Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky essays

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky essays Crime and Punishment is a book written by Fyodor Dostoevsky who spent four years at a labour camp in Siberia, followed by four years of military service. Raskolnikov's time in a Siberian prison, described in the Epilogue of Crime and Punishment, is based on Dostoevsky's own experiences at a similar prison. Crime and Punishment is the story of a poor man in Russia who can only purge himself of his guilt through suffering. The book deals with the mental and physical tribulation brought upon him by his crime. His troubles are compounded by the conflicting personalities, which he possesses. The reader is inclined to characterize him by his cold, intellectual side. Yet, without the contrasting humane side of his nature, Raskolnikov never realizes the errors in his theory and actions. Raskolnikov is defined by the dualistic nature of his personality, with each facet being just as vital as the other. During his time in prison Fyodor Dostoevsky underwent something of a political conversion, rejecting the radical socialist positions that had led to his arrest in favour of a conservative concern for traditional values. His dismissal of leftist political thought is evident in Crime and Punishment. For instance, Raskolnikov's crime is motivated, in part, by his theories about society. Lebezyatnikov, whose name is derived from the Russian word for "fawning," is obsessed with the so-called new philosophies that raged through St. Petersburg during the time that Dostoevsky was writing the novel. Luzhin, a mid-level government official, is continually afraid of being "exposed" by "nihilists." Raskolnikov, the protagonist is a complicated man who commit a crime. Raskolnikov murders a woman who was a plague to mankind, especially the poor of Russia: Alyona Ivanovna. In the chilling process however, he also murders her younger sister, Lisaveta Ivanovna. The crime of Raskolnikov reverberates on a much deeper, moral level inside his own head. He igno...

Susan Atkins aka Sadie Mae Glutz - Manson Family Member

Susan Atkins aka Sadie Mae Glutz - Manson Family Member Susan Denise Atkins aka Sadie Mae Glutz Susan Denise Atkins aka Sadie Mae Glutz is a former member of the Charles Manson Family. She swore before a Grand Jury, that under the direction of Charlie Manson, she stabbed actress Sharon Tate to death and had participated in the murder of music teacher Gary Hinman. During her grand jury testimony, Atkins testified that there was no limit to what she would do for Manson, the only complete man I have ever met and that she believed him to be Jesus. Atkins Years as a Teen Susan Denise Atkins was born on May 7, 1948, in San Gabriel, California. When Atkins was 15, her mother died of cancer. Atkins and her alcoholic father quarreled continuously and Atkins decided to quit school and move to San Francisco. She became involved with two escaped convicts and the three committed armed robberies along the west coast. When caught, Atkins did three months in jail and then returned to San Francisco where she took up topless dancing and selling drugs to support herself. Atkins Meets Manson Atkins met the grubby ex-convict, 32-year-old Charles Manson when he visited a commune where she was living. She became mesmerized by Manson and packed up and traveled with the group, eventually ending up at the Spahn Movie Ranch. Charlie renamed Atkins Sadie Glutz, and she became a devout group member and promoter of Mansons ideology. Family members later described Atkins as being one of Mansons biggest fans. Helter Skelter In October 1968, Sadie gave birth to a boy and named him Zezozecee Zadfrack. Motherhood did not slow Sadies desire to prove her devotion to Manson. The family spent their time doing drugs, having orgies, and listening to Mason prophesize about Helter Skelter a time in the near future when a racial war of blacks against whites would erupt. He said the family would hide under the dessert and once the blacks proclaimed victory, they would then turn to Manson to lead their new nation. The Killing Begins In July 1969, Manson, Atkins, Mary Brunner and Robert Beausoleil went to the home of music teacher and friend Gary Hinman, who had allegedly sold the group bad LSD. They wanted their money back. When Hinman refused, Manson sliced off Hinmans ear with a sword and left the house. The remaining family members held Hinman at gunpoint for three days. Beausoleil then stabbed Hinman and all three took turns suffocating him. Before leaving, Atkins wrote Political Piggy in blood on his wall. The Tate Murders The racial war wasnt happening quickly enough, so Manson decided to begin the killings to help the blacks along. In August Manson sent Atkins, Tex Watson, Patricia Krenwinkel, and Linda Kasabian to the home of Sharon Tate. They entered the home and rounded up the eight-month-pregnant Tate and all of her guests. In a killing frenzy, Tate and the rest were butchered to death and the word Pig was written in Tates blood on the front door of the home. The LaBianca Murders The next evening, family members, including Manson entered the home of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca. Atkins did not go into the LaBianca house but was instead sent with Kasabian and Steven Grogan to the home of actor Saladin Nader. The group failed to get to Nader because Kasabian inadvertently knocked on the  wrong apartment door. In the meantime, the other Manson members were busy butchering the LaBianca couple and scrawling their signature blood words on the walls of the home. Adkins Brags About the Murders In October 1969, the Barker Ranch in Death Valley was raided and family members were arrested for arson. While at the prison, Kathryn Lutesinger implicated Atkins in the Hinman murder. Atkins was transferred to another prison. It was there that she bragged to cellmates about the familys involvement in the Tate, LaBianca murders. The information was turned over to the police and Manson, Watson, Krenwinkel were arrested and a warrant was issued for Kasabian whose whereabouts were unknown. Atkins and the Grand Jury Atkins testified before a Los Angeles Grand Jury, hoping to avoid the death penalty. She revealed how she held down Sharon Tate as she pleaded for her and the babys life. She recounted how she told Tate, Look, bitch, I dont care a thing about you. Youre going to die and theres nothing you can do about it. To cause more suffering, they held off killing Tate until all others were dead  and then stabbed her repeatedly while she called out for her mother. Atkins later recanted her testimony. The Manson Solidarity Atkins, returning to her role as a devoted Masonite, was tried with Manson, Krenwinkel and Van Houten for first-degree murder for the Tate-LaBianca massacres. The girls carved an X on their foreheads and shaved their heads to show their solidarity and constantly disrupted the courtroom. In March of 1971, the group was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. The state later overturned the death sentence to a life sentence. Atkins was sent to the California Institute for Women. Atkins the Snitch The first several years that Atkins was in prison she remained loyal to Manson but felt ostracized by other family members for being a snitch. In 1974, Atkins corresponded with former member, Bruce Davis, who had turned his life over to Christ. Atkins, who said Christ had come to her in her cell and forgiven her, became a born-again Christian. In 1977, she and author Bob Slosser wrote her autobiography titled Child of Satan, Child of God. Atkins First Marriage Through mail correspondence, she met millionaire Donald Laisure and they married in 1981. Atkins soon discovered that Laisure had been married 35 times before and had lied about being a millionaire and promptly divorced him. Life Behind Bars Atkins was described as a model prisoner. She organized her own ministry and earned an Associates degree. In 1987 she married a Harvard law student, James Whitehouse, who represented her at her 2000 parole hearing. No Remorse In 1991 she recanted her earlier testimony, stating she was present during the Hinson and Tate murders but did not participate. It has been reported that during her parole hearings she showed neither remorse nor a willingness to accept responsibility for her part in the crimes. She was turned down for parole 10 times. In 2003, she sued Governor Gray Davis, contending his policy opposing parole for nearly all murderers has made her a political prisoner. Her petition was denied. On September 25, 2009, Susan Atkins died of brain cancer behind prison walls. Her death came 23 days after the parole board turned down her request for a compassionate release from prison so that she could die at home. Source:Desert Shadows by Bob MurphyHelter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi and Curt GentryThe Trial of Charles Manson by Bradley Steffens

Portfolio Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Portfolio - Essay Example Hence, for a nation to be in the investment map, it must necessarily improve its diplomatic relations with developed markets and to offer incentives to access investment opportunities for foreign capital (Morrisset, 2000). Economists posit that FDI can possibly be infused if a country would a bit lower its protectionist policy to improve its macroeconomic performance and permeate the increase of growth rate in its domestic economy (Harrison, 1996). This refers about the need for more effort to make a specific region more attractive for investments. It’s argued that an increase in investment auger well for sustainable economic development within the region (Harrison, 1996). Such is possible if financial resources from domestic and international finance communities are integrated within a specific region or nation which opens its borders to world economy (Morrisset, 2000). However, countries adherent to borderless economy are clothe with policies protective of foreign investors and of enhancing human capital. A country interested of maximizing FDI for economic growth must improve its system of governance and domestic economic conditions, to increase the rate of its credibility at the international scale (Aaron, 1999). Experts contend that national credibility can be earned if national leaders advocate and adapt political and economic innovation, human development, infrastructural development, and investment attractiveness (Abraham., 2005). Political innovation refers to legislation of policies that are supportive of economic liberalization, works for the removal of protectionist policies, and attracting more investments using measures such as â€Å"international incentives to invest (Anderson, Dimaranan, Francois, Hertel, Hoekman, & Martin, 2001)..† However, while these policies support international trade and foreign investment, the protective and right–based policies significant to domestic stakeholders’ interests, land utilization, and resource

Samsung's Marketing Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Samsung's Marketing Strategy - Essay Example Finally, and most relevant to this paper is Samsungs global Marketing Strategy. How has Samsung positioned itself to benefit where its competitors have failed? How much has the constant rollout of new products ensured that Samsung is an ever fresh brand? History of Samsung It has already been mentioned, the mobile phone arm of this global giant is a part of the much larger Samsung Group. The parent company was founded, in 1938, by Lee Byung–chull. It is currently a publicly listed company. At inception, the company dealt in groceries. Today, Samsung is a by-name for sleek electronics and heavy machinery. The company expanded and was moved to Seoul in 1947. However, the Korean War intervened and the company was closed. The founder later re-opened under the name Cheil Mojik. It was not dealing in groceries anymore. Instead, it dealt in woolen mill. It was the largest mill in South Korea at that time. The stage had been set for Samsung’s rich manufacturing heritage. The co mpany diversified into several fields. The company always sought to be the leader in every market. Along the same vein, Samsung entered the electronics industry in the late 60s. Its first product was a black and white television set. Later on, in 1977, the company entered the telecommunications industry. By the end of 2011, Samsung had sold over 300 million mobile phone devices worldwide. By so doing, it overtook Nokia. However, the competition is not over. Smartphone’s are said to be the next frontier in global telephony. How Samsung approaches this market depends very much on the development strategy it has adapted till now. The current development strategy will be under review below. Development of Samsung Samsung Telecommunications is a fairly recent entrant... It has already been mentioned, the mobile phone arm of this global giant is a part of the much larger Samsung Group. The parent company was founded, in 1938, by Lee Byung–chull. It is currently a publicly listed company. At inception, the company dealt in groceries. Today, Samsung is a by-name for sleek electronics and heavy machinery. The company expanded and was moved to Seoul in 1947. However, the Korean War intervened and the company was closed. The founder later re-opened under the name Cheil Mojik. It was not dealing with groceries anymore. Instead, it dealt in the woolen mill. It was the largest mill in South Korea at that time. The stage had been set for Samsung’s rich manufacturing heritage. The company diversified into several fields. The company always sought to be the leader in every market. Along the same vein, Samsung entered the electronics industry in the late 60s. Its first product was a black and white television set. Later on, in 1977, the company ent ered the telecommunications industry. By the end of 2011, Samsung had sold over 300 million mobile phone devices worldwide. By so doing, it overtook Nokia. However, the competition is not over. Smartphones are said to be the next frontier in global telephony. How Samsung approaches this market depends very much on the development strategy it has adapted till now. The current development strategy will be under review below. Samsung Telecommunications is a fairly recent entrant compared to some of its main competitors.

All About Writing Topics Essay Example for Free

All About Writing Topics Essay An essay is a short piece of writing on a topic and presents the authors point of view on the matter. It is a pure non-fiction presentation of the writer’s outlook on the topic that is the focus of the essay.1 An essay should be structured in different sections that make it easy for the readers to read and follow the authors thoughts clearly. It is composed of the introductory paragraph, supporting paragraphs and the summary paragraph. The introductory paragraph is the first paragraph of an essay. It brings the main idea of the essay. It captures the interest of the reader and notifies why the topic is important. Another important part of an essay is the main body or the supporting paragraphs. In these paragraphs, the main idea is discussed. The points are cited one by one to develop the main idea of the essay. Aside from the introductory and supporting paragraphs is the summary paragraph which comes at the end of the essay. In this paragraph, all the ideas in the supporting paragraph are explained through a conclusion. By reading this part alone, the reader should be able to understand the whole idea of the essay.2 Since an essay can describe, clarify, argue or analyze, it has different types.3The four major types of essays are narrative, descriptive, expository and persuasive essays. In a narrative essay, the writer tells a story about a real-life experience. When writing this type of essay, writers should try to involve the reader by making the story as vivid as possible. A well-crafted essay builds towards a conclusion or making a personal statement. The second major type on the other hand which is the descriptive essay, paints a picture with words. A writer might describe a person, place, object, or even memory of special significance. The descriptive essay strives to communicate a deeper meaning through the description. This uses colorful words and sensory details. The third type is the expository essay. This essay is an informative piece of writing that presents a balanced analysis of a topic. Moreover, in this type of essay, the writer explains or defines a topic, using facts, statistics, and examples. Lastly is the persuasive essay. While like an expository essay in its presentation of facts, the goal of the persuasive essay is to convince the reader to accept the writer’s point of view or recommendation. In this type of essay, the writer should present all sides of the argument, but must be able to communicate clearly and without equivocation why a certain position is correct.4 Despite having many types of essays with various compositions, they have one thing in common. All essays are collection of interesting ideas which are thoroughly organized to assure that readers are able to fully understand the main ideas of the essays. 1 â€Å"What is an essay,† http://www.essaycapital.com/what_is_an_essay.htm. 2 â€Å"Parts of an Essay,† http://www.customessaypaper.com/essay-help/parts-of-an-essay.htm. 3 Grace Fleming, â€Å"What is an Essay,† http://homeworktips.about.com/od/collegeprepglossary /g/essay.htm. 4 â€Å"Types of Essays: End the Confusion,†http://www.time4writing.com/writing-resources/types-of-essays/.

The Mind of Kurt Vonnegut Essay -- Biography Biographies Essays

The Mind of Kurt Vonnegut Kurt Vonnegut is one of the preeminent writers of the later half of the twentieth century. His works are all windows into his mind, a literary psychoanalysis. He examines himself as a cog in the corporate machine in "Deer in the Works"; as a writer through the eyes of Kilgore Trout in several works; and most importantly, as a prisoner of war in Slaughterhouse-Five. Vonnegut created short stories and novels that dealt with events in his life. One of the most obvious self examinations is in "Deer in the Works". The short story is based on his experiences as a publicist at the General Electric Company Research Laboratory in Schenectady, New York. "Deer in the Works" takes place over two days in the life of David Potter as he begins his employment at the Ilium Works of the Federal Apparatus Corporation. He is assigned to cover a deer trapped in a remote corner of the Works. Potter gets lost in the Works himself and feels just as trapped as the deer. He eventually frees the deer and escapes the works to return to his newspaper. Vonnegut felt trapped like Potter does, and left General Electric in 1951 to write full time. Before World War II, Vonnegut was enrolled at Cornell University studying biochemistry. He was surrounded by scientists and machines and as a result, his first literary works were based on that influence. Vonnegutà ¸s early writings were not accepted as serious, mainstream literature due to their scientific nature. He was considered a science fiction writer by literary critics. That label caused him to be largely ignored. He created the character Kilgore Trout, a science fiction writer, to... ...hort-term events like that. Dresden was astonishing, but experiences can be astonishing without changing you" (Reed 776). Despite these claims to the contrary, the experiences at Dresden had always played a large part in his writings. His experiences have always shaped what Kurt Vonnegut has written. He said to his brother, Bernard, that he wrote for an audience of one, his dead sister; but he truly wrote for himself. He wrote about his experiences as a prisoner in Slaughterhouse-Five, as a publicist in a major corporation in "Deer in the Works", and as a writer through the character Kilgore Trout. Vonnegut examined his thoughts through the eyes of David Potter, Kilgore Trout, and Billy Pilgrim. His works are all deeply personal windows into the psyche of Kurt Vonnegut.

Culture affects Essay

This essay will be focussed on comparing two scenes from two different plays, the main characters and their personalities, and how their culture affects them.  The two plays in question are Arthur Miller’s â€Å"The Crucible† and â€Å"Blackrock† by Nick Enright.  Arthur Miller was an American playwright who was born in 1915. He grew up in New York to a Jewish family. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1938 where he began to distinguish himself as a playwright. His play â€Å"The Crucible† was written in 1953 and later adapted to a film starring Daniel Day Lewis and Winnona Rider in 1996. â€Å"The Crucible† inspired by the Salem Witch Trials. A group of innocent girls are caught dancing and chanting in the forest around a fire. (Puritan England where all forms of dancing and enjoyment would be strictly forbidden) To save themselves from being punished, they cry witchcraft and within days the whole town goes mad searching for the presence of the ‘Devil’ and his witches. The few honest and true people who do not lie to save themselves from hanging are coldly murdered, including John Proctor the main male role. Nick Enright was born in Maitland in New South Wales. He started his career in the theatre as a teenager and wrote Blackrock in 19 and later on in 1997 was adapted to a film. â€Å"Blackrock† about a teen’s idyllic surfer lifestyle is shattered when a young girl is brutally murdered after a beach party and the investigation comes close to his circle of friends. The young man Jared, must deal with his conscience and his sense of loyalty to his friends.  Both the plays â€Å"Blackrock† and â€Å"The Crucible† although set in different time periods, both have a main character faced with some sort of personal moral dilemma. The decision between right and wrong, and having the courage to put yourself at risk on behalf of others. Act 4 of â€Å"The Crucible† The scene changes from the Vestry in the Courthouse to Salem jail.  Marshall Herrick enters and wakes up Goody Good and Tituba so that they can be moved to a different cell.  Tituba tells Herrick that they await the Devil, who will fly them to Barbados.  The Reverend Hale arrives and tells the prisoners that they must confess to being witches in order to thwart the ridiculous Court and avoid being hanged. Reverend Parris discovers that Abigail and Mercy Lewis have disappeared after robbing Parris and he suspects they may have boarded a ship. Parris delays telling Danforth this news because he fears that there will be a rebellion in Salem similar to the recent uprising in Andover. There they threw out the Court, as the people were unhappy with the proceedings.  When Danforth learns about the disappearance of Abigail he still considers that the evidence stands and will not postpone the executions for it would be a sign of weakness. Hale pleads with him to reconsider or at least give him time to persuade the prisoners to confess. Reverend Hale is having difficulties in persuading the seven condemned to death to confess, and he pleads again with Danforth for more time. He senses that Proctor is considering confessing, so he asks Elizabeth to talk to her husband stressing the future in store for their children if he is hanged. Elizabeth feels responsible for Proctor’s situation because she lied in Court. She also feels guilty for being suspicious about her husband after the affair with Abigail. She tells Proctor that she totally forgives him for the affair. Proctor hopes that if he makes an oral confession in Court, that will be sufficient for his Judges, but they require it in writing and it will be posted on the Church door. He cannot face this and, therefore, retracts his confession. He would rather die, and preserve his good name.

Case Study Analysis: The Need for Time Management Essay

According to Karen M. Williams, the â€Å"poor management of time will prevent a business from reaching its full potential† (1994, p. 1). Carl Robin’s case study is the perfect example of why time management is a crucial skill in the business world. Carl has been a campus recruiter for ABC Inc. for six months and recently hired fifteen new trainees who will work under the Operations Supervisor Monica Carrolls. Carl’s primary objective is to hold a new hire orientation; unfortunately, he let several key issues fall through the cracks and now it seems as though the orientation will not happen. Time management is extremely important and should have been used when coordinating recruitment activities. There are many arguments that could be made in this case study such as Carl being too new to his job to be in charge of the recruiting process, or that there should be more people involved in the effort overall. In this analysis a discussion will be made on the causal ch ain of problems that occurred because of Carl’s poor choices and inability to use his time wisely. As a result of Carl procrastinating and not using time management effectively, a causal chain of trouble was created. In order to fix this chain of trouble Carl must employ time management. Carl Robins was not prepared for leading the recruitment process. According to the case study, Carl is in a panic because his June 15th orientation is ruined because none of the elements are in place. If he was prepared to lead the recruitment process then he would have known to employ good time management skills. A little less than three months should have been enough time to coordinate the orientation and ensuring that all other issues are taken care of before the June 15th orientation meeting. Carl needed to be on top of all the different pieces that are involved in the recruitment process. Since call had only been employed for a few months, Carl did not know how to use good time management skills. This is a common  occurrence when time management is not used properly (Williams, 1994). Since Carl was new to the company he did not know that time management skills are necessary to complete each task in time for the orientation. There were several tasks that needed to be completed by Carl before the orientation in order for it to be a success. For example, Carl needed to create a training schedule and organize the orientation. Organization of the orientation included scheduling the meeting and ensuring that no other events were taking place in the training room during that time. He also had to put together manuals and policy booklets for trainees, and coordinate their physicals and drug tests. Carl also needed to make sure all these tasks were completed by trainees. He then had to ensure that each trainee’s transcript and application was on file prior to the orientation. None of these tasks were complete as of two weeks before the orientation date. Since Carl could not complete the tasks as required, the orientation will not be successful. The case study indicates that Carl procrastinated. Procrastination led to Carl not completing the required tasks in time. Procrastination can be a serious problem in the workplace which results in the need for â€Å"fires† to constantly be put out (Estroff Marano, 2003). Procrastination leads to people waiting until the last minute to attempt tasks. In this case, Carl looked into the tasks that needed to be completed only a couple weeks before the due date. There are numerous reasons that people procrastinate according to Kantra (2010). Some of the most common reasons for procrastination include the desire to avoid discomfort, or the need for perfection causes people to avoid doing a task; for example a person may decide to put off a task because they feel they can’t give 100% to the task (2010). Some people also suffer from self-doubt that they won’t be able to complete the task at hand; and there are some people who are just plain lazy (2010). In Carl’s case it is difficult to say with certainty what caused him to procrastinate as much as he did. As a new employee of the company it is possible that Carl suffered from self-doubt since he has never handled a recruitment event on his own. Regardless of the reason, it is evident that the reason none of the orientation tasks were not completed was because Carl procrastinated. Carl did not utilize his time well because he didn’t use time management. Carl should have used time management skills to ensure that all the orientation tasks were completed. By implementing time management skills Carl would havebeen able to better utilize his time. For example, he could have created a chart of what tasks needed to be completed and by when. Instead of waiting until the end to determine that drug tests and physicals were not complete, Carl could have informed trainees immediately what they needed to do and made arrangements for them to go to the clinic by the end of April. Another time management skill that would have helped Carl utilize his time better would be to review the existing policy and manual booklets within the first month to decide what was missing and fix them. The Operations Supervisor informed Carl of the various tasks that were needed by June 15th. This gave Carl an entire month to complete the above mentioned tasks and he assured his supervisor that everything would be completed; unfortunately, Carl was wrong. Carl did not utilize his time well because he didn’t use time management. Scheduling conflicts were also a problem in this case study. When Carl checked on some of the tasks at the end of May (after Memorial Day), nothing was completed and the training room was booked .Carl had not checked with the training room schedule to determine whether it was free on June 15th. As a result, another employee was using it for the entire month for his training class. This is a huge problem that could have been avoided if Carl had been better prepared. Carl should have double checked everything prior to the orientation to ensure that no last minute details were overlooked. Scheduling is a part of time management. Carl had a list of tasks that he needed to complete such as booking the orientation room. The orientation room was not available because of scheduling conflicts. This case study demonstrates conflicts of schedule. Carl should come up with an alternative plan of action. Carl was faced with the decision of whether he should just admit he failed and face the conseq uences of his actions, or make an attempt at fixing this problem. Carl will likely have to admit to his supervisor that he made many mistakes in coordinating the orientation since the supervisor will likely question any changes to the schedule. However, he should not give up, but rather come up with an alternative. An alternative plan is needed, which should have been a part of his process to begin with it. There should always be a plan B. Alternative solutions to Carl’s immediate problem are a few though. If Carl is to forge ahead in hopes of actually holding the orientation then he needs to move fast. He has approximately two weeks from the point he discovers the problems to the date  of the orientation. If he moves efficiently and uses effective time management skills, he should still be able to hold the orientation. Carl must create an alternative plan of action in order for the orientation to be held on time. Now that Carl knows there are major problems he must sit down and creatively come up with a plan. First, he must contact trainees and have them report to the clinic within the next 48 hours. This of course, is not ideal and would put a lot of pressure on the trainees, but it must be done. If for some reas on some of the trainees cannot do it within the 48 hour time frame, an extension could be made, but it cannot extend longer than the end of the first week. This is because he will need to have time to collect results, and take appropriate actions based on those results, which will take a few days. He must also contact the Human Resources department and get copies of all fifteen applications and transcripts. If they do not have copies, then Carl must contact the trainees and have them deliver them to him no later than at the end of the first week. During that first week, Carl must also search for an alternative room for the orientation. It might be possible to hold the orientation in another room within the company. Perhaps there is an auditorium or meeting room that can be used. Carl must be creative in order to create a plan. Once the most time consuming tasks are complete, Carl must address the policy and manual handbooks. This can be done in the second week to allow for the more important issues to be handled during the first week. This can be a fairly easy task. Any policy or manual documentation that isn’t available should be available at the Human Resources department. Once he receives the documents, he can copy the pages and then put them together. This is the final task that needs to be completed and can be accomplished in just a day. There is also always the possibility of moving the date of the orientation to after June when the orientation room would be available. This would also give Carl enough time to coordinate the various tasks that need to be completed. The problems that occur with this approach are that it is unprofessional and will give the company a bad impression of Carl, especially since this is his first attempt at recruiting. Also, Carl’s original plan was to get the trainees working by July. To move the orientation date into July would go against his original plan. Therefore, moving the date of orientation is not an acceptable alternate solution. As previously mentioned Carl’s options are limited. The  fact that he is new at this particular position calls for a quick and effective solution to the problem. His supervisor will know that something went wrong when she sees that the orientation loca tion has been moved. It is for this reason that Carl’s best choice is to admit he made a mistake, but then demonstrate that he has remedied that mistake effectively. When he approaches the supervisor about the mistake, he should have proof in hand of the new plan and all the completed tasks. The blame should not be entirely placed on Carl seeing as he is a new hire in his position of recruiter. As a new hire, he should have had someone assisting him through the steps of coordinating a new trainee orientation. There is also no mention of an employee handbook, or similar that would have helped him through the process. Having a partner or superior, as well as a manual for directions, is common in the workplace which is why it is surprising that these were not present in the case study. Perhaps the organization itself is not well organized. A large project such as the one Carl was working on calls for collaboration. Collaboration in an organization is of critical importance. As mentioned above, it was surprising that Carl did not have a superior to walk him through his first recruitment event. This does not mean, however, that Carl couldn’t have approach a fellow employee for assistance. If Carl had reached out to fellow employees, perhaps the tasks would have been completed on time through collaborative efforts. Research has shown that collaboration creates a flexible and productive workplace (Beyerlein, et al., 2003). It is unknown whether ABC Inc. fosters a collaborative environment; however, reaching out to coworkers for assistance in not usually frowned upon by management in most companies. Carl should have sought to collaborate on the recruitment project. Effective time management would have helped Carl complete each task and to recognize certain problems, such as the unavailable training room, prior to the June 15th deadline. Carl had an opportunity to demonstrate his recruitment skills for the first time and two weeks prior to the project deadline was faced with the fact that he might fail. Unfortunately none of the tasks were completed and the room was unavailable to him. The only appropriate choice was to attempt to get all tasks completed within the two week span before the orientation date. This is unprofessional and will  highlight his mistakes to his supervisor; however, it is better to fix the mistakes and then admit them, rather than to admit to the mistakes and not fix them at all. Effective time management skills would have helped Carl to successfully fulfill his recruitment event tasks. References Beyerlein, M.M., Freedman, S., McGee, C., and Moran, L. (2003). The Ten Principles of Collaborative Organizations. Journal of Organizational Excellence. Retrieved March 29, 2012 from http://courses.washington.edu/nutrmgmt/564_ArticlesUsed_07/Beyerlein_Teams_03.pdf Estroff Marano, H. (2003). Procrastination: Ten Things to Know. Psychology Today. Retrieved on March 14, 2012 from http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200308/procrastination-ten-things-know Kantra, D.S. (2010). Just Do It! Why People Procrastinate. PsychDigest. Retrieved March 29 2012 from http://psychdigest.com/just-do-it-why-people-procrastinate/ Williams, K.M. (1994). Tips on Effective Time Management. Ohio State University. Retrieved on March 14, 2012 from http://ohioline.osu.edu/cd-fact/1006.html

Stanford Prison Experiment

Stanford Prison Experiment Introduction The unsettling aspect of the experiment was that it seemed to prove the pervasive behaviour of the prison guards and prisoners was due to an aspect of human psychology, deeply embedded in the human nature, rather than an acquired ill reasoning. However, there are arguments as to whether the experiment used the right procedure and parameters to obtain objective results.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Stanford Prison Experiment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The guidelines violated The study violated the ethical guidelines of any experiment involving human beings since it did not have any ethical acceptability. The set APA standards require that any experiment, including those investigating psychological issues, be free of any kind of torture. If the guards had stuck to the recommended course of action when handling the prisoners, the experiment could have resulted in outcomes that were more ob jective. The researchers disregarded the subjects’ welfare, which is against the APA guideline requirements. Moreover, the experiment planners failed to consider the gravity of the events if the anticipated risks turned into a reality. The APA guidelines require the experimenter to structure the experiment in such a way that the risk is not too detrimental to the physical and emotional wellbeing. The leader of the team, doctor Zimbardo, was also the person who conducted the analysis of the course and the results of the experiment. According to the accepted standards in modern research, the leader of the team flawed the experiment by acting as an observer while disturbing the process. This violated another guideline, which advocates for minimum disturbance. Zimbardo’s personal opinion and feelings exposed the experiment to distortion. The experiment’s validity was questionable since before the commencement of the process all actions in the prison were anticipated . The guards had premeditated inflicting torture and curtailing the subjects’ freedom contrary to the APA guidelines on experimentation (Blass 235). There were no admissible criteria of equating the experimental prison’s conditions to those of a real prison. The experimental conditions could have been far much worse than the real conditions of an average prison. Furthermore, some conditions in real prison are necessary while experimental conditions were deliberate efforts to inflict mental stress. The researchers altering the Study Although there was no way to modify the experiment to reflect a real prison in totality, the team could have adopted measures that ensured the experiment stayed within the admissible criteria of practical experimentation.Advertising Looking for research paper on psychology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The experiment would have obtained better results if the prisoners and the guards were subjected to the procedure without being guided on how to react to various situations. The decision to instil mental strain on the prisoners distorted the experiment. On the contrary, gradual, automatic, and natural mental strain on the guards and the prisoners was a more appropriate approach. Another measure that could have been useful to the experiment was the random selection of the prisoners with the freedom to request release. In a real prison, the prison community is composed of individuals with random backgrounds. In this essence, the experimental team should have been composed of a random collection of individuals picked in a non-discriminatory way. An independent observer would have been useful in ensuring that the participants in the experiment did not have any interest in the experiment’s outcome. This would facilitate the most accurate natural response of the experiment’s subjects to the conditions in their undisturbed environment. Furthermo re, the participants in such an experiment must have only limited information regarding the issue in question. This ensures that the subjects are not subconsciously aware of the aim of the experiment while deciding on each of their moves (Huggins et al 263). Cognitive dissonance Cognitive dissonance is a phenomenon where individual are attracted to do things that require more effort or responsibility rather than take on the easier options. This trend is evident in the Stanford experiment among the prisoners and the gaurds. The guards strive to ensure that the prisoners suffered for no particular reason. Moreover, the prisoners had no cause to rebel if the guards maintained a professional stance in the experiment. However, the guards opted to oppress the prisoners and later deal with the ensuing crisis. This evidence of cognitive dissonance in the prison community seems to confirm in a limited manner, the existence of a substantial negative psychological part in the comprehensive hum an nature (Festinger 32). The prisoners had clear characteristics of cognitive dissonance. They chose to flout the prison’s regulations and then later endure the repercussions although there were no clear benefits of their actions. In addition, the prisoners chose a more difficult relationship with the prison authorities with the intention of creating a conflict. These actions implied that the trait is a natural tendency of the human being to choose to confront the more challenging situations rather than the easier procedures (Cooper 42).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Stanford Prison Experiment specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Conclusion The study produced substantial evidence to prove the existence of cognitive dissonance in human beings. Although the experiment’s procedure breached major guidelines on experimentation, the results contain details that objectively point to the natural tenden cy of the human beings to take on more challenging options. Blass, Thomas. Obedience to authority current perspectives on the Milgram paradigm. Mahwah, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2000. Print. Cooper, Joel. Cognitive dissonance: fifty years of a classic theory. Los Angeles [u.a.: SAGE Publ., 2007. Print. Festinger, Leon. A theory of cognitive dissonance. Stanford, Calif.: Stanford University Press, 19621957. Print. Huggins, Martha Knisely, Mika Fatouros, and Philip G. Zimbardo. Violence workers: police torturers and murderers reconstruct Brazilian atrocities. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2002. Print.

Connotation and Denotation - Commonly Confused Words

Connotation and Denotation - Commonly Confused Words The nouns denotation and connotation both have to do with the meanings of words, but denotative meaning isnt quite the same as connotative meaning. Definitions The noun denotation refers to the direct or explicit meaning of a word or phrase - that is, its dictionary definition. Verb: denote. Adjective: denotative.The noun  connotation  refers to the implied meaning or association of a word or phrase apart from the thing it explicitly identifies. A connotation can be positive or negative. Verb:  connote. Adjective:  connotative. It is possible for the connotation and denotation of a word or phrase to be in conflict with each other. Denotation is typically straightforward, while connotations develop in social contexts. The connotation of a word may vary between different groups, eras, or settings, so context is crucial. See the usage notes below. Also see: Choosing the Best Words: Denotations and ConnotationsCommonly Confused Words: Connote and DenoteConnotation  and  DenotationGlossary of Usage: Index of Commonly Confused Words Examples and Context The southern accent was the primary identifying mark of the hillbilly; the term has a definite regional connotation. . . .  The term also suggested that those to whom it was applied had a rural origin; this  connotation  persists in later descriptions of the hillbillies. Most important, it had a definite class  connotation.(Lewis M. Killian,  White Southerners, rev. ed. University of Massachusetts Press, 1985)You do realize that saying we need to talk to your girlfriend has ominous  connotations?(Kay Panabaker as Daphne Powell in the television program  No Ordinary Family, 2011)The denotation of a word is its prescribed, dictionary-type definition. For example, the sentence you just read gives you the denotation of the word denotation, because it told you its definition.(David Rush, A Student Guide to Play Analysis. Southern Illinois University Press, 2005) Usage Notes   The Relative Weight of Denotative and Connotative MeaningsIndividual words vary considerably in the relative weight of their denotative and connotative meanings. Most technical terms, for example, have very little connotation. That is their virtue: they denote an entity or concept precisely and unambiguously without the possible confusion engendered by fringe meanings: diode, spinnaker, cosine. We may think of such words as small and compactall nucleus, so to speak. . . .Connotation looms larger than denotation in other cases. Some words have large and diffuse meanings. What matters is their secondary or suggestive meanings, not their relatively unimportant denotations. The expression old-fashioned, for instance, hauls a heavy load of connotations. It denotes belonging to, or characteristic of, the past. But far more important than that central meaning is the connotation, or rather two quite different connotations, that have gathered about the nucleus: (1) valuable, worthy of honor a nd emulation and (2) foolish, ridiculous, out-of-date; to be avoided. With such words the large outer, or connotative, circle is significant; the nucleus small and insignificant.(Thomas S. Kane, The New Oxford Guide to Writing. Oxford University Press, 1988) Connotation and ContextDenotation tends to be described as the  definitional,  literal, obvious or common-sense meaning of a  sign. In the case of linguistic signs, the denotative meaning is what the  dictionary  attempts to provide. . . . The term connotation is used to refer to the socio-cultural and personal associations (ideological, emotional, etc.) of the sign. These are typically related to the interpreters class, age, gender, ethnicity and so on. Connotation is thus  context-dependent.(Daniel Chandler,  Semiotics: The Basics, 2nd ed. Routledge, 2007)ComplicationsThe distinction between denotation and connotation was important in literary criticism and theory from the 1930s to the 1970s. The denotation of a word or phrase is its literal or obvious meaning or reference as specified in a dictionary; the connotations of a word or phrase are the secondary or associated significances that it commonly suggests or implies. This distinction is complicated in practice bec ause many words have more than one denotation and because dictionaries sometimes include definitions of a word based on connotation as well as denotation. E.g., the first set of definitions of the word rose given by the OED tells us that a rose is both a well-known beautiful and fragrant flower and a rose-plant, rose-bush, or rose-tree; in addition, the OED gives a number of allusive, emblematic, or figurative uses (e.g., a bed of roses or under the rose) that reveal the huge store of cultural connotations associated with the flower.(T. Furniss, Connotation and Denotation. The Princeton Encyclopedia of Poetry and Poetics, 4th ed.. edited by Stephen Cushman et al, Princeton University Press, 2012) Practice   (a) There is a human sense that an agreementalmost any agreementwill bring peace, but also a fear that it will compromise the national sovereignty. Negotiation with another nation may carry the positive _____ of overcoming conflict but also the negative_____ of betraying loyalties.(John H. Barton, The Politics of Peace. Stanford University Press, 1981)(b) The _____ of the word skinny is quite similar in definition to the word slim; however, when students are asked whether they would prefer to be called skinny or slim they usually answer slim.(Vicki L. Cohen and John Edwin Cowen, Literacy for Children in an Information Age: Teaching Reading, Writing, and Thinking. Thomson Wadsworth, 2008) Answers to Practice Exercises below. Answers to Practice Exercises: connotation and denotation (a)  (a) There is a human sense that an agreementalmost any agreementwill bring peace, but also a fear that it will compromise the national sovereignty. Negotiation with another nation may carry the positive connotation  of overcoming conflict but also the negative connotation of betraying loyalties.(John H. Barton,  The Politics of Peace. Stanford University Press, 1981)(b) The denotation of the word skinny is quite similar in definition to the word slim; however, when students are asked whether they would prefer to be called skinny or slim they usually answer slim.(Vicki L. Cohen and John Edwin Cowen, Literacy for Children in an Information Age: Teaching Reading, Writing, and Thinking. Thomson Wadsworth, 2008)

Types of training programs offered and how it impacts local Essay

Types of training programs offered and how it impacts local communities - Essay Example The scope of Federal training programs run by the government through its state-level and local organizations is so vast that to comprehend them in a research article would be doing injustice with the topic. Ours is a huge democratically run country, where opportunities for all sections of society, irrespective of any sort of discrimination, exist – providing equal opportunities to all its citizens to earn. Training assistance is provided to help them stand on their feet, if they find it difficult financially, technically, physically or for any reason what so ever. Just to have a glimpse of one of the recipients of government help are refugees and women. Of course student community forms a major and important segment receiving training and benefiting themselves and the community and society at large. Take the case of women entrepreneurs, for whom the federal government is going to keep aside contracts in such industries where women have marginal representation. This move will c ertainly help women entrepreneurs to have their say in matters of their interests. Wherever, there had been discrimination based on sex, race, ethnic and color – U.S. Government is set to eliminate it. For example, Indian-Americans, blacks and other ethnic groups have earlier faced partial attitude. Similarly, settling the refugee community has been another great humanitarian cause.