Emotional and Cognitive Intelligence Essay Example

Emotional and Cognitive Intelligence Essay Cognitive intelligence and emotional intelligence have both been widely examined with regard to their effect on individual workplace abilities. A critical comparison of the two concepts will be the basis of this essay. Some theorists have hypothesised that the ease with which an employee can process information and work towards solutions (our cognitive intelligence) is the key aspect in our ability to contribute to the workplace, particularly in more complex environments (Viswesvaran Ones, 2002). While others support the theory that our ability to use and adapt to emotion (our emotional intelligence; EI) has the greatest affect on our organisational involvement (Cherniss, Extein, Goleman, Weissberg, 2006). Through exploration of both theories, and their respective strengths and weaknesses coupled with their practical applications, this essay will aim to support the, perhaps rather diplomatic, view that the two concepts are not only equally important but, in fact, complementary (Cote Miners, 2006). Since the emergence of emotional intelligence as a theoretical construct in the work of Salovey and Mayer (1989) there has been much debate surrounding its precise definition (Spector and Johnson, 2006). Despite these deliberations EI has come to be accepted as an one’s ability to recognise, project and shape their own emotions, and identify and appropriately respond to the emotions of others (Mayer, Salovey, Caruso, 2000). Furthermore, through research EI has become widely acknowledged for its organisational importance. We will write a custom essay sample on Emotional and Cognitive Intelligence specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Emotional and Cognitive Intelligence specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Emotional and Cognitive Intelligence specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Organisational leadership is purportedly more likely in individuals with high EI abilities (Rosete Ciarrochi, 2005) while Kirch, Tucker, and Kirch (2001) speculated that accounting firms’ sole focus on cognitive capabilities when recruiting may lead to unhappy working environments. A popular method of testing for EI in research is the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso emotional intelligence test (MSCEIT) (Cherniss, 2010; Cote Miners, 2006). When a store manager recognises one of their staff is stressed or unhappy and offers them a break, some time off or even counselling they are employing their EI skills. It is estimated that anywhere up to 80% of our business potential is dependant on these skills, with only 20% of an individual’s organisational success based on their cognitive abilities (Kirch et al. , 2001). This leaves little doubt about its importance in business. In complete contrast, cognitive intelligence is not a debatable concept. Generally speaking cognitive intelligence refers to an individual’s quantitative abilities, such as memory, problem solving and the ability to absorb and then utilise information (Cote Miners, 2006). It has been studied in relation to the workforce for well over 80 years (Viswesveran Ones, 2002), and it is quite obviously a valued attribute in wider society. We extensively test the cognitive abilities of our Year 12s in the examinations for the Higher School Certificate; receptionists are tested on their typing skills based on a words-per-minute measurement, and individuals are even asked to complete a comprehension task when the apply for training in the police force – physical ability alone is not sufficient. Cognitive intelligence is used every day; remembering to pick something up from the store, or calculating the total of the bill in a restaurant are examples of everyday cognitive capabilities. As such it is highly valued in jobs of elevated practical and mathematical expertise, such as linguistics or laboratory science. Some might even say the value placed upon these strengths is too high, but we will elaborate on that later. The existence and importance of emotional intelligence in life and work is virtually indisputable. Every time a sales manager sits down with a new recruit to ensure they are comfortable and prepared before their first cold call, or a doctor shields his fear about a potentially dangerous diagnosis to keep the patient calm, EI is in use. However, perhaps its greatest limitation lies in the ambiguity and near-cliche of the term itself (Cherniss, 2010). It has been studied and elaborated upon so much, that what was initially a concise realm of specificity, has – particularly in the area of EI testing – become convoluted by measures of social intelligence and emotional and social competencies (Cherniss, 2010), which while similar to EI do distinctly deviate from the generally accepted Mayer et al. 2000 model of it. Some measures even include tests of cognitive intelligence, the concept with which it is supposedly in direct contrast. This has led to criticism about whether or not measures of EI have construct validity (Cherniss, 2010). From a theoretical standpoint the equivocality regarding an agreed definition of EI most specifically affects the theorists studying the concept. From an organisational perspective the practical implications of uncertainty surround the measurement of the concept, as opposed to its definition. For example if an organisation relies heavily on a team which is cohesive, cooperative and connected to one another the business may screen potential employees to ensure they will suit the role using a measure of emotional intelligence. Here in lay the problem; if a construct cannot be clearly defined, how can a test every truly have construct validity – how can the variables indicating an particular outcome ever be accurate, when we do not know exactly what we are measuring? Moreover, a focus on EI within businesses and organisations could have significant drawbacks. Unavoidable though it may be, if EI is the sole focus when staffing a coffee shop, the outcome may be a lack of efficacy, drive and direction. For example, if all of the staff are preoccupied with the emotions of their co-workers and are constantly self-monitoring their behaviour so as to maintain absolute harmony within the team, the focus will be on the relationships rather than the task at hand. Similarly cognitive intelligence is an important component of not only our work lives, but also our everyday lives. You would not allow an electrician to delve into your fuse box if they did not have the capacity to understand its complexities – nor would they have been employed in the field in the first place. In the same sense, an individual might struggle to make it to work punctually without the ability to comprehend the bus timetable. With that in mind however it is important to recognise the limitations of cognitive intelligence. If you take for example the Graduate Australian Medical Schools Admission Test (GAMSAT) which future Australian medical, dental and optometry students must take in order to be allowed into their preferred degree. The role of the test is to gauge the cognitive abilities of the individual, given the sophisticated level of learning required. However, few universities in Australia allow, even a high GAMSAT scorer, entry into a medical degree without the successful completion of a face-to-face interview because demonstration of their emotional intelligence capabilities is a vital aspect of this job, and one could argue all fields of work. If all the lawyers in a law firm possessed only cognitive abilities, they would likely complete tasks with a great deal of efficiency and accuracy. However when it came to recognising distress, sadness or indeed any emotion in a client being questioned on the stand, they may fail o even recognise the discord. It has also been acknowledged that even though cognitive testing is widely recognised as valid and reliable (Viswesvaran and Ones, 2002), there is always the possibility that an individual with a high score on an accepted measure of cognitive intelligence such as the Stanford-Binet IQ test (Wood et al. 2010), will perform poorly in a workplace deemed below their individual capacity, and in reverse someone with a low cognitive expectancy may perform well in a role of great complexity (Viswesvaran Ones, 2002). Explanations for these variances are broad, and generally speak to the fluidity of the concepts. In spite of what is clearly a myriad of conflicting research studies, basic logic gives rise to the theory that both types of intelligence have their strengths in the workforce. Emotional intelligence accounts for very subjective every day workplace experiences such as the friendships we form; and moreover the evolutionary path of EI could also be said to be responsible for the development of things like bereavement leave, exit interviews, employer counselling facilities and team building seminars or meetings. The en masse emotions and moods of employees throughout the past few decades – and the highly emotionally intelligent people who observed these emotions – could arguably be said to have paved the way for these positive changes in policy and corporate development. Judging emotional intelligence strictly by a measure of success potentially contributes to the perception that it is a weak concept. It is possible that emotional intelligence is related to beneficial outcomes that cannot be measured by a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) in business. For example Cherniss, 2010 cited various researches that indicated EI contributed to personal wellbeing, improved interpersonal relations and even a reduction in the likelihood of depression and drug use. Aside from the obvious strength of giving people the ability to complete work related tasks, the abundance of attributes under the umbrella of cognitive intelligence is probably the greatest asset of the cognitive family. The boundaries of cognition are vast; the concept covers memory, mathematical processing, verbal reasoning, perception, memory, visual processing, judging, use of language and many other elements. Thus it is almost impossible to be completely lacking in cognitive strength generally. As indicated by Viswesvaran and Ones (2002) and Cote and Miners (2006), if one is weak in a particular cognitive area they will likely compensate with strength in another. For example, a mathematics professor is an obvious candidate for someone with immense cognitive power, however if that same professor always forgets his keys or where his car is parked, this is a cognitive failure. Therefore it is possible to be cognitively strong, and therefore potentially productive in the workplace, if you have capabilities in just some cognitive areas. From an organisational perspective the application of the both the cognitive and EI constructs often takes place in the recruitment phase. Before an applicant can be invited for an interview at Flight Centre Limited a series of tests must first be completed. The first is a detailed cognitive task involving mathematical equations, logic and reasoning as well as a test of personality and emotional ability to assess your emotional compatibility with the brand. While this approach has its limitations, as detailed above, generally speaking it is a productive process of elimination. Organisations also support cognitive abilities with training days, and development beyond the expectations of an individual’s role. For example a hairdresser has the cognitive intelligence to cut hair, the employer may develop the employees cognitive abilities by having their staff learn make-up application techniques. This in turn develops the employee’s cognitive skills, with the real-life benefits of giving the staff more professional development and offering the employer another approach to gaining more business. A staff member of a newspaper might have great writing ability, but insufficient grammatical skills; in response an employer might offer that employee a sub-editing course to hone those cognitive deficiencies. With the exception of the recruitment phase of a business, the theory of emotional intelligence is much less tangible and therefore more difficult to apply in an organisation. It is of course what contributes to a regional manager of a retail outlet sending a new employee to a particular store – due to their EI fit with that team – but deficiencies or imbalances in EI are difficult to police and adjust. Some businesses apply it as part of a philosophy, by encouraging (and sometimes enforcing) monthly or weekly one on one meetings with senior management to discuss their feelings towards the business, or offering planning and social days so that teams can bond and perhaps become better able to receive the emotions of one another. It could also be suggested that organisations look to people of high emotional intelligence to lead teams, and divisions as the emotionally intelligent perhaps have the ability to motivate and inspire the cognitively gifted to complete their tasks with a greater level of efficacy or quality. Such substantiations have not, however, been verified. This might seem the appropriate time for the introduction of some revolutionary third workplace success measure, one not as littered with limitations as the two aforementioned concepts are. On the contrary, the myriad of weaknesses serves only to support the idea that cognitive intelligence and emotional intelligence are both vital and complement one another in life and in work. More that being equal contributors, independent of one another, they serve individuals in harmony, creating balance between personal relationships and emotions as well as, tasks and problem solving abilities. To that end it stands to reason that without a certain level of cognitive capability any task, let alone job, will not be able to be completed. However, as anyone who has been a part of an organisation will know, work is much more than just the tasks at hand. The people you work with, for and alongside play a crucial role in our work lives and our ability to monitor both their and our own emotions complements our general mental ability. ? References Cherniss, C. (2010). Emotional intelligence: Toward clarification of a concept. Industrial and Organisational Psychology, 3, 110-126. Cherniss, C. , Extein, M. , Goleman, D. , Weissberg, R, P. (2006) Emotional Intelligence: What Does the Research Really Indicate? Educational Psychologist, 41(4), 239-245. Cote, S. , Miners, C. T. H. (2006) Emotional Intelligence, Cognitive Intelligence, and Job Performance. Administrative Science Quarterly, 51, 1-28 Kirch, D, P. , Tucker, M, L. , Kirch, K, E. (2001). The benefits of Emotional Intelligence in accounting firms. The CPA Journal, 71(8), 60-61. Mayer, J. D. , Salovey, P. Caruso, D. (2000). Models of Emotional Intelligence. Handbook of Intelligence, 2, 396-420. New York: Cambridge University Press. Rosete, D. Ciarrochi, J. (2005). EI and its relationship to workplace performance outcomes of leadership effectiveness. Leadership Organizational Development, 26, 388-399. Salovey, P. , Mayer, J. D. (1989). Emotional intelligence. Imagination, Cognition and Personality, 9(3), 185-211. Spector, P, E. , Johnson, H, M. , (2006) Improving the definition, measurement and application of emotional intelligence. A critique of emotional intelligence: What are the problems and how can they be fixed? 325-344. Mahwah: Lawrence Eribaum. Viswesvaran, C. , Ones, D. S. (2002). Agreements and disagreements on the role of general mental ability (GMA) in industrial, work, and organizational psychology. Human Performance, 15(1/2), 211-231. Wood, J. , Zeffane, R. , Fromholtz, M. , Weisner, R. , Creed, A. , Schmerhorn, J. , Hunt, J. , Osborn, R. (2010) Organisational Behaviour: core concepts and applications, 2, 44-45. Milton: John Wiley Sons.

Schroeder Surname Meaning and Family History

Schroeder Surname Meaning and Family History The German last name Schrà ¶der  or Schroeder is an occupational name for a tailor or cutter of cloth, from the Middle Low German schroden or schraden, meaning to cut. In northern Germany, Schroeder was sometimes translated as drayman, or one who delivered beer and wine. Schrà ¶der  is the 16th most common German surname. Surname Origin: German Alternate Surname Spellings:  SCHRÃâ€"DER,  SCHRODER, SCHRADER, SCHRØDER Famous People with the SCHROEDER  Surname Richard Bartlett Ricky  Schroder, Jr. - American actor and film directorFriedrich Ludwig Schrà ¶der - German actor and prominent masonic  leaderAbel Schrà ¸der - Danish woodcarverChrista Schroeder - personal secretary to Adolph HitlerErnst Schrà ¶der  - German mathematician Where is the SCHROEDER  Surname Most Common? Surname maps from Verwandt.de indicate the  Schrà ¶der surname  is most common in northwestern Germany, especially in areas such as Hamburg, Region Hannover, Bremen, Lippe, Diepholz, Herford, Rendsburg-Eckernfà ¶rde, Mrkischer Kreis and  Hochsauerlandkreis. Surname distribution maps  from  Forebears  do not specifically address the  Schrà ¶der spelling but indicate that the surname Shroder is most prevalent in Germany (although not as common as Schroeder), while the majority of individuals with the Schroeder spelling live in the United States. Based on population percentage, however, Schroeder is a much more common surname in Germany and is especially common in Luxembourg, where it ranks as the 10th most common surname in the country. Data from WorldNames PublicProfiler varies (probably based on the interpretation of the umlaut spelling), pointing to Schroder being most prolific in Germany, followed by Denmark, Norway, Austria, and the Netherlands, while Shroeder is by far the most common in Luxembourg, followed by the United States. Genealogy Resources for the Surname SCHROEDER Meanings of Common German SurnamesUncover the meaning of your German last name with this free guide to the meanings and origins of common German surnames. Schroeder  Family Crest - Its Not What You ThinkContrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Schroeder  family crest or coat of arms for the Schroeder surname.  Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male-line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted. SCHROEDER  Family Genealogy ForumThis free message board is focused on descendants of Schroeder  ancestors around the world. DistantCousin.com - SCHROEDER  Genealogy Family HistoryExplore free databases and genealogy links for the last name Schroeder. GeneaNet - Schroeder  RecordsGeneaNet includes archival records, family trees, and other resources for individuals with the Schroeder  surname, with a concentration on records and families from France and other European countries. The Schroeder  Genealogy and Family Tree PageBrowse genealogy records and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the Schroeder  surname from the website of Genealogy Today. Sources Cottle, Basil.  Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967. Dorward, David.  Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998. Fucilla, Joseph.  Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003. Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges.  A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick.  Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003. Reaney, P.H.  A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997. Smith, Elsdon C.  American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.

IT Project Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 2

IT Project Management - Assignment Example More often than not, Variation in any of the constraints results into a corresponding variation of other constraints. In the case illustrated here, a number of aspects which help in project decision-making are illustrated based on factual information (Clifford, 2003; Vinter, 2006). The information provided for this project is as follows. From the chart, the scheduled variance and the cost variance are recorded. Taking into consideration the example outlined in fig. 3 below, a deeper understanding of the derived chart (fig. 1) is developed with respect to scheduled variance and the cost variance. The graph indicates that the project is not only behind schedule but it is also under-budgeted. The presentations are based on the earlier calculations and are a representation of the project’s technical performance i.e. the project in progress, begun faster than anticipated, but was later slowed down and fell behind its schedule. This chart illustrates the schedule performance aspect of EVM. Additionally, it is also found that the project was actually under-budgeted for in relation to the amount of work completed, since initiation of the project. Based on the calculations obtained, the project is behind schedule and also under-budgeted for. Although, the project is behind schedule, its performance is still relatively good (93.3%) and as indicated, the delay is bound to be very slight. The calculation anticipates that the project will take 12.86 months against the projected12 months, which is a relatively small delay. This is variance of only 0.86 months, which is less of a month. Despite the project schedule delay, it will be accomplished within the projected budget project ($446,429). Based on this information, there is absolutely no reason for changes to be made or additional assistance sought. The project manager may however wish to communicate

Ethics & Social Responsability in Strategic Management Essay

Ethics & Social Responsability in Strategic Management - Essay Example could result in delay in supply of any one of them and consequently delay the launch. Â   The delay in projects, especially when the dates are announced, may corrode the reputation because the businesses build their credibility on the efficient and timely delivery of their projected target objectives. Mutual trust between business partners is also an important part of business processes and withholding of crucial information corrodes their credibility in the market that may result in loss of business in future. Â   The companies had not been able to launch successfully a commercial satellite primarily because it not only is high cost venture with costly software and hardware, the amount of contract is also dependent on the size of the anticipated market, the number of competitors and the whether the imageries would be used by the military and local agencies. Secondly in the case of the delays in launch, the preferences of the market may change, resulting in huge financial and business loss. Satellite programs are dependent on the venture capitalists for their finance and in case, they are not able to acquire advance contracts or their rivals are able to gain leverage, the venture capitalists are likely to withdraw from the business that may force the companies to stop production, leading to bankruptcy. The venture capitalists look for companies that could acquire advance contracts so as to ensure success for their investment. The current problem mainly cropped up because there was great chances of delay in the officially stated launch date of the satellite due to the fact that the satellite camera sub contractor was having problems with the development of thermal stabilizers for the instruments. The development of the thermal stabilizers could take up more time, thus delaying the launch by twelve to eighteen months. If the launch date is officially delayed and advanced by another one year, the company is

Closing scene of Act One Essay Example for Free

Closing scene of Act One Essay It is clear to the audience that Catherine wants to disagree with Eddie but feels she is not allowed too think different for herself. Beatrice will not let Catherine put up with Eddie treating her like a child anymore. She sits Catherine down to tell her that she needs to grow up and move away she before she becomes trapped by Eddie. An angered Beatrice says to Catherine in : you still think youre a little girl, honey.. he cant give you orders no more This quote shows Beatrices frustration with Catherine, and therefore Miller is succeeding in creating more dramatic tension because Beatrice shows her feelings to the other characters and the audience. Beatrice feels that Catherines naivety towards Eddie is destroying their marriage and ruining her own future. Eddie turns to Alfieri, he hints to him about his love for Catherine and his hatred towards Rodolfo. Alfieri understands how Eddie is feeling but cannot help him with his troubles, he tells Eddie that there is nothing illegal with Catherine falling in love with Rodolfo. Dramatic tension is caused again on the stage when Alfieri reinforces what Beatrice had previously told Eddie and he says: the child has to grow up and go away and the man has to learn to forget. I think that the climax of dramatic tension happens in the closing scene of Act One . Eddie returns home to an extremely tense and claustrophobic apartment, he supposedly taught Rodolfo how to box but in Eddies mind he was challenging Rodolfo to a fight. Rodolfo escapes the mock boxing match with a slight graze, however I think that Catherine is so overwhelmed with Eddies attempt to include Rodolfo that she doesnt see through to his real thoughts. Miller has used this in the plot and it is significant to the storyline as it shows Eddies controlling behavior and how he likes to keep an iron fist over the apartment. Beatrice and Catherine are now worried over the safety of Rodolfo. Rodolfo is nervous and unsure about the angry Eddie who is full of passionate hate for him. After the fight, Rodolfo and Eddies characters act together to add more dramatic tension to the last scene of the first act. There is evidence of this occurring when: he takes her hand. Rodolfo takes her in his arms. In my opinion, this aggravates Eddies situation and it stirs up his emotions. The self-destructible Eddie is trapped in the claustrophobic apartment with no place to go and is forced to sit and watch them dance together. The climax of dramatic tension during Act One then happens in the last scenes when a silent Marco, who has been sitting quietly in the background, steps out and retaliates to Eddies behaviour towards his younger brother. Marco next challenges Eddie to a chair lifting contest. Marco shows Eddie how he can lift a chair over his head using only one hand, Eddie attempts to prove himself worthy of the same thing but fails. Miller adds this part of the scene to the play because it shows the two strong dominant men battling it out to show who is the prevailing male of the household. I think that this is Marcos silent warning to Eddie that says lay off my brother. There is now pressure on Eddie who was previously the strongest character and this causes the dramatic tension to carry on increasing. One aspect of the play, that in writing that can be noticed is that Miller is very specific in his stage directions. A quote I have taken from Millers stage directions reads: Marco is face to face with Eddie a strained tension gripping his eyes and jaw his neck stiff the chair raised like a weapon over eddies head. The way he uses stage directions allows the audience to see the emotions and feelings that the characters are undergoing. I think that this assists in maintaining the dramatic tension throughout the play as it is giving the audience a clear image of what each of the characters truly feels and also their state of mind. Eddie has now been driven to pressing his self destruct button when he makes the call to the immigration office that he cannot undo. After this we have reached the peak point in the story. I think this because Eddie has now betrayed his family and there is now a vendetta between Marco and Eddie. Because of the mafia code that Marco follows he believes that there is only one way to resolve the situation: Eddie must die. Now that the audience are aware of this the dramatic tension has reached its climax, the audience are sitting waiting for the tragic death of Eddie Carbone- the plays tragic hero. The last quote that Alfieri uses in the play is that : most of the time no we settle for half and I like it better In my opinion I think that this is Alfieris way of telling the moral of the story. If Eddie had only settled for half he would still be alive and the family would be happy, but most importantly of all , Catherine who he has always been so eager to please. From my essay I have shown how Miller cleverly creates dramatic tension and maintains it throughout his play. The dramatic techniques Miller uses to create this are: his precise stage directions; dramatic irony at the start of the play; and the use of his climatic points. The dramatic irony is important because it means the audience are aware of something that the characters are not. Also, Millers use of climatic points rite through the play generate tension between the characters, he uses this dramatic device wisely by accumulating lots of intense moments. However, I think the most important technique that Miller use to create his dramatic tension is specific stage directions. I think this because it creates an intimate and claustrophobic atmosphere on the set on which the characters live. He creates zones on the stage were the action takes place, this changes the entire atmosphere of the play. These zones that Miller has created make it more intimate and therefore adds dramatic tension.

Politics of the European Union: Literature Review

Politics of the European Union: Literature Review Nugent, N. (2003) The Government and Politics of the European Union, Palgrave. Nugent offers an analysis of the European Union in a historical context. He argues that many of the problems that sceptics tend to rely upon as criticism for EU membership were, in themselves, already present before the integration of the EU actually occurred. Many critics assume that the EU has significantly eroded and displaced the sovereignty of states. Nugent, however, posits that this occurred much earlier, and that integration into the EU cannot solely constitute the basis for erosion of sovereignty in nation-states. He suggests, in a historical analysis, that â€Å"the member states of the EU were seeing their sovereignties being steadily eroded long before the EC / EU was established† (1), and the rest of the book is informed by this view. He argues that the EU plays only a minor role in eroding state sovereignty, as broader economic factors such as movements in financial markets, multinational corporations and the general side-effects of dominance by the U.S. tend tow ard this model. In fact, Nugent suggests that the EU may in fact help to preserve autonomy in some ways because it provides a voice, albeit one marred by bureaucracy and corruption, that can compete economically with America and the emergent China. Nugent looks at the question of the EU in a historical way. He provides a historical analysis of state relations prior to the instigation of the EU. In this analysis, he insinuates that, while prior to the war states were notably more different in economic, cultural and in political ways, the period after the war signalled a significant shift in the ways the European states tended to interact. The integration of the EU was therefore defined by these factors, and present criticisms about the overwhelming bureaucracies that operate in Brussels merely represent something that is necessary. Bache, I George S (2006) The Politics of the European Union, 2nd Ed., Oxford University Press The Politics of the European Union provides a detailed and comprehensive overview of the operative and dynamic processes that determine how the EU functions from day to day. While some historical analysis is supplied, the focus is also focussed upon certain key issues in government. The book is split into five discrete sections. The first section looks at the theories of European integration, and essentially provides the background as to why European integration should (or shouldn’t) happen, dependent upon a number of different views. It also looks at how the European Union should be organised based upon these theories, and looks at ways in which the European Union should go in the future if it is to be adherent to these particular theories. Part two looks at the history of the European Union, and upon how certain developments in European politics led to the integration of the EU. Part three provides an atomised look at the various member states of the EU, with a particular fo cus upon Germany, France and Britain. Although other member states are mentioned in a brief chapter, the absence of analyses of other significant countries in the EU, and more detailed analysis of Eastern European, Spanish and Scandanavian member states gives the book a certain biases toward the previous three countries. Part four provides an interesting analysis of how the various institutions of the European Union operate, with a focus upon the nuts and bolts of the day to day functioning of policy change and implementation, rather than more detailed historical analysis. Finally, Part 5 looks at how the EU has implemented certain policies and why, ranging from its policies on agriculture, on the single market, on the monetary union and on external relations. Overall, the book provides a good textbook overview of the basic functioning, purpose, and theory behind the EU. Bomberg, E Stubb A. (2003), The European Union: How Does it Work?, Oxford University Press Again, The European Union: How Does it Work? provides an interesting and detailed analysis of the various ways in which the European Union has come to be what it is, and also focuses upon the institutional, theoretical and historical factors that have determined how and why it operates. The book is organised in a similar way to the previous book, insofar as it focuses first upon the historical and theoretical basis for European Integration, and then looks in more detail at the various policies that have been implemented, and the member states that act as players in the EU. Of particular importance is the analysis of how member states operate within the complex framework of the EU. Bomberg and Stubb concentrate upon the complexities of the EU, and try to rationalise the often overwhelmingly complicated issues at stake, using simple logical statements. They argue that, far from being an institution racked with bureaucracy which serves neither the interests of the EU nor the interests o f individual states, that the mechanisms and institutions in place create a series of checks and balances that allow the opinion of every participant state and political parties that operate within these states to function more appropriately. They argue that â€Å"What emerge as national interests from domestic systems of preference formation remain central to how the EU works†, and also suggest that what is implemented officially is also affected by considerable and sophisticated â€Å"horizontal networking† behind the scenes. This tendency to look at the actual, rather than the theoretical or institutional realities of the EU is a strength of this book, however, this intrinsically makes the project of the book more ambiguous and difficult to pinpoint. Rather than providing a coherent overview of the surfaces of the European Union, the book delves into the complexities and the awkward issues that inform and orient decisions surrounding policy, power and practice. Describe how Politics comes into the Process of European integration The process of European integration is a very complex one, and if a nation state chooses to integrate itself into the complex political arena of the European Union, one has to consider the effects that this will have upon the given state internally, and externally. In essence, the integration of European states means that a given state will take its interests from the domestic front and into the European Union. As Bomberg and Stubb (2003, p. 70) comment, â€Å"once a state joins the Union, politics may begin at home but no longer end there. National politics, polities, and policies become ‘Europeanized’.† As such, the externalisation of internal quandaries that, previously were a matter for the sovereign state, now have to be considered as an integral, institutional and political whole. While Nugent argues in The Government and Politics of the European Union that sovereignty was being eroded anyway before the processes of European integration took place, the polit ical processes that operated within nation states to deal with problems concerned with globalisation were not. A political climate emerges in the process of European integration as a result of conflicting or combined interests that interweave. Such issues as the integration into the single market, the single European currency, and agricultural policy levelled to prevent the overt exploitation of free markets and the production of substandard goods. The question of governance is also a complex political one regarding the EU, and the question of who governs shines light upon how politics tends to function and become a part of the process of European integration. The policy process of the EU is extraordinary in global political affairs, because it is not governed by a central body, moreover, it is governed by a series of nation states Stubb and Bomberg (2003, p. 148) comment that â€Å"No state or other international organization makes policies through such a complex, transnational process in which politicians, officials, and interested groups from across a continent interact to shape – sometimes to prevent – shared policy outcomes.† As such, politics becomes intertwined into European integration because of the melange of interests that operate under the umbrella of state, governmental, or political interest. Because no state, political or official group is in overall control of the policy making process, poli tics is essentially a part of European integration because it is via the institutions and the backroom political wrangling that the European Union makes its overall policy and political decisions. The political process in Europe enters the system through a variety of means. While supranational organisations tend to confirm political issues, it is often left to the member states and elected representatives of these states to conduct policy based upon how they would like political developments to proceed. The EU is an example of â€Å"networked governance†, and the ways in which the member states, individuals, pressure groups and other officials interact in the EU act to determine overall political policy. While a coherent political policy based upon the interests of these states tends to be cumbersome and bureaucratic, this is how politics tends to become instigated into the process of European integration. By becoming a member of the European Union, states have to recognise that their own sovereignty has been reduced by a political process that operates within a more European context. What are the challenges facing European integration today? The EU faces a number of significant challenges as it changes to adapt to new economic, political and supranational factors that determine and legitimate its efficacy as a political institution. Firstly, the expansion of the EU poses significant challenges for both existent member states and those that are new to the European Union. For instance, the integration of Eastern European member states such as Poland and the Czech Republic have proven to be controversial issues, because both these countries have a significantly different economy than those that are currently established. The challenges that face the EU is to consider the political climate of these emergent countries while making sure that the interests of those states currently in the European Union are considered. The policy processes and changes that take place in the European context must juggle these interests, while remaining firm to previous trade policies. As such, in the words of Bomberg and Stubb (p. 71), expansion and continued expansion into Eastern Europe and possibly Turkey and Cyprus, facilitates the importance of tolerance within the European Unions institutional framework: â€Å"managing difference is thus a key challenge to the Union.† Secondly, the economic challenges facing the European Union on a global basis will undoubtedly prove to be extremely important, especially following the successful implementation of the Euro into economic affairs. The EU is a significant global player on the economic field, and trade with the emergent countries of China and India as well as with established superpowers such as America and Japan have to be considered very carefully if successful relations are to be established. The presence of global aid programmes and other benevolent factors such as an easily mobilised team of peacekeepers is also an issue that is linked indirectly to processes of globalisation. The recent crisis in the Balkans was marred by the inability for the EU to make a coherent decision on troop assignment to the region. As such, issues of defence and aid may prove to be one of the central challenges facing the EU in the future. The relationship between the EU and the states outside of the EU may prove essential to determining a process whereby aid or trade can be granted to developing countries in a system of integrated change. The EU’s response to global crises has been far from efficient in recent years, and changes in the dynamic of the EU, which includes its expansion into regions of Eastern and Central Europe have further exacerbated tensions on this issue. While the EU have always been relatively generous in the giving of aid to other countries, the general trend posited in the WTO report is that the giving of aid is simply not enough to resolve problems on a global scale. Instead, the EU have to implement foreign trade more effectively into its policy, and, because of varying interests from its different participants, this may prove to be a stumbling block for more successful European integration. Lax spending programmes and bureaucracy concerning the giving of foreign aid may also hamper deve lopments in the global context: â€Å"the Commission had far to go before it escaped charges that it was the ‘worst development agency in the world’ (Bomberg Stubb 2003, p. 204). Does spill-over imply that there are no limits to the number of policies that can be dealt with at the European level? The concept of â€Å"spill-over† is defined as a process whereby the integration in one sphere of policy begets a residual impact in other spheres of policy, and creates a more generalised integrated series of policies in all areas of the European Union. For instance, the integration of agricultural policy in Europe tends to affect the internal policies of that sovereign state in ways that harmonise it with other nation states. Naturally, this facilitates the integration process because it allows for discrepancies and disagreements between various regions, officials and member states to be ironed out more generally. As such, it can be argued that this concept of ‘spill-over’ allows for significantly greater integration to occur, and the gradual homogenization of European member states may provide a forum by which all member states operate on a very similar basis. Therefore, by this method, all policy decisions can be discussed in the European Union. However, this system of spill-over is not without its flaws or its criticisms. For instance, political processes in some powerful member states that feel directly affected or marginalised by processes in the European government may not succumb to the integrative factors of spill-over, and regional, geographical and political factors still require consideration. While domestic policy is further eroded by the concept of spill-over, some tenets of policy that impede upon concepts of sovereignty, or perhaps indirectly attack or influence one particular region or nation-state operating within the framework of the European Union may disallow an invasive series of policy making decisions to be integrated into the European agenda. While a great many issues have been affected by the concept of spill-over, and the general process of unification that occurs as a result of spill-over into other policies on a European level tend toward a process of unification, some policies still remain too sens itive or regionalised to implement into European political processes. Bibliography Bache, I. George, S. (2006), The Politics of the European Union, 2nd ed., Oxford University Press. Bomberg E. Stubb A., ed. (2005), The European Union: How does it work?, Oxford University Press. Nugent, N. (2003), The Government and Politics of the European Union, Pelgrave.

Musical Style and Innovations of Beethoven Essay

Musical Style and Innovations Beethoven is viewed as a transitional figure between the Classical and Romantic eras of musical history. Above all, his works distinguish themselves from those of any prior composer through his creation of large, extended architectonic structures characterized by the extensive development of musical material, themes, and motifs, usually by means of â€Å"modulation†, that is, a change in the feeling of the home key, through a variety of keys or harmonic regions. Although Haydn’s later works often showed a greater fluidity between distant keys, Beethoven’s innovation was the ability to rapidly establish a solidity in juxtaposing different keys and unexpected notes to join them. This expanded harmonic realm creates a sense of a vast musical and experiential space through which the music moves, and the development of musical material creates a sense of unfolding drama in this space. In this way Beethoven’s music parallels the simultaneous development of the novel in literature, a literary form focused on the life drama and development of one or more individuals through complex life circumstances, and of contemporaneous German idealism’s philosophical notion of self, mind, or spirit that unfolds through a complex process of contradictions and tensions between the subjective and objective until a resolution or synthesis occurs in which all of these contradictions and developmental phases have been resolved or encompass ed in a higher unity. Beethoven continued to expand the â€Å"development† section of works, extending a trend in the works of Haydn and Mozart, who had dramatically expanded both the length and substance of instrumental music. As Beethoven’s major immediate predecessors and influences, he looked to their harmonic and formal models for his own works. However, both Mozart and Haydn placed the great weight of a musical movement in the statement of ideas called the exposition, for Beethoven the development section of a sonata form became the heart of the work. Beethoven was able to do this by making the development section not merely longer, but also more structured. The very long development section of the Eroica Symphony, for example, is divided into four roughly equal sections, making it, in effect, a sonata form within a sonata form. The first movement alone of this symphony is as long as an entire typical Italian-style Mozart symphony from the 1770s. His focus on the development would, like others of his innovations, set a trend that later composers would follow. Although Beethoven wrote many beautiful and lyrical melodies, another radical innovation of his music, compared especially to that of Mozart and Haydn, is his extensive use of forceful, marked, and even stark rhythmic patterns throughout his compositions and, in particular, in his themes and motifs, some of which are primarily rhythmic rather than melodic. Some of his most famous themes, such as those of the first movements of the Third, Fifth, and Ninth symphonies, are primarily non-melodic rhythmic figures consisting of notes of a single chord, and the themes of the last movements of the Third and Seventh symphonies could more accurately be described as rhythms rather than as melodies. This use of rhythm was particularly well suited to the primacy of development in Beethoven’s music, since a single rhythmic pattern can more easily than a melody be taken through a succession of different, even remote, keys and harmonic regions while retaining and conveying an underlying unity. This allowed him to combine different features of his themes in a wide variety of ways, extending the techniques of Haydn in development (see Sonata Form). He also continued another trend – towards larger orchestras – that went on until the first decade of the 20th century, and moved the center of the sound downwards in the orchestra, to the violas and the lower register of the violins and cellos, giving his music a heavier and darker feel than Haydn or Mozart. Gustav Mahler modified the orchestration of some of Beethoven’s music — most notably the 3d and 9th symphonies — with the idea of more accurately expressing Beethoven’s intent in an orchestra that had grown so much larger than the one Beethoven used: for example, doubling woodwind parts to compensate for the fact that a modern orchestra has so many more strings than Beethoven’s orchestra did. Needless to say, these efforts remain controversial. In his Fifth Symphony Beethoven introduced a striking motif, drawn from a late Haydn symphony, in the very opening bar, which he echoed in various forms in all four movements of the symphony . This is the first important occurrence of cyclic form. He was also fond of making usual what had previously been unusual: in the Fifth Symphony, instead of  using a stately minuet, as had been the norm for the â€Å"dance† movement of a four-movement work, he created a dark march, which he used as the third movement and ran into the fourth without interruption. While one can point to previous works which had one or more of these individual features, his music, combined with the use of operatic scoring that he learned from Mehul and Cherubini, created a work which was altogether novel in effect – too novel, in fact, for some critics of the time. On the other hand, his contemporary Spohr found the finale â€Å"too baroque†, though he praised the second movement as being in â€Å"good Romantic style†. His Ninth Symphony included a chorus and solo voices in the 4th movement for the first time, and made extensive use of fugues, which were generally considered to be a different form of music, and again unusual in symphonies. He wrote one opera, Fidelio. It has been said that he wrote beautiful vocal music without regard for the limitations of human singers, treating the voice as if it were a symphonic instrument – even though his conversation books note his desire to make his music singable and include references that indicate that he had remembered his father’s singing lessons. Beethoven’s development and works are typically divided into three periods: an early period in which his works show especially the influence of Mozart and Haydn; a middle, mature period in which he developed his distinctive individual style, sometimes characterized as â€Å"heroic†; and a late period, in which he wrote works of a highly evolved, individuated, sometimes fragmented and unorthodox style sometimes characterized as â€Å"transcendent† and â€Å"sublime†, where he tried to combine the baroque ideas of Handel and Bach with his icons Mozart and Haydn. In his late years he called Handel â€Å"my grand master†. In contrast to Mozart, he labored heavily over his work, leaving intermediate drafts that provide considerable insight into his creative process. Early drafts of his Ninth Symphony used rough vertical marks on the score in place of actual notes, to indicate the structure he had in mind for the melody. Studies of his sketch books show the working out of dozens of variations on a particular theme, changing themes to fit with an overall structure that evolved over time, and extensive sketching of counter-melodies.

Freneau and Wheatly

Philip Freneau was brought forth in New York of Huguenot ancestry in 1752, and died near Freehold, New Jersey, in 1832. Freneau became the unrivaled â€Å"poet of the Revolution† and regarded as the â€Å"Father of American Literature†. Romantic is defined as marked by the imaginative or emotional appeal of what is heroic, adventurous, remote, mysterious, or idealized. In my opinion, Freneau’s poems make him a romantic writer because of the following reasons: First, his poems demonstrate the love of nature. In here the emotions and instinct came to be more important than reason.There was an adoration of â€Å"The Natural Man†, the â€Å"noble savage,† and the primitive and untutored individuality. The thought that the simple and unsophisticated life was best, also grew popular implies primitivism. These perceptions led to curiosity in old civilizations, glorification of Greek society and a search in archeology nurtured as a science. Another thing wa s that his poems show heroism. The overcoming of our natural fears and limitations to achieve great things is heroism. The way he wrote those predicaments, he was not afraid to tell what’s inside his heart and the actions he would do to be able to help those who are in need.He is romantic because his poems represent the love of the common man. He gave ideas about the social and economic classes as they were denigrated or put down. An era of revolutions opened when the governments were overthrown, due to the fact that it often seemed to constrain elimination of social classes. He also imparted a way to satisfy a cultural need for wisdom, or a mythology suitable to a new nation. He also shared that life was like a flower. It bloomed and died because of its short life. In my opinion, he wanted us to enjoy life and made it worth living because life is too short to be wasted for nothing.Freneau explained about the strange and far-away places. This feature relates to the love of ex otic locations around the world and in time and space. This could comprise the past or the future as well as strange places or situations in the present. He also emphasized the love and respect to the dead people that they must be treated right despite of their condition. Finally, as a whole, Freneau’s poem make him a romantic writer because he stressed deeply the exact meaning of love in all his poem. Phillis Wheatley was born around 1753 in Gambia, Africa and died on December 5, 1784 while still struggling with poverty.The salvation of Christianity evident in her three poems namely: To the University of Cambridge in New England, On being brought from Africa to America, and On the Death of the Rev. Mr. George Whitefield 1770. Salvation is the deliverance from the power and effects of sin and the realization of the supremacy of infinite Mind over all bringing with it the destruction of the illusion of sin, sickness, and death. The message of the poem entitled â€Å"To the Un iversity of Cambridge in New England† wanted to interest us on how Jesus had redeemed us for our sins and gave us another chance to enjoy the privilege of being with him.We cannot measure the goodness and passion of the Lord for us because even though we are sinners, he decided to reach us by allowing his only begotten son, Jesus to die and redeemed us and be with him someday. We should be thankful about it. While in the poem, On being brought from Africa to America it implies that there is no discrimination in the sight of God when it comes to salvation. The race or the color of the eyes is not matter in front of God. Even though, we belong to the clan of the sinners, we can be purified by the love of God if we are also willing in return and become a member of His kingdom.On the third poem, it dwells on the good motives of our God. I believe that no parents, who love their children, desire evil things for their siblings but of course the favorable and best things. Just like o ur Lord and Savior, he is inviting us to accept Him, whoever you are, whatever your condition is and what race you belong, he never chose whom He will love and save. In the sight of God everybody is fair because He is a just God, no favoritism and is loved without hesitatio

The Disaster Cycle

The Disaster Cycle The disaster cycle or the disaster life cycle consists of the steps that emergency managers take in planning for and responding to disasters. Each step in the disaster cycle correlates to part of the ongoing cycle that is emergency management. This disaster cycle is used throughout the emergency management community, from the local to the national and international levels and it is: Mitigation: Minimizing the effectsPreparedness: Planning the responseResponse: Efforts to minimize hazards that were created by the disasterRecovery: Returning the community back to normal with relief Starting the Disaster Cycle Again Finally, using the lessons learned from the response, recovery, and mitigation phases of the disaster the emergency manager and government officials return to the preparedness phase and revise their plans and their understanding of the material and human resources needs for a particular disaster in their community.

Free Essays on D-DAY On June 6th 1944

Introduction In this paper I will focus on D-Day. I will explain why it had to be done and how it was made possible. Whether it be the LCVP which was the landing craft that was developed specially for D-Day, the M-1 Garand .30 caliber rifle or just the soldier carrying it. It was the early morning hours of June 6th 1944. The largest military invasion of all time was about to begin. It would be known to the world simply as D-Day. By the time you could see the morning dew on the grass 18,000 British and American paratroopers had already landed in Normandy, France and allied troops were about to storm the beaches. However none of this would have happened if it weren’t for the efforts put forth in planning this operation. From the moment the United States declared war on Germany an invasion in Europe was a must. When and where was the question. Preparing to invade†¦ When the United States entered into World War II on December 8th 1944 they new that without a European invasion victory was not possible. When General Eisenhower was appointed supreme commander of the allied armies he had started to developed tactical plans for the invasion of France by 1942 or possibly earlier. The invasion of Normandy was the result of 2-3 years of planning by Allied Forces. Surprise Attack Germany did know the attack was coming so it was not complete surprise. However what Germany did not know was when or where the attack was coming. Why this attack had to be executed in complete secrecy can be entirely summed up by this quote, "Unless we can land overwhelming forces and beat the Nazis in battle in France, Hitler will never be defeated." Winston Churchill said this while referring to the D-Day invasion. In order to land overwhelming forces in France the Nazis could not know the allies were coming or else they would be prepared for almost any military force sent their way. Deception was the game. Since the Germans did not know when or where the a... Free Essays on D-DAY On June 6th 1944 Free Essays on D-DAY On June 6th 1944 Introduction In this paper I will focus on D-Day. I will explain why it had to be done and how it was made possible. Whether it be the LCVP which was the landing craft that was developed specially for D-Day, the M-1 Garand .30 caliber rifle or just the soldier carrying it. It was the early morning hours of June 6th 1944. The largest military invasion of all time was about to begin. It would be known to the world simply as D-Day. By the time you could see the morning dew on the grass 18,000 British and American paratroopers had already landed in Normandy, France and allied troops were about to storm the beaches. However none of this would have happened if it weren’t for the efforts put forth in planning this operation. From the moment the United States declared war on Germany an invasion in Europe was a must. When and where was the question. Preparing to invade†¦ When the United States entered into World War II on December 8th 1944 they new that without a European invasion victory was not possible. When General Eisenhower was appointed supreme commander of the allied armies he had started to developed tactical plans for the invasion of France by 1942 or possibly earlier. The invasion of Normandy was the result of 2-3 years of planning by Allied Forces. Surprise Attack Germany did know the attack was coming so it was not complete surprise. However what Germany did not know was when or where the attack was coming. Why this attack had to be executed in complete secrecy can be entirely summed up by this quote, "Unless we can land overwhelming forces and beat the Nazis in battle in France, Hitler will never be defeated." Winston Churchill said this while referring to the D-Day invasion. In order to land overwhelming forces in France the Nazis could not know the allies were coming or else they would be prepared for almost any military force sent their way. Deception was the game. Since the Germans did not know when or where the a...

Preliminary Questions for the Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Preliminary Questions for the - Research Paper Example In addition, it has led to reliability because people from any part of the world are able to access the information passed. Seeing as this mode of communication has only come into existence in the last approximately two decades, there has been a lot of controversy surrounding it. As with any new introduction, it has garnered both support and opposition. Those that support it cite the immense benefits and the heavy impact that it has drawn upon communication since its onset. Those that do not support it assert that the establishment of its relevance is quite hard and that it is merely a passing phase. This paper‘s focal point is to illustrate that mobile communication has had an observable and immense impact on the field of communication. The paper’s main subject is to indicate that whether negatively or positively, mobile communication has changed the face and direction of advertising on a long-term basis. One of the most popular means of mobile communication is the use of the social media platform. According to e-marketer, an online statistical site, the number of people subscribed to social media networks in the world totaled down to 1.73 billion as of 2013. This means that social media act as a means of mobile communication as it reaches about 26% of the world population. This is exclusive of other mobile communication means such as mobile texting. This illustrates that mobile communication is one of the only means of advertisement that in actuality affects over a quarter and nearly half of the world’s population. In the same site, they estimated that by 2015, 2.55 billion people would have to social media accounts. Statistically, this indicates that the growth rate for social media subscription stands at 18% annually. This statistic lays out just how relevant mobile communication is on the human populace. Eric Clemmons, an Information professor at the University of Pennsylvania, states that advertising

English 101 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

English 101 - Essay Example This would mean that certain changes to the social processes associated with college life might need to be changed. For example, the same methods which are used to recruit young adults or adolescents coming out of high school may not be good enough for targeting more mature individuals. Colleges might have to change their approach in how they offer their classes and what services they provide on campus to their students (Back2College.com, 2007). Additionally, those who come to college with a few decades of real world experience with them may have quite a different opinion of how things operate in the real world as compared to those who have remained in college for most of their lives. For any given college, such a student can have a useful impact on class discussions and the resulting knowledge gained for other students in the same class. At the same time, there would a great impact on the workers who choose to go back to college since it is quite an adjustment going from a regular nine to five job to the college environment where class schedules and deadlines determine working hours rather than scheduled project plans (Back2College.com, 2007). Such workers may need time to adapt to the environment and would need help from the college itself. Some colleges have established specific offices to help adult learners but a lot more remains to be done in this respect since the growth in numbers of older college students shows a rising trend. Perhaps the most significant impact of the social change would be on the recruiting companies that use colleges as their hunting grounds for new members of the company. While these companies have traditionally used colleges to seek out entry level employees from the bachelor’s level programs and mid management from the master’s programs, they could now seek out employees to come into senior management positions right out of college simply because these employees have the experience, the maturity as well as the latest