Fra Lippo Lippi Essay - 1483 Words

THE BODY AND SOUL OF FRA LIPPO LIPPI nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Robert Browning’s 19th-century poem entitled â€Å"Fra Lippo Lippi† centers thematically around the discussion of art. Fra Lippo Lippi is a 15th-century monk and artist whom engages in a dramatic monologue with the law. As an unreliable narrator, he reveals things about himself and those around him that perhaps he is unaware of revealing. Fra Lippo Lippi expects that his behavior is seen as wrong but dismisses it with his poetic narrative of how life has tried to shape his art, imprisoning his God-given eye. As the verse unfolds the silent audience is acquainted with the aesthetic theories of the Prior and of Fra Lippo Lippi. Fra Lippo Lippi states the artist can capture what†¦show more content†¦Fra Lippo Lippi will give his soul to God in order to paint the body but the Prior will only allow his body to work as an instrument to paint the soul. Fra Lippo Lippi begins to draw monks and church folk in their true and real form of being bl ack, fat, gossips and criminals. At the Priors’ first sight of such realism on canvas, the conflict of the artist and art begins as Fra Lippo Lippi’s aesthetic theories do not match his own. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The Prior’s complaint about Fra Lippo Lippi’s art is that he does not draw the man’s soul; only drawing the body parts is not useful as it promotes entertainment and not prayer. â€Å"Your business is not to catch men with show, With homage to the perishable clay, But lift them over it, ignore it all, Make them forget there’s such a thing as flesh. Your business is to paint the souls of men--† (lines 179-183) His aesthetic theory is that of religion and lifting the soul up over the body. The Prior views Fra Lippo Lippi’s painting as the â€Å"devil’s-game† (line 178) because of the reality it exposes of the church. â€Å"Oh, that white smallish female with the breasts, She’s just my niece...† (lines 195-196). The ‘niece’ is really the Prior’s mistress and along with other true to life figures he captures from the church, Fra Lippo Lippi paints a sinful portrait of real life. How to draw the soul without the body is what the PriorShow MoreRelatedThe Poems Of Andrea, Fra Lippo, And The Artistic Life At The Zenith Of Its Fame2662 Words   |  11 Pagesand his confidence in the value of life was constitutionally unshakable, â€Å"it means intensely, and means good:†(Browning, Fra Lippo Lippi, line-314). His vision is so clear and comprehensive that he viewed his subject on numerous planes. He makes his readers see and understand e ach of his characters in their habit as they lived and thought and purposed. The poems of Andrea, Fra lippo are an epitome of the city’s artistic life at the zenith of its fame. Browning’s attitude towards Art follows certainRead MoreEssay on Browning art and character897 Words   |  4 Pagesthe fleshy and spiritual impulses in the work of art. The most famous poems in which he deals with art and artist or the life of the artists are Fra Lippo Lippi, Andrea De Sarto, My Last Duchess, Abt Volger, and A Grammarian Funeral. Fra LippoLippi is one of Browning’s happiest expressions of his belief in art and the joy of living. Fra Lippo was an artist who had to work in a monastery to paint the faces of the Saints and Angels. He tells the watchman who captivates him that the functionRead More Robert Browning and the Power of the Dramatic Monologue Form1432 Words   |  6 PagesBrowning goes further, exposing the sins as well as the frailties of his characters. The monk of â€Å"Frà   Lippo Lippi† admits his gallivanting, the bishop of The Bishop Orders His Tomb at Saint Praxeds Church admits theft, and Porphyria’s lover admits murder. The tone of each narrator’s description reveals much about their character; Porphyria’s lover’s is brutal in its coolness, and Frà   Lippo Lippi’s humorous in its light-heartedness. However, the tone of the revelations in The Bishop OrdersRead MoreAchievement of Self-Expression Through Concealment in Dramatic Monologue2761 Words   |  12 Pageskind of poetry that was ‘dramatic in principle’. Increasingly he felt the need to separate a man’s poetry from his inner, personal life. The three poems that I will be referring to here are: Porphyria’s Lover (1836); My Last Duchess (1842); and Fra Lippo Lippi (1855). In 1836 Browning wrote Porphyria’s Lover, an objective study in morbid psychology. The poem is set in a cottage, the lover’s house- probably somewhere in a forest. The weather is stormy and in an uproar. In the poem, the lover describesRead More The Dramatic Monologues of Robert Browning Essay2233 Words   |  9 PagesDramatic Lyrics, 1842 ‘The Laboratory’, 1844 ‘My last Duchess’, from Dramatic Lyrics, 1842 ‘Andrea del Sarto’ from Men and Women, 1855 ‘Fra Lippo Lippi’ from Men and Women, 1855 All these poems are presented from the viewpoint of an individual explaining their actions. The speakers all consider their actions justified, though only Fra Lippo Lippi has reason to explain himself to anyone. These poems use different poetic methods to form the character of the speaker. The rhyme schemesRead MoreChanging Characteristics of Poetry from Modern to Romantics3272 Words   |  14 PagesTennyson has used the blank verse in The Princess, the idylls of king and the English idylls. Browning is indeed gifted with an unlimited power of imagination which is always embraces every real thing happening in human life. His poems such as Fra Lippo Lippi, Cleon, The Bishop Orders His Tomb, have pictures of significant details. Browning’s theory of art is in Andrea Del Sarto. Arnold is slightly different from other Victorian poets in reviving classicism in form and content. Clarity, lucidity and

Blood Promise Chapter Twenty Free Essays

The days after that were like a dream. In fact, I honestly can’t say how many days even passed. Maybe it was one. We will write a custom essay sample on Blood Promise Chapter Twenty or any similar topic only for you Order Now Maybe it was a hundred. I lost track of day and night too. My time was divided into Dimitri or not-Dimitri. He was my world. When he wasn’t there, the moments were agony. I’d pass them as best I could, but they seemed to drag on forever. The TV was my best friend during those times. I’d lie on the couch for hours, only half following what was going on. In keeping with the rest of the suite’s luxury, I had access to satellite television, which meant we were actually pulling in some American programming. Half the time, though, I wasn’t sure that it really made a difference to me if the language was Russian or English. Inna continued her periodic checks on me. She brought my meals and did my laundry-I was wearing the dresses now-and waited around in that silent way of hers to see if I needed anything else. I never did-at least not from her. I only needed Dimitri. Each time she left, some distant part of me remembered I was supposed to do something†¦ follow her, that was it. I’d had some plan to check out the exit and use her as a way to escape, right? Now, that plan no longer held the appeal. It seemed like a lot of work. And then, finally, Dimitri would visit, and the monotony would be broken. We’d lie together on my bed, wrapped in each other’s arms. We never had sex, but we’d kiss and touch and lose ourselves in the wonder of each other’s bodies-sometimes with very little clothing. After a while, I found it hard to believe I’d once been afraid of his new appearance. Sure, the eyes were a bit shocking, but he was still gorgeous†¦ still unbelievably sexy. And after we’d talked and made out for a while-for hours, sometimes-I’d let him bite me. Then I’d get that rush†¦ that wonderful, exquisite flood of chemicals that lifted me from all my problems. Whatever doubts I’d had about God’s existence vanished in those moments because surely, surely I was touching God when I lost myself in that bite. This was heaven. â€Å"Let me see your neck,† he said one day. We were lying together as usual. I was on my side, and he was snuggled up against my back, one arm draped around my waist. I rolled over and brushed my hair away from where it had fallen over my neck and cleavage. The dress I wore today was a navy halter sundress, made of some light, clingy material. â€Å"Already?† I asked. He usually didn’t bite me until the end of his visits. While part of me longed for that and waited in anticipation to feel that high again, I did kind of enjoy these moments beforehand. It was when the endorphins in my system were at their lowest, so I was able to manage some sort of conversation. We would talk about fights we’d been in or the life he imagined for us when I was Strigoi. Nothing too sentimental-but nice nonetheless. I braced myself for the bite now, arching up in anticipation. To my surprise, he didn’t lean down and sink his teeth into me. He reached into his pocket and produced a necklace. It was either white gold or platinum-I didn’t have the skill to tell which-and had three dark blue sapphires the size of quarters. He’d brought me a lot of jewelry this week, and I swore each piece was more beautiful than the last. I stared in amazement at its beauty, at the way the blue stones glittered in the light. He placed the necklace against my skin and fastened it behind my neck. Running his fingers along the necklace’s edges, he nodded in approval. â€Å"Beautiful.† His fingers drifted to one of the dress’s straps. He slid his hand underneath it, sending a thrill through my skin. â€Å"It matches.† I smiled. In the old days, Dimitri had almost never gotten me gifts. He hadn’t had the means, and I hadn’t wanted them anyway. Now, I was continually dazzled by the presents he seemed to have at each visit. â€Å"Where’d you get it?† I asked. The metal was cool against my flushed skin but nowhere near as cold as his fingers. He smiled slyly. â€Å"I have my sources.† That chastising voice in my head that sometimes managed to penetrate through the haze I lived in noted that I was involved with some sort of vampire gangster. Its warnings were immediately squashed and sank back down into my dreamy cloud of existence. Ho w could I be upset when the necklace was so beautiful? Something suddenly struck me as funny. â€Å"You’re just like Abe.† â€Å"Who?† â€Å"This guy I met. Abe Mazur. He’s some kind of mob boss†¦ he kept following me.† Dimitri stiffened. â€Å"Abe Mazur was following you?† I didn’t like the dark look that had suddenly fallen over his features. â€Å"Yeah. So?† â€Å"Why? What did he want with you?† â€Å"I don’t know. He kept wanting to know why I was in Russia but finally gave up and just wanted me to leave. I think somebody from home hired him to find me.† â€Å"I don’t want you near Abe Mazur. He’s dangerous.† Dimitri was angry, and I hated that. A moment later, that fury faded, and he ran his fingers along my arm once more, pushing the strap down further. â€Å"Of course, people like that won’t be an issue when you awaken.† Somewhere, in the back of my head, I wondered if Dimitri had the answers I wanted about Abe-about what Abe did. But talking about Abe had made Dimitri upset, and I cringed at that, hastily wanting to switch topics. â€Å"What have you been doing today?† I asked, impressed at my ability to make normal small talk. Between the endorphins and him touching me, coherence was difficult. â€Å"Errands for Galina. Dinner.† Dinner. A victim. I frowned. The feelings that inspired in me weren’t of repulsion so much as†¦ jealousy. â€Å"Do you drink from them†¦ for fun?† He ran his lips along my neck, teeth taunting my skin but not biting. I gasped and pressed closer to him. â€Å"No, Roza. They’re food; that’s all. It’s over quickly. You’re the only one I take pleasure in.† I felt smug satisfaction in that, and that annoying mental voice pointed out that that was an incredibly sick and twisted view for me to have. I kind of hoped he would bite me soon. That usually shut the rational voice up. I reached up and touched his face, then ran my hand through that wonderful, silky hair that I’d always loved. â€Å"You keep wanting to awaken me†¦ but we won’t be able to do this anymore. Strigoi don’t drink from each other, do they?† â€Å"No,† he agreed. â€Å"But it’ll be worth it. We can do so much more†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He left the â€Å"so much more† to my imagination, and a pleasant shiver ran through me. The kissing and blood taking were intoxicating, but there were some days that I did want, well†¦ more. The memories of the one time we’d made love haunted me when we were this close together, and I often longed to do it again. For whatever reason, he never pushed for sex, no matter how passionate things became. I wasn’t sure if he was using that as a lure for me to turn or if there was some incompatibility between a Strigoi and a dhampir. Could the living and the dead do that? Once, I would have found the thought of sex with one of them absolutely repulsive. Now†¦ I just didn’t think about the complications so much. But although he didn’t attempt sex, he would often taunt me with his caresses, touching my thighs and sternum and other dangerous places. Plus, he would remind me of what it had been like that one time, how amazing it had been, how our bodies had felt†¦ His talk of such things was more taunting than affectionate, though. In my semi-clear moments, I honestly thought it was strange that I hadn’t yet consented to becoming Strigoi. The endorphin fog made me agree to almost everything else he wanted. I’d fallen comfortably into dressing up for him, staying in my gilded prison, and accepting that he took a victim every couple days. Yet even in my most incoherent moments, even when I wanted him so badly, I couldn’t agree to turning. There was some intrinsic part of me that refused to budge. Most of the time, he would shrug off my refusal, like it was a joke. But every once in a while when I declined, I’d see a spark of anger in his eyes. Those moments scared me. â€Å"Here it comes,† I teased. â€Å"The sales pitch. Eternal life. Invincible. Nothing to stand in our way.† â€Å"It’s not a joke,† he said. Oops. My flippancy had brought that hardness back to him. The desire and fondness that I’d just seen now fractured into a million pieces and blew away. The hands that had just stroked me suddenly grabbed my wrists and held me in place as he leaned down. â€Å"We can’t stay like this forever. You can’t stay here forever.† Whoa, that voice said. Be careful. That doesn’t sound good. His grip hurt, and I often wondered if that was his intent or if he just couldn’t help his violence. When he finally released me, I wrapped my arm around his neck and tried to kiss him. â€Å"Can’t we talk about that later?† Our lips met, fire blossoming between us and urgency coursing through my body. I could tell he had a matching desire, but a few seconds later, he broke away. The cold annoyance was still on his face. â€Å"Come on,† he said, pulling away from me. â€Å"Let’s go.† He stood up, and I stared stupidly. â€Å"Where are we going?† â€Å"Outside.† I sat up on the bed, dumbfounded. â€Å"Out†¦ outside? But†¦ that’s not allowed. We can’t.† â€Å"We can do anything I want,† he snapped. He extended his hand and helped me up. I followed him to the door. He was as skilled as Inna at blocking me from the keypad, not that it mattered now. There was no way I could ever remember that long of a sequence anymore. The door clicked open, and he led me out. I stared in wonder, my dazed brain still trying to process this freedom. As I’d noticed that one day, the door led to a short corridor blocked by another door. It too was heavy and bore a keypad lock. Dimitri opened it, and I was willing to bet the two doors had different codes. Taking my arm, he guided me through that door and into another hallway. Despite his firm hold, I couldn’t help but come to a standstill. Maybe I shouldn’t have been surprised at the opulence I suddenly faced. After all, I was living in this place’s penthouse suite. But the corridor leading out of my room had been stark and industrial-looking, and somehow I’d imagined the rest of the house to be equally institutional or prisonlike. It wasn’t. Instead, I felt like I was in some old movie, the kind where people took tea in the parlor. The plush carpet was covered by a gold patterned runner that stretched off in both directions of the hall. Antique-looking paintings dotted the walls, showing people from ages ago in elaborate clothing that made my dresses look cheap and ordinary. The whole place was illuminated by tiny chandeliers that were spaced along the ceiling every six feet or so. The teardrop-shaped crystals caught the light with their facets, scattering small flecks of rainbows on the walls. I stared, enchanted by the glitter and the color, which is probably why I failed to notice one other fixture in the hall. â€Å"What are you doing?† The harsh sound of Nathan’s voice jerked me from my crystal gazing. He’d been leaning against the wall opposite my door and straightened immediately upon seeing us. He had that same cruel expression on his face that was so characteristic of Strigoi, the one I occasionally saw on Dimitri, no matter how charming and kind he seemed sometimes. Dimitri’s posture turned rigid and defensive. â€Å"I’m taking her for a walk.† He kind of sounded like he was talking about a dog, but my fear of Nathan trumped any offense I might take. â€Å"That’s against the rules,† said Nathan. â€Å"Bad enough you’ve still got her here. Galina gave orders for you to keep her confined. We don’t need some rogue dhampir running around.† Dimitri nodded toward me. â€Å"Does she look like she’s a threat?† Nathan’s eyes flicked over at me. I wasn’t entirely sure what he saw. I didn’t think I looked that different, but a small smirk crossed his lips that promptly disappeared when he turned back to Dimitri. â€Å"No, but I was ordered to babysit this door, and I’m not going to get in trouble for you taking a field trip.† â€Å"I’ll deal with Galina. I’ll tell her I overpowered you.† Dimitri gave a fang-filled grin. â€Å"It shouldn’t be that hard for her to believe.† The look Nathan gave Dimitri made me unconsciously step back until I hit the wall. â€Å"You’re so full of yourself. I didn’t awaken you so that you could act like you’re in charge around here. I did it so that we could use your strength and inside knowledge. You should be answering to me.† Dimitri shrugged. Taking my hand, he started to turn away. â€Å"Not my fault if you’re not strong enough to make me do it.† That was when Nathan lunged at Dimitri. Dimitri responded so quickly to the attack that I think he knew it would happen. He instantly released my hand, turned to catch hold of Nathan, and tossed the other Strigoi against the wall. Nathan immediately got up-it took more than that kind of hit to faze someone like him-but Dimitri was ready. He punched Nathan in the nose-once, twice, and then a third time, all in rapid succession. Nathan fell down, blood covering his face. Dimitri kicked him hard in the stomach and loomed over him. â€Å"Don’t try it,† said Dimitri. â€Å"You’ll lose.† He wiped Nathan’s blood off of his hand and then laced his fingers through mine again. â€Å"I told you, I’ll deal with Galina. But thanks for your concern.† Dimitri turned away again, apparently feeling there’d be no more attacks. There weren’t. But as I started to follow him, I cast a quick glance over my shoulder to where Nathan sat on the floor. His eyes shot daggers at Dimitri, and I was pretty sure I’d never seen a look of such pure hatred-at least until he turned his gaze on me. I felt cold all over and stumbled to keep up with Dimitri. Nathan’s voice rang out behind us. â€Å"You’re not safe! Neither of you is. She’s lunch, Belikov. Lunch.† Dimitri’s hand tightened on mine, and he picked up the pace. I could feel the fury radiating off of him and suddenly wasn’t sure whom I should be more afraid of: Nathan or Dimitri. Dimitri was a badass, alive or undead. In the past, I’d seen him attack foes without fear or hesitation. He’d always been magnificent, behaving just as bravely as I’d told his family. But in all those times, he’d always had a legitimate reason for fighting usually self defense. His confrontation with Nathan just then had been about more, though. It had been an assertion of dominance and a chance to draw blood. Dimitri had seemed to enjoy it. What if he decided to turn on me like that? What if my constant refusal pushed him into torture, and he hurt me until I finally agreed? â€Å"Nathan scares me,† I said, not wanting Dimitri to know that I feared him too. I felt weak and utterly defenseless, something that didn’t happen to me very often. Usually, I was ready to take on any challenge, no matter how desperate. â€Å"He won’t touch you,† Dimitri said harshly. â€Å"You have nothing to worry about.† We reached a set of stairs. After a few steps, it became clear that I wasn’t going to be able to handle four flights. Aside from the drugged stupor his bites kept me in, the frequent blood loss was weakening me and taking its toll. Without saying a word, Dimitri swept me up in his arms and carried me downstairs effortlessly, gently setting me down when we reached the staircase’s bottom. The main floor of the estate had the same grand feel as the upstairs hall. The entryway had a huge vaulted ceiling with an elaborate chandelier that dwarfed the little ones I’d seen. Ornate double doors faced us, set with stained-glass windows. What also faced us was another Strigoi, a man sitting in a chair and apparently on guard duty. Near him was a panel set into the wall with buttons and flashing lights. A modern security system set amongst all this old-world charm. His posture stiffened as we approached, and at first, I thought it was a natural bodyguard instinct-until I saw his face. It was the Strigoi I’d tortured that first night in Novosibirsk, the one I’d dispatched to tell Dimitri I was looking for him. His lips curled back slightly as he met my eyes. â€Å"Rose Hathaway,† said the Strigoi. â€Å"I remember your name-just like you told me.† He said no more than that, but I tightened my grip on Dimitri’s hand as we passed. The Strigoi’s eyes never left me until we’d stepped outside and shut the door behind us. â€Å"He wants to kill me,† I told Dimitri. â€Å"All Strigoi want to kill you,† Dimitri returned. â€Å"He really does†¦ I tortured him.† â€Å"I know. He’s been in disgrace ever since then and lost some of his status here.† â€Å"That doesn’t make me feel any better.† Dimitri seemed unconcerned. â€Å"Marlen is no one you need to worry about. You fighting him only proved to Galina that you’re a good addition around here. He’s beneath you.† I didn’t find that overly reassuring. I was making too many personal Strigoi enemies-but then, it wasn’t like I could really expect to be making Strigoi friends. It was nighttime, of course. Dimitri wouldn’t have taken me out otherwise. The foyer had made me think we were at the front of the house, but the extensive gardens that spread out around us made me wonder if we were in the back now. Or maybe the entire house was wrapped in this kind of greenery. We were surrounded in a hedge maze cut with beautiful detail. Within the maze were small courtyards, decorated with fountains or statues. And everywhere were flowers and more flowers. The air was heavy with their scent, and I realized that someone had gone to an awful lot of trouble to find night-blooming ones. The only type I immediately recognized was jasmine, its long, white-flowered vines climbing up trellises and statues in the maze. We walked in silence for a bit, and I found myself lost in the romance of it all. The whole time Dimitri and I had been together at school, I’d been consumed with the fears of how we would juggle our relationship and our duty. A moment like this, walking in a garden on a spring night lit with stars, had seemed like a fantasy too crazy to even start to consider. Even without the difficulty of stairs, too much walking grew exhausting in my state. I came to a halt and sighed. â€Å"I’m tired,† I said. Dimitri stopped too and helped me sit down. The grass was dry and tickly against my skin. I lay back against it, and a moment later, he joined me. I had an eerie moment of deja vu, recalling the afternoon we’d made snow angels. â€Å"This is amazing,† I said, staring up at the sky. It was clear, no clouds in sight. â€Å"What’s it like for you?† â€Å"Hmm?† â€Å"There’s enough light that I can see pretty clearly, but it’s still dim compared to day. Your eyes are better than mine. What do you see?† â€Å"For me, it’s as bright as day.† When I didn’t respond, he added, â€Å"It could be like that for you, too.† I tried to picture that. Would the shadows seem as mysterious? Would the moon and stars shine so brightly? â€Å"I don’t know. I kind of like the darkness.† â€Å"Only because you don’t know any better.† I sighed. â€Å"So you keep telling me.† He turned toward me and pushed the hair away from my face. â€Å"Rose, this is driving me crazy. I’m tired of this waiting. I want us to be together. Don’t you like this? What we have? It could be even better.† His words sounded romantic, but not the tone. I did like this. I loved the haze I lived in, the haze in which all worries disappeared. I loved being close to him, loved the way he kissed me and told me he wanted me†¦ â€Å"Why?† I asked. â€Å"Why what?† He sounded puzzled, something I hadn’t heard yet in a Strigoi. â€Å"Why do you want me?† I had no idea why I even asked that. He apparently didn’t know either. â€Å"Why wouldn’t I want you?† He spoke in such an obvious way, like it was the stupidest question in the world. It probably was, I realized, and yet†¦ I’d somehow been expecting another answer. Just then, my stomach twisted. With all the time I’d spent with Dimitri, I really had managed to push the Strigoi nausea off my radar. The presence of other Strigoi increased it, though. I’d felt it around Nathan, and I felt it now. I sat up, and Dimitri did too, almost at the same time. He’d likely been alerted by his superior hearing. A dark shape loomed over us, blotting out the stars. It was a woman, and Dimitri shot up. I stayed where I was, on the ground. She was strikingly beautiful, in a hard and terrible way. Her build was similar to mine, indicating she hadn’t been a Moroi when turned. Isaiah, the Strigoi who’d captured me, had been very old, and power had radiated from him. This woman hadn’t been around nearly so long, but I could sense that she was older than Dimitri and much stronger. She said something in Russian to him, and her voice was as cold as her beauty. Dimitri answered back, his tone confident yet polite. I heard Nathan’s name mentioned a couple of times as they spoke. Dimitri reached down and helped me up, and I felt embarrassed at how often I needed his assistance, when I used to almost be a match for him. â€Å"Rose,† he said, â€Å"this is Galina. She’s the one who has been kind enough to let you stay.† Galina’s face didn’t look so kind. It was devoid of all emotion, and I felt like my entire soul was exposed to her. While I was uncertain of a lot of things around here, I’d picked up enough to realize that my continual residence here was a rare and fragile thing. I swallowed. â€Å"Spasibo,† I said. I didn’t know how to tell her it was nice to meet her-and honestly, I wasn’t sure if it was-but I figured a simple thank-you was good enough. If she’d been his former instructor and trained at a normal Academy, she probably knew English and was faking it like Yeva. I had no clue why she’d do that, but if you could snap a teen dhampir’s neck, you were entitled to do whatever you wanted. Galina’s expression-or lack thereof-didn’t change with my thanks, and she turned her attention back to Dimitri. They conversed over me, and Dimitri gestured to me a couple of times. I recognized the word for strong. Finally, Galina issued something that sounded final and left us without any sort of goodbye. Neither Dimitri nor I moved until I felt the nausea dissipate. â€Å"Come on,† he said. â€Å"We should get back.† We walked back through the maze, though I had no idea how he knew where to go. It was funny. When I’d first arrived, my dream had been to get outside and escape. Now that I was here†¦ well, it didn’t seem that important. Galina’s anger did. â€Å"What did she say?† I asked. â€Å"She doesn’t like that you’re still here. She wants me to awaken you or kill you.† â€Å"Oh. Um, what are you going to do?† He stayed silent for a few seconds. â€Å"I’ll wait a little longer and then†¦ I will make the choice for you.† He didn’t specify which choice he’d be making, and I almost began my earlier pleas to die before becoming Strigoi. But suddenly, instead, I said, â€Å"How long?† â€Å"Not long, Roza. You need to choose. And make the right choice.† â€Å"Which is?† He held up his hands. â€Å"All of this. A life together.† We’d emerged from the maze. I stared at the house-which was crazy enormous when viewed from the outside-and at the beautiful gardens around us. It was like something from a dream. Beyond that, endless countryside rolled away, eventually becoming lost in the darkness and blending into the black sky-except for one tiny part that had a soft purple glow on the horizon. I frowned, studying it, then turned my attention back to Dimitri. â€Å"And what then? Then I work for Galina too?† â€Å"For a while.† â€Å"How long is a while?† We came to a stop outside the house. Dimitri looked down into my eyes, his face alight with a look that made me take a step back. â€Å"Until we kill her, Rose. Until we kill her and take all of this for ourselves.† How to cite Blood Promise Chapter Twenty, Essay examples

Uniforms free essay sample

Where do uniforms come from? Uniforms originally came from England in the 16th century. uniforms in England symbolizes the lower class and the orphans, its basically they separated children in groups (Viadero 61). A lot of school enforces dress codes instead of uniforms. There are many opinions about requiring school uniforms or not. Many people believe that school uniform have a negative effect. uniforms are more expensive than regular clothes (Larkin 29). A student needs at least two sets of uniforms (Riak 71 Some students cant afford two sets of uniforms since they are ard to find, this is why some people doesnt want any part of having to have their child wearing uniforms. Uniforms doesnt make students any smarter, it doesnt have an effect on their education. It doesnt motivate them to do better in school just because they are wearing a uniform (Vladero 54). A uniform makes students look more professional (Rlak 65). It makes them look so much nicer if they wore uniforms and clean. It also prepares them for their future career. Some jobs require employees to be in uniforms. When wearing uniforms you basically know what to expect, unlike people who didnt wear uniforms in their past ives. Wearing uniforms definitely prepares you in your future life. Some parents or debaters view school uniforms as a positive improvement in school. A uniform allows students to focus on school rather than worrying about what theyre going to wear to school the next day or what other students are going to think about their clothes that theVre wearing (Amerding 38). Some students gets distracted by what their wearing and what other students are wearing. Wearing uniforms force students to find other ways to express themselves. For example they can express themselves y what they Ilke to do during school; they can Join a club that they really like or getting Involved In a sport that they really like. There are a lot of things students that can express themselves without getting mad; because theyre forced to wear uniforms and that they think they cant express themselves when wearing uniforms. It also makes the students equal (Riak 68). Students that are poor are usually the target to be make fun of because the way they dress, like wearing old used clothes that they bought from the second hand store. Having uniforms eliminates bullying ther students based on what theyre wearing. It also eliminates students hiding weapons In their street clothes (Larkin 33). some students wear baggy clothes that can hide weapons in it and bring to school. This is why schools want students to wear uniforms to protect other students from getting hurt. Wearing unforms also prevents students from wearing their gang colors and signs (Larkin 33). It prevents them from fighting against each other. Students are calm and chill if theyre wearing the same thing It reduces violence, and they can worry about school work rather than fighting (Madero 55). The positive things about unitorms are that it the students are on a tield trip they are easy to spot because everyone is wearing the same uniforms (Larkin 31). If for instance a student gets lost a teacher can describe them to the police of what they are wearing, and they can easily track them down since not everyone are wearing the same uniforms as their school (Larkin 31). When a stranger comes to school they can easily spot them, because they are not wearing uniforms (Wilde 13). It also prevents students from skipping classes, because if someone sees them walking or if they are t the mall, people can identify what uniform they are wearing and they can easily call the school and tell them that a student is skipping school and that student gets in trouble. Wearing uniforms improved, 28 percent drop in suspension rates at the elementary level, a 36 percent decrease in fghts in grade k-8 and a 34 percent drop in assault and battery in elementary and middle schools (Madero 57). Some schools are allowing students to wear other colors of pods and pants, also other brands. Students can wear different brands of clothes but it has to follow the rules of their niforms. Girls can now wear skirts but it has to be in a certain length (Long Beach Unified School District: A Uniform Success Story? 9). For the parents who are worried about the cost of the uniforms the school board are trying to help people that needs help by giving them the uniforms for free or they can cut the price down a little for those who needed help and that cant afford to pay uniforms for their children (Long Beach Unified School District: A uniform Success Story? 7). For some school that doesnt have to wear uniforms, they have a dress code. Dress codes are basically rules of what not to wear to school. Some students are always finding ways to wear clothes that they are not supposed to wear, and they sometimes get away with it. If students do get caught with not following with the dress code they get in trouble or they let students call their parent to bring them a set of clothes that are appropriate for them to wear. Students are always trying to find ways to express their unique identities. They dont want anyone stop them from wearing the clothes that they like, that expresses themselves. Thats the biggest ssue, students wants freedom from wearing what they want to wear. Since they are already have to go to school and kids are not a fan of going to school and now they want them to wear uniforms, it make them even more upset having to wear uniforms in school and getting make fun of by other school because they are wearing uniforms. This is why school officials are enforcing uniforms, because students always find ways to get around the dress code (Modenbach 24). It really doesnt matter if kids are wearing uniforms or having to have dress codes they will always ind a way to get around the rules because they are kids and theyll do whatever they can to not follow the rules.

The European Renaissance Essay Research Paper The free essay sample

The European Renaissance Essay, Research Paper The European Renaissance The Renaissance was a period of European history, considered by modern bookmans as that between 1300 and 1600. Many dramatic alterations happened during the Renaissance. The Renaissance was a period of new innovations and beliefs. The Renaissance was drastically different from the Middle Ages. During the Middle Ages the church held most of the power and it # 8217 ; s economic system was agriculturally based. Exploration and acquisition was about put to a halt. During the Renaissance society was transformed into a society progressively dominated by cardinal political establishments with an urban commercial attitude. Besides, people # 8217 ; s wonder overcame their fright and many people started to venture out and research. New schools and colleges became more and more common. The Renaissance was started by many rich Italian metropoliss, such as Florence, Ferrara, Milan, and Venice. Because these metropoliss were really affluent, many merchandisers started to pass money on different things, such as picture, larning, new banking techniques, and new systems of authorities. These things gave rise to a new type of bookman, the humanist. Humanism was topics concerned with world and civilization. They studied assorted things such as Latin, Greek linguistic communication, literature and doctrine. Music and mathematics were besides studied as good. The Renaissance gave manner to new signifiers of picture, art and sculpture. During the Renaissance, creative person were no longer regarded as mere craftsmans, as they had been to the medieval yesteryear, but for the first clip emerged as independent personalities, compared to poets and authors. Many craftsmans merged mathematics with art, in order to go more precise in their measurings and to do certain an object was supported both rationally and proportionately. As a consequence painters tried and frequently succeeded into doing their picture a window into the universe. Artists besides studied the manner light hits objects and the manner our eyes perceive visible radiation. A new sort of pigment called oil pigment was used. This allowed the creative person to make texture, mix colourss, and let more clip for corrections before it dried. The printing imperativeness was likely the most of import progress in engineering. Europeans foremost used movable metal type to publish a book. On little pieces of metal they engraved individual letters of the alphabet. These could so be arranged and rearranged to organize words and sentences. Johan Gutenberg is normally given chromium edit for the first book printed, a transcript of the Bible. By the 1500 # 8217 ; s printing imperativenesss where reasonably good spread. The printing imperativeness had many effects on the universe. First of wholly, it made books much easier to come by, which made them cheaper. That meant common people could afford them. As a consequence literacy became more widespread, in contrast to the Middle Ages where normally monastics and church functionaries were the lone able to read. Second, since many more people were able to read, they wanted to read topics other than spiritual or scientific work. So books on other topics were published every bit good. Besides many books were published in languages other than Latin, such as English, Portuguese, Spanish, Gallic, and Italian. A 3rd consequence was that bookmans had better entree to one anothers work. They could besides read the great plants of the antediluvian and medieval periods. The Renaissance besides had an consequence on the general society. Many people became interested in political relations. Besides, people became interested in the universe outside of their towns. Many became adventurers, merchandisers, and map shapers. Religion particularly changed during the Renaissance. In the Middle ages people were chiefly concerned with functioning the church and acquiring to heaven. But the addition in humanistic disciplines and instruction gave people something to look frontward to, and a life worth life. So in bend, people based their lives around assorted other things alternatively of the church. Because of the addition in literacy people learned that the Catholic Church merely told the thickly settled what they wanted them to hear. This caused many people to interrupt away from the church and signifier Protestant faiths. The Renaissance produced many great heads. Leonardo district attorney Vinci was one of these. Although he was non regarded as a mastermind in his clip. He had legion plants of art such as the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. He besides is now regarded as a great discoverer. He is credited for coming up with the thought of the chopper. He dissected cadavers to larn more about human anatomy. Another great adult male was a German monastic, Martin Luther. He taught Biblical surveies at the University of Wittenberg. Luther # 8217 ; s beliefs challenged the church although many people agreed with his thoughts. He was finally excommunicated from the church and he started Protestantism. In decision, the Renaissance was a clip of new waking up in Europe. It include the general loss of power by the church, an addition in literacy and instruction, and an geographic expedition period.

Brave New World vs Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde essays

Brave New World vs Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde essays Everybody seeks truth, some seek absolute factual truth and some people seek truths based on what they want to believe and what makes them comfortable. The novels The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Hr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson and Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley are similar because they talk about a person protecting their reputation and outward appearance. These novels are also contrasting because the characters find different truths and deal with them in different ways. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a novel about a man who takes on the role of investigator yet has problems handling the truth about his case. He discovers a truth so menacing that he is quiet with the information and sure of himself when he finally decides to share it with the authorities. Stevenson was born in Edinburgh in 1850 and had no other siblings. He suffered from poor health as a child and missed school regularly. He went to Edinburgh University at seventeen and soon discovere d his hostility towards his parents. He then adopted the role of liberal bohemian and took up the study of law, though he knew he would never practice. Brave New World is a novel about an outsiders experience with the World State and how he struggles to fit in. Huxley was born in Surrey, England in 1894 into a family that included some of the most distinguished members of that part of the English ruling class. His grandfather was a great biologist who helped develop the theory of evolution. His mother was the sister of Mrs. Humphrey Ward, the novelist; and the niece of Matthew Arnold, the poet. The strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Brave New World are intricate novels that illustrate the extents that people will go to avoid scandal, maintain their reputations and how people deal with the reality of life in the end. People will avoid scandal rather than discovering the truth. In The strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the main ch...

A Brief Introduction for Chinese Culture

Xia culture represented the early Chinese culture and Zhou culture contributed to the form of more than 2000 years of feudalism culture in China. The May 4th Movement of 1919 was also an important date because it symbolized that it entered into a new culture period. In the spring and autumn and warring-states period, slave society gradually turned into feudalism society and a lot of thinkers sprang up with their immortal work. Among those, Confucianism was the most successful, which helped to build up the norms and values of Chinese people in the following centuries and also was used as a method for emperors to rule the country. However, after the fall of Qing dynasty, the last feudalism dynasty, Confucianism, which was seen as the product of feudalism society lose its dominant position. But its influence still lasts until now. Besides Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism also once played an important role in ancient Chinese. Nevertheless, nowadays most of Chinese are atheists. Buddhism is the biggest religion in China with a history of about 2,000 years. Then Muslim comes the second. It is popular within minority nationalities such as Hui and Uygur. Christianism and Catholicism are also believed in by some people. However, Taoism as indigenous religion has the fewest followers. Moreover, China is a multi-national country with quiet different 56 groups, in which Han has the largest population. Every group has its own language, customs, festivals and some fixed residence. In order to solve the problems of communication between groups and facilitates management, the government standardized language through popularizing mandarin, which is mostly based on Beijing dialect. Cultural values The development of Chinese values can be divided into two phrases:the former is the traditional cultural values; the latter is modern cultural values, which is affected by the western culture since the 20th century. Confucianism is the core element in traditional values. Deeply influenced by Confucianism , Chinese people tightly adhere to the Doctrine of Mean and try to avoid conflicts. Afterwards, with time going by, Confucianism experienced improvements by combining with Taoism and Buddhism. In this period, Confucianism focused on human, for example, the relationship between human and human, human and nature and so on. Under the influence of the above factors, Chinese traditional values can be concluded into the following aspects: -believe in self struggle ‘Man’s determination can conquer the nature’ is an old Chinese saying. Chinese people believe that through their efforts they can change their life. -emphasis on the art of tolerance Tolerance is another characteristic for Chinese nation. Chinese people won’t be easily infuriated by others. They are used to avoid conflicts and keep peace. It seems to be a little cowardly . But the truth is that many great men succeed because of temporary tolerance . -follow the majority This is still a serious problem in today’s society. Conformist mentality has proved to have negative effect on building up one’s confidence and independence. People are not willing to express its own opinion to keep conformity with the majority and become passive. -respect the old Respect for the old is a Chinese traditional virtue. Not like western individual consciousness, Chinese parents think it’s their duty to look after their children and do all that they can do for them. So when children grow up, they tend to be grateful for their parents’ contribution. As a result, the old enjoy a high position in the family. Moreover, since the old experience much more than the young, young people are willing to listen to their opinions when making decision. -collectivism This means that Chinese, in general, is a collective society that strives for harmony and group belonging, whether to family, friends, work, or country. The Chinese are more willing to suppress their own feelings and needs for the good of the group. This value has been passed down the Chinese culture from folklores where martyrs sacrificed their lives for their community or country ever since the dynastical eras 5,000 years ago. The arrival of western cultural value stroke Chinese traditional culture values and helped to discard some backward or bad parts of traditional values. Moreover, it also brought something new such as freedom, charity, democracy and etc. Cultural norms -saving face and losing face ‘Fcae’ stands for one’s position in a certain social group. It’s related to honor, good reputation or respect. Consequently, loss of face is not simply a form of embarrassment. Saving face is another concept. Chinese people respect a person who is friendly and who carefully avoids hurting the feelings of others. Loud, untactful or boisterous behavior is usually regarded as very poor taste. – greeting When meeting for the first time, a handshake is the most common greeting. In order to express some special esteem, to those elderly people or government officials, a slight bow might be given. -gift When visiting a family it is appropriate to bring a small gift, such as fruits, to the host, especially around New Year’s time. Gifts should be given and received with both hands. It is also a Chinese custom when receiving a gift to thank you for it and then place it to the side without opening it. eating  ·Chopsticks and a soup spoon are common eating utensils. Food is not passed around the table, but remains in the center. The host usually chooses the food for his guests and serves it to them from the central dishes on the table.  ·Refusing to drink is sometimes thought as dishonor to the people who toast to you. -relationship (guan-xi) Guan xi is a Chinese word which means relati onship. One’s guan-xi, is an important factor in the individual’s social status. It is also an important Chinese business element. Having a right guan xi helps companies to minimize the risks, frustrations, and disappointments. Guan-xi relationship, like face behavior, is obligation between individuals for the purpose of maintenance of group integrity. -parents dominant Parents are accustomed to interfering children’s decision and sometimes just determine for them regardless of their own wishes. -look down on girls In some remote areas, the natives still prefer boys to girls. If a family has two children and they can’t afford the education fees for both of them, the boy will have more chance to go to school. Ways of communication -nonverbal communication Chinese is a high context country. Nonverbal communication is as common as verbal communication. Nonverbal communication includes facial expression, tones of voice , gestures, and eye contact. They’re quiet important in Chinese daily life and sometimes it is even more powerful than the verbal interaction. Different gestures have different meanings. Due to different cultural background, even the same gesture has different meaning for people in certain context. -avoid speaking directly Speaking directly is often considered rudeness. Try to be â€Å"diplomatic† and tactful where possible, as the Chinese may be offended by directness in some situations. For example, it is a terrible thing to be criticized in public due to the fact that harmony is highly valued in Chinese society. -conversation tips Find some common areas to talk about such as family, sports and etc. Don’t verbally attack China and be careful about criticizing things there, as many Chinese will feel personally attacked by this. Avoid political arguments, as many Chinese feel reluctant to speak or explore their true opinion about the current government. saying â€Å"Thank you† â€Å"Thank you† is said a lot less than in the West. In a lot of instances, for example when someone opens a door for you or passes the soy sauce, saying â€Å"thank you† is seen as being over polite and without meaning, and is often met with requests for you not to be so polite (over-polite). -saying â€Å"Excuse me† â€Å"Excuse me † is not used as often in China. People are expected to give way naturally to one another on the street or when walking around, without anything being said. Interrupting somebody talking or doing something else to ask a question, make a request, etc. also happens regularly without any warning or apology. -compliments Be careful when complimenting someone’s possessions or somebody because they may think it’s a kind of flattering rather than appreciation. In conclusion, Chinese culture is based on the wisdom of Confucius and quiet different from western culture in many aspects. But nowadays because of the process of globalization, Chinese people are striving to learn from mainstream culture and improve and develop their own culture. A Brief Introduction for Chinese Culture Xia culture represented the early Chinese culture and Zhou culture contributed to the form of more than 2000 years of feudalism culture in China. The May 4th Movement of 1919 was also an important date because it symbolized that it entered into a new culture period. In the spring and autumn and warring-states period, slave society gradually turned into feudalism society and a lot of thinkers sprang up with their immortal work. Among those, Confucianism was the most successful, which helped to build up the norms and values of Chinese people in the following centuries and also was used as a method for emperors to rule the country. However, after the fall of Qing dynasty, the last feudalism dynasty, Confucianism, which was seen as the product of feudalism society lose its dominant position. But its influence still lasts until now. Besides Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism also once played an important role in ancient Chinese. Nevertheless, nowadays most of Chinese are atheists. Buddhism is the biggest religion in China with a history of about 2,000 years. Then Muslim comes the second. It is popular within minority nationalities such as Hui and Uygur. Christianism and Catholicism are also believed in by some people. However, Taoism as indigenous religion has the fewest followers. Moreover, China is a multi-national country with quiet different 56 groups, in which Han has the largest population. Every group has its own language, customs, festivals and some fixed residence. In order to solve the problems of communication between groups and facilitates management, the government standardized language through popularizing mandarin, which is mostly based on Beijing dialect. Cultural values The development of Chinese values can be divided into two phrases:the former is the traditional cultural values; the latter is modern cultural values, which is affected by the western culture since the 20th century. Confucianism is the core element in traditional values. Deeply influenced by Confucianism , Chinese people tightly adhere to the Doctrine of Mean and try to avoid conflicts. Afterwards, with time going by, Confucianism experienced improvements by combining with Taoism and Buddhism. In this period, Confucianism focused on human, for example, the relationship between human and human, human and nature and so on. Under the influence of the above factors, Chinese traditional values can be concluded into the following aspects: -believe in self struggle ‘Man’s determination can conquer the nature’ is an old Chinese saying. Chinese people believe that through their efforts they can change their life. -emphasis on the art of tolerance Tolerance is another characteristic for Chinese nation. Chinese people won’t be easily infuriated by others. They are used to avoid conflicts and keep peace. It seems to be a little cowardly . But the truth is that many great men succeed because of temporary tolerance . -follow the majority This is still a serious problem in today’s society. Conformist mentality has proved to have negative effect on building up one’s confidence and independence. People are not willing to express its own opinion to keep conformity with the majority and become passive. -respect the old Respect for the old is a Chinese traditional virtue. Not like western individual consciousness, Chinese parents think it’s their duty to look after their children and do all that they can do for them. So when children grow up, they tend to be grateful for their parents’ contribution. As a result, the old enjoy a high position in the family. Moreover, since the old experience much more than the young, young people are willing to listen to their opinions when making decision. -collectivism This means that Chinese, in general, is a collective society that strives for harmony and group belonging, whether to family, friends, work, or country. The Chinese are more willing to suppress their own feelings and needs for the good of the group. This value has been passed down the Chinese culture from folklores where martyrs sacrificed their lives for their community or country ever since the dynastical eras 5,000 years ago. The arrival of western cultural value stroke Chinese traditional culture values and helped to discard some backward or bad parts of traditional values. Moreover, it also brought something new such as freedom, charity, democracy and etc. Cultural norms -saving face and losing face ‘Fcae’ stands for one’s position in a certain social group. It’s related to honor, good reputation or respect. Consequently, loss of face is not simply a form of embarrassment. Saving face is another concept. Chinese people respect a person who is friendly and who carefully avoids hurting the feelings of others. Loud, untactful or boisterous behavior is usually regarded as very poor taste. – greeting When meeting for the first time, a handshake is the most common greeting. In order to express some special esteem, to those elderly people or government officials, a slight bow might be given. -gift When visiting a family it is appropriate to bring a small gift, such as fruits, to the host, especially around New Year’s time. Gifts should be given and received with both hands. It is also a Chinese custom when receiving a gift to thank you for it and then place it to the side without opening it. eating  ·Chopsticks and a soup spoon are common eating utensils. Food is not passed around the table, but remains in the center. The host usually chooses the food for his guests and serves it to them from the central dishes on the table.  ·Refusing to drink is sometimes thought as dishonor to the people who toast to you. -relationship (guan-xi) Guan xi is a Chinese word which means relati onship. One’s guan-xi, is an important factor in the individual’s social status. It is also an important Chinese business element. Having a right guan xi helps companies to minimize the risks, frustrations, and disappointments. Guan-xi relationship, like face behavior, is obligation between individuals for the purpose of maintenance of group integrity. -parents dominant Parents are accustomed to interfering children’s decision and sometimes just determine for them regardless of their own wishes. -look down on girls In some remote areas, the natives still prefer boys to girls. If a family has two children and they can’t afford the education fees for both of them, the boy will have more chance to go to school. Ways of communication -nonverbal communication Chinese is a high context country. Nonverbal communication is as common as verbal communication. Nonverbal communication includes facial expression, tones of voice , gestures, and eye contact. They’re quiet important in Chinese daily life and sometimes it is even more powerful than the verbal interaction. Different gestures have different meanings. Due to different cultural background, even the same gesture has different meaning for people in certain context. -avoid speaking directly Speaking directly is often considered rudeness. Try to be â€Å"diplomatic† and tactful where possible, as the Chinese may be offended by directness in some situations. For example, it is a terrible thing to be criticized in public due to the fact that harmony is highly valued in Chinese society. -conversation tips Find some common areas to talk about such as family, sports and etc. Don’t verbally attack China and be careful about criticizing things there, as many Chinese will feel personally attacked by this. Avoid political arguments, as many Chinese feel reluctant to speak or explore their true opinion about the current government. saying â€Å"Thank you† â€Å"Thank you† is said a lot less than in the West. In a lot of instances, for example when someone opens a door for you or passes the soy sauce, saying â€Å"thank you† is seen as being over polite and without meaning, and is often met with requests for you not to be so polite (over-polite). -saying â€Å"Excuse me† â€Å"Excuse me † is not used as often in China. People are expected to give way naturally to one another on the street or when walking around, without anything being said. Interrupting somebody talking or doing something else to ask a question, make a request, etc. also happens regularly without any warning or apology. -compliments Be careful when complimenting someone’s possessions or somebody because they may think it’s a kind of flattering rather than appreciation. In conclusion, Chinese culture is based on the wisdom of Confucius and quiet different from western culture in many aspects. But nowadays because of the process of globalization, Chinese people are striving to learn from mainstream culture and improve and develop their own culture.

Leadership and Management Theories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Leadership and Management Theories - Essay Example A person through learning acquires exemplary leadership; leadership skills and knowledge, however, processed by a leader. These leadership skills and knowledge mainly influenced by beliefs, character, values, and ethics; these factors contribute to leadership process. Leadership process has four principal factors that are the leader, situation, communication, and followers. These factors form the basis of outstanding leadership in an organization, hence the organization’s success while undertaking organizational operations. Several theories of leadership have been produced by students of leadership these theories include Trait, Skills, Styles, Situational, Contingency, Path-Goal, Leader-Member Exchange, Transformational, Servant, Authentic, Team and Psychodynamic theories (Chemers, 1997). These theories are vital in maintaining a sound leadership in an organization, the most common theories in an organization, which will be dealt with in this paper are the transformational the ory, situational theory, and contingency theory. According to transformational theory, leadership is a process through which a person’s engagement with others establishes a connection, which normally results in encouragement of morality and increased motivation for leaders and its followers. The theory attributes leaders with qualities such as confidence, extroversion, and the values stated; with these qualities, the leaders are able to motivate followers (Chemers, 1997). Under transformational leadership, the leader needs to pay attention to the follower’s needs and motives if their potential is to be attained. Transformational leadership does attempt to explain leader’s efforts to implement initiatives and develop crucial and significant changes in any given organization.

THEORIES OF MOTIVATION Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

THEORIES OF MOTIVATION - Essay Example Their work has become generally predictable with little or no challenge, especially with the supervisor involving himself at the floor level for telling the workers what to do, and often doing it himself. The workforce needs motivation to get out of its present de-motivated state. Maslow’s theory of motivation with its emphasis on analyzing individual needs and psychological factors will help to find solution. This contrasts with Herzberg’s or McGregor’s theories that place greater importance on situation analysis and management style respectively. Key words: Motivation, Maslow, Herzberg, McGregor, needs, psychological factors, Theory X, Theory Y, Gen Xers, Millennials, relationship, team-spirit. Case Study: Sun-2-Shade - Theories of Motivation Case summary The Sun-2-Shade case reflects the situation whereby workers do not feel motivated in spite of the business flourishing, good pay and a supportive supervisor. The significant descriptive words in the case like boring job, resenting supervisor help and late-coming clearly point to the estrangement between the supervisor and his workers, who are said to be around his age group (Gen Xers and Millennials). There is an absence of team-spirit, no sense of belonging or accepting responsibility for their lackadaisical attitude. One needs to analyze the case in the light of theory of motivation vis-a-vis the supervisor’s approach and characteristics of the age group of the workers/supervisor. Using Abraham Maslow’s theory of motivation Maslow’s hierarchical nature of human needs point to what motivates a person at a particular stage of his/her career. For example, people at the bottom of the 7-stage pyramid of the hierarchy value the basic physiological needs more. When the lower stage needs are met, the relevant factors lose their importance as motivators and a higher degree of motivating factors come into play, which are more psychological nature. Thus, as they move up to, f or example, the fourth stage, self-worth and self-esteem become more relevant as ‘needs’ – in other words, motivating factors (Martin and Jumis, 2007, pp.72-75). Significantly, Sun-2-Shade workers seem to be yearning for such recognition having already achieved secure jobs, good pay and working in a progressive/growing company. A word about the interaction of the age factor is relevant. The supervisor and the workers are of the age group – Gen Xers (born 1965-‘76 period) and Millennials (born 1977-‘98 period) (Thielfoldt and Scheef, 2004). Obviously, the age group is a mix of the seniors of the former and juniors of the latter categories. Gen Xers prefer ‘flexibility and freedom’ while Millennials value ‘structured, supportive environment’ but can ‘expect and demand more’ (ibid.). Hence there are subtle differences in the groups of workers and this can point to the solution to the problem. Using Herzberg a nd McGregor theories Herzberg’s two factor motivation theory proposed that hygiene factors have the ability to reduce dissatisfaction while motivators increase job satisfaction (Anon., n.d, online). The hygiene factors like pay and benefits, job security, working conditions, company policies, etc. determine how an individual rates his job/employer against his own expectations. In the process of such assessment, the individual is less concerned about his own credentials and more concerned with what he is getting out of the job. The better the hygiene factors the more the satisfaction level, which then works as the basis for the motivators. The motivators like work content, recognition, promotion etc. help an individual to gain a sense of job satisfaction. Hence, the Herzberg theory supports the view that motivation cannot be achieved if the underlying hygiene factors are ignored. McGregor’

Classroom Management Plan Essay Example for Free

Classroom Management Plan Essay I will provide the right environment for all students to learn. I will generate energy, ideas and opportunities to foster student achievement. I will motivate learners to high academic achievement. I will care for, love and understand my students. I will center my decision making about curriculum around my students. I will never feel that I cannot better myself as a teacher. My Philosophical Beliefs About Teaching In evaluating my philosophy for my future teaching career, I have been very seriously considering my values and beliefs about discipline, my own management style and the social goals for my students. As organization is one of my top priorities as a student, I will strive to be as organized as possible when I start my career. My goal is to organize the logistics of my classroom so that I can make my classroom student-centered instead of teacher-centered. I value the education process, and young minds and new ideas never cease to intrigue me. I am committed to making my classroom a safe and challenging environment and engaging my students through the curriculum as well as getting to know them and interacting with them one-on-one. I believe that meeting the needs of my students is a very crucial part of my classroom. I want them to be comfortable with the other students, as well as me, so that there can be meaningful discussions and interactions. Talking will be common place in my classroom, along with group work. I want to encourage all students to participate in class so that they can learn from each other as well as me. I want to have a democratic and equitable classroom so that students can learn. I want to be a fair as I can be, so the students trust me. I feel that I have a very patient and calm attitude with my class. I ask students about their life outside of class and feel that they respond in class even more, knowing that someone is paying attention to them. I want them to feel comfortable asking questions of me. I think my attitude towards the students is not overbearing or authoritative. I do not believe in forcing the students to do anything. I want to work with them in all circumstances so that we can achieve together and they do not feel like I am spoon-feeding them information. I want students to be a part of their learning. I want to motivate students to learn and keep their interest by using engaging curriculum. I want to involve students in rules about the classroom as well as what curriculum they would like to study. I believe if students feel they are involved in the workings of the classroom, they will be more motivated to engage in the class and in turn, learn. In order to be as organized as possible, the structure of my classroom will be variable, allowing me to change parts of my plan from year to year. I realize that this management plan is a work in progress and what I value now as important points to address in my first management plan may eventually come easily to me with experience and other issues of management may require more attention than those I have addressed. In order for my classroom management plan to be effective it needs to align with my beliefs and values. Therefore, I have chosen the theories and practices that reflect my personal teaching style. There are numerous beliefs and practices that serve as the foundation on which I am building my classroom management plan. I believe that the teacher and students should work cooperatively together in order to create a safe and inviting classroom. Linda Albert’s Cooperative Discipline theory emphasizes that the teacher and students should work together to make class decisions. Albert recommends informing and involving the students’ parents in class decisions as well. This can be accomplished by implementing what Albert refers to as the Three C’s: connections, contributions, and capabilities. I agree with Albert that the classroom should be safe and free of threat for all students. The classroom should be a place that the students feel welcome. If the students are contributing to the class, they will feel as if they are an asset to the class. Finally, I believe that the teacher and students should work together because it is essential to developing a community of learners. I believe in creating a code of conduct cooperatively as a class. This belief coincides with Linda Albert’s Cooperative Discipline as well. A class code of conduct indicates how students are expected to behave instead of how they should not behave. Albert states that the teachers and students should work together to determine consequences for when a student does not follow the class code of conduct. When the students are involved in the determining the consequences, Albert feels the students are more likely to follow them because they are connected to them. I believe that having a class code of conduct in the classroom allows the students to know how they are expected to behave. The students will be more likely to remember what is expected of them because they were involved in creating the expectations. Therefore, the students feel as if the expectations are reasonable and can be met. I like that the teacher is not telling the students how to behave. I feel that students should play an active role in the classroom, and that students are capable of making good decisions. I will be sure to place the code of conduct in a visible spot in the classroom so the students can refer back to it. I believe in using â€Å"I-messages† to communicate my feelings to the students. This practice is introduced by Thomas Gordon in his theory of Discipline through Inner Self-Control. â€Å"I-messages† allow the teacher to share their personal opinion with the students in a non-threatening way. On the other hand, â€Å"you-messages† blame the students for their behavior which causes the students to become defensive. I believe that the teacher should have open communication with students, but in a positive way that creates a safe environment. This method could be taught to the students as well in order to help them solve conflicts. I believe that teachers should encourage their students. William Glasser refers to teachers who provide encouragement to their students as â€Å"lead teachers†. Glasser states that teachers should not try to force information into their students. This makes common sense to me because who likes to be forced to do something. I agree with Glasser that the students’ motivation to learn resides within themselves. It will be my job as a teacher to spark their interest to learn. Therefore, as a teacher I will need to create engaging activities, and be there to provide support to the students as necessary. I believe in creating a sense of community in my classroom. Alfie Kohn mentions that classrooms should be â€Å"learning communities in Beyond Discipline. A classroom should be a place where the students feel cared about and are encouraged to care about others. Eventually, the students will begin to feel connected to one another and see themselves as part of the whole class. I believe that in order for my classroom to be an effective learning environment the students need to feel comfortable. A sense of community will encourage my students to be active participants in class matters. I believe that the teacher should teach â€Å"life skills† to the students so that they can be successful not only in the classroom, but in life as well. Kagan, Kyle, and Scott’s Win-Win Strategies promote the use of â€Å"life skills† in the classroom. They refer to â€Å"life skills† such as self-control, anger management, good judgment, and empathy. These theorists believe that if the students require these skills they will be able to live more successfully. I believe that teachers are responsible for preparing students for life so this theory matches my belief. After my students leave my classroom, I want to see them succeed in life. I am strong believer that one needs to be the change that one wants to see in the world so I will model these â€Å"life skills† for my students. I believe that a teacher should handle behavior problems privately. If the teacher must get involved, Glasser believes that the teacher should do so in way that does not punish the student. I am going to take this one step farther, and say that the teacher should talk to this student in private about his/her behavior. Hopefully, the student and I will be able to determine a longterm solution for the behavior problem. I believe that students should be taught procedures in order to maximize their learning and show them responsibility. The Wong’s Pragmatic Classroom Management Plan supports this belief. Harry and Rosemary Wong state that most students will act responsibly if taught the procedures to do so. They believe students’ achievement is affected by how well the procedures are laid out and taught to them. I agree with Harry and Rosemary Wong that procedures are an important aspect of a classroom. I believe that procedures provide students with a structure that lets them know what is expected of them. This will help cut down on disruptions if the students are not confused about what they are supposed to be doing. Management Plan Goals Having the right environment for all students to learn. The ability to manage childrens behavior. Students will have a complete understanding of the classroom rules. Keep parents involved and â€Å"in the know† of their child and the classroom. Instructional strategies will be taught to the best of my ability. Physical Environment The importance and variety of a properly designed early childhood classroom cannot be over-emphasized when providing a learning environment for children. I will provide in my classroom safe and orderly spaces, filled with a variety of materials that will make the classroom more satisfying for both the teacher and the children. Furthermore, well-designed areas will decrease the number of conflicts that may arise. Quite naturally, any space must accommodate all the activities it will be required to house. Therefore, when making my classroom environment safe and orderly, I must make accommodations to have certain spaces to be multipurpose. It will be very important to make sure these areas, as well as other areas in the classroom, are filled with a variety of materials organized into appropriate activity areas. Clearly defined interest areas will allow young children to work best in small groups where they can learn to relate to other children, establish friendships, and solve problems together. The use of low furniture in these areas will allow me to see into all areas while at the same time giving children a sense of privacy. Use of low furniture also helps define work spaces that help children concentrate because they will not be distracted by other activities taking place in other areas. These different areas will be defined by what activities will be taking place in them. For example, I will have such areas as: dramatic play, art area, building area, science/sensory area, game area, and quiet area. I will also make sure to provide an area where children can relax and be alone with friends. This space will have large pillows, beanbags, and carpet. This so called â€Å"soft area† is very important for young children because it is important to their mental health and it promotes positive behavior because children who spend long hours in a group environment need time to themselves where they can rest. When it comes to supplies and materials in the room, they should be displayed on low shelves where children can reach what they need. This helps promote independence because the children will be responsible in getting materials out and putting them away. When displaying materials on shelves they must be in the area where they will be used. I will place labels and pictures showing where each object belongs. Logical grouping of materials promotes their appropriate use. Labeling the place for each object helps children maintain a clean and orderly environment. When it comes to the teacher’s supplies and materials, I will keep them up and away from the children so that they cannot access them. When the children walk through the door, they will be hit with all different colors coming from the pictures and posters on the walls. I hope to have a room with big windows that allow for natural lighting. The pictures I will have on the wall will be displayed on the children’s eye level, thus children will take better notice. I will also display the work of the children. Displaying their original artwork shows them respect and value for their hard work and effort. One last important thing to me, when it comes to the physical environment of my classroom, is that I will make sure the classroom materials will reflect the cultural richness of our society, the backgrounds and life experiences of the children, and people with different abilities. Children need materials they can relate to through past experiences, before they are asked to learn new concepts. A respect for diversity is important for identity and self-esteem. Behavior Management Many disputes and conflicts can be prevented by careful planning and with positive adult support. There is always a reason behind children’s behavior. Misbehavior is usually directed at achieving one of four goals: revenge, power, attention, and/or feelings of adequacy. I know I can’t force a child to change his or her way of behaving, I can only change the way I behave with the child. My ultimate goal in behavior management and child guidance is not to manage children’s behavior, but to help children manage their own behavior. I am aware that conflict situations provide important learning opportunities for children. Therefore, when it comes to classroom management, I will not deprive the children these opportunities to learn problem-solving skills. My role as a teacher in children’s conflicts is to de-escalate them when the children can no longer work out their problems by themselves. When I communicate with the children in my classroom I will use â€Å"I† statements instead of â€Å"you† statements. I will use gentle body language and make sure that I listen to both sides of the issue. I will try to focus on the present and future of the child’s behavior instead of past behavior. Also, I will focus on the child’s behavior and not the child. Most importantly I will keep in my mind the needs of each child and their best interest when it comes to fixing their misbehavior, and not focus on my best interest. My classroom rules will consist of four basic principles. Those four basic principles will be caring, honesty, respect, and responsibility. I believe any rule thought up by a child can fit into one of these four basic principles. For example, if a child is not keeping their body to themselves, they are not respecting the other child’s space. That is why I will not have a list of rules in my classroom, but rather have these four principles posted in my classroom where every child will see them. Therefore, when a child is not following the rules I will state what they are doing wrong and how it relates to one of the four principles. When it comes to classroom management and discipline, I will not use punishment, but logical consequences. There are two types of logical consequences. They are naturally occurring consequences and imposed consequences. Naturally occurring consequences usually occur when the problem belongs to the individual on whom the consequences fall. For example, Sally leaves her coat out on the playground and when she goes back for it, the coat is gone. I then say to her, I am sorry that it is gone and tell her it is her responsibility to keep track of it. Imposed consequences often occur when a behavior creates a problem for another person who then must impose consequences in order to change the behavior of the individual creating the problem. When I impose logical consequences on the children in my classroom I will try to keep certain things in my mind. Such things as being a consultant in helping the child solve his or her own problem. Keep the burden of the solution on the child and not me while implying that the child is capable of solving his or her own problem. I must also tie the time and/or place of the misbehavior to the consequence. These are just a couple of ways I will try to manage children’s behavior in my classroom. Parent Communication One of the most vital parts of teaching children and managing a classroom is communicating with their families. There is no one right way to communicate with parents, therefore as a teacher, I have to utilize many different methods to communicate with parents to build rapport. One of the first methods I am going to use is a parent board. On the parent board will be pictures of the activities the children have been doing and other information such as the weekly curriculum and things the children have to bring from home to school. I will have the parent board on a table where there will also be a notebook where parents can leave me messages, and where I can leave them messages. I will also have monthly newsletters to the parents that I will set out on the parent table. Another way I will communicate with parents is by having parents come into the classroom and be a classroom helper. I would try to get every parent to come into the classroom at least one time during the school and spend the day with their child or at least a couple hours. This would help me to get to know the parents of the children I teach and this would give me a good chance to build rapport with the parents so that communication will be made easier. Some of the most basic methods I will use to help me communicate with parents are by use of the telephone. I will call parents when need be and make sure that they know they can call me when needed. Finally, the last way I will communicate with parents is by talking to them face to face. Things I know to remember when talking to a parent are to first approach them with a smile or pleasant look and then introduce myself if I have not ever done so in the past. I will always try to start out the conversation with the parent with something positive about their child. If I were communicating with the parent because of a problem their child is having in my class, I would first tell them the issue at hand and then offer some possible solutions. I then would tell them what I want their role to be after I let them talk about what solutions they have. If they need to further talk to me I would offer them other times they can talk to me. I also would give them other possible people to talk to if they feel that they need to. When communicating with a parent I want them to feel that they can ask me questions about their child’s education or other issues they might have. If I can’t answer their questions, I will flat out tell them I don’t know the answer, but I will find out. I also will make sure not to make promises I can’t keep. If need be, I will always make myself available for a teacher-parent conference when scheduled ahead of time Instructional Strategies and Methods When it comes to instructional planning in my classroom I am going to start with the Pennsylvania Academic Standards. The reason I am going to start with the standards is because in the classroom the students are working towards a goal, and those goals should be set higher than the standards. If I do not teach my students to at least the level of the Pennsylvania standards, then I have not set the goals high enough for my instructional planning. If I set goals for my instructional planning, that gives me a start in what direction I need to go in my lesson planning. The second step I am going to take in my instructional planning is assessment. I have to measure the progress of achieving my goals by doing assessments of my students. Two kinds of assessment I will be doing are what you would call summative assessment and diagnostic assessment. The summative assessment will be tests, examinations, final projects, or other things depending on grade level of the students. These types of assessments will tell me if the students are learning the objectives and making progress towards meeting the goals. On the other hand I will use diagnostic forms of assessments when it comes to planning on how far I have to go to get my students to reach the goals or in meeting the standards. I will use diagnostic assessment at the beginning of the school year and before I begin each new unit. The third step in my instructional planning is planning for the long-term. My long-term plan will be as simple as planning my year end academic goals and group those goals into some discrete units to make sure that I cover my long-term academic goals. When it comes to the delivery of my lessons, I am going to keep it as simple as possible. Even though there are many different formats of lesson plans I can use, there is one general way I can make all the different types of lesson plans fit me. Using the following format to teach my lessons will help my students obtain the goals and objectives of my lessons. The format I will use is to first introduce the lesson. Then have an opening to the lesson, which is when I will tell the students what they will learn and why it is important. Next, I introduce the new material and teach it to the students. Afterwards, I allow time for guided practice and then independent practice. These two areas are where I make some informal assessments to check to see if the students learned the objectives. Last, but not least comes the closing. This is where I stress the connection of the lesson and check the students understanding by doing some type of assessment, usually a summative form of assessment. Schedules and Routines. When I go to a class, I like to see a schedule of what we are working on for the day. I believe that all students should be given this courtesy of knowing what is going to be happening during the school day by reading a daily schedule of the day’s activities. I will always have the schedule posted at the front of the class, each day updating any changes in the schedule. In addition, I will list the specifics of the day: for instance, what we are working on that day in math. I have seen schedules that list the basic outline of the day: math, language arts, social studies, lunch and science. I would like to take the schedule one step farther and include some details about the day and what will be happening. Not only are daily schedules helpful for students to see what is happening during a given school day, but my daily schedule will allow me to evaluate my the activities in my classroom, assuring that the type and variety of activities are appealing to different types of learning situations. Also, I want to find a good balance between teacher directed instruction, independent work and cooperative group work. Repetitious activities can sometimes impede the school day as it may evoke comments such as â€Å"We’re doing this again? † However, having routines in which students can predict what will happen can ease the transition from the bus, car or the walk to school to the classroom. To be specific, I will have a beginning of the day routine and an end of the day routine, so that I maintain consistency each day and convey the message that in our class, we use all of our time together to learn and we do not like to waste time. For my start of the day routine, I will play music as the students walk in. I will play quiet music that sets the tone for the day: a warm and relaxing learning environment where we are safe and ready to learn. I will have a welcome message posted on the board with a list of housekeeping items to do before we get settled for the day: sharpen pencils, turn in homework, put coats and backpacks away. In addition to this everyday welcome, I will have a list of activities that students can work on from previous days of school, including plenty of options to accommodate those that have finished all of their work. Also, I will greet my students as they enter the classroom, talking to each student as they get settled for their day, ensuring that I get to see each student and have contact with each one first thing in the morning. At the end of the day, I will take the last ten minutes to wrap up the day. I will post an end of the day wrap up list on the overhead for students to use a guide to get ready to go home. I will have mailboxes with the days handouts in them and my students can collect these handouts and place them in their â€Å"take home† folder. Then I will ask groups to get their backpacks and put away all of their materials. I will ask that they clear off their desks and the area on the floor around their desks so that the custodian does not have to clean up after us. As the students line up to go home, I will have my goodbye salutation: a piece of poster paper with four types of goodbyes: a handshake, high five, or smile. The students can pick any combination of these goodbyes when the leave. I want to have this goodbye so that I can be sure to have contact with each of my students before they leave for to go home. In doing this, I want to convey to my students that I care about them and I want to wish them a safe trip home and tell them that I look forward to seeing them tomorrow. By having structured routines for the beginning and end of the day, I will be setting the tone for the school day. For the beginning of the day, I want to imply that we structure our mornings so that we can get off to a good start with our minds and materials ready for the day. At the end of the day, I want to bring the day to a close with daily routine to ensure that my students understand that every part of our school day together is as valuable as any other part. Individualization In order to promote individualization and responsible behavior, I will implement a job chart where students will have jobs throughout the week. I will have paper passers, overhead cleaners, board erasers, recyclers, lunch duty, and line leaders. I will introduce these jobs on the first day of school and assign jobs to random students. Emphasizing the importance of the jobs will enhance the students’ desire to have the job to demonstrate their responsible behavior. I will have a policy stating that any student who cannot demonstrate responsible behavior and reliably complete their job will have to give up their job title and a different student will get their job. I have seen such a job system in another classroom in which I worked and this system was very successful in creating a sense of responsibility among students. Reflection As I complete my management plan, I feel that I am fully prepared to teach tomorrow. However, I know that that is not the case. My management plan will forever be growing and changing. My management plan focuses on the students’ needs in my class. By organizing many structured components of the school, I am attempting to prepare myself for any discipline problems that may occur. I will organize many aspects of my class before the year starts, but I will also sit down with my students during the first weeks of school and have discussions about rules and expectations to determine what they need from me and from each other. While I know that some misbehavior will occur in my classroom, I am instituting this plan to assist me in dealing with these issues as they occur. I believe classroom management is the key that unlocks the ability for children to learn and in creating an environment where children feel safe. I will set high expectations and encourage my students to succeed. Finally, my classroom management will not only be about creating a good rapport with the students, but creating a rich and engaging curriculum. | | | | | | | | | | | | References Albert, Linda, Pete DeSisto, and Linda Albert. (1996) Cooperative Discipline. Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service. Web. Guillaume, Andrea M. (2004). K-12 Classroom Teaching: A Primer for New Professionals. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Merrill/Prentice Hall. Print.

AES Corp Essay -- essays research papers

Strategy AES distinguishes itself through developing new products and applications at a low cost. It is committed to social responsibility and empowering its employees through its four main principles which include integrity, fairness, social responsibility and fun. It is â€Å"different† from other corporations because AES is focused on retaining its core values and culture as the corporation expands in size. The company’s sources of sustainable competitive advantage include technical leadership through its innovative research and development team and its worldwide network of distributors and strategic partners. AES is committed to penetrating international markets, specifically in developing or emerging economies, and constantly improving on product development. The case states that AES believes their competitive advantage is a result of its â€Å"agility or speed and its ability to commit to corporate equity and to arrange complex financial transactions.† Structure AES is operating in a network structure. In this structure, employees form groups to solve problems and achieve common objectives. Employees may volunteer for task forces, without any formal credentials, because they are interested in a particular subject or want to set effective company policies. Although employees are not given a formal career path at AES, they are given latitude to move up the career ladder within the company to other positions. The organization has five hierarchical levels, consisting of a set of divisional/regional managers, and three additional levels that exist in the plant. The plant organization consists of three levels: the plant manager, the seven area superintendents, and the front line people. The two cofounders decided â€Å"to avoid creating bureaucratic organizations resembling the government† because of their bad experiences working for the government. As a result, the structure of AES is highly decentralized. This allows managers and employees to both take ownership of their roles and have input on the success of the company. It also allows individuals to develop leadership skills for potential promotions. This flat management structure encourages high employee involvement in all decision-making opportunities. Systems The case revealed that AES uses four measures of performance; shared values, plant operations, assets and sales backlog. Shared values is described as how f... ...n address how to review the manual and make changes if necessary. Finally, the members of the HR manual task force should be adequately compensated for the time and effort they put into the project in addition to their regular job duties. A monetary bonus or compensatory day off will be required to reward them for their hard work and diligence. The next step for AES is to establish a human resource information management (HRIM) system. A HRIM system will allow employees to access information contained in the HR manual through a company intranet. A HRIM system could also help AES employees track their training and development, look for courses to take, search for job openings or cross training opportunities throughout the company, and locate benefit information. As AES plants become more geographically dispersed, a HRIM system will help to communicate the company’s values and strategy to all employees. References: 1.Organizational Alignment: The 7-S Model, Harvard Business School, November 19, 1996 2.Human Resources At The AES Corporation: The Case Of The Missing Department, Graduate School of Business Stanford University, February 1997; Mgt 7640 Course pack 3. www.aes.com