Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 24

Case Study Example It commanded 7.6% of the market. Secondly, according to the case, Eskimo pie had at least one of its products in 98% of the grocery stores located across the United States. As such, this has considerable implications in determining the worth of Eskimo pie. Therefore, Eskimo’s market presence and market share across the United States commands a better higher price than what is estimated by Goldman. Having a larger market share and presence in any industry gives the company an edge over its competitors. Therefore, it should deserve and attract a higher premium than what was offered by Goldman and Nestle. Past performance is vital when estimating the value of Eskimo pie. Since 1987, the company’s net sales increased by over 50 % ((17198-30769) Ã · 30, 769). Subsequently, profits of the company increased by over 1300% over the same period ((2526-171) Ã ·171). This is according to the data depicted in Exhibit 1. There are many reasons a company might want to acquire another company. The primary reason nestle wanted to acquire Eskimo Pie was to possess and establish a stronger and robust position or presence in the frozen novelty market. According to the case, nestle owns drumsticks. I can take this to mean that maybe nestle owns other frozen novelties, but the case does not specify or mention any. By purchasing Eskimo pie, nestle would be a frontrunner in the industry by having a larger presence. There are potential synergies to be gained from acquiring Eskimo pie. This is because of the involvement of nestle in the frozen novelties too. In my opinion, Eskimo is worth more to nestle as an acquisition than as a stand-alone company. This is due to the following reasons. Most of the workforce and management of Eskimo pie would not be needed in order to avoid duplication of duties. Since the products of Eskimo and nestle target and go to the same market, the distribution costs of nestle would b e nearly eliminated. Additionally, the marketing expenditure will drop. I

Critical Analysis of Traditional and Agile Project Management Essay Example for Free

Critical Analysis of Traditional and Agile Project Management Essay INTRODUCTION Project is an effort taken to build something unique within a specific period. (PMBOK, 2004: 20). This means that a project has a starting and an ending which has to be completed within the specified time. For a project to be completed within time limit and with little or no flaws, a plan has to be put in place so as to get a desired result. Project planning is the determination of the progress of a project to be carried out in a serial manner. (Successful Project Management, 2011: 57). Project planning is very essential in managing a project and will be discussed in detail specifically in traditional and agile project management which is the two major project management approaches. Critical analysis of these two approaches in respect to project planning will be given. That is treating the necessary processes in planning a project. Tools, techniques, and project lifecycle models used in project management will be explored. See more: how to write an analysis OVERVIEW Traditional project management TPM is a set of technique and tools that can be applied to an activity that seeks an end product, outcomes or service. This is a well taught out planning process which has a very strict control method that makes distinguishable stages in a project life cycle (hass, 2007). Requirement such as scope, cost and time are determined upfront, followed plans are also well laid out and once laid out, it cannot be modified. Due to this, life cycles are easily recognizable. Task are completed one after another once completed, it cannot be revisited. In TPM, a lot of importance is attached  to documentation of business needs thereby stakeholders needs are already known (Leybourne, 2009). TPM is based on the fact that situations surrounding project and activities are predictable and manageable (Hass 2007, Yusuf et al 1999). TPM views each project level as a separate process whose outcome or completion has an effect on how and when subsequent levels begin (caddle and Yeates 2008; Thonsett 2012). According to Larman (2004), a well thought out rule on project team members’ responsibilities are determined at the planning phase. This makes team members accountable for the project which ensures control (Saladis and Kezner, 2009). Examples of traditional models are: 1. PRINCE2 2. Waterfall 3. Event chain 4. CA-PPM. Agile project management APM is all about incremental iteration, adaptability, agility and collaboration (Scuh, 2005; Larman, 2004). It takes individual and iteration contribution over process and tools. It lays emphasis on short cycles of structure which happen at different levels and also emphasis on feedback (Hass, 2007). All plans are revisited to get certainty of delivery. APM sees the project as product increment. Due to its lack of structure, it requires a considerable amount of discipline and coordination. APM allows project scope to change rapidly and frequently which is done by constant communication with project stakeholders. APM teams consist of skilled members fully dedicated to the project and are co-located (Hass, 2007; Wysocki). The whole idea of what APM is all about is based on the agile manifesto. It was put forward by Martin Fowler and Jim Highsmith (wysocki,). Its content are given below: â€Å"We are uncovering better ways of developing software by doing it and helping others do it. Through this work we have come to value: Individuals and interactions over processes and tools Working software over comprehensive documentation Customer collaboration over contract negotiation Responding to change over following a plan That is, while there is value in the items on the right, we value the items  on the left more.† Types of agile project management approaches are as follows: 1. Agile Unified Process (AUP) 2. Scrum 3. Lean Software Development 4. Extreme Programming (XP) 5. Dynamic Systems Development Method 6. Feature Driven Development Scope Planning Scope planning is a process that describes and documents the boundaries of a project and project expectation. TPM is a rigid approach that gives no room to change once the scope plan has been created. Plans are made to prevent change in project scope. It focuses on developing all parts of the scope first. Documentation is very detailed trying to encompass the whole requirement. The project scope statement consists of the objective and boundaries of the project and also product specification. Work breakdown structure is then created. In TPM, steps are taken that the team sticks to the scope of the project. Scope planning in APM is a high-level activity because little is known of the solution. Change is a key part of APM, making the scope very flexible. The scope is constantly redefined due to the series of iterations. Ideas could be added at stage of the project. Documentations is present but not as detailed as in TPM. APM focuses on developing the most important part of the scope first and then proceed to the next. Human Resource Planning In TPM, team is usually large in number and consists of various levels of skilled members. The teams are very organized. The teams don’t make decisions on their own without the approval of senior managers. APM team members are proficient and are highly skilled, they are collocated in order to handle changes in project scope and also performance, communication and more so, interrelation. APM consists of small team, members are mostly between five and nine, and they also are highly productive. Agile teams are self-organizing and disciplined (Hewson, 2006). Agile teams are basically  independent. Risk Planning TPM assumes that there will be risk in the project. This is put into consideration at the planning of the project and measures are put in place to handle it. Projects in APM are volatile and very unstable because the solutions are not known. Every iteration cycle comes with its own risks. These risks are expected and are handled sequentially when it arises during project (Owen et al, 2006). Proponents of agile approach argue that dealing with real risk is better than preparing for unknown risk (Schuh, 2005). Quality Quality in agile is often determined by the regular feedback and acknowledgement of the customer’s view of the quality of the product. Time planning: In traditional approach, time estimation is dependent on the amount of tasks to be executed. Time estimation is done right after the WBS is created. Effort is made in other to complete the project within the required time (Hass, 2007). In agile approach, time estimation is based on features. The numbers of features to be developed determine the amount of time that will be used. Scheduling and workflow are also closely aligned. Management style: In TPM, the project manager is responsible solely for the planning and allocation of responsibilities (Kerzner, 2003). Traditional project managers focus more on the schedule, scope and budget (Fernandez and Fernandez, 2009). In APM, the project manager works in collaboration with the team (Hass, 2007). Agile managers focus more on the business value and deliverables (Fernandez and Fernandez, 2009). Cost management: Agile projects should be based on either a cost-reimbursable system, or the client accepts scope is a variable based on achieving the maximum improvement possible for a pre-set budget. This is a totally different philosophy to traditional project governance. Tools, Technique, models, and Project Lifecycle Models There are numerous tool and technique that can be utilized in the course of planning a project which include: Gantt chart is a graphical representation for scheduling the execution of various project activities. It can be used to make an approximation of time required to complete the  project. Brainstorming involves the assembling of idea by a group of people in order to solve problem and to arrive at a conclusion. It is essential in development of new ideas. Work breakdown structure (WBS) is the breaking down of project into smaller more manageable pieces in a hierarchical order. Each level in WBS is a smaller piece of the level above. Fishbone diagram is also known as cause-and-effect diagram. It is used to check the cause of a specific event. They also help during the collating and analyzing factors phase of project planning. Critical Path Method involves dealing with activities that has to be completed in order for other activities to be completed. It helps in the sequencing and correlating of interdependent processes. PERT Chart is a representation that shows the task to be performed serially in a graphical form. It helps to focus more on the most critical part of the project in order to reduce constriction. Project Charter is a document that formally authorizes a project statement. It contains project justification, business needs and so on. . (PMBOK, 2004) Scope Statement ensures that only the required work is done. That is work is not done out of scope of the project. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) WBS is a deliverable-oriented hierarchical decomposition of the work to be done by the project team, to accomplish the project objectives and create the required deliverables. WBS is a tool which focuses on how a project work should be done. It breaks down the work to be done into smaller sections that can be managed by the project team, each section give details of the project work as such giving team understanding of what do(Biafore, 2011). WBS can be depicted as an outline or a diagram (Biafore, 2011). The number of levels present in a WBS should be reasonable as this is determined by how voluminous and complex the project is. WBS helps in d identification of task, brings to light what d project entails and a lot of other tools depend on WBS. It also allows stakeholders have an understanding of the scope of the project (Biafore, 2011). PERT Chart (Project Evaluation and Review Technique) It is visual illustration of a project plan task. It document important or critical phases of a project. It helps to identify critical processes and  the time that the process will end. It can also help in the documentation of a project. It helps in the organizing and scheduling of interrelated tasks in a complex project (Chinneck, 2009). It does this by using a network description to show parallel relationships between tasks (Chinneck, 2009). It helps in the completion of each task in other of precedence. It is a very important tool for tracking project activities and milestones. PERT enables the project team to handle task in order of importance. It also deal with uncertainty in process completion dates and determines activities start and end dates. Finally, PERT chart can be adjusted at anytime in the duration of the project. Linear Project Management Lifecycle Model This is a simple TPM approach which does not allow for returning to a project which has previously been completed. (Effective : 329). This means that once a phase in a project is completed, there will be no room to do any kind of adjustment. Incremental Project Management Lifecycle Model It is a traditional TPM in which unlike linear. It releases a solution to each phase of the project and it also emphasis on customer value than the linear approach. (Fernandez, Fernandez). Iterative Project Management Lifecycle Model In the iterative PMLC, change is required as it is the important part of the model. It is a learn by doing strategy. (Fernandez, Fernandez). All iteration consists of feedback loop, and it involves more clients and customers than incremental. Adaptive Project Management Lifecycle Model This is a PMLC that almost nothing is known about the solution and almost all of it are designed for software development project. It deals with a high level of uncertainty because little is known of the end product. Extreme Project Management Lifecycle Model In this model, there is no broad knowledge and solution about the project. The level of uncertainty is high and also that of clients too. CONCLUSION After looking at the two approaches, it is seen that both approaches are good  and can work perfectly well depending on the project at hand. TPM due to its detailed planning is the preferred choice for structured project. It is used in large projects that have well understood features and requirements and which involves large teams. Also, TPM is suitable for project that requires little change. APM is the preferred choice for unstructured projects. These kinds of projects have a high level of uncertainty and unpredictability about them. APM unlike TPM involves smaller projects.

An Introduction to the CYC Knowledge Base Essay -- CYC Project Technol

An Introduction to the CYC Knowledge Base I. Abstract This paper is intended to be an introductory tutorial on the Very Large Knowledge Base (VLKB) called CYC. Described herein is the reasoning for the origination of the CYC project, the intended usefulness of the project (application areas), how CYC is being constructed, and a brief introduction to the supporting tools that have been developed to interact with the CYC knowledge base. II. Introduction Many Knowledge Bases (KB) have been developed to help people solve problems in very specific applications. These are relatively simple to build since the knowledge required by the specific system needs to be only those facts required to solve the problem in that particular application. An example of this type of KB would be one that contains only the information needed to diagnose particular fungal and bacterial infections. The KB would need to know about the different attributes of the microscopic organisms and their affects on the host but would not need to know that the grass is green or that the earth revolves around the sun. The CYC common sense Knowledge Base takes the opposite approach. CYC is being created to hold information that most people would consider to be common sense knowledge. The idea is to create a KB that would supply the basic knowledge needed to be applicable to many different applications. By building a KB with this general knowledge, it is hoped that the KB will be able to learn (create new inferences) by itself and be able to tell when it does not have enough information in a particular domain to resolve a problem. The CYC project was started by Doug Lenat at MCC (Microelectronics and Computer Technology Corporation, now Cycorp, Inc.) in Aust... ...nology", Cycorp, Inc, http://www.cyc.com Ginsberg, Matthew L., Essentials of Artificial Intelligence. Morgan Kaufmann, 1993. ISBN 1-55860-221-6 Lenat, D.B., Guha, R.V., "Ideas for Applying CYC", Cycorp, Inc, http://www.cyc.com/tech-reports/act-cyc-407-91/act-cyc-407-91.html Mayfield, James; Finin, Tim; Narayanaswamy, Rajkumar; Shah, Chetan; MacCartney, William; Goolsbey, Keith, "The Cycic Friends Network: getting Cyc agents to reason together", University Of Maryland - Baltimore County, http://www.cs.umbc.edu/~cikm/iia/submitted/viewing/mayfield Pratt, Vaughan, "CYC Report", Stanford University, April 16, 1994, http://www.cs.umbc.edu/~narayan/proj/cyc-critic.html Rajkumar & Shah, "A Study to assess the usefulness of CYC in a mediated architecture", University Of Maryland - Baltimore County, CYC KQML Project, http://www.cs.umbc.edu/~narayan/proj/doc.html

Organizational Structure Essay

Facebook is a social-networking site that has a strong organization structure that is appropriate for their particular product; social media. Facebook seems like a simple site that does not require a structure to operate. Facebook launched in 2004 and is currently the most popular social-networking site. People can share photos, stories, life experiences of both positive and negative. This strong organization structure has allowed Facebook to grow and continue to be strong in a competitive marketplace where the product is one’s personal life. Twitter works in the same way but is only set up for chatting through posts, also known as tweets. Tweets are text-based quotes of up to 140 characters and the user’s posts it on their profile page (Shetty, 2010). Users can also send pictures and videos through Twitpics and other sources. Millions of people use Facebook and organizations use them to advertise and to promote their services. Facebook is set up where users have friends who can see each other user’s posts. They also can tag pictures, providing information on who is in a particular picture. Twitter and Facebook have developed their organizational structure to become one of the most used social-networking sites in the world today. This spot was previously held by MySpace. MySpace is used mainly by individuals to chat with each other and post pictures and other personal information. Businesses never adapted to MySpace compared to other social networks such as with Twitter and Facebook. For this reason advertising companies have found it more worthwhile to advertise through Twitter and Facebook. First Facebook, and then Twitter determined that to stay in business and be profitable it would require high traffic on the sites and many top advertisers. Once businesses could take advantage of this new web tool, they quickly learned how helpful it was. Users can friend or follow organizations that they have a special interest in. The organizations can use this platform to promote a product, service, or even cause. Twitter is slightly different from Facebook in the way that the main purpose of the site is to tweet and follow others tweets. It is simple, easy to use, and effective. Twitter has a different business appeal because, unlike Facebook there are no games or other things to do while logged in. Facebook has developed that area of their business and has different games and applications to entertain a person while online. While logged into Facebook a user can also do everything from change their status, check on a friend’s status, or post pictures. Facebook also provides the option of chatting with friends and these chats are stored in your messages. Social networking provides a public outlet as well as a personal outlet. Facebook and Twitter both are popular social networking sites and have developed a business structure that supports their organization. Twitter and Facebook have many organizational functions that support the different responsibilities within the organizations. While Facebook is set up for enormous amounts of marketing through the use of advertising, Twitter allows individual organizations to posts tweets to keep followers interested. Through the use of games Facebook also makes money by asking users to pay for different parts of the games. Anyone who has played Farmville will attest that these games can be addicting. Facebook has many different ways to make money and maintain financial stability, such as the ability to constantly test different things. Twitter also makes its money through advertising, just not in the same way Facebook does. Twitter promotes products using promoted tweets. Organizations pay Twitter to promote their products in searchable tweets. Tweets are searchable even through sites like Google and Bing. While it is less obvious on Twitter, they like Facebook make most of their money promoting other businesses. The more human traffic on a site, the more desirable it is for other organizations to advertise with this site. Both Facebook and Twitter have very high daily traffic organizations gladly pay to advertise with them. Both Facebook and Twitter use a horizontal structure and functional organization. They are set up in a way that each employee on the organization chart has a particular set of skills and responsibilities. These skills and responsibilities are unique to a particular task; they are specialized. A functional organization has specialized departments and are group people according to business functions or particular skills each function require (Bateman & Snell, 2011). Facebook and Twitter are strong organizations and will continue to remain that way. Well-known companies and organizations throughout the world will continue to use them to promote ideas, products, or anything else they want to make known. The employees at Facebook and Twitter have individualized departments with individualized tasks. There is an easy to follow flow chart between each operation. This allows for less confusion and clear channels of authority. Without this failure is inevitable. While one department is responsible for monitoring the information technology, another department is responsible for web content. The same is true for marketing, human recourses, and every other area of business. Each department is specialized and functions efficiently this way. Without proper structure instructions can get confused and responsibilities get uncertain. This creates chaos and in the end will cause the websites to fail. For a business to be successful it must have an effective organizational structure. A basic organization structure gives a business direction and allows it to function. One of the first steps to starting a business is to create a basic organizational structure and have it clearly show departments, their functions, and who will run them (Shetty, 2010). A functional organization is the proper structure for both Facebook and Twitter because of the type of business they are. If responsibilities and departments were not clearly defined or organized differently it may cause them to be less functional and less effective at social-networking. Social-networking sites are here to stay and both Facebook and Twitter are in the lead. They have learned from their predecessor, MySpace what it takes to create high human traffic and attract advertisers. By creating an effective organizational structure, they are successful and have few internal issues. References Bateman, T. S., & Snell, S. A. (2011). Management: Leading & collaborating in a competitive world (9th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Shetty, N. (2010). ManagementParadise.com. Retrieved from http://www.managementparadise.com/forums/human-resources-management-h-r/21515

Pepper V Hart

Hansard is the official daily report of parliamentary debates and the record of what was said during the introduction of legislation. As one of the external aids, referencing to Hansard can help the courts to discover how Parliament intended the law to apply and put that into practice. Initially such documents could not be consulted for the purpose of statutory interpretation. In 1992 the House of Lords delivered a blockbuster in the case of Pepper v Hart [1992], which overturned the rule against consulting Hansard.However, more and more people argue that its drawbacks outweigh its advantages. The case of Pepper v Hart was between teachers at a fee-paying school and the Inland Revenue, and concerned the tax which employees should have to pay on perks. The school allowed its teachers to send their sons there for one-fifth of the usual fee. Since the amount paid by teachers covered only the extra cost rather than the school’s fixed costs, the perk cost the school little or nothi ng, and so they maintained that they should not have to pay tax on its.Nonetheless the Inland Revenue disagreed and argued that according to tax law the perk should be taxed on the basis of the amount its saved the teachers on the real cost of sending their children to the school. The reason why the issue of consulting parliamentary debates arose was that, during the passing of the Finance Act 1976, the then Secretary to the Treasury, Robert Sheldon, had specifically mentioned the kind of situation that arose in Pepper v Hart. He had stated that where the cost to an employer of a perk was minimal, employees should not have to pay tax on the full cost of it.By a six to one majority the House of Lords decided to allow reference to be made to Hansard. The permission was made in limited circumstances. First, legislation is ambiguous, or leads to an absurdity; Second, the material relied upon consists of statements by a minister or other promoter of the Bill. Third, the statements relied upon are clear. The main advantage of referencing Hansard is it can help to prevent the absurdity and injustice caused by the literal rule. When interpreting a tatute the courts can consult Hansard to see what a Minister had said about a piece of legislation in order to decide what Parliament had intended. This permission causes the effect that the literal meaning of the statute is not followed, which may help the courts to present more proper statutory interpretation. However, many people hold opposite opinion on the use of this source. A practical objection by the dissenting justice lord Mackay was the expense both in terms of time and money will add to litigation.If debates were to be used, there was a danger that the lawyers arguing a case would devote too much time and attention to ministerial statement. Lord Steyn (2001) criticized that the counsel were expected to read all the debates in Hansard, which would add greatly to the time and expense involved in preparing cases. He suggests that much of the work of the courts is now concerned with the interpretation of documents such as statutes rather than the examination of precedents. The evidence in Hansard may be lack of clarity.The House of Lords directed that the evidence provided by the parliamentary debates might not be reliable and contain ‘conducive to a clear and unbiased explanation of the meaning of statutory language. ’ Moreover, it is difficult to discover the nature of parliamentary from the Hansard. Pepper v Hart seems to confuse the statement made by a minister or promoter of the bill with the intention of the legislature. Lord Steyn points to the nature of the parliamentary process: there are not ideal conditions for the making of authoritative statements about the meaning of a clause in a Bill.In truth a Minister speaks for the Government and not for Parliament. The statements of a Minister are no more than indications of what the Government would like the law to be. ’ Nowadays there is a trend that reference to Hansard can be found in every other case involving interpretation and construction of enactments often without any serious application of mind concerning their relevance or conformity with the aid down in Pepper v Hart. The advancement in technology is definitely a major factor contributing to this trend as it makes referencing much easier.However, electronic access relates only to recent years; for any other research one has to overcome the appalling indexing for Hansard. Due to its drawback, there is a trend that the courts are reluctant to allow references to Hansard without a fair bit of persuasion. Many restrictions are placed to prevent the overuse of Hansard. In 2003, the House of Lords restated the scope of Pepper v Hart that the court is called upon to evaluate the proportionality of the legislation, not the minister’s exploration of the policy options or his explanations to Parliament.The latter would contravene article 9 of the Bill of Rights. Overall, though allowing references to Hansard has an additional aid to interpretation is welcome, references to Hansard can give rise to further ambiguity i. e. legislation being found to be incorrect. Also, it is very costly in time and money. Since it is arguable that its drawbacks outweigh its advantages, more strict guidelines should be adopted to prevent its overuse in order to maintain the efficiency of the legal system.

Scoopes monkey trial essays

Scoopes monkey trial essays The twenties had many vogue and unsteady changes. Such as The Scopes Monkey Trial had a big social, judicial and religious effects on Americans living during the twenties. During the Twenties, the Scopes Trial had a radical social effect on Americans. The trial had been moved to the courthouse lawn to accommodate the crowds. Over two hundred national reporters and more than three thousand spectators came to the town of Dayton, Tennessee to see the trial of the state of Tennessee versus Scopes.This huge audience shows that some people realized the importance of the final sentence.The trial marked the displacement of religious faith and rural values by scientific skepicism and cosmopolism as a dominant strain in American thoughts. The trial soon became between traditionalists and evolutionists, which showed the dispute in the public opinion. The Scopes Trial influences the new existing fight between religion and tradition. Also between evolution and progress. The trial Tennessee versus John Scopes caused enormous changes in the 1920s. In attendance announcers were ready to send to the listeners the first live-radio broadcast from a trial. The presence of the reporters shows the public was interested, an interest, which demanded a new kind of news. The trial itself was a bunch of conflicts, the most obvious one was evolution against religion. The courtroom was full of members of both groups. The persecutor was a strongly religious man while the defense attorney a atheist. The United States Supreme Court put the issue to rest in 1968, when it had a similar statue in Arkansas unconstitutionaly, because it violated the separation of church and state,thats part of the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. This fact is evidence that the trial was unnecessary because the Butler Act, which forbid all teachings that denied the creation of mankind thats stated in the Bible, was illegal. The expectations of the fi...

3 Sentences That Require a Tense Shift

3 Sentences That Require a Tense Shift 3 Sentences That Require a Tense Shift 3 Sentences That Require a Tense Shift By Mark Nichol Many writers seem to assume that all verbs in a sentence must be in the same tense, but the tense for each verb should be appropriate to the context. Here are three examples of sentences in which a statement about a past event should reflect a continuous state. Discussion after each sentence explains the reasoning, and revisions illustrate it. 1. He discovered that in order to extract all the good compounds, you had to brew tea for twenty minutes at 80 degrees. The discovery referenced in this sentence occurred in the past, but it describes something that was true before the discovery and during the discovery and will presumably remain true in perpetuity, so the verb pertaining to brewing should be in the present tense: â€Å"He discovered that in order to extract all the good compounds, you have to brew tea for twenty minutes at 80 degrees.† 2. For each area, they were then asked to indicate whether they believed their level of knowledge was adequate or requires improvement. The querying of survey subjects described here happened in the past. If the respondents were asked this question again, their answer might be different, but at the time the question was asked, the survey sought a response about the current state of their thinking, so the verbs pertinent to that state should be in the present tense: â€Å"For each area, they were then asked to indicate whether they believe their level of knowledge is adequate or requires improvement.† 3. Jones asserted that these attributes of confidence were important because executives and directors can use them to assess and advance their organizations along the journey to realize their vision. The attributes do not cease to be important just because Jones is not continuously asserting that fact. Barring an unlikely drastic change in the attitude of executives and directors toward them, they remain so, and the continuous state of this importance should be communicated by a verb in the present tense: â€Å"Jones asserted that these attributes of confidence are important because executives and directors can use them to assess and advance their organizations along the journey to realize their vision.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Redundant Phrases to AvoidHow to Punctuate with â€Å"However†The Uses of â€Å"The†

How to avoid bias when hiring new employees

How to avoid bias when hiring new employees At this point, you could probably recite employment discrimination law in your sleep. You know what you have to avoid, by law- religion, race, family status, etc. Not news to you. But while you’re already working hard to avoid straight-up discrimination into the hiring process, are you allowing its quieter, insidious cousin- bias- to sneak in through the back door and affect your hiring decisions?Understand the difference between conscious and unconscious bias.Bias is a part of human nature, to varying degrees. It’s simply prejudice toward something or against another. And when bias is explicit, or conscious, it is pretty straightforward. It’s thoughts and statements like:I don’t like people who are _______.  I prefer to associate with people who _______.  I want to hire someone who thinks like me on this particular topic.hbspt.cta.load(2785852, '9e52c197-5b5b-45e6-af34-d56403f973c5', {});  Basically, it’s a clear predisposition that you ackno wledge (even if only to yourself). Ideally, you don’t let these conscious prejudices sway your hiring, but at least it’s a known quantity that you can acknowledge and work on.Unconscious bias is a bit tougher. It’s prejudice against people or ideas that you may not even realize you have. Unconscious bias includes assumptions or things that you might accept as â€Å"true† without realizing that they’re stereotypes or generalizations. This includes thoughts and statements like:Women aren’t good at the hard sciences.[Cultural group] aren’t very hard workers.Men just aren’t very empathetic.[Cultural group] are good at math.See how those work? They may seem like they’re based on â€Å"how the world works,† but really they’re assumptions and prejudices that may have very little to do with the actual person in front of you, applying for a job.If you’re curious about your own biases and learning more about h ow this implicit bias works, the Harvard-developed Implicit Association Test (IAT) can shed some light (though you might want to be mentally prepared to learn some not-ideal things about yourself).Having unconscious bias doesn’t make you a bad person, or necessarily a racist/sexist/whatever-ist. It just means you need to do two things:Understand how your unconscious biases might be affecting decisions like hiring.Overcoming that to make sure you’re hiring based entirely on qualifications and fitness for the job, not assumptions.Making hiring based on biases may not be illegal (depending on what the bias is, and whether it affects a protected class), but in today’s diverse, more-aware world, it can absolutely hurt your hiring and your company. You want to make sure you’re recruiting great people, full stop, but also that you’re doing right by your applicants. Overcoming bias also helps you with diversifying your hires, and bringing new perspectives to your company.Bias is a function of human nature, which means it’s not going away anytime soon. You can’t train it away, you can’t ignore it away, and you can’t policy-write it away. So that means you have to be more creative: make sure you’re taking it out of the hiring process as much as possible. Let’s look at some of the ways you can help eliminate- or at least reduce- bias in the process.Rethink your job descriptions.You might not think of job description wording as a potential source of bias, but†¦it’s the first place to look. Research has shown that women are less likely to apply for jobs that have â€Å"masculine-coded† language, and vice versa (though to a lesser extent). And these are words you might not typically think of as one gender or another, but they carry unconscious connotations along the lines of â€Å"men are aggressive, dynamic leaders† and â€Å"women are consensus-builders and team members .†Some examples of masculine-coded words:IndependentDrivenLeadingActiveSome examples of feminine-coded words:SupportCooperateHonestInterpersonalNone of these words are bad for a job description, per se, but it’s important to be aware of the connotations they can carry. If you’re concerned about your own job descriptions, this Gender Decoder for Job Ads can help you figure out what language you might be using that unconsciously discourages some applicants from even applying.Come up with an impersonal resume review system.Studies have shown that resumes can be rife with opportunities for unconscious bias- starting at the literal top of the document. Researchers have found that something as simple as a name that is easily recognizable as a particular ethnic group or gender can trigger bias in the hiring decisions. Some companies are removing that temptation by making sure names, photos, and any identifying info is removed from a resume before a hiring manager or rec ruiter reads it, but you don’t necessarily have to go to those lengths. It can be as easy as making sure you have a scoring system that ensures you’re evaluating resumes on the same playing field. For example: a certain number of points for a particular educational credential, or points assigned for different levels of experience. That way, each candidate gets a score based solely on what’s in the resume- and not based on who you think the person is.Recruit more broadly.One of the biggest sources of bias in the hiring process isn’t racial, cultural, or gender-based: it’s education-based. Companies tend to be biased toward big names on resumes: Stanford, Ivy League, Wharton, etc. We gravitate toward those because they’re well-known as top quality schools, but think about it: do you really need someone who paid for top-shelf education, or do you really need someone who brings the right skill set and experience to the job? It’s probably the latter. The brand name doesn’t actually guarantee applicant quality, so open your mind to other schools, and make sure you’re looking at the full context. You may be dazzled by Candidate A, with the Yale pin on her jacket, but miss that Candidate B, with the State U education, has some stellar qualifications as well.If it’s that Yale has a great Computer Science program and that’s what you want in your candidate, do some research on other top Computer Science programs, and look for candidates from those schools as well- schools that may not have quite the word-of-mouth impression that the Ivies have. Like with the personal biases, creating a name-agnostic point system (where certain educational qualifications, not necessarily the school names), are weighted.Set your criteria up front.Before you read a single resume or set up an interview, make sure you’re clear on the criteria you want to use to fill the position. Set your expectations of educa tion level, experience, skills beforehand- ideally in writing. If you use that rubric to evaluate candidates equally, you’re less likely to let â€Å"gut feelings† or other subjective reasons sway your hiring decision.Keep evaluating.Once you’ve done your best to eliminate bias in your hiring, it’s important to keep an eye on the process to make sure that bias isn’t sneaking back in, and that your efforts are effective. For example, if you’re trying to get more gender diversity in your applicants, but still find that you’re getting (or hiring) male candidates at the same rate as before, it’s time to go back and revisit the process again. Are there any more unconsciously biased phrases in the job description? Are you unconsciously giving preference to Male Candidate over Female Candidate for an arbitrary reason, or for a legitimate reason? Make sure you’re honest about the decisions you’re making, and why. And reme mber: it’s not that you’re a bad recruiter or a prejudiced person if you find that bias might be affecting your hiring decisions. We’re all subject to bias at one time or another. But it’s never too late to acknowledge the sway that these biases can have (even when we think we’re being fair), and to be mindful about how to make the process more fair for everyone.

BLE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

BLE - Essay Example †¦7 Superior financial performance†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦7 CSR leads to competitive advantage and sustainable development†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦..8 Stakeholder management and CSR: a critical review with respect to TBS†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.8 CSR facing internal pressures†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦9 CSR facing external pressures†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.9 Governmental and regulatory pressures†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦10 Pressure from NGOs and other alliances†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦11 Applying Power-Interest matrix on TBS to assess its stakeholder management success†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦11 Conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦12 Appendices†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..13 References†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦16 Introduction Ethics and social responsibility is one emerging topic which has caught the attention of both the academics and the practitioners. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) in particular has gained immense prevalence and significance amidst globalization and blurred cross boundary activities. CSR in its essence is about promoting and building sustainable businesses through a three-pronged approach of environmental, social and economic welfare and contributions to the overall betterment of the society and the planet we live on (ASOCIO Policy Paper 2004). Scholars are of the opinion that CSR counts a lot in exercising effective leadership and promoting healthy business practices at work. It also involves the element of transparency in business-society communication and adhering to the relati onship marketing approach (What’s Relationship marketing? n.d) for the involved stakeholders like investors, consumers, government, communities and partners (Appendix 1). Nowadays, CSR is being acknowledged as a valuable tool in gaining competitive and sustained advantage over rivals and also a promoter of sound financial performance for companies that operate globally. This is so because CSR adds value to business propositions by bridging the communication gaps between company and its stakeholders and also anchors the vested interests of business towards society and development in the long run (McKinsey Global Survey Results n.d). To illustrate the concept of CSR and to prove the practical significance of CSR importance, the Body Shop is taken as the organization where CSR concepts have been applied and

Leadership Evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Leadership Evaluation - Essay Example This is just to show how different these criteria are and with them come different expectations and results. One such criterion that has stood out in the US is the Baldrige Criteria for Performance Excellence. This is the award offered under the Baldrige national quality program which is the nation’s highest presidential honor for organizational innovation and performance. Several companies have been awarded and their results have reflected their innovative attributes that were recognized under this program. One such company is the Cargill Corn Milling North America. A closer look at the company will detail how significant this award is and how leadership evaluation can be used to increase a company’s worth as well as output. The different strategies used will be highlighted and compared to the way the company has been operating since its inception in 1967. The baldrige Criteria for Performance and the Cargill Corn Milling (CCM): The criteria used by the Baldrige Progra m are mainly embodied in seven key areas. These are leadership, strategic planning, customer focus, measurement, analysis and knowledge management, workforce focus, operations focus, and results (BPEP, 2012). These areas are analyzed and assessed in that order in a way that shows their relationship. They have to look at the organizational profile since it sets the context of the way the organization operates. It is at this top spot that the guiding attributes are found, which allow one to venture into the company’s organizational performance and management system in a systematic manner. The performance system deals with different triads. First, there is the leadership triad that consists of leadership, strategic planning, and customer focus categories. If the leaders are not in touch with the way each of these three goes on, the company is likely to stagnate since operations will be stalled. The other three categories that are under the performance system include the workforc e focus, operations focus and the results category which form the results triad. These three represent the recipe towards the success of the company and should be idealized by the management to ensure each attribute is running smoothly and is devoid of any hiccups. It should represent a sure way of handling any queries that may arise and how to effectively handle them. These two triads are the core attributes that form the performance mantle. They directly link leadership to results entailing their interdependent relationship (BPEP, 2012). The system's foundation consists of the fourth category that focuses on measurements, analysis, and knowledge management. This offers the path through which innovation will take place and how crucial each attribute is towards the continuity of a company (BPEP, 2012). With CCM being in the manufacturing category, these seven attributes have to be intertwined to help achieve the best results and increase their market presence. The criterion stated a bove was applied in its entirety and the results were evident from the detailed report provided by the National Institute of Standards and Technology which oversees these awards. The company has over the past few decades been on an upward trend with its earnings after tax nearly tripling from the 2003 to 2007 financial period. They have received numerous awards for their customer relations with each individual, from top to bottom

Children's Rights Bachelor Essay Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Children's Rights in Society - Term Paper Example It was relatively easy for the framers to define the upper age of the child. In article 1, they stated that a child is every person under age eighteen unless the law of a nation grants the majority at an earlier age. But what is the minimum age of a child Is it at conception or at birth With the abortion issue in the background, this was one of the most controversial issues in designing the Convention. (Cantwell, 2002) To reach a consensus, the framers decided that in the legally binding text of the Convention (in article 1), there would be no mention of a minimum age. Thus the minimum age could be at either birth or conception. But at the same time, the framers decided to recognize in a legally non-binding way the importance of the prenatal environment to the health and well-being of the child. Thus, in the preamble to the Convention, it is stated that the child "needs special safeguards and care, including appropriate legal protection, both before as well as after birth." In short, while the importance of prenatal care is recognized, the legal protection of children could include, but would not require, the prohibition of abortion. Following Thomas Hammarberg, we can divide the substantive rights of the Convention into the "three Ps": provision, protection, and participation. (Hammarberg, 2000). The rights of provision refer to children's rights to be provided with basic welfare and nurturance. For example, children have the right to survival and development (article 6), basic economic welfare (article 27), health care (article 24), education (article 28), and play and recreation (article 31). They also have the right to a name, to acquire a nationality, and to know and be cared for by parents (article 7). The rights of protection refer to children's rights to be protected from harmful acts or practices. For example, children have the right to be protected from abuse and neglect (article 19), economic exploitation (article 32), sexual exploitation (article 34), and discrimination (article 2).     Ã‚  

How has marriage reflected the changing status of women in Australian Essay

How has marriage reflected the changing status of women in Australian culture in the past century - Essay Example This is where the current state of woman is, and it has resulted in a high failure rate for marriages. This paper will examine how the roles of women have changed in Australian society, both in and outside of marriage, and how these roles have affected marriage and divorces in the last century. Discussion The largest change for women, in the realm of marriage, is the fact that patriarchy has shifted. For instance, one may view the movie The Piano for an example of how things used to be for women in Australia and New Zealand. In The Piano, the woman in the marriage was in the marriage because it was arranged, and, although it was evident that the main character, Ada, had a husband who wanted a â€Å"real† marriage, this never manifested. It was quite simply obvious that Alistair, the husband in this scenario, saw Ada as a way to bolster his social standing and really nothing more (The Piano). The Piano reflects a time in Australian history, indeed, in the history of the world, where women were regarded as property, and, because of this, fathers were able to force their daughters into loveless marriages. This reflects the standing of women in general during the 1850s. While The Piano reflects a time during the 19th Century, this paper will deal with the changing status of women during the 20th Century, but it is a helpful touchstone nonetheless. From the patriarchy in the 1850s, as evident in The Piano, a wave of reforms hit Australian society in the late 1800s, in a first wave of feminism in which women demanded to be counted as an equal in society, as well as within her own family. This was a wave of reform in which women were able to divorce their husbands, instead of divorce being the sole province of the man, which is what the case was before these reforms. This actually showed that the feminist movement gave more rights to women then did England, as women were not granted the right to divorce her husband on the grounds of adultery until 1923 in Engla nd, yet this right was granted in New South Wales in 1881 (James, 2005). This all leads to the rights of women at the turn of the century. The irony is that, according to Folbre (1991), while women were beginning to have parity with men in divorce court, their rights as within the marriage were actually being rolled back a bit. Folbre states that, in 1800, the work that a woman performs within the marriage was considered productive work for the purpose of labor force participation. In other words, the work that women did in 1800 was considered a part of the overall economic structure, and this work was considered to be a source of wealth. By 1900, however, this work was no longer considered productive, and women were considered to be â€Å"dependent,† along with senior citizens, children and disabled persons (Folbre, 1991). In other words, at the beginning of the 19th Century, the women’s contributions to the household were considered a driver of economic growth; by th e beginning of the 20th Century, this was no longer true. This shows that, at a time when women were getting some parity when it comes to divorce court, she was simultaneously being oppressed within the marriage itself, as she was considered to be the same as a child or a disabled person within the

Should Induced Abortion Be Prohibited To Protect Fetus' Human Rights Assignment

Should Induced Abortion Be Prohibited To Protect Fetus' Human Rights - Assignment Example In a global context we find that in 17 out of 18 nations polled around the world, majorities reject using criminal penalties, such as fines and imprisonment, as a means to prevent abortion. On average across all 18 countries, 52 percent favor leaving the matter of abortion to the individual, while 42 per cent think their government should try to discourage abortions. This shows exactly how heated the debate on induced abortion must be! When discussing induced abortion the most significant question that comes to mind is can we choose to kill unwanted pregnancies? Does the charter of human rights apply to humans after birth or as early as an embryo? Critics of abortion argue that since life begins at conception, abortion is next to murder as a human life is taken. They believe that abortion is in denial of the sanctity of human life. On the other hand supporters of induced abortion justify that almost all abortions occur in the first trimester when the fetus is entirely dependent on th e mother and thus cannot be claimed as a separate human being. Also as the fetus is part of the woman’s body it should be entirely her decision whether to go through childbirth or opt for abortion. People are divided into two groups; Pro-Life, inclusive of those people who advocate the protection of human embryos and fetuses and vote for the outlawing of abortion on the basis that is murder, and Pro-Choice, i.e. people who support the basic right of women to choose whether or not to continue pregnancy till childbirth. The single treaty that actually grants specific rights to foetuses is the American Convention on Human Rights of 1969, signed by 24 Latin American countries, which says that human rights begin at the moment of conception5. The United States of America has not signed this treaty. However this treaty does not enforce signatories to ban abortion, according to the most recent interpretation. Now let’s discuss abortion from a religious point of view. Religion indeed has the inclination to get involved in the majority of debates. Clerics are

How has marriage reflected the changing status of women in Australian Essay

How has marriage reflected the changing status of women in Australian culture in the past century - Essay Example This is where the current state of woman is, and it has resulted in a high failure rate for marriages. This paper will examine how the roles of women have changed in Australian society, both in and outside of marriage, and how these roles have affected marriage and divorces in the last century. Discussion The largest change for women, in the realm of marriage, is the fact that patriarchy has shifted. For instance, one may view the movie The Piano for an example of how things used to be for women in Australia and New Zealand. In The Piano, the woman in the marriage was in the marriage because it was arranged, and, although it was evident that the main character, Ada, had a husband who wanted a â€Å"real† marriage, this never manifested. It was quite simply obvious that Alistair, the husband in this scenario, saw Ada as a way to bolster his social standing and really nothing more (The Piano). The Piano reflects a time in Australian history, indeed, in the history of the world, where women were regarded as property, and, because of this, fathers were able to force their daughters into loveless marriages. This reflects the standing of women in general during the 1850s. While The Piano reflects a time during the 19th Century, this paper will deal with the changing status of women during the 20th Century, but it is a helpful touchstone nonetheless. From the patriarchy in the 1850s, as evident in The Piano, a wave of reforms hit Australian society in the late 1800s, in a first wave of feminism in which women demanded to be counted as an equal in society, as well as within her own family. This was a wave of reform in which women were able to divorce their husbands, instead of divorce being the sole province of the man, which is what the case was before these reforms. This actually showed that the feminist movement gave more rights to women then did England, as women were not granted the right to divorce her husband on the grounds of adultery until 1923 in Engla nd, yet this right was granted in New South Wales in 1881 (James, 2005). This all leads to the rights of women at the turn of the century. The irony is that, according to Folbre (1991), while women were beginning to have parity with men in divorce court, their rights as within the marriage were actually being rolled back a bit. Folbre states that, in 1800, the work that a woman performs within the marriage was considered productive work for the purpose of labor force participation. In other words, the work that women did in 1800 was considered a part of the overall economic structure, and this work was considered to be a source of wealth. By 1900, however, this work was no longer considered productive, and women were considered to be â€Å"dependent,† along with senior citizens, children and disabled persons (Folbre, 1991). In other words, at the beginning of the 19th Century, the women’s contributions to the household were considered a driver of economic growth; by th e beginning of the 20th Century, this was no longer true. This shows that, at a time when women were getting some parity when it comes to divorce court, she was simultaneously being oppressed within the marriage itself, as she was considered to be the same as a child or a disabled person within the

Tan Dun Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Tan Dun - Essay Example During the 1980’s Tan moved to New York City and enrolled in Cambridge University where he was educated in both classical and contemporary composition and music. From here Tan realized that he could take and combine all these musical influences and produce his own unique sense of style and form. Tan’s creative and broad works have left an everlasting mark on the world of music, distinctly reflecting his own concepts, ideas and individuality. Tan takes both western and eastern music and combines it with natural elements like paper, water, and wood producing a rich style of unique and exceptional composition. Some of Tan’s earlier and notable works are the Ghost Opera featuring a string quartet in 1994, Marco Polo an opera composed in 1995, and Symphony 1977: Heaven, Earth, Mankind an orchestra played in 1997 with bianzhong bells (â€Å"Tan Dun†). One of his most famous and praiseworthy works is the masterpiece for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon for which he deservedly received an Oscar Award as the best original score. In 2003, Tan brought the world of western music to the rural villagers of Hunan is his performance of The Map. That same year he also premiered the Paper Concerto at the opening of Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles (â€Å"Tan Dun†).

Dress solution Essay Example for Free

Dress solution Essay America’s schools have been faced with increased challenges over the last several years. Aside from seeking out new ways to educate students and keeping up with changes in technology, school leaders are facing a continued rise in social problems in their schools. Among these problems are incidents of school violence, gang activity and bullying which create a tension on school grounds nationwide that prevents many schools from fulfilling their mandate to educate students. Sadly, some of the most tragic incidents that occur in schools stem from the type of clothing that is being worn by students. Often theft and violence can be linked to designer clothes and expensive shoes. Sometimes clothing bearing colors and insignias may be used to identify gang affiliation, thereby promoting fear and intimidation among students. Certain styles of clothing also lend themselves toward easily hiding weapons. Furthermore, the pressure to be fashionable and have the latest clothes can take its toll financially and emotionally on students and parents. These issues are beginning to gain momentum, especially among parents, in school districts across the country. Parental support has become the force behind the increase in school districts adopting student dress policies. A recent survey in Hoke County, North Carolina showed an average of 64 percent of parents supported uniforms in the schools. Student dress also drew the attention of the former President Clinton. In a memorandum on school uniforms to the Secretary of Education, he directed the Secretary to â€Å"develop information about how local school districts have made uniforms part of their school safety and discipline programs. † He also requested that information about school uniforms be made available to every school district in the country. There are no perfect solutions to the social problems that exist in today’s schools. However, schools can and should consider practical steps to create an atmosphere of respect and attentiveness for their students. Implementing a student dress policy is one such option. Although little formal research has been done on the effect these policies have on students, the feedback given by those who have implemented school dress policies indicate these policies are making a difference. This paper will explore the types of school dress policies—school uniforms and dress codes—and the effects they are having in today’s schools. Student Dress as Policy The attention given to school dress codes and uniforms has become more and more focused over the last several years. As dialogue increases among parents, students and school officials about what remedies may exist to deal with the problems facing today’s schools, student dress policies have moved to the forefront. The issue received nationwide recognition in 1998 when, in his State of the Union address, President Clinton recommended school uniforms as a method of reducing school violence. Since that time, there has been a notable increase in the number of schools that have considered and implemented a dress policy for their students. More recently, in his State of the State address, North Carolina Governor Mike Easley recommended school dress codes as a means to address behavior in North Carolina’s schools. In his speech Governor Easley asked every school board to â€Å"enforce a reasonable dress code policy because students come to school to learn—not to party. † It appears that leaders on many levels have begun to recognize the potential benefits that school dress policies can have on the school environment. Uniforms: When implementing a school dress policy, some schools are more directives while others take a more passive approach. School uniforms are certainly the more directive method because they tell students what they must wear. A school uniform policy requires students to wear similar looking outfits to class each day. Some schools do offer an â€Å"opt-out† option if the parents agree to it. Others will also make exception for students whose religious beliefs may be hindered by the uniform. The first known public school in the country to adopt a school policy on uniforms was Cherry Hill Elementary in Baltimore, Maryland in 1987. The first major school district to require school uniforms was California’s Long Beach Unified School District in 1994. 6 According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) of the U. S. Department of Education; only about three percent of public schools require uniforms to be worn by their students. Nationwide, at least 37 states, including North Carolina, give local school districts the authority to require uniforms if they choose to. The first county in North Carolina to require uniforms was Halifax County. As of the 2000-2001 school year, they are the only school district in the state to require uniforms in all their schools. 10 The county school uniform regulations require elementary and middle school students to wear certain combinations of khaki bottoms with navy or white shirts (plaid jumpers are allowed for females). High school students must wear a variety of pants and shirts combinations depending on the school they attend. The Halifax uniform policy does ease penalties for financial hardship and exempts students from wearing a uniform if it imposes a substantial burden on a student’s exercise of religious belief. Though no other school districts require uniforms district-wide, some individual schools within school districts have chosen to require uniforms. For example, in North Carolina’s largest school district—Charlotte/ Mecklenburg—23 of the 144 schools have chosen to require uniforms even though they are not required to do so. Dress Codes: Another less stringent approach to student dress policy is the school dress code. A school dress code instructs students on what they cannot wear instead of telling them what to wear (i. e. no hats, no tight fitting clothes, no vulgar or obscene depictions on clothing, etc. ). Dress codes are much more common in North Carolina’s schools than uniform policies. Out of the 117 school districts in this state, at least 48 have some form of dress code in place. One of this state’s most notable school dress code policies is in Johnston County. Their policy not only prohibits inappropriate clothing such as short shorts and sagging pants, but also prohibits abnormal hair colors and body piercing jewelry. Students who violate the policy may receive a short term suspension from school for up to 10 days and students who repeatedly violate the policy may be suspended for the remainder of the year. Other counties, such as Cabarrus, have similar policies, but leave the responsibility of developing rules and regulation up to each school’s principal. The Effect: There has been little scientific study done on the effects of student dress policies. However, there is empirical evidence that continues to mount, especially with the rising number of schools who are considering these options. One survey of schools nationwide conducted by the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) revealed that one out of five (21 percent) public, private and parochial school principles had either instigated a uniform policy, were currently writing one, or had it on their agenda for consideration. With so many schools and school districts adopting school dress policies, it is important to understand why so many have chosen to do so. The purpose for most, if not all, schools that are adopting uniforms and dress codes is to address the issues of discipline and academic achievement. Classroom disruptions are commonplace in today’s schools and having methods in place to promote a better learning environment have never been more important. Furthermore, little debate remains over the dangers and pressures that exist in schools today. With the increased displays of school violence, many school officials, parents and students have become more determined to find solutions. In determining the effectiveness of school dress policies, there is no more compelling evidence that the feedback from the school principals themselves. Though the majority of public schools do not require uniforms, the feedback is very positive from those who do. According to one survey conducted by the NAESP, principals of schools that have uniform policies in place believe that students stay more disciplined and focused in their studies and feel less peer pressure. According to the study, principals identified the following effects of school uniforms: 79 percent believed uniforms positively affected classroom discipline; 67 percent saw an improvement in student concentration; 62 percent noticed a positive effect on school safety; 72 percent saw an increase in school spirit; 85 percent noted a better perception of the school by the community; and 75 percent indicated a positive effect on peer pressure among students. In North Carolina, the feedback from Halifax County is also positive. Dr. Viola Vaughan, principle at Southeast Halifax High School said that their school uniform policy has done a lot for the students both academically and behaviorally. â€Å"Discipline issues have decreased tremendously,† she said, â€Å"when children look around at each other, they don’t see the name brands and clothing that often divides them. † Dr. Vaughan pointed out that even school assemblies are quieter because students act more respectfully. Alan Sledge, assistant principle at Brawley Middle School in Halifax County, said that their uniform policy was â€Å"very effective and places a very valuable role on the academic setting because the kids are more focused on their books over their clothes. † Feedback on school dress codes has also been positive. According to Don Woodard, a high school principal in Johnston County, the student’s â€Å"demeanor is better and there are fewer disruptions because of teasing, or students being uncomfortable because of the apparel that others are wearing. † He also pointed out that the students have more â€Å"poise and are more well-behaved when they have the sense of being dressed for the occasion of learning. †22 Commenting on his school’s dress code, Shelly Marsh, a middle school principle also from Johnston County, said: â€Å"We have high expectations by having a dress code, students know there are expectations and guidelines that they must adhere to. Students’ attitudes are different according to their dress. † Along with school principals, the U. S. Department of Education has acknowledged the positive effect that school uniforms can have. In their publication â€Å"Manual on School Uniforms,† which was ordered to be sent to every school district in the United States by President Clinton, the Department of Education cited the following potential benefits of school uniforms: (1) decreasing violence and theft; (2) preventing gang members from wearing gang clothing at school; (3) instilling student discipline; (4) helping to resist peer pressure; (5) helping students concentrate on academics; and (6) aiding in the recognition of intruders. Safety and Other Benefits Of all the potential benefits of school dress policies, none is more important than improving school safety. With student violence constantly making the headlines, the clamor for solutions continues to grow. Safety in schools today is essential, and creating an environment that reduces incidents of intimidation and violence is necessary for students to learn effectively. Unfortunately, the demand for high priced designer clothing often puts students at risk of theft and violence from other students. Clothing that indicates affiliation with gangs is also a problem and can cause intimidation and fear in schools. The National School Safety and Security Services, an organization that consults nationwide on school safety and crisis preparedness issues, supports school uniforms and dress codes as a way to â€Å"contribute toward improving the school climate† because it â€Å"can play a significant role in reducing security threats and improving school safety. † According to this safety organization, dress codes and uniforms can help reduce potential problems by: (1) reducing conflict stemming from socioeconomic status, such as comments and personal attacks about who has better clothing; (2) reducing ways in which gang members can identify themselves which, in essence, is a form of intimidation and creates fear; (3) reducing the risk of students being robbed of expensive clothing, jewelry, etc. ; (4) in the case of uniforms, helping school administrators to more easily identify non students, trespassers, and other visitors in the hallways who stand out in the crowd. Notable evidence of the effects of a student dress policy can be seen from the aftermath of California’s Long Beach school district implementing mandatory school uniforms. Since they began requiring uniforms, crime in the school district has dropped by 91 percent, suspensions have decreased by 90 percent, sex offenses have been reduced by 96 percent and vandalism is down 69 percent. Interestingly, these improvements came about without any other security measures having been implemented at the time uniforms became mandatory. In addition, a study released by the Harvard School of Education found that the Long Beach school district was among six districts in the nations 34 largest cities that dramatically reduced their dropout rates. During the past five years, dropout rates have declined from 11. 2 to 2. 7 percent. The Center for the Prevention of School Violence, though not endorsing any specific dress code policies, points out that each of the â€Å"three Ps of school safety† — â€Å"place† (physical security of the school), â€Å"people† (those in the school) and â€Å"purpose† (mission of the school)—can be impacted by school dress policies. This is because dress policies define what is appropriate for the school setting while impacting the way in which people relate and interact with one another. The Center acknowledges that though the research on student dress policies is limited, the anecdotal evidence supports the existence of some form of student dress policy. It is important to remember that the solution to school violence does not lie in one single approach—certainly not in school dress policies alone. Yet, because of the likely benefit of curbing school violence, they should be considered along with other solutions. Student dress policies can also benefit students far beyond keeping them safe. Schools with uniforms say that their students have better self-esteem because without the name brand clothing on display, the students are placed on an equal level. Poorer students do not feel and are not treated as inferior because they don’t have nice clothes. This equality also seems to create a sense of school unity. Dr. Viola Vaughan and Allan Sledge, both principals from Halifax county have witnessed an increase in school unity since uniforms were required. Dr. Arnold Goldstein, head of the Center for Research on Aggression at Syracuse University agrees. He believes that uniforms encourage a â€Å"sense of belonging† because they promote a feeling of community among the students and help make a troubled student feel like part of a supportive whole. These effects contribute to a school’s overall sense of order and discipline. As a result, the learning environment improves—making it easier for teachers to teach and for students to learn. Student dress policies also reduce the cost of clothing for students. Parents whose children wear uniforms do not have to spend extra money on multiple outfits for their children. Instead, they need only invest in a few outfits that conform to the school’s uniform policy. This is particularly helpful to the low-income parents who often feel the financial burden of providing suitable clothes for their children. USA Today reported that in 1998 parents of students in non-uniform schools spent an average of $185 per child while parents of children in uniform schools spent an average of $104 per child. 33 Uniforms also minimize the confusion about what to wear to school each day, relieving students of the chaos of choosing and outfit each day. Dress codes are also helpful for parents when shopping for their children because they provide guidelines for parents when purchasing clothes for their children—often ruling out excessive and expensive articles of clothing that conflict with the school’s policies and keeping student dress within reasonable boundaries. Student dress policies offer authority figures in the schools the opportunity to display their own dedication and discipline. Some schools with dress policies include (or extend the option to) teachers to participate as well. Certainly, if teachers and administrators exhibit the same discipline that is required of the students, it will reinforces the guidelines and make students more likely to comply.

Stanislavskis method of acting

Stanislavskis method of acting Konstantin Stanislavski, (born Konstantin Alekseyev, and sometimes spelt Constantin Stanislavsky), was 14 years old when he first set foot on the stage that his parents owned in 1877. His love of the theatre blossomed throughout his life, leading him to become one of the worlds most influential theatre practitioners to date. His work in the field of theatrical rehearsal techniques made him a household name for drama students worldwide. He published many books and guides designed to give drama students an insight into realism, including An Actor Prepares and Building a Character, which outline various famous rehearsal methods designed to allow an actor to fully relate to their character, to the point that they are not just pretending to be them, but actually living their lives. He argued that the actor should Love the art in yourself, not yourself in the art [1], looking for the emotion within themselves as opposed to the words in the script. Stanislavskis pioneering vision for the theatre was that characters should be believable, and the storyline should focus on the emotion portrayed, engaging the audience through means such as empathy. He argued that anything put forward on the stage should be an accurate account of real life, a thought which derived from his distaste for the melodramatic theatre he had grown up with. However, Stanislavski is one of several famous theatre practitioners, all with a completely different concept of what theatre should be. For example, Bertolt Brecht put forward the theory of Epic Theatre, which taught that the audience should always be alienated from the action onstage, unable to identify with the characters, but rather being left with questions to ask themselves. He believed the audience couldnt possibly empathise with the characters onstage because there were so many individual differences in society itself- society cannot share a common communication system so long as it is split into warring factions (Brecht, 1949, paragraph 55[2]). Brecht wanted the audience to leave the theatre debating their morals. Another prestigious theatrical practitioner is Antonin Artaud, who argued that any performance should deeply affect the audience. In order to achieve this, he used non-naturalistic lighting and sound to create a disturbing atmosphere. Artaud wished his audience to leave the theatre having changed within themselves. With three such different aims from each practitioner, it is difficult to be sure whether any of them had a particularly valid point. All three theories are widely respected, but each contrasts and challenges the next, meaning that, in order to believe in one of them, you must rule out the others as valid. These conflicting theories became the beginning of the main ideas behind this project. I wanted to know whether there was a solid way to prove whether Stanislavskis theories are affective to the audience in terms of creating a more realistic performance than one with normal rehearsal, or indeed rehearsal methods devised by other practitioners. To be able to determine this, I needed to conduct deeper research into Stanislavskis system. The system itself is deep and intricately detailed, with many different aspects as to what Stanislavski considered a good performance. However, some points are evidently more significant to him than others. According to the online Encyclopaedia Britannia [3], the main features are Given Circumstances and the Magic If, and Emotional Memory. Units and Objectives is also a major feature of the system, so these are the three aspects I chose to refine my research to in order to establish a better understanding of Stanislavskis method of acting. Given Circumstances and the Magic If Stanislavski said that what is important to me is not the truth outside myself, but the truth within myself [4], meaning that anything put forward on the stage must be true. He recognised this idea was a potential issue because all acting is, essentially, a lie. He therefore said that all actors should be as true to themselves as they can while playing a part. The idea behind Given Circumstances is that actors accept that, with the script of a play, they are given a set of circumstances which they must adhere to in order to create the storyline. Given circumstances can relate to either the character or the play itself, and they include things like characters age, gender, social class, and the plays time period, setting and social/historical/political implications. In order for an actor to give a true performance, Stanislavski put a massive emphasis on the importance of research into the given time period or situation so that the performer would truly understand their role. He taught that the research needs to be completed until an actor can fully flesh out his character, and answer any questions given to them about their characters parentage, childhood, and life events, even if these arent mentioned in the script. Once the Given Circumstances had been realised, Stanislavski suggested that the actors utilised a linked aspect of his theory, called the Magic If, in order to deal with them. The Magic If is a technique where the actor asks himself given the circumstances already decided by the playwright, if I was this character, and I was in this situation, how would I react?. In his book An Actor Prepares, Stanislavski talked about the professor using the example of pretending to be a tree. Say to yourself: I am I; but if I were an old oak tree, set in certain surrounding conditions, what would I do? and decide where you are in whatever place affects you most (Stanislavski, 1937, p65[5]). Stanislavski asked that his students allow their imaginations to flourish th rough techniques such as Given Circumstances and the Magic If, to construct deeper, more realistic performances. Emotional Memory Another technique which was born from Stanislavskis belief that acting must be real is Emotional Memory, sometimes known as Affective Memory. Shelley Winters, an example of a famous actress with ultimate belief in the Stanislavski System, said that as an actor you must be willing to act with your scars [6], or in laymans terms, be willing to allow your inner emotions and past experiences to show through. This is essentially the main terms of Emotional Memory, which requires the actor to draw on previous personal experiences which resulted in a similar emotion to which their character is experiencing. Once the actor has identified the experience, they are encouraged to allow the emotion they felt once again take over their mind and body, reinstating the context and mind-set until the emotion is real. The emotion must then seamlessly be applied to the script or character, as Stanislavski felt this would make the performance more believable because the emotion is true to the actor. Pete r Oyston, founding Dean of Drama at the Victorian College of the Arts and regular teacher/director at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, created a rehearsal method specifically designed to enhance the feelings from memories. He published this, and other methods referring to Stanislavskian techniques, in a DVD documentary called How to use the Stanislavski System (2004). The Emotional Memory section can be viewed on YouTube [7], and teaches the student to remember a time when they personally felt an emotion which shadows or parallels that required from the text. They are encouraged to talk about the situation they are remembering out loud, until the emotion takes over their minds and bodies. Then, they must seamlessly transfer their speech from their own recollections to the script given to them, transferring the emotions at the same time. Units and Objectives One of the most prominent aspects of Stanislavskis method is his idea that any character in any play has a Super-Objective throughout the action; an aim or driving force which sustains throughout the play. Stanislavski taught that this Super-Objective must stay in each actors mind throughout their rehearsal and performance, and that even though it may not be stated, or even obvious, they must take it upon themselves to research and discover it. Once this has been accomplished, he felt that the script could then be broken down into smaller Objectives, which would change several times throughout the piece as the plot deepened. Each Objective must be a verb, in order to be an active objective. He asked actors to split their script into Units and Objectives. Most pieces of drama are split by the playwright into a series of scenes and acts, allowing the action to move in time or setting, but Stanislavski found that an objective could run through and overlap into different scenes, or chang e very suddenly in the middle of an act. He therefore introduced the concept of Units, which are another way of dividing up a play- each unit should contain one objective. The diagram above outlines the intricate detail of the aspects of Units, Objectives, and Super-Objectives. The Throughline of Action is the aim in a characters mind throughout the entirety of the play, which culminates in the Super-Objective. Meanwhile, each character has several different Objectives which are split between the Units the actors devised for the script. These Objectives can take the character to many different places, but their Super-Objective will always remain the same. Furthermore, the Objectives themselves are equally as detailed. Stanislavski said that each Objective could be broken down into the Aim, the Obstacle and the Action. The aim is what the character is trying to achieve in that particular unit. The obstacle is something which stops or restricts them from fulfilling their aim, and the action is the steps the character takes in order to avoid or overcome the obstacle. Stanislavski accepted that it is impossible for a play to achieve a smooth finish where objectives are concerned because often, the action takes place off stage. The characters come and go, and the time changes, so we as an audience cannot witness the whole story. Stanislavski said that in order to overcome this, actors must always be consciously aware of their Super-Objective. A familiar example of this aspect of the Stanislavskian Theory is Shakespeares story of Romeo and Juliet. Romeos Super-Objective is to experience true love. He begins the play with the objective of marrying Rosaline, and this continues to be his objective until the Unit shifts at the Capulet party. Here, Romeos objective becomes to find out more about Juliet, and later becomes to marry her. Towards the end of the party, however, Romeo speaks with Juliets nurse, who tells him that her mother is the Lady of the house -that Juliet is a Capulet(Shakespeare, 1973, p. 910 [8]). This provides the obstacle, since Romeos family, the Montagues, have an ancient feud with the Capulets. Romeo then takes on a new action, which is to overcome the feud between the families, even if it means the couple have to lie about it. Romeo doesnt manage to fully achieve his Super-Objective, because he never experiences the simplicity of love he was looking for- both he and Juliet have to die in order to truly be together. Of all the aspects of Stanislavskis method, these three prove to be the most popular among modern day performers. Having researched the key aspects of Stanislavskis system, I devised a way to be able to assess the effectiveness of them on a live performance by young actors, as this would allow me to establish whether the method does in fact help to produce a more believable performance. I decided to conduct an experiment into the effectiveness of Stanislavskis system. I decided to utilise my contacts at a local youth drama group, which is made up of young actors and actresses aged between 11 and 17 years old. In order for the experiment to be a fair test, I determined to split them equally into two groups, and give each group the same scenario to work with. I planned to leave group one, the control group, to rehearse to their own methods, while conducting group twos rehearsal processes myself, giving them tasks similar to those set by Stanislavski to his own pupils. After the groups had had the same period of time to rehearse, I wanted to invite an audience to watch their performances. The audie nce were to be given a questionnaire after the performances, asking which groups interpretation of the scenario they found more convincing and realistic. I intended to film both sets of rehearsal processes in order to put together a short documentary. The results of the audience questionnaire were intended to ascertain whether Stanislavskis rehearsal methods have a real influence on making modern day performance more realistic. In order for this experiment to work, I firstly had to create an idea. Originally, I devised a script which revolved around the issue of teenage pregnancy, which is a growing concern in todays society. The script included four gender specific characters, and I intended to have both groups perform the same piece; one using Stanislavskis techniques, and the others using generic rehearsal processes. Having written the short play, and talked briefly to the children at the theatre, it became apparent that there was more interest in the workshop than I had expected. Another problem with using a script would have been that the audience would have watched the same piece twice, and would be comparing the actors individual performances as opposed to the believability of the pieces. Since it would have been unfair of me to cast the roles, I instead decided to take a different approach in order to include everyone. I devised a scenario, again based around a teenage pregnancy, that each group wou ld be able to use as the core of their piece of drama. They would then devise the rest of their plays alone. This meant that each group could incorporate a flexible amount of participants, and ensured two unique, original performances. With my idea in mind, I next needed to devise some Stanislavski-based rehearsal techniques for my group to use during their preparation for the production. Keeping the themes of Given Circumstances and the Magic If, Emotional Memory, and Units and Objectives in mind, I devised three rehearsal techniques specifically tailored to Stanislavskis ideals. With these techniques devised, I had to actually carry out the rehearsal and performances. In order to do this, I would need a space, two groups of actors, a party of responsible adults with CRB checks and an audience. I contacted the chairman of the theatre and booked myself a studio performance room for Saturday the 3rd of April. I then sent out letters to the actors involved with the Nonentities Youth Theatre. The letters outlined the project and the experimental side of the day, offered the chance to look at the technical side of theatre, and asked for a response. I received 18 positive responses back, which was many more than the ori ginal 12 participants I had in mind, making the scenario idea far more usable. I then had to split the actors into two different groups, a control group, who would direct themselves, and the experimental group, who I would direct using Stanislavskis methods. The groups needed to be equally weighted with talent, as it was important to make this experiment as fair as possible by not allowing acting ability to throw it. I therefore split the actors into groups myself, aiming to balance the ages in each group while placing responsible actors I could trust to work independently in the control group, and actors open to co-operation and willing to listen in the Stanislavski group. The Independent Variable of this study was whether Stanislavskis methods were applied to rehearsals, and the Dependant Variable was whether the performance was more believable based on the rehearsal method used. My hypothesis was: The techniques used in rehearsal will have an affect on the performance given. I experienced my first problem of the day when the actors arrived in the morning. Shortly before the workshop was to take place, a letter had been sent to all members of the youth theatre outlining the need for a new leader and the cancellation of sessions until another letter was sent out. It became apparent that many of the actors who had wished to be a part of the workshop had assumed that it, too, was cancelled, so the final number of actors I had to work with was just 10. Although I had to adjust the group list, the smaller number of participants made the day as a whole more intimate, and the group sizes more manageable, so I feel it was a beneficial circumstance. Once everybody had signed in, I conducted a brief warm-up, asking all members to think of the way different characters moved and spoke in real life, asking them to act believably, not just as caricatures. I then split up the actors into groups, and chose the two girls who I felt would be most capable of acting the par t of the pregnant teenager. I asked both groups to create a piece of drama focussing around the pregnancy that would last between 10 and 15 minutes, and I gave each group a list of criteria that they must adhere to, including aspects such as using the younger members in the younger roles, including a number of monologues from different characters, and that they must write down the decisions made in early rehearsal. I told the control group that they were allowed to use music, and dramatic techniques such as physical theatre and freeze frames, while the Stanislavski group had to endeavour to make their characters and circumstances applicable to real life, and were told not to use out-of-place techniques like freeze framing. The video was set to record as the groups split up into two different rooms, and I allowed the control group to keep to themselves for the majority of the day, while I worked with the Stanislavski group, asking them to use my previously-prepared rehearsal techniqu es. The first technique I gave them was designed to support Given Circumstances and the Magic If. I asked each group to use the first stages of rehearsal to create mind-maps around the pieces of drama. Whilst the control groups map outlined the storyline, the Stanislavski group were asked to spend an hour and a half fleshing out their characters, and the relationships and links between them. They gave each character a name and an age, they wrote about their beliefs and opinions, and decided upon how their characters met. Each actor developed a detailed history for their character, pulling from personal experience and their imaginations to create steady backgrounds. These are aspects relating to Given Circumstances and the Magic If because they invite the participants to firstly realise the Circumstances the script gives them, and secondly to flesh out their characterisation by putting their characters in different situations through use of the Magic If. The second technique I devised related to Emotion Memory. I used this technique when working with the actress playing the pregnant girl. We applied it to the scene in which she is told that the test is positive. I asked her to think about a time when she felt lost, and perhaps didnt have anybody she could talk to about it because nobody had been in that position before her. She talked of a time when her parents were going through a messy divorce, and she felt cut of from the both of them. She spoke openly and freely, and answered my questions honestly. As time went by, she was drawn further and further into her memory and the emotions that were present at that time, so that when I finally asked her to begin talking from her characters perspective, her acting became real. She didnt need to fake the tears, because she was filled with the emotion her character was filled with. The third technique was designed to compliment Units and Objectives. Once the actors had created their storyline, I asked them to divide it up into scenes, so that it was as close to a normal scripted piece of drama as possible. We talked about each of their characters, and what their Super-Objectives would be. The actors decided upon everyones objectives as a group, which brought a deeper level of understanding to the piece. They decided that the fathers Super-Objective would be to protect his children, while Rosie, the pregnant daughter, aimed to face her future head on. I then asked each actor to divide up the play into their own Units, focussing on the shifts in emotion. This process proved difficult for the younger members of the group, so the group as a whole helped them to identify their Units. There proved a great variety in the amount of Units in the piece for each character; while the pregnant girl had almost one per scene, the father had only two. Furthermore, the switch b etween Units for him came suddenly in the middle of his monologue, which was right at the end of the piece- before then his character had wanted the same thing throughout. I asked the group to physically improvise the scenes they had written about, and to stop the action when they encountered their obstacles. Once they had all found their obstacles, they were asked to continue acting while finding a way to overcome this obstacle- their action. I then asked them if they had noticed the other actors actions in the scene, so that everybody was aware of the decisions their group was making.This in-depth workshop class on Units and Super-Objectives made the young actors aware and knowledgeable in the field, while also allowing them to know their characters inside out by knowing what they want, and how they might go about achieving it. A couple of hours before the performances were scheduled to begin, I took notes on the rehearsal processes of both groups. The control group had included an omniscient narrator who could stop the action and introduce new characters. The narrator sat in the middle of the piece throughout the majority of the action, until the final scene where he became an involved character. A narrator is generally used to create a sense of dramatic irony, where the audience gain knowledge that the characters dont yet know. However, this type of narration is rarely set within the piece itself, more often a voice over or such like. It is also unrealistic that the narrator, who is generally removed from and neutral to the action, suddenly become real life and jump into the scene. The group also used a split-screen technique to enable them to show two different apartments at the same time, which is effective to the audience but unrealistic, as while action is playing out in one space, the characters in t he other must be frozen. This creation of freeze-framing is difficult to hold for long periods of time, and does not occur in a genuine situation. Another technique they used was audience-participation, where one member of their cast sat in the audience until the final moments of the play, where she rose, walked across the stage, took out her mobile and called the police. I concluded that the control group had included various aspects of performance which were designed to make the action more interesting to the audience, and add the element of surprise, but were not designed to look or feel realistic. They had spent only half an hour mind-mapping their decisions, and talked about their other decisions while physically rehearsing. The Stanislavski group spent an hour and a half developing their characters, and another hour developing their storyline, so they ended up with four A3 sheets of paper detailing their entire performance. They used only one location, the teenagers bedroom, so that there was never a set change needed, because it would interrupt the storyline and distract the audience. The groups monologues were delivered to a person, as opposed to the audience, so that the barrier between the audience and the characters stayed strong. Had the actors been talking to the audience, their speeches would have seemed less realistic. After five hours of rehearsal, it was time for the final performances. Each actor had been asked to invite some family members or friends, and members of the theatre came along to participate too. Each audience also included the actors from the other group, making the final audience figure 19 members. I watched the performances, but didnt participate in the questionnaire, as I would have been biased toward the Stanislavski group. I introduced the pieces, and talked about the work the actors had undertaken over the day. The audience werent told which group was the control group, and which group was the Stanislavski group, until both performances had finished, meaning that they couldnt be biased in favour of Stanislavski either. I also asked them to be open minded, and not answer the questionnaire in favour of the production their child was associated with, telling them they were judging my direction, not the individual actors talent. The audience watched the control group first, and w ere given time to fill out their questionnaires while we set up the stage for the Stanislavski group. After both performances had finished, I thanked everybody for taking part and collected in the questionnaires. Having extrapolated my results, it became apparent that there was a general feeling that the Stanislavski production was more believable. When asked was the main storyline believable, 66% of the audience thought that the control groups piece was a dramatised and exaggerated version of real life, while 95% thought that the Stanislavski groups piece could credibly happen in real life. Having worked extensively with the pregnant character from the Stanislavski group, I was pleased that 42% of the audience thought that she portrayed the pregnancy flawlessly, while a further 42% felt that she portrayed it very well, while in the control group, these percentages combined only reached 44%. I asked the audience to rate how believable they felt the overall performances were, and 56% rated the control groups performance at an 8/10 or higher, while 94% rated the Stanislavski performance at an 8/10 or higher. Overall, it is evident that the Stanislavski groups performance was more widely believe d. It is important to note that the effectiveness of the performances given may not be entirely down to the methods of rehearsal used. Although I tried to make the experiment as fair as possible by attempting to make the rehearsal methods the only variable, other extraneous variables may have had an affect on the final results. For example, since there were fewer participants than planned, I had to shuffle the groups a little. This meant that the control group had two of the younger members in their piece, while the Stanislavski group had four older members. The younger members of the theatre are less experienced and therefore dont have as many creative ideas to bring to the mix. It is also apparent that almost half of the audience were family members of the younger actors, meaning that they are liable to vote in favour of their childs piece as they are proud to see them on stage. Although I asked the audience to keep an open mind, they may have been bias towards their family or friends , and this is a factor which could have affected the final results. At the beginning of my project, I asked myself What is Stanislavskis Method of acting, and how far has it influenced modern day performance? Having undertaken a considerable amout of research on Stanislavski and his methods, it became easier for me to define them, and to easily distinguish the difference between his teachings, and those of other practitioners. I found that Stanislavskis method of acting is largely based around the actors own interpretation of the character, aiming to keep the emotion real. I found that Stanislavski wanted the audience to connect with both the storyline and the characters, and he achieved this connection by keeping th acting real, thus allowing the audience to connect empathetically. Having created an experiment to see whether Stanislavski did indeed influence modern day performance, I found that the audience were effected by the group that used the Stanislavskian rehearsal techniques, so much so that one person wrote on the bottom of their questionna ire that their performance actually brought tears to my eyes. While researching, I came across a website [9] where Jeni Whittaker (1999) argues that Stanislavski is rightly called the father of modern theatre, his System of acting became the backbone of twentieth century theatre craft. Nearly all other practitioners use him as a starting point, either to build from or to react against. This substantiates my initial hypothesis that Stanislavski has a major influence on modern day theatre. In conclusion, I feel that Stanislavski has an extended influence on modern day theatre. Audiences of today wish not to be challenged or alienated, but to see characters they can relate to on the stage, and the majority of theatre today follows this teaching, whether the director realises he is adhering to Stanislavskis theory or otherwise. Furthermore, when watching two similar pieces of drama, it became apparent that the audience are more drawn towards that which used Stanislavskis rehearsal techn iques because the characters and storyline were portrayed in a true to life manner. I found that Stanislavski is not only used in theatre, as many famous screen actors choose his methods when getting into character. I feel that the world is exposed to Stanislavskis teachings more than it realises, and therefore the influence of Stanislavski on modern day acting is significantly higher than I believed when I began the project. References: Source unknown, Stanislavski. Brecht (1949). A Short Organum for the Theatre, paragraph 55. Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica (2010). Stanislavsky method. Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica Online; Retrieved February 22, 2010, from: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/563178/Stanislavsky-method Source unknown, Stanislavski. Stanislavski (1937). An Actor Prepares, (reprinted 1988) United Kingdom: Methuen Drama LTD. Harry Governick for TheatrGROUP. (1992). An Interview with Shelly Winters; Retrieved February 22, 2010, from http://www.theatrgroup.com/Shelley Peter Oyston, How to use the Stanislavski System DVD(2004). Retrieved (via YouTube) April 12, 2010, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmhggaEuJj8 Shakespeare (1973). Romeo and Juliet, from The Complete Works of Shakespeare- The Alexander Text. London and Glasgow: Collins. Jeni Whittaker for DramaWorks. Stanislavski through Practice (1999) Retrieved April 13, 2010, from http://www.dramaworks.co.uk/stanislavski.html