Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Autocratic Management Have No Place in Todays Business World- Discuss Essay Example for Free

Autocratic Management Have No Place in Todays Business World- Discuss Essay Many people think nowadays that autocratic management is bad and doesnt motivate employees. They believe this type of management will never work in todays business world. However, it is not entirely possible for todays world to have everyone as democratic people, nor is it true that most people are Theory Y type. Autocratic management used to be the most effective management technique, as well as the simplest. Employees are told what to do and expected not to question back, like in the army. If the worker fails to accomplish the task then he/she either gets fired or disciplined. Managers always expect his/her decisions and orders to be obeyed without question, and everything will go fine. Managers tend to be in control of nearly everything within a firm, and make all the decisions. They also believe that workers are only motivated by incentives such as money and are lazy, which is based on McGregors Theory X and Taylors theory. The advantages of this type of management are that it is quite efficient, as there are no disputes of any sort between the employees and the management. Secondly, the decisions within a firm could be done very quickly and efficiently as there is practically no such thing as a discussion and opinions. The drawbacks of this style of management, however, are that employees wont have a sense of self-esteem or self-actualization, which is specified in Maslows Hierarchy of Needs. It is not possible to fully motivate an employee if this management is used. Also, communications within the firm will almost be non-existent, which is a problem for social needs. Workers will feel bored or demotivated if they even cant establish any relationship within the workplace. The business world today can be considered as different to the world in the past. However not everything would change in such a swift pace, therefore it is not possible that all employees are Theory Y type workers. The initial statement that claims autocratic management has no place in todays business world is practically impossible to be true, because there are still people in this world that still supports this type of management. There are still lazy and selfish people in the world that fit perfectly into McGregors Theory X. Some people might not like the idea of making their own decisions as they fear it might affect the business in a negative way so they would rather rely on management to do all the decision making. Also, workers who, in the past, had worked in an autocratic environment will tend to act the same as their superiors when they become part of the management. It is similar to child abuse, where the child grows up to be a very aggressive person. Autocratic managers obviously wouldnt like to work in a democratic firm, as the manager tends to refuse any delegation to his/her subordinates. It is believed that autocratic management is very effective in the short-term but would be devastating in the long-term. This is because there is a high chance of a large number of labour turnovers within the business and the morale of existing workers would rapidly decrease. Eventually the employees would probably go on industrial action or, in worse scenarios, sue the business for unfair treatment. The quality of output from subordinates will also decrease, as they are highly demotivated due to the fact that they are like puppets, doing what theyre told. They dont feel as if theyre a part of the company. It is successful in the short-term because employees are initially motivated by money, which explains the high output. Also, as stated before, decisions are made very quickly therefore the firm can achieve their objectives in no time. Of course, as time passes employees are no longer interested in money that much as before, so they start to get demotivated. In conclusion, there is a place for autocratic management in todays business world. It is just not as widely accepted as before because humans believe that they can think for themselves and never needs to be commanded by another being. Nevertheless some might say democratic management tends to do better than autocratic management, but that all depends on the employees themselves.

Tuesday, January 21, 2020

Analysis of Aristotles The Politics Essay -- Aristotle Poetics Politi

An Analysis of Aristotle's The Politics In "The Politics", Aristotle would have us believe that man by nature is a political animal. In other words, Aristotle seems to feel that the most natural thing for men to do is to come together in some form of political association. He then contends that this political association is essential to the pursuit of the good life. Finally he attempts to distinguish what forms of political association are most suitable to the pursuit of this good life. In formulating a critique of "The Politics", we shall first examine his claims as to what is natural to man and whether the criterion of the natural is sufficient to demonstrate virtue. We shall then examine what it is about political association that is essential to the pursuit of the good life. In conclusion, we shall see whether Aristotle's recommended mix of oligarchy and democracy is really suited to the practice of the good life. It seems to me that there is indeed something more natural to man than politics. While it is true that wherever you find men you tend to find political associations, it is also true that not all human associations are political. Aristotle rightly points out the family is a basic form of association that is mostly apolitical. Religion brings people together, as does the economic desire to trade and pursue economic activity. None of these spheres of human activity can be said to necessitate politics. These spheres of human action however, are seemingly found wherever human beings can be found, hence they are more natural in the sense that they automatically arise. Aristotle's account of the formation of the state is pure historical rationalization. He says that the state is natural because it arises out of mor... ...r to preserve virtue in the face of rampant vice than in times where individual virtue abounds in order to maintain stability and justice. The nature of politics is power over material things however, not virtue. Justice and virtue may be the professed functions and goals of politics, but this does not define what politics in fact are. A perplexing question however, is that of how the ideal constitution will be brought about when the virtuous have no interest in bringing it about precisely because virtue is defined by disinterestedness. Works Cited Barnes, Jonathan, ed. The Complete Works of Aristotle. 2 vols. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1984 Lord, Carnes. Aristotle: The Politics. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1984 Nehamas, Alexander. Virtues of Authenticity: Essays on Plato and Aristotle. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999

Monday, January 13, 2020

Cinema History: the Seventh Seal

Ingmar Bergman’s film, Seventh Seal, reflects his views on life in an allegorical fashion. Bergman utilizes the setting of a medieval, plague-ridden landscape to metaphorically investigate the existence of god and meaning of life. The film follows the knight, Antonius, as he returns from the Crusades with his squire, Jons. Bergman uses black and white to enhance the mood. The film’s vivid imagery and powerful score challenge the viewer to interpret the film’s messages and assign them meaning. The film investigates the deepest philosophical questions of humanity. Compared with Akira Kurosawa’s film, Ikiru, the Seventh Seal expresses a darker outlook on the world. Bergman’s cinematic masterpiece remains a relevant work of art in a world that struggles to address the deepest questions of religion and the phenomena of simply being alive. Seventh Seal begins with a shot of the heavens as a powerful orchestrated piece of music plays. A passage from the Book of Revelation is recited, â€Å"And when the Lamb had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour,† (Revelation 8:1). Antonius and Jons lie on a beach of pebbles. The land is framed proportional to the sky, juxtaposing the kingdoms of heaven and earth. A chess set sits to the right of Antonius. The camera pans away from him, zooming in on the chess pieces. It symbolically equates Antonius as a piece of the game. A man cloaked in black approaches, revealing himself to be death. He states that he has come for them. Antonius challenges him to a chess match. Death agrees that if Antonius is able to defeat death he shall go free. The game is continued throughout the film. As Antonius and Jons move along their journey, death continuosly lurks as an ominous force. The film constantly makes references to death and uncertainty through the presents of the plague. The sky in the background is often cloudy as though God is absent from the heavens and oblivious to the suffering on earth. In one scene, Jons seeks directions from a man who appears to be sleeping; the man is dead and rotting. Not only is the man unable to provide direction, but there is also no divine direction. The plague represents the absence of God and humanity’s uncertainty when faced with unexplainable destruction. In a scene later in the film, death impersonates a confessional priest. He listens as Antonius speaks about the mystery of god, stating, â€Å"Is it so cruelly inconceivable to grasp God with the senses? Why should he hide himself in a mist of half-spoken promises and unseen miracles? What is going to happen to those of us who want to believe but aren't able to? † Death, who embodies the complete absence of life, remains silent. Bergman depicts mans suffering, metaphorically addressing the inabilities of humanity to comprehend the purpose of both the human self and the divine. The plague challenges faith, as an incomprehensible punishment inflicted for unexplainable reasons. It leaves the populous to deal with the absence of divine direction. This is demonstrated very powerfully throughout the film. Jof and his fellow actors dance and sing on a small village stage. The actors represent innocence and good nature. Abruptly, religious music interrupts the actor’s production. A procession of priests, baring crosses and incense, marches though the village. They sing in unison as shirtless men accompanying them whip themselves and each other. The entire village drops to its knees as the horrifying parade of suffering passes. This demonstrates the absence of God. The religious, unable to comprehend the suffering that is the plague, torture themselves in an attempt to appease God. This phenomenon is continued when Antonius witnesses a young girl tied to a post. She is deprived of water and whimpering in pain. The authorities believe her to be bewitched by the devil and the cause of the plague. The girl is to be burned alive. This event communicates the true horror of humans left to suffering and doubt. The actor Jof and his wife Mia represent natural beauty and good nature. The scenes with them bring a warmth and happiness to the, dark suffering depicted. The lighting is often softer and brighter around Jof and Mia, contrasting them with the bleak atmosphere of the film. Antonius befriends the actors, and they all share a picnic of milk and wild strawberries. The simplicity of this meal is symbolic. It represents the beauty that exists in simplicity itself. Antonius reminisces about his life before the Crusades and his love for the wife he left behind. He expresses his ongoing burden of faith stating, â€Å"Faith is a torment did you know that? It is like loving someone who is out there in the darkness but never appears, no matter how loudly you call. † This statement embodies the questions presented by Bergman throughout Seventh Seal. The Seventh Seal concludes with Antonius knocking over the chess pieces in order to distract death from Jof and Mia. Death claims Antonius and his companions as Jof has a vision of them in the distance doing the dance of death. The viewer is eft with powerful messages concerning the existence of God and meaning of life. Comparing the film with Akira Kurosawa’s Ikiru, it is apparent that both share similar ending themes. The protagonist in each film pursues a selfless action. In Ikiru, Watanabe, the protagonist, abandons the bureaucracy he has been a part of for so long in order to fight to create a local park. The Seventh Seal depicts the game of chess between Antonius and death. Antoni us knocks over the pieces, allowing his friends to escape. Both films protagonists fight for things bigger than themselves. Bergman and Kurosawa explore similar themes, but the Seventh Seal maintains a darker outlook on the world. Bibliography â€Å"Analysis of the Church Scene in Bergman. † Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Web. 3 Mar. 2010. . Cook, David A. A History of Narrative Film. New York: W. W. Norton, 2004. Print. â€Å"Det Sjunde Inseglet (1957). † The Internet Movie Database (IMDb). Web. 3 Mar. 2010. . Holy Bible: English Standard Version. Wheaton, Ill. : Crossway Bibles, 2001. Print. â€Å"Norman N. Holland, Meeting a Movie: The Seventh Seal. † College of Liberal Arts and Sciences | The University of Florida. Web. 28 Feb. 2010. .

Saturday, January 4, 2020

The Increased Misinterpretations of Africa Essay - 594 Words

Africa, compared to other continents, is probably the most misrepresented of them all. Little is known about Africa which results to stereotypical descriptions of the continent. Due to the lack of knowledge of Africa, research done by scholars may be illegitimate or seen as offensive to indigenous Africans. These stereotypes are often inaccurate and fallacious representations of Africa. A general stereotype of Africa is that the whole continent is represented or labeled as the dark continent who face poverty, violence and despair. Since Africa is comprised of a desert or jungle like terrain, most Westerners view Africans as primitive beings who are uneducated. Africans are thought to live in rural areas, practice strange customs, and†¦show more content†¦For some reason, usually explained as African inferiority, Africans are considered as outsiders and incapable of contributing to technology, the global economy (except in subservient positions as locations of raw materials for export or captive markets), politics, art, or history (Harth). While it is inevitable that Africans lack some innovative advantages Westerners have, it doesnt imply that Africans are incapable of progressing in an advanced future. However, it is implied that Africans are unintelligent beings who are not capable of Western standards. Since Africans are primitive, they are described as savages or cannibalistic barbarians. The images of Africans as inferiors was reinforced further by arguments of several Christian missionaries, ministers, and others who explained that an African was better off a slave in Christian society than free in African savagery†(Harris 1998). These degrading characteristics of Africans were derogatory myths. There are also more geography, population and poverty myths. Africa is seen as an area comprised of jungles and deserts full of safari and animals with no sign of city life. However, it is worth mentioning that in actuality only 5% of Africa is jun gle (McCarthy 1983). This proves Africa isnt all rural but if there was a city, it would be poverty stricken full of violence. Along with poverty comes with the issue of under populationShow MoreRelatedPre Exposure Prophylaxis ( Prep )1133 Words   |  5 Pagesbut who identifies as a woman, experience increased vulnerability to HIV infection that can be attributed to â€Å"multilevel, intersecting factors that also influence all stages of the HIV treatment treatment and care continuum†. (POTEAT). 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