Thursday, January 30, 2020
Plot Summary Essay Example for Free
Plot Summary Essay The play is set in the Dublin slums or tenements in the years of the Iris Civil War 1922 and 1923. The whole play centers on the Boyle family. Juno Boyle is married to Boyle who calls himself Captain Boyle. Boyle is a useless and irresponsible drunkard who shuns the reality of work at every stage in the play, and spends his time in the pub drinking with his friend Joxer Daly. The Boyles have two children Johnny and Mary. Johnny is a sickly individual who has been involved in the Republican movement but he ended up betraying a comrade by the name of Tancred. Johnny spends his days locked up in the house fearful of his life. His mother Juno is a selfless character who is concerned all the time about other people. Junoââ¬â¢s daughter Mary is deeply concerned about appearances. She is a shallow character who seems to judge people and things from the outside. When we meet her at the beginning of the play, we learn she is on strike because of the dismissal of a young girl called Jenny Claffey. Yet we are told from Juno how Mary never had a good word to say about Jenny Claffey in her whole life. The family are told that they will inherit money from a distant relative who has died. Bentham is the solicitor who informs them of this fact. He begins to have a relationship with Mary and she becomes pregnant. Bentham shortly after this abandons her. The Boyles begin to borrow money and accumulate a great deal of debts. The legacy never materializes, and the Boyles are forced to return the borrowed goods. Johnny is dragged off to be shot for the betrayal of Tancred. Juno finally realizes that Boyle will never take on his responsibilities as father and breadwinner and so she leaves him and sets up home with Mary. Themes/Issues Poverty This theme dominates the play at every level. The whole play highlights the cruel irony that while many people were fighting for ideals and principles there were others who were suffering from the debilitating effects of the poverty. Because of the negative effects generated by poverty escapism assumes a major and dramatic element in the lives of characters. Maryââ¬â¢s tragic situation occurs because of poverty. When it becomes clear that the Boyles will not inherit any legacy, Bentham disappears forever abandoning Mary alone to have her baby. Jerry Devine standards of what are essential features in a husband are set out in terms of money. At one stage he tells Mary how the job is worth 3 50. Juno who is the only character rooted in the harsh practical everyday world of necessity realizes that money, hard work, and responsible social commitment are stronger and more realistic values in this world than principles and ideals. Her pragmatic stance on how principles wonââ¬â¢t pay butchers is in striking contrast to the incessant evasion from reality inherent in all of the other characters. Religion The theme of Religion is also a dominant feature in the play. The play is set against a strong Catholic background. O Casey makes frequent use of images of Our Lady and the votive light to project an air of realism and authenticity in the play. There are also a variety of different religions, and attitudes expressed throughout the play. One of O Caseyââ¬â¢s chief mottos in the play seems to show the co- existence of strong religious convictions, together with a sincere and humane commitment to oneââ¬â¢s fellowman. Junoââ¬â¢s faith is sincere, authentic, and traditional. She believes on Johnnyââ¬â¢s death that God can do nothing against the stupidity of men, that her husband should be praying novenas for a job, and that what Ireland needs is more piety. On the other hand, Bentham espouses a religion by the name of Theosophy. This is projected as vague and abstract and certainly seems to be compatible with his own shallow commitment to people. Reality and Fantasy The play dramatizes the conflict between the dream world and the world of reality and shows what happens when a character is stripped of his illusions and forced to face reality. Boyle the ââ¬Ëposeurââ¬â¢ or Paycock struts throughout the world of the play on a false and imaginary sense of his own self- importance. His whole life and career consist in fabricating dreams of his gallant years as a captain fighting heroic feats and sailing the oceans of the world. The news of the legacy provides another outlet to Boyleââ¬â¢s habitual evasion of reality, he sees himself as a potential investor on the Stock Exchange. His whole life is a lie. His pains, which are invented for the sake of shirking and avoiding work, become real to him. His refuses to face up to the truth and reality about Bentham and the deception surrounding the news of the will. When reality invades at the conclusion of the play in the form of Maryââ¬â¢s pregnancy and the actual removal of his material possessions, Boyle is unable to cope. His final entrance dramatized in a drunken fragmentary soliloquy is tragic. His habitual escape into fantasy is pathetically expressed through his drunken pose ââ¬â ââ¬Ë Commandant Kelly diedâ⬠¦. in them armsâ⬠¦.. Tell me Volunteer Bullies says he that I died for Irelandââ¬â¢. Mary who represents the younger generation also falls victim to illusion. On her first appearance in the play, she is shown to be on strike for a principle. The oppressive and stifling atmosphere generated by the tenement life forces her to seek escape through Bentham. For her he represents another way of life and values outside the restricting and debilitating atmosphere within the two- roomed tenement. She falls victim to the subtle deception of Benthamââ¬â¢ middle-class gentility. She is blinded by external appearances and ends up a tragic victim of Benthamââ¬â¢s hypocrisy and selfishness At the conclusion of the play, she is forced to return to the reality of the slum life with Juno in spite of all her attempts to escape through learning and books. Answer Juno and the Paycock is a play that was written by Sean OCasey. It is one of the most often performed and highly regarded plays in Ireland. Juno and the Paycock was first staged at the Abbey Theatre, Dublin in 1924. Juno and the Paycock: Tragoi-comedy. Tragi-comedy is a kind of writing in which comedy is hovering on the brinks of tragedy. OCaseyââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"Juno and the Paycockâ⬠is a tragi-comedy although, on the whole, it is a serious and somber play having much destruction and violence. But there are a number of comic elements in the play which would not fit into the pattern of a tragedy. On the other hand, as the comic elements do not outweigh the tragic ones, it would be inappropriate to label the play as a comedy. It means there is a co-existence in the play of tragic and comic elements and so, the best course is to treat it as a tragi-comedy. Trade Union. JUNO AND THE PAYCOCK Sean O Casey ACT 1 (in a labour family house, not very well furnished) Johnny and Mary Boyle are siblings and members of a Trade Union. Mary is 22 and Johnny is her younger brother. He was injured at the hip by a bullet and at the arm by a bomb: he is an activist. One of Maryââ¬â¢s friend, Jennie Claffey has been fired so Mary wants to demonstrate (Union Trade). Mrs Boyle doesnââ¬â¢t support those behaviours on the part of her Children. Mrs Tancred son was killed during a an armed fight. The Boyle family is poor and Mrs Boyle borrows money. She doesnââ¬â¢t want her husband to come at home with his friend, Joxer, and to spoil all the coal and the food. Johnny is crippled and relies much on others. Jerry Devine has found a Job for the Captain (Junoââ¬â¢s Husband), but the latter pretends the pain is his legs prevents him from working. Jerry Devine is in Love with Mary, but she hangs out with another guy. Jerry Devine saw them together. Jerry devine is a very polite and a very correct guy. Juno makes Joxer go and goes to work. Then Joxer comes again. He is much afraid of Juno. He and the Captain have a conversation. The captain doesnââ¬â¢t want to work. He doesnââ¬â¢t like clergymen. Then Joxer has a quick leave as Juno comes back with Mary and Mr Bentham (the other guy Mary sees). He is 25 and seems to be rich. He has great news for the captain. Benthan says Ellison of Santry, a relative of John Boyle the captain) is dead and he will receive half of his belongings. Then John Boyle get angry with Jox. Things now goes well between he and his wife though. ACT 2 (two days later + the pace is full of belongings and adornments of all sorts) Boyle is friend again with Jox and spend is money joyfully. As he is rich, he seem to have changed views about clergyman. Father Farell (the one proposing him the job in particular). Charles and Mary seem to appreciate each other much. Boyle and the former are having a conversation. As Bentham speaks about spirits Johnny sees the phantom of Robbie Tancred in the left room. The captain is sometimes called Jack. Mrs madigan (a woman to whom the captain owes a few pounds) comes in. They sing. Then Mrs Tancred is heard in the street, going to the burial of her son. Nugent (tailor + he talked with the captain about his job and the Father) comes and asks them to shut the gramophone down. They all go out except John, to see the burial procession. The mobilizer comes and asks John to take part in a meeting of the militia. ACT 3 (two months later+ same setting) Bentham hasnââ¬â¢t been seen for a month. He has given up on Mary. Mrs Boyle brings her to the doctorââ¬â¢s. The captain has borrowed much money to all his neighbours but it seems he wonââ¬â¢t get it. Nugent, the tailor comes and takes back a suit he had made for Jack. Mrs Madigan, who wants to be repaid, comes and takes the gramophone for which the captain hasnââ¬â¢t paid yet. The captain and Joxer quarrel about the rumours and the girls come back from the doctrorââ¬â¢s. Marry is pregnant, Bentham is the father. Bentham also misinterpreted the will and the Captain wonââ¬â¢t have his share. People come to remove the furniture that hasnââ¬â¢t been paid for. Two irregulars (from the militia) take hold of Johnny (called Sean) to take him by force. He is accused of having killed Tancred. One hour later the house is completely empty. Johnny was killed. Two policemen come for Mrs Boyle to check up the corpse. The girls will live together and take care of the baby. Until Mary drops they will live at Junoââ¬â¢s sister. Joxer and Boyle come back completely drunk. Boyle says the whole world is in a state of crisis.
Wednesday, January 22, 2020
Henry Jamesââ¬â¢ The Golden Bowl, The American Scene, and the New York Edition :: American Scene
Henry Jamesââ¬â¢ The Golden Bowl, The American Scene, and the New York Edition In the letter he wrote to Scribner's in 1905 proposing that he "furnish" each volume of his forthcoming deluxe edition with a preface, Henry James portrayed his novels and stories as disenfranchised beings patiently awaiting a "chance" for their cause to be righted. James would be their advocate and the prefaces the texts with which he would demonstrate his novels' worth (367). In this paper I will argue that the writing of The Golden Bowl and The American Scene were essential precedents and complements to this project of self-vindication. Reading The Golden Bowl through its preface shows that beneath the narratives of familial and marital relations in the novel run stories of a writer's contention with a misapprehending audience--the same struggles out of which James spun creative autobiography and a theory of fiction in the prefaces to the New York Edition. Through his indirect critique of his readership in The Golden Bowl and the fierce challenges he delivered to his compatriots in The American Scene James laid essential groundwork for the lessons in reading and creative production he would later offer in the New York Edition. Paul Armstrong has argued that James's prefaces require the same "doubled reading" his novels require, that while the reader is absorbing James's account of his writing experience and his theory of writing, the reader is also responding to James as a centering consciousness whose "interpretive attitudes . . . are as much on display and as much an object for the reader's scrutiny as the impressions of a Lambert Strether or a Maggie Verver" (128). As comparable centering consciousnesses, James the preface-writer and his heroine Maggie Verver make common assertions. Both figures demonstrate the power of the creative deed. Paralleling James's affirmations about "doing" in the preface to The Golden Bowl is Maggie's discovery in the novel of her own brilliant capacity for action. After the assignation of the Prince with Charlotte in Gloucester, Maggie begins "to doubt of her wonderful little judgement of her wonderful little world" (307). She begins to "put" things both to herself and the people around her. She contrives gestures to effect a change in her "practically unattackable" situation. Henry Jamesââ¬â¢ The Golden Bowl, The American Scene, and the New York Edition :: American Scene Henry Jamesââ¬â¢ The Golden Bowl, The American Scene, and the New York Edition In the letter he wrote to Scribner's in 1905 proposing that he "furnish" each volume of his forthcoming deluxe edition with a preface, Henry James portrayed his novels and stories as disenfranchised beings patiently awaiting a "chance" for their cause to be righted. James would be their advocate and the prefaces the texts with which he would demonstrate his novels' worth (367). In this paper I will argue that the writing of The Golden Bowl and The American Scene were essential precedents and complements to this project of self-vindication. Reading The Golden Bowl through its preface shows that beneath the narratives of familial and marital relations in the novel run stories of a writer's contention with a misapprehending audience--the same struggles out of which James spun creative autobiography and a theory of fiction in the prefaces to the New York Edition. Through his indirect critique of his readership in The Golden Bowl and the fierce challenges he delivered to his compatriots in The American Scene James laid essential groundwork for the lessons in reading and creative production he would later offer in the New York Edition. Paul Armstrong has argued that James's prefaces require the same "doubled reading" his novels require, that while the reader is absorbing James's account of his writing experience and his theory of writing, the reader is also responding to James as a centering consciousness whose "interpretive attitudes . . . are as much on display and as much an object for the reader's scrutiny as the impressions of a Lambert Strether or a Maggie Verver" (128). As comparable centering consciousnesses, James the preface-writer and his heroine Maggie Verver make common assertions. Both figures demonstrate the power of the creative deed. Paralleling James's affirmations about "doing" in the preface to The Golden Bowl is Maggie's discovery in the novel of her own brilliant capacity for action. After the assignation of the Prince with Charlotte in Gloucester, Maggie begins "to doubt of her wonderful little judgement of her wonderful little world" (307). She begins to "put" things both to herself and the people around her. She contrives gestures to effect a change in her "practically unattackable" situation.
Tuesday, January 14, 2020
Vegetarians vs. Meat-Eaters Rough Draft
Cassia Allen Mr. Gerleman Engl. 1301 18 June 2012 Vegetarian vs. Meat-eater Through personal experience I have witnessed the common misconception many people fall prey to: vegetarians are mal-nourished and unhealthy. This quick judgment comes from the knowledge that the human body needs protein to survive and our main source of protein comes from the meat of animals. Fortunately for vegetarians, this is not so. In fact, protein can be found in a variety of different foods, making life for a vegetarian not quite as difficult as one might think.Unlike a meat-eaters diet, by eating a vegetarian diet you can prevent health defects, gain important vitamins and maintain a level amount of energy throughout the day. Eating a vegetarian diet takes dedication but with the right knowledge of what will benefit your body and what will harm it, you can be rewarded with a number of positive aspects. Fruits and vegetables play a huge part in the prevention of health defects such as heart disease, di abetes and even cancer.But without knowing this, vegetarians can extremely warp the outcome of a vegetarian diet and intake more carbohydrates rather than vitamins from fruits and veggies. These vitamins are an absolute essential part of a vegetarian diet along with foods that will provide energy to the body such as leafy greens, nuts, beans and fresh produce. By eating these types of foods, vegetarians can have just as much or more energy in their day as a meat-eater would.Many meat-eaters in todayââ¬â¢s society abuse the commendable aspects that meat can contain and gorge themselves in all of its fatty glory. Meat is commonly over-eaten and turned to fat in the body if not worked off through exercise. Because of nutrients such as amino acids, iron and protein; some meats can add to oneââ¬â¢s defense system and help block harmful viruses from getting into the body. But this minimal amount of help that meat offers the immune system can easily be replaced by many other foods.Un fortunately the same cannot be said for the protein level meat contains. No vegetarian food can provide the same amount of protein that meat offers. Because of this, meat-eaters have a consistent amount of energy when doing every-day activities and usually do not tire easily. Looking past all the differences, both an omnivorous diet and a vegetarian diet have health benefits of their own but having a vegetarian diet means that you are acutely aware of these differences and strive for the benefits.
Monday, January 6, 2020
Relevance Of Hofstedes Model In Current Scenario - Free Essay Example
Sample details Pages: 11 Words: 3280 Downloads: 5 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Business Essay Type Research paper Did you like this example? Hofstedes model is well known as a significant standard to distinguish different cultures in the field of business. With the rise in globalization of businesses, many people are working with, or managing, individuals and groups from cultures other than their own. Due to many criticisms of Hofstedes cultural model, this paper has analysed, to an extent, the effectiveness of Hofstedes model in the current business scenario. Donââ¬â¢t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Relevance Of Hofstedes Model In Current Scenario" essay for you Create order The paper has critically evaluated the models five dimensions on the basis of two main aspects i.e. the biasness and the validity with respect to time. Firstly, this paper analyses the impact of subcultures within a national territory and how Hofstedes model ignores that aspect. The report has explained, with the help of examples, how within a country there are different subcultures which impacts peoples personality and behavior. The model can be said outdated since some countries are no more in existence and there are some countries that did not exist at the time of the survey. The number of respondents that were surveyed by Hofstede is also an issue as it wasnt in any particular pattern or balance. Moreover, Hofstede used a single company as a base of his survey for the cultures of the world. The report has put forward criticisms on Hofstedes model and has concluded that his model still might be useful to managers on a very basic level, depending on the purpose of usage, but it may not be of any use at all in the near future. Considering these problems, suggestions have been made on how culture could have been analyzed by Hofstede or how it can be studied for the future. Table of content Executive Summary Table of contents Table of figures 1 Introduction 1 2 HofstedeÃâà ´s Methodology 2 3 Critical Analysis of HofstedeÃâà ´s Model 3 3.1 National Culture vs. Sub-culture 3 3.2 Geographical Location 4 3.3 Language and Number of Respondents 6 3.4 Single Entity 7 3.5 Cultural Evolution 8 3.6 Validity of the Surveys 9 4 Conclusion 9 5 Recommendations 11 Appendix 12 Bibliography 16 Table of figures Table 1: Comparison between Australia and Indonesia in HofstedeÃâà ´s model 4 Table 2: Working days lost in industrial disputes per 1000 employees 8 Relevance of Hofstedes Model in the Current Scenario In the beginning of our assignment, we want the reader to understand implications of cultures along with Hofstedes points and methodology. Following this, we will evaluate critically the arguments made by Hofstede and his research methodology. Finally, we will state our conclusion and some recommendations about future cultural research. Culture is more often a source of conflict than of synergy. Cultural differences are a nuisance at best and often disaster. (Hofstede, no date; cited in Itim, 2009, a). 1. Introduction There is no universal definition of culture. According to Hornby (2009), cultures are customs and beliefs, art, way of life and social organization of a particular country and group. From the statement, we understand that there are several things that affect cultures. Culture plays an important role in understanding people traits. People from different regions have different ways of living; this includes business. Therefore, it is important to understand the traits of people from different cultures in order to make business more effective and efficient. A Dutch researcher, Geert Hofstede initially came up with a cultural model in which he continued to develop (Mead and Andrews, 2010). This model was attained by distributing questionnaires to IBM employees in 66 different countries. The survey was conducted in 1967 and 1973; and he came up with four main dimensions (McSweeney, 2002, a). Power Distance It is the extent to which people can accept and expect the unequal distri bution of power. Uncertainty Avoidance It is to measure how people from different countries can endure ambiguity and contingency. Individualism vs. Collectivism It is the degree whether people in a particular country are more likely to be associated with a group or more individualists. Masculinity vs. Femininity It is the classification of people residing in particular country as to whether they are more focused on success or on harmony and peace. But then later on Hofstede came up with a final dimension: Long term orientation vs. Short term orientation Not as commonly used as the earlier dimensions, it considers temporal orientation towards life (Mead and Andrew, 2010). This assignment will now critically evaluate whether Hofstedes model is dated and biased and to what extent it is of use to the contemporary business executives. 2. Hofstedes Methodology Hofstedes cultural model is widely used for cross cultural research by international companies and corporations (Jones, 2007). As mentioned above, Hofstede distributed 117,000 questionnaires to IBM employees from 66 different countries. Initially, the questionnaires were made in English but then due to translation problems, the questionnaires were subsequently translated into local languages. Hofstede involved only one company IBM- which he called HERMESÃâà ´ as IBM was not comfortable with its identity being made public. The research was done on employees solely from sales and marketing departments of IBM. The reason why Hofstede chose IBM as the single company was because of homogeneous corporate and occupational culture (McSweeney, 2002, a). According to Hofstede IBM has a strong corporate culture and the purpose of his survey was to analyse the traits, characteristics, and behaviors of people from different countries (Hofstede, 2001). He basically relates a selection of so cietal characteristics (for example, GNP, economic growth, latitude of the capital city, population size) to each of the four indices. His main method of use was the stepwise regression. Finally he uses his ecological findings to predict individual behavior (Robinson, 1983). 3. Critical Analysis of Hofstedes Model Many researchers have argued on Hofstedes methodology and findings. In the following paragraphs some examples of criticisms will be evaluated. 3.1 National Culture vs. Sub-culture Hofstede argues that every national population shares common culture despite of acknowledging that it is not the only culture or totality of cultures. Culture is territorially unique (McSweeney, 2002, a). For example: India and China are very vast countries which have many subcultures depending on the geographical locations. Hofstede has taken these countries as a single entity, which means that every Indian and Chinese, regardless of which part of the country they come from, have similar cultures, which is not correct. He also considers Great Britain as a single entity, whilst it is actually comprised of different nations. Does this mean that people from England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have single national culture? Studies have shown that compared to these three countries, Wales has the most diverse population in terms of individuals born outside the country. (Drinkwater and Blackaby, 2004). This influences individuals personal traits. From these points, we can stat e that Hofstede is biased, as he considered the country as a single entity regardless of different regions within the country. To strengthen the above argument, OLeary and Levinson (1991, as cited in Baskerville, 2003) stated that culture cannot be equated with nations. For instance in Africa 98 different cultures exist in 48 countries, whereas Western Europe has 81 identified cultures in 32 countries. In North America, 147 native cultures are recognized. Wildavsky (1989, as cited in Baskerville, 2003) also mentioned that cultures are not countries and there are many different cultures within the same country. 3.2 Geographical Location As a result of globalization and advancement in technology, Hofstedes model is dated. Nowadays, people have become more mobile. Hofstede model fails to identify those people; for example: people who were born in Indonesia but spent most of their lives in Australia. This can be disastrous for international managers as people from Indonesia and Australia have different cultures and behaviors. According to the model, Australians are very individualist, masculine and have low power distance whereas Indonesians are very collectivist, feminine and have high power distance (refer table 1) (Brewster et. al., 2007). Reliance solely on Hofstedes model may misguide international managers in working with personnel of such mobile backgrounds. Table 1: Comparison between Australia and Indonesia in HofstedeÃâà ´s model (as cited in Jones, 2007) Another example is Hitler who was born in Austria and moved to Germany as an adult. According to Hofstede, Austria has very low power distance and high on uncertainty avoidance (Brewster et. al., 2007). However, Hitler was very dominant person by nature and he believed in the idea of dictatorship (McSweeney, 2002, a). Hitlers personality was contrary to the Austrian culture. Another case where Hofstede has ignored this aspect is that people in Hong Kong and the majority of people in Singapore are Chinese, but Hofstede explains their power distances using different explanations. The higher power distance values for Hong Kong and Singapore are because of the fact that they were a part of the British colony. The British did not practice equality values between themselves and the colonised population (Yeh, 1988). The model is out-dated because it still has Yugoslavia, whereas in present world the country does not exist anymore. The country has been di vided into Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia, Slovenia, Kosovo, Croatia and Macedonia. Also, the survey was conducted when Germany was still split up into two different countries (Cahill, 2007). Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have been ignored in Hofstedes cultural research and are still treated as a forecourt of Russia. Many publications consider them as a common block, not only because of their geographical proximity and location but also because they were all a part of Russia when the research was held. A very small number of scholars focus on cultural differences among former Soviet-Union states and/or CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) countries (Vadi and Meri, 2005 as cited in Huettinger, 2008). Latvia looks westwards to Sweden and Germany, to continue its traditional ties (Manning and Poljeva, 1999 as cited in Huettinger, 2008). Hofstede has noted that the national culture of a particular country is the dominant mental program, which is predominant (Romm and Hsu, 2003 as cit ed in Huettinger, 2008). Several studies have proven that nations are significant cultural institutions on their own (Smith and Peterson, 2005 as cited in Huettinger, 2008). Hofstede also defines culture as, the collective programming of the mind which distinguishes one group or category of people from another (Hofstede and Hofstede, 2005 as cited in Huettinger, 2008). We can clearly see that Hofstedes model is dated regarding this aspect, and perhaps even biased, as he considers them as one culture whereas he might not have had anyone from Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia in his studies. The Chinese are very proud and loyal people. Their loyalties lie with their families and less so to non-family organizations. The Japanese, however, do not have any problems with shifting their loyalties from their family to their work place. Thus, even though both Chinese and Japanese have low individualism, the systems are very different. From a societal or the firms perspective, the Chinese are very individualistic. Which are in contrast to Hofstedes findings for Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore, where the majority of people living are also originally Chinese (Chen and Chieu, 1984 as cited in Yeh, 1988). Furthermore, even the meaning of the word household is quite different between Japan and China. Chinese people face problems when they have to show their loyalties to the company and their family at the same time, whereas this conflict does not exist in Japan. Hofstedes argument is that Mao Zedongs anti-individualistic or pro-collectivistic ethos is evidence of the deeply rooted Chinese tradition. This on the contrary was one of the reasons why MaoÃâà ´s Cultural Revolution failed. The tradition of the family coming first is deeply rooted in the Chinese society (Yeh, 1988), where Hofstedes studies have not considered the Chinese majority countries having any ties with china. 3.3 Language and Number of Respondents Initially, there were problems in understanding the questionnaires as it was written in English. However, later the questionnaires were translated into the relevant local languages and redistributed, again to the same employees of the HERMES company to conduct the survey again. Differences in translation of language can be minimized but not completely eliminated, as some words cannot have the exact same meanings in the local language. For example: the word achievement is difficult to be translated, and was therefore avoided (Hofstede, 2001). He used 362 managers with different backgrounds from 30 different countries to respond to the questionnaires. Whilst the managers received and answered the questionnaires in their own native languages so as to avoid mistranslation in interpreting the data. The result was similar to the result of questionnaires written in English (Hofstede, 2001, 2002). However, the number of respondents representing a country is small. . The use of questionn aires had also been doubted. Hofstede used 117,000 questionnaires for 66 countries. A large number of respondents itself does not guarantee the validity of the result, as the average number of respondents he obtained per country is not statistically significant so as to be reflective of a whole country. Out of 66 countries only six countries have respondents more than 1000; others were less than 200. This numbers are too small to represent a country (McSweeney, 2002, a). According to McSweeney (2002, a), the survey covered 66 countries but Hofstede only used data obtained from 40 countries. But if we look at Hofstedes model, he has used 53 countries in the table (Brewster et. al., 2007). Therefore, should the data for the 13 countries mentioned in the model be questioned? 3.4 Single Entity The survey was conducted on a single company, IBM; and the data which he used for his analysis was based on responses from marketing plus sales executives. Hofstede argued that it was deliberate. Hofstede believes that by this, he will get data from people who has homogeneous corporate and occupational culture; therefore, the difference he gets was due to national culture. Based on Hofstedes argument, we can say that every German machinist has the same occupational culture with every Greek machinist; which might not be true. Hofstede also has ignored dissenting, multiple, and emergent cultures in organization which are plausible to occur due to local circumstances. The survey should have involved people with different backgrounds and different companies; as IBM only deals with the service industry. For example: tennis clubs, political parties, students, manufacturing companies should be considered. This is also pointed out by Tan and Chee (2005) as people are exposed to different h eritages, customs, religions and traditions which are deeply embedded within them (as cited in Huettinger, 2008). Hofstede did not differentiate these diverse groups. 3.5 Cultural Evolution Ten years after his first publication, Hofstede agreed that there are considerable differences in culture among different units within the same organization (as cited in McSweeney, 2002, a). This means that over the years, cultures evolve and there are differences in occupational culture within a company and its subsidiaries. Thus, Hofstedes research was biased, as only those from the marketing and sales department were surveyed. Table 2: Working days lost in industrial disputes per 1000 employees (annual averages) (McSweeney, 2002, b) The table shows that masculine countries have become more feminine and vice versa. The world is now converging due to globalization; individualism and collectivism orientation can co-exist in every individual depending on the situation. The situations will influence the orientation, for example: importance of the matter, urgency, etc. (Browaeys and Price, 2008). We can say that Hofstede model is outdated, as cultures do change over the years. Hofstedes model uses a quantitative method which, among other things, is characterized by its carefully selected sample consisting of a group of well-educated white middle class men working for the same company and sharing identical or similar occupations. The problem with this sample as a norm for national culture is that it misleads one to believe that Hofstede perceives of culture as equally-distributed among men and women. However, as has dedicated one of his five dimensions to gender and constructed his model on a bipolar distinction between masculinity and femininity, this is clearly not the case. On the contrary, his masculinity/femininity dimension (MAS) shows that he has a very clear and distinct understanding of the differences between masculinity and femininity, which he takes advantage of for his construction of national cultures. Hofstede argues that men, as a general rule, will be more achievement-oriented and women more care-oriented. Hofstedes assumption raises several questions; for example, for what reason(s) were women excluded from his survey and his construction of culture (Moulettes, 2007)? 3.6 Validity of the Surveys The validity of the surveys can be questioned. Hofstede used questionnaires as his methods of survey and sent them to different countries. Hofstede cannot guarantee that the person who filled the questionnaires is actually his target respondents. For example, the target respondents might be busy or reluctant to fill the questionnaires and may instead delegate the task to their subordinates. Questionnaires were also mainly about the workplace and therefore, cannot be related to define a national culture (McSweeney, 2002, a). There are many factors that may have affected the respondents and the way they complete the questionnaires which have not been taken into consideration. Also, that the respondents had not been told about the purpose of the questionnaire and hence they might not have been able to fill the questionnaire with the seriousness or the attitude required or expected and assumed by Hofstede. 4. Conclusion This paper has provided a critical evaluation of Geerts Hofstedes ground-breaking work on cross-cultural differences. In the field of international business, cross-cultural conflict can result in includes international business activities, business management failure and stalled business negotiations. Understanding diverse cultural values is an essential success factors in international business activities. Cultural values and differences are a pivotal issue in international business for all stakeholders. Influenced by politics, society economics and technology, cultural values are constantly evolving, and therefore it is logical that cultural theories should be updated and re-evaluated over time. Now to conclude and come up with an answer to HofstedeÃâà ´s model is dated and biased and, as such, is of no use to the contemporary international business executive. How far do you agree? We cannot say that Hofstedes model is completely ineffective as we cannot quantify the matte r. Nevertheless, he should be appreciated for his contribution work in this field. HofstedeÃâà ´s model might be valid in past decades when the world was less globalized. International business executives may use the model to investigate cultural differences and how different cultures impact on international business. Hofstedes research results represent a reasonable starting point, however it is outdated and biased for the current international business scenario. As such, we should utilize the model with caution, since these results are not very accurate. International managers should not fully depend on the model for the simple reason that Hofstede uses a mere generalization, and huge multinationals cannot go into a market just on the basis of a simplification. He also claimed that his research on IBMÃâà ´s employees can be used as a benchmark for all kinds of people around the world, without considering other companies, societal clubs, etc.. Moreover, he thinks that his proposal is still up to date due to the fact that he did not work on it if even countries later separated. The world today is now converging to have a global culture. In the near future, Hofstedes model may be of no use at all. In conclusion, HofstedeÃâà ´s cultural model is dated and biased. 5. Recommendations Study of culture should not be based on national territory but it should be on regions. As we discussed there are many sub-cultures within a national culture. As the world is globalizing rapidly, it is essential to have a cultural model that is constantly updated to reflect these changes caused by globalization. The survey should also involve people from diverse range of social and employment classes so as to be more representative of a culture. China, an emerging economic super power, has not been considered by HofstedeÃâà ´s five dimensions. Therefore we would recommend that the Chinese market needs to be considered in future research more thoroughly. Appendix 1 HofstedeÃâà ´s: Individualism vs. Collectivism (as cited in Brewster et. al., 2007) Appendix 2 HofstedeÃâà ´s: Power Distance (as cited in Brewster et. al., 2007) Appendix 3 HofstedeÃâà ´s: Uncertainty Avoidance (as cited in Brewster et. al., 2007) Appendix 4 HofstedeÃâà ´s: Masculinity vs. Femininity (as cited in Brewster et. al., 2007)
Saturday, December 28, 2019
Possible Causes for the Suicide of Kurt Cobain Essay
Possible Causes for the Suicide of Kurt Cobain Within this assignment I wish to look at the major issues and problems Kurt Cobain faced throughout childhood and into early adulthood. I wish to apply three relevant approaches to this article and hopefully show that they bare some resemblance to the problems he faced. Description of Article ====================== Within this article I wish to briefly look at some major factors of Kurt cobain, which influenced and affected his life and would later come to play a major role in his suicide. The major contributing factors I have found mostly stem from Kurts childhood. With psychological approaches like those of Freud and Bowlby I hope toâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦Application to Article: As stated by Kurt in the article I have supplied, it is mentioned on a number of occasions that many of the demons or problems that Kurt faced throughout his childhood and on into his adult life, stemmed from his disrupted and unsettled childhood. When Kurt was seven years old, his parents divorced and he never fully recovered from this I never really felt loved or secure again. He became very withdrawn and angry and as stated in the article, Kurt was very anti-social and would vandalise the neighbouring areas of town by spray painting malicious comments such as God Is Gay on the walls of banks, cars and other property of the town, hoping to really hurt the community. I feel Kurt felt rejected on a number of issues and both his situation at home and his setting, in a very narrow minded community all added to his problems. In relation to Bowlbys theory I feel that Kurts delinquent behaviour and drug abuse stemmed primarily from the divorce of his parents. I somewhat believe that th is comes back to the Nature vs. Nurture argument and had Kurts parents not divorced, there is nothing to say that Kurt wouldnt of taken drugs and vandalised the town, given his own natural scripting. But I do feel that divorce played a major role in this individuals problems and IShow MoreRelatedKurt Donald Cobain : The Singer Of The Grunge Band Nirvana1635 Words à |à 7 PagesKurt Donald Cobain was an American musician most famous for his role as the lead singer of the grunge band Nirvana. Kurt Cobain was born on February 20, 1967, in Hoquiam, Washington, but spent most of his childhood in Aberdeen, Washington (ââ¬Å"Kurt Cobainâ⬠, 2015). Cobain was an only child until his sister was born when he was three, dethroning him as the baby of the family. He was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder as a child, and would often hide in his closet (ââ¬Å"Kurt Cobainâ⬠, 2015). Cobainââ¬â¢sRead More Kurt Cobain was Murdered Essay1073 Words à |à 5 Pages Kurt Donald Cob ain was found dead in the green house of his mansion on March 1994, cause of death ââ¬Å"suicide by self inflicted gunshot woundâ⬠or at least what was pronounced and believed by many to this day. It is plain and simple he was murdered. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Kurt Cobain the singer and guitarist of the 90s band Nirvana which was an alternative rock band from 1988 to 1994. Cobain was born in the town of Aberdeen Washington. Aberdeen is a rural white trash town that borders SeattleRead MoreBenefits Of Depression By Nancy Andreasen844 Words à |à 4 Pagesthat ââ¬Å"successful writers are like prizefighters who keep on getting hit but wonââ¬â¢t go down. Theyââ¬â¢ll stick with it until itââ¬â¢s rightâ⬠(Lehrer, Jonah). While depression is a burden, many forms of creativity benefit from the relentless focus it makes possible. In addition, there is the virtue of self-loathing, which is one of many symptoms of depression. 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In other words, they are a violation of the property,, money, spirit, or honor of others. There is no specific date for the crimesRead MoreBipolar Essay2455 Words à |à 10 PagesBipolar disorder, also known as manic depression, is a common, recurrent, and debilitating mood disorder which causes extreme shifts in energy and mood. The word bipolar indicates the two main polar extremes which a person with the disorder experiences. According to NIMH, a branch of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that oversees neurological and psychological research, this disorder affects about 2.3 million adults in the United States and about 1.2 percent of the population worldwide.Read More Musical Influence on a Violent Society Essay2671 Words à |à 11 Pageswomen commit suicide, one by slitting her wrists and the other by drowning herself. Blink 182ââ¬â¢s video helps to spread the message that it is common in life to lose and simple to give up and die (Jipping, 1999). In 1991 the band Pearl Jam released a very controversial music video entitled ââ¬Å"Jeremy.â⬠The video was about a depressed teenager who was ridiculed by his peers. He would come home from school and listen to dark, hard rock metal. By the end of the video, the boy commits suicide by shootingRead More The Effect of Music on Psychology and Behavior Essay2703 Words à |à 11 Pagespictures using music. I had one adolescent who liked Kurt Cobain and his destiny--and this adolescent was using Cobain to talk about himself--his own ideas about suicideâ⬠(Lehtonen, Saughnessy 2002). Lehtonen concludes with her ideas that music has a personality of its own, ââ¬Å"It functions as a subject--when I play a record, it forms mental pictures, associations and memories are resurrected of the lost past. Music is like a subject which causes many kinds of changes in both the therapist and the
Friday, December 20, 2019
Demonstration and Laboratory Method of Teaching in Nursing
DEMONSTRATION INTRODUCTION The demonstration method teaches by exhibition and explanation. Although it is sometimes used to refer all illustrative teaching, the term demonstration usually is taken to mean explanation of a process, as opposed to exemplification of the object itself. One of the advantage of demonstration is that it trains the student in the art of careful observation, a quality which is so essential to a good nurse. The demonstration method in itself is learning through observation; it uses several senses. A second advantage of demonstration is its concrete quality. The student not only can hear the explanation, but also can see the procedure or process. As a result, the demonstration method projects a mental image inâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦* Understand the entire procedure. * Have the equipment ready in an orderly manner. * Outline the steps. * Rehearse the demonstration. * Arrange for proper lighting. * Make proper seating or standing arrangements. Performance phase * State the objectives to the learner. * Motivate them by explaining why the skill is important. * Demonstrate the total skill at normal speed. * Write the sequence of steps on the chalk board or give a checklist for steps of the demonstration. * Demonstrate each part skill slowly, in the correct sequence. * Avoid the use of negative examples and variations in technique. Evaluation * Obtain feedback by questioning and observation of non verbal behavior. * Clarify doubts. * Provide opportunity for return demonstration. * Provide verbal rather than physical guidance. * Make the environment psychologically safe by providing a friendly atmosphere and constructive criticism. * Remember that learners will acquire the skill at different rates, so individualize the planning to cater for the fast and slow learners. * Replace all the articles. ESSENTIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD DEMONSTRATION Every step of a well conducted demonstration should be understandable and exemplary of the best possible procedure which might be used under the circumstances. It should allow for reflective and critical thought as the demonstration proceeds. The following principles are applicable toShow MoreRelatedTeaching Styles Of The Nurse Educators856 Words à |à 4 PagesComparison of Teaching Styles The nurse educators are faced with the challenge of adapting their teaching styles to accommodate a new generation of learners. An effective teacher should take into account the intellectual, social, and cultural characteristics of each student, whereas the students should identify that each teacher has a unique style of teaching. 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Visual Study Strategies ââ¬â In this form of learning strategy, there is a preference to learn through what can be seen either in form of pictures and posters, slides, or demonstrations. Those who utilize this method of learning often prefer presenters who use gestures and picturesque languages. It is not uncommon to find these form of learners underline words or sentences with different colors of highlighters. They learn or take in informationRead MoreVark Analysis919 Words à |à 4 Pages Attending lectures, participating in group discussions, and relating information to stories or jokes helps the aural learner assimilate content. Kinesthetic learners are those that use all of the senses to receive data, and participating in laboratories, hands on exercises, and viewing exhibits, samples, or photographs further cement retentionâ⬠(Fleming, 2011). Multimodal learners are those that have more than one dominant style of learning. 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According to Fleming and Mills (1992) in their study of learning styles Teaching and Learning Styles: VARK Strategies, they included reading and writing as a category. If a person is a visual learner, for example, he or she prefers learning by observing and enjoys demonstrations, pictures, films and videos. Auditory learners, on the other hand, prefer to listen, read aloud, and talk to themselves and learn best through theRead MoreDifferent Learning Styles of Sophomore Nursing Students of Sbc10095 Words à |à 41 Pageslearning outcomes. Several definitions of learning styles currently exist. According to Fleming and Mills (1992) in their study of learning styles Teaching and Learning Styles: VARK Strategies, they included reading and writing as a category. If a person is a visual learner, for example, he or she prefers learning by observing and enjoys demonstrations, pictures, films and videos. Auditory learners, on the other hand, prefer to listen, read aloud, and talk to themselves and learn best through theRead MoreSample Resume : Assistant Nursing Supervisor2750 Words à |à 11 PagesName ââ¬âPradeep Reddy Jaggavarapu Exercise 8.1- Conducting a Needs Assessment FORM 8.1 Job: Assistant Nursing Supervisor Organization: sri surya hospital Interviewer(s): Pradeep Reddy Jaggavarapu Date: 3/13/2014 PART A: BACKGROUND INFORMATION OF INTERVIEWEE Years in the job: 3 years Years in the company: 3 years Highest level of education completed: Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery PART B: ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS (ATTITUDES AND CLIMATE FOR TRAINING) 1) From your perspective, what are
Thursday, December 12, 2019
Ancient Rome Essay Example For Students
Ancient Rome Essay The Rise and Fall of the Roman EmpireThe City-state of Rome became a republic in 509 BC. Rome fought numerous battles to become what it was at its height. It all started with the Punic wars. After they won, there was no stopping them. By the first century BC, Rome controlled most of the known world. (Mahoney, 2001)With Augustus Caesar began the two centuries of the Pax Romana. During this time all of Rome became a collection of states rather than conquered provinces. The only threats that ever came were from the unorganized barbarian tribes whoââ¬â¢s conquest brought nothing to the Empire. (Mahoney, 2001)The rise of the Roman Empire had many contributors. These factors would include strength in the military, society, leadership, religious, and architectural aspects of the Roman Empire. The Roman army was the largest of the group though. The army was at first only meant to defend the city of Rome but later set out to conquer. The army was first compiled of volunteers, but later as they conquered new lands, the people of those lands were drafted into the army. Not only did they have to defend the land that they had but they also had to protect the newly conquered land from revolt or invasion. (Mahoney, 2001)Roman society was also well organized. The people were split into two classes: slaves and citizens. The citizens had many different ranks, and had special rights that non-citizens didnââ¬â¢t. By allowing the citizens to have rights, like voting for instance, they had a sense of belonging, which in turn helped them to stand behind their country. Without thesupport of the citizens the empire would have never reached the height that it did. (Mahoney, 2001) The second most important factor in the rise of the empire was its leaders. Besides Julius Caesar who everyone knows about, Emperor Trajan ruled when the Empire was at its largest because he conquered many lands in the east. Emperor Hadrian concentrated more on how the Empire was run verses making it larg er. He also helped start the Pax Romana (Roman Peace). (Mahoney, 2001) The fourth factor was the amazing engineers, inventors, and architects in the Empire. By 200 AD the Romans had built 53,000 miles of roads throughout the Empire. The very first was built in 312 BC. They also invented sewers, central heating systems, and the first types of concrete. (Mahoney, 2001)The last of all the factors was religion. The Romans worshiped around 30,000 gods in all. These included the major gods and goddesses such as Jupiter, the chief god, Neptune, god of the sea, Venus, goddess of love and beauty, and Minerva, goddess of wisdom and war. Each household also worshipped their own protective spirits. After Caesarââ¬â¢s death, the emperors were considered gods too. People all over the empire were allowed to worship their own local gods as long as they paid homage to the Roman gods. The people built large temples for worship of their different gods. They looked to the gods to help protect their families and lives. This also helped when going into battle. How could you not win with so many gods on your side? (Mahoney, 2001)As you have read, many things attributed to the rise of the Empire. Many things also attributed to its fall as well. These included poor leadership, economic trouble, as wellThe Empire began with great leaders, but they started to decline as the Empirewent on. One of the largest problems was one that always came up after a leader was assassinated, which a great number of them were. Rome had no laws about who got the throne when someone passed away so you can imagine the free-for-all that went on there with men competing and thinking they had more strength than the others. Leaders also fought and competed with each other inside of Rome for power. A good example of this is when Pompey and his army battled with Caesar and his army to see who would succeed as the true leader of Rome. A flaw that appeared in a majority of the leaders that came to power in Rome is the fearless attitude that they carried. It was almost as if they were so cocky and self-confident that they did not think that they could be outwitted or defeated. (Mahoney, 2001)When famine, plague, and a declining birth rate hit Rome, the number of men in the army went down drastically. When battling within Rome, the number of people that supported Rome and were behind her also went down. This also made for a huge loss of men in the army. With no one to help defend its boarders, Rome started to shrink in size. (Mahoney, 2001)When the government became oppressive and started to force everything on the people, they stopped believing in Rome. Roman leaders came up with the idea of forced labor which made peasants work on fields, roads, and bridges. The peasants became very resentful. Many small farmers went out of business which caused the number of crops to decline. Nobles left the city to go to the peace of the countryside and left cities without leaders. With all this going w rong, Rome fell apart city by city.(Mahoney, 2001)The Roman army was one of the finest fighting machines the world has ever known. It began as a group of Roman citizens who, with their own weapons, would defend the city of Rome when it needed them (Denison, 2000). As the empire grew, so did the need for a more powerful military. With new, more effective battle tactics and great innovations in their weaponry, the Roman military enabled the entire empire to expand and become as powerful as it did. The Roman military was excellent at creating more efficient and deadly weaponry. With these innovations the Roman army could easily defeat Huns and any other barbarian group which were still using stones and short swords. Roman military leaders noticed that shorter swords required more energy to fatally wound an opponent because a long slashing motion was needed. Instead of giving their soldiers short swords, they were given a long thrusting sword. A soldier would simply stab an opponent rat her than slash him across his body. This technique proved very effective for the Romans and they kept on conquering more land (Keppie, 1998). This simple change in a very basic tool of war made the Roman army that much better than their opponents. Of course, all this new weaponry was useless unless the Romans knew how to use it in warfare. It turns out they were very good at that. The Romans used their strong shields to create a kind of armored vehicle. When they were approaching a large army or a heavily guarded city, soldiers would arrange their shields to create a box covering them on all sides. The entire legion would march up to an opposing army like this. They could walkthrough stones, arrows, and spears. As they approached their enemies they pulled theirshields apart just enough to stick their swords through. Because they had thrusting swords, the shields didnt have to be that far apart. The legion could slaughter their enemy without suffering heavy losses (Goldsworthy, 1998) . .ucd0b0a58ee6e34d94e348ef9c3b73fe6 , .ucd0b0a58ee6e34d94e348ef9c3b73fe6 .postImageUrl , .ucd0b0a58ee6e34d94e348ef9c3b73fe6 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ucd0b0a58ee6e34d94e348ef9c3b73fe6 , .ucd0b0a58ee6e34d94e348ef9c3b73fe6:hover , .ucd0b0a58ee6e34d94e348ef9c3b73fe6:visited , .ucd0b0a58ee6e34d94e348ef9c3b73fe6:active { border:0!important; } .ucd0b0a58ee6e34d94e348ef9c3b73fe6 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ucd0b0a58ee6e34d94e348ef9c3b73fe6 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ucd0b0a58ee6e34d94e348ef9c3b73fe6:active , .ucd0b0a58ee6e34d94e348ef9c3b73fe6:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ucd0b0a58ee6e34d94e348ef9c3b73fe6 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ucd0b0a58ee6e34d94e348ef9c3b73fe6 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ucd0b0a58ee6e34d94e348ef9c3b73fe6 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ucd0b0a58ee6e34d94e348ef9c3b73fe6 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ucd0b0a58ee6e34d94e348ef9c3b73fe6:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ucd0b0a58ee6e34d94e348ef9c3b73fe6 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ucd0b0a58ee6e34d94e348ef9c3b73fe6 .ucd0b0a58ee6e34d94e348ef9c3b73fe6-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ucd0b0a58ee6e34d94e348ef9c3b73fe6:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: 2006 Hurricane Risk Case Study Essay The Roman military used many more tactics which proved successful in conquering or destroying a city or army. The Romans were one of the first armies to use incendiary bombs. These bombs were simply vases filled with flaming pitch or sulfur that broke and spread out on impact. They were launched into heavily fortified cities or onto ships (Goldsworthy, 1998). The Roman navy also had a very old, but very effective method of battle. Naval ships were built with large reinforced beaks made of bronze which were used to ram an enemy vessel. Soldiers aboard would drop the corvus, a large plank, and rush onto the ship and kill everyone on board, take what they could, and let the ship sink to the bottom (King, 1997). The Roman army was one of the greatest ever. It was one of the main reasons for Romes vast empire. However, it was this army that would help bring about the end of Rome. While the Roman army could defend against and destroy any other army in the world at its peak, in the end it c ouldnt protect against itself. Numerous civil wars eventually brought about her demise. With Rome weak and its military no where near its peak, the barbarians destroyed the empire. The Romans lost more lives and spent more money fighting amongst themselves than in defending the empire (Goldsworthy, 1998). During the Roman Empire there was much achievement. Not only in governmentbut in architecture as well. The architects of the Roman Empire were really of Greekdescent. But with the architects during the Roman Empire the cities of Italy were built. The most famous buildings and structures are in Rome. From the Leaning Tower of Pisa to the Roman Coliseum where the gladiators fought. The way the cities were built was by the labor of slaves and others. They build immense and touristy cities (Staccioli, 2000). The Romans used elaborate play of advancing receding entablatures. The sideways placement of pavilions was so that those of the upper stories straddle the space between those below the enlivenment of the whole facade with statue-niches. These features are especially common in the eastern provinces. The buildings of the empire were built with regulations. For instance, the shops needed a wide door, barrel-vaulted interior, and a window to light a mezzanine story. Usually above the sho ps ran galleries with further shops set behind them (Staccioli, 2000). An example of a wealthy Roman and emperor was the Golden House of the emperor Nero. He had a fabulous urban villa containing mechanical wonders and decorations smeared with gold and picked with jewels. Another of the normal features of a wealthy Romans house was having fountains and statues around and patios with benches for the family to get together (Hinds, 1997). One of the feats in Roman history that changed the way cities were built was the discovery of concrete. It was able to withstand greater weight that stone could. The concrete structures were able to be covered with plaster, brick, or even such expensive materials as bronze, marble, and alabaster. The most distinctive element of roman architecture was the arch. It was originally brought to Rome by the Etruscans. Bridgesand many other structures were typically supported by a series of arches. So were theaqueducts that would have many layers. Another arc hitectural achievement by the Romans was the aqueducts which brought water to long distant cities. The water would flow into reservoirs and from there it was transferred through pipes. They had drains and sewers that would carry away waste water. The aqueducts were considered evidence of the empires greatness. Another structure that involved the use of arches was the amphitheater. It had a flat arena which was surrounded by a tier of seats. It was built during the first centuries of the Common Era. Now the coliseum is a magnificent architectural achievement because it was able to seat fifty thousand people (Staccioli, 2000). Bibliography:
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