Comparison of Two Short Stories by Tobias Wolff Essay

From the weekend fishing trips to complete hatred and denial, father-son relationships can be characterized by many good and bad experiences. After reading the two short stories â€Å"Powder† by Tobias Wolff and â€Å"If the River was Whiskey† by T. C. Boyle, which both feature father-son relationships that are placed under a large amount of stress. There are many similarities and differences between these two relationships that are not apparent upon just a cursory glance. A father can be completely inconsiderate of his sons needs or try his best to meet them and still create turmoil within the relationship. After reading Wolff’s short story â€Å"Powder,† one can conclude that the father tries quite hard to make his son happy. In this story the father takes the son to places the mother would not approve of in order to try and win his affection. Wolff states, â€Å"He’d had to fight for the privilege of my company, because my mother was still angry with him for sneaking me into a nightclub during his last visit, to see Thelonious Monk† (33). Taking his son to these places is his way of forming a father-son connection. Not only does he take his son skiing, he fights his wife for the privilege, and when she disagrees he does it without her knowledge. While this strengthens the father-son relation, the husband-wife relation is weakened. In this case the father is trying more to be the best friend instead of a role model, and in doing so creates conflicts with his wife. This directly affects the son’s well being because what child would be happy to see his parents fighting. In Wolff’s story the father is displayed as being a risk-taker and borderline reckless. This is where the father and son seem to clash in their relationship. Wolff writes, â€Å"I always thought ahead. I was a boy who kept his clothes on numbered hangers to insure proper rotation. I bothered my teachers for homework assignments far ahead of their due dates so I could draw up schedules† (36). Obviously, his father did not plan or think ahead, or he would have planned on leaving the ski lodge early in case they ran into trouble. When they got down the road, the trooper tells them that the road is blocked and the son became annoyed and frustrated with his father’s carelessness. He says to his father â€Å"we should have left before† (35) This comment made his father feel inadequate, and he did not respond to it. His father’s recklessness directly affects their relationship. The boy is more like a man, and the father is more like a boy, showing the â€Å"adult† in a relationship is not always who it seems, but that people can learn about themselves by their relationships with others. The son was very uneasy and nervous when his father started driving down the snow covered road once the trooper left his post. Wolff shows this when he writes â€Å"to keep my hands from shaking I clamped them between my knees† (35). The connection was restored between them when the child decided to stop moping and began to enjoy himself. The child says, â€Å"My father in his forty-eighth year, rumpled, kind, bankrupt of honor, flushed with certainty. He was a great driver. All persuasion, no coercion, such subtlety at the wheel, such tactful pedalwork. I actually trusted him† (37). This was a big turning point in their relationship because the child now sees greatness in his father that he had never seen before. In Boyle’s short story, â€Å"If the River was Whiskey† the same rocky father-son relationship that slowly takes a turn for the better is displayed. The father in Boyle’s story is much worse than the one in Wolff’s story in that he is an alcoholic that did not spend much time with his son. While in Wolff’s story spending time with his son made the father feel good, all the father in Boyle’s story needed was alcohol to feel good, giving no attention to his son. The wife attacks the father by saying, â€Å"We’ve been here two weeks and you haven’t done one damn thing with him, nothing, zero. You haven’t even been down to the lake. What kind of father are you? † (231). Seeing his parents in such an argument affects the son by making him disconnected and hateful toward his father. When the son came home from school he would find his father â€Å"sitting in the dark, hair in his face, bent low over the guitar. There was an open bottle of liquor on the coffee table and a clutter of beer bottles† (231). Coming back to this dreary home life after school and seeing one’s father in this condition would be very traumatic. It shows him that his father doesn’t care about his job and would rather be at home drinking while reminiscing about his past. The relationship between them finally took a turn for the better when his father put down the bottle and decides to go fishing with Tiller and spend some quality time with him. Boyle explains Tiller’s excitement by saying â€Å"It was too much for him all at once–the sun, the breeze that was so sweet, the novelty of his father rowing, pale arms and a cigarette clenched between his teeth, the boat rocking, and the birds whispering–he closed his eyes a minute, just to keep from going dizzy with the joy of it† (233). At this point, one can see that Tiller’s feelings of hate toward his father are diminishing. His father’s attitude also seems to have changed because he is making a conscious effort to not drink and have a good time on the water. When his father finally hooked a fish on his line, it was perhaps the climax of their relationship. Boyle writes, â€Å"Tiller saw something in his eyes he hardly recognized anymore, a connection, a charge, as if the fish were sending a current up the line, through the pole, and into his hands and body and brain† (234). That passage shows that Tiller actually felt him and his father finally connect. He describes it as hardly recognized because they had never really connected in this way before now. After his father pulled the fish up into the boat and Tiller realized it wasn’t a pike, â€Å"already the thing in his eyes was gone, already it was over† (234). This is where Tiller gets the feeling that his father had let him down as he always had before. The connection was once again lost. In both T. C. Boyle’s and Tobias Wolff’s stories the father’s actions create a direct reflection on their son. In T. C. Boyle’s story the father does things that damage his other relationships to try and improve the one with his son, and this is shown to have an equally bad result for the son as the one in Tobias Wolff’s story. In both stories there is a critical element that seems to connect the father and son. In both Wolff and Boyle’s story the sight of ones father performing a certain action creates an exhilarating short lived connection. A father can be completely inconsiderate of his sons needs or try his best to meet them and still create turmoil within the relationship that is occasionally interrupted by a one of kind father-son connection.

Three Strategies or Practices Identified in the Chapter

Discuss three strategies or practices identified in the chapter that you feel are most important in planning, composing, and revising professional documents. Which of these do you use? Which part of the process do you spend more time on: revising, editing, or proofreading? Why? The three most important practices in planning, composing, and revising professional documents are: -Analyzing the problem, defining the purpose of the document, and analyzing my audience. -Provide accurate, concise, and complete information. Getting feedback from someone else. Before beginning a document you must assess the purpose of your writing, and who your audience is. Once you know what you are writing about, and whom you are writing it to, then begins the formulation of ideas. I personally first review documents that relate to the topic and create key points to include in my writing. After you begin creating a thought process aligned with your writing, start free writing. During your free writing proce ss, try not to deviate from your points.Provide accurate information, be concise and to the point, and complete your thoughts. Now that you feel you have drafted all the appropriate key points, and all the information you wanted to include, begin reviewing. During this review process, check for grammatical errors, conciseness, and that your thoughts are delivered for clear comprehension. Now that you feel you have created a professional document, put it to the test. Most important for me, is letting someone else read it. You may get some criticism, but better by one person than a large number of readers.At this time you can make the appropriate adjustments, and feel more confident in the message you are relaying. All the techniques I mentioned is the process I use to compose writing documents. These steps were helpful in my success as a proficient writer. Proofreading is the most important aspect, and what I spend most of my time on. This is your last chance to impress your reader a nd make sure your writing represents you, and shows your commitment to your work. Locker, K. O. , & Kienzler, D. S. (2010). Business and Administrative Communication. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.

The Charismatic Gifts Debate Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Charismatic Gifts Debate - Essay Example Some people believe that the sign gifts exist in the present day. They believe miracles and signs that used to happen in the past are still the same miracles that happen in the present day2. The people that hold this view believe that since the miracles also happened after the coming of Jesus they exist to the present day. An example is; the signs God gave to Moses to show the Israelites that God exists, resemble those that happened in the New Testament. The signs the disciples received in the form of gifts that appeared like fire flames were also found in the New Testament. Therefore, people who believe in the existence of the signs believe this because God still showed his power and presence in the New Testament. They believe that the sign gifts were in the world all the time even during the times when the disciples of God preached the word of God throughout the nation. They believe that the people who do not experience these miracles and the sign gifts are people who do not believ e3. 1. Adeyemi Remi, Gifts of the Holy Spirit: Receiving the Content of God's Heart (Atlantic: Airleaf, 2006), 43. 2. Robinson Darrell, Incredibly Gifted: A Fresh, Biblical Look at Spiritual Gifts (Hannibal: Hannibal books, 2003), 12-23. 3. Stamp John, The signs of an apostle, and the evidence for the cessation of miraculous signs (New York: Cengage Publisher. 2006), 78-92. There are also people who believe that the sign gifts are things that God used to reach people in the past, but they do not exist in the present world. They concluded this by studying the nature and purpose of these gifts. They believe that the signs used by God in the past were for people to understand and realize the new things that God was doing. This is because God used the signs to show the people that he was instructing them. Therefore, remove any doubts that they might have that it was not him. Some of the things that God wanted man to do were things that they had not done because it was unlawful. An examp le is like when Jesus allowed the uncircumcised Gentiles to be among the people of God. If God had not used exceptional signs to show that he was the one that had accepted the Gentiles, the people could never believe. They could never allow them to join their religion. Jesus went ahead and swept everyone from the temple as traders used the house of prayer as a place to sell their merchandise. If God had sent a prophet or an ordinary man to come and chase away the traders from the temple, the traders could never have listened. Therefore, in the past, for the people of God to change and do what he required, they had to see a miracle or a sign4. Even the groups that mocked Jesus and never believed, asked Jesus to demonstrate a sign so that they could believe. The biggest sign that God gave to humankind and enabled them believe and spread the good news of God was when Jesus resurrected. When the people who opposed Jesus saw the sign from the resurrection of Jesus, most of them became be lievers. 4. Eddy Paul and Boyd Gregory, Across the Spectrum: Understanding Issues in Evangelical Theology (New York: Baker Academic, 2009), 34-35. They even preached the word of God to other places of the world, as they knew that it was God who had spoken to them. This was the main sign to make all people believers of God and his teachings. God gave the apostles sign gifts to facilitate the spread of the word of God5. There are people who believ

Why kids should not be on the internet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Why kids should not be on the internet - Essay Example The success remains in how cleverly we utilize them for the wellbeing of the people. Internet is just like an ocean of knowledge for all the people. But the problem is that this ocean consists of good and evils. Only the matured persons will be able to select and segregate good things from internet whereas immature people always fell in to this ocean as victims of the bad things. â€Å"Internet can provide contents like sexual acts or conduct, lewd exhibitions of genitals, the seven "dirty" FCC words, revealing attire, the use or sale of weapons, game sites designed for teens or older, legal or illegal drugs, legal or illegal gambling, alcohol consumption, explicit violence against people or animals including hate crimes, tobacco use etc to the kids which are harmful in their development as a socially accepted personality and hence the internet usages should be restricted to them. This paper analyses the negative impacts of internet on kids. Internet consists of sex related contents which is harmful to the kids. One of the major reasons for juvenile offenses is the influence of internet upon children. Segregation of good and evils is difficult for kids because of the growth sex hormones at these ages. It is easy for the juveniles to watch movies filled with violence and sexual activities using internet websites like YouTube. Internet is used by kids playing video games and relaxing purposes. It is difficult for them to search for serious things at this age because of the peculiarity of their age. After a busy work outs in the classrooms most of the children uses internet for watching something interesting to them. â€Å"The Internet is an invaluable tool for adolescents who use it to look for answers to personal, sensitive, and embarrassing questions about their bodies, relationships, and health. A study of 778 teens aged 15-18 in the African nation of Ghana shows that two-thirds had gone online, mainly at cafes with I nternet access. All of

Pablo Picasso - Art Is a Form of Expression Essay

Pablo Picasso - Art Is a Form of Expression - Essay Example The essay "Pablo Picasso - Art Is a Form of Expression" concerns Pablo Picasso, the incredible artist. Art has undergone different changes to derive new meaning and influence the world in many ways. Modern art has advanced with the effort of Picasso starting from the notorious cubism inventions to the present accomplishments in the contemporary world. The artist success in the sphere of art makes an impact in the historical and the present world that we live in since he is a person with rare talent and a bona fide being whose craft speaks for everyone that embraces artistry. Picasso has a profound influence to most of his works during his life. Some of his approaches define art in the 50’s. The artist thought is that cubism can supersede abstract expressionists. The Museum of modern art in New York has a collection of Pablo Picasso exhibits. MOMA exhibition has different paintings of Picasso. Pablo Ruiz Picasso is born in a creative family where his father was a painter and he too had talent in that field. According to the testimony of his mother, his first word was piz that means pencil. As a child, Picasso’s parents realized his talents when he drew a bullfight picture and provided him with all the tools to enable him nurture the talent. The family relocated to Barcelona and Picasso enrolled in a local school of art where his father attended as drawing tutor. His talent enabled him to skip the basic courses and join advanced courses. Later on Pablo travelled to Madrid to join the Royal Academy.

Liberalisation of Financial Markets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Liberalisation of Financial Markets - Essay Example during the 1970s and 1980s and was characterised by the abolition of credit and interest rate ceilings, the abolition of controls on international movements of capital, as well as the abolition of regulations affecting a wide range of financial activities in a significant number of OECD countries. (Blundell-Wignall and Browne, 1991). One can observe from table 1 that most of the reforms took between the 1970s and 1990s and mainly involved the elimination of interest rate ceilings and credit limits. Banks were also given more freedom to engage in mortgages. Financial liberalisation has also been characterised by securitisation1. Financial liberalisation has been successful in that it has encouraged the formation of stock markets where they did not exist and has encouraged their deepening where they predated the reforms. (Grabel, 1995). For example, there has been an impressive expansion of stock markets in less developed countries (LDCs) following the adoption of financial liberalisation in these countries. ... -Implementation of the Second Banking Directive (89/646/EEC) into national law in 1993; -Separation of long-term and short-term credit institutions abolished in 1994. United Kingdom -Credit controls "the corset", eliminated in 1980; -Bank of England's minimum lending rate abolished in 1981; -Banks allowed to compete with building societies for having finance after 1981; -Building societies allowed to expand their lending business after 1986; -Withdrawal of guidelines on mortgage lending in 1986; -Securitisation introduced in 1987; -Implementation of the Second Banking Directive (89/646/EEC) into national law in 1993; Canada -Elimination of ceilings on interest rates on bank loans in 1967; -Restrictions on banks' involvement in mortgage financing abolished in 1967; -Banks allowed to have mortgage loan subsidiaries in 1980; -Securitisation in 1987. Source: Boone et al. (2001). One can observe from table 1 that most of the reforms took between the 1970s and 1990s and mainly involved the elimination of interest rate ceilings and credit limits. Banks were also given more freedom to engage in mortgages. Financial liberalisation has also been characterised by securitisation1. Financial liberalisation has been successful in that it has encouraged the formation of stock markets where they did not exist and has encouraged their deepening where they predated the reforms. (Grabel, 1995). For example, there has been an impressive expansion of stock markets in less developed countries (LDCs) following the adoption of financial liberalisation in these countries. For example, Grabel (1995) notes that LDC stock markets listed some 5,531 domestic companies and had a market capitalisation of US$86,125million and an annual trading volume of US$23,672million in 1980. By 1992, 36

What do you think will be the most critical issue facing the corporate Essay

What do you think will be the most critical issue facing the corporate world during the next few years - Essay Example For companies to adapt to the fast-paced business scenario, change in prevailing organizational culture is required. To address this, companies should find means to communicate desired changes to employees. They should be able to hone their workforce such that everybody becomes committed to make their respective companies more competitive. To maximize their productivity, companies should be able to instill to their employees that high-quality output and multi-tasking are rewarded and held at a premium. Moreover, companies should be able motivate their employees amidst the uncertainty of employment tenure. With globalization, labor turnover has dramatically escalated. As companies pursue streamlined operations, changes in skill requirements result. As such, thousands of people have been retrenched. Those retained by the companies usually feel demotivated with their productivity adversely affected. In view of the above, companies should be able to fortify their human resource management function. They should continuously undertake staff programs that will further enhance employee performance. Furthermore, they should be able to balance the process of economic globalization with employee welfare and satisfaction (Kinley & Joseph).

Successful leaders not limited by limited by leadership styles Assignment

Successful leaders not limited by limited by leadership styles - Assignment Example Second, there is power centralization if the subordinates lack experience, knowledge or skills to make specified decisions. However, this style is becoming rare because employees are more knowledgeable than before. Finally, subordinates can be indiscipline and insensitive in making decisions, and since some decisions are so sensitive in time and value, the competent leader has to make them. Free-rein leadership style is a kind of leadership where there is complete delegation. Unlike autocratic leadership, here there is power decentralization to the subordinates. Such leadership is in operation in Google where every employee is a leader. With such leadership style, there is full utilization of subordinates as well as job satisfaction. However, it is dangerous if the employees fail to consult because sometimes their actions result into chaos. The main reasons for Google to adopt this style are; first, most of the employees in Google are the best. They have all what is required for doing their jobs perfectly. Since there is confidence in the skilled employees, they have, free in style fits the organization. Second, Google employees are goal oriented and willing to assume responsibilities. Companies that advocates for accountability stand a chance in using free rein leadership. Finally, employee participation in decision-making improves their morale. Morale and job satisfaction are points of concern in Google because they believe self-motivated employees give their best. Despite the different leadership styles adopted by most successful leaders, they all share some things. Successful leaders are the best decision makers. Leadership is a behavior learned within time through the different encounters and experiences one comes across. Leaders who have had some experience in decision-making make the best decisions because they

Entrepreneurial Risk Traits and the Ability to Manage Uncertainties Essay

Entrepreneurial Risk Traits and the Ability to Manage Uncertainties - Essay Example As the owner of the business, an entrepreneur is also perceived as a risk taker. This is because all the decisions pertaining to the success or failure of the business lies with him. Despite this revelation, the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor in 2006 reported that many people in the UK are risk averse, with more than two-thirds of respondents revealing so. As many of businesses fail, such fears are well placed. Many businesses fail due to a number of reasons among them being lack of finance, poor infrastructure, shortage of skills and complexity of regulations or the red tape among others (Storey 1994, p.5-9). Nevertheless, the ability to evaluate the uncertainties and risks that are integral part of all businesses decisions is a vital element of successful entrepreneurship. For this to be accomplished, entrepreneurs must do their research properly to ensure that all reasonable steps are taken to mitigate any potential failure. This is because, the outcome of a successful risk takin g result into a profitable venture (Timmons 1999, p.15-22). The objective of this paper is to explore how the entrepreneurial trait of risk taking and the ability to cope with uncertainty may impact the operating environment of a small business. ... Because of these risks and uncertainties, small business entrepreneurs live in fear of failing to accomplish their goals of business success. It is, therefore, imperative that small business entrepreneurs must be vigilant to ensure that they do not plunge into the ‘pit holes’ of the business. Business expansion for instance comes with many challenges most of which comes as a result of lack of knowledge of new locations, and lack of the ability of manage large strategic, structural, technological and the human resource and the constrain of monetary base as well according to Rae (2007, p.10). Expanding the size of the business implies that more employees are required; more capital is also needed as well as the challenges of coping under the new business environment. Some of the risks and uncertainties that an entrepreneur must be aware of and device proper ways to manage them for the success of the business include: Financial constraints Entrepreneurs are definitely faced by the risk of inadequate finance especially when trying to expand their business venture. This is because no single business can be expanded without the need of more capital investment. Since the business is small, it may not be at a position to provide the more capital outlay required to meet all the business needs. As such, an entrepreneur must be at a position to take all the risks necessary to ensure that the probable financial needs are available. For instance, an entrepreneur should take the risk by borrowing the required finance from financial institutions. The other strategy that may be employed by the entrepreneur includes seeking a merger with other firms to help pull resources together for the success of the business. An entrepreneur with such a risk-taking trait will easily come

Albert Camus The Stranger Essay Example for Free

Albert Camus The Stranger Essay Color and weather as elements used to explore thought and emotion in Albert Camus The Stranger Literary techniques have long been an effective tool that authors use in order to convey deeper meaning within their text, particularly for novels that have a seemingly simple purpose. The Stranger by Albert Camus, translated by Matthew Ward is a perfect example of this, on the surface it is about a murder committed by a heartless man, beneath it traces the development of this man, his thoughts, his principles and finally the acceptance of his fate. Color and weather are two elements that Camus uses in order to develop this deeper meaning, and to explore his protagonists thoughts and emotions. This technique explores the wider concept of existentialism as well, essentially classifying The Stranger as an existentialist novel. Color and weather are used in conjunction at times, but when employed separately; their influence materializes in different ways within the novel. Weather as used by Camus directly influences the actions of his protagonist Meursault. The most prominent instance would be when he commits the murder of the Arab, because of the intense heat. This is evident in the line The Sea carried up a thick, fiery breath. It seemed to me as if the sky split open from one end to the other to rain down fire. My whole being tensed and I squeezed my hand around the revolver.1 Here, the sun and the heat are used to create vivid imagery that characterizes the weather as a force by itself, an irrefutable force that has control over Meursault, something that dictates his physical actions at times. Meursault feels the physical attributes of the world around him in a much greater capacity than others, which is an indication of his existentialist nature. The physical world is all that matters to him, nothing beyond it. The sun is used as a recurring symbol to trace the progression of Meursaults character through the novel. His attitude towards it, they way he views the effect of the sun on himself is an indicator of his transgression as he is convicted and then as he develops his realization of the world, and accepts his fate. In the first part of the novel, the sun seems to cause him solely discomfort, he feels suffocated and weary under the constant battering of its repressive force. This is indicated when Meursault says, on the day of his mothers funeral But today, with the sun bearing down, making the whole landscape shimmer with heat, it was inhuman and oppressive.2 The death of his mother did not cause him grief, but the force of the sun did. Here, he is entirely focused on the physical aspects of his being; he does not function on a level deeper than that. However, this is contrasted to his view towards the end of the novel, when he says .all night long, waited patiently for the first light to show on the pane of sky.3 He values the earth and what it has to give, in the view of his approaching death he looks to the sun as a symbol of hope. Thus what the sun represents to Meursault has changed, once it symbolized aggression and violence, now it indicates hope, and acceptance in his life. While weather was used to influence Meursaults actions, color is employed by Camus to reflect Meursaults thought process and his emotions. Meursault observes color intently as he is completely immersed in the physical world in the first part of the novel. Red features prominently as an indicator of violence, death and aggression. At his mothers funeral, Meursault describes his mothers burial as the blood red earth spilling over Mamans casket, the white flesh of the roots mixed with it4 The red earth reflects the death of his mother, the white represents the empty feeling he associates with it. The line could be seen as an allusion to his ambivalent feelings towards his mothers death, guilt at not being able to conform to societys expectations, represented by red, and awareness that his mothers death has not caused him to feel anything; therefore he is empty, represented by white. Yellow and green appear occasionally in the course of the novel as well, to reflect certain aspects of Meursaults thinking, and emotions. After an enjoyable dinner at Celestes, Meursault says The sky was green; I felt good.5 Green here represents contentment, and a certain tranquil calm that enables him to live in the moment, with his simple concerns and thoughts. Yellow is used when he describes his dead mother and the mirror on his wall. Thus, it represents dilapidation and aging, something that does not appeal to Meursault. Blue and black are significant colours as when they are contrasted with each other, they represent Meursaults struggle between an obligation to conform to society, and a desire to be freed from all responsibility. It can be inferred from the line I felt a little lost between the blue and white of the sky and the monotony of the colors around me the sticky black of the tar, the dull black of all the clothes, and the shiny black of the hearse6 that his ambivalence troubles him. Black as a symbol of mourning represents what Meursault should be feeling, despair and loneliness, while blue and white represent his desire to be liberated, to live in the world without having to feel guilty for his lack of feeling at his mothers death. Meursaults keen observation of color and the fact that the weather affects him in profound ways all allude to something deeper. There is a perceptible change in Camus writing style when he describes nature, and when he describes emotion or a social situation. The sentences flow freely when he writes of nature, describing the sun or the weather or the lap of water against his skin. This is starkly different from the language used to depict social situations, or emotion. The sentences are short and clipped, suggesting Meursaults unease with conforming to society and its regulations. His connection with nature hints at his existentialist tendencies revealed later on in the novel, as he finds pleasure in the physical world; instances such as good weather please him. The usage of these elements as literary techniques in the novel contributes to a deeper understanding of the nature of existentialism itself. Existentialism is a predominant theme in The Stranger, one that Camus has chosen to explore in a compelling way. His focus on the physical, weather and color are both aspects of the world that are visible on the surface. They symbolize the very essence of existentialism, a focus on the absolute, what is tangible and present rather than something unidentifiable and abstract. Existentialists focus on concrete human existence, Camus has alluded to this by employing weather and color as techniques in the novel to illustrate his protagonists thoughts. The development of these symbols, the Sun in particular and what it means to Meursault is indicative of Camus own thoughts towards existentialism. His character Meursault is resolved of his struggle in the end; he reaches a stage where he accepts his impending death. By doing this, Camus encourages the reader to persevere in spite of absurdity. He cites it as an obstacle to overcome rather than a reason for ending ones life, which is the common outcome of an existentialists thinking. Thus, Albert Camus makes use of color and weather to convey certain deeper connotations of the novel, as well as to indicate his protagonists existentialist tendencies, and his own thoughts on this philosophy. He uses symbols, vivid imagery and contrast to highlight the conflict within Meursault, which is an important facet of the novel. His symbolic presentation of the sun traces Meursaults character development, from a man removed from most of the world, to a man who accepts his fate and truly appreciates the world around him. These are the elements that contribute to the depth of a novel, give it many layers that provoke thought within the reader. Bibliography Camus, Albert (1942) The Stranger, Alfred. A. Knopf, Inc (1998) 1 The Stranger by Albert Camus, translated by Matthew Ward, page 59 2 The Stranger by Albert Camus, translated by Matthew Ward, page 15 3 The Stranger by Albert Camus, translated by Matthew Ward, page 113 4 The Stranger by Albert Camus, translated by Matthew Ward, page 18 5 The Stranger by Albert Camus, translated by Matthew Ward, page26 6 The Stranger by Albert Camus, translated by Matthew Ward, page 17

Effective Utilization Of Human And Other All Resources Management Essay

Effective Utilization Of Human And Other All Resources Management Essay Developing effective management skills to deal with specific desire challenges and problems of every organization is the urgent need of many businesses and organizations in the global competitive environment, continues changing of technology and environment. The new tendency of training and development of successful organizations over the world today is developing effective skills in dealing with specific challenge of their own organization to reach their own goals and objectives in the new organization that characterized by networked, flat, flexible, diverse, global organization. Effective Management Skills to help people and organization improving their own effectiveness and efficiency. Globalization and continues developing technology shows we are in a period of intense competition.  Proper management is vital in these complex environments.  The quality of manager and effective management styles can determine the culture of the organisation, the productivity of its staff, and, ultimately, success or failure. A manager should have the ability to direct, supervise, encourage, inspire, and co-ordinate, and in doing so facilitate action and guide change.   Managers develop their own leadership qualities and those of others. Management utilizes planning, organisational and communications skills.   These skills are important in leadership also, but even more so are qualities such as integrity, honesty, courage, commitment, sincerity, passion, determination, compassion and sensitivity. An effective manager of an organization should have the following skills. Creative Problem Solving Skills: Describing and analyzing a problem. Identifying causes of a problem. Developing creative options and choosing the best course of action. Implementing and evaluating effective and efficiency of the decision. Communication Skills: Listening skills. Presentation skills. Feedback Skills. Report writing skills. Conflict Management Skills: Identifying sources of conflict functional and dysfunctional conflicts. Understanding personal style of conflict resolution. Choosing the best strategy for dealing with a conflict. Developing skills in promoting constructive conflicts in organization and teams. Negotiation Skills: Distinguishing distributive and integrative negotiations, position and principle negotiation. Identifying common mistakes in negotiation and ways to avoid them. Developing rational thinking in negotiation Developing effective skills in negotiation that benefits all parties involved. Self-Awareness and Improvement: Understanding the concept of self-management. Evaluate the effectiveness of self-management. Developing creative and holistic thinking. Understanding the importance of emotions in works as well in self-development. Understand of self-motivation. Effectively managing self-learning and change. There are certain other qualities required for a good manager to manage his staff. Planner A Manager has to take a long-term view; while a team member will be working towards known and established goals, the manager must look further ahead so that these goals are selected wisely. By thinking about the eventual consequences of different plans, the manager selects the optimal plan for the team and implements it. The manager ensures that work is not repeated nor problems tackled too late, and that the necessary resources are allocated and arranged. Provider The Manager has access to information, which the team needs. The role of a manager is important because authority, which the manager holds uniquely within the team and the manager, must exercise the power for the benefit of the team for the effective productivity. Protector   In any company, there are problems, which can deflect the work force. The manager should be there to guard against these and to protect the team. If a new project emerges which not given an impossible deadline. If someone in your team brings forward a good plan, you must ensure that it receives a fair hearing and that your team knows and understands the outcome. If someone is in your team has a problem at work, you have to deal with it. Inspires a Shared Vision An effective manager is often described as having a vision of where to go and the ability to articulate it. Qualities of a Manager A manager has to direct, inspire and motivate his men at work. He has to clearly set forth the objectives for them and inject in them enthusiasm to achieve the objectives. He has to be a competent person in the area of his specialization. He must be a man of open mind, moral and emotional integrity and capable to understand and solve problems. It is difficult to give an exhaustive list of all traits and qualities which go to make a successful manager. However, some of the important traits contributing to the success of managers are as follows: Ability to think It is difficult to think and think clearly and purposefully. Ability to think in clear terms and with definite purpose in view is a must for a manager to succeed. He must be able to think rationally. Broad vision A manager must be able to take into consideration the overall effect of his functioning on the company as a whole. Sectarian view, thinking in terms of my department, is not conductive to the smooth working of the company. Therefore, a manager must take a comprehensive view of each of hia action. Clear Expression One of the functions of a manager is to direct his subordinates. It means he must communicate with them. Effective communication depends upon clarity of expression. Even the best conceived idea or instruction is worthless unless it can be communicated effectively. Therefore, Technical Ability Though a manager need not be a technician, it is necessary that he possesses the necessary degree of technical competence relating to his field. This would help him to handle his subordinates effectively. Technical skills are more important at the supervisory level. Human Relations skills Human relation skills refer to ones ability to work well with others on a person to person basis and to build up cooperative group relations to accomplish organizational goals. A manager must keep in mind that he has to lead his subordinates and not to drive them. He should possess adequate knowledge of the factors and forces which go to ensure good relations, motivate people for best of their performance and generate cooperative and competent human behavior. Good Communicator The ability to communicate with people is the most important skill by managers and team members. The Manager is also the teams link to the larger organisation. He must have the ability to effectively negotiate and use persuasion when necessary to ensure the success of the team and project. Through effective communication, manager support individual and team achievements by creating guidelines for accomplishing tasks and for the career advancement of team members. Enthusiasm If Managers are negative they bring staffs down. Manager with enthusiasm, with a bounce in their step, with a can-do attitude. Many people tend to follow people with a can-do attitude. Enthusiastic Managers are committed to their goals and express this commitment through optimism. Competence Managers will be chosen based on their ability to successfully lead others rather than on technical expertise, as in the past. Having a winning track record is the surest way to be considered competent. Expertise in management skills is another dimension in competence. The ability to challenge, inspire, enable, model and encourage must be demonstrated if managers are to be seen as capable and competent. Ability to Delegate Tasks Trust is an essential element in the relationship of manager and his or her team. You demonstrate your trust in others through your actions how much you check and control their work, how much you delegate and how much you allow people to participate. Cool Under Pressure In a perfect world, projects would be delivered on time, under budget and with no major problems or obstacles to overcome. A leader with a hardy attitude will take these problems in stride. When leaders encounter a stressful event, they consider it interesting, they feel they can influence the outcome and they see it as an opportunity. Team-Building Skills A team builder can best be defined as a strong person who provides the substance that holds the team together in common purpose toward the right objective. In order for a team to progress from a group of strangers to a single cohesive unit, the leader must understand the process and dynamics required for this transformation. He or she must also know the appropriate leadership style to use during each stage of team development. The leader must also have an understanding of the different team players styles and how to capitalise on each at the proper time, for the problem at hand. Communicate the big picture   If you want your employees to work hard and be committed to your business, you have to keep them in the loop. Open communication helps foster loyalty and gives employees a sense of pride. It helps them understand how their work contributes to the companys success. Delegate work and responsibilities Some employees, share their workload with them and assign the work according to peoples strengths and weaknesses, and let employees develop their own good work habits and abilities. Help employees set goals Setting deadlines and goals helps keep employees focused, busy and motivates them to do their work. Talk to each of your employees about the companys goals, and work with them to set individual goals directly linked to your businesss mission. Make sure employees understand their professional growth path in the company. Recognize problems It is impossible to know about personality conflicts, lagging productivity or other problems in the office if you have your head in the sand. If you notice a change in an employees work habits or attitude, try to get to the root of the problem before it starts affecting the rest of your staff. Organizational Ability A manager must be a good organizer. Ability to organise well is a quality of a vital importance to make a successful manager. Dynamic Personality A manager must possess the desire to move ahead, to introduce change for better, to do something new. He must always look for doing something bigger and better. Emotional Stability A manager must be able to keep his personal likes and dislikes away from his organizational responsibility. It means that in solving the business problems of his company, he must not allow his personal feeling to influence his decisions. This requires stable emotional feelings. Integrity A manager must enjoy the unshakable confidence of both his superiors and subordinates. Botha as a person and in his actions, he must be known as a person of high moral integrity. He must remember the saying that it is not enough to be good, one must also appear to be good. Roles of a Manager Management is the effective utilization of human and material resources to achieve the enterprise objectives. The human resources or people use material resources such as machines, materials and money. It is for the management to ensure that people use material resources in the most efficient manner. Only then the objectives of the enterprise could be achieved. For the effective utilization of resources, the workers may be given adequate instructions and training. They must also be properly motivated so that they work with devotion and loyalty for the achievement of organisational objectives. For this, every manager guides and direct the efforts of a group of persons in the organisation. He defines the objectives of his group keeping in view the overall objectives of the enterprise. Each member of the group is assigned a specific task so that the targets of the group as a whole may be achieved. This is necessary for achieving the objectives of enterprise. Some of the characteristic that are common to most of the managers are as follows: Managers spend a major portion of their time in achieving coordination between human and non-human resources. Managers do much work at an unrelenting pace. Managerial tasks are characterized by brevity, variety, and fragmentation. Managers prefer live action- brief, specific, well-defined activities that are current, non-routine, and non-reflective. Managers prefer oral to written communication. Managers maintain a vast number of contacts, spending most time with subordinates, linking them with superiors and others in a complex network. It has observed that managing involves certain functions. While performing these functions, a manager has to play multiple roles. A role consist of the behavior patterns displayed by a manager within an organisation or a functional unit. Henry Mintzberg identified ten basic roles performed by managers at all levels from foreman to chief executives and classified them under three heads: interpersonal, informational and decisional. These roles describe what managers actually do. Interpersonal Roles: The first set of behaviour concerns interpersonal roles, which include the following: Figurehead: Executive managers perform a number of ceremonial duties such as representing their firm at public affairs and overseeing official functions. Lower level managers have ceremonial duties as well, perhaps on a lesser scale, including attending employees customers. Leader: This encompasses a range of duties suggested earlier including motivating workers, guiding work-related behavior, and encouraging activities that help achieve organisational objectives. Liaison: Managers find themselves acting as liaison between groups and individuals which are part of, or come in contact with, an organisation. This liaison role is important for establishing contacts with suppliers, coordinating activities among work groups, and encouraging harmony needed to assure effective performance. Informational Roles Informational roles are concerned with communication among individuals and groups, but, managers must also be skilled in gathering and using information to help make effective decisions. They should be able communicators who can transmit information and articulate decisions. Mintzbergs three informational roles are as follows: Monitor: Managers monitor activity, solicit information, gather data, and observe behaviour. Well-informed managers are prepared for decision-making and can redirect behavior to improve organizational performance. Disseminator: Here communications are reversed. Rather than receive information, managers transmit information. Obviously, this is a crucial aspect of management. Subordinates, superiors and managers of similar work groups rely on timely of information disseminated with clarity. Spokesperson: Top executives find themselves more involved as spokespersons than lower-level managers. A firms policy on competition, its philosophy customer care and its commitment to safety are topics common in executive speeches. However, managers at all levels are spokespersons who may be called upon to represent their groups. For example, when department heads meet to discuss operating budgets, they must be prepared to present information and support budget requests of their respective departments. Decisional Roles Mintzberg identified four roles within the list of his behaviour set. These are as follows: Entrepreneur: In recent years, entrepreneurs have been identified with the commitment to innovation. Managers in complex organisation act in entrepreneurial way, by constantly trying to improve their operations. They seek new ways of using resources, new technologies for enhanced performance, and new systems of organizing human resources. Disturbance Handler: This may be the best understood role of managers because they have always had the primary responsibility for resolving problems. It may also be the most stressful role as managers seem to find themselves constantly faced with disturbances that threaten the harmony and effectiveness of the organisations. Resource Allocator: The third role links planning and organizing functions and organizing functions. Managers must plan to meet their objectives and distribute resources accordingly. There will never be sufficient time, money, materials, or manpower to accomplish all that is expected, so resource allocation offers involve carefully assigning scarce resources. Negotiator: The allocation process bears on the role of negotiator. When scarce resources must be shared among many operating units, managers with superior negotiating skills will have advantages over others. However, negotiating extends to many managerial activities both inside and outside the firm. Purchase manager. For example, negotiates material prices and terms. Personnel manager negotiates union contracts. Negotiating, of course, doesnt mean conflict but it does imply face to face bargaining between managers and employees to resolve problems or formulate performance expectations. The ability to recognize the appropriate role to be played and to change roles readily is a mark of an effective manager. However, it may be concluded that at lower level, some of the decisional roles and informational roles are more important whereas at the top level interpersonal roles and decisional roles are of greater significance. At the middle level of management, informational roles are found to be more common. Effective dealing of Problems The first step in dealing with a problem employee is to identify the trouble. Many times, a simple, honest talk with an employee will dissolve issues such as occasional tardiness or minor attitude problems. Coaching requires a manager to work one-on-one with problem employees or to assign another employee to work with the employee to overcome their shortcomings. The mentor should provide the employee with feedback and solutions for improving their performance. Coaching requires patience and a substantial time investment, but it can help modify an employees behavior. Poor performance Poor performance is not always due to a lack of skills; the employee may simply be disorganized or sloppy. These habits can usually be corrected with proper guidance. If performance difficulties relate to a lack of skills, consider coaching or additional training. Job incompatibility In some cases an employee becomes a problem because their skills arent compatible with their assigned tasks or regular duties. In this case, offering the employee additional training or assigning them a different set of tasks is usually the most appropriate course of action. Sloppy work When you notice that, an employee has made some errors, point out the mistakes to the employee and monitors their work more closely. If the problem persists, speak with the employee and detail the most serious examples of problems with their work. Remember to remain positive and focus on how important the employees contribution is to the company. Create an effective message Consider the specific informational needs of executives, middle managers, supervisors and employees, and tailor your message to fit each audience. An effective message should also explain how your employees ´ day-to-day duties directly affect the companys performance and should touch on the values and pride of the employees. A direct, face-to-face interaction can help reinforce positive attitudes inspire employees and help them adapt to the change. Listen to your employees Employee feedback is critical in managing change. Holding focus groups with employees is a great way to gauge reaction and monitor the progress of change. You also can encourage employees to provide feedback through email or the company intranet. Communication is the cornerstone to successful change management. Talking to your employees is not a one-time event, and you need to reinforce your message by communicating early and often. To be an effective manager you must know yourself, your strengths and your weaknesses, and those of the people around you.   You must know your objectives and have a plan of how to achieve them.   You must build a team of people that share your commitment to achieve those objectives, and you must help each team member to achieve their best which will be able to attain a common goal.