Literature and Culture Essay

I. Literature – General Introduction â€Å"Literature is my Utopia. Here I am not disenfranchised. No barrier of the senses shuts me out from the sweet, gracious discourses of my book friends. They talk to me without embarrassment or awkwardness† (Helen Keller) Keller could not have been more correct in this insight about literature, and scarcely would anyone who has had a lifetime with the written word raise any issue about its faultlessness. Man with his complex, often unfathomable and unpredictable thoughts, feelings and actions, and many times restrained by societal norms from openly exposing what he has inside him, considers literature as a socially acceptable vehicle for unrestrained self-expression. Literature is life. It is a mirror of man’s desires and aspirations, his ambitions and accomplishments, his fears and anxiety, his joyful and fulfilling moments. Through it, he records his experiences of triumphs and downfalls, laughter and anguish, determination and indecision—from things phenomenal to matters mundane. It is only through literature that the human mind is able to successfully transcend all material barriers to reveal its essence which constitutes the â€Å"isness† of man’s being. Literature, then, is the totality of humanity. The famous French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre succinctly said it all in the following line: â€Å"If literature is not everything, it’s not worth a single hour of someone’s trouble† (http://www. brainyquote. com/quotes/keyword/literature. html). What is Literature? ? So broad and deep is the extent and scope of literature that putting up a definition for it is almost like limiting its parameters. However, for academic purposes, it will be relevant to explain what the concept encompasses. ? On a general perspective, anything that is written is classified as literature. ? On a stricter sense, however, and across cultures and ages, literature is associated with a poem, or a fiction article, or a stage play, a book or a classroom lesson. ? Literature, as the body of written works of a language, period or culture, and produced by scholars and researchers, reminds us of stories, epics, sacred scriptures and classical works of the ancient and modern times. Literary works are portrayals of the thinking patterns and social norms prevalent in society. Classical literary works serve as a food for thought, imagination and creativity. ? A literary article should interest, entertain, stimulate, broaden the imagination and experience, or ennoble the reader (Roberts 2). It springs as an idea from the need of its creator to get across a thought or feeling. The writer starts from an experience or set of experiences, real or imagined, which he thinks he needs to share with his public. Working on his creative tablet, he recreates the facts to reflect true-to-life happenings, or invents incidents, places, and characters and puts thoughts into the latter’s minds and words in their mouths. Or he may decide to compress an otherwise long factual or imagined story in a few metered or rhythmical lines. The result is an original text that satisfies its creator’s purpose– a literary article, an imaginative literature. ? Kirszner & Mandell explain that the word â€Å"literature† immediately stirs in the mind the concept of â€Å"imaginative literature† (1). Imaginative Literature is one which temporarily transports the reader to a different world, away from the physical and emotional realities of his existence, where he could be free to view the world with his own eyes and heart. Imaginative literature is not confined to print. A substantial number of orally transmitted imaginative literatures have set the traditions in their respective genres and have remained among the most respectable pieces in the literatures of the world. Why should we value literature? Literature that is imaginative can have far-reaching effects on the reader (Kirzner & Mandell 2-3).? The characters, scenes, images, powerful language, and carefully and masterfully developed plot can delight the reader and offer him an ephemeral escape from the stiffness, boredom, even cruelty of the world around him. ? It can transport the reader out of the limits of his time and space, and get him into seeing another possible phase of life. Meaningful insights can be drawn from wholesome literary texts. ? It can bring him to a level where he is able to see his life more objectively, up close and personal. This is because literature reveals truths about humanity. More than a mere description of people and what they do, literature brings the reader to a slice of virtual life in which he (the reader) consciously experiences his humanity. This is an added value of literature. ? It is an avenue for him to view and understand his own experiences and those of others. Reflecting can make him more sensitive to the needs of others and his own. Literature, then, can serve as a value guide as well as a lead to an analysis of values and meanings about the realities in life. ? Imaginative literature is founded on facts—history, pure science, psychology, sociology, anthropology, mathematics, and other branches of knowledge. The information load it carries can be another added value to the reader. Similarly, literature that is imaginative has marked values for the writer (Krizner & Mandell 3). ? It is a creative avenue for self-expression. A writer can unravel the ill-effects of cultural patterns and norms, and can suggest ways to remedy a stinking system through the characters of his short story, novel, or play, or the persona in poetry. Also, he reveals his individuality and uniqueness as a writer in the way he manipulates the elements of his genre—character, setting, language, format, and style. ? It is an expression of common cultural values. A writer has his own mind about a problem or issue, but that â€Å"thought† is molded by the collective sentiment, aspiration, philosophy, value, even fears of the community or cultural group he belongs to. Literature provides opportunities for the transport of these ethnic or cultural thoughts, feelings, and biases to peoples across cultural borders. It is in this way that literature can stand as the conscience and consciousness of the community which created it. Literary Genres and Culture Traditions in literature include classifying works into literary types or genres. Genre classification can have several advantages (web. nchu. edu. tw/~chtung/1986. doc. 2-6). ? It can bring about an order or a system in the handling of literary texts and, in effect, facilitates choice of materials akin to one’s interests, which can result in greater understanding and appreciation. For example, a reader who has an ear for musicality and rhythm will pick up a poetic text more likely than he would a book of fiction. ? It has resulted in the writing of standards for each genre. With the aid of these writing standards, literary creators are able to craft their works more systematically. Thoughtfully going over the standards for a drama will aptly arm a novice writer to focus on what the audience will look for in a play. Conversely, a critic who is familiar with genre standards will know exactly what to look for in a literary work.? The existence of genre classification is one avenue that can lead to the meeting of minds between the reader and the writer. When the brain has identified beforehand what it is looking for in a text (schemata-text matching through knowledge of specific genre), comprehension of the text will be less stressful, less threatening and more enjoyable. Culture-based Literary Traditions 1. Genre Classifications. The presence of traditional and universally recognized genres does not dictate the uniformity of genre classifications and the standards for each genre. Not all genre classifications are present in all places, and not all places observe the same standards for each classification. Every culture has its own genre, owing to the variations in the experiences and aspirations of the people in each culture. For example ? The sonnet which is common in western traditions is not well known in China or among the Arab nations ( Kirszner & Mandell 2). ?The kabuki play of Japan has as yet no counterpart in western countries (Kirszner & Mandell 2). ? We still have to see a counterpart of the Filipino pasyon in other literary traditions. 2. Narrative organization conventions. The standards on the presentation of events in a plot can vary from culture to culture specifically with orally transmitted literature (Kirszner & Mandell 2). For example: ? Some native American and African stories dating to the early stage of cultural development are arranged spatially, not chronologically as is the tradition in almost all cultures. All incidents that took place in one setting are narrated, then the narration moves to focus on all the incidents in another setting, and so on until all the events are completely retold. Even character development is not given as much focus in some traditional African and Native American stories as it is in present-day fiction (Kirszner & Mandell 3). 3. Character development. Present-day fiction puts much emphasis on the identity and the development of character. This is not so in some traditional African and Native American stories. Kirszner & Mandell state that in some of these narratives, characters are sometimes not named and can even switch roles towards the end of the story (3). Genre Classifications and Time Earlier literary works were grouped more generally than those in the present. Contemporary literature is lumped into four big groups—prose fiction, poetry, nonfiction prose, and drama (Roberts 3) while earlier traditions recognized three groups– fiction, non-fiction and poetry. The drama in its traditional form used verse, which explains why it was categorized as poetry. Although not markedly divergent from the present literary groupings, the â€Å"old† genre classification reflects those which societies then considered to be what mattered most. The Genres of Literature Critics could not seem to agree on one best way literary writings should be grouped; however, most authorities name four categories for classifying literature (Roberts 3). 1. Narrative fiction or prose fiction. This is the literary type which first comes to mind when the word fiction is mentioned. Narration, or retelling past events, is what makes fiction what it is. ? Narrative fiction gives an account of a series of events, factual or imagined but mostly imagined.? One character, the protagonist, or a few characters is/are at the center of these  events, causing them to happen and or causing him to be transformed. ? He is confronted with a problem, the solution of which is his primary concern, and the action he takes towards its resolution is the reason for his transformation. He may or may not overcome the problem. ? Some events in fictional narratives are drawn from historical incidents but fictionalized through change of names, places, and time, and a slight tweak in the plot. ? Through narrative fiction, the author is able to express his thoughts about a problem or issue, and/or is able to entertain. Classifications of Narrative Fiction a. Myth. This prose fiction, which punctuates the literary beginnings of practically every cultural group, is a story centered on how the gods related to humans—how certain places, beings, and places came to be, how the gods’ biases made some people’s lives fulfilling and rendered others’ lives miserable, how conflicts among the mortals affected the gods or vice versa. Myths can also be about struggles among cultural heroes, each one representing the time-established beliefs of a particular cultural group. b. Parable. This is a short narrative about some ordinary experiences of a group of people and is meant to connect to the teaching of a certain moral, or the hammering home of a philosophical, social, religious, or political teaching. The Jewish tradition best exemplifies the use of parables. c. Romance. This refers to lengthy Spanish and French stories of the 16th and 17th centuries, especially about the adventures and ordeals of the royalty and the members of their court. It can also refer to modern formulaic stories describing the growth of an impulsive, profound and powerful love relationship. d. Short story. Owing to its comparative brevity, this is the most popular type of narrative fiction. The plot may revolve around one or two main characters facing a difficulty. There are high as well as low points in their lives but, almost always, each one’s life will not go back to exactly the same point where it began. Because of the little space dictated by the shortened form of the text, interactions and relationships resulting in changes in character, no matter how subtle, are described briefly. e. Novel. This is a short story in extended form. Length being its advantage over the short story, the novel permits the full and sometimes exhaustive development of the interactions that lead to changes in some characters’ disposition, thoughts, feelings, or aspirations (Roberts 5). 2. Poetry. A poem is a literary form that â€Å"expresses a monologue or a conversation grounded on the most deeply felt experiences of human beings† (Kirszner & Mandell 522). ? It is acclaimed as the oldest and the most popular among the literary forms. ? It is the most variable in length, running from a few syllables, as in the Japanese haiku, to hundreds of stanzas, as in the epic.? The language is compressed in a few lines or verses arranged in conformity with the principles of form, rhythm, and sometimes meter and rhyme. ? It has a rich imagery and suggestive forms of expression, making it the most puzzling and, therefore, the most open to multiple interpretations. These qualities make poetry â€Å"unique† (Roberts 5). ? Among earlier cultures, for example, Greek and Roman, poetry served as a vehicle for the expression of the spiritual and the philosophical. With the passing of time, poetry has gained an added value—that of expressing the most profound ideas and the deepest emotions of humanity. Across the cultures of the present, poetry remains to inspire, to delight, and to serve as a vehicle for the concerns of the heart (Kirszner & Mandell 522). Classifications of Poetry f. Narrative poetry. This is a story in verse, of which there are two familiar forms: i. Epic. Apparently the more familiar of the two, an epic is a narrative account in verse of the accomplishments of a heroic figure, a folk hero who exhibits extraordinary physical powers and superhuman dispositions, of gods, and other supernatural entities. The account covers a wide expanse of time and place, and reflects the cultural characteristics of the people who wrote it. Although some epics are credited to particular authors, others are ascribed to their countries or cultures of origin. This is because epics of old were handed down orally, in plain verse or in song, and, as a result, grew and developed as they passed from one generation to the next, eventually mirroring the evolution of the people’s traditions and norms. Of worldwide renown are The Iliad of Homer, The Aeneid of Virgil, Beowulf of the Anglo-Saxons, and Mahabharata of the Hindus. ii. Ballad. Like the epic, the ballad traces its origin to oral tradition. Originally intended to be sung, this narrative poem carries one outstanding characteristic–its use of repetition of words and phrases, including a refrain. g. Lyric Poetry. This poem does not attempt to tell a story. Possessing a very personal and subjective nature, it conveys the speaker’s feelings, biases and aspirations, state of mind, and perceptions in a melodious mood. Lyric poetry sub-types include the following (Kirzsner & Mandell 525-526): iii. Ode. This is a long lyric poem which is, generally, on a serious subject, such as an important concept (for example, freedom), person, or any other entity in nature (for example, the sun) and with a formal poetic diction and meditative mood. The poem centers on the speaker’s observations about the subject and usually winds up with an effort towards shedding light on an emotional problem. Owing to its Greek origin, it is often intended to be recited or sung by two choruses. iv. Elegy. This lyric sub-type is meant to mourn the passing of a specific person. As such, it is characterized by a melancholy and plaintive mood and an ending that offers consolation. It may also reflect what the author considers to be mysterious, uncertain, or strange. v. Pastoral. In contrast to the elegy, the pastoral has a light, happy, even romantic mood as it celebrates the simplicity and idyll of country life. vi. Occasional poem. This poem is meant for a particular event, for example, a wedding, the installation of a prominent church leader, the putting up of a landmark, or a president’s inaugural. vii. Poems on everyday activities. Poems are sometimes written to express the writer’s feelings or describe his experiences about day-to-day events, for example, going about the daily chores, herding the animals back to their corral, or riding the trolley. viii. Aubade. This poetic form is specifically written to celebrate or lament the coming of a new day, specifically the arrival of morning. Dawn is often welcomed with joy and hope, but it can also bring despair to a persona who sees it as a signal to leave his lover. ix. Meditation. An ordinary object can be used as a vehicle to consider important, more serious issues. A poem that is focused on this is called meditation. Kriszner and Mandell cite Edmund Waller’s Go, Lovely Rose as an example (526) in which the speaker tells the rose meant to be delivered to his lady love his message for the lady. Far more important than his words of adoration is his advice for the lady not to waste the charm and time bestowed upon her since time flies and beauty fades in no time. x. Dramatic monologue. In this poem, the speaker addresses one or more listeners who is/are absent. In the process, the speaker unravels the dramatic aspect of the situation and reveals his psychological and emotional side of the issue at hand, which is usually less interesting than how he (the speaker) treats it. Some authors use the term dramatic lyric. xi. Some authors classify the epigram, a verse in two to four lines with characteristic wit and sarcasm, under lyric poetry Cited as a classic example is Alexander Pope’s On the Collar of a Dog (voices. yahoo. com) which runs in two lines. In most cases, however, an epigram is not a stand-alone piece but forms part of a longer poetic composition. xii. Other cultures have their own types of lyric poems, e. g. , ghazal in Urdu, and rondeau in French. h. Satirical Poetry. As far back as the days of the Roman empire, poetry was already used as a powerful vehicle for political purposes. This tradition continues to these days. Many who are disgruntled with any system or structure choose to amplify their bitterness and discontent artistically through carefully crafted satirical poems. Poetry can have several forms. i. Sonnet. It comes in 14 lines arranged in three quatrains and a couplet [Shakespearean or English] or an octave and a sestet [Petrarchan or Italian]. The iambic pentameter is generally used in sonnets. ii. Cinquian. It has five short lines with the following pattern: line 1 – one word or 2 syllables; line 2 – 2 words or 4 syllables; 3 words or 6 syllables; 4 words or 8 syllables; 1 word or 2 syllables. iii. Haiku. This is a verse of Japanese origin consisting of three unrhymed lines of 5 – 7 – 5 morae (quantity of time equivalent to a short syllable). A traditional haiku carries a word pertaining to the seasons and a cutting word, called kireji, used at the end of one of the three lines. Incidentally, there is no English equivalent of the cutting word concept (www. poemofquotes. com/haiku). iv. Tanka. Like the haiku, tanka is a Japanese verse but consists of five lines. The first and third lines carry five syllables each while the rest of the lines have seven syllables each. v. Concrete poem. This poem uses typography—the appearance of the printed text—to enhance its message. Thus, visual elements such as punctuation marks, symbols, and arrangement of words on the printed page, or the shape of the poem, are elemental in driving home the writer’s message. A poem about the magical sounds of a bell is shaped like a flower, while one that has nature as subject may take the shape of a tree or a bird. Visual poems, pattern poems, and size poems are examples of concrete poems (www. poemsofquotes. com/articles/concrete-poetry. php). vi. Blank verse. This type of verse uses unrhymed iambic pentameter. vii. Free verse. Unlike the blank verse, this type of verse may be rhymed or unrhymed but does not observe a fixed meter. 3. Drama. This literary genre is meant to be presented on stage. Actors portray the events in the story as though these were happening in the  present. Like narrative fiction, there is a problem around which all action revolves. At the center maybe a single character or a small number of characters who carry the burden of resolving the conflict and on whose actions and thoughts the attention of the audience is largely focused. The protagonist may overcome the problem or may be overcome by it. Unlike in a narrative fiction, the audience in a drama are able to actually witness the fictional events as they happen, making the experience direct and closer to life than in narrative fiction. i. Tragedy. Often associated with the bizarre and the disastrous, and in keeping with Greek tradition, this type of drama is focused on â€Å"treating serious subjects and involving persons of significance† (Kirszner & Mandell 917, citing Aristotle’s Poetics). ? At the center of the drama is a character, the protagonist, who is noble, respected, perfect from almost all angles, except for one flaw which is not obvious at the start but which will later manifest to a very crucial point that will suffice to cause his downfall. ? A very important lesson is conveyed here—man’s condition in life is one of  nobility. ? The purpose of the play is to bring the audience to an experience of pity for the central character as he wrestles with the trials in his life and with experiences of fear of going through the same situation. ? The audience is expected to leave the theater with the resolution to not follow the tragic path which the central character of the play took. j. Comedy. This type of drama sits on the other end of the spectrum. It is designed to â€Å"treat themes and characters with humor and typically has a happy ending† (Kirszner & Mandell 917). ? The main character is an ordinary individual whose life is open to the public, and whom the public knows to be carrying a mask of his true self all along. ? The comedy is meant to take away that mask from the protagonist and to reveal to the audience his simplicity and foolishness, his lack of understanding of things, his being â€Å"selfish, hypocritical, vain, weak, irrational, and capability for self-delusion† (Kirszner & Mandell 917). ? Ironically, it is the comedy that brings entertainment and laughter to the audience who, unknowingly, is the subject of criticism of the action in the  play. k. Farce. This is a humorous play. But unlike the comedy, the plot does not depend on the development of a character but on a situation that is exploited ingeniously. The term can speak for itself. 4. Nonfiction Prose. Any literary form not falling under any of the categories just mentioned is classified as nonfiction prose. This group consists of a wide array of fact-based and fact-oriented written materials presenting judgments and opinions and which are created mainly as sources of information. News reports, feature articles, essays, editorials, textbooks, and biographical and historical works fall under this category. Recently, there has been a marked increase in the interest for biographical and historical works, a good number of which have become bestsellers. Many schools have shifted to biographical and historical novels for required student readings. REVIEW QUESTIONS 1. The statements that follow are supported by the foregoing discussions except one. Find that sentence. l. Literature is a potent vehicle to convey a personal longing. m. The most extreme of human experiences are the only ones considered as worthy literary materials. n. Man’s freedom of self-expression can be best exemplified by the almost limitless breadth of possibilities in literature. o. Reading a literary text is experiencing the writer’s unspoken regret or praise. 2. Find the sentence which is not supported by the foregoing discussions. a. Defining literature is not always necessary. b. Imaginative literature can be a rich source of lessons about living life. c. A well written literary text can cause a change in a person’s disposition. d. Written literature has always been the better tradition. 3. Which of the following statements best paraphrases the opening quote? a. Literature is the source of Helen Keller’s highest point of contentment. b. Keller and her friends read literature a lot and find much meaning from it. c. Being blind and deaf, Keller finds literature reading as the best pastime. d. Keller’s friends love to hear her share with them what she has read and what she thinks about them. 4. Imaginative literature differs from other literary forms in the following ways except one. e.Imaginative literature builds on a writer’s personal experience and shares it factually with the reader. f. Mundane and extraordinary human experiences are vividly recreated and accented with some of the writer’s imaginative thoughts. g. Imaginative literature is everything that transports the reader to a different world, stimulates his creative mind, and appeals to his sense of values. h. Man’s most profound thoughts and feelings are expressed in symbols and images. 5. Which three (3) statements are not supported by the discussions on the value of literature? i. Every literary text has its own place in the arena of values.j. Longer texts, such as the novel and the drama, have a more profound reader-impact than shorter ones, such as proverbs and haikus. k. One of the added values of literature is that it requires interpretation and analysis of meaning. l. Literature has to be historical for it to be prized. m. A song expressing a prisoner’s longing for immediate freedom is an ethnicity-inspired literary piece. 6. C. S. Lewis is quoted to have said: â€Å"Literature enriches the necessary competencies that daily life requires and provides; and in this respect, it irrigates the desert that our lives have already become. † This quote supports the idea that: n. Basically, literature is based on world knowledge. o. Literature brings entertainment to its audience. p. Available in every literary text are several insights about meaningful living. q. Literature enables the reader to grasp the meaning of his experiences and those of the people around him. 7. Which of the following statements is not true about poetry? r. It dates back to the earliest years of man’s literary experience. s. It is strictly metered, rhymed, and rhythmical. t. It can capture the most profound and the most ordinary human experience in a few words. u. The poet’s message is cloaked in rich symbols and other forms of evocative expressions. 8. Although sometimes classified as poetry, romance is proprietarily a type of narrative fiction _____: v. owing to its length. w. because it is basically intended to give an account of past incidents in story format. x. since it is situated at a definite past time and space. y. because it is about adventure. 9. The following is an English translation of a Bilaan poem attributed to pre-colonial times. [Bilaan is a tribal group of southern Mindanao, which is the second biggest island in the Philippines and is situated in the southernmost part of the archipelago. The early people were renowned hunters and food gatherers (blog. travelpod. com/travel-blog-entries/aliawan/1/1262268183/tpod. html)]. The language of the people is also called Bilaan. ) Read the poem carefully to be able to answer the question below. LAMGE What can we do? Oh, what can we do? This is our work, this we should do. Oh my, how, oh how is this to go on? Continue, then come back when you reach the top. â€Å"’Tis not there! ‘Tis not here! † they said. We’ll try till we can make it. It’s not here, according to them, but don’t relax Don’t be surprised. They’re still far. Let’s hurry! (Lumbera & Lumbera 11) What sub-type of poetry is Lamge? a. a poem on everyday activities. b. occasional poem. c. pastoral d. meditation 10. Which of the following work values were prized by the early Bilaans as evidenced by the poem LAMGE? z. creativity and leisure {. individual recognition and prestige |. collaboration and achievement }. autonomy and compensation 11. Study the following excerpts then identify that which is not taken from imaginative literature. ~. â€Å"EDSA’ (the name of the highway in Metro Manila that runs north to south from Caloocan to Baclaran) has become the popular designation of the revolt which began as a military mutiny on February 21 [1986] and developed into a popular uprising in Manila that culminated in the flight of the dictator and his family to Hawaii, U. S. A. on February 24, 1986. The revolt established the presidency of Corazon Aquino which was marked by the â€Å"restoration† of pre-Martial Law society† (Lumbera & Lumbera 364). . â€Å"It was raining the morning of the execution. I remember how brackish and crimson was the sky. God has sliced open the sun, spilling its innards, carving out its heart. That sun had never seemed the same to me ever since. The cold air scraped the insides of my lungs and chilled my nape. It was the first dawn I had awakened to. The first time to witness the pained violent birthing of light† (Lumbera & Lumbera 377). . â€Å"And so we talk/ our words trying to capture/pain caroming/like the balls of ivory/ Our voices rise/and fall/ as we sit in a circle/ racing our other lives/ the beginnings/ of love/ rich and red/ as the felt on the board† (Lumbera & Lumbera 422).   Ã¢â‚¬Å"Matumal ang pasada nang buong umagang iyon at naipasiya kong igarahe muna sa bahay and minamanehong taksi kesa magsayang ng gasolina. Pababa na ako nang sa paglingon ko’y nasulyapan ko ang clutch bag na iyon sa may paanan ng likurang-upuan. Kinabahan ako at patawarin ako ng mga anak kong gusto kong lumaking matitino, lumabo sabi nga ang tingin ko sa tama’t mali, sa masama’t mabuti. Paano kung limpak-limpak na pera ang laman ng clutch bag? Kung bara-barang ginto o alahas kaya? Isosoli ko pa ba? Managot kaya ako kung saka-sakali? † (Lumbera & Lumbera 422). (The trips were far between the whole morning and I decided to  temporarily drive home the cab rather than [keep going through the streets and] waste gas. I was about to get down when in a glance I noticed that clutch bag at the foot of the backseat. I began to feel restless and my children whom I wanted to grow responsible [may they] forgive me, my sense of right and wrong, good and bad, blurred. What if the clutch bag contained stacks of money? What if it had bars of gold, or jewelry? Will I return it? Will I answer for my action just in case? ) 12. Choose the excerpt that is taken from imaginative literature. . â€Å"Home making is really border making: it is about deciding who is in as well as who is out. I began this project on Filipino Americans in San Diego at the border—the U. S. -Mexico border. Since the mid-1970s, the militarization of the U. S. -Mexico border region has intensified. From San Diego to the Rio Grande Valley, armed U. S. federal agents patrol key border points to block ‘illegal’ crossers—to keep ‘them’ from invading ‘our’ homes. Since 1994, ‘Operation Gatekeeper,’ a high-profile blockade-style operation, has turned the San Diego-Tijuana border region into a war zone, pushing immigrants to attempt more treacherous crossings in the forbidding mountains and deserts east of San Diego† (Espiritu 205-206). â€Å"In the annals of human adversity, there is etched a cancer, of a breed so malignant that the least contact exacerbates it and stirs in it the sharpest of pains. And thus, many times amidst modern cultures I have wanted to evoke you, sometimes for memories of you to keep me company, other times, to compare you with other nations—many times your beloved image appears to me afflicted with a social cancer of similar malignancy† (Rizal, Dedication of Noli Me Tangere).

Child and Young Person Development Cyp3.1.A1: Pattern of Development Essay

  | |The sequence of development is the order in which development occurs. The rate of development is the speed at which development | | |occurs. | | |Every child is unique and will develop at their own rate. Children will usually follow the same pattern of development but the rate | | |at which they reach their milestones may vary depending on the individual and their ability. | | | It is important to recognise the difference so when recording the rate of development you can identify any concerns that you may have| | |within the development area and this allows you to plan effectively for the individual. | | | | | | | | | | | |Birth to 1 month | | |Makes basic distinctions in vision, hearing, smelling, tasting, touch, temperature, and perception of pain | | |Helpless | | |Fed by mother | | | | | |2 months to 3 months | | |Colour perception, visual exploration, oral exploration | | |Sounds: cries, coos, grunts | | |Control of eye muscles | | |Smiles | | | | | |4 months to 6 months | | | Recognises sounds | | |Control of head and arm movements | | |Can grasp objects | | |Rolls over | | |Enjoys being cuddled | | |Can distinguish between familiar people and strangers | | | | | |7 months to 9 months | | |Sits without support | | |Crawls around | | |Has emotional attachment to mother | | |Protests separation from mother | | | | | |10 months to 12 months | | |Control of legs and feet | | |Can stand up | | |Says one or two words and can imitate sounds | | |Responds to simple commands | | |Curious and wanting to explore | | |Has a fear of strangers | | |Responds to own name | | |Gives and takes objects | | | | | | | | |1 year to 1 1/2 years | | |Climb stairs | | |Makes lines on paper with a crayon | | | Upset when separated from mother | | |Feeds himself | | |Repeats a few words | | |Obeys limited commands | | | | | | | | |1 1/2 to 2 years | | |Can run and kicks a ball | | |Can build a 6 cube tower | | |Capable of bowel and bladder control | | |Has a vocabulary of more than 200 words | | |Can throw temper tantrums | | |Does the opposite of what they are told | | | | | | | | |2 years to 3 years | | |Jumps off a step | | |Rides a tricycle | | |Builds a 9-10 cube tower. | | | Starts to use short sentences | | |Differentiates facial expressions of anger, sorrow, and joy. | | |Has a Sense of humour | | |Enjoys playing alongside another child | | | | | | | | |3 years to 4 years | | |Stands on one leg | | |Can draw a circle and a cross | | |Self-sufficient in many routines of home life | | |Likes to share | | |Starts to play with other children | | | | | | | | |4 years to 5 years | | |Skips | | |Broad jumps | | |Dresses themselves | | |Talks clearly and uses adult speech sounds | | |Knows over 2,000 words | | |Understands responsibility and feels guilt | | |Feels pride in accomplishment | | |Prefers to play with other children | | |Becomes competitive | | | | | | | | |6 years of age | | |Can read and write simple text | | | Focus on only one issue at a time when solving problems | | |Become increasingly social | | | | | | | | |7 years to 8 years | | |Begin to show a preference for a certain learning style | | |Like to be involved in some group play, but need time alone, too | | |Have rapidly changing emotions | | |Well-developed speech and use correct grammar most of the time | | | | | | | | |8 years to 10 years | | |Know the complete date (day of the week, day of the month, month, and year) | | |Enjoy being with friends and often have a â€Å"best† friend of the same gender | | |Have speech patterns that are nearly at an adult level | | |Have good control of large and small muscles | | | | | | | | |10 years to 12 years | | |Boys become taller and thinner | | |Girls become taller and more shapely | | | Thinks in a more logical sophisticated way | | |Puberty | | |Interest in the opposite sex | | |Increasing need for privacy | | | | | | | | |12 to 16 years | | |Beginning of adolescents | | |Intense and rapid growth development | | |Builds skills to become self-sufficient | | |May be strongly invested in a single, romantic relationship | | | | | | | | |16 years to 19 years | | |Complete puberty and the physical transition from childhood to adulthood | | |Attain cognitive maturity – the ability to make decisions based on knowledge of options and their consequences | | |Reach nearly their adult height, especially females. Males continue to grow taller into their early twenties | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

Ap Bio- Lab 1: Osmosis and Diffusion

AP Biology 16 April 2013 Lab 1: Osmosis and Diffusion The purpose of this experiment is to decide which flasks correspond to the solute concentration of sucrose, which are 0. 8M, 0. 6M, 0. 4M, 0. 8M. This can be determined by the usage of potato cores. If a potato core’s mass decreases after a day soaked in the sucrose solution, then that flask will have a high concentration of sucrose. A) The first step in this lab would be cut out four cores of a potato and measure the masses of each individual potato piece. The mass of the potato core would be a variable factor in this experiment.A way that this variable can be manipulated would be each group would be assigned to a specific potato core mass. A controlled variable in this lab would be to pour a certain amount of sucrose solution from a flask into a breaker. An example would be pour 200ML from flask A into a beaker labeled A, 200ML from flask B into a beaker labeled B, and etc. Next, put 1 potato core in each beaker: A, B, C, and D. Leave the cores in the flasks for a day. After leaving the potato cores to soak in the solutions for a whole day, take out the potato cores.Measure the final mass of each potato core and record this data. Afterwards, calculate the percent change in mass. To calculate the percent change in mass, use this formula: [(mass initial – mass final) / (mass initial) ] x 100%. Measure the data results of the percent change of mass in grams. To show a visual picture of the percent change in mass, graph it. This will help in seeing the sucrose molarity among the solutions. To finish, share data with other groups and compare results among one another to obtain an average of all of the results.This will verify that the results acquired were incorrect or correct. B) My hypothesis was that if a potato core’s mass decreases after a day soaked in the sucrose solution, then that flask will have a high concentration of sucrose. Due to this, I would expect that the potato cores in the 0. 4M, 0. 6M, and 0. 8M sucrose solutions will lose mass. Considering this, the percent change in mass will be negative. In contrast, I would expect that the potato cores in the 0. 2M sucrose solution will gain mass. As a result of that happening, their percent change in mass will be positive.C) Considering the principles of osmosis and diffusion, these would be reasons on why I have these high expectations of my results. In osmosis, water moves through a selectively permeable membrane from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration. This selective membrane only allows certain types of molecules to flow through while other molecules are not able to. In diffusion, molecules are in constant motion and move from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration. In this experiment, the potato core will act like a selectively permeable membrane.In the 0. 2M sucrose solution, the sucrose will not be able to go through the selectively permeable membrane because the sucrose molecules are too big to go through the passages of the membrane. It will, however, allow water molecules to go through the passages of the selectively permeable membrane due to diffusion. Water molecules will be able to pass the selectively permeable membrane because there will be a lower concentration of water in potato then the outside, making the water flowed into the potato core.By this happening, it would make the potato core gain mass. In the high sucrose solutions, such as the 0. 8 solution, the sucrose will still not be able to go through the selectively permeable membrane because of the size of the sucrose molecule. The factor that makes these high sucrose solutions different is the result of having a high sucrose molarity. Having a high sucrose molarity will make the water from the potato cores move out. This would ultimately make the potato cores in high sucrose solutions lose mass.

Movie (Inception)Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Movie (Inception)Analysis - Essay Example The major themes of the movie are freedom and learning about and embracing the truth. There are only a few humans in the world that are free from the Matrix; these are the ones that are aware of the truth of the real world and the Matrix and have chosen to accept these truths. Furthermore, another aspect of freedom involves the fight that Neo and his crew face when it comes to the agents of the Matrix, which are the programs that ensure that everything is running smoothly within this cyberworld. This also leads into part of the central conflicts of the film. There are two central conflicts in the film: Neo versus Agent Smith, and the humans versus the machines. Agent Smith, who is about as free from the Matrix as the sleeping humans are, is against the fact that Neo understands the truth about the Matrix. Smith does not like the enemy he has found in Neo. The humans versus the machines is the original conflict, something that began before the start of the movie. The purpose of this fight is to make sure that as few humans as possible know about the Matrix setup. As it is, the humans that do know is too many for comfort to the machines. The freed humans, however, feel that it is their duty to make aware as many sleeping humans that they can. Unfortunately, part of this battle involves keeping away from the curious machines as much as possible - an impossible feat. These tensions are not resolved. By the end of the film, the two separate battles are still raging. Neo does temporarily defeat Agent Smith, but the other agents are ready to take on the task of bringing down the free humans. The war between humans and machines continue on. One of the main things that kept coming up throughout the film is the obvious differences between the real world and the Matrix; the physical reality and the computerized mockery of life. Furthermore, there are many religious,

Write about creating success in college as well as successful Essay

Write about creating success in college as well as successful strategies that can help you create an extraordinary life. Include personal experiences or examples - Essay Example For others, what happens outside the classroom is what counts. The ideal situation is to strike a balance between the two. The first step towards achieving this is to â€Å"allow one’s self the full environment on college† (Bader 196). This entails being open to learning what is taught inside and outside the classroom. One can take a subject that is not his major just to widen the scope of his knowledge. Distractions can be evident as one tries to get used to college life. One should make sure they set aside times to study and complete projects Another step towards a successful college life is making the right decisions and choices. They have to be informed and truthful. Most decisions in college are guided by money and peer expectations. Knowing how to weigh on the decisions to make will help one outside college where there are even more complex choices to choose from. This follows the famous Chinese proverb that says, â€Å"A wise man makes his own decisions, an ignorant man follows public opinion.† The results of right decisions and choices are acceptance of personal responsibility and increased self-motivation. Networking is another aspect of a successful life in and out of college. Getting to know the professors and fellow classmates will go a long way in determining one’s job prospects and cultivating a rich life with friends. Meeting someone, befriending them and then switching contact information are some of the initial steps. Then cultivate a good friendship. Mary O’Brian is an investment banker at Morgan Stanley. Back as a freshman at the University of Iowa, she met and befriended Joey Martin, a business administration classmate. Through Joey, Mary was able to meet Joey’s dad, a financial advisor at Morgan Stanley. Thanks to his recommendation, Mary was able to land a good job at the same firm. This is an example of

A field trip to Point Reyes National Seashore and Lighthouse Assignment

A field trip to Point Reyes National Seashore and Lighthouse - Assignment Example California Highway 1 is one of the routes one can take people to the Point Reyes lighthouse. Highway 1 passes through very fragile hillsides in Big Sur region and one gets the impression that they might be trapped in a rock or mud slide. The area between Gorda and Lucia seems to have the most delicate hillsides. California Highway one is classified as one of the most dangerous highways in the state and consequently the state has set several safety rules for drivers using this road; the road meanders through the landscape. It also passes around the edges of steep slopes and this makes it seem even more dangerous. Point Reyes National Seashore is full of numerous wonderful features. The place has no mountains but is hilly. Other interesting features are windswept the beach, marshes, estuaries, coastal scrub grassland, and coniferous forests. Forested ridges are very beautiful as I could view vast regions from a single point. River Trail passes near the Point Reyes National Seashore. It is a source of drinking water to wild animals living around the area but also decorates the landscape. In the Point Reyes National park, there are numerous plant varieties and animal species. Of all these, I found the deer the most interesting. There are three deer species which are black-tailed deer, tule elk and fallow deer. They are very interesting to watch as they run up and down in the field. It is very easy to distinguish the three species from a distance as they have clear distinguishing features. The fallow deer is non-native as it was imported from the Californian mainland. It is the most beautiful of all with well combined white and brown colors. They are well adapted to the ecosystem and they make the entire environment beautiful. Driving through the beautiful landscape made me seem to have reached the end of my tour but when I reached the lighthouse, everything changed. It was clear from a

Cereal Development Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cereal Development Proposal - Essay Example It is imperative to raise number of Cheerios cereals from 11 to 20 at least. On contrast to that Kellogg’s cereal category contains 27 varieties, while Malt-O-Meal has 19 types of cold cereals and 4 types of hot ones. Therefore, Cheerios should provide broader choice for the consumers, proposing absolutely new and delicate tastes. Key findings Previous analysis has shown that Cheerios lags behind its competitors because of its not very diverse range of products. Kellogg’s attracts consumers with big variety of brands, proposing such uncommon flavors and additives as maple syrup, almond, pecan and marshmallow. Meanwhile Malt-O-Meal suggests two categories of cereals: hot and cold ones, that manages to distinguish it from other companies significantly. Taking into account mentioned competitive advantages, it is essential for Cheerios to develop new products with unfamiliar for consumers flavors and implement carefully developed marketing plan, aiming at appropriate design of the new product types and effective promotion campaign. Moreover, in the issue of analysis it has been revealed that currently Kellogg’s and Malt-O-Meal propagandize idea of healthy meal without any preservatives except natural ones.

Final project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

Final project - Essay Example Unless controlled, these conditions constantly prompt more noteworthy ethnic and racial competition and to more noteworthy political, social, and economic oppression. According to Barusch (264) racism is a modern phenomenon that has been in place for a longer time and it aims at alienation and exploitation of both economic and social state of the victims. I come from a metropolitan area and for that reason the area is home to all races of the world. In the past years, there has been conflict between different races living within the area. The situation around the area can trace its roots back to the time when the area was growing with establishment of industries and other social amenities. There was a huge movement of people from other regions of the country seeking employement and better social amenities. In return, there was an increase in population which was made up of different races. With time, differences started rising among individuals from different races. There are those who felt to be more superior to others. The main races that have greatly been affected are the African-American and the Latinos. The racism is highly manifested in the places of work, educational facilities, and among social amenities like restaurants and places of worship. The African-Americans particularly have been victimized more than other races as th ey are the minority within the area. The plan against racism will take place in three main area; Educational institutes, social places, and in the public places. The idea is to create social awareness and ask people to stand against racism. The following people will be involved in the program; The program will run for a month and will be taking place daily running from Monday to Saturday. The use of the Ying Yang will be very instrumental as our tool or instrument of communication. The Yin Yang is known globally to represent two

Civil Engineering Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Civil Engineering - Essay Example pulated language and hence ease of interpretation and application, non-legalistic language, minimal use of such broad terms as â€Å"reasonable† and â€Å"fair† that induce subjectivity in interpretation and comprehension, clear demarcation and identification of roles and responsibilities of individual parties that form part of the project, simple structure and decisions supported with rational reasoning. It is a contract between a Contractor and an Employer. The employer is entitled to hire a Project Manager (PM) in order to get his work administered and his objectives safeguarded. As evident from the organizational chart below, NEC (ECC) contract is developed only between the Employer and Contractor. However, various other forms of NEC contracts have been published to organize the work and enhance coordination between various parties that are involved in the project. The Employer forms NEC PSC contracts with the PM, Designer and Supervisor. The Adjudicator is linked with both the Employer and the Contractor. The Contractor in turn, may hire Subcontractors for assistance and time saving. The Employer gets the work administered by PM. An NEC3 (ECC) encourages a PM to be proactive and work contrary to the general trend among PMs of reacting on what comes next. Being the administrator of Employer and working on his behalf, any decision that the PM takes has the same worth and applicability as that coming directly from the Employer. As per the ECC contract, PM is required to notify the Contractor about compensation events as they occur unlike most other forms of contract, in which it is for the Contractor to realize that he should be compensated for the change in nature or scope of work. Many times, the Contractor has to indulge in lengthy arguments with the owners in order to make them realize. This, in turn, ruins their inter-relationships, and the project suffers. Hence, in an NEC3 (ECC), a PM is more dutiful and watchful in the best interest of the overall project

INTR1007 AUSTRALIA AND WORLD Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

INTR1007 AUSTRALIA AND WORLD - Essay Example This rivalry between the two coalitions sustained from the end of the Second World War in 1945 to fall of the Soviet Union in the year 1991. It was led by tactics and procedures that would not fit into place determined armed crash or infringement of political affairs. Depicted by ordinary uncertainties, a determination to set up cleverness, technological skills, the deliver of artillery, and this batter about universal supremacy occurred for over twenty years. The world War was a conflict that brought about real substantial changes throughout the whole world. Ever since this war started, it has turn out to be a lesson, and many nations use it as an instance of the world’s freedom. Various countries were mixed up in this war and each one of the nations contributed in their own way. Many changes took place for the duration of the Second World War, which took place between 1939 and 1945 after the First World War happened in the year 1914. Many people all over the world were so mu ch unhappy, and the pressure only ended following the end of this Cold War2. A number of industries had started with the intention of making weapons together with other resources that were meant to equip the militaries. There were numerous weaponry that the cronies used to fight to be successful in their battle. The World War II was the strongest and the most brutal fight ever witnessed. It caused death for many people, cash for making weapons and some other supplements for the army, damaged possessions, and caused more across-the-board transformation in practically each state in the least of any other conflict in the past. Uncountable numbers of people were lost, some critically wounded and countless had been murdered as at the end of the war. Greatly applicable in the present days, the Second World War is a lesson to the whole world, not only about the profession of arms, but also about military

Budgeting System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Budgeting System - Essay Example By Budgetary process, an organization makes short term tactical planning or budgetary planning by preparing detailed , short term(usually 1 year) plans for the functions, activities and departments of the organization thus putting into action of the long term corporate plan. Budgets are created by adding monetary values to plans for departments, functions such as production, inspection, marketing, or financial and resource items such as capital expenditure, cash, materials etc. Annual process of budgeting should be seen as stages in the progressive fulfillment of the long-term plans of the organization. Thus the budgetary process steers the organization towards the long-term objectives defined in the corporate plans. (Lucey p.133) Budgetary process is a long-drawn but an essential one... First a Budgetary committee is entrusted with the task of developing and co-coordinating budgets. Committee members are usually from various functions of the organization. The committee will have bud geting officer who will be the accountant of the company. His duty will be to administer the budget and provide technical assistance and data during budget preparation. The budget planning precedes the budget period and it is a continuous and regular activity in case of budgets prepared on a rolling basis. Having see Having seen the overview of budgetary process, let us make an empirical study of how it is implemented in a chemical manufacturing company. The chemical company's current year's annual turnover will touch $1.5 billion. They cater to the market in different segments namely Food Industries, Pharmaceutical industries, and Exports. In addition to the usual 10% increase every year, each year will witness some more variances peculiar to the period. Again the amount of increase in sales forecast helps work out purchase budgets for different inputs according to categories. Most importantly, the sales figure forecast is the deciding or limiting factor for the budget process in this case assuming that the sales forecast is an achievable one in terms of production capacity. After deciding on the deciding or limiting factor for the budgetary process to start, the expenditure budgets are prepared for funds required to deploy additional labor, increased inputs for manufacture and consumables and a ll other recurring expenditures such as advertising, electricity, traveling and local conveyance, wages and salaries, professional charges, interest charges, and quality control charges and a master budget is prepared pooling all the information collected, known also as Projected Profit and loss and Balance Sheet. Since I happen to be working at the Chief Executive's Secretariat, I am proximate to preparation of the Master Budget. This enables me to have an overall view of the organization and insight into the preparation of the individual budgets from the functional departments. Master Budget also known as summary budget is a summary of all supporting budgets. Another summary budget is the Cash Budget which also comes under our division's purview because of its controlling effect. Cash budget is vital for the organization since it involves liquidity and cash flow management. A typical cash budget which is of rolling nature is prepared for periods such as week, month or quarter. It is a primary tool in

Profanity! THE PHENOMENON Essay Example for Free

Profanity! THE PHENOMENON Essay Introduction Language is the most important aspect in the life of all beings. We use language to express inner thoughts and emotions, make sense of complex and abstract thought, to learn to communicate with others, to fulfill our wants and needs, as well as to establish rules and maintain our culture. Language can be defined as verbal, physical, biologically innate, and a basic form of communication. We can define language as a system of communication using sounds or symbols that enables us to express our feelings, thoughts, ideas, and experiences. (E. Bruce Goldstein, Cognitive Psychology: Connecting Mind, Research, and Everyday Experience, 2nd ed. Thomson, 2008) Humans express their feelings in many different ways physically, mentally or verbally. Vulgar words, also known as swearing or cursing exists in all human languages that perform certain functions. One study found that swearing is not merely a common reaction to pain; it actually functions as a pain reliever where psychologist would advise people to swear than to hurt someone or yourself. However, the overuse of swear words tends to diminish their beneficial effect and will result in bad moral attitude. Swearing is a widespread but underappreciated anger management technique. (Mapà ºa Institute of Technology, â€Å"Vulgarized Filipino Identity: Development of Filipino Profanity†, 2011) Swear words have manyaliases: bad words, curse words, cuss words, dirty words, four-letter words, expletives, epithets, obscenities, profanity, blasphemy, bawdy language, foul language, rude language, vulgar language, or taboo language. This long but nonetheless non-exhaustive list of descriptors gives an indication both of the wide range of alternate labels that exist, and of the kind of words or language these labels denote. Most people have  at the very least a general idea of what such words or language use these descriptors refer to, if not an intimate knowledge of or even personal affinity for some particular examples. One definitive setof words encompassed by these labels is nonetheless elusive, due in part to the subjectivity of defining swearing. In very basic terms, swearing refers to the use of words which have the potential to be offensive, inappropriate, objectionable, or unacceptable in any given social context. The fact that there are so many labels for such words or language use is testimony to the variable nature of swearing. (Who’s Swearing Now? The Social Aspects of Conversational Swearing By Kristy Beers Fà ¤gersten) Swearing is prevalent in almost every culture around the world, with each having its own profanities. The practice of swearing is unique in that even though its thought of as taboo in most cultures, its still done by most people. In fact, in America, about 74 percent of 18- to 34-year-olds and about 48 percent of those over the age of 55 admit to swearing in public [source: YgoY]. And linguistics experts agree that young children learn swear words and begin to grasp their power long before theyre capable of understanding what they mean [source: Angier]. (http://curiosity.discovery.com) Children are such a large part of the society and as human at this point in time of their lives they now start to explore different things, most especially on words or languages to say. As we know, children are the most innocent beings, capable of saying such sweet and cute words or languages. We all know how they are fond of experiencing new things through exploration, learning through observing their elders. Sometimes the most unexpected things are the ones children end up copying not knowing if it is a good thing or bad thing. We’re all aware of that quality in kids. Everyone in their immediate surrounding is a role model to them and this comes with certain consequences. Our actions and choice of words have a clear effect on how a child behaves, as it’s perceived as appropriate. But what if it begins to get out of hand, considering they might not know the real meaning or  definition of profanity they learn from others? Word is the wave vibration, which has the power, as the creative and destructive. And the destructive words are profane words. Using swear words influence bad on young generation. Nowadays many adults use cursing words and it is bad for young generation, of course. Every man nowadays use taboo words, and it is difficult to re-educate them to not use them. To support my opinion further it is important to mention that children are hearing swearing in the movies and on TV, and in the music they listen to that they have become desensitized to it. (Valerie Strauss, 12.04.2005). So swearing get more popular and parents forget about that they influence bad on their children. (http://www.ih.kz/InternationalPress) Let’s take women in our society. Traditionally, women were the caregivers and homemakers. They refrain from using bad words at home. According to the article by Pamela Stewart (03.2011) statistics to 2010 year, â€Å"there has been an increase in the number of women using taboo words. In 2006, 45 percent of females were reported to swear in public.† So women cannot imagine that they learned their children use these cursing words. Fortunately, kids do not understand the meaning of these words, but happily reproduce the bad phrases shocking others. Agree, to hear such â€Å"bad words† from your child it is very awful. â€Å"Most mothers still scold their children for using taboo language or swearing† said Pamela Stewart, eHow Contributor. But how they can scold their children, if the cause of using taboo words among children it is their parents. Words, especially from those we consider leaders, can guide us or deceive us, make us knowledgeable or ignorant, violent or peaceful, sad or joyful, wise or foolish. Words or languages can be good or bad. Words can comfort when were feeling sad, inspire us to take action, acknowledge us for a job well done, humiliate us, and make us laugh, stimulate our thoughts, educate us, or incite violence. A poster on a school notice board declares: What we habitually say in our  heads, we usually end up saying with our lips, which ultimately direct our feet. Words are powerful. From others they often influence or direct our decisions and behaviour while our own words act to elicit responses from those who receive them. (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/ ) According to Maureen Gill, an educator, author, blogger, and public speaker known for her insightful historical analyses, biting political commentaries and riveting fiction said that, she doubted the saying that says â€Å"the eyes are the window to soul† and didn’t doubt for a moment, however, she added that, the words we speak or write convey the inner workings of our minds and hearts. There is no better way to know a person than to listen to him/her speak, to know what they read, to understand whom they admire and if you know this, you know everything that is truly important to know about a person. Words, spoken and written, not only indicate whether a person is educated, cultured, kind or venal, they also demonstrate if thoughts are ordered and cognition is intact or impaired. The choice of words and their arrangement are used by physicians and other health experts to evaluate emotional as well as organic pathologies, Maureen Gill added. â€Å"Profane† is defined as irreverence, obloquy, or contempt (something sacred); Treat as not sacred: desecrate,, pollute; to debase by a wrong, unworthy, or vulgar use: abuse, defile, vulgarize (Webster’s Third New International Dictionary, ). Thats just language learning. These words have no special status as taboo words, says Paul Bloom, Ph.D. Learning theyre taboo words is a later step. Bloom explains that children are using words to communicate instinctively. They dont yet have the judgment to take a step back and think about whether a word is appropriate in a given situation. Paul Bloom is a Professor of Psychology and Cognitive Science at Yale University. His research explores how children and adults understand the physical and social world, with special focus on language, morality, religion, fiction, and art. (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.) In an article by Valerie Strauss, Washington Post Staff Writer, entitled â€Å"More and More, Kids Say the Foulest Things† said that, Profanity, in the large sense, is defined as words that others consider offensive, although it originally was restricted to words that were blasphemous. Once heard mostly in whispers, today it is inescapable. I never thought I would say this once being a hard-core anti-music censor but I understand why [young people] are doing this: You almost cant find a song, video game, television show, anything, without a curse word, said Laura Lee Cox, a seventh-grade teacher at Cedartown (Ga.) Middle School. Author David Riesman said, Words not only affect us temporarilythey change us. In the current generation, it is becoming more common for young children to use profane languages or â€Å"bad words† in a daily basis. It could be because of their parents, peers, or an incident that made them start using these profane languages we all know well. Sometimes children hear these words from other children, brothers or sisters, parents, or on TV. The child may repeat what she heard without knowing what the words mean. When an adult hears a young child talk like this, they usually either laugh or are shocked. Some children really enjoy the reaction they get from others, so they will continue using these words. (http://www.betterkidcare.psu.edu/TIPS/TIPS48.pdf) But according to Harvard Psychologist, Steven Pinker, Children are far more influenced by peers, says Pinker. Thats why kids of immigrants end up with the accent of their peer group rather than their parents. Particularly once theyve entered elementary school. Steven Pinker is a Canadian-born experimental psychologist, cognitive scientist, linguist and popular science author. (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89127830) â€Å"Their peers are the ones who affect and influence a child the most due to the amount of time they spend with them as classmates and/or friends.  Parents can influence their child too, for they may be unaware of their children listening to them when they happen to use profanity in a conversation with another person†, added by Steven Pinker Communication relationship defined as the verbal or non-verbal interaction. Communication involves almost every aspect of our interactions with others; for this reason, communication and relationships are inseparably connected. You can’t have a relationship with someone without communicating with them. Communication involves how we express our thoughts, ideas, and feelings to others, including what we say and how we say it. But when we communicate with others, we also communicate attitudes, values, priorities, and beliefs. No matter what we actually say to other people in words, we also send messages about what we think of them, what we think of ourselves, and whether or not we’re sincere and genuine in what we say. Verbal communication is those vocal or spoken languages while our non-verbal communication those things we don’t say with words, but with gestures, our facial expressions, and our attitude – speak volumes. (Rich, 1999) An interview with Ms.Dalisay O. Balagbagan, a guidance counselor from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, said that the status living of the family really affects language/words the child uses and also those children living in slum areas are more prone to be influenced by the people around them and used profane language/words habitually. â€Å"Yung mgabata ,yungunanilangnatututunan ay kung anoyungunanilangnakikita, nai-imitate kasinila. Kung anoyungnakikitanila – facial expressions, gestures, yunyungina-adopt nila.† Ms. Dalisay added. The reasons why children use swear words this often is because they’re exploring language. They might be testing a new word, perhaps to understand its meaning. They might also be trying to express a feeling such as frustration. Or they might simply be saying the word because it sounds funny or gets a reaction. Children might also be imitating others when they swear. (http://raisingchildren.net.au) The situation of children using profane language can be considered as an important issue in our country in terms of respecting and communicating properly. So, as the researchersgo on with this study, this will be a way or an instrument to understand and approach children regarding their use of profane language. This research is specifically important to the following: To the Academe This study will help them to conduct studies and researches regarding the appropriate way to communicate and to understand those children who use profane language. This study could also catch the eye of communication specialists and psychologists. To the Students This study would give them a larger view of understanding on how to deal with children engaged to profane language and could be also a guide for them to help themselves regarding the matter of using profane language. This could also help them with their family and other relatives to communicate and approach with them the right way. To the Parents The study could give them knowledge about their children who are possibly using or will be using profane language without them knowing. This could help them open up a conversation with their children regarding the matter, and could possibly help them stop or prevent their children who use profane language. The purpose of this study is to understand the children and how other people respond or communicate with those people who use profane language,and to instill awareness to the people about the usage of profanity among children in our society today. PROBLEM STATEMENT Children can easily adapt on every action and most especially about words/languages they hear from older people at this time. They did it on  their own way and they did not mind to know the real meaning of what they were trying to copy or have copied from someone ï€ ­ even if it’s good or bad. Children of today’s generation are engaged in profane languages since they were exposed early on streets and with their friends. This leads the researchers to conduct a study regarding children that engaged in profane language. This study aims to answer the question, â€Å"How does the use of profane language among children affect their communication relationship with others?† OBJECTIVES The objective of the study is to know how the use of the profane language among children affects their communication relationship. 1)To present the profile of the participants in terms of age/gender/educational attainment (age range: 10-17years old). 2)To identify the different profane language /terms the participants use and discern its meaning according to the participants understanding. 3)To know the reason why the participants use such language. 4)To know what/who influenced the participants in using profane languages. 5)To describe situations where the participants usually use profane language. 6)To know the perspective of participants on the image they project due to their use of profane language. 7)To know how profane language affects the participants communication relationship with the following: a)Family b)Peers c)Other people in the society THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK Children learn how to communicate through what they hear and see from others. They learn to interact with the different people in their society and begin to pick up what they have learned since society has taught them that it is something acceptable. The way a child sees himself when he learns to use profane language changes over time, and this also affects his communication relationship with his family and peers for they may have a different point of view from them. Thus, the researchers used the Symbolic Interactionism Theory by George Herbert Mead to know the interpretation and understanding of the child about the usage of profane language and how it affects the child’s communication relationship with his family, peers, and other people in the society. It is the way we learn to interpret and give meaning to the world through our interactions with others. The Symbolic Interactionism Theory by George Herbert Mead (which was continued by Herbert Blumer) is based on the idea that social structures and meanings are created and maintained in social interaction. The Symbolic Interaction perspective is based on how humans develop a complex set of symbols to give meaning to the world (LaRossa and Reitzes, 1993). The theory focuses attention on the way people interact through symbols, and these are words, gestures, rules, and roles. Barbara BallisLal summarizes the premises of this movement. †¢People make decisions and act in accordance with their subjective understandings of the situations in which they find themselves. †¢Social life consists of interaction processes rather than structures and is therefore constantly changing. †¢People understand their experience through the meanings found in symbols of their primary groups, and language is an essential part of social life. †¢The world is made up of social objects that are named and have socially determined meanings. †¢Peoples actions are based on their interpretations, in which the relevant objects and actions in  the situation are taken into account and defined. †¢Ones self is a significant object and like all social objects is defined through social interaction with others. Symbolic Interactionism has changed significantly since its early years, as Gary Fine suggests. It has expanded by adopting insights from other theoretical areas and has increasingly contributed to the work of other areas of social science. Today, according to Fine, symbolic interactionism has incorporated the study of how groups coordinate their actions, how emotions are understood and controlled, how reality is constructed, how self is created, how large social structures get established, and how public policy can be influenced. (Theories of Human Communication, Stephen W. Littlejohn, 2002, Seventh Edition) The three cardinal concepts in Meads theory are the society, self, and mind. These categories are different aspects of the same general process, the social act. The social act is an umbrella concept under which nearly all other psychological and social processes fall. Society consists of the cooperative behaviors of societys members. Human cooperation requires that we understand others intentions. Cooperation consists of reading other peoples actions and intentions and responding in an appropriate way. We use meanings to interpret the happenings around us. Society is made possible by significant symbols. The interplay between responding to others and responding to self is an important concept in Meads theory, and provides a good transition to his second concept the self. You have a self because you can respond to yourself as an object. You sometimes react favorably to yourself and feel pride, happiness, and encouragement. The primary way you come to see yourself as others see you is through rule taking or assuming the perspective of others, and this is what leads to have a self-concept. Another term is generalized other, which is the way others see you. The self has two facets, each serving an essential function. The Iis the impulsive, unorganized, unpredictable part of you. The me is the generalized other, made up of the organized and consistent patterns shared with others. The last process is the mind, which is a process. It is nothing more than interacting with one self. There are three core principles: meaning, language, and thought or minding. The Meaning itself is not inherent in objects for human beings act toward things on the basis of the meanings that they have assigned to them. The meaning arises in the process of interaction between people. It takes place in the context of relationships whether with the family or community. The Language is what human beings use to interact and it is the unique ability to name things. As children interact with family, peers and others, they learn the language and they also learn the social meanings attached to certain words (Language being the source of meaning). In Mead’s view, social life and communication between people are possible only when we understand and can use a common language, (Wood, 1997) The Thought is an inner conversation with oneself. It is a reflective pause through which we modify our interpretation of symbols. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK The study aims to know how the use of profane language among children affects their communication relationship. Children work their relationships with everyone through interaction in their everyday lives. Unknowingly, they learn to adapt the language or behaviour these people use. The study is premised on the theory that the child’s relationship is built through the way he communicates with his family, peers and other people in the society, and vice versa. Basically, a child hears a certain profane language, whether it is towards him or to another person, and the child will immediately process in his mind that repeating the same word is okay because an adult said it. It is either he will feel closer to his peers who taught or whom he imitated the words from, or he will be more distant to his family, or he will be more intact with others in his surroundings. There are  many instances that cause children to use profanity. The child may also have a change in self-image whenever he uses the language, seeing how it makes others treat him. The Symbolic Interactionism Theory explains the way a child’s actions in the society, learning, and mind moves and changes. He has his own self-concept and how others see him, and the way he has adapted the profane language. The symbols they developed gave meaning to what we now know as profane language, for the society knows it but they do not fully understand the meaning behind these words. The children then use these words with a different meaningand understanding in mind, and since the older people know its meaning, they seem to either encourage the child to further use it or prevent themselves from doing so. The framework shown below explains how the usage of profane language among children affects their communication relationshipwith others. Figure 1.0 RESEARCH POSTULATES 1.The participants are children from a low type of environment and are exposed early to profane languages. 2.Some profane languages/terms that a child uses are: â€Å"Gago†, which is used to tell or show a person hatred and â€Å"Walanghiya†, which used to tell a person that he/she is shameless. The child does not fully know or understand the real meaning behind these words. 3.Children use profane language as part of their communication to express people how they feel, whether they’re happy or angry. They also use profane language to â€Å"fit in† in the society. 4.Children are influenced by their parents, friends, and even the society that they live in. 5.Examples of a situation when a child uses profane language is when they are playing around with their friends, when having a debate with someone, or having a conversation with a friend. They either use it unconsciously or to make themselves feel comfortable around others who use it as well. 6.Children think that using profane language is just a way of expressing their feelings. They don’t mind what other people would think of them. 7.Family becomes more aware and more cautious when they hear their child use profane language. Some friends will have a stronger communication relationship because they too use profane language. As for other people in the society, they distance themselves when encountering children using profane language. DEFINITION OF TERMS To be able to understand more this study the researcher had some up selected words to help and provide appropriate knowledge for the readers. These words are defined based on this study: Profane – it is characterized as curse, abusive, vulgar, or irreverent language often used with other verbs to indicate forcefulness, intensity, and enthusiasm to express oneself. Innocent- free from moral wrong; without sin; pure: innocent children. Language- a body of words and a system for their use of common to a people who are of the same community or nation, the same geographical area, or the same cultural tradition. Imitate- To copy the actions, appearance, mannerisms, or speech, act like or follow a pattern or style set by another. Instinctively rising from impulse; spontaneous and unthinking; instinctual behaviour. Behavior is the range of actions and mannerisms made by organisms, systems, or artificial entities in conjunction with their environment, which includes the other systems or organisms around as well as the physical environment. Communication Relationship the process that we use to communicate our ideas, thoughts, and feelings to another person. Rhetoric The art or study of using language effectively and persuasively. aims to improve the capability of writers or speakers that attempt to inform, persuade, or motivate particular audiences in specific situations. Symbolic interactionism the way we learn to interpret and give meaning to the world though our interactions with others. Identities the self-meaning in a role. Roles refer to â€Å"collections of expectations that define regularized patterns of behaviour within family life† Influence the capacity or power of persons or things to be a compelling force on or produce effects on the actions, behavior, opinions, etc., of others. Taboo – forbidden to profane use or contact because of what are held to be dangerous supernatural powers; banned on grounds of morality or taste; banned as constituting, a risk. Cuss – alteration of curse. Blasphemy – the act of insulting or showing contempt, or lack of reverence for God.

An Explanation of Leadership Theories and Models

An Explanation of Leadership Theories and Models Explain how to read the above diagram. Use a separate same diagram to include the relevant job functions/titles (if you want to extend your explanation!) An authoritarian leader makes decision without any consultations. According to Kurt Lewin, the autocratic leadership style is feasible when there is no need for input on the decision and the input will not affect the decision ultimately. Authoritarian leadership style often surfaces in work situations that require low-level skills from employees and are marked by low profit margins or tight cost controls. An example of an authoritarian leader is the traditional toothpaste manufacturer. Manufacturing toothpaste is a repetitive production and due to the low profit margins on each tube of toothpaste, decisions to tighten costs are arrived at the sole decision of the leader. Paternalistic leadership combines authoritarian leadership, or strong discipline and authority, with benevolent leadership, or fatherly care and concern for subordinates personal well-being. Examples of paternalistic leadership style are leaders of food and beverage restaurants. Fast food chain restaurants such as McDonalds and KFC are international brands. As certain standards and procedures are already in place, leaders make decisions to be aligned with the international standards but also have an open-door policy that concentrates on building relationships with the employees. A participative leader shares decision making with group members and accepts suggestions although the final decision may vary as the leader has the final say. According to Lewin, participative leadership style can win the cooperation of employees and motivate them effectively. An example of a participative leadership style is a high-tech manufacturer. As technology is constantly changing, leaders in high-tech organizations promote two-way communications and embrace suggestions from employees. Apple and Microsoft encourage their employees to share ideas and feasible suggestions are later decided to incorporate into their products. The laissez-faire leadership style minimizes the leaders involvement in decision-making and allows employees to make their own decisions such as setting their own policies and methods. Laissez-faire leaders may still be responsible for the outcome of their employees decisions. Laissez-faire works best when people are capable and motivated in making their own decisions and there is no requirement for a central coordination. An example is an entertainment firm that specializes in provision of performance arts. When dealing with a range of artists, employees must be given the freedom to decide on the soft-people skills to tackle each artist. As such, a centralized structure is not feasible for such a versatile industry. Another example is the modeling agencies. As models responsibilities are to portray the clients advertising intents, models must be given the freedom to work closely with the clients. Thus due to the unique nature of the working environment, laissez-faire leadership styl e is more appropriate for the management of such entertainment and modeling agencies. A Leadership Grid (Contingency Leadership Styles) A1. Traditional manufacturer (eg. tooth paste factory) A2. Hi-tech manufacturer (eg. SD card maker; involve hardware + software development) B1. FB restaurant (eg. Food stalls, seafood restaurants) B2. Fast food chain restaurant (eg. McDonalds, KFC) C1. Entertainment firm specializes in provision of performance arts, with a range of artists C2. Agency that represents fashion models, trains models, get test shoots and layout portfolios High A2 B1 B2 Low C1 C2 A1 Low High Concern for People vs Concern for Work Explain how to read the above diagram. Use a separate same diagram to include the relevant job functions/titles (if you want to extend your explanation!) The Leadership Grid also known as Managerial Grid, developed by Robert Blake and Jane Mouton, is a framework that simultaneously specifies concern for the production and people dimensions of leadership because to achieve effective leadership, leader must integrate the task and relationship orientations. Concern for production is the degree to which a leader emphasizes on concrete objectives, organizational efficiency and high productivity when deciding how best to accomplish a task. Concern for people is the degree to which a leader considers the needs of team members, their interests, and areas of personal development when deciding how best to accomplish a task. Low People, Low Work (Impoverished Leadership) Similar to laissez-faire leadership, this leader is mostly ineffective. He has neither a high regard for creating systems for getting the work done nor for creating a work environment that is satisfying and motivating. The result is a place of disorganization, dissatisfaction and disharmony. Entertainment firm and modeling agencies use this leadership style. Leaders of entertainment firm empower employees the flexibility to deal with artists due to the different personality of artists. Similarly, leaders of modeling agencies do not interfere with the models job. As models are required to display the fashion personality of the clients apparel, they are given the freedom to work closely with clients to ensure objectives are met and clients satisfaction is maximized. Low People, High Work (Produce or Perish Leadership) This style of leader is also known as Authoritarian or Compliance Leaders. These leaders believe that employees are simply a means to an end. Employee needs are always secondary to the need for efficient and productive workplaces. This type of leader is very autocratic, has strict work rules, policies and procedures, and views punishment as the most effective means to motivate employees. (Theory XY) Traditional manufacturer uses this leadership style. Such organization has a set of policies and procedures for employees to abide. Furthermore, mechanized technologies are used in the production of toothpaste which leads to minimal human interference. As such, employees are seemed as an operation tool in the production of toothpaste (the result). High People, Low Work (Country Club Leadership) The leader is most concerned about the needs and feelings of members of his team. These leaders operate under the assumption that as long as team members are happy and secure, they will work hard. What tends to result is a work environment that is very relaxed and fun but at the expense of production due to lack of direction and control. High People, High Work (Team Leadership) This is the pinnacle of managerial style. These leaders stress production needs and the needs of the people equally highly. The premise here is that employees are involved in understanding organizational purpose and determining production needs. When employees are committed to, and have a stake in the organizations success, their needs and production needs coincide. This creates a team environment based on trust and respect, which leads to high satisfaction and motivation and, as a result, high production. (Theory Y) Hi-tech manufacturer uses this leadership style. Due to the advancement of technology, these organizations need to respond quickly to the change in environment to stay competitive. As such, leaders often convey and instill the organizations objective in employees to achieve organizations success. Also, leaders encourage employees to share their suggestions into making the organizations products more successful. Such leadership ensures organizations success and employees fulfillment. FB restaurants and fast food chains use this leadership style. Such organizations focus on delivering customer satisfactions through their food. These organizations embed the human touch element in their culture. While the quality of the food is not compromise, leaders of such organizations show care and concern for their employees. Due to personal commitments, the leaders may allow the employees to adapt a flexi-working hours which can greatly affect the manpower during peak periods. The Managerial Grid A1. Traditional manufacturer (eg. tooth paste factory) A2. Hi-tech manufacturer (eg. SD card maker; involve hardware + software development) B1. FB restaurant (eg. Food stalls, seafood restaurants) B2. Fast food chain restaurant (eg. McDonalds, KFC) C1. Entertainment firm specializes in provision of performance arts, with a range of artists C2. Agency that represents fashion models, trains models, get test shoots and layout portfolios (9, 9) (9, 1) (1, 9) (5, 5) (1, 1) 1 Low Concern for Production 9 High High 9 1 Low Concern for People Explain how to read the above diagram. Use a separate same diagram to include the relevant job functions/titles (if you want to extend your explanation!) The Managerial Grid also known as Leadership Grid, developed by Robert Blake and Jane Mouton, is a framework that simultaneously specifies concern for the production and people dimensions of leadership because to achieve effective leadership, leader must integrate the task and relationship orientations. Concern for production is the degree to which a leader emphasizes on concrete objectives, organizational efficiency and high productivity when deciding how best to accomplish a task. Concern for people is the degree to which a leader considers the needs of team members, their interests, and areas of personal development when deciding how best to accomplish a task. According to Blake and Mouton, the Managerial Grid defined the following five leadership styles: Produce or Perish Leadership (9,1 high production, low people) This style of leader is also known as Authoritarian or Compliance Leaders. These leaders believe that employees are simply a means to an end. Employee needs are always secondary to the need for efficient and productive workplaces. This type of leader is very autocratic, has strict work rules, policies and procedures, and views punishment as the most effective means to motivate employees. Traditional manufacturer uses this leadership style. Such organization has a set of policies and procedures for employees to abide. Furthermore, mechanized technologies are used in the production of toothpaste which leads to minimal human interference. As such, employees are seemed as an operation tool in the production of toothpaste (the result). Country Club Leadership (1,9 low production, high people) The leader is most concerned about the needs and feelings of members of his team. These leaders operate under the assumption that as long as team members are happy and secure, they will work hard. What tends to result is a work environment that is very relaxed and fun but at the expense of production due to lack of direction and control. Impoverished Leadership (1,1 low production, low people) This leader is mostly ineffective. He has neither a high regard for creating systems for getting the work done nor for creating a work environment that is satisfying and motivating. The result is a place of disorganization, dissatisfaction and disharmony. Entertainment firm and modeling agencies use this leadership style. Leaders of entertainment firm empower employees the flexibility to deal with artists due to the different personality of artists. Similarly, leaders of modeling agencies do not interfere with the models job. As models are required to display the fashion personality of the clients apparel, they are given the freedom to work closely with clients to ensure objectives are met and clients satisfaction is maximized. Middle-of-the-Road Leadership (5,5 middle production, middle people) This style seems to balance the two competing concerns. It may at first appear to be an ideal compromise. However, a problem lies within. When the leader compromise, he tends to give away a bit of each concern so that neither production nor people needs are fully met. Leaders who us this style settle for average performance and often believe that this is the most anyone can expect. FB restaurants and fast food chains use this leadership style. Such organizations focus on delivering customer satisfactions through their food. These organizations embed the human touch element in their culture. While the quality of the food is not compromise, leaders of such organizations show care and concern for their employees. Due to personal commitments, the leaders may allow the employees to adapt a flexi-working hours which can greatly affect the manpower during peak periods. Team Leadership (9,9 high production, high people) This is the pinnacle of managerial style. These leaders stress production needs and the needs of the people equally highly. The premise here is that employees are involved in understanding organizational purpose and determining production needs. When employees are committed to, and have a stake in the organizations success, their needs and production needs coincide. This creates a team environment based on trust and respect, which leads to high satisfaction and motivation and, as a result, high production. Hi-tech manufacturer uses this leadership style. Due to the advancement of technology, these organizations need to respond quickly to the change in environment to stay competitive. As such, leaders often convey and instill the organizations objective in employees to achieve organizations success. Also, leaders encourage employees to share their suggestions into making the organizations products more successful. Such leadership ensures organizations success and employees fulfillment . The model proposes that when both people and production concerns are high, employee engagement and productivity increases accordingly. This is often true and it follows the ideas of Theories X and Y, and other participative management theories. Transformational vs Transactional Leadership A1. Traditional manufacturer (eg. tooth paste factory) A2. Hi-tech manufacturer (eg. SD card maker; involve hardware + software development) B1. FB restaurant (eg. Food stalls, seafood restaurants) B2. Fast food chain restaurant (eg. McDonalds, KFC) C1. Entertainment firm specializes in provision of performance arts, with a range of artists C2. Agency that represents fashion models, trains models, get test shoots and layout portfolios Transformational Leader Transactional Leader A2 C1 C2 A1 B1 B2 Explain how to read the above diagram. Use a separate same diagram to include the relevant job functions/titles (if you want to extend your explanation!) Transactional leadership assumes that work is done only because it is rewarded and thus the leader focuses on designing tasks and reward structures. It may not be the most appealing leadership strategy in building relationships and developing a long-term motivating work environment, it is workable in most organizations on a daily basis to get work done. This leadership style starts with the idea that employees agree to obey their leader totally when they accept a job. The leader has a right to punish the employees if their work does not meet the standard. Under transactional leadership, little can be done to improve employees job satisfaction. Transactional leadership is a type of management rather than a true leadership style because the focus is on short-term tasks. It has serious limitations for knowledge-based or creative work. Examples of transactional leadership can be found in traditional manufacturer organisations, FB restaurants and fast food chain restaurants. Work structur es in these organizations are typically standard and routine and thus, employees experience minimal job satisfaction. In these organizations, the relationship between the leader and employees is similar to that of a transaction, whereby the leader rewards/pays the employees for the work done. Transformational leaders are true leaders who inspire employees constantly with a shared vision of the future. They are exceptionally motivating and trusted. While this leaders enthusiasm is often passed onto the team, he needs to be supported by detail people. That is why in many organizations, both transactional and transformational leadership are needed. The transactional leaders (or managers) ensure that routine work is done reliably while the transformational leaders look after initiatives that add value. Transformational leaders are found in hi-tech manufacturer, entertainment firm and modeling agency. Leaders in such organizations have the vision and foresight to bring the organizations to greater heights through a healthy and interactive relationship with the employees. Leaders in hi-tech manufacturer such as Apple welcome and embrace suggestions from employees to improve its products that appeal to the consumers. As such, Apple has been very successful over the years in prod ucing gadgets for consumers worldwide. Leaders in entertainment firms strive to bring their arts to the world and promote their countries cultural arts. This is to prevent the extinction of cultural arts. Leaders in modeling agencies usually have the passion for fashion. They inspire models to display and bring to life the fashion personality of the designers. (E) A1. Traditional manufacturer (eg. tooth paste factory) A2. Hi-tech manufacturer (eg. SD card maker; involve hardware + software development) B1. FB restaurant (eg. Food stalls, seafood restaurants) B2. Fast food chain restaurant (eg. McDonalds, KFC) C1. Entertainment firm specializes in provision of performance arts, with a range of artists C2. Agency that represents fashion models, trains models, get test shoots and layout portfolios Theory X Theory Y A1 B1 B2 A2 C1 C2 Explain how to read the above diagram. Use a separate same diagram to include the relevant job functions/titles (if you want to extend your explanation!) Accordingly Douglas McGregor, Theory X (authoritarian management style) assumes that the average person has an inherent dislike of work and will avoid it if he can. Because of their dislike for work, most people must be controlled and threatened before they will work hard enough. The average person prefers to be directed, dislikes responsibility, is unambiguous and desires security above everything. These assumptions give rise to both tough management with punishments and tight controls, and soft management which aims at harmony at work. In actual facts, a person needs more than financial rewards at work. He also needs some deeper higher order motivation such as the opportunity to fulfill himself. Theory X managers however, do not give their employees this opportunity. In traditional manufacturer organizations, FB restaurants and fast food chain restaurants, jobs are often rigid and routine. Basically, employees do not expect any variances in their daily work. Thus they are tasked to simply perform routine work without the need to bother about anything else. According to McGregor, Theory Y (participative management style) assumes that the physical and mental effort in work is as natural as play or rest. Control and punishment are not the only methods to make people work. Man will exert self-direction if he is committed to the organizations aims. The average man learns under proper conditions not only to accept but to seek responsibility. A large number of employees use imagination, creativity and ingenuity to solve work problems. Although Theory Y is difficult to put into practice on the shop floor in large mass production operations, it is used initially to manage managers. In situations where it is possible to obtain commitment to objectives, it is better to explain the matter fully so that employees grasp the purpose of an action. They will then exert self-direction and control to do better work than if they had simply carry out an order. In hi-technology organizations, entertainment firms and modeling agencies, employees are often pa ssionate about the jobs and thus are empowered to take on greater responsibility in handling situations. Due to the uncertainty of the industries, employees need to respond timely to environmental changes. In a nutshell, McGregor wants managers to put into operation the basic assumption that Staff will contribute more to the organization if they are treated as responsible and valued employees. (F) A1. Traditional manufacturer (eg. tooth paste factory) A2. Hi-tech manufacturer (eg. SD card maker; involve hardware + software development) B1. FB restaurant (eg. Food stalls, seafood restaurants) B2. Fast food chain restaurant (eg. McDonalds, KFC) C1. Entertainment firm specializes in provision of performance arts, with a range of artists C2. Agency that represents fashion models, trains models, get test shoots and layout portfolios Transformational A2 C1 C2 Transactional A1 B1 B2 Theory X Theory Y Explain how to read the above diagram. Use a separate same diagram to include the relevant job functions/titles (if you want to extend your explanation!) The concept of transactional and transformational leadership, and Theories X and Y has been covered in the above questions. Transactional leadership Theory X Due to the routine and rigidity of work in traditional manufacturing organizations and FB restaurants, leaders believe that employees dislike work and will avoid it if possible. Thus, transactional leadership is often used in these organizations to reward employees in order to get work done. Transactional leadership Theory Y As most fast food chain restaurants already have worldwide presence, transactional leaders must ensure that the restaurants standard is consistent with the chains predetermined principles. In order to achieve this, leaders engage in a transaction relationship with employees by providing adequate rewards to employees. However, cultures across countries vary. Understanding this cultural difference, country leaders encourage employees to share their views to improve the fast food restaurants into a better dining choice for consumers. Transformational leadership Theory Y Hi-technology manufacturing organizations, entertainment firms and modeling agencies adapt transformational leadership because leaders are ambitious and believe that the organizations have the capability to attain greater heights. Leaders in such organizations share and instill the organizations vision to employees and highlight that every employees play an important part in the organizations success. Due to the turbulent environment of these industries, employees are empowered with the flexibility to solve work problems. As such, employees are encouraged to assume greater responsibility. (G) A1. Traditional manufacturer (eg. tooth paste factory) A2. Hi-tech manufacturer (eg. SD card maker; involve hardware + software development) B1. FB restaurant (eg. Food stalls, seafood restaurants) B2. Fast food chain restaurant (eg. McDonalds, KFC) C1. Entertainment firm specializes in provision of performance arts, with a range of artists C2. Agency that represents fashion models, trains models, get test shoots and layout portfolios organic organization A2 B2 C1 C2 mechanistic organization A1 B2 Theory X Theory Y Explain how to read the above diagram. Use a separate same diagram to include the relevant job functions/titles (if you want to extend your explanation!) Mechanistic organizations have clear well-defined, centralized, vertical hierarchies of command, authority and control. Efficiency and predictability are emphasized through specialization, standardization and formalization. As such, it results in rigidly defined jobs, technologies and processes. Organizational structures, processes and roles function like a machine in which each part of the organization does what it is designed to accomplish. Mechanistic organizations are often appropriate in stable environments and for routine tasks and technologies. Organic organizations are decentralized with flexible, broadly defined jobs and have relatively few and broadly defined rules, procedures and processes. Such organizations focus on interdependence among employees and units, multi-directional communication, employee initiative, and employee participation in problem solving and decision making. Organic organizations are highly suitable for unstable, turbulent environments and for non-routine tasks and technologies. In organic organizations, the emphasis is on effectiveness, problem solving, responsiveness, flexibility, adaptability, creativity and innovation. Such an organization responds timely to environmental change because employees are empowered to be creative, to experiment and to suggest new ideas. The process of innovation is triggered by employees throughout the organization in a bottom-up manner. The concept of Theories X and Y has been covered in the above questions. Mechanistic organization, Theory X A traditional manufacturing organization operates in a relatively stable environment and jobs are often rigidly defined. Such organizations adapt mechanistic management system whereby production processes and techniques are employed to minimize waste and maximize outputs for a given quantity of inputs. The ultimate goal of mechanistic structure is efficiency. Due to the routine and non-challenging daily work, leaders believe that employees dislike work and will avoid it if possible. Thus, transactional leadership is often used in these organizations to reward employees in order to get work done. Mechanistic organization, Theory Y As most fast food chain restaurants already have worldwide presence, there is clear command and control to ensure that every countrys restaurants standard is consistent with the chains predetermined principles. Thus, mechanistic structure is employed to achieve the desire objective. Recognizing the cross-cultural differences, country leaders encourage employees to share their views to improve the fast food restaurants into a better dining choice for consumers. Organic organizations, Theory Y Hi-technology manufacturing organization, FB restaurants, entertainment firms and modeling agencies operate in a highly turbulent environment and are very vulnerable to competition. Thus, these organizations employed the organic management system to respond timely to the environmental changes. Employees are required to work cross-functionally cohesively to ensure challenges are addressed promptly. Employees in such organizations identify themselves with the organizations and assume greater responsibility to ensure corporate success. (H) A1. Traditional manufacturer (eg. tooth paste factory) A2. Hi-tech manufacturer (eg. SD card maker; involve hardware + software development) B1. FB restaurant (eg. Food stalls, seafood restaurants) B2. Fast food chain restaurant (eg. McDonalds, KFC) C1. Entertainment firm specializes in provision of performance arts, with a range of artists C2. Agency that represents fashion models, trains models, get test shoots and layout portfolios organic organization A2 C1 C2 mechanistic organization A1 B1 B2 Transactional leadership Transformational leadership Explain how to read the above diagram. Use a separate same diagram to include the relevant job functions/titles (if you want to extend your explanation!) The concepts of mechanistic and organic organization, as well as transactional and transformational leadership have been covered in the above questions. Due to the routine and rigidity of job scope in the traditional manufacturing organizations, FB restaurants and fast food chain restaurants, these organizations have a mechanistic structure with well-defined command and control. Employees suggestions and views usually have no impact on the organizations decisions. Thus due to the lack of job satisfactions in employees, transactional leadership is usually used in such organizations to get work done. As hi-technology manufacturing organizations, entertainment firms and modeling agencies operate in a highly unstable environment and are vulnerable to competitions, organic structures are more appropriate to ensure changes to the environment are responded to promptly. Such organizations are led by transformational leaders as they have the foresight and motivation attributes to influence and lead the employees and organizations towards greater heights. Most importantly, transformational leaders have the ability to solve problem efficiently. (I) A1. Traditional manufacturer (eg. tooth paste factory) A2. Hi-tech manufacturer (eg. SD card maker; involve hardware + software development) B1. FB restaurant (eg. Food stalls, seafood restaurants) B2. Fast food chain restaurant (eg. McDonalds, KFC) C1. Entertainment firm specializes in provision of performance arts, with a range of artists C2. Agency that represents fashion models, trains models, get test shoots and layout portfolios Transformational A2 C1 C2 Transactional A1 B1 B2 Authoritarian Paternalistic Participative Laissez-faire Explain how to read the above diagram. Use a separate same diagram to include the relevant job functions/titles (if you want to extend your explanation!) The concepts of transactional, transformational, authoritarian, paternalistic, participative and laissez-faire leadership have been covered in the above questions. Transactional and authoritarian leaderships are employed in traditional manufacturing organizations. As the job scopes are routine and well-defined, employees are required to follow and adhere to instructions from the management. Little variations occur in such organizations. Furthermore, due to the lack of job satisfactions in employees, leaders reward employees so as to get the work done promptly. If employees work standard falls below expected, leaders have the rights and authority to impose punishment on employees. Transactional and paternalistic leaderships are used in FB restaurants and fast food chain restaurants. Instructi