The eNotes Blog Life of Pi the Book and theMovie

Life of Pi the Book and theMovie Which story do you prefer? Have you been following the trailers for  Life of Pi? After months of anticipation, I was fortunate enough to attend a screening of it  last night. The new movie is the cinematic adaptation of Yann Martels celebrated 2001 novel, is directed by Ang Lee, and has been generating Oscar buzz for weeks thanks to its imaginative art direction and astounding special effects. But theres more about the film you should know There are a lot of movie adaptations set to be released in the upcoming monthsThe Hobbit, Anna Karenina, and  The Great Gatsby to name a fewthe  wait for which brings excitement to the literary masses, though the products often bring disappointment; avid readers time after time conclude that the magic that comes with reading a novel just cannot be translated onto the big screen. And I am usually one of them. But Life of Pi is a unique case. For one thing, I actually didnt even enjoy the book all that much. My apologies in advance to the die-hard fans out there, because I know youre there; the novel has such a polarizing effect, it seems that everyone Ive ever talked to about it either loved it or couldnt finish it. On the one hand, its manuscript was rejected by five publishing houses before it was accepted by Knopf, on the other it was endorsed by President Obama in a private letter to Martel as, an elegant proof of God, and the power of storytelling. Oh yes, and it won the Man Booker Prize in 2002. What kind of precedence does that set for its translation into film? Well, having watched the movie, I can say that its given me a new appreciation for Martels storytelling. His writing, so hard for me to get through on paper, has been transformed into a format that can celebrate all of its surrealist qualities and make them magical. Just watch the scenes on meerkat island if you dont believe me. But youd have to celebrate that surreality to make the film a success. In a novel, the allegorical tale of a boy sharing a lifeboat with a massive Bengal tiger just works. In a movie, the fact that its impossible to throw your lead actor in with a real-life mankiller is only upstaged by the greater challenge of bringing character to the animal and making him real. On that I will only say that I was told that fewer than a quarter of the tiger shots in the film depicted a non-CG tiger. Good luck picking out which ones. Not only do we end up believing Richard Parker is real and alive, but we, like Pi, believe in his soul, all thanks to the reality-bending technology of computer graphics and the artistry of Parkers animators. Because of his embrace of the novels surreality, director Ang Lee has not only managed to retell Martels story, but to bring to it a spark of magic that is normally only reserved for the original book, something relatively unheard of in an adaptation. Based on Martels own words from the novel, I think hed agree: â€Å"Thats what fiction is about, isnt it, the selective transforming of reality? The twisting of it to bring out its essence?† Life of Pi So, are you excited to see a movie based on this bestselling book? What are your thoughts and expectations for movie adaptations, or this one in particular? More on Life of Pi from : The Life of Pi Study Guide, a perfect reading companion complete with chapter summaries and analysis. Have a question? Post it to our QA area for the novel and our expert editors will provide answers. Test your knowledge of the novel with Life of Pi Study Questions. Teachers, planning on teaching Life of Pi in the classroom? We have an exclusive Teaching Unit  to help you with that, plus related lesson plans from Prestwick House Publishers to aid your instruction.

Solute Definition and Examples in Chemistry

Solute Definition and Examples in Chemistry A solute is defined as the substance that is dissolved in a solution. For solutions of fluids, the solvent is present in greater amount than the solute. Concentration is a measurement of the amount of solute present in a chemical solution, with respect to the amount of solvent. Examples of Solutes Usually, a solute is a solid that is dissolved into a liquid. An everyday example of a solute is  salt in water. Salt is the solute that dissolves in water, the solvent, to form a saline solution. On the other hand, water vapor is considered a solute in air, because nitrogen and oxygen are present in much larger concentration levels in the gas. Different Types of Solutes When two liquids are mixed to form a solution, the solute is the species present in the smaller ratio. For example, in a 1 M sulfuric acid solution, sulfuric acid is the solute while water is the solvent. The terms solute and solvent can also be applied to alloys and solid solutions. Carbon may be considered a solute in steel, for example.

Reform Proposals & the Ideal Legislature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reform Proposals & the Ideal Legislature - Essay Example Attempts at radical reforms, however, have so far been futile. For example, the slow pace of policymaking and legislation has so far remained. According to Robert Harrison (2004), Congress is a constant and neutral marketplace in which contending parties negotiated terms and contracts that shape America as a state. (9) Its plurality and the norms within it becomes an open entry for gridlock and partisan legislation. Specifically, the political parties in Congress retained a pronounced tendency to stick together even when confronted by the new issues of progressive reform. In contrast to the executive department who could make immediate decision or policy stand, the Congress must undergo a process of conflict, consensus and indecisiveness that slows down any effort of reform. The legislative leadership is very important in getting the job done in Congress essentially because it controls the legislative agenda especially in cases where the leaders’ party has the comfortable lead in numbers. For instance, the leadership can appoint leaders to various legislative committees and hence control their historic roles of refining legislation. For example, according to Gary Cox and Matthew McCubbins (2007): Complex logrolls that require a sequence of legislative enactments on the floor are†¦ dependent of the goodwill of the majority leadership. At a minimum, the leadership must agree to schedule all the pieces of the legislative bargain. Otherwise, whoever goes first (votes first, reports out a bill first, etc.) has no guarantee that the other side will be given the opportunity to uphold its end of the bargain. (228) Needless to say, an active Congressional leadership is pivotal in substantive legislation. Leaders of the Congress will have few problems if they belong to the party that has the majority. Party discipline can ensure the smooth proceedings and passage of laws because the party organization will dominate the legislative activity. However, the

Martial Relationships before and after Getting Married in UAE Essay - 1

Martial Relationships before and after Getting Married in UAE - Essay Example While this traditional patriarchal system has survived through ages, the 21st-century woman is breaking this concept. â€Å"Emirati women in 2010 were ranked number one in terms of gender equality among the whole Arab world and our ranking internationally was 103. This is a big leap,† said Shamsa Saleh, Chief Executive Officer of the DWE. (Chowdhury, 2011 April 02, Khaleej Times Online ). The society of UAE is mostly governed by Islamic laws, also called sharia and family laws pertaining to marriage and divorce are handled accordingly. Muslim men are allowed to have four wives at the same time and they can even marry non-Muslim women. However, they have to bear the financial expenditures of all their wives and children. They are the ‘providers’ of their wives and children and in return, their wives are supposed to be absolutely chaste, obedient, and available to satisfy their sexual and domestic needs. The United Arab Emirates is one of the advanced countries in t he entire Gulf region. Exposure to foreign lifestyle due to tourism, foreign media, multinational organizations with its multinational workforce and education has gradually changed the social system of Emirates. The youth has responded well to the social changes and they find it implausible to fit the traditional practices in their modern and contemporary lifestyles. The most adverse effect of the clash of civilizations has been on marital relationships. An increase in the divorce rate has been recorded in UAE during the past few decades. â€Å"According to latest available statistics, the UAE leads GCC states in divorce rates, which hit 36 percent, reported 'Emarat Al Youm'†. (Emirates 24/7, March 04, 2011)

Health and Safety Gap Analysis Essay Example for Free

Health and Safety Gap Analysis Essay 1. GAP Analysis and GANT chart. This was a good start and gave us something to aim for. We have made some progress but not enough. It didn’t really tackle the serious issues and had a poor starting point in the GAP analysis (should have been a risk assessment). Many initiatives have failed due to poor information flow and management commitment. 2. Management buy-in Not enough support from all Managers at all levels. â€Å"We are too busy† was a common phrase heard, IOSH guidance on Safety management systems states that â€Å"Managers need to manage health and safety issues effectively, no matter how busy they are and whatever their workload†. E.g., Kev too busy for training Alex all sorts of issues David very good No action on recommendations. Heath and safety is seen as a secondary business activity, not as a primary consideration. Everyone has suggestions to improve health and Safety at Barfoots but most are not willing to take action when required. Low attendance at the committee meetings, I feel as though they are a waste of time 3. Health and safety committee Nothing is ever sorted out as there is low attendance I would suggest forming a new committee formed by safety representatives from each area of the business. Safety reps would need training in health and safety and allowed time to discharge their duties. 4. My role Heath and safety management is not just about one person, but about the whole organisation working towards a common goal, ‘the reduction of accidents and incidents’. At the moment all of this has been put on me. I sometimes feel confused as to what action to take next. Because people disregard actions I find it hard to keep track of what needs to be done. I am sometimes used as a backup because no one else is there at the time. IE water jug, signs, etc. What authority do I have? I need to spend more time on policy, organization and auditing than I do and less time on the daily management of the process. i. Fire procedures ii. Boom iii. Delivering and maintaining procedures iv. First aid v. Chasing up managers Not suitably qualified, NEBOSH 1-2 years  £2300-  £5000 We are now a multi site business growing rapidly. My skills need to grow with it. MHSWR 99 requires that every employer shall appoint one or more competent persons to assist and advise on health and safety. I nave taken advice which suggested that I should be qualified to NEBOSH level. Syllabus is based around the development and implementation of a OSHMS in a company. Potentially reduced costs in terms of outsourced services, Fire survey, noise survey etc. It will mean that I have accountability as written in my job description. Who do I report to and is that the right person? 5. OSHMS We set out with a list of goals and have achieved some but not others. The first goal should have been the establishment of a an OSHMS in order to create a structure to hang everything else off. There are a number of options for OSHMS all of them based on the Plan Do Check Act principle PDCA HSG65 BS 8800 OHSAS 18001 ILO HSG65 Is the HSE’s OSHMS and states â€Å"†¦ if you do follow the guidance you will normally be doing enough to comply with the law† We can audit against an OSHMS and set performance targets.

The Odyssey - A Creton Lie :: essays research papers fc

Gentle waves lap against the Ithacian shore line as Odysseus has finally reached his native homeland. Rumors of the great turmoil that has rocked Odysseus' home land and house has reached him abroad. After hearing the news, he decides to don a beggar's disguise and so forth begins the great test. When the disguised Odysseus in Homer's great epic poem, The Odyssey, converses with her wife Penelope in Book nineteen, he tests her loyalty to her husband' s honor and her love of her missing husband.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Odysseus disguised as a beggar is the basis for the lies that are going to be told to Penelope in this passage by him. In my opinion, this is the main lie that is used as the building block for many other lies to be told. Odysseus is being deceitful by disguising himself as a beggar for specific reasons. His reasons are to find out what has been going on in Ithaca in his twenty years' absence. He wants to find out his wife's loyalty to him as the husband and the authority figure, and her love to her husband. If she did not still love him, he might think twice about revealing his identity to his wife and to the island of Ithaca. He wants to get a feeling of how Penelope feels towards him before he reveals himself to her.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The beggar assures Penelope that he has really spent some time with her husband in Amnisus because there was a terrible storm and, 'Then on the thirteenth day the wind died down and they set sail for Troy (Homer 397, 19.233-234).'; There are two statements that reassure Penelope that the beggar does know Odysseus. 'So I took Odysseus back to my own house, gave him a hero's welcome, treated him in style....';(Homer 396, 19.222-223) and 'A dozen days they stayed with me there.... (Homer 397, 19.228-229).'; By giving Penelope this information about her husband, it gives her hope that he is still alive and on his way home.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Now comes the part where he puts Penelope to the test. By sharing this information with her about her husband he comes to understand her feelings for him. Penelope has not only been loyal to Odysseus as her husband, but also as the authority figure. She has demonstrated her loyalty by being true to him for twenty years in his absence and has not remarried.

Spanish Conquest of the Aztec Empire

The people known as the Aztecs (who referred to themselves as the Mexica or Tenocha) originated from a place called Aztlan, somewhere in North or North west Mexico. Sometime in the 12th century they embarked on a period of wander- ing and in the 13th century settled in the valley of central Mexico. About 1345 they founded the town of Tenochtitlan. The Aztecs of Tenochtitlan ruled by Montezuma II became the greatest power in Mexico. The city of Tenochtitlan formed an alliance with the neighboring cities of Texcoco and Tlacopan but later became the dominant partner and gained total control of the entire valley.Conquering city after city, Moctezuma and his warrior empire took food, luxury goods, exotic raw materials and war captives. The prisoners of war were saved for sacrifices to the gods. Embarking on a journey of his own in search of gold, General Hernando Cortes lead his group of Spanish troops into the path of the powerful Moctezuma monarchy. After meeting face to face, both men seemingly viewed the other with mutual respect after a friendly exchange of greetings. Trust was not to be gained quite as easily as each leader kept their warriors on constant alert.Even after General Cortes and his troops were settled into luxurious apartments and given a sumptuous meal, they remained very cautious. By placing their cannon into position and readying the cavalry and infantry, they could be ready in a moment s notice. Moctezuma remained alert as well, and had even gone so far as to have his secret room of riches and treasures cemented. He was still uncertain as to whether Cortes was god or man, friend or foe. There is no doubt that the Spaniards viewed Montezuma as mighty, great and wise.I m certain they were astonished and awed over his great fortune, works of gold, jewels, magnificent arts, architecture, and the like. He was definitely not lacking in pomp and splendor. Everything Montezuma owned was excessive and everything he did was carried to the extreme. He su rrounded himself with guards, servants and beautiful women. Great respect was shown to him even though all of his empire did not think he was deserving of it. Cortes and his men surely did not agree with Moctezuma s political ways.He controlled conquered people and his empire was held together by mere force rather than loyalty. The state controlled every aspect of life. Of course, Cortes himself was a conqueror, but his people were not controlled and forced as the Aztecs were. Many of the Aztec people looked upon the Spaniards with curiosity. They did not know how to judge these strange people. Some thought Cortes to be the legendary ruler Quetzalcoatl, whose return to earth had been prophesied. In fact, that may be the only reason Cortes was not met with stronger initial opposition.The Aztecs also resented the kindness and favors their king bestowed upon the general and his men. The Spaniards had freedom that they did not, so I m sure that they viewed them with envy. If they had sp oken out against their king, it would have meant instant death. Other people of the Aztec empire saw the Spaniards as powerful allies against Moctezuma and his imposed rule. Many of the Amerindian people had already began to form allies with Cortes on his way into the capital city of Tenochtitlan. In Aztec Mexico, religion was ever present.The Aztecs worshipped a multitude of gods, each of whom demanded offerings and sacrifices. They considered themselves the chosen people of Huitzilopochtli, the sun and war god, in whose name they were destined to conquer all rival nations. Huitzilopochtli occupied the main temple at Tenochtitlan. He was worshipped daily with offerings of human blood and fresh throbbing hearts, torn from the bodies of sacrificial victims. It was during a tour of the temple that General Cortes tried to convey to Moctezuma that he was being deluded by his idols of evil.Cortes request to erect an image of the Virgin Mary was angrily denied. The Europeans very much bel ieved in the Christian religion and were totally appalled by the Aztec customs. They earnestly wanted permission to build a church there and introduce Christianity. After days of watching the Aztec people build an almost humanlike statue of their sun and war god, the Spanish troops were provoked into an attack. Their mission all along was to invade and assault the Aztec empire, but it was momentarily put on hold when Moctezuma welcomed them.The Spaniards chose to capture Moctezuma and attack the Aztecs during their annual festival of worship and sacrifice to their gods. This festival was equivalent to the Christian version of the Easter holiday. The Spaniards caught the Aztecs off guard and immediately slaughtered many warriors, but the Aztecs quickly revolted against the invaders and killed 53 Spanish prisoners for sacrifice. Moctezuma was killed in the uprising. Cortes, with new troops from Cuba, along with the aid of thousands of Indian allies, finally conquered the Aztec in 1521 .Legend would have us believe that Hernando Cortes was totally ruthless and did nothing but conquer, rape and plunder (rather than trade), but eye witness accounts of the Aztec conquest are few. Some say the conquest was a bloody massacre, others say it was a glorious conquest. Seemingly during that era of time, it was every man for himself. Personally, I do not think Cortes had much of a choice once he was inside the empire because Moctezuma would have inevitably come after him. He could have chosen not to go but, at that time it was take or be taken.Their is no easy way to wage war and under the circumstances Cortes probably did just as other warriors before him had done. The Aztec empire collapsed almost instantly after the conquest. The warriors and noblemen who were not killed immediately died later from rampant smallpox and other diseases. The conquest of the Aztecs marked a significant period for the Spanish. It opened new doors by broadening economic and political gain. In s hort, the European expansion paved the way for a new age, a new beginning, and a major turning point in history.

A Historical Perspective on Reading Research and Practice Essay

This article has responded to both internal and external forces resulting from gradual and dramatic transitions based on historical perspectives. This has permitted a reasonable reflection and a sense of wisdom that is susceptible to loss when one engages in it. The underlying reason is the critical dimension to the present day events and issues analysis resulting from the broadened reading culture. In the late 20th century, reading became a recognized study field with systematic research programs aiming at ascertaining its fundamental nature and its acquisition process. This resulted from the confluence of social, educational, political and economic factors. Quantitative and qualitative changes in U. S. public schools’ systems after the World War II provided favorable environment for the reading transitions. Reading processes and skills were broken down into constituent parts which were practiced and reinforced in a systematic and orderly manner during classroom sections. Reading became a conditioned behavior based on certain environmental contingencies. Individuals positively responded to learning from repeated and controlled stimulation from the environment. This stimulus-response relationship was accompanied by rewards and punishments led to the habituation of the reading act (Alexander & Fox, 2004). Therefore, academic learning involved identification of the preferred behaviors prerequisites and training. This aimed at untangling the chained links in reading so as to train the learner in each component skill. In addition, material effectiveness was structured and controlled in the delivery of environmental stimulation and practice opportunities. Emphasis on studying observable behavior focused on reading as a perceptual activity which included identification of visual signals and validating diagnostic instruments and remedial techniques. However, alternative human learning theories which focused on perceptual process as a whole still operated on underground which examined that reading is per introspection rather than through behavior. Human beings could make a coherent sense out of the perceptional data through whole-word recognition, context comprehension and word identification thus considering reading as a unique human activity owning definitive characteristics. Increased interest in internal mental structures and processes ignited by the advancements in neurology and artificial intelligence has caused transformations in the learning institutions. Moreover, the dissatisfaction with behaviorism as an explanatory system caused changes. The article points that present institutions should conceptualize learning as a natural process rather than conditioning and that language should be developed through a meaningful use. Also learning to read should be viewed as an inherent ability rather than a reflective action with laborious skill acquisition. As a result, reading research unified the literacy field through language arts. Learning to read became a matter of arriving at a facility due to the understanding quest within a language-rich environment. The growing attention to the structure and processes of the human mind and increased federal funding by the Unites States led to creation of research centers caused another theoretical transformation. These new researchers explained human language as an interaction between symbol system and mind. Learning as a natural metaphor was replaced with a mechanistic information processing metaphor. Text-based as a form of learning, involved knowledge which was organized and stored within the individual mind (Alexander & Fox, 2004). In addition, Knowledge base was depicted as powerful, persuasive, individualistic and modifiable since it was linked to the individual’s perspectives on what they had read, their interpretation and recall out of the written text. The information processing of this period resulted in cognition-related constructs which strengthened the aforementioned characteristics of knowledge. Furthermore, it focused on the individual mind. This was because the computer-based guiding had little considerations of socio-cultural influences in processing linguistic information. To add on, the research studies stressed on individualistic interpretations of written text and exhibited that the knowledge of the students could be greatly modified through training, direct intervention and/or overt instructions. Other contributors of improved text comprehension were instructional environments and pedagogical techniques. In view of any reading approach, there must be a shift away from the neurological argument to much concern for naturalism in the materials and procedures used to teach reading. Moreover, they should create unity within the language arts. The cognitive psychology gave a new viewpoint for literacy and educational researchers. It studied literacy with naturally occurring texts in natural settings with holistic and aesthetic school of thought. It aimed creating a mutual understanding arising in the social interaction of individuals in particular contexts at a time (Alexander & Fox, 2004). The dominant perspective was learning being a socio-cultural collaborative experience and the learner being a member of the learning community. Reform on modern schools  Present day schools should anticipate for motivation in the form of readers’ achievement of goals, interest and involvement in the learning experience with change in perception of texts, reader and reading. This can be achieved due to the introduction of the hypermedia and hypertext forms of learning which has increased the attention in classroom discourse thus improving the students’ academic. Effective orientation has to be done so as to capture the complexity of reading and recognize the changing nature of reading as the reader engages in a range of reading-related, goal-directed activities. With the dichotomization of reading into learning to read and reading to learn, it has led to integrated and developmental learning perspective. Engaged learning has led to the acknowledgement of the fact that reading extends to the texts students come across daily such as nonlinear, interactive, dynamic and visually complex materials transmitted using audiovisual media. Current learning institutions should learn about the potentials of alternatives nonlinear media and examine how pedagogical techniques and learning environments can be adapted to aid readers from struggling with traditional texts. Students should be encouraged to participate in meaningful and goal-directed text-based learning. Moreover, attention should be drawn to create a personally and socially valuable body of knowledge. Strategies are put in place to promote reflection, choice and deliberate execution on the learner’s part which actively engages the leaner thus developing the reading perspective. To be complete, readers, and learners should focus on demonstrating fluency in reading and other basic linguistic skills. Workable solutions  Some of workable solutions would include provision of personally relevant texts, both traditional and alternative that will promote deeper and wider student engagement in their learning. Putting in place technological advancements capable of transforming learning and teaching through production of proliferated information sources and different text types can also be productive. Involving high-stakes testing and efforts to institute national standards have hastened the students’ learning since they prescribe the content and skills learners should have acquired at various institutional levels. Investments in basic reading skills and components in special education institutions have helped struggling readers since researchers have greatly supported. Changes which might improve things One of major consideration that should be put in place is recognition of the fact that reading is invariably physiological, psychological and sociological thus an integrated orientation is a prerequisite. Therefore physical, visual, and neurological stimuli to the learning processes should also be employed. In addition, every reading process needs to enhance the psychological interpretation, storage and retrieval of text, goals formulation and expression of interests. Sociologically, a reading culture that focuses in intra-individual and inter-individual communication through linguistic media that are socio-culturally influenced can also play a big role in changing the existing education. Lastly, a fine-grained reading view that incorporate brain structures and mental activities of an individual and social behavior have to be integrated meaningfully throughout these orientations.

Free Essays on Getting Past No

Summary of Getting Past You and No By: The summary of (0) Introduction Each of us has to face tough negotiation with an irritable spouse, an ornery boss, a rigid salesperson, or a tricky customer. Under stress, even kind, reasonable people turn into angry, intractable opponents. In order to reach a mutually satisfactory agreement in an efficient and amicable fashion, this book introduces us the strategy of breakthrough negotiation. The breakthrough strategy is counterintuitive: it requires us to do the opposite of what we might naturally do in difficult situations. In addition, the essence of the breakthrough strategy is indirect action. Rather than trying to break down opponent's resistance, we make it easier for him to break through it themselves. In short, breakthrough negotiation is the art of letting the other person have our ways. (1) STEP ONE: Don't React Go To The Balcony The first step we need to do in dealing with a difficult person is not to control his behavior but to control our own. Because when we react-a ct without thinking, we usually neglect our interests. "Going to the balcony" means distancing ourselves from our natural impulses and emotions. From the balcony we can calmly evaluate the conflict, think constructively for both sides, and look for a mutually satisfactory way to resolve the problem. One the balcony, the first thing we need to do is figure out our interests. We also need to identify our BATNA- our Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement. The agreement must satisfy our interests better than our BATNA could. Our BATNA should be our measuring stick for evaluating any potential agreement. Often we do not even realize we are reacting, because we are too enmeshed in the situation. Therefore, we need to recognize the tactic. Make a mental note when we detect a possible trick or subtle attack. By naming the game, we are able to neutralize it easily. Once we have named the game and stop our immediate re... Free Essays on Getting Past No Free Essays on Getting Past No Summary of Getting Past You and No By: The summary of (0) Introduction Each of us has to face tough negotiation with an irritable spouse, an ornery boss, a rigid salesperson, or a tricky customer. Under stress, even kind, reasonable people turn into angry, intractable opponents. In order to reach a mutually satisfactory agreement in an efficient and amicable fashion, this book introduces us the strategy of breakthrough negotiation. The breakthrough strategy is counterintuitive: it requires us to do the opposite of what we might naturally do in difficult situations. In addition, the essence of the breakthrough strategy is indirect action. Rather than trying to break down opponent's resistance, we make it easier for him to break through it themselves. In short, breakthrough negotiation is the art of letting the other person have our ways. (1) STEP ONE: Don't React Go To The Balcony The first step we need to do in dealing with a difficult person is not to control his behavior but to control our own. Because when we react-a ct without thinking, we usually neglect our interests. "Going to the balcony" means distancing ourselves from our natural impulses and emotions. From the balcony we can calmly evaluate the conflict, think constructively for both sides, and look for a mutually satisfactory way to resolve the problem. One the balcony, the first thing we need to do is figure out our interests. We also need to identify our BATNA- our Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement. The agreement must satisfy our interests better than our BATNA could. Our BATNA should be our measuring stick for evaluating any potential agreement. Often we do not even realize we are reacting, because we are too enmeshed in the situation. Therefore, we need to recognize the tactic. Make a mental note when we detect a possible trick or subtle attack. By naming the game, we are able to neutralize it easily. Once we have named the game and stop our immediate re...

External and Internal Motivation for Homework and Projects

External and Internal Motivation for Homework and Projects Do you know what drives you to get good grades or put that extra bit of effort into your science project? What is it that makes us want to do well- both on tests and in our lives? Our reasons or desires to succeed are our motivations. There are two key types of motivations:  intrinsic and extrinsic. The type of motivation that drives us actually affects how well we do.   Intrinsic motivation is the sort of desire that arises from within us. If you are an artist, you may be driven to paint because it brings you joy and peace. If you are a writer you may write to satisfy the need to create stories from the many ideas swimming around inside your head. These drives stem from an interest in the activity or job itself, without any external influence. Internal motivators often become defining qualities or characteristics of the person acting on them. Extrinsic motivation compels you to act based on some outside force or outcome. The desire is not one that would arise naturally within you, but because of someone or some consequence. You might be motivated to do some extra credit to keep from failing your math class. Your boss might offer an incentive program to make you work a little harder. These external influences can have a great impact on why or how people do what they do, sometimes even things that seem out of character.   While it would seem intrinsic motivation would be better than extrinsic, they both have their advantages. Being internally motivated is most rewarding in that the activity or area of study naturally brings a person pleasure. The desire to perform an action requires less effort than an externally driven motivation. Being good at the activity is not necessarily a factor. Many people are motivated to sing karaoke despite their musical ability, for example. Ideally, people would be intrinsically motivated to do well in all aspects of their life. However, that is not the reality. Extrinsic motivation is good for when someone has a job or an assignment to do that they do not really enjoy for its own sake. This can be beneficial in the workplace, school, and life in general. Good grades and the possibility of getting into a good college are good external motivators for a student. Receiving a promotion or a pay raise incentivizes employees to go above and beyond at work. Perhaps some of the most beneficial aspects of extrinsic motivators are that they encourage people to try new things. Someone that has never tried horseback riding may not know that it is something they might really enjoy. A teacher might encourage a talented young student to take classes they normally would not have, introducing them to a new area of interest.   Intrinsic and extrinsic motivations work in different ways but are equally important. It is really great to feel good about doing something you love and doing it well. However, no one can function in the world acting only on internal desires. Those external influences help people develop in all aspects of life.

Personal Selling and Customer Focus Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Selling and Customer Focus - Personal Statement Example In order for Studio Productions to improve the company’s well-being, it, therefore, needs to implement a customer service system that is first and foremost, customer focused. The goal of customer service is to â€Å"attract and keep customers who are satisfied, loyal and speak well of the company, but perhaps most importantly, to keep profitable customers† (Gustafsson, Ekdahl and Edvardsson 344). Hence, a customer service system must always ensure client satisfaction, and if possible, exceed client needs. Second, it must also be effective in achieving the company’s goals. While a satisfied client-base is in itself an advantageous end, for Studio Productions to benefit from service developments, the system it adopts must go beyond the minimums of customer satisfaction and reap additional benefits for the company. From a service perspective, these should include improved cross-sell and up-sell rates, higher problem resolution, and higher customer satisfaction and r e-purchase (Carlson Marketing Group 8). It should also improve sales through higher lead-to-close ratios, increased margins, and repeat business (8). Third, given the drastic changes occurring in today’s business environment, a customer service system must also be flexible in its ability to embrace change and adapt accordingly. And finally, a good customer service system must also be cost-effective, such that it must provide saving efficiencies and revenue enhancements for the company, improving the bottom-line.  In order for Studio Productions to improve the company’s well-being, it, therefore, needs to implement a customer service system that is first and foremost, customer focused. The goal of customer service is to â€Å"attract and keep customers who are satisfied, loyal and speak well of the company, but perhaps most importantly, to keep profitable customers† (Gustafsson, Ekdahl and Edvardsson 344). Hence, a customer service system must always ensure cli ent satisfaction, and if possible, exceed client needs. Second, it must also be effective in achieving the company’s goals. While a satisfied client-base is in itself an advantageous end, for Studio Productions to benefit from service developments, the system it adopts must go beyond the minimums of customer satisfaction and reap additional benefits for the company. From a service perspective, these should include improved cross-sell and up-sell rates, higher problem resolution, and higher customer satisfaction and re-purchase (Carlson Marketing Group 8). It should also improve sales through higher lead-to-close ratios, increased margins, and repeat business (8). Third, given the drastic changes occurring in today’s business environment, a customer service system must also be flexible in its ability to embrace change and adapt accordingly. And finally, a good customer service system must also be cost-effective, such that it must provide saving efficiencies and revenue enhancements for the company, improving the bottom-line.   For a customer service system to work, however, Studio Productions must conduct improvements in both internal and external customer service structures to improve client satisfaction and loyalty. Internally, this requires developing a â€Å"service culture† among all employees with a well-defined set of corporate values, a strong commitment to quality improvement, the ability to accept change, a strong sense of teamwork, and a clear understanding of their roles in improving customer relationships.

Globalisation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 5

Globalisation - Essay Example The terms became prominent during the 1990s with the end of the Soviet Union Cold war. This is a major change which is steady and is one which includes complete integration of various countries. Globalisation refers to the interaction among different countries in order to work together to develop the global economy. Here there is generally an integration of economies and societies across the world. Globalisation is an opportunity that opens us many different areas for more interaction among people across the world (Kose, 2003). In terms of social as well as business activities, globalisation opens up opportunities to allow better communication and interaction without the issue of locations or borders. Stephen Gill explains globalisation to be a method which helps in reducing the costs by means of transaction and Trans – border movements of goods as well as capital and other factors of production. Guy Brianbant has however explained globalisation to be a process which includes a number of different factors like the improvement of communication, financial markets, and also internationalisation of the companies and growth of the multinational companies along with better mobility of people and factors like capital, data, goods and ideas. He has however also taken into account the negative aspects of globalisation i.e. higher mobility of infections, diseases and pollution (Mooney & Evans, 2007). This provides an overall and well rounded explanation of the process of globalisation and takes into account all perspectives of globalisation. Globalisation as has been discussed has impacted almost every country in the world, either positively or negatively. Here in the case of UAE, the country has been of interest and the collaboration between the country and other international locations has played a major role in the development of the country (Patapan, 2007). The Government of