Barn Burning Essay -- essays research papers

Use of Blood in â€Å"Barn Burning†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Barn Burning† is about the struggle of a boy to do what is right during the Post Civil War era. The main character, Sartoris Snopes, is a poor son of a migrant tenant farmer. In the opening scene he is being asked by a circuit judge about the burning of a farmer’s barn by his father. The boy does not tell on his father and is not forced to do so, but he thinks that he would have done so had he been asked. The father, Abner Snopes, served in the Civil War for both sides and has difficulty venting his anger. Usually he does so through the burning of other people’s barns when they wrong him. The symbol of blood is used by Faulkner to contribute to the theme of loyalty to the family.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One use of blood is shown when the boy is called to testify and is pressured by his father to lie. When the boy is on stand he is stressed by the fear that his father will do something crazy if he tells on him. Also, his father tells him that some things are more important than the truth, that family is the most important thing. â€Å"You were fixing to tell them. You would have told them†(484). This statement made by Abner shows how the boy truly feels about his blood father’s actions and where he stands when it comes to telling a lie or the truth regarding those actions. Also, the scene where that statement takes place depicts how the father feels about family. He thinks that a lie is justified if you are doing ...

What is a Cultural Anthropology

Cultural Anthropology is a term that is in everyday lives and topics. When one thinks of anthropology they think of the study of old remnants commonly referred to as archaeology. This, however, is not the only form of anthropology. There are four types of anthropology and they are archaeology, biological anthropology, cultural anthropology, and linguistic anthropology. However, Cultural anthropologists are every where and study people of all walks of life. One can find a topic and find some type of study that an anthropologist has conducted on the matter. The following are five articles that explain how anthropologists are every where. Chapter: Corporate Anthropologists, page 24 The article talked about how anthropologists play an important role in the corporate environment. Anthropologists have been working with businesses since the 1930†³s, however in the 1980†³s this field experienced significant growth. This was due to the â€Å"globalization of business activity and the increased awareness of the importance of culture for business,† (Laabs 24). Cultural anthropology is the study of existing people and corporations find this information useful in trying to understand human behavior within their own organization. Business anthropologists have been studying the corporate world for years, on such varied topics as how to encourage more creativity or how best to integrate multicultural learning techniques into an organization†s training program,† (Laabs 25). Most anthropologists who work in the corporate environment do not use the title of anthropologist. There are currently over 200 anthropologists working in this field. The article then gave an account of one anthropologist†s experience in the corporate environment. The article concludes by saying what corporations think of the value that anthropologists add to the companies and that the role will continue to grow. The anthropologist that contributed to this article was Lorna M. McDougall. She works at Arthur Andersen†s Center for Professional Education, which is located in St. Charles, Illinois. McDougall is â€Å"studying why people from some cultures learn best from lectures, although others learn best through interactive learning,† (Laabs 25). McDougall has played a large part in developing Arthur Andersen†s Business English Language Immersion Training (ELIT) program. This program builds a language skill that allows for communication between two parties where English may be a second language. This program also provides an awareness of each culture†s business ethics. â€Å"The results of her work have helped instructors, who train Andersen consultants working in 66 countries, be better teachers,† (Laabs 25). McDougall is the first onsite anthropologist employed by Arthur Andersen and continues to be a great resource for the corporation. McDougall used an â€Å"anthropological methodology† by listening in on classroom sessions and conducting interviews. From the information that she gathered she noticed that â€Å"people from certain cultures are used to two-way communication in the classroom, although others just sit quietly while the ‘professor lectures†,† (Laabs 26). McDougall also teaches some of the management development classes and also contributes to the training classes. Her main areas of concentration for anthropological study include a technique where sometimes a management team proposes an idea and at other times she will propose an idea. She has also studied the meaning of gestures and colors for different cultures. She discovered that white in some cultures means marriage and in others, white means death. All her anthropological work has played a major part in Arthur Andersen†s company. I did my presentation on anthropologists and the role that they play in corporations. Until recently I was aware that culture played a defining role in companies that participated in globalization. I did not however know the role that anthropologists contributed to this topic. I recently worked a Technological Symposium for my company and this was a huge event where people from all parts of the world attended. It was at this convention that I learned that other cultures do business differently than Americans. It is not just a language barrier but a culture barrier. I am also aware of the work that anthropologists contribute to the development of web sites that are viewed worldwide. The anthropologist†s experience and mine are vastly different. She is quite a bit more experienced in the topic of corporate anthropologists. However, she and I both realized that language is not the only barrier that corporations face when expanding the operation globally. As the awareness of this field becomes known it will continue to grow. Chapter: Culture and the Evolution of Obesity, page 92 The article provides â€Å"a cross-cultural and evolutionary analysis of how both biological and cultural factors in obesity evolved. This analysis explains the sociological distribution of obesity today. It also emphasizes that peripheral body fat (characteristic of women) is a small health hazard compared to abdominal fat (characteristic of men),† (Brown 92). Peter Brown, the anthropologist who wrote the article, gave his perception on obesity. He believes that â€Å"an anthropological model of culture has significant advantages over the commonly used undifferentiated concept of ‘environment† for generating hypotheses about behavioral causes of obesity,† (Brown 93). Brown states that the problem of obesity and overweight is that today†s industry thrives on the culture belief about having the perfect body and sexual attractiveness rather on the medical perspective. Obesity and being overweight is not just a psychological issue but a serious health issue. Brown claims that there are four facts about the social distribution of society that must be addressed. They are: â€Å"1) The gender difference in the total percent and site distribution of body fat, as well as the prevalence of obesity; 2) the concentration of obesity in certain ethnic groups; 3) the increase in obesity associated with economic modernization; and 4) the powerful and complex relationship between social class and obesity,† (Brown 94). He goes on to further state that â€Å"human biology and behavior can be understood in the context of two distinct processes of evolution,† (Brown 96). The two processes are natural selection and historical changes in the structure of cultural systems. Furthermore, Brown states â€Å"Because the concept of culture is rarely considered in medical research on obesity, and because I am suggesting that this concept has advantages over the more common and undifferentiated term environment, it is necessary to review some basic aspects of this anthropological term,† (Brown 97). He provides a diagram that explains culture in relation to obesity. He concludes that fatness is â€Å"symbolically linked to psychological dimensions, such as self-worth and sexuality,† (Brown 99) but continues to state that this is not a consistent symbol. In some cultures fatness symbolizes wealth and health. Lastly he concludes that culture and its relation to obesity can be concluded practically and theoretically. â€Å"First, recognition of cultural variation in beliefs and behaviors related to obesity needs to be incorporated into health programs aimed at reducing the prevalence of obesity. The second conclusion regards the need for more research on the role of culture, as it interacts with genes, on the etiology of obesity,† (Brown 101). As a woman in today†s American society I am very aware of the problems and hype about obesity and overweight. I am constantly trying to lose weight or maintain it. I am never satisfied with the way I look. Every where we look thin women are displayed on pedestals and obese and overweight people are shunned. I personally consider somebody who is overweight lacking in sexual appeal and self-confidence. The thinner that I am the more desirable I feel. I know that other cultures do not view obesity in this manner. For example I am sure that a person in South Africa who is overweight is considered to be of great status. I just hope that one day nobody will be looked at or judged on their weight. I really enjoyed the anthropologist†s point of view on the obesity issue. The only thing that I disagree with is that such important issues such as bulimia, anorexia, and other eating disorders were not addressed. In an article in which weight is discussed these issues go hand in hand. For every person who is obese there are three that are fighting an eating disorder, and this is prevalent in all cultures. Peter Brown only once touched basis on the dieting craze that floods the world and this was very brief. Then he states that it is only wealthy women who are obsessed with dieting and this is incredibly false. Chapter: White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack, page 134 The article begins by the anthropologist explaining that men have privilege over women. â€Å"Denials which amount to taboos surround the subject of advantages which men gain from women†s disadvantages. These denials protect male privilege from being fully acknowledged, lessened or ended,† (McIntosh 135). Then the article proceeds to discuss how whites, whether they realize it or not, have a considerable advantage over other races. She lists twenty-six ways that whites have the upper hand. She then concludes with her personal analysis her experiences. McIntosh explains that as a white person she had been sheltered from the privileges that she had. â€Å"I think whites are taught not to recognize white privilege, as males are taught not to recognize male privilege,† (McIntosh 135). She compiled a list of things that she encounters daily that are a privilege to white people that may not come so easily to a person of a different race. For example one item states that she â€Å"can turn on the television or open the front page of the paper and see people of my race widely represented,† (McIntosh 135). She then claims that if all these items are true that we are not living in a free country and that certain opportunities are available to whites. She concludes by stating that she hopes that social systems need to be redesigned. I am a white female so I was able to place myself in the anthropologist†s shoes. I grew up in an upper middle class neighborhood went to private school and I was still taught all about the different races. There is an entire month dedicated to Black History in schools. Thus, I experienced reverse discrimination, not a privilege for being white. When applying for scholarships upon entering college I was repeatedly turned down only to see a fellow student of a different race, with lower grades, less academic activities, and lower rank receive the scholarship because of their race. Affirmative action allows for a less qualified candidate to receive the job so that the company can have a certain number of ethnic people employed. There is a black Ms. America and a Black Ms. America, yet the former Ms. America was black. There are sororities that are specifically for particular races yet regular sororities can not discriminate on race but the race specific ones can. The anthropologist and I have very different opinions on being white. She claims that it is a privilege and that other races suffer, I strongly disagree with her. Where was her research done? Did she not look into such issues as reverse discrimination, affirmative action, and the privileges that are granted to others based on their race? The article was completely absurd. What was her basis for such an article? White people have to prove themselves where as others have doors opened for them because of the way our ancestors treated them. McIntosh needs to do a lot more exploration into the topic. â€Å"Lee Cronk discusses possible cultural misunderstandings that were involved in the creation of the unfortunate (and racist) term Indian giver. These misunderstandings were offensive to both Native Americans and whites. Europeans thought that gifts should be freely given and that the gift is less valued when there are strings attached,† (Cronk 143). Due to the before mentioned when anthropologists study gift giving rituals they are more interested in the relationship between the giver and the receiver than the actual item being given. The article makes several references to past situations and gives several examples of anthropologist†s point of view. The anthropologist†s experiences came from first hand knowledge when trying to give gifts to the people that they were studying. One anthropologist by the name of Richard Lee, from the University of Toronto, had an experience with the ! Kung hunter-gatherers. He gave the tribe an ox as a token of good will but all the ! Kung did was complain about how scrawny the ox was. â€Å"Only later did Lee learn, with relief, that the ! Kung belittle all gifts,† (Cronk 144). According to the ! Kung ridiculing gifts â€Å"is their way of diminishing the expected return and of enforcing humility on those who would use gifts to raise their own status within the group,† (Cronk 144). Another example from an anthropologist was by Rada Dyson-Hudson, from Cornell University. Dyson-Hudson gave the Turkana†s of Kenya pots, maize meal, tobacco, and other items. Much to her dismay it was less than appreciated. â€Å"A typical response to a gift of a pot, for example, might be, ‘Where is the maize meal to go in this pot? † or, ‘Don†t you have a bigger one to give me? † To the Turkana, these are legitimate and expected questions,† (Cronk 144). As a child and as an adult the whole gift giving process is different. I can remember getting a gift and never thinking anything of it. As an adult if I get a gift that is quite elaborate I always want to return a gift even better the giver. It is as if I want to one up the giver, as if it is going to make me a better person to give the better gift. As a child I remember receiving items from childhood friends and when a fight would occur the friend wanting the gift back, and this was referred to as Indian giving. Now as I get even older gift giving rituals such as Christmas has become consumer warfare. I think that gift giving is a touchy topic in all cultures. The similarities between the anthropologist†s experience and mine are amazing. It just goes to show that gift giving is a process that will never be fully grasped no matter how much research is done on the topic. Chapter: society and Sex Roles, page 159 Ernestine Friedl (Human Nature, 1978) The article begins with the anthropologist giving two contrasting examples of the roles men and women play in different cultures. Following this introduction the thesis is given that the roles will never be clearly defined as long as examples from other cultures are used in the argument. The article continues to site examples about how men are the dominant sex because they are the hunter†s and provide the resources. Several examples of tribes are given to support his hypothesis that as long as men provide the resources than they will have the upper hand. He concludes by stating that as women continue to gain positions in roles that allow them to provide the resources than they will be able to make demands to change the sex roles. Friedl makes the argument that to understand society and its sex roles one must not â€Å"toss examples from the world†s cultures at each other like intellectual stones,† (Friedl 160). He states that the differences, biologically speaking, can be â€Å"clarified by looking at known examples of the earliest forms of human society and examining the relationship between the technology, social organization, environment, and sex roles,† (Friedl 160). Friedl claims that the factors in a society that cause male dominance need to be researched because once these factors are understood than one can apply this knowledge to the constant changes in the sex roles due to the modern society. Through Friedl†s observations he learned that â€Å"The male monopoly on hunting unites men in a system of exchange and gives them power,† (Friedl 161). â€Å"Women do not hunt, I believe, because of four interrelated factors: variability in the supply of game; the different skills required fore hunting and gathering; the incompatibility between carrying burdens and hunting; and the small size of seminomadic foraging populations,† (Friedl 161). He also believes that another reason are not the dominant sex is because it is difficult to provide resources when one is pregnant. I grew up in school learning about how women†s roles in society have evolved over time. I realize that women were not and still are not the dominant sex. This is partly because it is still difficult for women to be in positions of power. I once tried for a position in a spirit organization at Texas Tech University. It was a male organization thus I was declined membership. Even in dating the men pay, open the doors for the women, and play the dominant role. I agree with Friedl in that the dominant sex is the one that provides the resources. His research was done by past observations and my experience came from personal experience in such areas as dating, work, and school. The times that I was unable to provide resources I was not dominant, but the times that I did provide the resources I had the upper hand. As we continue to grow as a society than women will be in such positions of power and than maybe an equality between the sexes can exist. My favorite article was the article titled â€Å"White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack†. This was because it is such a controversial topic that gets a rise out of me and makes my temper flare. I would really like to argue my point of view with the anthropologist that wrote the article. It is a topic that is extremely controversial and will be around as long as there are people and different races. In conclusion, I now realize all the studies and broad range of topics that are discussed by cultural anthropologists. They play an important role in every day activities that I take for granted. As long as there are people and at the rate the world changes there will always be a need for cultural anthropologists.

Meaning Behind the Phrase to Cross the Rubicon

To cross the Rubicon is a metaphor which means to take an irrevocable step that commits one to a specific course. When Julius Caesar was about to cross the tiny Rubicon River in 49 B.C.E., he quoted from a play by Menander to say anerriphtho kybos! or let the die be cast in Greek. But what kind of die was Caesar casting and what decision was he making? Before the Roman Empire Before Rome was an Empire, it was a Republic. Julius Caesar was a general of an army of the Republic, based in the north of what is now Northern Italy. He expanded the borders of the Republic into modern France, Spain, and Britain, making him a popular leader. His popularity, however, led to tensions with other powerful Roman leaders. Having successfully led his troops in the north, Julius Caesar became governor of Gaul, part of modern-day France. But his ambitions were not satisfied. He wanted to enter Rome itself at the head of an army. Such as act was forbidden by law. At the Rubicon When Julius Caesar led his troops from Gaul in January of 49 B.C.E., he paused on the northern end of a bridge. As he stood, he debated whether or not to cross the  Rubicon, a river separating  Cisalpine Gaul—the piece of land where Italy joins the mainland and at the time inhabited by Celts—from the Italian peninsula.  When he was making this decision, Caesar was contemplating committing a heinous crime. If Caesar brought his troops from Gaul into Italy, he would be violating his role as a provincial authority and would essentially be declaring himself an enemy of the state and the Senate, fomenting civil war. But if he  didnt  bring his troops into Italy, Caesar would be forced to relinquish his command and likely be forced into exile, giving up his military glory and ending his political future. Caesar definitely debated for a while about what to do. He realized how important his decision was, especially since Rome had already undergone a ​civil dispute  a few decades earlier. According to Suetonius, Caesar quipped, Even yet we may drawback, but once cross yon little bridge, and the whole issue is with the sword.  Plutarch reports that he spent time with his friends estimating the great evils of all mankind which would follow their passage of the river and the wide fame of it which they would leave to posterity.   The Die Is Cast The Roman historian Plutarch reported that at this critical moment of decision Caesar declared in Greek and in a loud voice, let the die be cast! and then led his troops across the river. Plutarch renders the phrase in Latin, of course, as alea iacta est or iacta alea est. A die is simply one of a pair of dice. Even in Roman times, gambling games with dice were popular. Just as it is today, once youve cast (or thrown) the dice, your fate is decided. Even before the dice land, your future has been foretold. Let the die be cast itself is an expression meaning roughly let the game begin, and it comes from a play called Arrhephoros (the Flute Girl), a comedy written by the Greek playwright Menander in the 4th century B.C.E. Menander was one of Caesars favorite dramatists.   When Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon, he started a five-year Roman civil war. At the wars end, Julius Caesar was declared dictator for life. As dictator, Caesar presided over the end of the Roman Republic and the start of the Roman Empire. Upon Julius Caesars death, his adopted son Augustus became Romes first emperor. The Roman Empire started in 31 B.C.E. and lasted until 476 C.E. Therefore, by crossing the Rubicon into Gaul and starting the war, Caesar threw the dice, not only sealing his own political future but effectively ending the Roman Republic and beginning the Roman Empire.

Cause Of Poverty In America - 787 Words

As you can see, there are more than the basics of poverty. These poor people struggle on a daily basis to provide the needs of themselves and their family. Poverty affects adults and their children in so many ways. I believe that poverty should be one of the main focuses of America. I have deep sorrow for these people doing whatever they can to make money. I think that poverty needs to be decreased in the United States. I don’t know how the people in poverty do it. They have a weight that they are carrying on their shoulders that they shouldn’t. It’s time for a change. Poverty is caused by many different things. The central causes of poverty in America are stereotyping, separation from social activities, lack of knowledge, employment†¦show more content†¦They are also more apt to have anxiety, low self-esteem, and depression. Children living in poverty are at risk for various amounts of health problems. It is sad that the children born into poverty don’t have a chance to be successful. Adults are affected by poverty in numerous ways. Poverty leads to divorce, which further leads to pitiful parenting. Adults may become insecure, or envious of friends or family who are making more money. They may start stealing money, because they have so little. The effects of poverty are major on adults and children. Adults might even commit suicide, because they feel like they have failed in life and think that his or her family won’t love them anymore. There are several ways that poverty can be prevented. More jobs should be offered, and the income should be able to support their basic needs. Growing up in poverty minimizes a child’s opportunities or success, so opportunities should be displayed for them. The skills of young mothers should be improved, and the poor should be offered education or job training. People who are wealthier can donate money, food, learning tools, and clothes. Obviously one of the more common ways that poverty can be helped is buy people giving up their time for them. You can go to food drives, go to fundraisers, or go to soup kitchens. Everyone should get involved to try to decrease the amount of povertyShow MoreRelatedCause Of Poverty In America1303 Words   |  6 Pages More than 3 billion people are living in poverty across the world, among those an estimated 43.1 million people in America are living in poverty. There are many causes of poverty, but mass incarceration is one of the most prominent ones. When people get out of prison or jail, they have a very low chance of getting a job and finding a home because they have the label of being a criminal. People tend to explain poverty especially poverty in America is that people are lazy and do not want to work,Read MoreWelfare Causes Poverty in America Essay811 Words   |  4 Pages There seems to be an increase in poverty in the United States and there are so many theories behind why this might be a problem. It seems as if Society as a whole wants to blame this social â€Å"condition† on Society itself. I believe that the problem of poverty lies within the actual individuals that are experiencing poverty. There are a few reasons why people experience poverty. They are as follows: One, the liberal welfare programs that were started in the 1960’s, two, individuals lack the characteristicRead MoreEssay on North America Causes Poverty in the Third World1428 Words   |  6 PagesAfter much deliberation, I have come to the conclusion that ‘we’ are all horribly selfish. Not intentionally of course. It just sort of happened you know, snuck into our lives when we weren’t looking. By ‘we,’ I mean much of the population in the Northern Hemisphere. Yes, we’re gorgers, gluttons, plump little people living luxurious lives at the expense of those skinny folks in the Third World. â€Å"Luxurious!?† you cry in objection. â€Å"But of course,† I cry back comparing our living space to the niceRead MorePoverty in America840 Words   |  4 Pagesabout poverty’s history in America and its definition, the causes/reasons of poverty, the effects of poverty on America, and the salaries of people in poverty. Poverty is the state or condition of having little to no money or goods. In America, poverty started being a major issue in the late 1950s when it reached 22.4 percent of the American population. Throughout the 1960s, poverty steadily declined, and reached 11.1 percent in the year 1973. Over the next 10 years, poverty alternated between 11.1Read MorePoverty And Poverty854 Words   |  4 PagesPoverty is a problem that the world suffers from, in which case can cause an awareness. There’s people in a current area downtown who are going through poverty. Mark Gongloff states in â€Å" 45 Million Americans Still Stuck Below Poverty Line: Census† â€Å"More than 45 million people, or 14.5 percent of all Americans, lived below the poverty†¦..But the level of poverty is still higher than 12.3 percent in 2006† (2014). There’s so many people, such as children suffer from poverty. Haiti suffers 37% more inRead MoreThe Poverty Cycle Of Poverty1096 Words   |  5 Pages Children are said to be the future of America, but what if their future is lined up for them already because they are stuck in a cycle of poverty? The Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID) collects information on the social and economic status of families and their offspring every year. The National Center for Children in Poverty used a PSID study that found â€Å"that individuals who grow up in poor families are much more likely to be poor in early adulthood. Moreover, the chances of being poor inRead MorePoverty in Places Such as Africa786 Words   |  3 PagesThere are many different forces that cause poverty in America as well as other places around the world. All countries and or territories have some type of poverty, No one can deny that. Different forces such as bad government policy, overpopulation, high standards of living, costs of living, environmental degradation, and lack of individual responsibility are some of the forces that contribute to poverty. The poor in devel oping countries are trapped. They lack education, good nutrition, and a safeRead MoreEssay on The Root Causes and Solutions to Poverty676 Words   |  3 Pagesstrongly in certain things, all of our ideas on poverty fall on the same path. Unfortunately, as reality points out, is that inside the walls of the White House, where it is commonly believed that actual progress is happening, ideas on poverty revolve around stock exchange, whose ideas only benefit those who get elected. Subsequently, these elected officials lead a group or campaign in a worthless round of unethical ideas that instead of helping poverty, increases U.S. debt. It is also commonly misinterpretedRead MoreCause Of Poverty Essay1527 Words   |  7 Pagesthe U.S are slipping below the middle class and into the grip of poverty. More than 45 million people are living in destitution in the U.S. That means more than 14% of the population is making less than $2,400.00 a month. The Many people believe that there seve ral factors that cause poverty. However, there are really only three main causes of poverty; a poor economy, a long history of drug use, and lack of education. The America that most people know is deteriorating, along with the backbone ofRead MoreWhat Is The Cause Of Poverty?959 Words   |  4 PagesWhat is the cause of Poverty? In this paper I will discuss the causes for those below the poverty line in America set by the census bureau and how we might begin fixing them and how they are already being fixed. I believe these issues are able to be helped but they need to be clarified and addressed properly. Currently in America there are 46.2 million people currently listed as impoverished according to the Census Bureau. As such first we need to look at the causes for poverty for nationally. In

Does a persons sexual orientation matter when it comes to...

Does a persons sexual orientation matter when it comes to art, poetry, or even at all. A beautiful painting is just that, a beautiful painting, whether or not painted by a heterosexual or homosexual. It has been assumed that Walt Whitman was a homosexual based on the tone of his poetry writings. Frances Willard, a pioneer for women and education, also assumed homosexual based on her long term co-habitation relationships with women. Facts can be proven and textbooks should teach facts and leave interpretation and opinions to be discussed in the classroom. Teaching openness, interpretation, and the forming of an opinion is an important lesson for all to learn, but textbooks should only print facts. Walt Whitman wrote poetry with a tone of†¦show more content†¦She was a mostly tutored by her mother as a young girl growing up, later she attended college; the Milwaukee Female College, then at Northwestern woman’s department, receiving a Laureate of Science in 1859. Willard began teaching and continued to teach for many years at various academies. She became president of Evanston College for Ladies; the women’s department at Northwestern University. Her career in education was right on track, until her fiancà ©, Charles Fowler, became the President of Northwestern University. Needless to say, Willard and Chris Fowler were never married. Willard moved on to the temperance movement and found a passion in the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU). Willard became the president of the WCTU actively promoting women suffrage and made many considerable accomplishments in the legislative on a local and state level. Willard never married despite having ser ious romantic relationships with men and despite having been engaged to Chris Fowler. (Biography 2014)Willard’s relationships with men did not seem to work out, so her primary emotional relationships in life were with other women. Although, there is no proof that these relationships were homosexual in nature, it is speculated that Willard was a lesbian. Just as with Walt Whitman, the topic of Willard’s sexual orientation has been a discussion between biographers for years. The facts are the facts and should be taught as such, leaving the discussion of Willard’sShow MoreRelatedStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesNikki Ayana Jones Senior Managing Editor: Judy Leale Production Project Manager: Becca Groves Senior Operations Supervisor: Arnold Vila Operations Specialist: Cathleen Petersen Senior Art Director: Janet Slowik Art Director: Kenny Beck Text and Cover Designer: Wanda Espana OB Poll Graphics: Electra Graphics Cover Art: honey comb and a bee working / Shutterstock / LilKar Sr. Media Project Manager, Editorial: Denise Vaughn Media Project Manager, Production: Lisa Rinaldi Full-Service Project Management:Read MoreManagement Course: Mba−10 General Management215330 Words   |  862 PagesManagement, Fourth Edition Jones−George Driving Shareholder Value Morin−Jarrell Leadership, Fifth Edition Hughes−Ginnett−Curphy The Art of M A: Merger/Acquisitions/Buyout Guide, Third Edition Reed−Lajoux and others . . . This book was printed on recycled paper. Management http://www.mhhe.com/primis/online/ Copyright  ©2005 by The McGraw−Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. Except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act of 1976, no part

Organisational Management Style - Structure and Culture

Question: Discuss about theOrganisational Management Style, Structure and Culture. Answer: Introduction Objectives The reported paper has been specifically developed to understand the organisational background of Toyota Motor Corporation. Moreover, the research study also identifies the management style, organisational structure, and organisational culture of the leading automobile manufacturing firm providing conceptual references and management theories. Purpose By understanding the conceptual aspects of Toyotas management style, organisational structure, and corporate culture, the study will identify the major issues, management problems and practices (Wada, 2015). Furthermore, the role of each of the paradigm in the organisational success can be evaluated through the study paper. Scope The primary emphasis of the study has been centred on management style, organisational framework, and corporate culture leading to human resource management. The study has recognised to draw the best management practices leading to business development. At the same time, the role of the cultural values of Toyota Motor Corporation and the impact on the same of leadership as well as an international business have been drawn to a conclusion in the study paper. Company Background Toyota is a Japanese automobile manufacturing company and the 13th largest company in the world through its revenue. The company produces more than 10 million vehicles every year and was awarded as the largest vehicle seller in the world in the year 2012. Mission, Vision and Core Values The mission of Toyota is to become the first choice of its customers and to get widely recognised through its innovative services and products. The vision of the company is to lead its way to the future of mobility by enriching lives across the globe (Gao and Low, 2015). The core values of the firm are its innovative services and futuristic products that help Toyota to meet its challenging goals. Business Model and Product Range Toyota offers different range of products that include electric technology, cars and buses. Toyota is better known for its luxury type vehicles and electric vehicles. The organization is also known for its non-automotive investments such as aerospace, robotics, agricultural biotechnology and sewing machine technology. It is also a leading organisation in the education industry (Osono, Shimizu and Takeuchi, 2008). Evolution of Workforce and Markets Toyota employs more than 340,000 people across the globe belonging to different countries and culture. On the other hand, the company has been termed as the largest automobile seller in the world as per the Fortune 500 reports. Furthermore, it is the largest listed company of Japan by revenue and market capitalisation (Gao and Low, 2015). Recent Financial Highlights and Challenges Toyota earned revenue of 29.79 trillion in the 2015 with an operating profit of 3.87 trillion and net profit of 2.17 trillion in the same year (Gao and Low, 2015). But, irrespective of its growth in the market, the company has been facing increased competition and legal obligations in different countries that have emerged to be major challenges for the organisation. Management Style Toyotas management style had majorly followed the traditional management practices in the past as most of the senior managers and executives were selected according to their ranks and performance over the years. Meanwhile, since 2009, the current set of management practices have been largely criticised after the event for vehicles safety defects. Leading into the event, a massive shift in the management style of Toyota can be found contributing towards leadership change and corporate governance (Johnson, King and Srinivasa, 2016). The largest automobile manufacturing firm, Toyota has identified the most significant management style suitable to control the shortcomings regarding global business. Moreover, the contribution of Taiichi Ohno, the inventor of Toyotas Production System developed sustainable management theory to be followed in the production (Dutta, 2011). The management style of Toyota Motor Corporation includes significant hiring and employee training methods leading towar ds innovation and market advantage. During the employee resourcing, the right set of skills; talent and knowledge of the candidates have been identified. Notably, Japanese citizens have majorly occupied the top most senior executive chairs whereas more diversity in the workforce can be found at the lower level of corporate structure. The management principles and practices of Toyota are directed towards career development of the workforce. By doing so, the top management can encourage the managers and engineers attached to the structure on a positive note. However, the employees working under overseas condition have found life challenging and hectic, to say the least (Lavanya, 2012). Furthermore, rigorous hiring style of the new talents is eminent to select the best talents suitable for definite positions. In the existing set of management style, Toyota Corporation puts significant value on leadership development, employee training and retention, and organisational culture to influence the workforce (Gherardi, 2004). Precisely, the brand identity of the organisation has certainly favoured the human resource management of Toyota to att ract the best talents to create latest technologies in the automobile industry. Organisational Structure The organisational structure of Toyota Motor Corporations is based on the business operations of the firm across the globe. The company employs its organisational structure to support its strategic direction and business goals. The previous structure of the company is linked to the traditional organisational structures that are commonly used by the Japanese organisations (Gregory, 2015). Furthermore, the effectiveness of the organisation in maintaining its global presence supports Toyota in maximising its efficiency and utilise its capacity appropriately. In short, the current organisational structure of the firm is recognised as a key factor for the success of Toyota in the international market. Previously, Toyota used to have a hierarchical structure under which all decisions were made by headquarter. Furthermore, the individual business units were not allowed to communicate with each other (Lavanya, 2012). All communications were made through the headquarter that led to a slow processing of its operations and become a major challenge for the firm. In the year 2013, the CEO and top executives of Toyota decided to flatten the organisational structure by introducing divisional organisational model. The current organisational structure of Toyota has the following characteristics: Geographical divisions: The new organisational structure of Toyota has been divided into eight regional divisions that are Asia, Middle East, Japan, Europe, East Asia, China, and North America (Bellingham, 2011). The regional heads needs to report to the head office. On the other hand, the regional divisions help the company to develop its services and products on the basis of regional market. Product based divisions: The organisational structure of the firm is also divided on basis of its products (Saruta, 2006). The four major product based division of the firm are Lexus International, Unit centre responsible for the production of engine, transmission and other related operations, Toyota No. 1 for the operations in Europe, Japan and North America, and Toyota No. 2 for the operations in different regions of the world. Global hierarchy: The Organisation still maintains its global hierarchy after the reorganisation in the year 2013. But, the organisation has increased the decision making power of the business unit heads and regional heads (Saruta, 2006). Hence, the decision making process of the company has become less centralised. Organisational Culture The corporate culture of Toyota Motor Corporation indicates the role of the workforce to face the market challenges of the firm at the global stage. The main idea of Toyotas organisational culture is to elevate the capabilities of the human resources management leading towards technological innovation (Sergey Sosnovskikh, 2016). On the other hand, the leading automobile manufacturing company has been largely benefited by its corporate culture to create problem-solving techniques among the executive level employees. Alternatively, the organisational culture influences the workforce to learn substantial things endeavouring innovation and incessant development (Meyer, 2015). The corporate culture of the firm encourages the workforce to identify that all the orders have been translated according to the decisions made in the headquarters situated in Japan. Incredibly, there are four major aspects attached to the Toyotas organisational culture as discussed below: Teamwork: The corporate culture of Toyota has encouraged the management to utilise teams to achieve a greater level of performance and success. Herein, the culture of the firm has led the human resources to go under teambuilding programmes directed to be integrated into the team works. Quality: The brand identity of Toyota Motor Corporation has guaranteed high quality and services of their manufactured automobiles. Therefore, to integrate quality at the highest level, substantial practices within the management have been developed (Meyer, 2015). Continuous improvement: The top level management of Toyota Motor Corporation facilitates long-term development of the workforce through continuous learning. As a part of the continuous development of the human resources, a number of activities, as well as assignments, have been delivered to influence the performance and productivity of the individuals. Secrecy: Last but not the least; the corporate culture of Toyota has developed a substantial degree of confidentiality. The corporate culture of the firm influences the workforce and management executives to keep the information and research secret. Conclusion By considering the above analysis, it can be seen that Toyota has been a successful car manufacturing in the world. On the other hand, the changes made by the management of the company have helped it to fight the increasing level of competition in the global market. Toyota has adopted modern management style in order to improve its production and service quality. Furthermore, the company has made changes in its corporate structure in order to speed up its decision making process. Additionally, the company has improved its corporate culture by implementing innovative ideas and technology. Hence, it can be seen that the changes made in the policies and strategies of Toyota has worked in the favour of the company to maintain its growth in the international market. References Bellingham, R. (2011).The manager's pocket guide to corporate culture change. 1st ed. Amherst, Mass.: HRD Press. Dutta, P. (2011). Corporate Sustainability: A Case Study on Toyota Motor Corporation.Indian Journal of Applied Research, 4(8), pp.105-108. Gao, S. and Low, S. (2015). Toyota Way style human resource management in large Chinese construction firms: A qualitative study.International Journal of Construction Management, 15(1), pp.17-32. Gherardi, S. (2004). Translating Knowledge While Mending Organisational Safety Culture.Risk Management, 6(2), pp.61-80. Gregory, L. (2015).Toyotas Organizational Structure: An Analysis - Panmore Institute. [online] Panmore Institute. Available at: https://panmore.com/toyota-organizational-structure-analysis [Accessed Jan. 2017]. Johnson, A., King, J. and Srinivasa, S. (2016). Convergent Planning.IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, 1(2), pp.1044-1051. Lavanya, B. (2012). Corporate Environmental Responsibility with special reference to Toyota Motor Corporation.IOSR Journal of Business and Management, 4(4), pp.8-15. Meyer, P. (2015).Toyotas Organizational Culture Characteristics: An Analysis - Panmore Institute. [online] Panmore Institute. Available at: https://panmore.com/toyota-organizational-culture-characteristics-analysis [Accessed Jan. 2017]. Osono, E., Shimizu, N. and Takeuchi, H. (2008).Extreme Toyota. 1st ed. Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley Sons. Saruta, M. (2006). Toyota Production Systems: The Toyota Way and LabourManagement Relations.Asian Business Management, 5(4), pp.487-506. Sergey Sosnovskikh, (2016). Toyota Motor Corporation: Organizational Culture.Philosophy Study, 6(7). Wada, K. (2015). Why did Toyota respond less quickly to globalisation?.Entreprises et histoire, 80(3), p.134.

SS Air free essay sample

Q2. ) Mark and Todd agree that a ratio analysis can provide a measure of the company’s performance. They have chosen Boeing as an aspirant company. Would you choose Boeing as an aspirant company? Why or Why not? There are other aircraft manufacturers SS Air could use as aspirant companies. Discuss whether it is appropriate to use any of the following companies: Bombardier, Embracer, Cirrus Design Corporation, and Cessna Aircraft Company. It is not appropriate for SS to use Boeing as an aspirant company for its ratio analysis, for a number of reasons.First the size difference between the companies is far too great. For firms ratios to be comparable, they should be at least approximately the same size. Another reason is that Boeings operations are dramatically different. They have a wide range of businesses, including aeronautics and defense, not just the manufacture of commercial aircraft. We will write a custom essay sample on SS Air or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This indicates that the target market for the two companies is also dramatically different. Defense spending and the global airline industry are two key drivers for Boeing, for SS the drivers are more related to demand for recreational aircraft.The revenue profiles, of both companies, would be different. Apart from the revenue profile other variables like aircraft manufacture time, revenue collection, interest payments etc may be different. Any comparison, between the two companies, would yield incomparable results. To find a good comparable firm for SS, the firm must be engaged in a roughly similar industry, with the same market. Therefore, it would not be advisable that SS Air use Boeing as an aspirant company. The four companies mentioned above, all manufacture for a position of the market.Profit margin5%6. 98%NegativeMeasures return on sales after all expenses have been deducted. Return on assets8. 40%10. 53%NegativeDetermines the extent of returns that is generated For every unit of total asset employed by the firm Return on equity439%16. 54%PositiveDetermines the extent of returns on equity injected by the Owners. Alternative Inventory 0. 366. 15NegativeThis ratio is intended to measure the amount, of inventory, that is financed by debt. Q3. ) Compare the performance of SS Air to the industry. For each ratio, comment on why it might be viewed as positive or negative relative to the industry. Suppose you create an inventory ratio calculated as inventory divided by current liabilities. How do you think SS Air’s ratio would compare to the industry average? SS is below the median industry ratios for the current and cash ratios. This implies the company has less liquidity than the industry in general. However, both ratios are above the lower quartile, so there are companies in the industry with lower liquidity ratios than SS Air. The Company may have more predictable cash flows or access to short-term borrowing. The Current Ratio is below the industry median, while the quick ratio is above the industry median.This implies that SS has fewer inventories to current liabilities than the industry median. SS has fewer inventories than the industry median, but more accounts receivable than the industry since the cash ratio is lower than the industry median. The turnover ratios are all higher than the industry median; in fact all three turnover ratios are above the upper quartile. This might indicate that SS Air is more efficient than the industry. The financial leverage ratios are all below the industry median, but above the lower quartile, which means that SS Air generally has less debt than comparable, companies but still within the normal range.The profit margin for the company is about the same as the industry median, the Return on asset is slightly higher than industry median, and the Return on equity is well above the industry median, which means that SS seem to be performing well in the profitability area. If you created an inventory to current liabilities ratio, SS Air would have a ratio that is lower than the industry median. Overall, SS Air’s performance seems good, a lthough the liquidity ratios indicate that a closer look maybe needed in this area.