The Art of Procrastination Essay -- Exploratory Essays Research Papers

The Art of Procrastination    It is three in the morning, and a haggard man puts the finishing touches on a presentation that he has had a month to complete. A bright young boy scurries around the backyard collecting bugs for his big science project due the next morning. A grown woman packs at two in the morning for her six-thirty business trip. A man disappoints his wife with a gift of socks for Christmas, which was all he could find on Christmas Eve. What is wrong with these people? Why do normal, intelligent people fritter their time away; and wait till the last possible moment to do the necessary? In a word, procrastination.    This phenomenon defies logic. Every other ugly duty is "gotten over with." We gulp down our proverbial green beans, always saving the best for last. Retirement comes after work, M&Ms after nasty medicine, and a soak in the tub after you scour it. It follows that every other distasteful job would be treated the same way. Aunt Nelda's birthday present, the big research paper, a visit to the dentist and the cat's bath should be gotten over with like our green beans and medicine For many people, however, they aren't.    Procrastination is not just a bad habit; it is a condition of mind that has some serious causes and consequences. Far too often substandard work is the result of putting things off until the last moment. When we procrastinate, we don't actually enjoy the time we waste. Instead, we add to our stress level by letting a project worry us for an extended period of time. To understand this paradoxical and self-defeating approach to challenging situations, we must assess what the process of procrastination involves. This common practice of wasting time has b... ... thus, my paper will be on her desk by Friday. I call only console myself with the thought that I am not alone.    Procrastinators, however, should take heart. Some of the best things in life wouldn't be the same without procrastination. After all, a good wine isn't a fine wine until it has spent some time in a cool cellar. And a quick stew may be "all right," but a stew that has been procrastinating in the pot all day is worth the wait. The French say that you're not a woman till you're forty -- is this procrastination in disguise? As long as people don't procrastinate for too long, good things do come to those who wait.    Works Cited Plotnik, Rod. Introduction to Psychology. 3rd ed. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole, 1993. Rathus, Spencer A. Essentials of Psychology. 2nd ed. New York: Holt, 1989.                        

Salem Witch Trial and the Crucible

The Salem Witch trials caused a lot of hysteria in history, during 1692. The town of Salem is located in Massachusetts. The hysteria was drawn from the beliefs of witches, witchcraft and black magic. The topics of witches, witchcraft and black magic have been questioned for many centuries. These questions have been dated all the way back to B. C. times. There have been writings in The Bible about people saying that others have been seen performing witchcraft and are in need of being saved by God. There has been suspicion of witchcraft with the Egyptians, Native Americans, the Elizabethan Age, and Medieval times. Witchcraft and black magic can be described and seen in two ways. First, it can be looked upon as a religion of the ancient and traditional worships of the feminine, earthly, and amazing aspects of God which is considered a heresy. Secondly, it goes against the beliefs of the Christian Church. Witches and witchcraft are considered evil and are seen as making pacts, deals or connections with the Devil. It is not a coincidence that the first official witch trial took place in Massachusetts. A witch trial is when a person is accused of being a witch; they will then have to go to court to be testified to be seen guilty or innocent by a judge. This first witch trial happened in 1648, to a woman named Margaret Jones. The man who accused her was John Winthrop. He was governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony at the time. His reason for accusing Margaret of being a witch was because anyone who touched Margaret was taken with deafness, vomiting, sickness or pains. She was seen practicing physics, which women were not allowed to be learning about at the time. Also, anyone who she tried to help got worse and she foretold events that came true. The main reason why Winthrop accused her was because he was getting questioned about his authority by Margaret. Since she was a woman and was questioning him, he thought the best way to get rid of her was to send her to jail for being a â€Å"witch†. This became a common act used among many people in Salem to send the ones they hate to jail or even to death. The town of Salem is very small. Information and rumors can be spread around very quickly. This became a main factor of how hysteria started. There was a Native American who was a slave to the Parris family, her name was Tituba. She soon began to create a chain known as Tituba’s Circle. This circle was her way of spreading stories about the supernatural. She would perform and teach tricks, spells, voodoo and chants to young Puritan girls. In the Puritan religion it is forbidden to ever be practicing witchcraft. Two girls who were in this chain were Betty Parris, nine years old, and Abigail Williams, eleven years old. Abigail was Betty’s cousin and Tituba was Betty’s slave. The two girls all of a sudden started showing odd signs in their behaviors. 1) excruciating sensations of â€Å"pricking† or â€Å"pinching† (as by numberless pins and nails), also of â€Å"burning† (by invisible flames); (2)bizarre contortions of body parts: twisting, stretching, usual postures of extreme rigidity and limberness by turns; (3) frenzied motor activity: rolling on the ground, running about aimlessly, simulated â€Å"flying† and â€Å"diving†; occasional â€Å"barking† or other animal imitation; some impulse to injury or self or others; (4) periods of extreme immobility, amounting to paralysis; feelings of extraordinary pressure on the chest; (5) anorexia: more or less complete inhibitions of eating; (6) occasional forced consumption of invisible liquids when overpowered by the witch; (7) â€Å"frolicsome† intervals, mostly without pain; cavorting in a â€Å"ludicrous† way, babbling impertinent nonsense; insults and gestures of physical assault toward bystanders, friends, and family(Rice, 24) These conditions were rarely seen by doctors. There were no medicines to cure their behaviors, so they were diagnosed with witchcraft. They were thought to be under the hands of the devil. The girls received long periods of complete silence, lasting hours or days, to calm the girls down. Now a day with the knowledge of doctors, these behaviors can be diagnosed as anxiety and can possibly be caused by being sexually abused or beaten. Discrimination played a major part in the Salem Witch Trials. Most accusations were made upon old women. Betty and Abigail called upon two women, Sarah Good and Sarah Osborne to be witches. They said that they were seen to be in company with the devil and were sending their spirits to hurt them. The town believed them because Sarah Good was 39 but looked the age of 70. She had long gray hair, a raspy voice, winkled face and was seen smoking a pipe a lot. She was married two times, her first husband died and her second husband became poor after their marriage. The town’s people believed she caused both of her marriages to fail. Sarah Osborne was 69, widowed and had not been to the Puritan church for three years. The first execution in Salem was to a woman of 71, Rebecca Nurse. She was a well-respected woman in the town and was also a devoted member of the Puritan church. She had acquired land from the Putnam family, but a rival over its ownership started to occur. Ann Putnam accused Rebecca of being a witch out of spite to get her family’s land back. This led Rebecca to be put on trial. At first, she was proven innocent, but then Ann Putnam said that Rebecca tried again to send her spirit out. This time Rebecca was found guilty. On July 19th she was hung. The people in the town were getting over paranoid. People were accusing others left and right. If someone was seen either mumbling to themselves, having an eccentric behavior, having a dispute with the Parris family, not going to church, going to a different church, speaking a different language, having connections to the previous Indian war, or expressing support for a recently accused witch then they were now being accused of witchcraft. Nineteen people were accused of witchcraft and were hung. They were hung at Gallows Hill from the month of June to August. Some of the ways people would try to get out of death for being accused as a witch were to flee Salem, accuse someone else, try to get pregnant or fake a pregnancy, confess even if innocent, plead innocent at trial or refuse to stand for a trial. Getting pregnant or faking a pregnancy would give someone a year to live to have the baby and hope that the hysteria would be over. The confession of being a witch even if innocent actually didn’t lead to death, just being sentenced to life in jail. The plead for innocence would be to hope that the judge would see you innocent. Out of the nineteen people hung, five of them were males. George Burroughs, John Willard, George Jacobs, John Proctor and Giles Corey were all convicted. The court was also getting out of hand and having inappropriate behavior. The men didn’t have the suspicion of being witches, like the woman. They went against the court to try and prove innocence for the accused and because of that they were convicted. Finally on October 3rd, Governor Phipps in a sermon to other ministers, showed evidence that the witch trials should end. The court was dissolved and was not allowed to have any more witch trials. Property of the accused was given back. Those who were already found guilty were pardoned. The remaining accused were tried and then found innocent. In Arthur Miller’s play The Crucible, there are many similarities to the Salem Witch Trials. The play is based on the people and the events of the Salem Witch Trials. The play shows how the town’s people were getting consumed by the thought of witchcraft. It displays how people were going behind each other’s backs to get revenge. It also demonstrates how the people acted in the court. Since The Crucible is a drama there are some parts that are not true. There was no incidence where a whole bunch of young girls were dancing in the woods. Abigail was not seventeen and did not have an affair with John Proctor. In conclusion, the hysteria during the Salem Witch Trials led to nineteen deaths. The want for revenge went to an extreme. Many innocent people were convicted without being properly heard, and their deaths came too soon. The Salem Witch Trials will never be forgotten or go unnoticed. They will forever be a reminder that no one will ever die again convicted as a witch in the United States.

The Contrast Between Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Roman Polanski’s Macbeth

The Contrast between Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Roman Polanski’s Macbeth Shakespeare’s play Macbeth is a tragedy that plots the fall and death of once a great man, revealing how ambition can lead to downfall. Many directors and producers have tried to portray his play into modern films but Roman Polanski produced the most successful Macbeth film, but Roman Polanski’s movie Macbeth changes many details that the viewer is unable to fully experience the catharsis. Tragedy is built on the idea that the audience can sympathize with the tragic hero and therefore experience a strong emotional response at the ending. They both were based on the same plot however Polanski’s Macbeth is not a proper tragedy when compared to Shakespeare’s Macbeth because of the difference in the relationship between Donnalbain and his brother Malcolm, the focus of death and violence, and lastly the key modifications that are seen through the different approaches of the characteristics and acts of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. During Roman Polanski’s film it is noticed that Donnalbain envies his brother Malcolm, thus creating more mysteries and suspense. Their relationship was so similar in the play however in the film it seems as if Donnalbain does not like his brother because during the time when King Duncan was alive, Malcolm was given the title as the Prince of Cumberland and Donnalbain received no title or land from their father. After Malcolm was crowned, it appeared as Donnalbain was jealous and upset because of the way Donnalbain expresses his facial appearance and his attitude towards Malcolm. Yet, in the play after the death of King Duncan, Donnalbain fled to Ireland and did not return through the whole play. Another aspect that in the film which was so different was the ending of the film. In the play, Malcolm stated a famous speech to end the play, â€Å"What’s more to do, which would be planted newly with the time, as calling home our exiled friends abroad that fled the snares of watchful tyranny, producing forth the cruel ministers of this dead butcher and his fiendlike queen†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (V. iii. 66-71). This speech was the statement that represented that Malcolm has brought Scotland back on its feet and on the right track, which portrayed the end of Macbeth Era and his evil deeds. This was the ending of the play but however in the film Roman Polanski added a twist in the film that would bring the cycle of bloodshed back into Scotland when it illustrated that Donnalbain has returned from exile and he stumbled into the witches on the way. This foreshadowed that the deeds Macbeth did to become king will arise again but this time Donnalbain will be behind it all. In the film, the deaths and the violence are shown in a way with more information than what the play describes and it vaguely changes the plots with the showing of these deaths. There were many deaths in the films that were not in the play, but that caught many viewer’s eyes was an onset death that was not portrayed in the film. Roman Polanski depicted the murder of King Duncan outstandingly because the audience never had the feel of how King Duncan was actually killed since it was an offset scene in the play. Also because of the blood and gore, and how it seemed as if Macbeth was actually being pleased by stabbing the King all over his body. However, in the play King Duncan’s death was an offset because Shakespeare could not have done it because King James, who was the king at that time, would not have liked a king being killed on stage. Nevertheless, in the play King Duncan’s death was different from the film simply because it was an offset scene and was not portrayed at all. In the play, Macbeth is depicted in such a way that the audience can sympathize for the tragic hero, however in the film he was portrayed more as villain rather than a tragic hero. In Roman Polanski’s version of Macbeth, Lady Macbeth is known to the audience as a sweet respectful woman and more of a tragic character because it did not reveal the part where she wants to abandon her womanhood as it does in the play. She is depicted as courteous woman because of her tone and how she deals with Macbeth such as kissing him when he returns from battle, respecting some of his demands, and not threatening him to do something of her wish. In addition, since she committed suicide in the film by jumping off the balcony or stairs. However, in the play it’s the other way around. Macbeth is known as the politer and subtle human being of the couple and Lady Macbeth is described as a rogue because of her undertakings that are very unusual of a woman. She states, â€Å"Does unmake you. I have given suck, and know how tender ’tis to love the babe that milks me. I would, while it was smiling in my face, have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums and dashed the brains out, had I so sworn as you have done to this†(I. vii. 55-60) to her husband, Macbeth. This is in the play when Lady Macbeth emotionally blackmails Macbeth to killing Duncan and manipulates and takes advantage of Macbeth and tells him he’s a coward if he doesn’t kill King Duncan, which was not illustrated in the film at all. This reveals how different the film represented Macbeth than the play. Through Lady Macbeths great persuasion he did not express much remorse and repentance after murdering King Duncan and Banquo in the film, this was indicated thought Macbeth’s expressions throughout the film since it seemed as if he totally forgotten about what he had done for all the wealth, power and kingship. On the contrary, throughout the play it seemed as if Macbeth was always repenting his crimes worrying about the consequences that he will face if anyone found out the deeds he committed. This gives complete awareness to the audience that in the film Macbeth does not deserve to be executed however after reading the book it clearly gives the audience an insight of the real culprit, Lady Macbeth, since it was her evil deeds, in addition to her pushing Macbeth to extreme limits to where he did not want to go in the first place. To conclude, tragedy is built on the idea that the audience can sympathize with the tragic hero and therefore experience a strong emotional response at the ending. Roman Polanski’s film did not portray a proper tragedy because in the film, Donnalbain and his brother Malcolm had more of jealousy relationship compared to their relationship in the play, the focus of death was so different in the film as well because in the play Duncan’s Murder was an offset scene rather than an onset scene which was illustrated in the movie thus creating more violence and cruelty in the film, and lastly the difference in the characteristics of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in the film and play. Therefore, this reveals that Roman Polanski did have prevailing film version on Macbeth but not a proper tragedy to grasp the genre of Shakespeare’s version of the play.

Cultural Differences and Emotional Intelligence Essay

During an the assessment of several countries, values of open-mindedness, inclusion, respect and tolerance are more likely to be attained within a prospectus that encourages the increase of Emotional Intelligence (EI). In this research paper, the role of EI in determining leadership effectiveness was reviewed to explain emotional characteristics specific to five countries: Nigeria, Mexico, Russia, Argentina, and China. These countries were included in a study called Project Globe. GLOBE is the acronym for Global Leadership and Organizational Behavior Effectiveness. In this study, four cultural clusters were utilized, and the role of emotional intelligence was evaluated in determining leadership effectiveness. Emotional Intelligence was appraised more favorably than technical skills and cognitive skills, especially when referring to social skills, and transformational/charismatic leaderships were preferred across cultures. The intent of the collaborative effort of Team 4 was to explore the cultural values and practices in five different countries and to identify their impact on organizational practices and leadership attributes. One way to explore cultural similarities in the world is to study cultural clusters which are a group of countries that share many similarities. The countries in a cluster are more like each other than another country from outside the cluster (Javidan & House, 2002). A study conducted by the consulting firm KPMG (Project Globe) tested the proposition linking EI and cross-cultural leadership by surveying managers from four cultural clusters (Anglo, Latin European, Eastern European, and Southern Asian). Project GLOBE was a multi-phase, multi-method research project in which some 170 investigators from over 60 cultures representing all major regions in the world joined forces to examine the interrelationships between societal culture, organizational culture, and organizational leadership. Clustering of nations was a real-world way to depict intercultural similarities as well as intercultural differences- 61 nations were categorized into 10 distinct clusters. Four clusters and their respective leadership styles and traits were evaluated: the Anglo cluster; the Latin Europe cluster; the Eastern European cluster; and the Southern Asia cluster. The Anglo Cluster included Australia, Canada, England, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa (Nigeria), and the United States of America. These countries are all developed nations, predominantly English speaking, and among the wealthiest countries in the world. Charismatic, team-oriented, and participative leadership styles were perceived to be the most effective in the Anglo Cluster. The charismatic leadership behaviors included being visionary, motivating, and appealing to the fundamental values of followers. Self-awareness of interactive skills may be a crucial component to manager effectiveness in high power Anglo cultures. Each national culture carries definite leadership behaviors that are perceived to be applicable for that specific country. Being charismatic in Australia can sometimes conflict with the importance of impartiality for successful leadership-therefore, a leader must be visionary and inspirational but still be viewed as â€Å"one of the boys† (Ashkanasy, Trevor-Roberts, & Earnshaw, 2002). The barometer for measuring someone’s level of emotional intelligence is a function that is used though domains that have been emphasized by analysts. Three tests that have been utilized are the ability model, the mixed-ability model, and the personality model. The ability model is measured with the Mayor-Salovey Emotional Intelligent Test using four types of abilities: perceiving emotions, using emotions, understanding emotions and managing emotions. The mixed ability model was used to test for emotional intelligence. The five main concepts of this measurement are self-awareness, social responsibility, adaptability, stress management and general mood. The personality model was used to measure a series of behavior test and is used more as a self-reporting test. The use of the emotional intelligence concepts in the workplace has increased business performance. Higher levels of emotional intelligence has resulted in better performance in certain areas in the workplace such as better participative management, putting people at ease, self-awareness, balance between personal life and work, straight forwardness and composure, building and mending relationships, decisiveness, confronting problem employees and change management. Managers can also be toxic for the workplace based on their attitudes-this is where the concept of resonance plays a vital part. The use of literature on emotional intelligence and its utilization is very minimal in Nigeria. There is no significant difference in occupational stress between secondary school teachers with low emotional difference and those with high emotional intelligence. The effect of emotional intelligence with work-family issues resulted in a conflict within the workplace. Emotional intelligence should be considered in employee selection and placement process for managerial effectiveness to be guaranteed-the managers with high emotional intelligence should be posted to highly challenging managerial positions and vice versa. Leadership qualities in Nigeria are very poor and implementing emotional intelligence can improve their economy. Improvement includes more intelligent Nigerian leaders who can improve the professional performance in their organizations through emotional intelligence. The perceptions of Nigerians can be shaped and made as a result of training in emotional intelligence which will produce Nigerian leaders who will lead by example. The Latin European cluster consists of France, French Switzerland, Italy, Portugal, Mexico, and Spain. In Latin Europe, charismatic/values-based, team oriented, and participative leadership were considered the most effective leadership attributes which included being visionary, inspirational, self-sacrificial, having integrity, decisiveness and performance orientation. Team-oriented leadership compromises collaboration, team integration, diplomacy, and administrative competence (Jesuino, 2002). Emotionally self-aware leaders can be candid and authentic, able to speak openly about their emotions or with conviction about their guiding vision (Goleman, Boyatzis, & McKee, 2002). This statement is true and can be seen in Mexico’s business practices. For example, in Mexico, emotions are not suppressed in business situations and discussions can appear to be hostile to those from a culture which frowns upon the any visible shows of emotion during business dealings (â€Å"Doing Business†, n. d. ). A visionary leader can impact this process positively by honoring the feelings and beliefs of the people around him, while steadfastly demonstrating the benefit of moving toward the company goal (Goleman et al. , 2002). This outward show of emotion is seen as a positive attribute and implies commitment and emphasis. Meetings are seen as opportunities for the free flow of ideas and information — although it is best to avoid very open disagreements with the most senior Mexican present as this could be construed as disrespectful and confrontational. Open signs of emotion, through the use of interruptions and speaking loudly, are seen as a sign of active engagement rather than an unnecessary loss of control. When a Mexican becomes highly emotional during a meeting one should not assume that they have lost their sense of professionalism (â€Å"Doing Business†, n. d. ). Emotion is an important factor that contributes to Mexican business meetings. Creating organizations that are emotionally intelligent is ultimately the leader’s responsibility. It is up to the leaders to help the organization identify its reality and assist their members to uncover their own roles in that vision (Goleman et al. , 2002). Social awareness-particularly empathy-is crucial for the leader’s primal task of driving resonance. By being attuned to how others feel in the moment, a leader is able to provide a sense of shared values and priorities that can guide the group. Empathy-which includes listening and taking other people’s perspective-allows leaders to tune into emotional channels between people that can create resonance (Goleman et al. , 2002). The Eastern European cluster encompassed Albania, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Argentina, Kazakhstan, Poland, Russia, and Slovenia. In the Eastern European cluster, the key elements of successful leadership were compiled mostly of transformational-charismatic and team-oriented leadership. Participation has some historical roots in the region, as large consultative bodies combined with authoritarian leadership style has been a prevailing pattern in status conscious eastern societies. Extensive research and several studies have been conducted over the last decade in regards to emotional intelligence and leadership styles in Russia. Van Gardner (2010) stated, â€Å"this recent focus on developing organizational leaders is largely a result of the recent changes in the political and economic environments in Russia, following the country’s recovery and stabilization from its financial crisis of 1998† (Van Genderen, 2010, p. 77). A Leadership Dimensions Questionnaire (LDQ) was used to assess prevailing leadership styles. Three distinct leadership styles were identified: engaging leadership (transformational), involving leadership (participative) and goal leadership (transactional). The leadership’s success is a result of a threshold of cognition (IQ) and high levels of Emotional Intelligence (EQ)-the three paradigms IQ, EQ and MQ (managerial competencies) were highly correlated. An interesting result of the investigation was that no significant differences were found between the Russian men and women participating in the research (Van Genderen, 2010, p. 86). Human resources has become an important factor within an organization-the only sustainable competitive advantage organizations of the future will possess is the value added by their employees. Designing effective leadership development programs to foster such executives has been described as ‘the biggest challenge that looms in the new millennium for HR managers† (Van Genderen, 2010, p. 88). This holds true for all organizations. Instituting confidence and reciprocal respect establishes smooth transitions when conducting business transactions in Argentina. Serenity can guarantee accomplishment as it may take several visits to the country to finalize any business transactions. Dealing with organizational leaders is time-consuming due to the many levels of decision making combined with an enormous amount of bureaucracy. Generally, greetings among industry people is a handshake and a brief nod of the head. This is appropriate to both men and women. Once a connection has been made resulting in friendship, hugs and kisses become the standard form of greeting. Eye contact is encouraged and personal space is minimal; pulling back will create an atmosphere of untrustworthiness. The glue that holds people together in a team, and that commits people to an organization, is the emotions they feel (Goldman, Boyatzis, & McKee, 2004). The Southern Asia cluster consisted of India, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Philippines, China, and Thailand. Transformational–charismatic and team-oriented leadership are perceived as the most effective leadership styles (Gupta, Surie, Javidan, & Chokar, 2002). Leaders are expected to act as patriarchs who help subordinates point towards more aspiring and mutual goals by ensuring their actions and decisions develop and maintain the team and family orientation in their organizations. The global leader needs to be open to arbitrations and viewpoints to make sure he/she does not alienate any group members. When it comes to China, four very different traditional Chinese leadership approaches are identified and discussed by Emotional Intelligence Expert Sebastien Henry. This discussion provides us a starting point for our analyses. The four historic leadership approaches Henry examines are: legalistic, strategic, naturalistic, and humanistic (Henry, 2009). It should be noted, according to Mr. Henry, â€Å"none of the four leadership styles give a lot of room to emotions when it comes to leading people. † (Henry, 2009) The legalistic approach (Han Fei Zi) was characterized as perhaps the most contradictory to the principals of emotional intelligence as there was the belief that man was â€Å"naturally evil and that strict rules and punishment were needed† (Henry, 2009. The strategic approach (Sun Tzu) is also not considered to be overly EQ aligned as, within this approach, thoughts on leadership were famously applied to the winning of battles with little focus on the use of emotions in other areas. Interestingly, the very famous book The Art of War, a famous ancient Chinese military work was authored by the high ranking military general Sun Tzu. In the naturalistic approach (Lao Zi–Chuang Zi), also known as the Taoist approach, the emphasis is on the spiritual development of the leader. â€Å"The accomplished leader is the one that followers barely notice: almost invisible, unassuming, but nurturing and always present, just like the Tao† (Henry, 2009). We find some of the concepts in the traditional naturalistic approach to perhaps represent a precursor to present day EI concepts, and although emotional intelligence expert Sebastien Henry concludes, â€Å"there is not a lot in the Dao De Jing ( ) about the emotional side of leadership except that the leader has to aim at ultimately reaching within herself a place of deep inner peace that emotions won’t affect,† which is precisely what we see as perhaps the precursor to current EI concepts (Henry, 2009). Lastly, the humanistic approach (Confucius, Mencius) is often believed to be the approach that is most closely aligned with emotions and the concepts being discussed by Goleman and other emotional intelligence experts. The concept of compassion, a concept many consider a fundamental principal of emotionally intelligent leadership, could be closely linked to the famous Confucian concept of benevolence which is fundamental to the humanistic, Confucian approach. Going forward, while it may or may not appear that the Chinese were overly concerned with emotional intelligence in their traditional leadership methods, recent developments indicate there is little chance the Chinese will be left behind in the exploration, experimentation, and utilization of the promising, performance enhancing benefits of emotional intelligence in the immediate future . Very recently, a Chinese Communist Party publication, the Study Times, published a 3000-word article entitled the Emotional Quotient and its Three Major Components. It seems clear this article was a response to Chinese President Xi Jinping’s public statement that â€Å"it isn’t one’s educational background, integrity, experience, or people you know that matters. What it takes to be a good communist leader President Xi said is Emotional intelligence† (Li, 2013) . Overall, any way you look at it, what seems clear is that in most Asian cultures-as well as in Latin America and some European countries-establishing a strong relationship is a prerequisite for doing business (Goldman, Boyatzis, & McKee, 2004, p. 64). The countries that participated in Project GLOBE provide to managers a meticulous instrument to help recognize the similarities and differences among various cultures worldwide. The most valuable message managers in any culture can take from this study is to take a proactive and positive approach to resolving issues, especially those involving cross-cultural issues. The findings and insights from Project GLOBE can and should at the very least be utilized to enlighten managers on how to better manage the conveyance of information and knowledge across cultural borders. References Ashkanasy, N. M. , Trevor-Roberts, E. & Earnshaw, L. (2002). â€Å"The Anglo Cluster: Legacy of the British Empire† Journal of World Business, Volume 37:1, 28-39. Doing Business in Mexico – Mexican Business Culture – Mexican Culture – World Business Culture. (n. d. ). World Business Culture: Key information on Business Culture in the World’s Leading 39 Economies. Retrieved Sept 5, 2013, from http://www. worldbusinessculture. com/Mexican-Business-Style. html. Goleman, D. , Boyatzis, R. , & Mckee, A. (2002). Primal leadership: Learning to lead with Emotional Intelligence. Boston, Mass. : Harvard Business School Press. Goleman, D. , Boyatzis, R. , & Mckee, A. (2002). Primal leadership: Realizing the power of Emotional Intelligence. Boston, Mass. : Harvard Business School Press. Goleman, D. , Boyatzis, R. , & McKee, A. (2004). Primal Leadership. Resonant leadership, 20. University of Birmingham Intranet. Retrieved on 1 Sept 2013 from: https://intranet. birmingham. ac. uk/as/employability/careers/international/country- profiles/argentina/business. aspx. Gupta, V. , Gita, S. , Javidan, M. , & Jagdeep, C. (2002). â€Å"Southern Asia Cluster: Where the Old Meets the New? † Journal of World Business, Volume 37:1, 16-27. Henry, S. (2009). Chinese Leadership and Emotional Intelligence. How Do Chinese Leaders Handle Emotions? Progress-U Limited. Retrieved on 8 Sept 2013 from: http://www. progressu. com/ezine-eq-for-leaders-2009-4. php Javidan, M. & House, R. (2002). â€Å"Leadership and Cultures around the World: Findings from GLOBE,† Journal of Business, Volume 37:1, 1-2. Jesuino, J. (2002). â€Å"Latin Europe Cluster; from South to North,† Journal of World Business, Volume 37:1, 81-89. Li, A (2013) South China Morning Post, Xi Jinping’s Emotional Intelligence Comments Spark Debate. Retrieved on 8 Sept 2013 from: http://www. scmp. com/news/china/article/1242750/xi-jinpings-emotional-intelligence-comments-spark-debate Margavio, T. M. , Margavio, G. W. , Hignite, M. A. , & Moses, D. R. (2012). A Comparative Analysis of the Emotional Intelligence Levels of American and Chinese Business Students, College Student Journal, 46(4), 776-787. Van Genderen, E. (2010). An Investigation into the Relationship between the Leadership Competencies, Emotional Intelligence and Leadership Styles of Russian Managers Working for MNCs. Retrieved from http://www. scielo. gpeari. mctes. pt/pdf/egg/vi5ni.

The Role of Culture in International Management

‘One of the most important rules to remember when working within a multi-national organization is that there is not necessarily one right way of doing things,'says Professor Geert Hofstede With developing globalization of business across the world, the ability of employees to work effectively and efficiently has become increasingly important to the entities success. Cross-cultural understanding by individuals and the organization as a whole serves to eliminate misunderstandings that could harm the business and maximize the best attribute each individual has to offer. Effective international managers are those with the wisdom to seek competitive edge through intercultural training, gaining a complete understanding of their global markets so they can plan and execute accordingly. in addition the new, globalized, borderless economy is facing international managers. The premise has changed from unlimited growth to uncertainty and caution, but importantly, the premise of opportunity in global business remains unchanged. The uncertain economy and increasing geopolitical complexity simply levels the playing field for managers around the world. How managers respond, how they manage and turn the increasing threats into opportunities, becomes vital to success in today's environment. Now, more than ever, all students must recognize that they will have the qualifier â€Å"international† in front of whatever their chosen career field. The whole world is now connected electronically and psychologically; it is hard to imagine any business or nonbusiness organization that is not directly affected by globalization. The challenge in the uncertain global economy is to learn and effectively practice international management. Those with the knowledge and skills to apply on international management will be taking a big step toward gaining a competitive advantage in today's uncertain, unprecedented environment.

Gettysburg film, 1993 Essay

The movie Gettysburg is a film that details the Battle of Gettysburg, which took place from July 1-3 in 1863. The battle culminated in a major victory for the Union, while confederate troops in a way viewed the conflict as a last chance fight to take control in the Civil War. The film begins by showing the preparations for battle on Jun 30 of 1863, and then it goes on to demonstrate the competency of officials who decide on strategy, and then the outcomes of their battle plans. At the end of the movie, Pickett’s charge is detailed, and it was perhaps one of the most significant Confederate defeats of the Civil War. The movie did an excellent job explaining what happened in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania during the time of the battle. It was not dramatized beyond its portrayal of what actually happened, and it is historically accurate in covering one of the most important battles of the Civil War. The film was directed by Ronald F. Maxwell, who followed the plot outlined in Michael Sharaa’s 1974 novel about the battle, entitled The Killer Angels. The film does not attempt to cover everything that was going on in the battle, but it selects the main activities of each day, and shows the officials making key decisions. The first part of the movie, which corresponds to the beginning of the battle, and the first day of fighting, depicts the Union officer John Buford (played by Sam Elliott) who picked the battlefield. The second story detailed was that of Joshua Chamberlain (played by Jeff Daniels), who defends Little Round Top from the confederate troops. Then Pickett’s Charge, where the Confederacy, ordered to do so by General Robert E. Lee (Martin Sheen) famously charged Major George Meade’s (Richard Anderson) Union troops, and this scene details the struggles of the Confederate General Lewis Armistead (Richard Jordan). The movie was made to give people an accurate overview of one of the most important battles in the Civil War, and in the history of the United States. Because the battle lasted only three days, the movie did not have too much trouble outlining the main events. It serves not only to entertain, but to educate people about the Battle of Gettysburg. Unlike many of Hollywood’s attempts to retell historical moments of note, this movie was not full of romance and historically inaccurate, but dramatic, side-stories; it was accurate and because of the importance of its subject, it did not need to be spiced up to be recognized as a good film. The film was historically accurate. The only thing to say about a discrepancy between the film and the actual battle is that the film did not show as much about other things going on when it was focused on a particular story. For instance, not much was shown about what was going on in Confederate camps as the Union troops were preparing for war in the first couple of scenes. The extras used in battle scenes are accurately dressed in the right style of uniform, and the plotline of the movie doe not include anything that was absent from the actual battle. â€Å"The directors of the movie hired history professors and Civil War enthusiasts to advise them, to make sure they were accurate throughout the whole of the film. Historical accuracy was of great concern to the producers and director,† James Beradinelli of ReelReviews writes. â€Å"They hired a veritable army of advisors to correct even the most minute mistakes in the script (if a general given a pale horse in the movie was known to have favored a dark horse, the mount was changed), used the actual sites in Pennsylvania as often as possible (where hiding war monuments became an art), and â€Å"recruited† more than 5000 unpaid re-enactors to fill up the screen during the battle scenes (thus helping to keep the budget at a reasonable $20 million). The result is a movie that looks and feels real. † The director and producers wanted to capture the actions that occurred in the battle itself in their movie. They emphasized situation’s of valiance, such as (most notably) Pickett’s Charge, where 50,000 troops were killed and wounded, and General Lee’s motivational speech to the troops before they went to battle. The directors wanted to make sure that the people understood even the smallest details of the battle, so they showed the scenes where officials decided on battle tactics, including the scene where General Lee ignores Lt. General Longstreet’s (Tom Berenger) strategy and accepts Pickett’s (Stephen Lang), who was selected to lead the troops, leading many confederate soldiers to their death as they pressed on to Union General George Meade’s troops. There was no noticeable bias in the movie. It was intended to by a historically accurate overview of the Battle of Gettysburg, and that is what it was. Even without the addition of dramatic Hollywood moments, the film includes dramatic scenes that were present in the battle, such as Lee’s speech to his troops before Pickett’s charge, directed to his fellow Virginians. The movie was a great overview of the Battle of Gettysburg, including some of the battle’s smaller details. But it managed to keep the eye of its viewers despite being four hours and fourteen minutes long. The film was gripping, but accurate, and without noticeable biases or added dramatic, Hollywood situations. Works Cited Boatner, Mark M. The Civil War Dictionary. New York: Vintage Books, 1991 History in Film. 1999. Gettysburg. 19 April 2009. http://www. historyinfilm. com/gettysbg/default. htm Internet Movie Database. 1993. Gettysburg. 19 April 2009. http://www. imdb. com/title/tt0107007/ Nesbitt, Mark. 35 Days to Gettysburg- The Campaign Diaries of Two American Enemies. Harrisburg, Stackpole Books, 1992. Oates, William C. and Haskell, Frank A. Gettysburg. New York Bantam, 1992. Ron Maxwell. com. 1993 Gettysburg, a Film by Ronald Maxwell. 18 April 2009. http://www. ronmaxwell. com/gettysburg. html Sauers, Richard A. The Gettysburg Campaign- June 3- August 1, 1863. Westport: Greenwood Press,1982.

Business Strategy Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Business Strategy Report - Essay Example Here the PESTEL and SWOT analysis as special tools enable the company to represent its strong sides and the fields for improvement and also assist in analyzing the opportunities that different factors give to it. Besides, when using the framework of Porter’s five forces, it assists the company to examine its current and potential rivals that may influence the business. While developing its new strategic vision, TESCO can use the Ansoff and Boston matrixes to identify its products and market share and also products and market growth strategy. The analysis of TESCO organizational design requires rethinking of its structure, systems, shared values and style of activities and also its employees and their abilities that would create the best opportunities for TESCO business growth and development. The McKinsey model will enable the company to identify the connections between such areas of the company. According to London Stock Exchange, the TESCO PLC Company, ISIN GB0008847096, represents FTSE sub-sector of Food Retailers and Wholesalers. Located in United Kingdom, it is one of the world’s largest retailers with the market capital in $15,214 million, revenue of 63557.00 million pounds and current total assets in 50164.00 million pounds (Company profile, 2014). Tesco currently operates in 13 countries, such as India, Malaysia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Ireland, Poland, Sovakia, China and others. No other supermarket chain with the basis in UK has operations abroad. While Tesco operates mainly in the UK, there are large format of hypermarkets located another countries. Founded in 1919, now it has grown to the sizes that give job to more than five hundred employees and serving millions of customers every day. The main competitors or TESCO are the J Sainsbury PLC, the UK chain of  supermarkets, a British-based but the