Great Little Box Company Case Study Essay

Problem Statement Idea Points – The company’s original informal, simple structure has moved on to an organic structure has now outgrown itself. How does GLBC implement a structural revival and still retain and absorb customers in a market that is no longer suffering an economic down turn. How can this new structure be used against the competition in a global market – How do we influence and delegate various levels of Authority and Legitimate power to employees to further organizational efficiency – How do we implement different concepts of power type to our current and future organizational design? – With the acquisition of new companies, interorganizational conflict will arise. Structural and personal factors lead to conflict in organizations. What key factors can we work on to heighten Emotional Intelligence? Symptoms – We can see that the company started as a small structure. The power was in the hands of Robert Meggie † taking orders to making sales calls to running one of the machines and shipping out the completed orders.† – Expert Power has been implemented through the hiring of a recently laid off salesperson from one of its largest companies (supply shipping first). The member of the organization â€Å"Upped our business 80 percent overnight† – and highlighted the importance of a strong sales force – Eventually Meggie required the skills and expertise of another person (for sales and marketing) Meggie was then responsible only for administration and production (we can see a change into a slightly more divisional structure, based on the services) – * Administration * Production *Marketing *Sales – The Six types of OD structures can fall under two comprehensive categories (Mechanistic and Organic) we can identify GLBC as being closer to the organic side. (No one company can be purely be from one side or the other) – We can see that size is increasing for the company (Absorption of Parrot Label (label capabilities), Vanisle Packaging (P provider on Vancouver Island), and Action Box Company (Lead provider of protective packaging in BC). This also forwards the Formalization and Specialization of the company. This in turns decentralizes decision-making. – The past economic downturn had the small, agile company cut into an edge in the market. However, the now growing expansion has the need for strategic leader ship that can facilitate access to the company’s capabilities and knowledge. – We do not have any type of standardization information present for this company. We have nothing that points to identification of a standardization of company management. (Rules, Policies, Documentation) – As the company is continuing to grow, centralization is also growing. This is demonstrated by the monthly meetings that Meggie administers. The information shared is a vehicle of empowerment for the people below him at the various locations. – Meggie also meets with everyone twice a year in groups, to provide â€Å"a state of the nation† (Centralized Authority Structure) – It is possible to assume that as the complexity of the structure increases, so does the political element of the strategic decision processes- As the company grows Meggie may be faces with a problem where he may have to balance efficiency orientation and the quality orientation of the organization. Problem Analysis – Information Technology and communication systems can lead to interworking with the company. These companies are less hierarchical and more engaged into external networking. – This will deter a delay in decision-making, and increase the quality of the decisions being made. The right information is meeting with the right people. And no one is being overloaded with data. – Coordinating plans can be not as effective in a changing structure, if the it is designed poorly – GLBC at times may experience powerlessness can due to existing staff being grouped with newly acquired companies, and experience conflict. (Changing OD Structure) – We must share power between people to project empowerment to the people? – Information Power is the access and control to information that can be used by managers to establish power. We should use current technologies to share the proper information to the right people – A high level of Vertical Differentiation must be in place for the organization to consider growing in size (global market). – Horizontal Differentiation must be at a level where the needs of the customers are met by the specific Organizational Units (domestic and foreign operations). Conflict can arise from the improper grouping of processes. Refer to page 253 (Technology) – Formalization, specialization, standardization, and centralization. – Must allow the proper authority to make key decisions, but allow the parent firm to allow the goals of the organization to be in check at the same time. Page 253 (Size) – Structural Factors can lead up to a cause of conflict in an organization. We can identify this through the specialization of companies that have been absorbed by GLBC. – In a big box company, Interdependence will become prevalent. All the groups rely on each other to create the finished product. It one section where to fail, it will be easy for one of the groups to blame another group.( Negative Consequences ) – Functional Conflict – Can be used to promote new solutions to problems and promote creativity. Recommended Solutions – We want to lead up to a semi – autonomous system. Where organizations can self-manage and controls themselves. o The negative consequence in choosing this route is the possibility if a section of the company to lose track of the focus of the company. o A section might be given so much freedom that they can lead to a huge economic loss in not in check o Can be positive due to authority based decisions to be transferred completely to another autonomous unit, thus having speed and being unhampered by politics. o Delegation of tasks (Semi-Autonomous) will always answer to the organization but still be allowed to do its own thing – Authority, Legitimate Power – Can be deployed to specific people with the use of information technology (For an example, Microsoft Domain Networks with separate Organizational Units) the proper people with have the proper knowledge, (The higher ups can be exposed to more but not actually work with it, people lower in the hierarchy can see less but more action orientated with it. (Goal setting mechanism)) o Very similar to authority, Based on mutual agreement of the structure and the target. We must make it visible to all workers, who is where and what they can do. o The negative side is that, people can choose to ignore people they do not respect. And later be swayed by referent power (They persons charisma) o It’s crucial to identify the group’s main source of authoritative inspirations and deploy someone who can meet the power needs. o A engineer is more likely to Expert Power and Reward Power more than the other power types. We can tell this by their personality type ENTJ INTP (Intuitive types). Perhaps even if we have a lot of EN** we can find a charismatic person that can a lot of expert power J – If we cannot show a proper power structure to a changing organization, we may find people attempt to resort to political power to gain power. For an example, character assassinations. People may start to take favourites or put down people that will not help them achieve their power goals. -People may try to gain people under a personal agenda book -Make themselves look socially better -Influence people without using power ethically – To deter this, again legitimate power can be instilled – Vertical Differentiation – We have to have solid management with Authority. Progression up the company is clear and hierarchical. Communication flows vertically up and down – Disadvantages We have individual containers for each section of a geographical area that is in charge of it owns sales, BUT Production is to remain consistent across all locations to have the brand product remain the same. The respective marketing is left up to the location is thus does not have to answer to the higher ups CEO in the company. This will prevent information overloading with the OD. The (Project Manager) will have the ability to work in two difference areas. As a regular projects manager in the Marketing Dept and as a functional Production manager. The right people to complete the tasks will be pulled from the locations thus leading to a organisations intimacy through the location. Also this provides for a need for achievement and affiliation. People will not feel like they are stuck in a certain area. In addition, the ability to flex positions would be present. Once they task is completed staff can be returned or combined with several structures creating a hybrid entity.

Human Resource Management Approaches

Introduction In any organization, the human resource force is one of the most vital assets. In this regard, it is vital for organizations to ensure that they formulate and implement human resource management policies that will optimize employees’ contributions so as to maintain competitiveness in their different industries of operation (Armstrong, 2008; Marchington & Wilkinson, 2005). There are different approaches that different organizations use to ensure that their employees are at their optimal productivity. Some of these approaches include recruitment of highly qualified staff members, providing occasional training for employees to improve their competence at work, fair remuneration, and employee motivation (Ulrich et al., 2008). Scholars in the field of human resource management have proposed several models that can be used in managing people. Some of these are scientific management and human relations theory (Taylor, 2013; Thompson, 2011). The scientific management approach emphasis es on managing employees to increase efficiency by using monetary motivation (Taylor, 2013). The human relations approach is based on the notion that using monetary rewards is not the only way in which employees can be motivated. They can also be motivated through other social factors like being praised, promoted or making developing in them a sense of belonging (Thompson, 2011). This paper intends to examine human relations and scientific management concepts by comparing and contrasting human resource management approaches at TGI Friday’s and Christians against Poverty, one of the Sunday Times 100 best not for profit organizations. The paper also discusses whether both approaches to management are relevant in the 21st century, and whether not for profit organizations should manage their employees in a way that is different from companies whose main objectives are profit maximization. Management at TGI Friday’s TGI Friday’s is a restaurant chain with its UK head offices in Luton (TGI Friday’s, 2014). Based on an employee survey carried out by the Sunday Times, the company ranked third among the 25 best big companies. The survey sought to establish the employees’ perceptions of the way they were being managed. The company also ranked third on the overall 100 best companies to work for in the United Kingdom (The Sunday Times a, 2013). The good ranks that the company holds among the best companies to work for reflects the effectiveness of the company’s human resource management approaches. Management of people at TGI Friday’s displays both the human relations and scientific management approaches. With reference to the human relations approach, performance is enhanced by the creation of an effective working environment and instilling a sense of belonging in their employees (Thompson, 2011). The scientific management approach is also used through offering monet ary bonuses and retaining productive employees and dismissing the unproductive employees (Taylor, 2013). Examples of these approaches at TGI Friday’s is further discussed belowHuman Relations ApproachRecognitionEmployee recognition is defined as giving employees a positive feedback to let them know that they are valued by their colleagues and workmates in the organization. Wright et al. (2012) argue that for employee recognition to have an impact in the progress of an organization, it needs to encourage employees to increase their efforts towards attaining organizational goals. According to Karen Forester, the TGI Friday’s managing director in the UK; employee recognition has been part of the company’s culture since it started in 1965 (TGI Friday’s, 2014). One way in which the company recognizes its employees is through the use of achievement badges, which are given to employees as a form of appreciation for their achievements or extraordinary contributio ns they make towards the company. The company also has a program where employees are nominated by colleagues based on their performance, and are later gifted through different treats. For instance, in January 2013, TGI Friday’s UK flew 400 employees to a party that was held in Florida (The Sunday Times a, 2013). Whereas such employee recognition efforts may be costly and could cut down on the company’s profitability, the organization believes that it is a â€Å"huge deposit in the emotional bank account†.Creation of a Conducive working EnvironmentThe organizational environment also has a role to play in the productivity of employees. There are several approaches that have been suggested by researchers on the approaches that can be used to create an organizational environment that enhances employee productivity (Armstrong, 2008). One of these is creation of an open and transparent form of communication across the organization. By so doing, all employees will have a feeling that their opinions are valuable to the organization. This also instils a sense of belonging in the employees (Aula & Siira, 2010). Another approach that can be used in creation of an effective work environment for employees is ensuring that there is a work-life balance for employees (Bratton & Gold, 2012; Miner, 2005). To attain work-life balance, employees ought to be given the chance to fulfil other goals and responsibility in life apart from their work. These include responsibilities to their families and the community, spiritual needs and personal growth, among others (Clutterbuck, 2003). Other approaches include encouraging a team spirit in the organization, provision of a job security assurance and offering training to improve employee competence (Orlitzky & Frenkel, 2005). As opposed to typical fast-paced food restaurants, TGI Friday’s employees have the assurance that their jobs are secure. With reference to a research carried out by the Sunday Times, 86% of the company’s employees felt that they had secure jobs. With regard to instilling a sense of belonging in its customers, the company has a tradition for treating each of its 4000 staff members in the UK as family (The Sunday Times a, 2013). According to Karen foster, the company’s UK managing director, â€Å"We never call them staff or employees, we call them family and we treat them like family† (Martin, 2013). This also creates a sense of teamwork, which is also a factor that improves employee productivity.Scientific Management ApproachEvaluation of employee performanceThe scientific approach to human resource management emphasizes on increasing efficiency in employee productivity. One of the ways in which this can be done in an organization is through the evaluation of the performance of employees in periodic intervals (Taylor, 2013). Employees that are not competent enough ought to be trained or given a certain time to improve. If they fail to improve in performance, they are dismissed and replaced by more competent recruits (Bloisi, 2007). This also takes place at TGI Friday’s. There was a period in time when the company needed to redefine its culture and redefine itself. To do this, some brutal approaches were undertaken to ensure that only the right staff members were left in the company. This involved carrying out an assessment of each member of the company and classifying them according to their contributions. As argued by the company’s UK managing director, â€Å"Everyone in the organisation was assessed and classified as ‘players’, ‘wannabe players’ (who needed more training), ‘potential players’ (who could go either way) and ‘assassins’ (who had the ability to sabotage the transformation project)† (Martin, 2013). The group of employees that was referred to as the assassins was dismissed from the company, a step that resulted in the improvement of the company’s performance. This is an ideal approach of increasing the efficiency of the company, which is quite synonymous to the scientific management approach.Monetary MotivationTo motivate employees, TGI Friday’s also uses the monetary approach. Employees at the company receive annual pay reviews. In 2013, members of the company’s kitchen staff were offered a 9.5% pay rise as a gesture to appreciate their contributions to the company (The Sunday Times a, 2013). Even though the monetary incentives are used to motivate the company employees, they are used alongside other forms of incentives. The reason for this is that when monetary incentives are used exclusively by a company, it may limit the creativity and innovation of employees (Adeogun, 2009). Management at Christians against Poverty (CAP) Christians against Poverty (CAP) is a not-for profit organization operating the United Kingdom. It specialized in debt counselling, a charity work that that is based in different local churches across the UK (Christians Against Poverty, 2013). It offers solutions and hope for people who are in heavy debts by providing advice to the affected people on the ways in which they can generate income to enable settle the debts and relieve themselves from the associated stresses that could be even detrimental to their health. Apart from helping the company’s target populations to get out of poverty, CAP has also received recognition by the Sunday Times as being among the best not for profit companies to work for (The Sunday Times b, 2013). In a study that was carried out by Sunday Times on opinions of the company’s employees about how they felt about their leadership and whether they enjoy working at CAP, there was a 95% positive response that indicated that employees loved to w ork for the company. 97% of the employees indicated their pride in being employed by the company, while 99% of the employees believed that the company makes a positive contribution in society (The Sunday Times b, 2013). Just as was the result at TGI Friday’s, this response from the company employees indicates that the approaches used in the human resource management of the company is appropriate. The main difference that exists between TGI Friday’s and CAP is that whereas TGI Friday’s incorporates monetary incentives in employee motivation, there is no evidence that indicates that CAP uses the same.The Human Relations ApproachCommunication at CAPIn any organization, effective communication is one of the factors that contribute towards an improvement in employee performance. Communication often depends on the structure of the organization. Hierarchical organizational structures are characterized by vertical communication channels, where employees pass information to managers through their immediate bosses (Adeogun, 2009). On the other hand, adhocratic organizations are characterized by horizontal communication channels, where employees are free to address top managers in case they need to pass across a certain message (Ulrich et al., 2008). The structure at CAP is adhocratic, based on the fact that senior managers and employees interact to share information that id positive for the organization’s progress. Not only does this reduce the channels through which information it passed, but also motivates employees by providing them with a sense of belonging (Armstrong, 2008). They are also motivated to contribute more towards the organization because they know that their opinions and ideas matter. Effective communication at CAP was demonstrated in 2012 where there was a restructure of client service teams in the organization. When staff members that had been adversely affected by the reshuffle voiced their concerns, the original restructu ring plans were changed (The Sunday Times b, 2013). In another demonstration of effective communication at CAP, there was a Dragon’s Den-style event, where teams were established to propose improvements on the company’s operations. All the proposals were presented, and a vote was made to select those that had to be implemented immediately. Afterwards, the managers pledged that they will ensure that the suggested proposals will be implemented (The Sunday Times b, 2013). This clearly indicates that the company involves its employees in decision making.Catering for Employees’ WellbeingEnsuring that the well being of employees is catered for is another approach that CAP uses to motivate its human resource force (Meyer & Allen, 2007). According to the research that was carried out by the Sunday Times, the company has an 88% score on how effectively it addresses the wellbeing of its employees. One of the ways in which the company addresses the wellbeing of its employe es is through setting aside a full day every year, referred to as the wellbeing day. On this day, employees are informed on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle, encouraged to use the staff gym. Several group exercises are also carried out (Christians Against Poverty, 2013). Another approach that is used to address the wellbeing of employees is through organizing motivational talks to empower them. Matt Barlow, the chief executive director of CAP, gives regular motivational speeches to the company’s staff members, which mainly aim at inspiring them to attain their potential in life while at the same time ensuring that they adhere to their moral principles (The Sunday Times b, 2013). This has increased the faith that employees have in him and the company. When employees are aware that the company is concerned about their well being, there is an increased likelihood for them to be more committed to the organization (Orlitzky & Frenkel, 2005).IncentivesAs opposed to TGI Fridayâ⠂¬â„¢s where employees are provided with monetary incentives in form of bonuses and salary increments, the incentives that employees at CAP get are usually in form of free drinks and fruits, a cycle to work program and being provided with free sports facilities (The Sunday Times b, 2013). There is also a program where employees are nominated by managers for awards, depending on their performance. When employees make contributions that are beyond what is expected of them, they are recognized and awarded. Far from financial rewards that are given in most companies, the rewards that are given at CAP include meals, cinema tickets or chocolates. The annual salary of a caseworker in the company is at ?21,164, of which employees believe is a reasonable pay for their efforts (Christians Against Poverty, 2013). Being a not for profit organization, this explains the fact that there are no incentives in form of financial reward. Relevance of the Human Relations and Scientific management in the 21st Century To establish how relevant these approaches of human resource management are in the present-day organizational environment, it is vital to have an understanding of the principles that govern them. The scientific management approach has four core principles (Taylor, 2013). The first is referred to as the replace rule of thumb work approaches. These approaches have to be arrived at by carrying out a scientific study. The second principle is that every employee in the organization ought to be scientifically selected, trained and developed, as opposed to letting them train themselves with work experience. The third principle is that managers ought to cooperate with employees so as to ensure that they are strictly adhering to the operational methods that have been scientifically developed. The fourth principle is that work ought to be equally divided between workers and managers to allow managers to apply the principles of scientific management to plan duties for workers (Taylor, 2013). Cr itics of this approach of management argue that it increases work monotony and reduces avenues through which employees could provide feedback to their managers (Ulrich et al., 2008). However, there is still relevance of this approach in present-day human resource management. One of the principles that are still applicable is that employees ought to be scientifically selected, trained and developed by organizations (Taylor, 2013). Even present-day organizations have certain criteria that they use in selection and recruitment of their employees, and also emphasize on training them so as to make them more capable in executing their responsibilities (Bratton & Gold, 2012). The human relations approach to management is based on three underlying principles (Thompson, 2011). The first principle is decentralization, where hierarchy that is often employed in classical management is replaced with providing employees with greater autonomy. The second is participatory decision making, where employees ought to be involved in the decision-making process of the organization. The third principle is that managers need to develop employees that are self-motivated (Thompson, 2011). This management approach is supportive of an organizational structure that is adhocratic (horizontal), and against the hierarchical organizational structure. Given that present-day organizations are becoming less hierarchical and more horizontal, it can be thus stated that the human relations approach to management is quite relevant in the 21st century (Ulrich et al., 2008). In regard to whether not-for-profit organizations and organizations that aim to maximize their profits need to apply different management approaches, this is quite debatable. Whilst the objectives of these organizations might differ, it is vital for both to ensure that their employees are motivated and efficient. The main aspect that may differentiate not for profit organizations with the profitable ones is that while employees in not for profit organizations may not prioritize monetary incentives, those in profitable companies expect such incentives to be incorporated in their motivation strategies. Conclusion As aforementioned in this study, human resources are the most important assets owned by any organization. Therefore, human resource managers ought to use people management strategies that motivate employees to increase their contribution towards attaining organizational goals. Two main approaches to people management have been addressed here. These are the scientific management approach and the human relations approach. Explanation of these approaches has been done by comparing management approaches in two organizations ranked among the top 100 companies to work for in the UK. One of the companies, TGI Friday’s, is a profit oriented company, while other, CAP is a not for profit organization. Similarities and differences that exist in the human resource management approaches of these companies have been highlighted in this report. In establishing the relevance of scientific management and the human relations approach of management, future research should carry out a more in-dep th analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of both in the present-day organizational environment. References Adeogun, J., 2009. Monetary Motivation, Performance and Job Satisfaction. New York: ILEAD Academy. Armstrong, M., 2008. Strategic Human Resource Management: A Guide to Action. London: Kogan Page. Aula, P. & Siira, K., 2010. Organizational Communication and Conflict Management Systems: A Social Complexity Approach. Nordicom Review, 31, pp.125-41. Bloisi, W., 2007. An Introduction to Human Resource Management. Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill Education. Bratton, J. & Gold, J., 2012. Human Resource Management: Theory and Practice (5th edition). London: Palgrave. Christians Against Poverty, 2013. About Us. [Online] Available at: https://www.capuk.org/ [Accessed 20 February 2014]. Clutterbuck, D., 2003. Managing work-life balance: a guide for HR in achieving organizational and individual change. London: Chartered Institute Of Personal Development. Marchington, M. & Wilkinson, A., 2005. Human Resource Management at Work: People Management and Development. London: CIPD. Martin, P., 2013. TGI Friday’s MD: my people management secrets. [Online] Available at: http://www.hrmagazine.co.uk/hr/features/1078162/tgi-fridays-md-people-management-secrets [Accessed 20 February 2014]. Meyer, J.P. & Allen, N.J., 2007. A three-component conceptualization of organizational commitment: Some methodological considerations. Human Resource Management Review, 1, pp.61-98. Miner, J.B., 2005. Organizational Behavior: Essential theories of motivation and leadership. New York: M.E. Sharpe. Orlitzky, M. & Frenkel, S., 2005. Alternative pathways to high-performance workplaces. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 16(8), pp.1325-48. Taylor, F.W., 2013. Scientific management. New York: Routledge. TGI Friday’s, 2014. About Us. [Online] Available at: http://www.tgifridays.co.uk/ [Accessed 20 February 2014]. The Sunday Times a, 2013. The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies. [Online] Available at: http://features.thesundaytimes.co.uk/public/best100companies/live/template [Accessed 20 February 2014]. The Sunday Times b, 2013. 100 best Not for Profit Companies. [Online] Available at: http://features.thesundaytimes.co.uk/public/best100companies/live/template [Accessed 20 February 2014]. Thompson, J.D., 2011. Organizations in action: Social science bases of administrative theory. California: Transaction Publishers. Ulrich, D., Younger, J. & Brockbank, W., 2008. The twenty-first-century HR organization. Human Resource Management, 47, pp.829-50. Wright, B.E., Moynihan, D.P. & Pandey, S.K., 2012. Pulling the Levers: Transformational Leadership, Public Service, Motivation, and Mission Valence. Public Administration Review, 72(2), p.206–215.

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UN Sanction within Iraq post-gulf storm war, how they affected the people and how they provided perhaps breeding ground for terrorist ideology - Research Proposal Example The period in the history of Kuwait in which the country was a part of Basra’s Ottoman ‘vilayet’ was also being followed by the gulf war of 1990/ 1991. A series of political events led to the stage of the war that was fought between the contrived coalition forces of the United States of America and the military troops of the then ruling leader Saddam Hussein. The frontiers of the countries of Kuwait, Saudi Arab and Iraq were decided in the conference of Uqair in the year 1922 by the then high commissioner of the British controlled Indian Army, Sir Percy Cox, for the city of Mesopotamia. The commissioner resolved the constituents of the frontiers of the country, cutting through different series of ridiculous claims and arguments that seemed to be almost impossible for the period. This event was one of the contributors to prepare the stage for the Gulf war. Finally in the year 1930 the high commissioner of the British army in Baghdad passed the judgment of the encouragement of the absorption of Kuwait into the geographical boundary of Iraq gradually by the government of Britain. According to the British government and their representatives the sacrifice of a small and expandable state of Kuwait would not be a huge concern if there had been an existing demand by the struggle of powers of the then period. Kuwait depicted as an ‘oil well’ was being maintained by the United Nations serving as the proxy for the western world. The colonialism policy of the British government along with the imperialism strategy of the United States of America proved to be economic, provided the accommodation were mutually congenial for both, and for the protection of the hegemony of the western world in the fulfillment of the interest of democratic freedom over the natur al oil reserve of the Gulf countries. They were being buttressed by the feudalistic policies of the other regional countries. Previously the government of the United States of America was indifferent regarding Iraq’s conflict with Kuwait, evidence from the period of late nineties or the period of the beginning of the year 1991 showed the strategies of the American government were in favor of war against Iraq. The United States of America provided a positive signal to Iraq, for the invasion of Kuwait by the later. However they emphasized on the lack of commitment from their part in the supply of troops to back the invasion of Kuwait. There were quick moves on the part of the government of United States on the economical, military and political fronts during the period of the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq though no serious opposition was provided by United States on the country’s invasion. The result was too threatening for the government of Iraq. Saddam Hussein was named t he ‘new Hitler’ and ridiculed in Britain, apart from the United States and elsewhere. This led to the introduction of economic sanctions that were comprehensive under the auspices of the United Nations. (Simons, 1–3: Schmid, 3) This invasion of Kuwait by Iraq resulted in the providence of a sanction by the Security Council of United Nations, which imposed tremendous impact on the economy of the country and more devastatingly on the lives of the countrymen.   United Nation Sanction on Iraq   During the period of the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq under the governmental leadership of Saddam Hussein the sanctions were mainly applied by the United Nations to pressurize the government of Iraq, which would act as an indirect force to make them leave. The sanctions mainly and predominantly focused on

Watching TV Makes You Smarter Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Watching TV Makes You Smarter - Essay Example While Johnson makes several relevant points about the new TV shows, there is also missing information about the concept of TV allowing children and adults to be smarter. Even though TV may have new and different focal points, the mass media and popular culture is still focused on aspects of dumbing down society. Johnson’s main ideology is one based off the opinion of TV providing a smarter outlook through various programs; however, there is not significant information or definitions on intelligence and the effects that TV has. The main thesis of Johnson’s article is based on the concept of TV and programs which children and adults watch. Johnson believes that, despite the popular analysis of TV that states that programs lead to higher levels of violence and a lack of intelligence, TV is actually helping to provide children and adults with higher levels of intelligence. Johnson believes that this is coming from ideas of approaching difficult situations and questioning how to make right decisions that are attributed to TV. For instance, looking at perspectives of women who have to face an unwanted pregnancy, individuals who are placed in violent or compromising situations, are relevant to turning toward the correct moral decisions. Johnson states â€Å"There may indeed be more negative messages in the mediasphere today. But that’s not the only way to evaluate whether television shows or video games are having a positive impact. Just as important – is the kind of thinking you have to do † (Johnson, 3). The relation to this is based on morality as well as intelligence within the pop culture and TV. The concept of morality and thinking about issues then relates to intelligence that Johnson believes occurs on several levels. There are several statements about concepts such as newer technologies, intricate plot lines and the associations with

Gustave Courbet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Gustave Courbet - Essay Example The Artist’s Studio (also known as L’Atelier du Peintre) is also one of his famous paintings that he did in the early years of his realist experiments. After the completion of the painting in 1855, Courbet subtitled the painting as ‘A True Allegory Concerning Seven Years of My Artistic Life’. The painting is a portrayal of an artist’s studio wherein the working artist is surrounded by many people. In the painting, Courbet appears as the key figure in the center, sitting with his canvas and painting a landscape. The studio is filled with many other people metaphorically used by Courbet as the people; some who have had least interest in what he was doing whereas some who appreciated and commended his new style of painting. â€Å"The composition comprises roughly thirty figures, divided, to a casual glance, into three or more distinct groups: on the left, an assortment of figures, who until recently have been seen representing various general types rat her than specific individuals †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ on the right, a number of people who for the most part are identifiable as friends and supporters of the artist, †¦. and, in the middle of the canvas, Courbet himself sitting painting a landscape under the attended gazes of a naked woman and a peasant boy.† A boy accompanied by a playful cat, stands very near to the canvas and overlooks innocently as the artist is occupied in painting. An unclad female, which is a celebrated subject in the romanticist painting, also stands by the backside of the painter and looks. while Courbet is involved in painting. Towards farther left, a group of men sit with little interest in what the artist is doing, they seem to be occupied in their own activities. Whereas on the farther right, a lady accompanied by other people, interestingly look at his work as if they are appreciating the skills and the ideas of the artist. In the painting, the artist has represented all the classes of people; the l ower, middle and the upper class. The figures represented in the painting metaphorically represent different people whom Courbet has encountered and who in one way or the other, have influenced the intellectual being of Courbet as an artist. The artist attempts to shows the intellectual and physical transition of his studio and in brief he describe how has he been treated by people in general during the seven years of experimentation with realist painting. Some have been indifferent