How Similes Work

How Similes Work A simile is a direct comparison of two different and often unrelated objects. Similes  are useful for making creative writing come to life. Common similes include run like the wind, busy as a bee, or as happy as a clam. Before looking at any examples, you should try a little brainstorming exercise. First, jot down a list of characteristics of the subject youre writing about. For example, is it noisy, dense, or annoying? Once you have a shortlist completed, look over those characteristics and try to imagine an unrelated object that shares those characteristics. This list of similes will help you come up with your own examples. Similes That Include the Word Like Many similes are easy to identify because they include the word like. The cat slipped through the crack like liquid.The delicious smell meandered through the house like a stream.That bed was like a pile of rocks.My heart is racing like a frightened rabbit.The fire alarm was like a screaming baby.Watching that movie was like watching paint dry.The winter air was like a cold razor.The hotel was like a castle.My brain was like a sun-baked brick during the exam.I shook like a rattlesnakes tail.Being grounded is like living in an empty desert.The alarm was like a doorbell in my head.My feet were like frozen turkeys.His breath was like a fog from a haunted bog. As-As Similes Some similes use the word as to compare two objects.   That kid can run as fast as a cheetah.Hes as cute as a frogs dimple.This sauce is as hot as the sun.My tongue is as dry as burnt toast.Your face is as red as hot coals.His feet were as big as a tree.The air was as cold as the inside of a freezer.These bed sheets are as scratchy as sandpaper.The sky is as dark as ink.I was as cold as a snowman.Im as hungry as a bear in springtime.That dog is as messy as a tornado.My sister is as shy as a newborn fawn.His words were as soft as snowflakes on a leaf. Similes can add a creative flourish to your paper, but they can be tricky to get right. And remember:  similes are great for creative essays, but not really appropriate for academic papers.

Does the film The Battle Of The Somme provide us with a realistic picture of what it was like to be a British soldier in the trenches Essays

Does the film The Battle Of The Somme provide us with a realistic picture of what it was like to be a British soldier in the trenches Essays Does the film The Battle Of The Somme provide us with a realistic picture of what it was like to be a British soldier in the trenches Paper Does the film The Battle Of The Somme provide us with a realistic picture of what it was like to be a British soldier in the trenches Paper Essay Topic: Film During World War I the government and army officials constantly endeavoured to project a positive image of the war effort and any attempt to show negative aspects of the war were discouraged as it was felt that this would lower morale and discourage patriotism and recruitment to the army. Therefore it is always hard to know whether any source is reliable, especially those from official sources, and these should always be backed up by cross-referencing. One of these sources is the film The Battle Of The Somme which shows footage of soldiers recorded actually behind the lines of British fire. Now, you would assume as it was filmed in the trenches, and shows real soldiers, that it would al be true and there would be no need of cross-referencing to see if it is accurate. However, as it was filmed for the purpose of showing during war-time back at home and was obviously approved by officials, it was therefore intended to show war tactics, trench conditions and general life as a soldier in an extremely positive light, and can not always be taken at face value. For instance, the film portrays lots of soldiers with clean clothes, good food and in a generally happy environment, with no major hardships smiling and going about daily life. However, various sources challenge this view of trench life including Aftermath by Siegfried Sassoon which asks: Do you remember the rats, and the stench of corpses rotting on the front line trench? which is quite a contrast to the images put forward by the film. And a poem of Sidney Chaplain says: you stand in a trench of vile stinking mud, and the bitter cold wind freezes your blood. These poems, and many others show that the trenches in fact werent the comfortable place the film suggests. The diaries and memoirs of soldiers also express a different view of trench life. Seargeant S. V. Britten says: Left at 6. 30 for reserve trenches. Just rat holes! found Germans feet sticking up through the ground. The Gurkhas had actually used human bodies instead of sandbags. Beside the stream where we were working, stench something awful and dead all around. However, this is not to say that the film was lying, but maybe it was hard to show the discomfort the troops were put through and the directors and producers have decided to show the good times in the trenches as the audience wanted an action film about brave soldiers, and did not want to see the trivialities of daily life. Also, if the film had shown the soldiers in major discomfort this may have been upsetting for friends or relatives back home. This theory is also supported by the fact that while, in their own poems or diaries the soldiers may have been less positive about trench conditions, in letters home to loved ones they usually tried to convey a positive attitude and not discuss hardships, as in this extract a letter of Rifleman Bert Bailey to his wife shows: I am still in the trenches and in good health. Although all day and night on Monday it rained steadily, yesterday it broke fair and fine and we had a nice day except that underneath was a l mud and slosh which shows how he is downplaying the discomfort of the trenches. Although, the film does have one scene showing British soldiers scrambling over the trenches with most making it but one of two being shot down. This was, in fact just a replication of a battle, as due to the unwieldy nature of the cameras it would have been impossible to get this during actual warfare. But though this may seem to be contradicting the films earlier messages about the safety of the British soldiers it says that the Germans would be blown up with massive guns, and a few brave soldiers would die. Of course, the film shows none of the slow, painful deaths of soldiers from infected wounds or hypothermia and the like. Many soldiers going in to war also shared this romanticised view of death in the army, as the poem The Soldier by Rupert Brooke shows when he says if I should die, think only this of me: that theres some corner in a foreign field that is for ever England. He obviously had a fairly positive view of the army and was extremely patriotic. However, the films attempts at making it appear that the British tactics were so effective are not supported by the fact the first day of the battle was a complete disaster, the worst day in British military history with casualty figures over 60,000 and 21,000 killed. The Allies had been confident that nothing would survive the bombardment mentioned in the intertitles and sent an order for the British soldiers to go over the top, essentially to their deaths. One extract from the memoirs of George Coppard shows the blatant foolishness of the commanders: hundreds of dead were strung out like wreckage How did out planners imagine that the Tommies, having survived all the other hazards would get past the German wire? Any Tommy could have told them that shell fire lifts wire up and drops it down, often in a worse tangle than before. The film however fails to highlight these extremely important facts. This is the day of one of the worst leadership blunders in British military history. Another message that the film tries to convey to the audience is that the medical facilities were extremely good and that all wounded soldiers were quickly attended to. There are various sources supporting this, and some that oppose this view. Many poems tell of wounded being flung in to carts, which shows that they were at least cared for and not left to die. There is also a photo of two nurses tending to a wounded soldier, showing that care was so good there could be two nurses to a bed. However, this photograph was probably commissioned by the army, so could not have been expressing negative views about the care the soldiers received. Several paintings, such as Gassed by Singer Sargent, or The Harvest of Battle by C. R. W. Nevinson show wounded men being led back to the trenches by those who were able to help. So these are obviously supporting the evidence given in the film. However, an extract from the Diary of a Dead Officer, the memoirs of A. West reads: Doctors looked on every man as a skrim-shanker en wounded and minus an arm forced to have electric treatment. Knocked down and held on the bed people nearly crying with pain. Gloomy buildings meals never hot, worse than ordinary camp food. So this obviously shows the darker side to the armys medical service. Overall, I feel that this film, though a valuable piece of evidence from the point of view for technical reference, to see what kind of equipment the soldiers carried and so on and is a piece of World War I history, you have to bear in mind the situation under which it was created. The war office allowed a small group of camera men to cover the war on the Western front, all the footage of which was edited and produced by a team for the War Office. Indeed, the film was considered so important and expressive of the views the army wanted to promote, that at the first screening of the film a letter by David Lloyd George, Secretary of State for the War was read saying: You are invited here to witness by far the most important picture of the war our staff has yet procured I am convinced that when you have seen this wonderful picture, every heart will beat in sympathy with its purpose Now, gentlemen, be up and doing also! This letter clearly implies that the main point of the film is to increase patriotic feelings and rally civilian support for the war effort, and states very clearly that another aim is to encourage the signing up of other men. Therefore we have had to treat every area of this film with caution before stating the reliability. I have tried to do this and feel that while some of the basic facts are right, this is obviously an air-brushed view of the battle, and the government and army failed to inform of the massive losses incurred, which I feel was neglectful of their duty to keep the public informed with a realistic picture of events, and also ignores the duties carried out by the thousands of soldiers that gave their lives. This neglect of the facts also indicates the way other areas of the film, such as showing the comfort of the men, may have been skimmed over to give a better view of the army and I think that as this was the main purpose of the film from the beginning, it provides us with an extremely imprecise view of the lives the soldiers in the trenches actually experienced.

Entrepreneurial Management Innovation at WIPRO The WritePass Journal

Entrepreneurial Management Innovation at WIPRO Entrepreneurial Management Innovation at WIPRO Introduction to the organizationApproach to the documentDefinition of termsFrom 1945 – 2000 individual entrepreneurshipValue based leadershipCorporate entrepreneurship from 2000 onwardsWorking framework for innovation at WiproApplied innovation frameworkProcess innovationDelivery InnovationTechnology innovationBusiness innovationThe outcomes of corporate entrepreneurshipInternal organizational factors to consider for successful innovationEffect of leadershipInnovation CultureManagement practicesValue systemOrganizational structureInnovation strategyA few hindrances to effective innovationCompetitive rivalryNational cultureRecommendationsTop down approachTeam based activitiesA new perspectiveConclusionReferencesRelated Introduction to the organization Wipro was founded in 1945 in India and is currently diversified from producing vanaspati oil during its initial set up to Information technology, consumer care, lighting, engineering and health care sectors. The company has a long history of budding from independent entrepreneurship to corporate entrepreneurship after its diversification. Though founded during the early 20th Century, this company came before economic liberalization and adroitly used the opportunities offered by deregulation to grow businesses. At the same time, they built strong organizational capabilities such as project management, quality of execution and speed. Arguably it is one of the few companies in India that changed its products and services with the pace of technological change and need. Wipro deals with business in IT services, Product engineering solutions, Technology infrastructure services, Business Process Outsourcing and other consulting related services.   As of 2010 the company has employee stren gth of more than 100,000 and is classified as a large company in the IT sector. Currently the organization is diversified into many businesses with Information Technology services playing a major role in Wipro’s success. Today the Indian IT companies namely TCS, Wipro, HCL are renowned in the global market for their services. The various external factors leading to this situation include the Indian education system, high quality engineers, low cost of creation and high technological infrastructure. Approach to the document This report defines the various kinds of innovative outcomes in Wipro and how it evolved over 50 years to its current state that can be classified into the OECD innovation model. After this a few factors that have led to these innovative outcomes have been discussed and further classified as facilitators or barriers. Based on these observations a few recommendations are also provided to improve corporate entrepreneurship at Wipro. Definition of terms Academicians and practitioners have defined corporate entrepreneurship in many different ways in the existing literature. A number of authors emphasize that entrepreneurship primarily acts in underpinning innovation (Drucker, 1985b; McGrath, 1996; Stevenson and Jarillo, 1990). According to Schumpeter (1934) Innovation is 1) The introduction of a new good or a new quality of the good 2) The introduction of a new method of production 3) The opening of a new market 4) The conquest of a new source of supply 5) The carrying out of the new organization of an industry It can be differentiated between 4 types of innovations, namely Product Innovation, Process Innovation, Marketing Innovation, and Organisational Innovation (OECD, 2007). Corporate entrepreneurship is defined as the effort of promoting innovation from an internal organization perspective, through the assessment of potential new opportunities, alignment of resources, exploitation and commercialisation of said opportunities (McFadzean et al 2005). Corporate Entrepreneurship (McFadzean, 2005) From 1945 – 2000 individual entrepreneurship Azim Hasham Premji, the chairman of Wipro, was called upon to manage Wipro when he was 21 years old at the sudden demise of his father in 1966. He has steered the company to a rapid growth since then. In the 70s, he realized a growing demand for computers in India with a few manufacturers. The company had no knowledge about computer manufacturing but Premji decided to venture into this and decided to collaborate with scientists from the Indian Institute of Science (IIS) to manufacture hardware and later software (when the Indian market was liberalized in 1991). Under his leadership, the fledgling US$ 2 million hydrogenated cooking fat company has grown to a US$1.76 billion IT Services organization serving customers across the globe. Value based leadership Premji has established a strong value system in Wipro and believed that values not only helped in achieving success but also made that success more enduring and lasting (2003). Based on the vision created by the leader the organization made its path towards diversifying into various sectors and successfully innovating. Below are the milestones in the value based leadership that led to its growth until 2000 1977 – WIPRO was renamed to Wipro products limited due to its wide range of products 1970’s – First Indian company to manufacture mini computers 1980 – Wipro Technologies was created to manufacture computer hardware and related software 1988 – Wipro Biomed was established to market and service bio-analytical and diagnostics instruments. In 1989 it turned into a joint venture with GE and launched Wipro GE Medical systems limited 1998 Premji decided to undertake an image building exercise for Wipro and adopted the rainbow sunflower logo and the tag line Applying Thought 1999 First Indian company to receive the SEI-CMM level 5 certification which would help the company in global business development. All these initiatives led by the leader made Premji one of the top 30 all time great entrepreneurs in the world (Business week, July 2007). The magazine said, After making the company profitable and expanding from food oil to other consumer goods, Premji led Wipro into the nascent tech economy in the 1970s. Premji is also a hands-on manager involved in day-to-day operations, even making sales calls himself. He believed in empowering people allowing them to express their ideas and raise voices freely. There revolutionary policies would help shape the leaders of tomorrow. Employees were free to give feedback in a transparent system and the management at Wipro learnt what was hampering team performance and what could be done to rectify any problems. Corporate entrepreneurship from 2000 onwards From 2000 onwards the company focussed on innovation as a measure to sustain its competitive advantage. Since the launch of innovation initiatives in 2000, Wipro had emerged as one of the strongest players in the Information Technology (IT) industry. The company offered a comprehensive portfolio of products based on innovative solutions. Innovation was a prerequisite at Wipro since it believed that this was essential to achieve growth and competitive advantage. It was one of the values on Wipros promise statement that said, With utmost respect to human values, we promise to serve our customers with integrity through innovative, value for money solutions, by applying thought day after day. 2000 In September Wipro established ePeripherals Limited (Wep) diversifying into IT related businesses. 2004 Wipros innovation initiatives focused on the publishing industry resulted in huge success thus expanding the solutions to other areas finance, insurance, and manufacturing. 900 employees working towards developing innovative business solutions (Business Week, 2006) 2007 As of March 2007, innovative initiatives contributed to 7.5% of the toal revenues. Had a target of 10% by 2009 and successfully achieved it. Innovation council Soon the innovation council was formed and the approach aimed at soliciting ideas from the employees. The collected ideas from employees were discussed at the IC with top management reviewing the proposed ideas and analyzing how they would help the company accelerate growth and increase the quality of its new products. Thus it offered a bottom up approach to innovation although the feasibility was considered by the top management. And with selected ones, the company granted funding, technology and resources to bring into action. This encouraged the employees to suggest more innovative ideas and by the end of 2006 the council had 200 permanent employees to handle requests. Working framework for innovation at Wipro The innovation initiative at Wipro began with in depth study of successfully innovating companies like Nike, 3M Technologies and Home Depot. A 2 member team was formed to consult with academicians, experts, industrialists to chart out an innovation initiative. However after thorough examination it was observed that no existing innovation models could be replicated at Wipro. Hence by adopting a ground-up approach a focussed innovation model was built based on the requirements of the company also considering authorized customer ideas. According to Oslo Manual for measuring innovation there are 4 types of innovation product innovation; process innovation; marketing innovation and organisational innovation. However the working framework of innovation at Wipro classifies innovation at Wipro as Process Innovation, Technology Innovation, Delivery Innovation and Business Innovation. Applied innovation framework Wipros applied innovation was a 360 degree approach to business that focussed on four domains business, process, technology and delivery. This would help Wipro technologies work collaboratively with its clients to reduce the cost of a project, speed up the process of delivery and identify new opportunities for business. Innovation at Wipro (Divakaran Mangalath, 2006) Process innovation As part of its innovation process Wipro applied the principles of lean manufacturing and six sigma to its process of software design and development. This helped it increase productivity by 10% since it reused tools and components. It was evident that after lean principles of engineering were applied to over 700 projects, 20-30% savings were recovered for the company (directors report, 2007). Delivery Innovation This included the software factory model and the global delivery model. The factory model integrated several IT functions into a centralized supply chain allowing common areas of work to be grouped for better quality and time saving. Wipro observed 10-15% reduction in cycle time of demand to delivery of products. It was globally used across projects and Wipro was credited with pioneering the virtual distributed software development model that enabled companies to manage large projects through virtually distributed teams. Technology innovation The company was involved in creating IPs (Intellectual Properties) that effectively enabled its customers to reduce time in the product life cycle and improve the success rates of the products. Eg: the company developed a plug-n-play patent and IP that helped reduce the products time-to-market by 20-25%. Also they were the largest bank of patents in bluetooth, wireless LAN and IEEE 1394. Business innovation To improve its relation with customers, the company focussed on business solutions that were specific to the related industry. Wipros business innovations included Data Privacy and Master Data Management, Clinical Data Management, Integrated Publishing platform, vendor managed inventory, retail pharmacy, etc. Wipro also developed the GCC (Global command center) with IT infrastructure for its customers. The customers were happy to monitor, diagnose, store and secure applications as and when needed. The outcomes of corporate entrepreneurship In 8 years, by the end of 2008, innovation became an integral part of product development process. Since the cyclic processs has been inculcated in the employees, the time-to-market was significantly decreased for new products and also the products used leading-edge technology. A work flow solution Flow-Brix was estimated to generate revenues in the range US$ 75,000 US$ 1 million. Innovation had spread across all sectors of the organization and i-Desk was the first one to enable easy HR management by a collaborating workplace tool for workflow solutions for publishing. All these innovation initiatives have been fruitful and also helped the company attract prospective employees to fill 29% of vacancies in 2006 (Business week, 2006) Hence it was certain that the innovation process enabled a strong product portfolio and also brought good revenue streams. In Wipro technologies, the company was focussing on consultancy services which would further enhance its image in the global software industry. Internal organizational factors to consider for successful innovation Effect of leadership In Wipro it was not only recruiting the right kind of people, but also in proper training of its people. Employees were mandated to frequent internal training sessions with major responsibilities showered on them although they may not seem well prepared for the role. Premji (2005) defined 8 leadership qualities which were made a standard against which new employees would be recruited and trained. He believed that training and development at various stages were designed by mapping peoples competencies to specific roles in the Life Cycle Stage Development Plan. Innovation Culture Premji also placed utmost importance on innovation and creativity in developing a successful organization. Stressing the importance of innovation for the overall development of the organization, Premji said, Innovation is essentially the application of high creativity. It need not be restricted to just products; it applies to services, employee attitude and across all levels. Innovation is a fundamental mindset pursued seriously by an organization. It is imperative to imbibe the culture of innovation(Manu B. 2006). Analysts report that the open and supportive culture at Wipro gives employees the opportunity to develop their skills and as a result, contribute more to the organization. Management practices In order to come out with innovative products and services, the top management at Wipro committed itself to fostering innovation in the organization and encouraging employees to come out with innovative ideas. Value system The company also strove to make it more customers centric. The company believes in the objective of customer-in where the voice of the customers is built in the products rather than being product-out where the products are sold by marketing its features to the customer. Premji also believed that this value system has to remain intact even after his tenure which was openly admired by the competitors. Organizational structure In Wipro the organizational structure was also responsible for carrying out innovation initiative in selected projects. The company emphasized the commercial viability of an idea along with innovation. The concept was to create components with Intellectual Properties (IP) that would generate revenues over a period of time rather than one-time revenue from projects. Innovation strategy Another approach to innovation involved executives of several industry vertical business units identifying new technologies that would be of importance to their clients in the near future. The objective was to have expertise in the new technologies and come up with the products and productive services that could be patented by Wipro. These centres also work with research institutes, technology providers and also provide a platform for the growth of the employees. The company was able to launch new products continuously due to its innovation strategy, which considerably reduced the time between idea-generation and final product development. A few hindrances to effective innovation Competitive rivalry WIPRO was able to produce hardware and software for the domestic market, however due to high competition and low quality; they decided that they could not export their products in a market that had the niche products from the big companies. They were not ready to take the risk of competing with IBM, Intel, and Apple and decided to use the opportunity where doors were open in the Indian market. If in the process, they were able to attain the quality as these giants, they could have made it to the bigger markets in no time and could have proven cost effective than other options. But due to unavailability of high quality raw material and skilled resources, they had to limit to the domestic market. National culture India is a developing nation and it takes time for technological changes to occur. Also the initial cost of hardware and software related to new technology is very high and not affordable to most projects. Hence although the Innovation council decides on feasible innovative ideas posted by employees, quite often they are rejected due to unavailability of resources in the country. However the company is striving to compete with global competitors in the technological field and this barrier can cause a major impact on the innovation strategy. Recommendations Top down approach An entrepreneurial vision indicates the strategic intent of the organization. Stein (2002) proposed that the most admired companies set challenging goals. This vision encourages individuals to hold informal discussion with colleagues, friends and share the knowledge that they bring with different project experiences. This helps refine the idea based on the critical analysis by more than one person. Thus the vision setter actually motivates employees to strive to excel beyond their capabilities and routines. Although innovation and creativity cannot be forced on employees, this provides a platform to discuss, relate and generate new ideas. This continuous innovation is also possible only when the employee understands and accepts the vision and strives to deliver it. Team based activities In Wipro technologies project work is also carried out in teams. This inculcates an team based culture for working among employees. Although the employee is not forced to discuss innovative ideas within his team he can depend upon forums to find people with similar interests. As part of knowledge sharing the company encourages participation in forums and blogging. Thus a webbed structure is created in sharing ideas. For example, people working for different projects but with similar technological backgrounds can rely upon the forums for their needed expertise. In this way simple tools created in one project can be easily passed on to other projects with similar requirements effectively reducing time to collaborate with the Innovation council. This can also be seen as a knowledge management initiative that fosters innovation. A new perspective The organization can look upon innovative ideas as a change management process. The organization has keenly created the Innovation council to take care of the process. However the acceptability of existing teams to these new ideas is not calculated as a risk. People could be inflexible in accepting a novel way of doing business. They are more comfortable with the routine methods and could prove a failure to the case. Along with innovation management the organization should also consider change management as part of the culture. This would improve acceptability of ideas and keep the cyclic process of innovation going on. Conclusion Wipro which began with the success of an individual entrepreneur has matured to a corporate entrepreneur that fosters innovation. The innovation discussed about Wipro technologies in particular can be applied to other industries too. Analysts feel that these internal organizational factors – culture, leadership, strategy give employees the environment conducive for continuous innovation and contribute more to the organization. However, the company has to rethink of its methods since close competitors like TCS, Infosys and CTS are also making huge investments in innovation. Hence with increased competition, it is a challenge for Wipro to sustain the current position of the innovation leader in the Indian market. References Azim Premji, â€Å"8 Steps to Excellence†, The Smart Manager, January 2005. Azim Premjis Interview with IIM Bangalores S.Krishna, www.azimpremjifoundation.com, March 2003. â€Å"Director’s Report,† www.moneycontrol.com, March 2007. Divakaran Mangalath, â€Å"What Makes Innovation Work,† www.wipro.com, December 2006. Drucker, P.F. (1985b), Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Practice and Principles, Heinemann, London. Elspeth McFadzean, Andrew OLoughlin, Elizabeth Shaw, (2005) Corporate entrepreneurship and innovation part 1: the missing link, European Journal of Innovation Management, Vol. 8 Iss: 3, pp.350 – 372 Gupta, A.K. and Govindarajan, V. (2000), â€Å"Knowledge flows within multinational corporations†, Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 21 No. 4, pp. 473-96. Jon Tozzi, â€Å"The Greatest Entrepreneurs of All Time,† Business Week, July 2007. Manu A B, â€Å"Premji on Innovation, Creativity,† www.rediff.com, February 16, 2006. McGrath, R.G. (1996), â€Å"Options and the entrepreneur: towards a strategic theory of wealth creation†, Academy of Management Proceedings, pp. 101-5. OECD (2007): OECD Science, Technology and Industry Scoreboard 2007, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Paris, p. 94. Stein, J.C. (2002), â€Å"Information production and capital allocation: decentralized versus hierarchical firms†, The Journal of Finance, Vol. 57 No. 5, pp. 1891-922. Stevenson, H.H. and Jarillo, J.C. (1990), â€Å"A paradigm of entrepreneurship: entrepreneurial management†, Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 11, pp. 17-27. Schumpeter, J.A. (1934): The Theory of Economic Development, 13th Printing 2007, New Jersey: Transaction Publishers. Wiklund, J. and Shepherd, D. (2003), â€Å"Knowledge-based resources, entrepreneurial orientation, and the performance of small and medium-sized businesses†, Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 24, pp. 1307-14. Wipros New Groove, www.businessweek.com, February 17, 2006. â€Å"QA with Wipro’s Azim Premji,† www.businessweek.com, November 27, 2006.

Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 6

Culture - Essay Example I also realized that I belong to this cultural group because I abide by its beliefs and customs, which determines the way of life that we practice on a daily basis. Before analyzing how this culture affects my life, it is crucial to define vast aspects of our culture and how it is practiced. Firstly, the Hispanic, Mexican culture is strongly based on family matters where everyone in the family becomes his brothers’ keepers (Merrim 150). The above is depicted by the fact that the Mexican families are very wide open and largely spread outside of the cities within; thus, we care for each other and live as one society. This aspect positively affects my life because it planted a seed of care in my daily life practices. For this reason, it means that by being a part of this culture, I have become a caring person who is always concerned about issues faced by friends, family, and the entire society. Prior to living together and caring for each other as a family, we also love celebrations and feasts that occur subsequently during the year. These parties and celebrations unite the extended families, who are usually invited to the celebration venues (156). These celebrations are highly embraced because they remind us of the past times and at the same time remind us the reason for embracing values and customs. In this regard, the celebrations positively affect my sense of originality and roots because it offers me a platform of knowing who I am. More so, these celebrations increase my patriotism because it gives me the reason to love my background. The other culture that we adhere to is the family setting, where the father is considered as the head of the family, or the authority of the home (198). The mother is perceived as the home manager, who runs the home. This cultural practice has slightly been affected by globalization because women currently engage in vast

The Influence of Using YouTube to Improve English for EFL Students Essay

The Influence of Using YouTube to Improve English for EFL Students - Essay Example According to the paper access to great positions and attractive pay rates requires English capability to communicate. In countries where English is not, the first or main language used there has been a growth in teaching English as a Foreign Language (EFL). Due to this worldwide demand, there has been a growth in teaching English as a foreign language (EFL) in countries where English is not first or main language. Therefore, the education system in Saudi Arabia is containing English as one of the most significant majors nowadays. This study highlights even though the government through its Ministry of Education has outlined the objectives of the English language, the goal is yet to be achieved. The ministry aims to ensure improvement in students’ listening, reading, writing and speaking skills abilities. Furthermore, the ministry endeavours to assist students acquire the necessary linguistic competences relating to life. However, these and other objectives encounter challenges as the one stated above. The ministry’s goal is to equip and develop development skills to the students rather than just the role learning. In essence, EFL implies that the English language is not viewed as a primary language, and that the locals have their first language. In these cases, countries tend to use their first language even in the learning, meaning students seldom perform well in English-related tasks, including speaking and writing. When learners become less acquainted with the English language, the end-result is that their competitive advantage especially in the international affairs is adversely affected. Surprisingly, some countries use the first language in the education sector up to university level.  

Film Analysis of Some Like it Hot Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Film Analysis of Some Like it Hot - Movie Review Example They have to dress and act like girls. Although they start liking the female members of the band, they cannot tell them so since they are not willing to reveal their identity. Joe is in love with a band member called sugar. On the other hand, a millionaire called Osgood Fielding wants a relationship with Daphne and even invites him on a yacht. Though not openly stated, the theme of politics is somehow featured in the movie. The changed identity is depictive of how politicians change when they are elected. They forget what they are supposed to represent and start focusing on their own selfish issues. Just like, Joe and Daphne managed to conceal their identity and convince people that they were female. Politicians possess several identities, which they adopt depending on where they are. At times, they use their multiple identities to deceive people (Wilder, Castle and Auiler 66-71, 81-83). 2. Does the film’s maker (writer, director) have their own unique point of view on the pol itics and/ or cultural life in the 1950s if so, what is it? Explain. Although the movie was set when issues such as sexuality were not serious, the movie features these themes. The filmmakers of I like it Hot have a unique point of view regarding cultural life. A good example is shown when Osgood falls in love with Jerry thinking that he is a woman. However, when Osgood realizes Jerry is a man, he does not care. This is a unique outlook on the issue of homosexuality. Anybody would have expected Osgood to avoid Jerry’s company completely, considering the movie was shot in 1950’s. A period when few would publicly acknowledge they were gay. Another unique outlook that the makers of some like it hot demonstrate is on the first glance appearances. Most of the characters adopt a deceptive attitude, which is revealed later. Jerry and Joe pretend to be male and through them, the true nature of characters such as Sugar and Osgood are revealed. Through Joe we learn of Sugars yea rning for money. Through Jerry, Osgood is revealed as being heterosexual (Wilder, Castle and Auiler 112-118). 3. Does this movie have messages or themes? Identify them. Do you think that the movie’s themes and messages still relevant to audiences of 2012? Why or why not? Explain. The movie â€Å"Some Like it Hot† was remarkably ahead of time. It features themes on issues that are being witnessed in the contemporary society. In the movie, there is an issue of a man wanting to marry another man knowingly. This is quite similar to the recent happenings regarding gay marriages. The issue has been viewed with suspicion with most people opposing it utterly. In addition to sexuality, the movie features the issues of sexism and cross-dressing, which are concerns of the modern society. As the movie uncovers the difficult role that women were supposed to play are revealed (Wilder, Castle and Auiler 200-205). Another theme is the theme of sex, gender confusion. Jerry pretends to be female to appoint where he appears confused about his real identity. This theme would apply in the contemporary society where people appear unsure about their sexuality. Some people opt to go undergo surgery to alter their sexuality hoping to escape from the problems associated with certain gender. Although Jerry and Joe alter their gender for different reasons, their reluctant to revel their identity reflects the contemporary sex identity conflicts. Another theme feature in the movie is the theme of crime. Joe and Jerry are running away from a mob that

Mentoring, Americans with Disabilities Act, Flex-time, Workplace Assignment

Mentoring, Americans with Disabilities Act, Flex-time, Workplace Security, and Performance appraisal - Assignment Example The four phases are (Boreen et.al, 2000): A mentoring relationship is based on numerous factors that relate to the success of the process as preferred by both the mentor and mentee. The basic relationship requirements include (Boreen et.al, 2000): The process of mentoring provides significant influence in career development. In women and minority groups mentoring is regarded as a mandatory requirement. Women and minority are viewed as a weaker part of the human race. For this reason, they are exposed to limited career opportunities and resources. Through mentoring this gap is lessened as they are provided an opportunity to learn basic career requirements from experts. This also improves their succeeding probability. The ADA was created to respond to the plight of the disabled or otherwise challenged persons. The Act was signed in 2009 by President Bush. Main components in the Act focused on making work places comfortable for the disabled or other wise challenged persons. Additionally, public places and entities were also required to be observant of the Act (Schall, 1998). In the act the beneficiaries are described as people with physical disabilities. The act excluded the inclusion of people affected by drug or substance abuse and visually impaired people whose sight can be corrected by the use of an optical lens. The ADA has positively impacted the working environment as companies have become more sensitive in making working places comfortable to the disabled persons. To ensure compliance of the ADA, an employer should put in place systems and mechanisms that address the issues raised by the ADA. For instance, an organization should advice other employees against discriminating against disabled persons (Schall, 1998). Traditional work schedules were heavily demanding on employees as they had to work during many hours and the output displayed could not match the time taken to complete tasks. Working on full time or eight hour day daily on the