Lysistrata Essays (923 words) - Lysistrata, Women In War, Myrrhine

Lysistrata Lysistrata A play about creation war - and not having intercourse? The Talbot Theater creation of Lysistrata both engaged and charmed this individual from the crowd, who was there incompletely as a result of an English task necessity, however basically as a result of the chance to appreciate a live theater creation. The performance center organization utilized a wide range of parts to breath life into this antiwar play that night on the stage. These parts can be broken into three classes, which outwardly upgraded the content of the play. The first of these classes is the setting, the stage lighting, and the props. The subsequent segment is the imagery of a portion of those props, and the third segment is the character depictions by the on-screen characters on the stage. To return us to antiquated Greece, the props ace utilized a straightforward translation utilizing sections on a raised arrangement of steps, with a background of blue. To add to the vibe of the time, a sculpture remains in the stage. This stage serves twofold obligation as the Akropolis and as the Citadel, the two of which the ladies have involved. At the point when the men light a fire beneath the dividers of the Akropolis, smoke spills out of the heap of sticks, causing it to show up as though a fire has truly been touched off. Luckily the ladies are prepared and the fire is stifled and the men all soaked with water, which is depicted well with basins and activities that look as though the men are being driven away by the water. When Kinesias comes to see Myrrhine, and they head off to Pan's cavern, the stage lighting is darkened to give the impact of the murkiness of being in a cavern. The most strikingly visual utilization of stage props is the presence of overwhelming erect phal luses under the tunics of all the male fundamental characters during the second 50% of the play. These apparently bizarre male individuals serve to represent the disappointment of the men. Notwithstanding, they are additionally an image of how the men's political force has been superceded by the crude desire for sex, and how the ladies currently hold control over the men. The sculpture, which is on the stage, is wearing reinforcement and represents the war. The shield is taken by the ladies to be utilized to swear their promise, yet they rapidly understand that they can't swear for tranquility on a shield utilized for war. This warrior sculpture vanishes toward the finish of the play, returning as a female, the sculpture of PEACE, significantly shapelier and all the more luring to the men. The characters introduced the most noteworthy visual segment. Lysistrata was depicted superbly as a sensible lady who has had enough of war and is eager to lead a transformation to end it. The majority of the remainder of the ladies are depicted as being foamy seemingly insignificant details, progressively keen on attire, shopping and sex, interests which Lysistrata feels that she can utilize to achieve the adjustment in the men's mentalities. The outfits on the fundamental characters evoked the picture of the time, and assisted with characterizing the characters. Both the individuals from the female ensemble and the male tune are wearing white, to keep them separate in our psyches from the fundamental characters of the story. Be that as it may, they are utilized in such a path in the play as to clarify a great deal of the story to us via conveying a ton of the activity and discourse of the fights between the genders. The fundamental characters utilized various acting strategies to pass on the pictures of the play. Lampito holds herself distinctively and talks with a highlight, and in spite of the fact that she is dressed to some degree equivalent to different ladies, we understand that she originates from Sparta. The Magistrate swaggers on to the stage, joined by a constable, just to be badgering and at last mortified by the ladies, who won't be captured. They reverse the situation on the constable by tying him up with his own rope, and afterward send the judge and the constable pressing. Comic minutes happen when the edgy for-sex ladies attempt to slip away from the Citadel and are gotten by Lysistrata.

The Tragic Comedy of The Winter’s Tale - Literature Essay Samples

William Shakespeare’s vast collection of plays can generally be categorized by genre: his plays such as Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth and Hamlet are considered tragedies, while Twelfth Night and A Midsummer Night’s Dream are considered comedies. One of his plays, however, falls short of both categories: The Winter’s Tale, written in the early 1600’s. Though The Winter’s Tale draws on elements of both comedy and tragedy, the play simply cannot be boxed into one genre because of all the different features that come into play throughout the story. The first few acts of the play tend to show off the more tragic elements of a Shakespearean production, while the last few bring about a more comedic mood; so which genre can The Winter’s Tale be considered? Due to the use of both tragic and comedic elements throughout The Winter’s Tale, I would like to contend that it is a tragic comedy as opposed to a comic tragedy because of its ending and the me ssage it leaves. The first three acts of The Winter’s Tale display elements typical of Shakespearean tragedies, especially regarding King Leontes. When the audience is first introduced to Leontes, he is unsuccessfully attempting to convince his good friend Polixenes to stay in their kingdom for just a few days longer. He enlists the help of his wife Hermione, who succeeds in convincing Polixenes to remain in Sicilia for a week more. Seeing this interaction between his wife and his childhood friend leaves Leontes distressed and immediately suspicious: â€Å"to be paddling palms and pinching fingers, As now they are, and making practiced smiles As in a looking glass, and then to sigh†¦ O, that is entertainment My bosom likes not, nor my brows† (1.2.146-150). Leontes’ suspicion leads to an immense amount of jealousy, which leads us to the first element of Shakespearean tragedy in The Winter’s Tale: the fatal flaw. Leontes is distressed by the interaction he witnesses and suspects that Hermione and Polixenes are having an affair behind his back, so he orders his courtier Camillo to poison Polixenes. His rage and his jealousy cause Leontes to act rashly, and this irrationality and haste is a common theme of the fatal flaw. Instead of heeding the king’s orders, however, Camillo warns Polixenes of the threat to his life, and they both flee Sicilia. With no one left to blame but his wife, Leontes publicly accuses Hermione of infidelity and indicts that the child she is carrying is illegitimate then throws her in prison for good measure. To confirm his suspicions, he sends for the Oracle of Delphi; in the meantime, Hermione gives birth to a little girl. In the hopes that the sight of the child will calm Leontes, Hermione’s lady-in-waiting Paulina brings the baby to the king, who tells her, â€Å"This brat is none of mine. / It is the issue of Polixenes. / Hence with it, and together with the dam / Commit them to the fire† (2.3.119-12 2). He then orders Antigonus, Paulina’s husband, to abandon the baby somewhere desolate. Once news comes from the Oracle of Hermione and Polixenes’ innocence, the audience learns that Leontes and Hermione’s son Mamillius, who has fallen gravely ill at the accusations against his mother, has died. Subsequently, Hermione also dies. Leontes’ radical jealousy clearly has great effects on his family, damaging it seemingly beyond repair and making him penitent and regretful. If The Winter’s Tale were just a tragedy, the show would probably end here, with all hope for Leontes and his family seemingly lost forever. At the opening of Act IV, Time appears personified on stage and speaks to the audience, explaining that there has been a sixteen-year jump in the story: Impute it not a crime To me or my swift passage that I slide O’er sixteen years, and leave the growth untried of that wide gap, since it is in my power to o’erthrow law and in one self-born hour To plant and o’erwhelm custom (4.1.4-9). It may seem unusual for a Shakespearean play, and even a little disjointed or out-of-place in the flow of the play, but the appearance of Time on stage marks a shift in the theme and the mood of the show. In Act IV of The Winter’s Tale, the audience begins to see elements of a typical Shakespearean comedy. One of these classic elements is Autolycus’ song at the beginning of Scene 3, drawing on the archetypal use of song and dance in traditional comedies. Autolycus, an engaging and good-humored rogue, plays a trick on the Shepherd’s Son and steals from him; this whole act that Autolycus puts on is also typical of a comedy. It is the very final act of the play, however, that The Winter’s Tale truly sheds the traces of tragedy from the beginning and becomes what is normally recognized as comedy. Over the past sixteen years, Leontes has lived in self-loathing and shame for his actions and their subsequent effects, and Paulina has been encouraging his contrition all these years. The next scene is told secondhand by Autolycus and the lords of Leontes’ court; the audience learns that Perdita, the Shepherd’s daughter, has been recognized as the princess of Sicilia, and Leontes, Polixenes, his son Florizell, Perdita, Camillo and Paulina all go off to see the statue of Hermione residing in Paulina’s home. Upon their arrival, Leontes weeps, and the statue comes to life, revealing Hermione alive once again. Though it is unclear as to whether Hermione was ever dead or just hidden away by Paulina, she returns, and her family is reconciled. This is the classic happy ending so typical of Shakespearean comedies: Leontes, Hermione and their lost daughter Perdita are reconciled. Though Paulina’s husband Antigonus is lost forever, â€Å"never to be found again† (5.3.168), she finds a new husband in Camillo. Perdita and Florizell, whose love was once forbidden, is now celebrated; even though Mamillius is never to return, both kingdoms Sicilia and Bohemia have heirs, and their rulers are reconciled as friends once more. This reconciliation of family, friendship and kingdom is a perfect ending for a comedy, in spite of the elements of tragedy previously seen in the earlier acts of The Winter’s Tale. Because of the dual elements of tragedy and comedy throughout The Winter’s Tale, the play cannot be defined as one, but rather a tragic comedy. Though the beginning of the play displays classic elements of Shakespearean tragedy, it is the ending and the reconciliation of the play that makes it definably more comedic than tragic. The message that the play leaves audiences with proves that, while it is easy to destroy things in life that cannot come back, we can always come out on the other side just fine, and sometimes, it is even better than what we had before. This hope and resolution at the end of The Winter’s Tale makes it decidedly a tragic comedy, with the overarching themes of tragedy playing into the wholly comedic ending.

Comparing the Great Gatsby and American Beauty - 1954 Words

Set in the summer of the Roaring Twenties, The Great Gatsby follows the hedonistic and destructive lifestyles of the upper social classes of post-war America. This novel, written by F Scott Fitzgerald in the same time period, criticizes the shallowness of the actions of this outlandish generation and their eventual disillusionment with their society. American Beauty, the 1999 film directed by Sam Mendes and written by Alan ball, uses the setting of contemporary middle-class suburban America to examine the differences between the inner and outer realities of a â€Å"typical† American Beauty are obvious in connection between Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby and Mendes’ American Beauty are obvious in the themes, plots and the actions of the†¦show more content†¦The colossal dream that Gatsby builds up and holds onto eventually becomes his downfall and is the most prominent illustration of the failure of the American Dream in The Great Gatsby. Although it is the repercussions of their deceptive fantasies that Gatsby and Lester fall victim to, it was their continued search for love that leads them to these. Love is the principal value in The Great Gatsby and is illustrated best by the contrast of Gatsby’s idealized romantic love for Daisy with Daisy’s â€Å"love† for wealth and status, a love which is common to the majority of their irresponsible society. F Scott Fitzgerald emphasizes Gatsby’s â€Å"romantic readiness† through this contrast as well as Gatsby’s fall from grace that results in him becoming lost in â€Å"the colossal vitality of his illusions† (pg. 92). Daisy characterizes the power of a love of money in the Great Gatsby and is used by Fitzgerald in condemning Gatsby’s hedonistic society as well as his own. However it is the absence of love –rather than the presence- that is most prominent in AmericanShow MoreRelated F. 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There Is Not One American Identity - 1066 Words

There is not one American identity. There is not a single consistent plan for what American policy is, should, or will be. Sure, this political scientist might present a plan for a specific crisis, but there is always a politician in the wings with another plan to counter the first. Every politician’s opinion is different, just as every citizen’s is. Our experiences shape our identities, as does the information we are fed in school, by our families and friends, as well as the media. The view I have of the United States and its place in the world is quite different than most because I am a first generation American. Moreover, my family comes from Venezuela, where their international policy is starkly different than America’s. The United States of America’s international role has unquestionably shaped my opinions, outlook, and behavior. To most Americans the United States works on an imperial system, they are the center of the world with the United States go vernment controlling most of the world with sanctions and leading by example. To other developed countries like Denmark, Australia, and Canada the image of the United States seems less like a hegemony and more like another country working toward the greater good. We see this in their news articles and in their responses to politicians’ speeches. For me, it is definitely beyond that. My parents and family still in Venezuela critic every action or lack thereof. My closest friends live in Scotland and England and frequentlyShow MoreRelatedHow Should One Define The American Identity?1642 Words   |  7 PagesHow should one define the American Identity? The American Identity should be defined as multicultural individuals who commit to similar common values, ideas, beliefs, and personal freedom rather than being defined by race, ethnic identity, and religion. 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In an effort to run away from the foreseer she fails and gains a mark on the middle of her forehead. The mark is a metaphoric representation of Jyotis gift of great insightRead MoreIdentity Of American Identity1101 Words   |  5 Pagesliberty, and the pursuit of happiness established over two centuries ago by the nation’s forebearers. Being American is about anticipating change and being provided with the environment to dream. Americans have dreamed of a more equal union, where Women obtain the right to vote and African Americans are social equals. The country’s images of Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller inspire the American dream, where indi viduals are not satisfied with their socioeconomic standing and have the opportunity

Effect of Job satisfaction and Motivation towards Employee’s

Question: Discuss about the Effect of Job satisfaction and Motivation towards Employees Performance. Answer: Brief Description of Research Project, and What Participation Involves: The research project will involve an in-depth study on the impact that job satisfaction and motivation factors induce on the performance of employees. The major participants will be workers from various organizations who will voluntary be engaged in conveying information related to the research. The estimated number of participants will be 150 who will be randomly selected from various organizations. The invitation to participate in the research is through the human resource department that distributed the letters to the participants. The participants will participate in interviews and in filling questionnaires which may consume approximately 45 minutes of their free time. The participation involves conveying information via questionnaires and interviews. The interviews will be recorded and the questionnaires will be answered online and sent back to the researcher through the mail. Participation will call for honest feedbacks though undue pressure will not be put on the participants in any way. According to the nature of the research, the participants are required to be beyond 28years with at least 3years of working experience. The data that will be collected will be retained for at least 5years and the data can be used for other future studies(Myers 2013). The risks that may be faced by the participants include professional risks that may call for the participants to part with information such as the policies at their workplaces, violated policies, or the leadership structures of their organization. In addition, there may be psychological risks that will be tied to the exercise being stressful or sensitive to some point. Lastly, there may be relationship risks amongst the participants and their seniors or their colleagues appertaining to the nature of the information that may be given. The results of the research will be sent via mail to the participants (Seidman 2013). At no instance will the interests of the researcher be prioritized to prejudice the objectives of the research, such as pressuring the participants to give specific feedbacks so as to attain a predetermined outcome. I affirm to participate in this particular research, it is to my knowledge that I can withdraw from the exercise without prior reasons to the researcher. I am informed of the withdrawal process which will require me to fill a withdrawal form. I am aware that after the withdrawal, my data may be used in the compilation of the results of the study. I understand clearly that any information that I will render will be taken as confidential by the researcher. My identity as a participant is to be protected. I expect the researcher to comply with the Data Protection Act of 1998. I understand that I will be reimbursed for any expenses (travel costs, printing costs etc.) that I will incur during the research. I am informed that whatever that will be paid to me will be compensation but not a payment. Please note: As a participant, in case you have any concern(s) in regards to the research, you have the right to contact the researcher or to the DOS. In the instance, that you would wish to have the services of an independent party, then you will have to contact the HOD first. In addition, there shall be no waiver of any of your legal rights both as a citizen and as a worker. It should also be noted that any information that will be presented during the research and seem most likely to pose harm to human life will call for the duty to report to the legal authorities. Bibliography Myers, M 2013, Qualitative research in business and management, Sage. Seidman, I 2013, Interviewing as qualitative research: A guide for researchers in education and the social sciences, Teachers college press.

Management Practice and the Role of Theory

Introduction Management is one of the most important human activities. From the time human beings began forming social organizations to accomplish aims and objectives they could not accomplish as individuals, management has been essential to ensure the coordination of individual efforts (Chatterjee Hambrick, 2011).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Management Practice and the Role of Theory specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More As society continues to rely on group effort, and as many organized groups become large, the task of managers keeps on gaining importance and complexity (Gibson, Ragins Kram, 2009). Consequently, this has made managerial theory to become very critical in the management of organizations. The central thesis of this paper is that although some managers in different parts of the world could have achieved managerial success without having basic theoretical knowledge in management, it is important to emphasize the fact that managers who have mixed management theory in their day to day management practice, have had better chances of managing their organizations more efficiently and effectively to achieve both individual as well as organizational objectives. Managers of contemporary organizations therefore, ought to appreciate the important role played by theoretical knowledge in their respective organizations if they are to achieve the desired goals (Mills Margulies, 1980). In addition, there is need to promote excellence among all persons in an organization, especially among managers themselves. To address these concerns, the paper will start by first explaining what management is for purposes of conceptual clarity. It will then proceed to look at management objectives, functions, goals, and essentiality. Towards the end, different management theories and the role of theory in management practice will be examined. Definition of Management Management may be defined as the art, or science, of achieving goals through effective management of people. Considering that part of what managers do is to supervise staff, management may also be interpreted to refer to the act of making sure that people do what they are supposed to do. Managers are, therefore, expected to ensure greater productivity or continuous improvement in the way an organization performs. More broadly, management is the process of designing and maintaining an environment in which individuals, working together in groups, efficiently accomplish set objectives aims (Koontz Weihrich, 1990).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In its expanded form, this basic definition means several things. First, as managers, people carry out the managerial functions of planning, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling. Second, management applies to any kind of organization. Third, management is an ac tivity that has to be undertaken by managers at all levels of the organization. Fourth, the aim of all managers is to create surplus for the organization. Finally, managing is concerned with productivity and this implies effectiveness as well as efficiency. Management therefore refers to the development of official procedures that derives their importance from the need for strategic planning, coordination, directing and controlling of large and complex decision making processes. However, procedures or rules should not be seen as ends in themselves. They are simply avenues to arrive at the intended aims. Essentially, therefore, management entails the acquisition of managerial competence, and effectiveness in the areas of problem solving, administration, human resource management, and organizational leadership. Problems keep emerging all the time in the course of an organization struggling to achieve its goals and objectives and they must be solved. In the process of solving a problem it is critical for manager to clearly identify the problem, analysis it and implement the suggested remedies (Connolly, Conlon Deutsch, 1980). Administration involves following laid down procedures for the execution, control, communication, delegation and crisis management while human resource management should be based on strategic integration of human resource, assessment of workers, and exchange of ideas between shareholders and workers. Finally, organizational leadership should be developed along the lines of interpersonal relationship, teamwork, self motivation to perform, emotional strength and maturity to handle situations, personal integrity, and general management skills. Management Objectives, Functions, Goals, and Essentiality Management Objectives There are basically three management objectives. One objective is ensuring that organizational goals and targets are met with least cost and minimum waste. The second objective is to look after the health, safety and welfare of all staff. The third objective is to protect the machinery and resources of the organization, which also includes the human resources.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Management Practice and the Role of Theory specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Management Functions To understand management, it is imperative to break it down into five managerial functions. These are; planning, organizing, staffing, directing, and controlling. Planning involves selecting missions and objectives as well as the necessary actions required to achieve them. It requires decision making to choose future courses of action from among the available alternatives. Typically, plans will range from overall purposes and objectives to of the organization the most detailed actions to be taken. Practically, no real plan exists until a decision has been made. By arriving at a decision, an organization is, in essence, agreeing to make a commitment o f human as well as material resources. In other words, before a decision is made, all that exists is a proposal and a not a real plan. People working together in groups to achieve set goals must have roles to play. Generally, these roles have to be defined and structured by someone who wants to make sure that people contribute in a specific way to group effort. Organizing, therefore, is that part of management that involves establishing an intentional structure of roles for people to fill in an organization. Intentional in that all tasks necessary to accomplish goals are assigned to people who can do them best. Indeed, the purpose of an organizational structure is to help in creating an environment for human performance (Ng Sears, 2012). However, designing an organizational structure is not an easy managerial task considering that many problems are encountered in making structures fit situations, including both defining the kind of jobs that must be done and finding the people to d o them. Staffing involves filling, and keeping filled, the positions as depicted in the organization structure. This may be done by identifying work force requirements, having an inventory of the people available, and recruiting, selecting, placing, promoting, appraising, planning the careers of, compensating, and training or otherwise developing both candidates and current jobholders to accomplish their tasks effectively and efficiently. Directing has to do with influencing people so that they will contribute to organization and group goals. It has to do predominantly with the interpersonal aspect of management. The most important problems to managers arise from people’s desires and attitudes as well as their behavior as individuals and in groups. Effective managers therefore, need to be effective leaders as well.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Controlling is the act of measuring and correcting activities of subordinates to ensure that events conform to stipulated plans. It measures performance against goals and plans, shows where negative deviations exist and, by putting in motion actions to correct deviations, helps to ensure that plans are accomplished. Although planning must precede controlling, plans are not self achieving (Toor Ofori, 2009). Plans guide managers in the use of resources to accomplish specific goals and to ensure that activities are checked to determine whether they conform to the plans. Persons who are responsible for results that differ from planned actions have to be located and necessary steps taken to improve performance. Therefore, by controlling what people do, managers are able to control the organizational outcomes. Finally, coordination is the essence of managing so as to achieve harmony among individual efforts toward the accomplishment of group goals. Each of the managerial functions discu ssed earlier is an exercise contributing to the aspect of coordination. Considering that individuals often interpret similar interests in different ways, and their efforts toward mutual goals do not automatically agree with the efforts of others, it becomes important for the manager to reconcile the differences in approach, timing, effort, or interest, and to ensure that individual goals are harmonized to contribute to organizational goals. Although these management functions concern the internal environment for performance within an organization, managers must operate in the external environment of an organization as well. Clearly, managers cannot perform their tasks well unless they have an understanding of, and are responsive to, the many elements of the external environment that affect their areas of operations. These external elements include economic, technological, ethical and social as well as political elements. Management Goals First and foremost, the logical and publicly desirable aim of all managers in all kinds of organizations, whether business or non-business, should be a surplus. Managers must therefore establish an environment in which people can accomplish group goals with the least amount of time, money, materials, and personal dissatisfaction or in which they can achieve as much as possible of a desired goal with available resources. The second goal or aim of all managers is that they must be productive. As a matter of fact, government and the private sector generally recognize the urgent need for productivity improvement. Productivity improvement is about effectively performing the basic managerial and non-managerial activities. Simply defined, productivity is about the output-input ratio within a time period with due consideration for equality (Barling, Christie Turner, 2008). Lastly, productivity implies effectiveness and efficiency in individual and organizational performance. Effectiveness is the achievement of objectives while effici ency is the achievement of the ends with the least amount of resources. Management as Practice Managing, like all other practices is an art. It generally refers to the act of operating based on the reality and not assumptions. By making reference to existing knowledge, research has demonstrated that managers can perform in a more efficient manner. It is this knowledge that constitutes science. However, the science of management is fairly crude and inexact (Fleet, 1994). This is true because the many variables with which managers deal are extremely complex. This not withstanding, the use of existing knowledge will certainly make the practice of management better. Without making reference to the available management theories, managers are bound to make mistakes that may easily be avoided. It is therefore extremely essential for management practitioners to use the available pool of knowledge to improve performance at all levels of the organization (Ghoshal, 2007). The pool of knowledge is what is commonly referred to as theory. For practical purposes, all managers must develop three sets of skills namely; conceptual, technical, and human (Peterson Fleet, 2004). Conceptual skills allow the manager to develop relationships between factors that other people may not see. Managers who have well developed conceptual skills are able to apply different management theories to the same situation. For a manager to be technical, it implies that he or she is able to act professionally. Professionalism demands that the manager performs his or her duties within established procedures, rules and regulations. Any behavior that compromises the manager’s professional etiquette is certainly bound to interfere adversely with the organization’s productivity. Lastly, a manager should be able to see members of the organization as human beings who have needs and psychological feelings and emotions. These needs and feelings must be positively harnessed for the good of the o rganization. Motivation of the employees, therefore, becomes a critical factor in increasing productivity. The Importance of Management in any Organization Managers are charged with the responsibility of taking actions that will make it possible for individuals to make their best contributions to group objectives. Management therefore applies to small as well as large organizations, to profit and not for profit organizations, to manufacturing and service industries. However, a given situation may differ considerably among various levels in an organization or various types of organizations (Umstot, 1980). The scope of authority held may vary and the types of problems dealt with may be considerably different. To obtain results, all managers must establish an environment for effective group endeavor. Even though all managers carry out managerial functions, the time spent for each function may differ. It is typical for top level managers to spend more time on planning and organizing tha n lower level managers. On the other hand, directing takes a great deal of time for first line supervisors (Rousseau McCarthy, 2007). The difference in the amount of time spent on controlling varies only slightly for managers at various levels. The manager is, therefore, the dynamic, life giving element in every single business. Without the leadership of the manager, resources meant for production remain mere resources and never become production (Pfeffer Fong). In a competitive economy, the quality and performance of the managers determine the success of a business and by extension, its survival. Management Theories Contemporary theories of management tend to account for and help interpret the rapidly changing nature of today’s organizational environments. Some of these theories are discussed as follows. Scientific Management School This theory was started by Frederick Taylor who considered the inefficient movement of men and women as a national loss. Taylor was convinced that science offered the best solution to human injustice. According to Taylor, the management approach described above offered no opportunity for improving performance. He was therefore, convinced that system had to change. Taylor’s strongest positive legacy was the concept of breaking a complex task down into a number of subtasks, and optimizing the performance of the subtasks. His suggestions were, however, met with so many criticisms. Classical Organizational Theory School In this category of management theory are the works of Max Weber’s bureaucratic theory and Henri Fayol’s administrative theory. According to Weber many people had to change tact and embrace new approaches to management. He was convinced that the humanistic style of management was eventually going to be done away with in favor of the new technically oriented styles of management. Behavioral School This was invented by Elton Mayo and his associates after they performed experiments that appea red to disprove Taylor’s beliefs. The origin of the behavioral school of thought is the human relations movement that was a result of the Hawthorne Works. Other categories include the systems approach, situational or contingency theory, chaos theory, as well as the team building theory. The Role of Theory in Management Practice Typically, every single managerial act rests on assumptions, generalizations, and hypotheses. This is to say that managerial actions are generally based on theory. Theories generally are closely linked to the way people perceive the experiences gathered over time (Stoner, Freeman Gilbert, 2003). It is a systematic grouping of interdependent concepts and principles that give a framework to, or tie together, a significant area of knowledge. Scattered data, for example, are not information unless the observer has knowledge of the theory that will explain relationships (Homans, 1958). There are a variety of approaches to management analysis, the mass of r esearch, and the number of differing views have resulted in much confusion as to what management really is, what management theory and science is, and how managerial events should be analyzed (Koontz, 1980). There is a body of opinion that says that management theory evolved during and after Second World War and has only been studied in depth since then. For better organizational performance, it is important for managers who apply theory to management to blend principles with realities. Generally, as soon as managers know about theory, they will have the capacity to anticipate future problems that may occur in the enterprise. In the field of management, then, the role of theory is to provide a means of classifying significant and relevant management knowledge. For example, in the area of designing an effective organization structure, there are several principles that are interrelated and that have a predictive value for managers (Hood, 2003). The theory of management is grouped into the five functions of management. There are basically three main reasons for studying management theory. First, theories provide a stable focus for understanding what is experienced. By and large, a theory provides criteria for what is relevant (Pitts, 1980). Second, theories enable us to communicate efficiently and thus move into more and more complex relationships with other people. Third, theories present a challenge for people to keep learning about the world and hence devise innovative ways to tackle problems encountered (Kalev, Shenhav Vries, 2008). There are also other important considerations for studying management theory. Among many others, it will help a manager to view the interrelationships between the development of management theory, behavior in organizations and management practice. A good understanding of the development of management thinking will also help a manager to understand the key principles that underlie the entire management process and hence be able to perform effectively. With a good knowledge of the available history, a manager will be able to understand the nature of management as well as organizational behavior. Finally, management theories are interpretive and evolve in line with changes in the organizational environment. Generally, theory provides a sound basis for carrying out any action. However, if action is to be effective, the theory must be adequate and appropriate to the task and to improved organizational performance. In other words, it must be a good theory. Conclusion A central part of the study of organization and management is the development of management thinking and what might be termed management theory. The application of theory brings about change in actual behavior. Managers reading the work of leading writers on the subject might see in their ideas and conclusions a message about how they should behave. This will influence their attitudes towards management practice. While organization as practice is art , organized knowledge about management is science. The development of management theory involves the development of concepts, principles, and techniques. Many theories about management exist and it is important for managers to combine their practice with theory for greater performance. Each approach or theory has its own characteristics and advantages as well as limitations. In some cases, it may be necessary to integrate different management theories. Finally, it is also important to recognize the fact that an organization is an open system that operates within and interacts with the environment. When the systems approach to management is used, inputs from the external environment and claimants is captured, processed and an output generated. It therefore follows that a manager who makes serious attempts to translate theory into reality is bound to increase productivity more than a manager who chooses to use the trial and error approach. Reference List Barling, J., Christie, A. Tur ner, N., 2008. Pseudo-Transformational Leadership: Towards the Development and Test of a Model. Journal of Business Ethics, 81 (4): 851 – 861. Chatterjee, A. Hambrick, D. C., 2011. Executive Personality, Capability Cues, and Risk Taking: How Narcissistic CEOs React to Their Successes and Stumbles. Administrative Science Quarterly, 56: 202 – 237. Connolly, T., Conlon, E. J. Deutsch, S. J., 1980. Organizational Effectiveness: A Multiple-Constituency Approach. The Academy of Management Review, 5 (2): 211 – 217. Fleet, D. D. V., 1994. Contemporary Management. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Co. Ghoshal, S., 2007. Bad Management Theories are Destroying Good Management Practices. Academy of Management Learning and Education, 4(1): 75 – 91. Gibson, D. E., Ragins, B. R. Kram, K. E., 2009. The Handbook of Mentoring at Work: Theory, Research, and Practice. Administrative Science Quarterly, 54: 158 – 161. Homans, G., 1958. Social Behavior as Exchange. America n Journal of Sociology, 62: 597 – 606. Kalev, A., Shenhav, Y. Vries, D. D., 2008. The State, the Labor Process, and the Diffusion of Managerial Models. Administrative Science Quarterly March, 53: 1 – 28. Hood, J. N., 2003. The Relationship of Leadership Style and CEO Values to Ethical Practices in Organizations. Journal of Business Ethics, 43 (4): 263 – 273. Koontz H., 1980. The Management Theory Jungle Revisited. The Academy of Management Review, 5 (2): 175 – 187. Koontz, H. Weihrich, H., 1990. Essentials of Management. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. Mills, P. K. Margulies, N., 1980. Toward a Core Typology of Service Organizations. The Academy of Management Review, 5 (2): 255 – 265. Ng, E. S. Sears, G. J., 2012. CEO Leadership Styles and the Implementation of Organizational Diversity Practices: Moderating Effects of Social Values and Age. Journal of Business Ethics, 105 (1): 41 – 52. Peterson, T. O. Fleet, D. D. V., 2004. The Ongoing Legac y of R.L. Katz: An Updated Typology of Management Skills. Management Decision, 42 (10): 1297 – 1308. Pfeffer, J. Fong, C., 2003. The End of Business Schools: Less Success than Meets the Eye. Academy of Management Learning and Education, 1(1): 78-95. Pitts, R. A., 1980. Toward a Contingency Theory of Multibusiness Organization Design. The Academy of Management Review, 5 (2): 203-210. Rousseau, D. M. McCarthy, S., 2007. Educating Managers from an Evidence-based Perspective. Academy of Management Learning and Education, 6(1): 84 – 101. Stoner, J. A. F., Freeman R. E. Gilbert, D. R., 2003. Management. New Delhi, India: Prentice-Hall of India., 5 (2): 189 – 201. This essay on Management Practice and the Role of Theory was written and submitted by user Rihanna Key to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Buddha

Buddhism is a path of practice and spiritual development leading to insight into the true nature of life. Buddhist practices such as meditation are means of changing oneself in order to develop the qualities of awareness, kindness, and wisdom. Because Buddhism does not include the idea of worshipping a creator God, some people do not see it as a religion in the normal western sense. The basic Buddhist teachings are straightforward: nothing is fixed or permanent; actions have consequences; change is possible. This enables people to realize and utilize the teachings in order to transform their experience and be fully responsible for their lives and to develop the qualities of wisdom and compassion. There are different forms of Buddhism throughout different cultures, but all traditions are usually characterized by non-violence, lack of dogma, tolerance of differences, and by the practice of meditation. The word â€Å"Buddha† is a title, not a name. It means â€Å"one who is awake†. It was first given to a man who was born as Siddhartha Gautama in Nepal 2,500 years ago. Siddharta was born into the royal family of a small kingdom on the Indian-Nepalese border. According to the traditional story he had an understanding that life includes the harsh facts of old age, sickness, and death. After consistent meditation he sat down beneath a pipal tree and vowed that â€Å"flesh may wither, blood may dry up, but I shall not rise from this spot until Enlightenment has been won†. After forty days, the Buddha finally attained enlightenment. During the remaining 45 years of his life he traveled through much of northern India, spreading his teaching of the way to enlightenment. The teaching is known in the East as the Buddha-dharma: the teaching of the enlightened one. The Buddha was not a God and he made no claim to divinity, and Buddhists see him as a guide who can lead one to enlightenment. Buddhism sees life as a process of constant change, and its ... Free Essays on Buddha Free Essays on Buddha Charles Hallmark "Buddhism V. Newdism" Buddhism is unlike most other religions. The founder of it is not a god, a savior, but simply a man who walked among men and freed himself from attachment and suffering. "Buddha's" name was Guatama Sakyamuni and he is the founder of what its followers call the Dharma. The origins of Buddhism lye in Indian religion. The religion is supposed to embody the personal transcendence of a person's inner world. Guatama left behind his wife, son, and finely furbished home in Kapilavashtu to seek enlightenment. It was the sight of suffering that encouraged him and at the onset of his journey his day's sages that discouraged him. He became despaired by the sages and their doctrines. Then one night Guatama Sakyamuni (or Siddartha Gautama) put him under a trance at which point he discovered enlightenment and became Buddha. Presently, this faith continues to inspire, redirect, and focus members of society. Buddhism improves the livelihood of most people although "new Buddhists" values are disconcord with those of their faith. My purpose of writing this paper is two fold: to make a reasonable argument of the contribution Buddhism has made and the beliefs a person who truly follows the doctrine should have. Buddhists believe that Nirvana is the Supreme Reality or truth that liberates us from suffering. God is considered to me an ephemeral, limited concept that fades and coincides with the cycle of life and death. Nirvana is an end to the cycle of life and death and its very meaning cannot be put into words. The mundane earth, the world that we see, is entirely an illusion of suffering. The path of disillusionment is compassion for everything. The doctrine carries a set of four (4) noble truths and seven (7) steps on the path. The four noble truths consist of truth of suffering, origin of suffering, extinction of suffering, and the path that leads to the extinction of suffering. There... Free Essays on buddha Buddhism is a path of practice and spiritual development leading to insight into the true nature of life. Buddhist practices such as meditation are means of changing oneself in order to develop the qualities of awareness, kindness, and wisdom. Because Buddhism does not include the idea of worshipping a creator God, some people do not see it as a religion in the normal western sense. The basic Buddhist teachings are straightforward: nothing is fixed or permanent; actions have consequences; change is possible. This enables people to realize and utilize the teachings in order to transform their experience and be fully responsible for their lives and to develop the qualities of wisdom and compassion. There are different forms of Buddhism throughout different cultures, but all traditions are usually characterized by non-violence, lack of dogma, tolerance of differences, and by the practice of meditation. The word â€Å"Buddha† is a title, not a name. It means â€Å"one who is awake†. It was first given to a man who was born as Siddhartha Gautama in Nepal 2,500 years ago. Siddharta was born into the royal family of a small kingdom on the Indian-Nepalese border. According to the traditional story he had an understanding that life includes the harsh facts of old age, sickness, and death. After consistent meditation he sat down beneath a pipal tree and vowed that â€Å"flesh may wither, blood may dry up, but I shall not rise from this spot until Enlightenment has been won†. After forty days, the Buddha finally attained enlightenment. During the remaining 45 years of his life he traveled through much of northern India, spreading his teaching of the way to enlightenment. The teaching is known in the East as the Buddha-dharma: the teaching of the enlightened one. The Buddha was not a God and he made no claim to divinity, and Buddhists see him as a guide who can lead one to enlightenment. Buddhism sees life as a process of constant change, and its ... Free Essays on Buddha BIRTH In times long past, fully twenty-five hundred years ago, where are now the border-lands between Nepal and the northern parts of the provinces of Oudh and North Bihar, there were a number of little kingdoms inhabited by different races of people, each ruled over by its own Raja or King. One of these little kingdoms which lay some distance north of the present-day town of Gorakhpore, on the north side of the river Rapti, was the land of a race called the Sakyas, the king who ruled over them at that time being called Suddhodana. The family to which King Suddhodana of the Sakyas belonged was called the Gotama family, so that his full name was King Suddhodana Gotama; and the name of the chief city in his kingdom where he had his chief palace, was Kapilavatthu. This King Suddhodana had a chief queen whose name was Mahamaya. 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