How does Hardy use language and poetic form to convey meaning and ideas in ‘Wagtail and Baby’?

The poem ‘Wagtail and baby’ is a commentary of the observations from the perspective of an infant by the side of a ford. The focus of the baby is the wagtail and it watches as various animals approach it. What causes the baby confusion is the animals cause the bird no stress, but when a man approaches the bird flys swiftly away in ‘Terror’ before he even gets close. Thomas Hardy has done this to show how the bird is at peace with nature and other animals and human involvement disturbs the ordinary harmony of nature.This refers to Hardy’s views on industrialisation at the time and how the greed of men was affecting and destroying the natural world. This creates an air of irony; as humans try improving their lives they deprive wildlife of theirs. The poem is arranged in quatrains with alternating rhyming couplets (ABAB). This creates a childlike quality to the poem like a nursery rhyme which compliments how it is written through the eyes of an infant. T his reflects how everything is new to the baby and it watches and learns from everything around it.The four quatrains each describe a new animal that comes near the wagtail. The way each is different and they come one after another shows how it is happening in that moment. The language he uses helps to portray his ideas in the poem. Again Hardy adds to the childlike theme by referring to the wagtail as a ‘birdie’ in the second stanza, this is the sort of thing a child would say on seeing a bird. His style is detailed and the use of poetic devices such as alliteration creates vivid imagery.Alliteration such as ‘blaring bull’, ‘a stallion splashed’ and as he describes the mongrel as ‘slowly slinking’ portray a certain movement which the reader then picture in their minds. The movement of the bird is also described in detail the use of verbs ‘twitch and toss’, ‘clip and sip’ showing sharp, quick movements as if the bird is slightly on edge until realising it is only a fellow animal nearby. These little controlled movements of the bird contrast the larger clumsy movement of the  animals, this highlights the fact the bird isn’t fazed by their size even though he is much smaller.The manner in which the wagtail is so unaffected by other animals is strange. The ‘Blaring bull’ is a great powerful animal and is associated with aggression and yet the tiny wagtail does not see the bull as a threat. When the ‘stallion splashing’ causes the bird ‘nearly sinking’ in the water it manages to ‘hold its own unblinking’ doesn’t even bat an eyelid though something so big is near despite the obvious disruption and the fact it could easily hurt the fragile bird.Even the mongrel ‘slowly slinking’ has no effect on the bird, though ‘slinking’ can be associated with hunting and a stalking prey which should alarm the b ird as it is vulnerable. People would be scared of a bull so the baby sits and wonders why the bird isn’t, and how it doesn’t feel threatened by the large creatures around it. These all show how the wildlife are at peace with each other. That is what makes the last stanza so profound that the ‘perfect gentleman’ is the one to make the bird ‘disappear’.When forming the image of a ‘perfect gentleman’ in your mind, someone high up in society, respected and conducts themselves within the rules of society is what we expect. It seems odd that the bird would be afraid of a man when he causes no disruption to it and isn’t even close. It’s as though the man is not part of their world so the bird is unfamiliar with his presence or has seen other men before hurting nature. Even though the man is the best in human society he still scares the bird like a predator would, Hardy has done this to show even the best of us are seen as evil by nature.Something else that adds to the shock of this is that the baby has been sat watching and the bird was not afraid. Hardy has done this to show the baby is innocent and naive and has not yet turned into the greedy monster that is man. The baby causes no threat and because of its innocence is accepted by nature. The poem ends with ‘The baby fell a-thinking’ this is showing that the baby is confused because even though it doesn’t yet understand the world it can’t see why the bird would be scared of a human but not a big animal.The baby has only known the man caring for it so has not seen the side of man that the wagtail has. Thomas Hardy uses poetic devices to convey his ideas within this poem. He uses irony to show how humans try to improve their lives with industry and in turn destroy the habitats of wildlife. Hardy uses detailed descriptions to create vivid imagery and contrast the difference between man and animal again showing irony as the one that made the least disruption frightened the bird away. He uses alliteration for emphasis and his structure to reflect the state of mind of the baby viewing the scene. ï » ¿How does Hardy use language and poetic form to convey meaning and ideas in ‘Wagtail and Baby’? The poem ‘Wagtail and baby’ is a commentary of the observations from the perspective of an infant by the side of a ford. The focus of the baby is the wagtail and it watches as various animals approach it. What causes the baby confusion is the animals cause the bird no stress, but when a man approaches the bird flys swiftly away in ‘Terror’ before he even gets close. Thomas Hardy has done this to show how the bird is at peace with nature and other animals and human involvement disturbs the ordinary harmony of nature.This refers to Hardy’s views on industrialisation at the time and how the greed of men was affecting and destroying the natural world. This creates an air of irony; as humans try improving their lives they deprive wildlife of theirs. The poem is arranged in quatrains with alternating rhyming couplets (ABAB). This creates a childlike quality to the poem like a nursery rhyme which compliments how it is written through the eyes of an infant. T his reflects how everything is new to the baby and it watches and learns from everything around it.The four quatrains each describe a new animal that comes near the wagtail. The way each is different and they come one after another shows how it is happening in that moment. The language he uses helps to portray his ideas in the poem. Again Hardy adds to the childlike theme by referring to the wagtail as a ‘birdie’ in the second stanza, this is the sort of thing a child would say on seeing a bird. His style is detailed and the use of poetic devices such as alliteration creates vivid imagery.Alliteration such as ‘blaring bull’, ‘a stallion splashed’ and as he describes the mongrel as ‘slowly slinking’ portray a certain movement which the reader then picture in their minds. The movement of the bird is also described in detail the use of verbs ‘twitch and toss’, ‘clip and sip’ showing sharp, quick movements as if the bird is slightly on edge until realising it is only a fellow animal nearby. These little controlled movements of the bird contrast the larger clumsy movement of theanimals, this highlights the fact the bird isn’t fazed by their size even though he is much smaller. The manner in which the wagtail is so unaffected by other animals is strange. The ‘Blaring bull’ is a great powerful animal and is associated with aggression and yet the tiny wagtail does not see the bull as a threat. When the ‘stallion splashing’ causes the bird ‘nearly sinking’ in the water it manages to ‘hold its own unblinking’ doesn’t even bat an eyelid though something so big is near despite the obvious disruption and the fact it could easily hurt the fragile bird.Even the mongrel ‘slowly slinking’ has no effect on the bird, though ‘slinking’ can be associated with hunting and a stalking prey which should alarm the bird as it is vulnerable. People would be scared of a bull so the baby sits and wonders why the bird isn’t, and how it doesn’t feel threatened by the large creatures around it. These all show how the wildlife are at peace with each other. That is what makes the last stanza so profound that the ‘perfect gentleman’ is the one to make the bird ‘disappear’.When forming the image of a ‘perfect gentleman’ in your mind, someone high up in society, respected and conducts themselves within the rules of society is what we expect. It seems odd that the bird would be afraid of a man when he causes no disruption to it and isn’t even close. It’s as though the man is not part of their world so the bird is unfamiliar with his presence or has seen other men before hurting nature. Even though the man is the best in human society he still scares the bird like a predator would, Hardy has done this to show even the best of us are seen as evi l by nature.Something else that adds to the shock of this is that the baby has been sat watching and the bird was not afraid. Hardy has done this to show the baby is innocent and naive and has not yet turned into the greedy monster that is man. The baby causes no threat and because of its innocence is accepted by nature. The poem ends with ‘The baby fell a-thinking’ this is showing that the baby is confused because even though it doesn’t yet understand the world it can’t see why the bird would be scared of a human but not a big animal.The baby has only known the man caring for it so has not seen the side of man that the wagtail has. Thomas Hardy uses poetic devices to convey his ideas within this poem. He uses irony to show how humans try to improve their lives with industry and in turn destroy the habitats of wildlife. Hardy uses detailed descriptions to create vivid imagery and contrast the difference between man and animal again showing irony as the one that made the least disruption frightened the bird away. He uses alliteration for emphasis and his structure to reflect the state of mind of the baby viewing the scene.

Earths Magnetosphere Essay

The Earth is an enormous magnet, and its magnetic power extends distant into space. It has south and north magnetic poles that reverses at uneven periods of hundreds of thousands of years. The magnetic field of the Earth reaches 36,000 miles into space, and it is surrounded in an area described as the magnetosphere (The Earth’s Magnetic Field p. 1). Magnetosphere is the region contiguous to the Earth where the latter’s magnetic field dominates. The other planets in the universe including the sun have magnetospheres; however, of all the rocky planets, the Earth has the strongest magnetospheres (The Earth’s Magnetic Field p. 1). The magnetosphere averts the sun’s particles that are carried in solar wind from hitting the Earth. However, a number of particles from the solar wind can still penetrate the magnetosphere. The aforesaid particles that penetrate from the magnetotail pass through the Earth and generate the Aurora Borealis light exhibitions, and possibly more spectacular, magnetic storms, which can blow out communication and power systems on the planet. Further, the said particles are accountable for various wonderful natural occurrences such as the natural radio emissions that produce the whistler waves and lion roars (Magnetosphere p. 1). The Earth’s magnetosphere is composed of magnetic flux and charged particles. It is extremely active, and has a number of key components, such as the radiation belts, plasmasphere, lobes, plasmasheet, magnetotail, magnetosheath, bow shock, and numerous electric currents (Magnetosphere p. 1). The magnetosphere changes regularly, even spinning its course every few thousand years. Regardless of its low density, the solar wind is strong enough to cooperate with the Earth’s magnetic field to form magnetospheres. As the ions in the solar plasma are charged, they act together with these magnetic fields, and the particles of the solar wind are brushed away around planetary magnetospheres. The particles circulate and move around the magnetosphere and even produce storms. The contour of the Earth’s magnetosphere is the direct consequence of being blasted by solar wind. Solar wind reduces its sunward side distance of merely 6 to 10 times of the Earth’s radius or some 67,000 kilometres (The Earth’s Magnetosphere p. 1). On the borders, or 90 degrees from there, the distance is approximately 15 Earth radii, and about 25 Earth radii in radius as the borders continue to move towards the cylinder (Stern p. 1). A supersonic shock wave is produced sunward of Earth to some extent like a sonic boom. On the other hand the precise length of the night-side of the Solar wind is unknown; however, it is estimated that the nigh-side magnetosphere extends to 1,000 times the radius of the Earth (Magnetosphere p. 1). The Earth’s magnetosphere has no clear borders during midnight. In fact, what occurs is that exceeding 50 to 80 Earth radii the solar wind breaks into the magnetotail, so the substance is predominantly solar wind, although the magnetic field is still that of Earth. It persists like this for no less than 220 Earth radii (Stern p. 1). Nevertheless, when the force of the solar wind increases, the perimeter shifts inwards, which erodes the magnetic field by process of reconnection. Therefore, a few occasions every year the perimeter overtakes satellites in synchronous orbit, at 6. 6 Earth radii (Stern p. 1). In contrast, resembling in 1999 when the solar wind was exceptionally profound, the noon-side perimeter went out exceeding 20 Earth radii (Stern p. 1). Our planet is bordered by an intense battle zone that commences only a few hundred kilometres above us and until now most of us are completely unaware to the fact. Our innate protection from this assault is the Earth’s magnetosphere; an imperceptible bubble that is surrounding our whole planet. Performing like a cosmic punch-bag the magnetosphere is subjected to groups of solar wind charging away from the sun at supersonic paces and continuously bombarding this protective bubble. For that reason, life on Earth has developed underneath the shelter of this magnetosphere. Works Cited â€Å"Magnetosphere. † 18 November 1996. University Corporation for Atmospheric Research. 25 September 2008 . Stern, David. â€Å"Get a Straight Answer. † 28 September 2004. NASA. 25 September 2008 . â€Å"The Earth’s Magnetic Field. † 3 June 2003. University Corporation for Atmospheric Research. 25 September . â€Å"The Earth’s Magnetosphere. † 28 August 2008. Cosmicopia. 25 September 2008 .

Comparison of behavior and its consequential rewards or punishments Term Paper

Comparison of behavior and its consequential rewards or punishments and how it is treated by the author, in Dante's inferno, Boc - Term Paper Example These already difficult circumstances were intensified by seven terrible waves of the Back Plague between years 1347 and 1400, which killed at least a third of the European population. On top of that, Western Europe was shattered by a long and exhausting war between England and France: the Hundred Year’s War. On such a dark background, full of sorrow and turmoil, the Church became incapable to maintain its position as a spiritual leader, as a source for relief and as a provider of ideas to help society to recover and rebuild itself. With epidemic and famine spreading everywhere and the church officials, which fell into corruption and hypocrisy, incapable of providing spiritual shelter as they previously used to, the people in Europe downgraded into some sort of cosmic insecurity. Thus, they started to screen their society for faults and wrongs, questioning the absolute power of the Catholic Church and trying to approach God not through priests, monks and other representatives of the Church, who became rich, greedy and corrupt, but through their own readings and interpretations of the Bible2. In England, John Wyclif3, distinct philosopher and theologian, criticized the wrongdoings of the Church and their corrupt ways to gain wealth and power. Therefore, the emergence of such new, progressive and obviously, heretic opinions were a clear evidence that change in scholastic and common thought was occurring. The great writers at that time could not, given the circumstances, remain indifferent to that complicated, yet fascinating scenery of the 14th century. Dante Alighieri, Giovanni Boccaccio and Geoffrey Chaucer decided to incorporate all the main aspects of the 14th century society and religion in their works, creating elaborate mirrors of social conduct, behavior, spirituality and other main concerns at the time. In this paper, I will analyze and compare the relationship between behavior and punishment in Cantos III and XII from Dante's Inferno, Tale Nine, Day Two from Boccaccio's Decameron and The Pardoner’s Tale from Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. The Canterbury Tales are considered to stand for Chaucer’s masterpiece, in which he portrays the English society at the time, reuniting representatives from each social class who tell a tale in their own language, style and manner of thought. The Pardoner’s tale is told by a pardoner4 who introduces his story with a confession about the deceptive character of his occupation and he reveals secrets of his profession, explaining the fact that he was selling useless things as holy relics. Therefore, Chaucer presents the corrupt and immoral nature of such practices, which sold people fake hope and did nothing else but create more wealth in the name of the Church. The tales commences with the presentation of the main characters- three young men who were leading sinful lives. Their immoral behavior is generously described: they were men who liked to party excessively, spend time in bars drinking and eating in an excessive manner and worst of all, they did not see any wrongdoing in the way they lived: â€Å"And each of them at others' sins would laugh† (Chaucer 14). On top of that, they swore, cursed and used God’s name in vain, while indulging themselves in sexual activities with young dancers, singers and other women. This detailed description aims to present the three young men as

Wetlands of Arkansas Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

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Recovery of economic loss in negligence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

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Effects of Racism on Children Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Effects of Racism on Children - Essay Example From this paper it is clear thar  there is a general belief that racial attitudes of children are a learned behavior that is passed down from observing their parent’s interactions with other races, including how parents talk about other races in front of the child.   Parents sometimes believe that if they do not even address the issue of race with their children, their children will not develop racist attitudes.   However, studies have shown that not talking about the issue of race or differences between people can serve to make the issue of race a problem for children.This essay discusses that parents talking negatively about other races could contribute to a child’s belief system about race in a negative fashion, but even not addressing the subject could develop negative attitudes in a child. In fact, researchers have found that when parents address personal qualities of individuals, such as confidence, ambition, and respect and neglect the subject of racial dif ference, children show an increased level of anxiety in social interactions, regardless of the race of the person they were interacting with. This leaves parents and educators with the problem of how best to address racial issues in an attempt to modify children’s attitudes and behaviors.  The movement to be more ‘politically correct’ with our communication has merits beyond that of not hurting another person’s feelings.  

ENG COMP II TCP TASK2 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

ENG COMP II TCP TASK2 - Research Paper Example For example, computers do not possess the ability to think, but increasingly, they ensure performance of tasks that only individuals managed to do with accuracy, efficiency and limited time. Currently, automating tasks that depend on the perceptual skills of individuals is achievable through the use of cognitive technologies. These tasks may include handwriting recognition, face identification as well as other cognitive skills. Examples of cognitive skills relate to planning, reasoning from partial or unclear information and learning. Thesis Statement: Research shows that cognitive technologies enhance human efficiency as a result of dynamic access to information as well as redistributing between people and intelligence tools while also ensuring efficiency and effectiveness. The author of the above journal discuses how intelligent data management and analysis applications aid individuals in finding about trends as well as relationships. These issues are achieved through implementation of various techniques among them text mining as well as web mining among others. Scholars currently possess capability of understanding how there exists continuous relationships and interactions setting across huge data base and diverse social media platforms. Al-Azmi (2013) provides a lot of information relating to how user behaviors, expectations, as well as needs get studied. The work of Al-Azmi serves as a reference since the work presents an excellent literature review that is essential in assisting the reader to understand the power of cognitive technologies in a deeper context. The significant focus examined by the author aims at examining how cognitive technologies play a significant role in ensuring interactions among individuals from various realms. While Al-Azmi presents the importance of cognitive technology in enhancing relationships across individuals, the next article presents a different perspective that

Explain How External Environment Influence Essay Example for Free

Explain How External Environment Influence Essay External environment aims to help an organisation to obtain opportunities and threats that will affect the organisation’s competitive situation. External opportunities are characteristics of the external environment that have the potential to help the organization achieve or exceed its strategic goals. External threats are characteristics of the external environment that may prevent the organization from achieving its strategic goals. Therefore, organisations must formulate appropriate strategies to take advantage of the opportunities while overcome the threats in order to achieve their strategic goals. The external environment consists of variables that are outside the organization and not typically within the short-run control of top management. They may be general forces within the macro or remote environment, which consists of political-legal, economic, socio-cultural, technological forces – usually called PEST. Political-legal force influences strategy formulation through government and law intervention. For example, the environment law requires the world’s automobile manufacturers to reduce emission of green house gasses, and therefore these manufacturers have to reformulate their product strategy. Economic force influences strategy formulation through economic growth, interest rates, exchange rates and the inflation rate. For example, exchange rates affect the costs of exporting goods and the supply and price of imported goods in an economy, and thus influence strategy formulation of exporters. Socio-cultural force is about the cultural aspects, health consciousness, population growth rate, age distribution, career attitudes and emphasis on safety. Trends in social-cultural factors affect the demand for a companys products and how that company operates. For example, increasing health consciousness can influence strategy formulation of fast-food companies that may have to adopt product innovation strategy. Technological factors include technological aspects such as R;D activity, automation, technology incentives and the rate of technological change. For example, rapid development of the information technology has significantly influenced the strategy formulation of logistics service providers who are now able to provide superior express services. There may be specific forces within the micro or near environment, which involves analyzing the threat from the new entrant, rivalry among the existing players, pressure from the buyers, pressure from the suppliers and pressure from the substitutes. This is introduced in Porter’s Five-Forces Model. Profitable markets that yield high returns will attract new firms which eventually will decrease profitability for all firms in the industry unless the entry of new firms can be blocked by incumbents. The existing firms therefore need to formulate new strategies against potential entrants. For most industries, the intensity of competitive rivalry is the major determinant of the competitiveness of the industry. For example, high intensity of competitive rivalry in the automobile industry forces competitors such as Ford, Honda, to form strategic alliances or adopts the strategy of M;A. The bargaining power of buyers is the ability of customers to put the firm under pressure. For example, strong bargaining power of buyers in the computer industry put Dell under pressure. To deal with such pressure, Dell has to focus on relationship marketing strategy by offering value-added services to its customers. The bargaining power of suppliers is also described as the market of inputs. Suppliers of raw materials, components, labor, and services (such as expertise) to the firm can be a source of power over the firm, when there are few substitutes. Suppliers may refuse to work with the firm, or charge excessively high prices for unique resources such as Microsoft software and Intel chips which affects the formulation of price strategy of PC makers. The existence of products outside of the realm of the common product boundaries increases the propensity of customers to switch to alternatives. In order to retain customers, companies must formulate appropriate strategies to compete with the substitutes. For example, milk producers compete with soy milk producers. However, strategy formulation is also influenced by the degree of turbulence of the external environment. A high degree of turbulence exists if changeability is high and predictability is low. Companies need to formulate strategies based on the planned prescriptive approach if turbulence is low, whereas based on the unplanned emergent approach if turbulence is high. How organizations overcome environmental changes? Organisations need to deal with environmental changes with appropriate strategies. First, organisations may choose to wait and see. Such strategy has its advantages and disadvantages. For example, facing a significant technological change, some companies may choose to integrate the new technology into their products. If they are successful, the rest companies’ ‘wait and see’ strategy is obviously unwise. However, if they failed, the rest companies’ ‘wait and see’ strategy appears wise. As a result, strategic decision making is impacted on and opportunities may either be lost or capitalised on. Second, organisations may choose to change in response to environmental changes through either proactive or reactive. Proactive change involves actively attempting to make alterations to the work place and its practices. Companies that take a proactive approach to change are often trying to avoid a potential future threat or to capitalize on a potential future opportunity. Reactive change occurs when an organization makes changes in its practices after some threat or opportunity has already occurred in the external environment. As an example of the difference, assume that a hotel executive learns about the increase in the number of Malaysians who want to travel with their pets. The hotel executive creates a plan to reserve certain rooms in many hotel locations for travelers with pets and to advertise this new amenity, even before travelers begin asking about such accommodations. This would be a proactive response to change because it was made in anticipation of customer demand. However, a reactive approach to change would occur if hotel executives had waited to enact such a change until many hotel managers had received repeated requests from guests to accommodate their pets and were denied rooms. In reality, companies may use a combination of both proactive and reactive approaches. Proactive approach is highly common when an industry is new with little or no change. The bellwether company entering the industry is making all of the strategic decisions or being proactive. However, because of its success, competitors gradually enter the market, resulting in the turbulent change of the competitive environment. Consequently, the reactive change is on the part of the new competitors as well as the bellwether company. To overcome environmental changes, companies may also choose the merger or acquisition strategy. A merger is defined as the joining of two or more organizations to constitute a new combined, legal entity. An acquisition is defined as the purchase of more than 50 percent of the voting shares of one organization by another, but the two organizations are still separate legal entities with the acquiring organization running as the parent company and another as a subsidiary. For example, recent study discloses that the merger and acquisition strategy in the global automobile industry will be further enhanced in the near future in order to deal with the threat of global financial crisis which decreased the consumers’ disposable income and increased the debt of auto makers and suppliers that have to save their organisations through merger and acquisition Ddiscuss the importance of organisational culture in strategy implementation Organisational culture can be defined â€Å"as the system of shared beliefs and values that guide and direct the behaviour of members, can have a strong influence on daily organisational behaviour and performance. † (1) Reflection to leadership Successful strategy implementation needs strategic leadership. Strategic leadership is the ability of influencing others to voluntarily make decisions that enhance prospects for the organisation’s long-term success while maintaining short-term financial stability. It includes determining the firm’s strategic direction, aligning the firm’s strategy with its culture, modelling and communicating high ethical standards, and initiating, shaping and implementing changes in the firm’s strategy, when necessary. Strategic leadership sets the firm’s direction by developing and communicating a vision of future and inspires the organization’s members to move in that direction. (2) Enable to create mission vision The vision is the source and the main idea of a company. The mission aims to give the direction which presents the unique scope of business, its vision nd specific competence competitive advantages, and to tell employees, consumers, and shareholder what the firm is. For example, IBM’s vision is: solutions for a small planet. Mission is: At IBM, we strive to lead in the invention, development and manufacture of the industrys most advanced information technologies, including computer systems, software, sto rage systems and microelectronics. Create a shared vision to manage strategic change: objectives and vision of both individuals and organization should coincide. There should be no conflict between them. Senior managers need to constantly and consistently communicate the vision not only to inform but also to overcome resistance through proper communication. Strategy implementers have to convince all those concerned that the change is not superficial. The actions taken have to be credible, highly visible and unmistakably indicative of management’s seriousness to new strategic initiatives and associated changes. (3) Help to create a better strategy (4) Staff motivation Strategy implementation requires special motivation to achieve objectives. The motivation system functions according to the qualities and mechanisms of motivation, which is developed during the stage of entry strategy preparation. First and foremost, this system has to inspire employees involved in the process of strategy development and implementation to orient their mindset toward a strategic way of thinking. Formalizing the strategic motivation system includes establishing a system of daily incentives for employees, especially those who are responsible for strategy development and implementation. The formal system is presented in a document, where all suggestions about motivation and incentives are developed and described. It includes all moral, social, and financial instruments of motivation of individual employees and groups of employees. Special recognition and awards should be given to those who go above and beyond in creating and implementing strategic ideas. (5) Increase or enhance adaptability skills How to use organisation culture to develop competitive advantages 1. Develop CA An organization that is able to maintain a positive culture is likely to enjoy many benefits. When organization members identify with the culture, the work environment tends to be more enjoyable, which boosts morale. This leads to increased levels of teamwork, sharing of information, and openness to new ideas. The resulting increased interaction among employees activates learning and continuous improvement because information flows more freely throughout the organization. Additionally, such a culture helps to attract and retain top employees. For example, Wal-Mart’s founder, Sam Walton, showed concern and respect for his employees from the company’s inception. This created an environment of trust that persists to this day. Walton also modeled the behavior that he desired from his employees, especially customer service (both to internal and external customers), by visiting his stores, meeting customers, and greeting employees by their first names. Walton also embraced and encouraged change in order to remain competitive, and developed employees by having them work in a variety of positions. Wal-Mart considers its culture the key to its success, and to this day employees continue to think about how Sam would have done it’’ when making decisions. 2. Proactive ; reactive Today’s globally-competitive business environment has made a positive corporate culture a critical aspect of success for firms. No longer just a competitive advantage, it has become a prerequisite for success, allowing companies to attract and retain top employees. Therefore, where the culture is serving to lower morale, it is recommended that management take proactive rather than reactive steps to change the corporate culture using a top-down approach, establishing a new vision and demonstrating new behavior consistent with the revised vision. 2. Ability to change 3. Strong learning curve

Sites of Ron Jon Surf Shop Essay Example for Free

Sites of Ron Jon Surf Shop Essay 1)Access the web sites of Ron Jon Surf Shop (http://www.ronjonsurfshop.com/) and Hilo Hattie (http://www.hilohattie.com/aloha/). Explain how the two companies are similar and how they are different. Can you find elements of organizational planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and control in their web content? Provide specific examples. Respond substantively to two other learners. Ron Jon’s and Hilo Hattie’s are similar in quite a few ways. They both started as retail stores selling products to consumers. They both have adapted to the changing of the times. They both now offer other services. For example, Hattie’s now offers coffee and food in one of their locations. Ron Jon’s offers a variety of services to include a resort and surf school. The companies are different in many ways as well. Hattie’s has a total of seven stores while Ron Jon’s has 12 different establishments. I found an example of leading in Ron Jon’s web site. In the careers section I found an employee philosophy that I thought was motivational. It states â€Å"Our employee philosophy has always been to have a strong balance of promoting from within as well as searching outside the company to find the best and brightest talent available. The surf industry is an exciting atmosphere for individuals that are outgoing, driven and competitive† (Ron Jon Surf Shop, 2012). According to Reilly, M., Minnick, C., Baack, D. (2011) â€Å"Leading means motivating, coordinating, and energizing individuals and groups to work together to achieve organizational goals.† Hattie’s offers a group incentive program to other companies to generate business. They basically offer their products at lower cost to other companies who then give the products to their customers as gifts for selecting their services. I think this is a great example of the planning function that engages an opportunity to increase revenue and utilize Hilo Hattie’s strengths. Josh References Ron Jon Surf Shop (Careers). (2012). Retrieved from http://www.ronjonsurfshop.com/AboutUs/Careers.aspx Reilly, M., Minnick, C., Baack, D. (2011). The five functions of effective management. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/books/AUMGT330.11.1/sections/sec1.3