Analyze iPhone in the context of broader Corporate Design concept Essay - 1

Analyze iPhone in the context of broader Corporate Design concept - Essay Example The principle aim of Augustine was to develop an archbishop in the area of London but this couldn’t happen because at that time London was following paganism. Due to this they choose the capital of the kingdom of Kent to seat the archbishop. The church of the Romans as well as the Celtic had differences in opinion and were quite different, the organization of the Celtic Church was poorly organized and on the other hand the Celtic Church was quite discipline and organized. These two churches even did not agree on the day on which they used to celebrate Easter, thus they used to celebrate the event separately on separate days. Later during the era of 664 both held meetings together at Synod to settle their differences and in this meeting the Roman Church stood victorious (Bracher 107). The church played a major role in the Anglo-Saxon society and was the only not that keep different kingdoms of the Anglo Saxons tied to each other. The monasteries created in the early period became the only available learning areas but later they were terrorized by the Vikings during the period of the 9th Century. The most renowned scholar of the period the Anglo-Saxons was monk Bede who spent his major portion of life at a monastery located in Northumbria (Foot 23). Another famous piece of art and religion of that era was the bible which was illustrated at the monastery of Lindisfarne. During that era, the only type of education available to the common man came from the church. During this period several works written in Latin language were translated into English and schools were being created within churches. A major role was played by those who held highest positions in the church; they took participation in politics and used to manage the church and the property of the church, and even provided advice to kings on various subjects. Monasteries played the part of spreading Christianity and the word of gospel on their

People today freely use The Internet Essay Example for Free

People today freely use The Internet Essay People today freely use The Internet, E-mail, and Online Messaging to communicate with other people. It’s a great way to talk to loved ones who live far away, conduct business, and just have fun with friends, but there is a downside. People who we don’t know can obtain information about us by tracking e-mails and messages and unless these things are encrypted, everything we write can be pulled up and used against us. That is why people who use the Internet need to be much more aware of their online privacy and security. The Internet started in 1969 by the U. S. overnment. They wanted a communication system that couldn’t be destroyed in the event of an emergency. It consisted of four computers linked together called DARPANET. In the 1970’s people found that they could use this system to send messages between the computers to get to other people. More and more people started using this system and by the end of the 70’s, it was international. The earliest found company to use instant messaging was Mirabilis in November of 1996. Instant messaging is like a telephone conversation done between two people on the computer in real time. Popular companies that have instant messaging are AOL, Yahoo, and NET Messenger Service. E-mail or Electronic Mail is a way of composing, sending, and receiving messages over the computer. E-mail started in 1965, which means it actually began before the Internet and in fact helped start the Internet. First e-mail was used for multiple users to communicate through a mainframe computer. Now even though the government does not have control over the Internet in present day, they can still monitor what individuals are writing especially after September 11th. â€Å"The Sept. 1 terrorists relied heavily on the Internet, and the hijackers appear to have plotted their carnage using Yahoo e-mail. † The FBI believes they can now catch suspected terrorists by looking at suspicious email, but what constitutes suspicious? They have developed a program called Carnivore that looks through e-mail to find suspicious information. But, critics of this are not so sure of it’s benefits becau se it can be used to look for keywords such as â€Å"hijack† in mass amounts of e-mails, and whenever it finds an e-mail or message that has that word the FBI is entitled to read that message. If someone is just asking another person through e-mail about the current terrorist situation will that set off an alarm with the FBI and now that person’s e-mails will be tracked? Very possibly. The PATRIOT (Provide Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism) Act provides investigators with more flexibility to pursue interception of e-mail messages, and monitoring of Web surfing and other PC-based communications. But does the general public believe that that government should have the right to look into private e-mails if they could catch a terrorist by doing it? According to a survey of PCWorld. m, â€Å"a total of 60 percent said they had serious concerns about giving the government more access to personal e-mail while 38 percent said they had little or no concern. † While the government and FBI feel that this is a completely legitimate way to weed out the terrorists in America, many others find it a complete invasion of privacy. This isn’t only a government vs. he people issue. As of 2004, â€Å"1 in 5 companies has had employees electronic messages subpoenaed in the course of a lawsuit or regulatory investigation† and â€Å"another 13 percent of 840 companies surveyed this year have battled workplace lawsuits triggered by employee e-mail. This means that private emails being sent while at work can be retrieved and used against a person in a court of law. The right to privacy is completely being revoked in these situations. That is why Americans need to be more aware of how to protect their privacy and there are ways to do this. First is by looking at the actual disclaimers that most people just sign without actually reading. American Online or AOL and Yahoo are two major providers of both e-mail and instant messaging. Looking into what their privacy policies are, you find this. Your AIM information consists of personally identifiable information collected or received about you when you register. Your AIM information may be shared within AOL and its business divisions. Your AIM information, including the contents of your online communications, may be accessed and disclosed in response to legal process (for example, a court order, search warrant or subpoena), or in other circumstances in which AOL has a good faith belief that AIM or AOL are being used for unlawful purposes. AOL may also access or disclose your AIM information when necessary to protect the rights or property of AIM or AOL, or in special cases such as a threat to your safety or that of others. (http://www. aol. com/info/p_privacy. adp. ) Yahoo’s disclaimer is similar saying that â€Å"Yahoo! collects personally identifiable information when you register for a Yahoo! account,† and â€Å"we reasonably believe it is necessary to share information in order to investigate, prevent, or take action regarding illegal activities. Basically both are stating that, for the most part, our privacies are protected unless there is a need to look at the e-mails or messages being sent. That is a big but though. People should read that and decipher that the government or business we work at could basically make up a story as to why they need to read an email and both of these e-mail companies would have to comply. That really isn’t protecting us. At least we should know ahead of time though that these are the company policies so it shouldn’t come as a surprise if our privacy was breached. This brings us to the concept of encryption. â€Å"Chances are that nobody is watching the data you send out, but unless the information is over a secure (encrypted) connection, you cant be reasonably sure that its safe. † The definition of encryption is â€Å"the process of encoding information in such a way that only the person (or computer) with the key can decode it. † There are different encryption systems, but essentially two computers have secret codes that hold the key to decoding the messages sent between them. So if a message is encrypted, only your friend’s computer will be able to read what you sent to them. Does this type of security interest the common person? It definitely should and is quite easy to obtain. There are messenger services that provide e-mail and instant messaging. One is called Hushmail, which includes encryption enhancements. All you have to do is sign up for it just like you would Yahoo! or AOL and the only downside is that storage space is limited. But the option is out there for people to choose safety over unnecessary storage. Yahoo! nd AOL are the trusted and most used e-mail and instant message companies so most people just subscribe to these two, but really need to research what else is out there in regards to encrypted messaging companies like Hushmail. Customers of AOL though can upgrade to AIM 5. 2, which uses encrypted messages. Yahoo! on the other hand only has a form of encryption. The â€Å"system sends the message unprotected to Yahoos server. The recipient is given a URL to view the document on an SSL-protected web page. † Consumers feel this is a weak link because the message is still being sent without it being secure, but it is a step forward. There are other simple general steps that a consumer should do or at least think about before signing onto an e-mailing system. One is to always know the software that you are downloading onto your computer. Many programs appear to be legitimate, but they really just want to get your information and use it for bad reasons that veer into your personal privacy. Also, if a person shares a computer with many people, like a college library system, that person needs to make sure they clear their passwords and personal information before leaving their seat. And basically people just need to be more suspicious. Even though that’s a bad outlook, if you’re messages are not encrypted, then you need to be more aware of what you’re writing. If you think it could be construed in a negative way, then you shouldn’t send it over an unprotected system that could one-day work against you. In conclusion, â€Å"although companies and other entities operating in the online or electronic commerce environment have a responsibility to ensure the privacy of personally identifiable information online, the Online Privacy Alliance believes that consumers also have a role to play. Consumers should look for privacy policies on the web sites they visit as well as be aware of the various self-enforcement mechanisms currently available. †After the tragedy of September 11th, the government does need to do certain things in order to further protect our country against another attack, but this shouldn’t mean attacking American’s privacy and security. Americans shouldn’t have to live in constant fear of Big Brother looking into our personal letters and messages to loved ones and friends, and also shouldn’t be afraid that some things being said are going to be taken the wrong way. That is the opposite of making us feel more secure and safe because that basically means we’re being attacked from within our own government. Saying that, there are many things that we, as consumers, are responsible for knowing what is out there to give us more security. There is encryption and the big companies out there that provide e-mail and instant messaging are getting on board and providing encrypted programs for us to use. We should also be responsible enough to actually read all disclaimers that we usually don’t bother to read so that we are not shocked when we learn that the government just looked at our private message to someone. It’s hard as one person to fight something like Carnivore, but we can do simple things like read disclaimers, be smart about what e-mail programs we subscribe to and be safe and responsible when we are on the Internet.

Herbert George Wells The Time Machine Essay -- Herbert George Wells T

Herbert George Wells' The Time Machine ‘The Time Machine’ was written in 1895 by a writer, scientist and member of The Fabian Society, Herbert George Wells. Wells (born 1866) was, and still is, a very famous writer who produced many novels, but is most commonly known as a science-fiction author. ‘The Time Machine’ is Wells’ most celebrated novel and it’s themes represent the fears and anxieties of his society and background. Wells’ background was difficult, his father lost his business when Wells was 14, therefore, Wells got a job as a housekeeper at a grand house called Uppark. This is important because it influenced Wells in his writing. It showed him the strict division in the upper and lower classes of his society. Also, at the time of writing ‘The Time Machine’ the Industrial Revolution. Wells originally became interested in science when he won a scholarship to the School of Science where he was taught biology by T.H.Huxley. Wells found Huxley an inspiring teacher and as a result developed a strong interest in evolution. Accordingly he soon heard about Darwin’s theory of Evolution and Einstein’s theory of Relativity, which made many scientists of the age, including Wells, start to get worried. The cause of this tension was that they were on the verge of a new century and, what many people thought to be, the Apocalypse. As I mentioned earlier, Wells’ time was deeply affected by the theories put forward by Charles Darwin and Albert Einstein. These theories also sparked ideas in many scientists’ heads about the four dimensions: Length, Breadth, Thickness and Time. Creating what seemed to be the stupendous possibility of time travel. The way ‘The Time Machine’ is structured is diverse compared to... ...the ‘Morlocks’, who eat the ‘Eloi’ (cannibalism). Wells has an unmatchable aptitude to create a sense of horror in the readers’ minds, somehow, he taps into it and generates an unbelievable sensation of terror and unforgivness to enchant the reader on the book and nothing else. The ‘Eloi’ and the ‘Morlocks’ liaison reflects the class system of Wells’ time because it shows us the ‘Eloi’ as the upper-class people going round at day above ground. While the lower-class people (‘Morlocks’) go around by night using tunnels below ground to manoeuvre about the land. All in all Wells was trying to warn us that the apocalypse or end of the world as we know it was near and to prepare for the possible degeneration of the human race. Therefore, my conclusion is Wells was a very smart man, but evidently, his prediction was wrong, at least at the time he predicted it. Herbert George Wells' The Time Machine Essay -- Herbert George Wells T Herbert George Wells' The Time Machine ‘The Time Machine’ was written in 1895 by a writer, scientist and member of The Fabian Society, Herbert George Wells. Wells (born 1866) was, and still is, a very famous writer who produced many novels, but is most commonly known as a science-fiction author. ‘The Time Machine’ is Wells’ most celebrated novel and it’s themes represent the fears and anxieties of his society and background. Wells’ background was difficult, his father lost his business when Wells was 14, therefore, Wells got a job as a housekeeper at a grand house called Uppark. This is important because it influenced Wells in his writing. It showed him the strict division in the upper and lower classes of his society. Also, at the time of writing ‘The Time Machine’ the Industrial Revolution. Wells originally became interested in science when he won a scholarship to the School of Science where he was taught biology by T.H.Huxley. Wells found Huxley an inspiring teacher and as a result developed a strong interest in evolution. Accordingly he soon heard about Darwin’s theory of Evolution and Einstein’s theory of Relativity, which made many scientists of the age, including Wells, start to get worried. The cause of this tension was that they were on the verge of a new century and, what many people thought to be, the Apocalypse. As I mentioned earlier, Wells’ time was deeply affected by the theories put forward by Charles Darwin and Albert Einstein. These theories also sparked ideas in many scientists’ heads about the four dimensions: Length, Breadth, Thickness and Time. Creating what seemed to be the stupendous possibility of time travel. The way ‘The Time Machine’ is structured is diverse compared to... ...the ‘Morlocks’, who eat the ‘Eloi’ (cannibalism). Wells has an unmatchable aptitude to create a sense of horror in the readers’ minds, somehow, he taps into it and generates an unbelievable sensation of terror and unforgivness to enchant the reader on the book and nothing else. The ‘Eloi’ and the ‘Morlocks’ liaison reflects the class system of Wells’ time because it shows us the ‘Eloi’ as the upper-class people going round at day above ground. While the lower-class people (‘Morlocks’) go around by night using tunnels below ground to manoeuvre about the land. All in all Wells was trying to warn us that the apocalypse or end of the world as we know it was near and to prepare for the possible degeneration of the human race. Therefore, my conclusion is Wells was a very smart man, but evidently, his prediction was wrong, at least at the time he predicted it.

Comparing Cantebury Tales and The Decameron Essay -- Papers

Comparing Cantebury Tales and The Decameron There are many different roles for women shown in â€Å"The Canterbury Tales† and â€Å"The Decameron†. Both books take place around the same time frame, 1300AD. â€Å"The Canterbury Tales†, takes place in London, England and â€Å"The Decameron† takes place in Florence, Italy. It would be just to think that since both books take place in a western civilization, both books would reflect the same morals and daily life styles. This is not the case at all. Throughout this paper I will attempt to show how these two books portrayed a totally different lifestyle. In â€Å"The Decameron†, by Giovanni Boccaccio, the rolls of men and women are what you would expect of a western society in the 1300’s. Women are generally seen as gentle beings that were somewhat naà ¯ve. There was a very distinct line that separated men from women. Through out the stories I noticed a consistent story line of women being very loyal to their men. The men would end up doing terrible things to the woman. In some cases the husbands would actually put the wife through massive suffering and n... Comparing Cantebury Tales and The Decameron Essay -- Papers Comparing Cantebury Tales and The Decameron There are many different roles for women shown in â€Å"The Canterbury Tales† and â€Å"The Decameron†. Both books take place around the same time frame, 1300AD. â€Å"The Canterbury Tales†, takes place in London, England and â€Å"The Decameron† takes place in Florence, Italy. It would be just to think that since both books take place in a western civilization, both books would reflect the same morals and daily life styles. This is not the case at all. Throughout this paper I will attempt to show how these two books portrayed a totally different lifestyle. In â€Å"The Decameron†, by Giovanni Boccaccio, the rolls of men and women are what you would expect of a western society in the 1300’s. Women are generally seen as gentle beings that were somewhat naà ¯ve. There was a very distinct line that separated men from women. Through out the stories I noticed a consistent story line of women being very loyal to their men. The men would end up doing terrible things to the woman. In some cases the husbands would actually put the wife through massive suffering and n...

Best Practices of Mergers and Acquisitions

Running head: BEST PRACTICES OF MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS Mergers and Acquisitions: Best Practices for Success Abstract Mergers and acquisitions have become a growing trend for companies to inorganically grow a business within its particular industry. There are many goals that companies may be looking to achieve by doing this, but the main reason is to guarantee long-term and profitable growth for their business. Companies have to keep up with a rapidly increasing global market and increased competition. With the struggle for competitive advantage becoming stronger and stronger, it is almost essential to achieve these mergers. Through research I will attempt to dissect the best practices for achieving merger success. Mergers and Acquisitions: Best Practices for Success When companies are acquired or merged, people almost immediately start to focus on the differences in the companies. They also begin to pay attention to who are the winners and who are the losers. It is typical in an acquisition for the acquiring company to see itself as the winner, and the acquired company as the loser. The controlling company wants to impose changes and view those in the acquired company as highly resistant to change. It is clear that most mergers and acquisitions are primarily based on strategic, financial, or other objectives. However, ignoring a potential mismatch of people and cultures can lead to strategic and financial failure. In most mergers, serious consideration should be given to cultural and leadership style differences. The success of a merger or acquisition can be defined as the creation of synergy. But every merger and acquisition is a unique event, occurring in a unique environment that is subject to various influences. Analyzing a merger should begin by understanding the culture and core values of the business that is being acquired. Ashkenas, DeMonaco, and Francis (1998) observed that â€Å". . . it is increasingly important that executives learn how to manage the integration of acquisitions as a replicable process and not as a one time only event† (p. 166). DiGeorgio (2002) has researched this topic extensively through the mergers and acquisitions of Cisco and GE Capital. Cisco approaches mergers by â€Å". . . (a) doing [its] homework to select the right companies and (b) applying an effective reliable integration process once the deal is struck†(DiGeorgio, 2002, p. 138). Cisco has in the past turned down deals with companies which did not fit within its strategy. Cisco looks at deals from the following perspective (DiGeorgio, 2002): 1. Are our visions basically the same? 2. Can we produce quick wins for shareholders? 3. Can we produce long-term wins for all four constituencies – shareholders, customers, employees, and partners? 4. Is the chemistry right? 5. For large M&A, is there geographic proximity? (p. 138) GE Capital, on the other hand takes a more process-based approach to handling mergers. Since GE has performed plenty of mergers and it learns and grows from each one. The crux of its process is â€Å"[g]etting the right integration leader [which] constitutes 95 per cent of the success of an integration† (DiGeorgio, 2003, p. 139). This study highlights the importance of being proactive in pre-merger planning and offers advice to help ensure that the merger process will be a success. Within this paper, I plan to discuss the best practices companies can use to ensure a successful merger. These practices include timely merger planning, choosing the right leadership, focusing on corporate culture, communicating effectively, and engaging the staff, human resources, and middle management. Timely Merger Planning There is a lot of time and effort spent on finding good merger candidates and courting them only to fall through on the follow-up integration activities. As soon as serious discussions begin with a potential merger candidate, the integration planning efforts should begin. It is essential that acquisitions be assimilated into the parent as quickly and as smoothly as possible to minimize any losses in productivity and maximize opportunities between the two organizations. â€Å"There is good agreement that the first 100 days after a merger change set the tone, signal the troops about the real direction of the organization and its vitality†(DiGeorgio, 2003,p. 266) A slow integration process can actually worsen problems. Merger integration should not be treated as an after-thought. It is something that needs to be addressed uring the merger search and negotiations phase while there is time to minimize any negative impacts. Choosing the Right Leadership Choosing the right leadership, not only for the merger integrations, but also for the new combined company is important in terms of vision, mission, culture, and expectations. A leader should focus on the larger design of the new corporation. A leader has to resist the temptation to take the easy way out. It is not pleasant to deliver bad news or to be a naysayer, but it is necessary at times. It is also important for a leader to promote and ensure good morale. This starts with treating people with respect and listening to their opinions, rather than telling them what to do. â€Å"Leaders set the tone for the culture and for how relationships are going to unfold in the combined organization† (DiGeorgio, 2003, p. 260). Effective working relationships and increased trust developed among the senior executives will carry throughout the organization as a model of how the newly integrated organization will work. Senior executives need to establish the cultural rules of engagement in the new entity quickly and effectively. Company leaders should strive to provide as much transparency as possible to decision making and address employee concerns such as changes to roles and responsibilities, compensation and employee benefits as promptly and practical as can be performed. â€Å"Integration management is a full-time job and needs to be recognized as a distinct business function. . . † (Ashkenas et al. , 1998, p. 169). The role of the transition merger leader cannot be taken lightly. This person must make critical personnel, process, and structural decisions quickly. This role requires the mental tenacity to endure long meetings, tough questions, and low morale. The G. E. Pathfinder model as presented by Stopper (1999) suggests that it find an integration leader to direct these merger activities and get the necessary results done to have a successful integration. Stopper (1999) also suggests a few other skills and qualifications necessary to look for in this person which include experience in project planning and management, communication planning and implementation, expertise specific to acquisitions, and corporate culture familiarity. Research by Ashkenas (1998), on the other hand, believes a merger leader should have ability to facilitate integration activities, to help the acquired business understand processes of the new company, and to help his or her company understand the business that is being acquired. Leadership also needs to be held accountable for the success of the merger (DiGeorgio, 2002). The leader should have a sense of purpose and responsibility not only for his or her job but also for the company as well as the employees who work there. When leaders don’t exhibit this accountability, they can take a nonchalant attitude which can hinder any progress which has been made. Ensuring the appropriate leadership is in place from the start will present a successful blueprint for the outcome of the merger or acquisition. Focusing on Corporate Culture When companies merge there can be a clash of cultures, conflicting beliefs, and different norms. Organizational culture is important because it has been shown to have a significant impact on organizational performance. Cultures that support the missions, goals, and strategies of an organization provide a means for dealing with change and conflicts when they arise. â€Å"Cultural integration is ignored in the majority of business combinations† (Pekala, 2001, p. 32). Research has shown that because of cultural aspects, mergers often encounter difficulties in achieving the goals of the merger. While due diligence is performed on all of the financial aspects of a merger, one major reason that so many mergers fail is a lack of â€Å"cultural fit† (DiGeorgio, 2003, p. 259). Understanding how things are seen in the other cultures, learning mutual respect, and being open to exploring different points of view are the keys to the people factor in any merger or acquisition. â€Å"A sound M&A integration strategic plan is as cultural as it is structural and entails both the welding of hard assets and a delicate/neurosurgery of minds† (Brahy, 2006, p. 54). Corporate culture tends to be viewed as a company having casual Fridays or working alternate work schedules. However, it runs deeper than the external characteristics. Pekala (2001) suggests that â€Å"merger partners need to zero in on the basic ways that decisions get made in their companies and how different approaches can be combined in harmony† (p. 32). The organization’s culture is simply how things are done in the organization. It could be as simple as putting the customer first or driving for excellence in safety. The challenges encountered when merging two different cultures are that either one or the other (or both) needs to change. The issue, then, becomes not just culture awareness, but culture â€Å"change management† (LaMarsh, 2006, p. 9) during the integration period. Building a new culture that combines the best of both previous cultures makes the new organization better, stronger, and more competitive than either of the organizations can be on its own. One way to build a new culture is by having representatives from both companies or organizations list the principles that currently guide its behavior and attitu des. Once this has been captured, both groups can then combine their efforts into a discussion of what type of cultural behavior is necessary to ensure that the best of both worlds is fairly represented. Brahy (2006) even suggest the acquiring company learn another language to help the merging companies feel more at ease and are accepting of their individual culture and traditions. Top management, however, must support this new combined culture. Management cannot force people to work together to build a new culture. As DiGeorgio (2003) notes â€Å"leaders set the tone for the culture and for how relationships are going to unfold in the combined organization† (p. 260). Control over the new corporate culture is critical to the success of a merger. Achieving cultural synergy is possible, but it takes work and effort especially on the side of leadership. Communicating Effectively Communication plays a very critical role at the time of a merger. Communicating with the employees is very important as they should not feel that they have been kept in the dark. It should be remembered that they are the most important assets of an organization and also major stakeholders. Most people understand that mergers and acquisitions take place for business reasons. But it is important to communicate the specific reasons and benefits of the merger. People may not like it, but if they see that it has a legitimate purpose, and the benefits are clear, then there is less resentment and employees are more likely to accept it. Mergers and acquisitions breed uncertainty, ambiguity, and fear among employees. Rumors often begin in organizations before the announcement of any impending merger is formally announced. â€Å". . . Trying to hide bad news such as layoffs by not revealing further details . . can damage morale and lead to turnover† (Messmer, 2006, p. 15). A good communication plan can help avoid complications by ensuring that employees understand the reasons for the deal, the objectives the organization is trying to achieve, and the potential benefits for everyone involved. In mergers and acquisitions, employees typically want answers to the following basic questions: †¢Will I have a job in the new organization? †¢Will my pay, b enefits and work locations change? †¢Will this merger be good for my career? These and other questions must be addressed soon after an announcement is made since productivity can suffer the longer employees have uncertainty. Straightforward, concise, and timely communication assists in building employee commitment and focuses employees on the day-to-day operations of the organization. â€Å". . . Communication minimizes the negative reactions of the acquired employees† (Brahma, 2007, p. 8). The faster employees feel connected to the new organization, the faster they will begin working toward the business objectives and understand what is expected of them. Research shows that organizations using effective communication strategies achieve the best results in productivity and shareholder returns. A good communication strategy is critical to a successful merger or acquisition. A successful plan cannot be reactive but proactive and it has to be included as part of the original merger plans. Nikandrou, Papaleaxandris, and Bourantas (2000) assert that â€Å"frequent communication does not imply that management should communicate every little detail of the process . . . t rather means that management communicates its concerns about employees . . . † (p. 336). An effective communication plan must take into account many elements such as the unique needs of various stakeholders, such as managers, employees, investors, customers, suppliers, and surrounding communities, need to be identified and addressed. Successful mergers only happen when upper managers make themselves visible and accessible to all employees affected by the merger. All e mployees need to experience the buy-in and support of their leaders for the merger or acquisition. Leaders need to be prepared to communicate the answers they do have and be open to stating what answers they do not have yet (Terranova, 2006). For leaders and managers to maintain credibility and trust with employees, they must be open and honest in dealing with these problems rather than choosing not to communicate at all. Engaging Staff and Middle Management People issues are often the most sensitive but also overlooked aspects of mergers and acquisitions. Organizations fail to realize that people have the capability to make or break the deal. It is important for organizations to address the viability of the integration on the human resources front. There are key resources within the organization that can help in handling people issues namely the employees, human resources, and middle management. Frequently there are a lot of people who get overlooked in the acquisition process; specifically lower-level employees who may be able to offer valuable input. They are the people who produce the profits, represent the company, and, ultimately, are the ones that will make the combined company succeed. Proactively engaging the employees can cultivate change agents for the acquisition making the entire process more desirable for all parties involved. â€Å"Managing change is a systematic process that requires moving through a series of action steps to predict and address the risk caused by potential resistance† (LaMarsh, 2006, p. 59). The best way for leadership to actively involve employees is to engage in active feedback sessions. This could involve setting up meetings with key people from various groups in the organizations and soliciting feedback from them (Messmer, 2006). Another suggestion could be to set up a website answer board where employees can ask the integration team or top management questions anonymously and view answers to other questions that have been proposed. Retaining and motivating employees is a major challenge for the human resource department of organizations. Actively engaging human resources early in the process can ensure merger success. Human resource leaders can play a key role in helping senior management identify, involve, and assess the key executives and other critical talent who will be vital for the success of the new business. Human resources can help facilitate employee question and answer meetings and are the most knowledgeable about current policies and procedures. Human resource skills are essential for the facilitation and negotiation processes regarding combining pay and benefits. Human Resource skills are also needed for supporting, counseling, and coaching line managers, who have to supervise their functions during very difficult times. Middle management also plays an important role in ensuring the success of a merger or acquisition. Communications with the middle managers will help to not only alm their fears and concerns but also help them understand what is in store for them. If middle managers are not kept in the information loop, it can lead to false information getting out that could damage morale as well as increase turnover. They need to fully understand the benefits not only to the organization but also to them as individuals. Once concerns have been dealt with, middle managers should be h eld accountable for implementation of the change. Without this accountability, they ultimately will not have a desire to change their behavior. Middle managers should become a positive part of the change process and they should not feel as if it is another program or process that is being forced upon them. Middle managers are the leaders that lower-level employees will look to for timely, accurate information. If approval of the merger is given at this level, then those under them will more than likely not give their approval either. Conclusion Several important lessons have been learned from the merger research conducted throughout this paper. When a merging with another company, managers should be focused on uniting the two companies as quickly as possible. Management should also be aware of the importance of starting the integration planning as soon as a definitive merger candidate is determined. Another important aspect of the merger process is a commitment to change on the part of leadership. Management needs to assign appropriate leadership resources to complete the transition successfully. Communication is also very critical even when there is nothing new to say. It is impossible to over-communicate throughout the merger process. Employees have an almost insatiable desire for information, and misinterpretation of silence and rumors are very common. Mergers are seen as a way to solve problems but it also creates a new set of problems as well as opportunities. Success in mergers and acquisitions rests not only on good strategic and financial planning, but also in the analysis of people issues. Making mergers work successfully is a complicated process which involves not only combining two organizations together but also integrating the people of two organizations with different cultures, attitudes, and mindsets. To ensure success in mergers and acquisitions there needs to be timely merger planning, the right leadership, cultural integration, effective communication, and the involvement of staff and middle management. References Ashkenas, R. , DeMonaco, L. , & Francis, S. (1998). Making the Deal Real: How GE Capital Integrates Acquisitions. Harvard Business Review, 76(1), 165-178. Badrtalei, J. , & Bates, D. (2007). Effect of Organizational Cultures on Mergers and Acquisitions: The Case of Daimler Chrysler. International Journal of Management, 24(2), 303-317. Brahma, S. , & Srivastava, K. (2007). Communication, Executive Retention, and Employee Stress as Predictors of Acquisition Performance: An Empirical Evidence. ICFAI Journal of Mergers & Acquisitions, 4(4), 7-26. Brahy, S. (2006). Six solution pillars for successful cultural integration of international M&As. Journal of Organizational Excellence, 25(4), 53-63. DiGeorgio, R. (2002). Making mergers and acquisitions work: What we know and don't know — Part I. Journal of Change Management, 3(2), 134. DiGeorgio, R. (2003). Making mergers and acquisitions ork: What we know and don't know–Part II. Journal of Change Management, 3(3), 259. LaMarsh, J. (2006). What mergers miss. Journal of Corporate Accounting & Finance (Wiley), 17(2), 59-62. Messmer, M. (2006). Leadership Strategies During Mergers and Acquisitions. Strategic Finance, 87(7), 15-16. Pekala, N. (2001). Merger They Wrote: Avoiding a Corporate Culture Collision. Journal of Property Management, 66(3), 32. Stopper, W. ( 1999, July). Mergers and Acquisitions: Fulfilling the Promise. Human Resource Planning, 22(3), 6-7.

Chapter 1

Chapter 1: I feel bad that Aunt Martha doesnt ever get her money back. She worked so hard for so many years to earn that money to buy her childrens freedom and now shell have to start all over again. It is very demeaning to Linda for her to work for her dead mistresses daughter who is 5 years old. That is less than half her age.Chapter 2: Its a good thing that William, Lindas brother got to live with her. It must have been good to have family around. I think thats so mean when Dr. Flint sells Aunt Martha, she was supposed to get her freedom when her mistress died. Linda has already lost so many people. Her mother, her friend, and suddenly, her father too.Chapter 3: This chapter is a display of the hardships that the slaves faced, especially on the day that they would be sold off to different families. Also, slaves that had been in a family for years would just be sold off at any price, small or large.Chapter 4: I think Benjamin was a very brave person, and Im happy he escaped to New York.Chapter 5: I think that Linda and Dr. Flint have a disgusting relationship and I think that Dr. Flint is a mean, cruel man. The story of the two sisters is really sad because it shows that skin color was very important back then. The color of the sisters skin determined their life style. When Dr. Flint realizes that Linda wont give in to his sexual demands, he makes her his daughters nurse, which is bad because then Linda has to sleep wherever the daughter sleeps, and when Dr. Flint moves his daughter into his room, Linda ha to sleep there and that makes Linda uncomfortable, which is what Dr. Flint wants.Chapter 6: When Mrs. Flint recognizes what is going on between Linda and Dr. Flint she becomes angry and makes Linda sleep in a room that is connected to her own. This makes Linda realize that Ms. Flint is very weak and threatened by Linda, which is also what Dr. Flint wan...

Scopes Trial essays

Scopes Trial essays In 1859, Charles Darwin published his book the Origin of Species, which would forever change the way people thought about the creation of man. In his book, Darwin made two main points. First, he claimed that man evolved into his current physical state over a time period of millions of years. Secondly, he discussed a method for how this evolution worked. For this he gave the term natural selection. Darwin asserted that natural selection was a process through which organisms adapted over time to the climate in which they were situated. The individuals with the stronger traits thus had more surviving offspring. Through this filter of evolution, the strongest individuals survived. So, Darwins evolution worked in that each generation of beings became progressively stronger, and so this continuous process is the source of the evolution of species. As we all know though, the idea of creationism had been written in the Bible long before Darwin had ever been born. Thus creationism was the known and accepted method for the creation of man for several hundreds of years. Shortly after Darwins Origin of Species was published, it seemed as if creationism and evolution could peacefully coexist as alternate theories regarding the creation of man. It was not until after World War I that evolution saw its first opponents. After the war many people believed that German aggression during the war reflected the same survival of the fittest mentality discussed in Darwins Origin of Species. As a result of American Christian Fundamentalist complaints, in the 1920s, 37 anti-evolution bills were passed. The Legislatures of 20 states had now incorporated laws attempting to ban the teaching of Darwins evolution in public schools. Crusades to eliminate Darwinism from American public education began as early as 1917 and were quite successful in the South, where Fundamentalists controlled the b...

How to Provide Social Media Customer Service [PODCAST]

How to Provide Social Media Customer Service [PODCAST] Social media: If you have it, you need to be involved. Sometimes, your customers will use the power of social media to bring concerns and tough questions to your attention. Do you know how to handle these often very public situations? Today, we are talking to Agnieszka JaÅ›kiewicz, the social media manager at LiveChat. She’s going to talk about her process when it comes to handling tough customer interactions via social media, and you’ll learn how to provide the best customer service possible with your chosen networks and platforms. Information about LiveChat and what Agnieszka does there. Agnieszka’s favorite story about providing excellent customer service via social media. A good process for providing great customer support, including how to know when to switch to private messages and how to keep track of the questions and concerns that come in. Tips on how to decide which platforms to use as a business. Agnieszka’s best tricks for responding quickly to customer concerns via social media. How to diffuse the situation when a customer is angry and attacking on your social media page. Why it’s important for every business to have some type of social media presence. Links: Agnieszka JaÅ›kiewicz on LinkedIn LiveChat If you liked today’s show, please subscribe on iTunes to The Actionable Content Marketing Podcast! The podcast is also available on SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Quotes by Agnieszka: â€Å"I would use the customer service mantra, be where your customers are.† â€Å"People don’t like to wait on social media. They came to social media because they want their query to be answered quickly.† â€Å"If I were to choose one piece of general advice, I would say make one person responsible for answering this queries on social media.†

Internal and External Factors of Labour Market Essay

Internal and External Factors of Labour Market - Essay Example Labour market of Europe is suffering for aging workforce issues. Study suggests that there will be 4% hike in aging population within next eight years (Krenn and Oehlke, 2001). Companies are aware of the fact but they do not have much choice left due to following reasons: The world is going through one of the most turbulent financial period in the history of mankind. Companies are struggling due sluggish growth rate and low return on investment. They are not ready to invest money on recruiting new staff and designing training & development. Companies like P&G use â€Å"Build from within† strategy in order to give new job responsibility to existing employees without hiring external candidates. Many companies use â€Å"Build from within† strategy in order to reduce cost of developing untrained and fresh human resource pool. In 1993, Polachek and Siebert proposed Human Capital theory in order to address aging population issue (Polachek and Siebert, 1993, pp. 23-67). They h ave pointed out that life can be segregated into two phases. In the first phase young people develop human capital in terms of skill, knowledge and education while in the second phase they earn employment on the basis of developed human capital. The study suggests that substandard aging population has less human capital in comparison to talented young human resource. Human capital decreases due to aging. Labour market is heterogeneous because employers can never forecast accurately future productivity of particular employee.

Where Are We From Chineese culture and society Essay

Where Are We From Chineese culture and society - Essay Example It is always your environment and surrounding that helps an individual to develop and the physical and moral attributes that one possesses is generally a sheer manifestation of the region and location that individual lives in. In my case, China has contributed a great deal in my personality development as discussed further in this essay The landmass of East Asia is covered with what we call China. We can broadly understand the country in two parts, one being the Eastern and the other being the Western half. The Eastern region can be seen as mostly low fertile lands with mountains and deserts, also including certain subtropical areas (Haggett, pp. 2746-2747). The deserts of this region are quite expansive spread over hundreds of miles. However, its counter region has rolling plateaus that are famous the way they cover that land area. Tibet is present in this part of the world. Talking about the climate of China, many people find it strange when the tops of the mountains in South-Weste rn China remain covered with heavy snow and that too in summer season. During winters, the area is certainly very cold as much as - 40 degrees of Fahrenheit. Being there in this season of the year is a trouble for anyone who belongs to other countries. Nevertheless, the area can be extremely hot in the summer season in the same way. This means that the temperature reaches to 100 degrees of Fahrenheit in extreme summers.... I can explain this citing some personal experiences that I had with a Chinese family living in my neighborhood that had been there for quite a long time. The kids in that family were very friendly and they expressed their interest in learning foreign languages, however, their parents never showed their preference towards this. They wanted to communicate with each other merely in Chinese language and wanted no other culture to have any kind of influence over their day-to-day practices. However, these are very co-operative people, but having a long history of minority groups within their culture, some conflicts might be seen between the Han-dominated communist group of people and the Mongols of the country belonging largely to the Western part of China (Haggett, pp. 2836-2837). Due to a large number of divisions in a multitude of ethnic groups that they are segregated in, all want to have a prestigious place within the society but many of them remain low profile and they have considere d their groups as underprivileged and ignored. Moreover, in my neighborhood, I found most of the people being superstitious. They believed in ancient myths and stories and largely depended upon the consultations of fortunetellers in order to set their future goals or make a decision about their career. The elders in my neighbor used to ask fortunetellers about what career their kids should choose in order to excel and this largely influenced the direction their kids subsequently chose in educational and professional context. Analyzing the whole time that I spent with them, I have certainly adopted and rejected some of their traits. The values of belonging that they show to their own culture and community are something that influenced me the most. Earlier, I seldom bothered

Relationship between Job Satisfaction and Nurse's Turnover in Essay

Relationship between Job Satisfaction and Nurse's Turnover in Intensive Care Unit - Essay Example Basically, ICUs have complex clinical areas such as emergency departments and critical care and the nurses working in these departments often face complex problems related to decision making, working long hours, shift work as well as high patient turnover. Thus, it is vital to retain highly skilled and specialised nurses working in this critical area and this can only be attained by ensuring that the nurses are satisfied with their work (Murrells et al. 2005). During the contemporary period, it can be noted that young adults are now better positioned to find better and lucrative employment opportunities in other fields as a result of the rapid changes such as technological innovations taking place in the environment in which we live. A concern of morality and ethics is rapidly diminishing when people consider their careers and it can be noted that the current generation of young adults are less motivated to join the nursing profession. Moreover, research has shown that the shortage o f nurses in acute hospitals can be attributed to the element of little job satisfaction because of lack of job fulfilment and heavy workloads (Hayes, Bonner, & Pryor 2010). ... The search of literature in this case is limited to research articles published in English and the search strategy is illustrated in table 1. The keywords used to collect relevant articles include the following: Factors effecting nursing job satisfaction. Job satisfaction among intensive care nurses. Nursing turnover. The articles were included if they met the following inclusion criteria: English language articles. Peer reviewed journals. Table 1 Research strategy Hits Nature of research Country Research methodology -factors affecting nursing job satisfaction in ICUs -dissatisfaction -nursing turnover in IC -The research is based on review of published research in ICU and healthcare. No actual research was conducted. -the paper focuses on Australia, USA and China. -the paper is based on qualitative method where published research in this area is critically analysed. About four articles will be reviewed. Review theme The specific theme of this review of research literature is to esta blish the relationship between nursing job satisfaction and turnover in the intensive care units. Literature review: The review of literature in this case is a combination of summary and explanation of the most current studies related to the topic. The qualitative method of analysing published literature which is employed in this paper is significant in that it gives a clear understanding of the subject area as well as insight into areas that may require further research. The understanding of current literature in this subject area reviewed is important because it provides a foundation upon which a researcher can build knowledge. Factors affecting job satisfaction: The concept of job satisfaction is complex in that there are

Why I desire to become a nurse practitioner Essay

Why I desire to become a nurse practitioner - Essay Example It also has plenty of oppurtunities today for specialization and career advancements. Nursing requires life-long learning as new challenges confront the medical profession everyday. Hence, I am committed to go in for advanced education and training in the diagnosis and management of common medical conditions including chronic illnesses. I would thus be able to provide a broad range of service as do physicians. I feel committed to it and I would maintain close working relations with the physicians. Nursing involves working with people and I have always been good at it. I love interacting with people. Besides, I have compassion for people and I feel overwhelmed when patients are unable to pay the medical bills. I love holistic healing and would encourage the patients to draw upon their inner strength; I would them motivate to learn to heal themselves. As a Nurse Practitioner (NP) I would be able to suggest less expensive treatment and inform them about health care. Perhaps I owe these qualities to my mom, because it seems to run in the family. I know being a NP requires individualized care. Prevention, wellness, and patient education have to be top priorities. Experiences, frustrations and contentment, which I can clearly see on my mom and brother’s face, urge me to move ahead in the profession. Each day comes with a new challenge and requires the skills for strong decision-making (SMC). There are ongoing changes in nursing and the healthcare system. It is demanding on the family life too but in nursing one never gets bored. It is a respectable and a noble profession too despite long hours, emotional load and the health care risks. As a NP I would require tremendous amount of patience, listening skills, I would have to do a lot of counseling, diagnosing and treating acute illnesses. As a NP I would have to deal with the patient’s family and even suggest lifestyle and environment changes. In

Critical Case Study Exploration by Using Gibbs Model Essay

Critical Case Study Exploration by Using Gibbs Model - Essay Example 3). On top of the sustained practice, it is also necessary to avoid relying on a single learning strategy. For instance, a student can incorporate both visual and verbal methods in learning. Student can hold discussions with fellow students thus brainstorming what they have learned in class (Davis 2009, p. 21). Studies have exposed the significance of discussing with fellow students what one has learned in class. The last but not least strategy that can improve the failing student’s performance is the incorporation of practical sessions in the syllabus. It is impractical for a student to attain success by holding to the effective learning strategies only. Therefore, alongside such strategies, it is requisite for teachers to devise effective teaching strategies for purposes of augmenting the student’s performance. The Constructivist teaching is one of the current teaching strategies allowing students to examine what they are familiar with, thus making knowledgeable decis ions on the learning content. Moreover, the inclusion of some practical lessons in teaching is crucial, in enhancing a student’s understanding of the course content. This section will utilize Gibbs (1998) reflective model to answer some questions related to the case study. For instance, the first question demands that I identify my thoughts and feelings from the given case study. It is apparent that the student’s performance in the placement has tremendously declined. Prior to commencement of the program, I had a strong feeling that she would depict a high level of understanding for the subject. The result of my thought would be because she seemed kind and caring for patients. However, after the program commences, it is clear that I am totally mistaken because of incompetency demonstrated by her (Bulman 2004, P. 2). Therefore, her inefficiency in whatever she engages herself in makes me think of the possibility of poor learning and teaching practices. Her inability to prioritize the patients’ needs has shown her high level of incompetency. For instance, the student’s inability to relate the class theory to the practical is a clear indication of ineffective teaching, as well as learning methods. In my scrutiny, the student nurse ought to take their class work serious thus depicting a high level of competency in class work. Therefore, the case study indicated that nursing students did not dedicate their efforts to learning. I thus propose that, for an effective performance, the instructors ought to integrate teaching strategies that allow for the student’s active participation. The main reason behind the declined level of incompetence is due to the standardized examinations, which students must sit for in determining the level of qualification. Sources have shown that, it is only after a nursing student excels in such exams that they attain the acquiescence to deal with patients. Those who fail to excel in such exams ought to r etake them until their verification by the authorities. The literature also illustrates the issue of nursing incompetence in the stagnated, as well as the developing countries. Poor teaching strategies are the main causes of the decline in performance. Furthermore, the policy that aids in the examination of nursing qualification is erroneous thus a high level of ineptitude (Iyer 2001, p. 4). Therefore, the concerned authorities have implemented strategies

Why I desire to become a nurse practitioner Essay

Why I desire to become a nurse practitioner - Essay Example It also has plenty of oppurtunities today for specialization and career advancements. Nursing requires life-long learning as new challenges confront the medical profession everyday. Hence, I am committed to go in for advanced education and training in the diagnosis and management of common medical conditions including chronic illnesses. I would thus be able to provide a broad range of service as do physicians. I feel committed to it and I would maintain close working relations with the physicians. Nursing involves working with people and I have always been good at it. I love interacting with people. Besides, I have compassion for people and I feel overwhelmed when patients are unable to pay the medical bills. I love holistic healing and would encourage the patients to draw upon their inner strength; I would them motivate to learn to heal themselves. As a Nurse Practitioner (NP) I would be able to suggest less expensive treatment and inform them about health care. Perhaps I owe these qualities to my mom, because it seems to run in the family. I know being a NP requires individualized care. Prevention, wellness, and patient education have to be top priorities. Experiences, frustrations and contentment, which I can clearly see on my mom and brother’s face, urge me to move ahead in the profession. Each day comes with a new challenge and requires the skills for strong decision-making (SMC). There are ongoing changes in nursing and the healthcare system. It is demanding on the family life too but in nursing one never gets bored. It is a respectable and a noble profession too despite long hours, emotional load and the health care risks. As a NP I would require tremendous amount of patience, listening skills, I would have to do a lot of counseling, diagnosing and treating acute illnesses. As a NP I would have to deal with the patient’s family and even suggest lifestyle and environment changes. In

Questions in Communication & Social research Essay - 1

Questions in Communication & Social research - Essay Example t all the different reasons that explain a particular course of action, whereas nomothetic explanation looks at all the different factors behind a particular course of action. Stating that their paycheck was not direct deposited on time, but a day late, that HR failed to include holiday pay on the check when it was deposited, and that they will not be able to correct it for another two days are examples of idiographic explanations to a company as to why a bill may be late. Looking at the proximity of a job to a place of residence, how much they pay versus how much may be saved in travel time, and the amount of work that will need to be done when compared to a person’s current job all fall under the blanket of nomothetic reasoning. A paradigm is â€Å"the fundamental model or frame of reference we use to organize our observations and reasoning† (Babbie, p. 33). There are many different types of paradigms present in our world today; including the postmodern paradigm which suggests only experience is real, scientific paradigms such as Newtonian mechanics and Einstein’s theory of relativity, macrotheory which focuses on the big pictures in society, and microtheory which focus on interactions at the individual level and while these are not the only paradigms covered in the text itself, these are some of the main paradigms discussed. Paradigms are important because they not only offer a variety of different viewpoints, but they also offer certain insights into the field of study being referenced. Paradigms are â€Å"neither true nor false; as ways of looking, they are only more or less useful† (Babbie, p. 34). Every paradigm makes assumptions about the nature of reality, and offers a different way of looking at the world and the societies in it; each of these different paradigms offers a new branch of research, and new methods and concepts to be investigated. They offer a different way of seeing the world, which in turn can shed light on the resolution of different

Verbal Communication Essay Example for Free

Verbal Communication Essay One may assume that the roles of officers are just to catch us when we’re speeding, write a ticket and move on to the next person breaking the law. It would appear that way too many of us, but there is more depth, in the way an officer presents himself. While we find it insulting for an officer to say â€Å"How you doing mam’† after catching us going 40 in a 20 school zone, we must think of how much more aggravated we’d be in this situation had the officer used sarcasm, or had a cruel tone. Good Morning, Mam’† seems more respectable and when you begin to explore the pressure on an officer you begin to see why many of them try to stay positive and communicate effectively. Verbal and nonverbal communication is reoccurring and a large part of the day in the life of a Law Enforcement Agent. On every single work day there is numerous face-to-face interactions between an officer and citizen, or a small group. These interactions may occur in traffic encounters, interviews, media briefings, or conversations formal and informal. For this very reason verbal and nonverbal communication must evolve into a mastered skill; as it’s important for each officer to represent himself in a respectable manner whether it is in in public, in the court room, with peers, employees, inmates and more importantly citizens of the community. When it comes to training with an officer it is more than just the physical training, but also the mental training, one must do to be successful. A good law enforcement officer must be able to properly speak to the public, testify with confidence, and write a grammar free report. A respectable image will make for a better public view of the officer, their departments and general attitude to law enforcement all together. (Pritchett, 1993) Police Situations Most police are not given adequate training in communication skills. Many understand to be kind, polite, firm when need be, how to recite Miranda rights and interrogate but also many fail to recognize how verbal and nonverbal communication works. Verbal communication involves a sender and a receiver conveying a message. These messages can be spoken words but can also be body language that is representing a statement. In police situations this is can be a chore when it comes to interrogation ; a police officer must obtain important material such as who, what, where, how and why, which often times, the answers to these questions, can vary when dealing with two different parties on the same situation. It’s important that the officer can take proper notations so later he can write in his report recapping both versions of the incident, and get a better idea of what was going on. It’s important that officers understand the situation and how it was told to them and how to retell this situation from the report in a court room setting. A police report is usually a beginning point of the court room scene and can determine the faith of an accused; it’s important the officer writes detailed notes so he can relate back to the event as well as provide accuracy. He must know the written work and have confidence as he verbally retells these events. An officer that comes off as insecure or insure of a situation may hinder a jury from a factual belief. Likewise- many police must deal with important matters in front of the media on various occasions either through news reports, public speeches, or when running for a higher officer position; these situations as well require a sense of confidence from an officer. As stated, many officers must discuss important matters in the face of the public in attempts to calm a tense situation, or to be there to reassure and provide confidante within the community after a tragedy. When we think back of tragic events such as The Columbine Killing, 9/11, or the Virginia Tech shooting, we are guaranteed that at one point, a police officer reached out to the public to reassure safety. When making a public speech an officer much consider how verbal and non-verbal communication will affect an audience. There are many elements to consider when making a public speech starting with nonverbal communication that generally speaks louder than that of verbal communication. For example appearance, posture and the deliverance of a speech all help to convey the original message. A neat and professional appearance is usually mandatory being that it will make the first judgment of an audience. (Wallace, 2009) If an officer takes pride in his appearance than it can be assumed by the receiver that he takes pride in what he is saying. When giving a speech an officer must learn to make eye contact, use proper voice infliction and proper vocabulary when delivering a speech. Correct word choices can impact an audience either negatively or positively so it’s important officers draft and practice speeches so that the presentation is close to perfect. Testifying Many police are required to testify in court and there impressions can literally be life altering. When jurors are questioned on why they may have chosen one verdict over another many relate back to the testimony of eye witnesses. Witnesses that don’t seem confident in their answers or even arrogant may make their responses non-believable to a jury. One columnist J.  Navarro states â€Å"How people testify and how others perceive them are as important as their testimony. † (Navarro, 2004) To avoid making a jury skeptical of what is being said and make a reliable testimony, an officer must reevaluate how they communicate both verbally and nonverbally. According to an article in FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, â€Å"Jury surveys and research in communication provide guidance to law enforcement officers on how to be more effective in court, whether sitting at the prosecutors side as the lead investigator or testifying as a witness. (Navarro, 2004) In these surveys various jurors analyze the appearance, communication skills, behavior and the ability to communicate both verbally and non-verbally to effectively persuade jurors. Jurors are searching for the truth so if an officer cannot make eye contact, stutters or appears unconfident in his own words by a simple gesture of the eyebrows showing confusion, a juror will perceive this as dishonesty. While confidence will win the audience it must not go to the extreme of arrogance, this as well can put off a negative vibe. As the article states displaying openness alone can help a jury to really believe what the officer is stating. Free flow communication and confidence help show honesty while tenseness has the opposite effect. Simple things like gestures should be kept minimum and more emphasis on tone should be used versus defensiveness or the raising of the voice. (Navarro, 2004) A simple tone infliction helps to catch the juror’s attention and explain where the importance is in the conveyed message. The best way officers can improve these skills is by watching a more skilled professional testify as they observe in the audience. Also practicing infront of a mirror or another officer can help make their testimony a more confident and stress free one. Corrections/ Juvenile Facilities It can be a prison environment or even a juvenile facility, either, or, an officer must be prepared to go a bit further with effective oral and written communication. The way the justice system works an officer is constantly being monitored on the things he says and the way he portrays them. In these environments, they are communicating with inmates, co-workers and other employees. With co-workers and other employees within a facility an officer must portray courtesy but must also remember the rising accusations of sexual harassment. In many work places it has become a motto to keep the talk of sex, religion, and politics out of the work place. Over the years the number of sexual harassment cases in work places has shot up even within law enforcement. In a police department outside of Los Angeles this past October there are multiple encounters of harassment and the consequences of possible job loss within that department due to this type of behavior. Most harassment cases are due to racial jokes or sexual orientation which again should be something left outside of the work environment to avoid making any employee or fellow officer feel uncomfortable in the work atmosphere. In this one particular case the allegations varied from: â€Å"A sergeant presenting a black officer with a cake topped with a slice of watermelon and a piece of fried chicken, The same sergeant sending racially sensitive text messages about an officer who is of Mexican descent and The sergeant removing one officer from an overtime detail and putting his wife, another officer, in that spot. (Okarocha, 2001) Officers can avoid this by keeping those personal conversations or even opinions outside to the workplace as well as respecting fellow co-worker’s personal boundaries not making gestures or mimicking one another. Also peer activities tend to keep the bond between officers and staff and make for a healthier work atmosphere as everyone tries to achieve the same goal of diminishing crime. While working with inmates these same rules of harassment applies; there is also an ongoing struggle and broken relationship that makes any type of communication difficult between police and inmates. As far as it can date back children have played cops and robbers and it’s a wide speculation that cops are good guys and inmates (both adults and juveniles) are bad guys. This type of assumed relationship can make the environment a tense one for both parties and should be addressed to learn how to better communicate. Many inmates feel hatred toward cops and may say rude things to a police officer or guard in attempts to intimidate the guard. A guard or officer in a prison type setting must learn to not show that this bothers them and they must learn how to acquire respect amongst prison walls while still keeping professionalism. A police officer cannot let emotional barriers get in the way of their job to treat inmates as citizens of the community to help them. Summary As you can see an officer’s job and role in the community requires various times where nonverbal and verbal communication are required; An officer may spend little time or a full day in one of the discussed settings such as a police situation, maybe a traffic stop, in the courtroom testifying, or in a correctional facility. To communicate effectively police officer must evaluate the different scenarios he is faced with and how to properly convey a message within in those situations. By learning appropriate and professional communication techniques officers will be more favored within his department and community. This favoritism can lead to advancement in the department, and one day play a role in the larger picture of decreasing crime. Poor communication can be avoided and is encouraged. Many officers must understand their poor attitude and poor communication skills can not only affect them as an officer but the department as a whole. By forcing training departments to include studies on effective communication, Law Enforcement can train better police officers who will succeed and better the criminal justice system.

Times When Two Cultures Come Together

Times When Two Cultures Come Together Culture is defined as the historically transmitted and interrelated web of values, assumptions, norms, belief systems and behavioral patterns that differentiate one human group from another. Culture is manifested in music, painting, literature, theater, sculpture and films, shortly in all aspects of life. It influences the way we perceive the world, the way we attribute meaning to our environment. Therefore diversities and conflicts are commonly seen when people from different cultural backgrounds encounter each other. In this paper I would like to examine this cultural contact based on a movie called My Big Fat Greek Wedding. The 2002 romantic comedy My Big Fat Greek Wedding is a great example for depicting cultural differences between the US and the Greek culture. It shows how differences in cultures may affect the lives of people through the main character of a 30 year old Greek girl Toula. Being brought up in the US by a traditional Greek family, Toula has to have a single purpose in life: to marry a Greek man and have as many Greek children as she can. Compared to her sister who has been married for a while and has 3 children, she is perceived to be seen unfortunate due to her reaching 30 and still being single. Her father continuously reminds her to marry soon because she started to look old. Toula is stuck with all of the Greek values in her life. She is working in the family-owned restaurant and has no free space for herself. From the time she was a child, decisions regarding which school she would attend or where she would work are all determined by her family. However; being raised in an American culture that is totally different from Greek culture resulted her to be unsatisfied with her life. The emphasis on individuality, being able to be autonomous affected her views as well. The realization of this uncontentment climaxed after meeting Ian while working at the restaurant. When Ian enters her life, she began to realize that she wanted to live her own life and she starts to make her own choices. With her mothers help, she gets the permission for taking computer classes at college which she may later use for business. The approval of the father comes late because he thinks that city is a dangerous place to go. Even when her mother insists on this permission, he responds: if a girl is enough intelligent, why bother going to school. This dilemma of acculturation process which Toula experienced is examined scientifically in Cigdem Kagitcibasis book of Family, Self, and Human Development across Cultures as well. In her book, Kagitcibasi explains that the aspirations of adolescents have are influenced by the dominant society when there is a cultural contact between the culture of relatedness of ethnic minorities originating from collectivistic societies and the culture of separateness of the individualistic dominant society. In the culture of separateness, autonomy is highly valued because it is functional and adaptive in everyday situations. When these minority adolescents engage in a social comparison process, they see that their peers who belong to the culture of separateness enjoy more authority than they do. On the other hand, being related with their parents satisfies their need for warmth and security and it does not create a conflict. However; in some cases where parents lack enough education, parents see a utonomy as a sign of disrespect or separation. Therefore they may not give autonomy to the child. Here we can talk about a culture lag in which the traditional point of view in the family of interdependence still continues despite the fact that it is not functional in the urban, technological society. This culture lag creates a conflict where the autonomous-related self and the family model of psychological/emotional interdependence that adolescents favor collides with the heteronomous-related self and the family model of interdependence that parents value. Because the first one is more adaptive in an immigration context, it is likely that it will be the case (Kagitcibasi, p.324). However this transition would be tough just as it is observed in Toulas struggle. As it is examined above, autonomus related self is more adaptive in an urban lifesetting as it is the case with Toula in the movie. Autonomous related self is a concept that is established by Kagitcibasi that satisfies two basic needs which are autonomy and relatedness. Although the mainstream psychology has always thought autonomy as being separate, Kagitcibasi notes that these two are distinct concepts which are independent from each other. Autonomy refers to willful agency, being governed from outside; whereas being separate or close is about the relationship with others. This type of self is more compatible with an immigration context where there is urban lifestyle involving education and work. Because urban lifestyle requires individual decision making, in other words autonomy is needed for taking initiatives. However close self other and kinship relations continue to exist, too. Therefore it is more adaptive to have autonomous related self. But the process for migrant families with traditional lifestyle to accept the shift towards this type of self takes time. After getting the approval of her parents, Toulas differentiation process towards the autonomous related self begins. She gets herself a new hairdo, abandons her glasses and starts to wear make-up. Moreover she manages to find new contacts and becomes more outgoing and social. She quits working in the family owned restaurant. Instead, she starts to work at the tourism agency bureau of her aunt. In her new job, she feels much better, especially after getting the attraction from the guy, Ian, whom she met at the restaurant. After a while, Ian and Toula starts to date secretly but as Toula finds out that the guy she was dreaming of is non-Greek, things began to be challenging for both of them. As Toula is struggling with how to make her family accept Ian who is a foreigner, Ian finds himself confronted with the family of his love where things are totally different from his own. As opposed to Ian who has only two cousins, Toula has twenty seven. When Ian asks her what she does in her fre e times, she responds that there is no free time for her own because the extended family is together all the time. In addition to that, Toulas family is very proud of their Greek heritage. Her father constantly states that all of the words have roots from the Greek language and he overemphasizes that there are two types of people, firstly the ones who are Greek and secondly the ones who want to be Greek. Moreover, her family tries to preserve their Greek identity in all aspects. Their house is designed in Greek style and there were Greek statues and miniatures all over the place. They engage in every traditional practice that a Greek family might have. They celebrate festive days in Greek way; they dance and eat with Greek relatives. They send their kids to Greek schools so that they acquire the Greek culture. The family also has a patriarchal structure where the father is the head of the family and where the mother helps with the care and support of the household. Toulas family fits into the model of interdependence as it is described in Kagitcibasis book. The model is associated with close family relations and is often characterized by patrilineal family structures (Kagitcibasi, p. 136). Toulas family also has strong familial relations, they celebrate everything together with the extended family, cousins altogether work at a family owned restaurant in order to contribute household jointly. As it is expected from Toula, this type of family structure demands fertility as well. Moreover, the childs dependence is ensured by obedience-oriented socialization and authoritarian parenting as it is the case with Toula. Even reaching her 30s is not enough to make decisions regarding herself alone. Still she needs the approval of her father, is strictly controlled when she comes home late. This type of socialization promotes loyalty and interdependence as it is seen in the movie. As opposed to Toulas family which values interdependence, Ians family is characterized in the model of independence which is the typical model of the western individualistic, nuclear family that is found in the industrialized societies (Kagitcibasi, p. 139). This family model values interpersonal independence. The family exists in nuclear structure and low level of fertility is common. Socialization practices enhance the independent self where there is less control in childrearing. Thats why Ians family does allow the marriage at first sight and does not interfere with the process. Moreover, Ian lives alone and has no sibling or twenty seven cousins like Toula which is seen in family of interdependence. The differences regarding the values and beliefs are mostly seen through reaching the end of the film where the two families start to meet and interact. When Ians family comes for a dinner which was supposed to be a quiet dinner for meeting each side, they are shocked when they see the crowd which is waiting for them. Every single member of the extended family was invited for the dinner and the dinner turned out to be a party where everyone eat, dance and sing Greek songs which is common in Greek culture. As opposed to Toulas crowded family, Ians family comes to dinner with only the nuclear members of the family composed of mother, father and Ian. As the wedding preparations accelerate, Toulas relatives continue to intervene in every single detail. For example; Toulas mother has already prepared the wedding invitations by herself and didnt ask Toulas opinion about whom to invite. Her wedding dress is already planned by her cousin and the place of the wedding is arranged by Toulas family, despite of the fact that Ians family thought a club would be okay. As it can be predicted, marriage from the perspective of Toulas Greek family is just not about uniting two people, but it is the joining of two clans. As opposed to this, marriage can just be a consumer decision with utilitarian value shared with associates at a club (Denny Wayman Hal Conklin, 2002). On the day of the wedding, Toulas family intervened in all the details as well. When Toula has noticed that she has a pimple on her face, all her female relatives help her to cover it with a foundation. Lastly I would like to emphasize some of the similarities between Greek culture and Turkish culture that I have observed throughout the film. In the film Toulas family reminds me of the traditional Turkish family with extended family ties in rural context. The development of the related self is assured with obedience socialization and control. Though not being in a rural context, Toulas family is committed to their values and traditions so strictly that they do not let their daughter be free like the people in the American culture. Toula finds herself in a complete dilemma where she wants to change things in life but out of respect she can not exercise it easily. Another similarity that I have observed is the Greek traditions which are also common in Turkey. For instance; hospitality is highly valued in Turkish culture, too. When a guest comes to visit a Turkish family house, the host family offers delicious meals to enjoy their time. When Ian first visits Toulas family, although he responds that he is not hungry, Toulas mother says: Ok I make you something to eat. The concept of the wedding is also similar in the way that all the relatives even the ones who live far are invited to the wedding ceremony. After the ceremony, they celebrate the day with dancing, eating and wishing a happy life just as in the Turkish culture. They dance sirtaki which is a popular dance of Greek origin just like the Turks who dance halay. They also have the traditional desert baklava like the Turks and use the same word portakal for orange. Lastly, Turks also give presents to the newly wed couples just as it is seen in the movie where Toulas father has bought a house near to them. Buying a house near the parents also shows that loyalty and being close are highly valued in Greek culture where there is a culture of relatedness. In conclusion I would like to stress that My Big Fat Greek Wedding is a great movie which conveys the message that no matter how different two cultures may be, there is a universal aspect of humanity in all over the world. Though history is filled with great atrocities, wars and pain resulting from differences among cultures, the hope for our future may rest in us being able to love and accept one another because of these differences. The scene right before the film ends also summarizes this view perfectly. Before the visitors all are dancing and singing, Toulas father states in his speech: You know, the root of the word Miller (the surname of Ian) is a Greek word. Miller comes from the Greek word milo, which means apple, so there you go. As many of you know, our name, Portokalos, is come from the Greek word portokali, which means orange. So, okay? Here tonight, we have, ah, apple and orange. We are all different, but in the end, we are all fruit.

Almost A Woman Essays -- essays research papers

In the autobiography Almost A Woman by Esmeralda Santiago, there are many cultural differences. She feels alienated from the rest of the people in New York or the United States, for that matter. When Esmeralda was thirteen she moved to New York with her family from Puerto Rico. She did not know a word of English nor did she have any idea of what the American culture was like. To top off her ignorance of the American culture, she was poor, making her more of an outcast. As she was growing up in the United States, most people related her to the only Latin people they had ever seen, who were Desi Arnaz from "I Love Lucy" and Rita Moreno from "West Side Story". She hated those assumptions; they were inaccurate. Desi Arnaz played to role of a Cuban musician who was married to an American and was always put as the dumb, ignorant Hispanic who was sometimes lost in the ideas of the American. Some of that is true, but she didn’t like the idea that people thought she was dumb just because the American culture was new to her. The other person that most people related her to was Rita Moreno’s character in "West Side Story". Esmeralda hated this one even more. Moreno’s character was a Puerto Rican girl named Maria caught in the middle of a gang rivalry. Esmeralda thought they portrayed Maria as a whore because of the way she dressed and the way she acted towards men....

Lessons Learned From the Epic of Gilgamesh Essay -- Epic of Gilgamesh

The Epic of Gilgamesh, a Mesopotamian epic poem with no known author, is the story of the brute King of Uruk, Gilgamesh, who was two-thirds divine and one-third human, which teaches readers the unstoppable force of death, the wrath of the gods, and also the power of friendship, which are illustrated to readers through the characters journeys, and those encountered along the way. The poem, which is divided into twelve tablets, starts off with Gilgamesh being a vicious tyrant, one who â€Å"would leave no son to his father†¦ no girl to her mother†(Gilgamesh 101), and as for newly married couples â€Å"was to join with the girl that night†(Gilgamesh 109) transitions to by the end of the story an entirely new man. One of the main reoccurring themes in The Epic of Gilgamesh is the wrath of the gods. King Gilgamesh had qualities that one would need to excel as a ruler, both brain and brawns, yet he chose to rule with selfishly, and caused this people of his kingdom to live in fear. As one might expect, the gods were not pleased with the way the king was treating everyone. So, Anu, the father of all the gods, showing his wrath, enlisted Aruru, a goddess of creation who created Gilgamesh himself, to create an equal to Gilgamesh, and that being was named Enkidu. Originally, Enkidu was made so he could defeat Gilgamesh and put him in his place, but once they realized they were equal in strength, they became friends. Once companions, the two go on a journey to the Cedar Forest and slay the demon guardian Humbaba. At first, Anu was pleased that Gilgamesh was occupied and not tormenting the people of Uruk. Ishtar, a resident of Uruk, is the goddess of love and fertility, and has a bit of a crush on Gi lgamesh, and makes promises to â€Å"ready fo... ...and the power of friendship are all themes that are very present in The Epic of Gilgamesh, which are shown in the story through the journeys that Gilgamesh embark on, and characters he meets along the way. At the time of it’s writing, I am sure that The Epic of Gilgamesh served as lesson to readers to obey gods, to love one another, and to not let the fear of death keep you from living. These days, it is seen more as just an old epic that is actually very entertaining, but that doesn’t mean that we still can’t take a good message out of it. Works Cited Abusch, Tzvi. "The Development and Meaning of The Epic of Gilgamesh." Journal of the American Oriental Society 121.4 (2001): 614-23. Ebscohost.com. Web. 10 Apr. 2014. Unknown Author. "The Epic of Gilgamesh." The Norton Anthology of World Literature. Vol. A. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2012. 95-151. Print.

Hephaestus, the Master Craftsman

Hephaestus, the Greek god of fire, is most revered for his master craftsmanship. In works of art he is usually depicted as a middle-aged smith working in his forge, often making a thunderbolt for Zeus. Born of Hera alone, he was cast down as a baby from Olympus by his mother for his defective ugliness and fell for a whole day before he hit the ground. Nine years after he was thrown from the heavens, he returned to Olympus and became one of the twelve Olympian Gods. With Zeus’s favor, he was able to marry Aphrodite, the goddess of love, who sadly never returned the love he gave to her.Hephaestus was loved by the mortals for his kindness and he had an important role in Athens alongside Athena. Nearly every weapon, piece of armor, or building of any importance was crafted by Hephaestus. Hephaestus, rejected by his mother for his ugliness, helped countless mortals and gods, married Aphrodite, and rose to Olympus to become the master craftsman honored by all. Hephaestus is the god of fire but only in its positive and useful aspect. This also includes everything that is accomplished by fire. Therefore, any fire that destroys or damages is not attributed to him (Berens 73).He, being a smith, is the protector of smiths, both goldsmiths and blacksmiths and jewelers. Also as a master builder he is the god of builders, masons, and carpenters (Graves 15). He is also considered to be the god of volcanoes because this is where it was believed his forges were located. Inside his forges, he uses Cyclopes as his helpers because they have a natural talent for forging (Bolton 178). Not only is Hephaestus a smith, he is also an architect, craftsman, and an artist (Bulfinch 13). In fact, he is known as the master craftsman (Hansen 185).He makes nearly everything that the gods want from their weapons and armor, to their homes, palaces and chariots (Hamilton 36). Hephaestus is an ugly god. He is often illustrated with grotesque facial features and malformed legs but with massi ve upper body strength. Usually he is shown wielding a hammer and working on a weapon or object of some kind (Berens 76). In other depictions of art, items often associated with work, such as an axe, a mule, and a pilos, otherwise known as a workman’s hat, are used to represent him (Hansen 186). Hesphaestus is also represented by the quail.This bird’s strange dance in the springtime is seen as similar to how Hephaestus hobbles when he walks (Graves 15). Several stories exist on how Hephaestus was born. While all stories agree that he was born to Hera, the goddess of marriage, they differ on when he was born and whether he had a father at all. Some say that he was born to Hera, alone, because she wanted to give birth to a child by herself after Zeus solely gave birth to Athena (Martin 88). However, this is contradicted by the story that it was Hephaestus that helped Zeus give birth to Athena by splitting Zeus’s head open to allow Athena to pop out.Therefore, Hera could not have been jealous of Athena’s single parent birth since Athena hadn’t been born yet (Berens 21). This leads to the rumor where Hera had Hephaestus long before being married to Zeus (Martin 88). But the easiest explanation is that Zeus was indeed his father, and he was born before Athena (Bulfinch 15). After Hephaestus was born, Hera realized that he was ugly and crippled, and to rid herself of such an embarrassment, she threw him off Olympus (Graves 86). He plummeted into the sea, and immediately he was saved by the sea-goddess Thetis.Thetis took him to an underground cave where she and an oceanide Eurynome took turns caring for and raising the young god (Hansen 183). For nine years he remained hidden in his secret, underground home. By the end of the nine years he was already an expert craftsman. He made elaborate items of jewelry, much to the delight of his caretakers (Martin 89). He also made useful objects like clasps, pins, and cups (Hansen 184). While Hephaestus was living with Thetis in the underwater cavern, she told him stories of his birth mother, Hera. After hearing these stories, Hephaestus desperately wanted revenge on his mother for throwing him off Olympus.He began to work non-stop in his forge, leaving only for ambrosia and nectar. Some time later he emerged with a shining black and gold throne, his first masterpiece. Displayed across the entire throne were different scenes depicting the stories of the gods. He requested that Thetis take the throne to Hera up on Mount Olympus as a gift. When the throne was placed in front of Hera, she admired it for a long time. After she sat down, she realized that she could not move. Invisible bands of force held her in place. She yelled frantically, trying to escape but with no success.The other Olympians quickly came to her aid but none of them could release her either. They soon came to the conclusion that a god had made the throne, but they did not know who could have made it (Mar tin 89). Thetis, who happened to still be there, explained to the gods who made the throne. Ares immediately volunteered to fetch Hephaestus, and set off at once for the underwater cave. When Ares arrived, however, Hephaestus fought him off using flaming brands. Ares returned to Olympus empty handed and Hera began to fear that she would spend eternity stuck in a chair. Luckily for Hera, Dionysus decided he would give it a try.He gathered an excessive amount of wine and traveled to the cave. He made no sign that he was trying to take Hephaestus to Olympus. Instead he gave Hephaestus the alcohol and soon had him so drunk that Hephaestus couldn’t even walk. Dionysus then called upon his satyrs and donkey to escort Hephaestus back to Olympus in a grand parade of flute-playing and cymbal-smashing satyrs. Once they arrived at Olympus, Dionysus declared, on behalf of the drunken Hephaestus, that Hera could go only if Hephaestus was allowed to stay on Mount Olympus. Every god favored the agreement so Hephaestus unlocked the throne, setting Hera free.From then on, Hephaestus the smith was one of the twelve Olympians (Martin 90). Many people wonder how Olympus’s ugliest god became the husband to the most beautiful goddess. There are several different explanations on how this happened. One story says that when Hephaestus first saw Aphrodite, he immediately fell in love with her and went straight to Zeus and Hera for permission to marry her. Since they both agreed, they became husband and wife (Bolton 178). Another story states that Zeus gave Aphrodite to Hephaestus in thanks for him forging his lightning bolts (Bulfinch 4).A different story explains that Zeus married them to keep Aphrodite out of trouble. He thought she needed a hardworking and disciplined husband, so he chose Hephaestus (Graves 16). Lastly, one theory says that Zeus set it up as revenge for when Aphrodite refused him as a lover (Bolton 178). No matter how they got married, one thing is alw ays agreed upon. Hephaestus loved Aphrodite, but Aphrodite never returned that love (Hansen 184). Aphrodite never loved Hephaestus because she thought it was shameful to have a crippled and hideous husband (Graves 17).So instead of being a loyal and faithful wife, Aphrodite had many affairs with gods as well as mortals. The most prominent affair was with Hephaestus’s brother, Ares, the god of war. When Hephaestus found out about her affair with Ares, he became especially angry (Hansen 184). Helios came to Hephaestus and told him of the affair between Aphrodite and Ares. Hephaestus’s immediate reaction was of rage and revenge (Hansen 184). He went to his smithy and crafted a pair of invisible and indestructible chains. He took the chains and laid them over top of his bed, checking to see if it was concealed.Hephaestus told Aphrodite that he would be leaving on vacation to Lemnos and pretended to depart. As soon as Aphrodite thought he was gone, she summoned Ares to come . They laid down in Hephaestus’s own bed and instantly became trapped (Hansen 185). Hephaestus then returned to his house and summoned all of the gods to come with him. There, he let them view the humiliated and trapped lovers in bed (Bolton 180). Hephaestus explained to the gods how Aphrodite hated him for being crippled and loved Ares for being attractive. All the male gods commented on the scene and viewed it without disgust.Several of the goddesses, however, did not enjoy themselves as much as the male gods did (Hansen 185). Everyone laughed though, and made fun of Ares and Aphrodite, but some mocked Hephaestus as well (Bolton 180). Finally, with some pleading from Poseidon, Hephaestus let the embarrassed lovers go (Hansen 185). Hephaestus may have had some problems with his wife, but he was very popular among the mortals. He taught them smithing and the art of metalworking (Berens 74). Aside from that, he was known for being very helpful. Orion once came to Hephaestusâ⠂¬â„¢s forge on Lemnos after being blinded.Hephaestus took pity on him and sent a guide to take him to Apollo. Because of his helpfulness, all the mortals honored him, and many of them worshiped him (Berens 73). He has temples on the volcanic Island of Lemnos and Mt. Maschylus (Graves 88). He also has a temple on Mount Etna and in Athens. To enter the temple on Mt. Etna, the mortals must pass fearsome hounds, who serve as guards. These hounds have the ability to smell if people are good or evil. With these special guards, only the clean and righteous souls can enter (Berens 76). His temple in Athens stands alongside the temple of Athena.In Athens he serves alongside Athena as the patron of handicrafts, specifically the guardian of the smiths (Hamilton 37). Hephaestus, being the master craftsman, made a great deal of objects for the good of mankind. Many times he helped heroes on their quests, such as Hercules, Aeneas, and Achilles. For Hercules, Hephaestus crafted several gifts. Fir st, he constructed an enormous pair of clappers that were somewhat like cymbals. Hercules used these to scare the Stymphalide birds (Berens 286). He made a golden breastplate on Hercules’ behalf (Hansen 185).Lastly, he sent Hercules a golden quiver as a gift for when he became famous among the gods (Berens 282). For Aeneas, he crafted an impressive set of armor at the request of his goddess-mother (Bulfinch 155). Aeneas used the armor to defeat Turnus in battle. Finally, to the hero Achilles, he gave a set of impenetrable armor after Thetis, Achilles’ mother, asked him to help her son. Achilles had lost his previous armor and needed a replacement to protect him in his search for Hector. When Hephaestus was visited by Thetis and heard her request, he set all other work aside to complete it (Bulfinch 121).Besides helping mortals, Hephaestus had other responsibilities. As the master craftsman, he solely designed and built the numerous palaces on Mount Olympus. These inclu ded the wondrous palace of Zeus and Hera at the peak of Olympus to the palaces of every other Olympian god to even the majestic thrones that sat in each (Berens 20). Again, being the master craftsman, he built many other things. For mighty Zeus, he made the shield, Aegis and constantly replenishes his supply of thunderbolts (Bulfinch 2). To Artemis he gave armor and arrows to help her on her hunts (Bolton 178).Some of his greatest works were built for Apollo, the god of the sun. These included the magnificent palace of the sun in the east, as well as Apollo’s own Sun chariot (Bulfinch 23). Hephaestus lived through his harsh and misfortunate creation to become a well respected god, loved for his kindness and honored by the humans and gods that he assisted in numerous ways. Ordinary man chose the common quail, whose springtime dance is like his limping walk, to represent him. When he was born, his ugliness caused Hera to cast him off Olympus to rid herself of the embarrassment. Thetis took him in, raised him, and he later returned to Olympus in revenge to Hera. Aphrodite became his wife although her loyalty was to Ares, Hephaestus’s brother, and not to her husband. Hephaestus was honored by having temples in Athens and on Mt. Etna. The most marvelous works known to gods or mortals were created by Hephaestus. Even though Hephaestus is the ugliest god on Olympus, he became one of the most popular in heaven as well as on earth by happily aiding humans and kindly assisting his fellow gods alike.