting the Germans during the war that contributed most to their gaining of power.   They were success ful in portraying themselves as patriots and freedom fighters. In Bulgaria the popular front tactic in favour at the end of the Inter-war period was revived to gain power by stealth after 1945.   In other countries such as Poland, Hungary and Romania the communists had never been that popular and their main achievement was to survive the Inter –war period and the war in enough numbers to be installed in power in the wake of the Soviet army’s liberation of their various homelands.   Communists throughout the region would argue that they did not need to have mass support just the ability to seize control of their states, then the superiority of communism would win the public over any way.   Communists could also claim in the Inter-war years that liberal democracy could not survive the depression and fascism would not survive the forthcoming war to the death with communism. Bibliography Bideleux Jeffries   A History of Eastern Europe Crisis and Change (1998) Routledge, London Brendon, P. The Dark Valley a Panorama of the 1930s (2000) Jonathan Cape, London. Crampton, R .J Eastern Europe in the Twentieth Century (1994) Routledge, London and New York Harvey, R. – Comrades The Rise and Fall of World Communism (2003) John Murray, London Matthews, A   Nationalism in Europe 1789 1945 (2000) Hodder Staughton, London. Roberts, J M   History of Europe (1996) Schopflin, G. The Politics of Central Europe (1993) Blackwell, Oxford Service, R    A History of Modern Russia from Nicholas II to Putin (2003) Penguin, London Vadney, T.E The World Since 1945 (1992) Penguin, LondonVolkogonov, D. The Rise and Fall of the Soviet Empire – Political Leaders from Lenin to Gorbachev (1998) Harper Collins Publishers, London

Oscar Wildes Impacts To Crime And Punishment English Literature Essay

Oscar Wildes Impacts To Crime And Punishment English Literature Essay With his witty charm and consistent plays Oscar Wilde has inspired some of the most intelligent minds of our generation. The attitudes of society towards homosexuality have altered significantly since the sentence of Oscar Wilde in 1895. But to suggest his trial for sodomy had a minimal short term impact on crime and punishment is a gross understatement, it rocked the laws on sodomy and the harsh prison system to their core. As Oscar Wilde would say I made the 20th century able to look itself in the face. Male homosexuality was made a capital offence in England under the Buggery Act of 1533 and the first man to be convicted was playwright Nicholas Udall in 1541, who was imprisoned for a year. The law became eternal in 1563 until replaced by the Offences Against the People Act of 1828. The death penalty was the sentence until 1861 though it was only exacted on a few occasions. Thereafter punishment became imprisonment being from ten years up to life. However the law became stricter: the 1885 Criminal Law Amendment Act made any homosexual act illegal and amid the prosecutions was of course, Oscar Wilde. Underneath the Criminal Law Amendment Act, the maximum penalty for gross indecency was two years incarceration, which was reduced from life in prison, which had itself been condensed from hanging. But what appears to be a softer approach towards homosexuality is really just an elusive disguise, since the prejudice towards homosexuality had been at an increase towards the late 19th centur y and considered to be a monstrous vice. But how did Wilde end up in jail? On 18th February the Marques of Queensberry left his calling card decorated for Oscar Wilde, posing sodomite. Wilde, (influenced by his lover and Queensberrys son Lord Alfred Douglas) initiated a trial against Queensberry which ultimately back-fired. The trial in fact led to details of Wildes homosexuality and overwhelming evidence led to The Crown VS Wilde trial and on 25th May 1895 Wilde was convicted of gross indecency and sentenced to two years hard labour. File:Oscarwildetrial.jpg With the law passed in 1895 that made any act of gross indecency a crime and the celebrity of Oscar Wilde, same sex relationships that might once have been seen as innocent now became suspect. The Wilde trials caused social attitudes toward crime and punishment for homosexuals to become harsher and less tolerant.   Whereas prior to the trials there was a certain compassion for those who engaged in same-sex passion, after the trials homosexuals were seen more as a hazard.   The Wilde trials also had other effects.   They caused the public to begin to connect art and homosexuality and to analyse effeminacy as a signal for homosexuality.   Many same sex relationships seen as guiltless before the Wilde trials became suspect after them. People with same sex relationships grew anxious about doing something that might suggest indecency. Wilde was jailed in Pentonville Prison originally; however he was then transported too Wandsworth prison in London. The regime at the time was tough; hard labour, hard fare and a hard bed was the guiding philosophy. Wilde was required to work on a treadwheel during his time in prison and I would suggest that the banning of the treadwheel was credit to Oscar Wildes acquaintanceship with it. Wilde in fact became very ill from the hard labour of the treadwheel which later contributed towards his early death. I do not think it was mere coincidence that the banning of the treadwheel happened so soon after Wildes release and I believe it is one of the greatest short term impacts Wilde had on crime and punishment. Oscar Wildes trial engrossed the nation, the subject matter a cause of intense rumour and speculation. But how did this have the effect of changing social attitudes towards the crime and punishment of homosexuals? The status of Wilde had a great deal to do with the magnanimity that the trials grew to. The factors that made him different in the eyes of the public, particularly his nature, transformed him into a model threat. At this time, the fear and threat of homosexuality was growing, and Wildes trial took part in that expansion. However I would not agree that Wildes case alone dramatically changed the attitudes of the public, but rather that it was one of several other incidents during the span of two decades that caused a more aggressive fear of homosexuals. For example the Cleveland Street Scandal of 1889 fuelled the attitude that homosexuality was a tool to destroy male youths. The Cleveland Street Scandal in essence was when a homosexual brothel in Cleveland Street, London, wa s found by police. Therefore, this, toppled with the new Criminal Law Amendment Act enacted in the late 1800s, was what truly impacted attitudes in England. Analysing the Jury is pivotal to understanding how the Wilde trial impacted public attitudes to crime and punishment for homosexuals and the divisions amongst the jury reflected current public opinion very well. At first the public couldnt cry crucify him loud enough, but afterwards the figures increased of those who hoped Wilde would be acquitted, in view of the meagre quality of the prosecution witnesses, even if he had done what he was accused of. One clergyman, the Reverend Selwyn Image, even found the nerve to describe the entire law under which Wilde is charged, as pernicious.The judge even called the Wilde trial as the worst case he had ever tried and proclaimed that the maximum sentence of two years was in fact lenient. I wrap up that the reaction from the judge during the trials sentencing statement is enough evidence to confirm the horrific views of the public towards crime and punishment for homosexuality. Not only his trial but Wildes imprisonment and exile changed public attitudes on the prison system. He drew from his experience to produce The Ballad of Reading Gaol and several articles against the poor conditions in British prisons, one of which contributed to the passing of a law to prevent the imprisonment of children. During Wildes imprisonment, a hanging took place. Charles Thomas Wooldridge had been a trooper in the Royal Horse Guards. He was convicted of cutting the throat of his wife, Laura Ellen, earlier that year. This had a profound effect on Wilde, inspiring the line Yet each man kills the thing he loves. The ballad had some influence on public perception as well as it described what life in gaol was like. Although it could be argued that he didnt have a long term impact on hanging in prisons as it was banned in 1969, I strongly believe Wilde had an impact on attitudes toward capital punishment in the short term as it must be remembered that The ballad of Reading Gaol wa s published and was rather popular. Such was the sphere of influence on the trial of Oscar Wilde that it had a negative impact on how crime and punishment for homosexuality was perceived across the Atlantic. American Newspaper New York Times stressed a need for a law on gross indecency which being the distinguished newspaper it is, quite obviously impacted public attitude towards sodomy. After Wildes arrest, the April 6 New York Times discussed Wildes case as a query of immorality and would not specifically address homosexuality, discussing the men some as young as 18 that were brought up in the witness box. The treatment of the Wilde case in American newspapers reflects the American attitude towards the subject in the 1890s; although in discussion, homosexuality could not be named. Furthermore Englands national newspapers also had a negative impact on short term attitudes towards homosexuality as the news about the trial was biased and faulty at best. It is no secret that newspapers are in business to make money so analysing newspaper articles is vital to understanding public attitude that the Oscar Wilde trials brought, after all, they are a sounding board for current attitudes. They caused Oscar Wildes trial as well as his conviction to be an extremely exposed event, strongly influencing the way the  public  interpreted homosexuality and the crime of sodomy. The articles of the Evening Standard and the Morning among others portrayed Wilde as having a particular tendency toward committing sexual acts with other men. The newspapers also most effectively described Wilde as a languorous, long-haired lover of sunflowers. I would therefore analyse that newspapers transformed homosexual acts into a homosexual identity. Despite the substance of homosexual categor ies in medical books by 1869, Victorian journalism created a new homosexual parable that the Oscar Wilde trials can lay claim to producing the category of the homosexual. National newspapers were overall a vice for what public attitude was for crime and punishment for homosexuals 1895. One could argue that in the short term, Wilde influenced the origins of many pressure groups. For example in 1895 Earl Lind created Cercle Hermaphroditos which was the 1st group to announce a political agenda to clash against the discrimination of homosexuals. As well as this, in 1897 George Cecil Ives structured the first homosexual rights group in England, the Order of Chaeronea. These pressure groups in my opinion clearly give a positive indication that the Oscar Wilde trial increased public awareness and influenced attitudes of political persecution of homosexuals. But how could the formation of two small pressure groups suggest that the Wilde trial impacted attitudes in the short term? Pressure groups have played and continue to play an important part in the development of political and social systems and it must not be forgot that pressure groups influenced the governments decision to allow homosexual acts in 1967. Douglas O. Linder, author of Famous Trials summed up the Oscar Wilde scandal quite appropriately when he stated Celebrity, sex, witty dialogue, political intrigue, surprising twists, and important issues of art and moralityis it any surprise that the trials of Oscar Wilde continue to fascinate one hundred years after the death of one of the worlds greatest authors and playwrights. He has no idea how right he is as after his 1895 trial for gross indecency, Oscar Wildes name became a byword for immorality. But in the 20th century, gay men embraced Wilde as an icon of gay history and changes were made to the law in 1967, when same-sex acts were finally decriminalised. This proves that Wilde irrelevantly did have a long term impact on attitudes to crime and punishment for homosexuals which proved to be positive. Despite some positive impacts Wildes trial produced such as influences on hanging and the abolition of the infamous treadwheel, there is no denying that the Oscar Wilde trial mos t definitely had a negative impact on attitudes to crime and punishment for homosexuals in the short term. The trials brought media attention on them and public attitudes turned from ignorance to hatred. Even the Church could no longer pacify homosexuality as something unspoken, conceivable to the modern day dont ask dont tell policy historically used by the US army in relation to homosexuals until being abolished under President Obama. By the time of his conviction, not only had Wilde been established as the main sexual deviant of the nineteenth century, but he had become the model for an emerging public definition of a new type of menace, the homosexual.

The Power of Love in Wuthering Heights Essay -- Literary Analysis

Wuthering Heights is a novel which deviates from the standard of Victorian literature. The novels of the Victorian Era were often works of social criticism. They generally had a moral purpose and promoted ideals of love and brotherhood. Wuthering Heights is more of a Victorian Gothic novel; it contains passion, violence, and supernatural elements (Mitchell 119). The world of Wuthering Heights seems to be a world without morals. In Wuthering Heights, Brontà « does not idealize love; she presents it realistically, with all its faults and merits. She shows that love is a powerful force which can be destructive or redemptive. Heathcliff has an all-consuming passion for Catherine. When she chooses to marry Edgar, his spurned love turns into a destructive force, motivating him to enact revenge and wreak misery. The power of Heathcliff’s destructive love is conquered by the influence of another kind of love. Young Cathy’s love for Hareton is a redemptive force. It is her love that brings an end to the reign of Heathcliff. Heathcliff and Catherine have loved each other since their childhood. Initially, Catherine scorned the little gypsy boy; she showed her distaste by â€Å"spitting† at him (Brontà « 27). However, it was not long before Heathcliff and Catherine became â€Å"very think† (Brontà « 27). They became very close friends; they were practically brother and sister (Mitchell 122). Heathcliff is intent upon pleasing Catherine. He would â€Å"do her bidding in anything† (Brontà « 30). He is afraid of â€Å"grieving† her (Brontà « 40). Heathcliff finds solace and comfort in Catherine’s company. When Catherine is compelled to stay at Thrushcross Grange to recover from her injury, she returns as â€Å"a very dignified person† (Brontà « 37). Her association with the gente... ...d to Cathy. He desires to be accepted by her. Cathy willingly loves and accepts Hareton. It is this love which reforms Hareton and dispels the tyranny at Wuthering Heights. Heathcliff’s love brought about destruction; Cathy brings redemption to the Heights through her love. Brontà «Ã¢â‚¬â„¢s Wuthering Heights shows the real effects of love; love has the power to create evil or good. Primary Source Brontà «, Emily. Wuthering Heights. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, 1996. Print. Secondary Sources Berg, Maggie. Wuthering Heights: The Writing in the Margin. New York: Twayne, 1996. Print. "Characteristics of Victorian Literature." Homewood City Schools. Web. 8 Dec. 2010. . Mitchell, Hayley R., ed. Readings on Wuthering Heights. San Diego: Greenhaven, 1999. Print.

Capitalism and the Joy of Working :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Enjoyment of work and creativity is more important to most people than higher pay. Employers cant pay to get more creativity because it is not just about the money. Something meaningful and challenging is generally more important for new workers coming into the workforce. No more is it the hope of reaching fame or making money that drives the workforce. It’s the opportunity to do the work that is enjoyed. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, a psychologist at the University of Chicago and author of Finding Flow: The Psychology of Engagement With Everyday Life, has found through his research that for some people, paying them to do things they enjoy actually reduces their interest in doing those things. Another theory is that if you take your hobby and turn it into a career you wont enjoy it as much.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Capitalism plays a key factor in creativity because the workforce needs to be stimulated in order to produce good results. â€Å"Cracking the whip† on an assembly line stifles creativity in the workplace and most workplaces are not assembly lines like they were a while back. Leaders that work under an authoritarian model stifle creativity and innovation. This will ultimately lead to low productivity and low turnover within the workforce. The â€Å"good life† just doesn’t happen anymore. There aren’t millions of people working in assembly lines and in automobile manufacturing plants .. people are creating their happiness and most of it is a direct result on how they spend their time while they are punched into a clock.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When what we do at work is meaningful people don’t get bored or distracted, they get so involved they forget to eat. The world, and capitalism, needs creativity and innovation and without it would breed a lull in change and technology. Obviously, change and technology are what drives our capitalistic society.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I remember my father always telling me that in order to appreciate and value the things you have you have to work for them yourself. I think the same holds true for business ventures. Having a personal interest and a personal bank account on line drives one to succeed possibly all the more than k working for a set paycheck.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Wealth and prosperity are created with capitalism. Freedom, self-interest and competition make for a healthy environment engulfed in capitalism. Freedom is the rights to exchange products and capital. Self-interest is the right to pursue ones own happiness (which after all is the American way) which transforms into pursuing ones own business and use it to appeal to the consumers.

Applied Concept Paper: Critical Thinking Structures for Business Ethics Essay

Executive Summary The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate my understanding of the previously mentioned fundamental concepts and capability in order to relate them to the actual business world through applications of my critical thinking skills. Key concepts such as ethics, social responsibility, whistle-blowers, sustainability, stakeholders, and environmental stewardship are mentioned in Chapters 3 and 4 of (Wheelen, 2012). This paper discusses recent articles regarding ethics in the Atlanta Public School Systems, a violation of the code of ethics by the former HealthSouth CFO back in 2010, and Wal-Mart’s latest ethics controversy. In addition, this paper targets important concepts such as social responsibility, sustainability; environmental stewardship and how they affect the stakeholders of Patagonia Clothing Company, Carlportland, U.S Silica and Lucky Stone Company. These companies have proven themselves to be in the forefront of sustainability initiatives through their everyday practice s. From this research, I learned that adhering to the Code of Ethics in the business world is important on many levels. It guides all managerial decisions, creating a common framework upon which all decisions are founded. In order for companies to fully meet their social responsibility, they should have in place a process to integrate social, environmental, ethical and human rights concerns into their business operations and core strategy. Furthermore, the concept of sustainability has come to the vanguard of the global understanding that economics, environmental health and human well-being are interconnected. This ultimately demonstrates that generating high-quality products in a responsible way increases brand reputation, competitive advantage, and most importantly financial success. Abstracts * Investigation into APS Cheating Finds Unethical Behavior Across Every level This article talks about how across the Atlanta Public School system (APS), staff members worked in secret to cheat on testing results. The report accuses top district officials along with school teachers and administrators, of wrongdoing which had been happening for years. In some schools, cheating became a routine, a part of administrative duties during the annual state examinations. It grew into an organized crime of falsifying test results for children who could not score high enough to meet the district’s self-imposed goals. In addition, Beverly Hall, former superintendent, and her top aides, lied to top investigators, destroyed and altered public records, tampered with information, and misled police to avoid taking responsibly for their unethical behaviors. This resulted in a culture of fear, intimidation, and retaliation in the APS. * Former Health South CFO Talks to Business Students About Wo rkplace Ethics This article discusses the ethical challenges that many CFOs face in the workplace. Aaron Beam, former HealthSouth CFO, served prison time for forging the company’s finances and breaking the code of ethics. Beam warned students of the ethical dangers in today’s workforce. He mentioned why accountants and CFOs get trapped into lying, and feel intimidated by their superiors. In this article, Bean touches on many important points, such as, how money changes people, how having more personal possessions does not guarantee happiness, and most importantly, how we need to stand by our principles and ethics all the time. After spending three months in the Montgomery jail, Beam learned his lesson; he wrote a book, opened a lawn service business, and decided to share his experience with business students in universities across the nation. * Wal-Mart’s Ethics Controversy This article debates how an employee ended up jobless after following the Wal-Mart ethics guidelines. Chalace Epley Lowry started working for Wal-Mart in January of 2006, and after a few days at the job, she witnessed unethical behavior from the VP of her department. Lowry suspected that Ms. Williams, the VP of Corporate Communications might have traded inside information about the company’s stock. She questioned it and filed a formal complaint with her immediate supervisor; she thought that it was the honorable thing to do. In return, her identity got disclosed to the offender, making it uncomfortable in her position since Mona Williams was effectively her boss. Also, she got a lower performance review, and when she complained, she was told to find another job. * Patagonia: Blueprint for Green Business The above article is the story of how Patagonia, an outdoor-clothing and equipment firm, and its founder, Yvon Chouinard, took his passion for the outdoors and turned into a successful business. By conducting business in a non-traditional way, Chouinard created a company with a different outdoor style that makes $270 million in yearly revenues. This organization is among one of the first in America to provide onsite daycare, as well as both maternity and paternity leave, and flextime. Patagonia reuses materials, questions growth, ignores fashion, makes goods that last, and discontinues profitable products. With a laidback atmosphere for employees, its production is at full capacity. Mr. Chouinard’s biggest dream is to turn Patagonia into a totally sustainable, ECO friendly company, where people enjoy coming to work, and he can sleep well at night. * Pursuing Sustainability Business Initiatives, a Large Business In this article, the National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association (NSSGA) recognizes their large producers’ member companies, which are pursuing sustainability initiatives through their everyday practices. The first one, CalPortland Company, one of the major producers of Portland cement, has been pursuing environmental stewardship for years. The second one, Lucky Stone Company, one of the largest family-owned and operated aggregates companies in the U.S, has an excellent environmental reputation. And the third one, U.S. Silica, is a leading producer of industrial minerals which recently adopted a formal sustainability policy. This article also emphasizes what these companies have in common and highlights the benefits companies will obtain by making sustainable decisions now. Concepts Ethics is defined by the textbook as the consensually accepted standards of behavior for an occupation, a trade, or a profession. There is no worldwide standard of conduct for business people. This is especially true given the global nature of business activities. Cultural norms and values vary between countries, ethnics groups and even among geographic regions (Wheelen, 2012). A Code of ethics specifies how an organization expects its employees to behave while on the job. â€Å"A code of ethics, (1) clarifies company expectations of employees conduct in various situations and (2) makes clear that the company expects its people to recognize the ethical dimensions in decisions and actions.† (Wheelen, 2012). Whistle-blowers are defined by the author of the textbook as those employees who report illegal or unethical behavior on the part of others. Even though the Sarbanes-Oxley Act forbids firms from retaliating against anyone reporting unethical acts, 82% of those who uncovered fraud reported being ostracized, demoted or pressure to quit (Wheelen, 2012). The concept of Social Responsibility as it is explained in the textbook proposes that a private corporation has responsibilities towards the society that extend beyond making a profit. Many business people have agreed upon the main responsibilities of a business, which are Economic, Legal and Ethical. Being socially responsible does provide a firm a more positive overall reputation (Wheelen, 2012). Sustainability may include more than just ecological concerns and the natural environment. It can also include economic and social aspects. In the business environment, in order for a firm to be sustainable, it must be successful over a long period of time; and it must satisfy all of its economic, legal, ethical, and discretionary responsibilities (Wheelen, 2012). Stakeholders are a large group of people with interest in a business organization’s activities. This group gets affected by the achievements or failures of the firm’s objectives (Wheelen, 2012). Some examples of Key Stakeholders are: creditors, directors, employees, government agencies, shareholders, suppliers, unions, and the community where the business operates. Environmental Stewardship refers to responsible use and protection of the natural environment through conservation and sustainable practices. Environmental stewardship defined in simple terms as â€Å"dealing with man’s relation to land and to the animals and plants which grow upon it† (Leopold, 2013). Analysis The article about the APS unethical practices touches on one important concept: Ethics. For years the Atlanta School District produced gains on state curriculum test by cheating on student’s exams. Years of misconduct took place at all levels of the organization, from the top of the chain of command to the Superintendent’s office. The cheating prevented many struggling students from getting the extra help they needed (Vogell, 2011). It also created an atmosphere of stress and deception among school employees. Top investigators in the case came up with three possible reasons that cheating flourished in APS. 1. The district set unrealistic goals, and pensions and raises were based on the test results. 2. Because the target test results rose every time the school reached the goal, the pressure rose. Cheating was, therefore, the only way to obtain the results. 3. The top officials refused to accept responsibility. However, I disagree with those three reasons. Just because g oals are unattainable, that does not mean we have to act unethically. Once the cheating started, it could not be stopped. It collapsed on itself, as lying usually does. If top leaders refused to take responsibility, it was their choice. We, as individuals, have to be responsible for our own actions. Teachers are responsible for helping students become better members of society; this includes teaching them good citizenship skills. There are always grey areas in professional codes of ethics because there are many areas that are subjective. Personal integrity and honesty are required by all who agree to follow a code of ethics. If an educator observes someone practicing unethical behavior, it is his/her duty to report such behavior through the proper administrative channels. In the article that talks about the former CFO of HealthSouth, Aaron Beam, he warned students about the ethical challenges that are in the workplace. I especially enjoyed this article because it touches an important subject, the code of ethics. Even the most ethically-aware professionals find their standards challenged on a daily basis . As accountants, part of the code is to represent the public interest, and sometimes that may mean putting it ahead of the company’s interest. As a CFO, that duty is heightened. In addition, the first people employees look to are the CEO and CFO to see if they have a real commitment to ethics. If they behave unethically, employees are likely to do so as well. A respectable CFO must be able to stand up to his/her boss with integrity and to speak unpleasant truths when necessary. Not only can inappropriate behavior lead to compliance failures, fraud, and theft, but the consequences can adversely affect employee morale and the firm’s reputation. An ethical framework is built by making the right choices in the little things. â€Å"Integrity is doing the right thing, even if nobody is watching† (annonymus). In the third article about Wal-Mart, we see an employee who is following the company’s code of ethics and acts as a Whistle-blower when she suspected an unethical act was committed by her department head. It is important to note that â€Å"Wal-Mart prides itself on having one of the strictest and most st ringent ethics policies in the retail industry† (Gogoi, 2007). However, that was not true in this case. Instead of rewarding Ms. Lowrey for such a heroic act, her identity got exposed, and she was encouraged to find another job within the company in 90 days. She even experienced a lower performance evaluation after the incident. She felt disappointed to see the way an ethics complaint was handled by a corporation like Wal-Mart. Most of Wal-Mart scandals are perpetuated by a culture of silence. Rather than addressing the concerns that are affecting workers across the country, Wal-Mart has attempted to silence those who speak out for changes that would help the company, workers, and the community. As front line Wal-Mart workers are facing hardships, the company is making almost $16 billion a year in profits. Meanwhile, the Walton Family (heirs to the Wal-Mart fortune), are the richest family in the country. All of this has taken a toll on Wal-Mart’s image. Some people will not shop at Wal-Mart because they do not want to support a company t hat they perceive is unfair to its workers. Reading about Patagonia got my attention, since I have purchased their outdoor products without really knowing the company’s history. This unique business is conducted upside down and inside out. Decades before recycling became a common practice, Patagonia was already reusing materials. The company’s founder believed in putting the Earth first, by attaining sustainable practices, while making unbelievable profits ($270 million in revenues yearly). This company would not release toxins into rivers or chase endless growth. All of Patagonia’s products are produced with the highest level of quality and manufactured in the most socially responsible way. Patagonia became the first company in California to use renewable sources, like wind and solar energy, to power all its buildings and one of the first to print catalogs on recycled paper. With a payroll of 350 employees, the boss greets them by name. At the sweatshops facility, workers overlook a playground of the comp any’s day care facility. The people that works there are anything but slackers: â€Å"it was impressive to see how involved in sustainability their employees are,† said Matt Kristle, a senior vice president of Sam’s Club (Casey, 2007). In addition, the owners agree to keep Patagonia privately held and say no to anything that may compromise their values. Also, a good portion of the company’s profits is being donated to grass roots organizations, $26 million since 1985. As a company, all of the stakeholders are really committed to doing the right thing. That is why Patagonia serves as a blueprint for future businesses that want to follow this path. In the last article I chose, there are three companies within the same industry that pursue sustainability initiatives through their everyday practices. They all agree that environmental stewardship and social responsibility can interact to increase stakeholder value as well as shareholder value, (Schlett, 2011). U.S Silica, CalPortland and Luck y Stone voluntarily assist their communities in resolving the issues that affect them. For example, CalPortland, does material donations for the City of DuPont’s war memorial. Lucky Stone collaborates with the James River Association to create a spawning reef for the endangered Atlantic sturgeon species. U.S. Silica’s effort to protect an endangered turtle species near Pennsylvania plant is admirable, as well as helping feed local homeless people once a month. By helping their communities to resolve social issues, these companies are helping themselves by increasing brand value and reputation, improving their license to operate, and reducing their risks. Conforming to environmental laws is not enough anymore. Consequently, pursing environmental stewardship elevates an organization into the â€Å"Risk Management† category. And that, when implemented together with social responsibility initiatives for greener products and processes, moves the company into the â€Å"Business and Sustainable Development.† A good example of that is that all three companies have been working through their environmental management systems to go beyond compliance by implementing Best Management Practices. By encouraging a culture of environmental and social stewardship, these three large producers are at the forefront of sustainability, and as a result they are recognizing financial and sustainable success. Conclusion After carefully analyzing all the articles, I came to the conclusion that all those concepts are intrinsically related. It is important to understand that business ethics go beyond legal issues. Ethical conduct builds trust among individuals and in business relationships, which validates and promotes confidence between people. One of the principal causes of unethical behavior in organizations today is overly aggressive financial or business objectives. Abusive or intimidating behavior is another of the most common ethical problems for employees. Making ethical choices is sometimes the most difficult thing, especially when the one losing out is you or your business. Yet, for the greater good and the sake of mankind, one has to look at business as well as personal ethics and evaluate them periodically. All professions have a set of values that are the cornerstone of their belief system and the foundation of their practice. A Code of Ethics is important on many levels. It sets the â€Å"tone from the top† of the company’s culture. An effective Code of Ethics establishes the ethical expectations for employees and management alike and sets forth the mechanisms for enforcement and consequences of noncompliance. There are four dimensions of social responsibility: economic, legal, ethical, and voluntary, including philanthropic. Earning profits is the economic foundation of any company, and complying with the law is the next level. However, a business whose sole objective is to maximize profits is not likely to consider its social responsibility, although its activities will probably be legal. Sustainability is the balance between people and the environment. Air, water, and land are all impacted by the behavior and actions of human beings, but these impacts can be controlled. The challenge for companies in the twenty-first century is developing an environmentally responsible strategy that keeps them ahead of the game, helping them maintain an advantageous position in the marketplace. It is not enough to simply check boxes, publish a sustainability report, or reduce waste in factories. Companies must be truly innovative in terms of how they manage their relationship with the environment. Works Cited Casey, S. (2007, May 29). Patagonia: Blueprint for Green Business. Retrieved from http://cnnmoney.com. Gogoi, P. (2007, July 13). Wal-Mart’s Latest Ethics Controversy. Retrieved from http://www.Bloomberg Businessweek. Leopold, A. (2013, January 31). Aldo Leopold Quotes. Retrieved from aldoleopold.org: http://www.aldoleopold.org/greenfire/quotes.shtml Schlett, W. (2011). Pursuing Sustainable Business Initiatives, a Large Business. Stone, Sand & Gravel Review , 44-48. Vogell, H. (2011, July 26). Investigation Into APS Cheating Finds Unethical Behavior Across Every Level. Retrieved from http://www.ajc.com. Wheelen, T. L. (2012). Strategic Management and Business Policy: Towards Global Sustainability (13th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NY: Prentice Hall.

Questions and Answers on Copenhagen Climate

In order to talk about the problems which have been discussed and the solutions which have been found during the 2009 Copenhagen climate change summit, first we have to present a few aspects regarding the Kyoto protocol. The Kyoto protocol is a protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC or FCCC), aimed at fighting global warming. The FCCC is an international environmental treaty with the goal of achieving â€Å"stabilization of greenhouse gas concentration in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.† The protocol was initially adopted on 11 December 1997 in Kyoto, Japan and entered into force on 16 February 2005. As of July 2010, 191 states have signed and ratified the protocol. Under the protocol, 37 countries commit themselves to a reduction of four greenhouse gases and two groups of gases produced by them, and all member countries give general commitments. It is also important to mention the fact that the protocol allows several â€Å"flexible mechanisms†, such as emissions trading, the clean development mechanism and joint implementation to allow countries to meet their gas emissions limitations. Therefore, what is the Copenhagen climate change summit and what is its connection to the Kyoto protocol? This is a United Nations climate change conference which took place between 7 and 18 December 2009 in order for the environment ministers and officials to draft a successor to the Kyoto protocol. The meeting, also known as COP15, was the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP) in a long series of meetings that trace their origins to the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio, which aimed at coordinating international action against climate change. Who participated at the summit and who were the main players? At the summit participated officials, heads of state and governments, advisers, diplomats, campaigners and journalists from the 192 countries that have signed the climate change convention. In what concerns the main players, the developing countries such as India and China, emphasized the fact that it should be the responsibility of wealthy industrialized nations such as UK and US to give a clear example of cutting the greenhouse gases emissions. Which were the main points? The main issue was that of â€Å"burden-sharing†. More precisely, the scientists stated that, by 2050, the world must cut its emissions by 80% compared with 1990 levels to limit global warming to a 2 degrees C average rise. More than that, the world must stop the growth of greenhouse gas emissions and start making them fall around the year 2015 to 2020. Another important issue was money. The developed countries must be aware of the fact that they have to give hundreds of billions of dollars to poorer nations, in order to help them achieve these standards. But the issue gains in gravity if we take into consideration the recent economic crisis. Which were the results of this meeting? 1. The participants recognized the great challenge of climate change, the need for an urgent programme to fight this problem and the need to establish a comprehensive adaptation programme including international support for the developing countries. They also recognized officially the scientific view that the increase in global temperature should be below 2 degrees C in order to prevent a natural disaster worldwide. 2. They agree to the fact that deep cuts in global emissions are absolutely necessarily. However, these cuts should be made taken taking into consideration the possibilities of each and every country. We have to understand the fact that, for poorer countries, problems such as poverty eradication and economic development are far more important. 3. They recognize the fact that the developed countries shall provide adequate, predictable and sustainable financial resources, technology and capacity building to the less developed countries. 4. They acknowledge the crucial role of reducing emission from deforestation and forest degradation. 5. They decided to create a fund, called the Copenhagen Green Climate Fund, in order to finance all the initiatives mentioned above and a Technology Mechanism to accelerate the technology development, as well as its transfer to the poorer countries. 6. They decided that the implementation of the Accord shall be completed by the end of 2015. In my opinion, this meeting was a success, especially because those who were present, the people who can actually make a change, finally understand the gravity of the problem the humankind is facing. The problem remains: how are they going to implement these measures, when most of them are afraid of their impact on the economic development of the country? As Upton Sinclair once said: â€Å"It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it.†