Explain Vince Rizzo's search for identity in the movie City Island Essay

Explain Vince Rizzo's search for identity in the movie City Island - Essay Example This paper will shed light upon Vince’s search for identity in the movie; light will also be thrown upon how he fathered a child in his teenage, who comes back in his life and how things progress from there. Vince is a native of the island, he is uncomfortable with people who come to stay there and bring about unwanted changes, and the opening scene of his voiceover presents the same very comprehensively. Vince is not comfortable with his job, he is a prison guard, and his ambition of becoming an actor is perhaps the most important thing in the movie. He lies to his wife and moves to Manhattan to pursue a career as an actor. There are a lot of misunderstandings in the movie, Vince’s wife thinks that her husband is after some mistress who he has been pursuing for quite some time, Vince’s ambition and several misunderstandings make this movie very intriguing. Vince has several problems which he is completely unaware of, his daughter strips at a club in order to pay her school fees; he meets his step son who he fathered out of wedlock. Vince’s son is addicted to porn on internet and wants to fulfill his fantasies with a girl residing in the neighborhood; these are some of the many problems which Vince was facing. The introduction of Tony, Vince’s step-son brings a huge twist in the movie.

Case Study of Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Of Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company - Case Study Example This is highlighted by the famous words of its founder: "Never say no when a client asks for something even if it is the moon. You can always try" (Lampton 2003). Thus, "guests remark that they are "pampered," "respected," "treated like royalty," and "incurably spoiled" (Lampton 2003). Recognizing the importance of customer service in extending the Ritz-Carlton experience, the company has been passionate in training their staff and treating them as their strategic partners. The hotel chain makes it a point to make employees absorb the core value in the organization, train them, prepare them to serve the market. What is remarkable is the company's strong adherence to strategic human resource management. Ritz-Carlton's staff irrefutably becomes its competitive advantage (Lampton 2003). Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company's popularity is highly due to its upscale, luxury brand of hotels and resorts with locations in major cities in the United States and other internationally famous destinations such as Montego Bay, Jamaica, San Juan, Puerto Rico, Bali, Hong Kong and Qatar. The hotel company owns 59 hotels in 20 countries 37 of which are hotels while 22 are resorts. The operation of the hotel company began in 1983 with the purchase of the Ritz-Carlton, Boston by William B. Johnson. However, the legacy of the hotel is attributed to the celebrated "king of hoteliers and hotelier to kings," Csar Ritz. The company states that "his philosophy of service and innovations redefined the luxury hotel experience in Europe through his management of The Ritz in Paris and The Carlton in London." The company's quest of providing quality accommodation and service named it one of the best hotels in the world as it consistently reaped awards from prestigious organizations like Forbes, Travel Weekly, Luxury Institute, and Consumer Reports. In 2006, it was awarded the Mobil Five-Star Award and AAA Five Diamond Award (Ritz-Carlton 2007). Serving Ladies and Gentlemen Ritz-Carlton's market segmentation is reflected on its different product offerings. The company irrefutably utilized geographic, psychographic, as well as behavioral factors in designing their product line. In terms of geographic it can be noticed that Ritz-Carlton offers accommodation in four key strategic locations-tourist spots, business districts, metropolitan, and countryside. The company offers luxurious accommodations in scenic tourists' destinations like Bali, Milan, and Barcelona as well as in the business districts of New York, Tokyo, and Dubai International Financial Center. Metropolitan like areas like Seoul and Kula Lumpur as well as the countryside of Florida and Montego Bay are conquered by the pleasure offered by Ritz Carlton (Ritz Carlton 2007). In terms of psychographic and behavioral factors, Ritz-Carlton segments its market by looking at the general and specific interests of its customers. The hotel company divides its target company according to the purpose of their use of facility. Three general classifications are generated: those who stay in the hotel for business purposes;

Difference Between Sephardic and Ashkenazi Jews in Modern Times Essay Example for Free

Difference Between Sephardic and Ashkenazi Jews in Modern Times Essay For the most part, modern Jewish history deals with the political, social and economic advancements achieved by the Ashkenazi communities in Europe, America, and later Palestine. Because of its relatively small size and involvement in the affairs of civilized countries of Europe and America, the Sephardi branch of Judaism is rerely dealt with in the context of modern Jewish history. Their development is however, though not as influential upon the flow of the mainstream history as that of the Ashkenazi jewry, is nevertheless an area of interest to anyone undertaking a serious study of Jewish history. The theological difference between the two movements, the Sefardi and the Ashekenazi, lies in the traditional laws more than in written ones. Both take an Orthodoxal approach to the written law of the Torah, and the differences in its interpretation are subtle enough to be dismissed. However the traditions acquired , and at times given the power of laws, in the course of the long centuries of diaspora differ considerably from one branch of Judaism to another. Just as the worldwide language of the Ashekenazim, Yiddish, is a mixture of Hebrew with German, the common language used by the Sephardim Ladino, still in use in some parts of the world, is a dialect formed by combining Hebrew with Spanish. The Sephardim who have historically been more involved into the lives of the gentile societies where they settled dont have as strict a set of observances as do the Ashkenazis who have been contained in closed ghettos up until two centuries ago. The official doctrine of the Sephardis does not for example prohibit polygomy, whereas it hasnt been allowed in the Ashkenazi law since Middle Ages. Although the Ashkenazi traditions are somewhat stricter than those of the Sephardim, a greater percentage of Ashkenazi Jews have over the past century and a half stopped observing these traditions, becoming either secular Jews, atheists, like the American Freethinkers, or simply converting. An even greater part have chosen to follow only a part of the traditional, or oral, laws, forming widely popular Reform and Conservative movements. This phenomenon, if present within the Sephardic community exists on such a small scale that it can be discounted. The reason for this difference in the adherence of the tradition is the way in which the tradition itself was first put into effect. In the case of the Ashkenazi Jews the traditions have been instated by the long centuries of enforced separation, and when the barriers were let down, the communities that were held together by pressure from the outside started to degenerate. With the walls of the ghetto gone, but full emancipation not yet granted, many believed that if they had integrated themselves into the gentile societies, they would gain acceptance. Secular education replaced religion, rather than complementing it. This however was not the case with Sephardim, whose less strict traditions were developed in the environment of toleration. While the Ashkenazi Jews were restricted to the ghettos of Europe, held at bay by the Catholic church, the Sephardim of Middle East, North Africa and Ottoman Empire were living as dhimmies, or people of the pact, and though not fully equal with their Muslim hosts, were to some extent intregrated into their societies. For this reason, the traditional laws of the Sephardim are less demanding, but more enduring. Unlike the Ashkenazi population that has over a century of immigration spread itself all over the world, The Sephardic communities tend to concentrate mostly around a few areas. Today most of the Sephardic Jews reside within Israel, amost other Middle-Eastern communities having been reduced to virtual nonexistance by the migration of Jews out of Arabic countries after the creation of Israel. A substantial community is still maintained in Turkey, where historically Jews have received good treatment. Of the Western countries, the only one where the population of Sephardic Jews is comparable to that of the Ashekenazis is France, where a considerable number of Jews have resided since the Middle Ages. While Sephardi Jews were the first people of Jewish faith to arrive in the US, and their number in this country is still quite large, they are but a drop in the bucket when compared to the overall number of Jews currently residing in America today. The Spehardic Jews have historically lived in the areas more or less tolerant of Judaism. They therefore had more of an opportunity to integrate themselves into the host societies than did their Ashkenazi counterparts living in the countries where Jewish communities were forcebly segregated from the rest. Thus they never really formed separate self-governed units, and the impact made upon the countries of their residence can be traced only through the outstanding Jewish personalities that had effect on the history of those states, and not actions taken by the community as a whole. Whereas in the history of American Jews one may encounter occurrences of political decisions being influenced by the pressure of Jews as a communal force, the history of Middle-Eastern countries is only able to offer examples of brilliant Jewish individuals, but rarely actions taken by the whole communities. The Sephardis (the word itself comes from a Hebrew word for Spain) first came to Europe in the early middle ages across the Straight of Gibraltar to the Iberian peninsula, following the wave of muslim conquerors, into whose society they were at the time well integrated. With the slow reconquest of the peninsula by the Christians a number of the Jews stayed on the land, at times serving as middlemen in the ongoing trade between the two sides of the conflict. Prospering from such lucrative practices, the Sephardic community of the newly created Spain grew and gained economic power. With the final expulsion of the external heretics, the Spanish, devoted Catholics have turned within in their quest for the expulsion of the unfaithful, and around 1492 a decree had forced the Jews of Spain to convert or leave country. While some Jews of Spain have chosen to convert rather than face relocation and possibly relinquish their economic position, (though some of those continued practicing Judaism in secrecy) many of them have migrated to the Ottoman empire, where the Sultan Bayazid II offered them safe haven. In later years as the Ottoman rulers continued the policy of toleration, the Sephardic community of Turkey grew to considerable numbers. Other members of the Spanish Jewry migrated to nearby Portugal from where they were promptly expelled in 1496. From here, some people migrated North to France, where they were tolerated in the southern provinces, and Netherlands. Others went eastward to the Ottoman Empire and Middle East. The Sephardic community of France had maintained a realtively constant population, a fact that allowed it to exist in obscurity, and thus continue to be tolerated. The people who settled in the Netherlands, by this time a country of religious tolerance, had enjoyed for a period of time the equality unparalleled at this point anywhere in the Western world. The main flux of Sephardi immigrants took almost a century incoming to the Netherlands, finally reaching that country around 1590. When half a century later Netherlands began active trade with the South America, Jews were greatly involved because they could speak Dutch and were literate enough to keep records of the trade. They gained a great deal economically through this lucrartive practice, and it was by the way of this trade that first Sephardic Jews have arrived in the Americas. The Ottoman empire, which in its golden age spanned from North Africa to the Balcans, had attracted Jewish immigration from as early as the 1300s. The Sultans sympathy to the Jews went so far that in 1556, Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent had requested from the Pope Paul IV the release of the Ancona Marranos which he declared Ottoman citizens. Over the years, Jews exiled from Hungary, France, Sicily and Bohemia came to the Ottoman empire in search of home, and they found it. A letter sent by Rabbi Yitzhak Sarfati (from Edirne) to Jewish communities in Europe invited his coreligionists to leave the torments they were enduring in Christiandom and to seek safety and prosperity in Turkey. (1) Three centuries after the expulsion of Jews from Spain, the Ottoman cities of Istanbul, Izmud, Safed and Salonica became centers of Sephardic prosperity that was compairable to the period of muslim domination of Spain. While there arent many records of Jews as a community taking historically important actions in the course of their stay in the Ottoman Empire, many individuals worthy of notice are encountered in history. The first printing press in the Empire was established in 1493 by David and Samuel ibn Nahmias, only a year after their exile from Spain. A number of Jews had been diplomats for the Sultan (one of them, Salamon ben Nathan Eskenazi had established first contact with the British Empire), court physicians and otherwise influential people. The Zionist movement was met with drastically different reactions by the two movements. Among the by now enlightened Ashkenazim, where many have come to consider their states objects of primary alligiance, the idea of a return to Palestine was met with suspicions. Some of the people were genuinely afraid that if they acted in support of a Jewish homeland, their loyalties to the countries of their residence would be questioned, and the progress made toward emancipation that had taken long centuries to achieve would be destroyed in a single blow. Among the Sephardim, the ideas of Zionism were met with much greater enthusiasm. (3) The Jews of Middle East, whose religious convictions were at that time much better preserved, had embraced the idea of return to the land of their forefathers. The traditions ran strong among them, and the young generations did not feel resentfull for being forced to obey laws that they felt were outdated. Modernization for European Jews meant catching up with the secular education studies of their hosts, this word hoever, took a totally different meaning when applied to the Jews of Middle-East and Asia, areas to which modernization came later, and which at that point were far behind the technological progress made in the countries of the West. Therefore, while the Jews of Europe had to battle for their equality in a society the education level of which was arguably supperior to that of their own, the Jews of Middle-East had to modernize together with their host nations, and sometimes even ahead of them. The speed of the progress of Middle-Eastern Jews was enhanced by their Western-European counterparts who have by this time established for themselves not only political equality, but also economic prosperity in their adopted homelands. These well-to-do Jews who have for the most part abandoned some or all of their traditions, and have justly considered themselves to be enlightened, wished to bring this enlightenment in the way of Europeanisation to the Jews living outside of the civilized world. (2) The educational institutions created by the Alliance Israelite Universelle have had such great impact on the education of the Jews of the then-decaying Ottoman Empire, that even today, a considerable part of older generation Turkish Jews think of French as their primary means of communication. In Israel the farming communities founded in the late 1800s with the funding of rich European Jewish families as a part of the project to re-settle Palestine, have now grown to become well established businesses. Currently the Israeli Jews represent the only substantial Jewish community left in the Middle East. The surrounding countries, where up until the 1940s many Jews coexisted with Muslim majorities, have over the course of the past half-century lost most of their Jewish population to immigration due to racial and ethnic tensions brought about by the Arab-Israeli conflicts. In fact, the governments of states such as Syria have after the creation of Israel considered the Jews living on their territories to be hostages in this confrontation, and have treated them accordingly. The immigrants from the Arab states being predominantly Sephardic, Israel, a once Ashekenazi dominated country, now has an about even division between the two movements. With their increasing number, the Sephardi influence is also growing in the Israeli legislature, and in the last few years a Sephardi party Shaas has gained substantial power within the Knesset, Israels governing body. The state of Israel is unique in that it is the first country in over two thousand years where Jews have been given the right of self-rule. This raises problems that the Jews in other times, and even the Jews outside of Israel today do not have to deal with. Throughout Israels brief history, a debate as to the extent to which the secular laws should follow the religious doctrine of Judaism had been an ongoing one. Such debates are naturally meaningless in the rest of the world, where the Jews are to follow the laws of the land. The different historical background of the two movements of Judaism has created a noticeable gap in their culture, their traditional laws and their adherence of those laws. It has shaped the manner of their development and the final result of it. The history itself was shaped by the environment in which the exiled Jews found themselves, and the attitude of the people who surrounded them. This attitude was in turn based around their religious doctrine. (1) Bernard Lewis, The Jews of Islam (2) Harvey Goldberg, Sephardi and Middle Eastern Jewries, introductoin p15 (3) Norman Stillman, Sephardi and Middle Eastern Jewries Essay 1, Middle-Eastern and North African Jewries p67 1996, Lev Epshteyn, SUNY Binghamton.

Wicked And Messy Environmental Problems

Wicked And Messy Environmental Problems Some environmental problems have taken on a new nature; they have become wicked. These wicked problems defy classification and have no clear-cut solutions. They are associated with a high degree of uncertainty and deep disagreement of values. They have become immune to the conventional approach to problem solving and pose a major challenge to effective natural resource management. This essay examines four challenges that wicked problems present: complexity, conflict, change and uncertainty. It suggests that to develop effective policies and management responses, a combination of adaptive management, carefully designed participatory processes and the precautionary principle must be used in a way that enhances social learning. A case study of Canadas Model Forest program is used to illustrate how the adaptive and participatory processes have been effective in dealing with uncertainty and complexity in Forest Management. Human activities over the decades have undoubtedly affected the environment. Industrialization and technological progress is one such activity that has been argued as the cause of great damage to the natural environment. Coupled to the increasing need to provide for the growing populations around the world, this has led to a myriad of environmental problems some of which have been described as messy or wicked. Rittel and Webber (1973) describe wicked environmental problems as defying classification and devoid of clear cut solutions. They have also been associated with radical uncertainty and plurality of legitimate perspectives (Funtowicz and Ravetz, 1991).They pose a great challenge to governance structures, knowledge and skills base as well as our organizational capacity. Amidst the vast technological advancements, these wicked problems still remain unraveled and elusive. What does this mean for natural resource management? This suggests that natural resource management has been plunged into an era of turbulence with diminishing effects of the conventional approach to problem solving. Policymakers and environmental managers will need to realize that there are no quick fixes or simple solutions as is the experience in dealing with tame problems. There is no single correct formulation of a particular problem since the definition of a wicked problem is subject to the beholder (Allen and Gould, 1986).In view of that, decision makers will have to implement policy without exploring all the feasible or possible options. Learning must become a central theme policymakers and natural resource managers may need to incorporate into their daily administration. Quite imperative also, is the realization that management approaches for dealing with wicked problems can only be optimal but never true or false. This essay attempts to suggest ways by which policymakers and natural resource managers can deal with the challenges that wicked and messy problems pose to natural resource managers. It begins by discussing four challenges that wicked problems present: change, conflict, complexity and uncertainty. It argues that since no single approach or model is sufficient for dealing with these problems, a combination of approaches that have proven to be helpful in mitigating the wickedness of these problems in the past must be used. Thus, a social learning network that combines the adaptive, participatory and precautionary approach is proposed. Its applicability is illustrated using Canadas Model Forest Program as a case study. One challenge that has been associated with wicked problems is complexity; a trait Gunderson (1999) suggests is inherent in natural resource problems. Complexity implies a difficulty in establishing cause and effect patterns due to the presence of interdependencies and multiple variables and is determined by the degree of uncertainty and social disagreement on a particular issue (Patton, 2011). For example, the condition and trend exhibited by wildlife populations are as a result of the interactions between factors such as prior population, weather, predators, habitat, disease, off-site factors and chance events. If there is species decline in a population, which of these factors can be blamed for this outcome? The answer is not as simple as solving a mathematical problem since the problem may be caused by one or many of the factors acting in concert. Complexity is seen to exist in two forms: technical and social complexity. The former is linked to limitations in quality of information and a deficiency in knowledge systems. This makes problem-diagnosis very hectic and introduces high levels of uncertainty. The social aspect on the other hand, emanates from difficulties in the coordination of information, activities and stakeholders across several disciplines. The differences in views, values, perception and beliefs of various stakeholders introduce conflict: another challenge in resolving wicked environmental problems. The diversity and range of stakeholder values is normally a recipe for conflict in decision-making. There is often little consensus on what the problem is, let alone a general solution (Ritchey, 2005).This brings into sharp focus the issue of problem-framing. Disagreements on what the problem may be is often commonplace and arguably a major contributor to conflicts. For example, a water resource controversy in Colorado started over a proposed dam (Bingham, 1986).Some parties declined to participate in the discussion until the question of whether or not a dam was needed was answered. Others thought, a dam was the only way to solve the water shortage problem. However, asking the question how much water do we need? is crucial to understanding the problem at hand. The assumption of knowing the solution before exploring the problem further has mainly been associated with experts who may see new problems as exactly as old ones (Kaplan and Kaplan, 1982). Also, the difficulties in reconciling the different values and perception of stakeholders have left most environmental management issues engulfed in appeals and litigation. For example, Cape plc. and RTZ have been sued in British courts for environmental damage and for breach of employment rights in Africa. The growing disputes and litigation in environmental issues has made conflict resolution quite an important concept in environmental management. However, the presence of conflicting values, risk and uncertainty does not mean a definite decision cannot be taken. It only stresses the managers need to think beyond the traditional approach to problem framing and problem solving. As discussed earlier, the various interdependencies and multiple variables in wicked environmental problem makes change an inevitable phenomenon. Horst Rittel in his paper Dilemmas in General Theory of Planning explains that when dealing with wicked problems one must recognize that every wicked problem is a symptom of another problem. Considering the fact that ecosystems, societies, knowledge, technologies and public attitudes are so dynamic it is reasonable for management strategies and practices to be dynamic as well. Policies must continually be adapted to change as well as constructed for local application.Lindbloom (1979) suggests that the only way to ensure consistent progress in dynamic and uncertain situations is to take incremental steps that are bold enough to leave room for possible errors that enhance learning. Contributing to more wickedness is the challenge of uncertainty. Unfortunately, the complexity encountered in environmental and resource management leaves little or no choice than to make decisions in the face of uncertainty. In a complex open system like the environment, knowledge has limits and certainty is far-fetched. Wynne (1992) differentiates among four types of uncertainty: risk, uncertainty, ignorance and indeterminacy. Uncertainty plays outs in situations when the odds are not known. For instance, the contribution of greenhouse gases to global warming has been established however, the precise relationships and potential feedback mechanisms between parameters such as clouds, global air circulation, heat absorption by water, land and so on remain uncertain due to complexity. In essence, the recognition of the kinds of uncertainty may help to identify which plans or approaches are most appropriate. In view of the challenges wicked problems present, environmental management and policymaking must build resilience if it must be effective in mitigating the impact of wicked problems. Policymaking and practice must be adaptive to keep up with their ever changing nature. The complexity, uncertainty and conflict component must be catered for by carefully designing participatory processes that enhance learning. The next section of this essay will shed light on the management responses that must be considered to make policymaking and natural resource management effective for dealing with wicked problems. Adaptive management is one management strategy that can deal with scientific uncertainty and real world examples of its applicability are evident. The adaptive approach has been described as a learning approach that continually improves policy and practice in the face of uncertainty and a tool to frame philosophical, methodological and practical challenges that come with natural resource management (Holling, 1978). This approach has been recognized by international interdisciplinary efforts such as the sustainability science program (Clark and Dixon, 2003), the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005) and the Equator Initiative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP, 2005) as having the potential to deal with the complexity of socio ecological processes while enhancing learning. The effectiveness of adaptive management in some cases is not fully realized due to short term project frames, rigid targets and a focus on success prompt managers who use conventional methods thoug h encouraged by government rhetoric to make use of adaptive approaches (Allan and Curtis, 2005). To enhance the practicality of adaptive management, co- management has been brought in to cater for the social uncertainties and institutional barriers that may rise. This has led to adaptive co-management, an approach that combines adaptive and collaborative management. Here, rights and responsibilities are jointly shared to better combat the challenges that wicked problems may bring. Collaboration in essence, demonstrates the need for carefully designed public participation. Public participation has become an entrenched concept in the formulation, implementation and management of environmental issues owing to its suitability for addressing the interests of multiple stakeholders and reducing conflict. It is quite common to see National and subnational governments require the input of the public in managing and developing of environmental policy. An example being the US National Environmental Policy Act and the US Federal Advisory Committee Act. Thus, participation in decision-making is increasingly being regarded as a democratic right (Reed, 2008). Increasing calls for public participation rests on many factors including growing distrust of public institutions and officials, increasing legislative requirements for public participation, the complexity and uncertainty of contemporary problems, different risk perceptions and a growing recognition that decisions are not entirely scientific but social values and politics are inherent in all administrative deci sions. Participatory processes also have a challenge of identifying groups of stakeholders and bringing these interests together in an environment conducive for learning (Gray, 1989).It has also been associated with intensive resource commitments (money, time and human capital), prolonged decision making, reduced decision quality, increased conflict and diminished likelihood of a successful outcome (Steelman, 2001). However on the whole, participatory processes are assets rather than liabilities. A case study that demonstrates the ongoing success of adaptive management and participatory approach in Forest Management is Canadas Model Forest Program. To reduce uncertainty and complexity while promoting the development of innovative ideas and sustainability, the Federal government initiated Canadas model Forest Program in 1992. The Program consists of eleven model forests across Canada, selected to reflect the diversity of ecosystems and social systems present in Canadas Forest environment. Each model forest is designed to function as a living laboratory where novel integrated forest management techniques are researched, developed, applied and monitored in a transparent forum that engages and partners with stakeholders from environmental organizations, industry, native groups, educational and research institutions, community based associations, recreationists and landowners as well as all levels of government The success from this adaptive approach have been many and includes t he development of voluntary wetland conservation programs for private lands; establishment of protocols for reporting on socio economic indicators based on Statistics Canadas census data; developing an ecosystem-integrated resource management plan for the Province of Saskatchewan, production of a code of forestry practice to help landowners understand and apply the principles of sustainable forest management; establishment of the Grand River Reserve to protect three eco-regions and habitat for the endangered Newfoundland pine marten. The Precautionary approach is one possible response that proves very essential for dealing with wicked problems in the face of uncertainty and risk. Some scholars assert that it is a powerful tool for protecting human health and the environment under uncertain conditions (Cameron and Aboucher, 1991) whiles other think it is ill- defined, unscientific and of little value to policymaking (Manson, 2002). Still many nations have some form of precautionary principle in place when confronted with uncertain health risks though they may not explicitly refer to it (Zander, 2010). Under the precautionary principle, the absence or lack of evidence concerning the harmful nature of a substance or practice cannot serve as a justification for delaying action to regulate them (Raffensperger and Tickner, 1999). For example, the issue of global warming usually includes arguments that either favour business-as-usual or the precautionary principle. Opponents against the principle base their arguments on scientific uncertainty regarding how humans have contributed to climate change and the severity of effects that may occur. They generally advocate for further research to reduce the uncertainties before costly emission-reduction policies are implemented. Advocates of the precautionary approach on the other hand argue that the likely adverse effects of the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are serious enough to justify potentially costly regulation despite remaining uncertainties. Today, based on the precautionary principle various moves are being made to reduce the carbon footprint by investing in green technology. Though we do not know the outcome of these actions, it is prudent to try to mitigate its impact on future climatic conditions than do nothing at all. Indeed, the challenges wicked environmental problems present may seem overwhelming and daunting. However to combat these challenges, environmental managers must first realize that wicked problems have no single correct formulation and hence quit searching for one. They must also develop long term learning networks through adaptive management and carefully designed participatory processes that are truly flexible. Lastly, precaution must be utilized in planning processes to avoid creating more wicked problems in the future.

America’s Foreign Policy and the Cold War Essay -- American History Go

America’s Foreign Policy and the Cold War The role of America at the end of World War II was where the origins of policing the world originate. America had been engaged in a very costly war in terms of dollars as well as lives. But, despite the expense the United States came out of World War II better than any other nation that was involved. The Second World War was a battle between the Allied and Axis Powers. The Allied Powers consisted of the United States, Great Britain, the Soviet Union, China, and France. This war was seen as the fight against Nazi Germany, and therefore resulted in a majority of the battles fought on German and Russian soil. The aftermath left the Soviet Union in bad shape. Close to twenty million Russians had died fighting the war, which accounted for about eight percent of their population. Conversely, none of the fighting was done on American soil, and while the United States suffered in terms of casualties it was nothing compared to the loss Russia had endured. Because the war would not end until t he Axis Powers fully surrendered to the Allied Powers, the United States was forced to use the first atomic warfare in history. The atom bomb would later serve as America's greatest possession. Stalin, the Premier of the Soviet Union had always distrusted the American and English intentions. Because of Stalin's aggression and attitude pertaining to Soviet influence on Europe, the postwar stance on Russia had turned into a standoff. This became the origin of the Cold War. The Cold War, seen as a battle between communism and capitalism, was "in reality a more complex struggle over a broad range of ideological, economic, and strategic issues." Over the next several years the United States would spend more money on military and defense than ever before. Several measures were taken to ensure that the same mistakes at the end of World War I would not be repeated. The first in a series of measures was a postwar conference involving President Truman and the Soviet Foreign Minister, V.M. Molokov, where Truman controlled the entire meeting and basically scolded the Soviet's for not honoring agreements on Poland. Truman "told the Russians just where the got off and generally bossed th e whole meeting." This symbolized America's strong-arm stance against communism and signified the position we would hold throughout the Cold War. The next ... ...rying to get across. Because he saw the country from the inside Kennan also believed the United Sates should " pursue a policy of firm containment†¦at every point where the Soviets show signs of encroaching upon the interest of a peaceful and stable world." This opinion and idea of the relationship between the United States and Russia should have been widely accepted by Americans. They backed this idea of aggressive behavior, rather than a passive approach to the Cold War. Conversely, postwar liberal such as Henry Wallace, "a Progressive Party leader, continued to seek cooperation with the Soviet Union and defended the participation of Communists in their organizations." These ideals were quickly silenced. The American majority, being extremely anti-communist, felt relations with the Soviet Union should be harsh and firm. This period introduced American dominance in foreign policy. The ideals of personal freedom and opportunity were the driving forces behind Western philos ophy throughout the Cold War. Not only were these principles showcased, they were set as the benchmark of equality for the human race. Bibliography: COMPTONS ENCYCLOPEDIA COLD WAR;1989 JAMES CORNWELL

Labelling Theory

Labeling theory had its origins in Suicide, a book by French sociologist Emile Durkheim. He found that crime is not so much a violation of a penal code as it is an act that outrages society. He was the first to suggest that deviant labeling satisfies that function and satisfies society's need to control the behavior. As a contributor to American Pragmatism and later a member of the Chicago School, George Herbert Mead posited that the self is socially constructed and reconstructed through the interactions which each person has with the community. The labeling theory suggests that people obtain labels from how others view their tendencies or behaviors. Each individual is aware of how they are judged by others because he or she has attempted many different roles and functions in social interactions and has been able to gauge the reactions of those present. This theoretically builds a subjective conception of the self, but as others intrude into the reality of that individual's life, this represents objective data which may require a re-evaluation of that conception depending on the authoritativeness of the others' judgment. Family and friends may judge differently from random strangers. More socially representative individuals such as police officers or judges may be able to make more globally respected judgments. If deviance is a failure to conform to the rules observed by most of the group, the reaction of the group is to label the person as having offended against their social or moral norms of behavior. This is the power of the group: to designate breaches of their rules as deviant and to treat the person differently depending on the seriousness of the breach. The more differential the treatment, the more the individual's self-image is affected. Labeling theory concerns itself mostly not with the normal roles that define our lives, but with those very special roles that society provides for deviant behavior, called deviant roles, stigmatic roles, or social stigma. A social role is a set of expectations we have about a behavior. Social roles are necessary for the organization and functioning of any society or group. We expect the postman, for example, to adhere to certain fixed rules about how he does his job. Deviance† for a sociologist does not mean morally wrong, but rather behavior that is condemned by society. Deviant behavior can include both criminal and non-criminal activities. Investigators found that deviant roles powerfully affect how we perceive those who are assigned those roles. They also affect how the deviant actor perceives himself and his relationship to society. The deviant roles and the labels attached to them func tion as a form of social stigma. Always inherent in the deviant role is the attribution of some form of â€Å"pollution† or difference that marks the labeled person as different from others. Society uses these stigmatic roles to them to control and limit deviant behavior: â€Å"If you proceed in this behavior, you will become a member of that group of people. † Whether a breach of a given rule will be stigmatized will depend on the significance of the moral or other tenet it represents. For example, adultery may be considered a breach of an informal rule or it may be criminalized depending on the status of marriage, morality, and religion within the community. In most Western countries, adultery is not a crime. Attaching the label â€Å"adulterer† may have some unfortunate consequences but they are not generally severe. But in some Islamic countries, zina is a crime and proof of extramarital activity may lead to severe consequences for all concerned. Stigma is usually the result of laws enacted against the behavior. Laws protecting slavery or outlawing homosexuality, for instance, will over time form deviant roles connected with those behaviors. Those who are assigned those roles will be seen as less human and reliable. Deviant roles are the sources of negative stereotypes, which tend to support society's disapproval of the behavior. [edit]George Herbert Mead One of the founders of social interactionism, George Herbert Mead focused on the internal processes of how the mind constructs one's self-image. In Mind, Self, and Society (1934),[1] he showed how infants come to know persons first and only later come to know things. According to Mead, thought is both a social and pragmatic process, based on the model of two persons discussing how to solve a problem. Our self-image is, in fact, constructed of ideas about what we think others are thinking about us. While we make fun of those who visibly talk to themselves, they have only failed to do what the rest of us do in keeping the internal conversation to ourselves. Human behavior, Mead stated, is the result of meanings created by the social interaction of conversation, both real and imaginary. [edit]Frank Tannenbaum Frank Tannenbaum is considered the grandfather of labeling theory. His Crime and Community (1938),[2] describing the social interaction involved in crime, is considered a pivotal foundation of modern criminology. While the criminal differs little or not at all from others in the original impulse to first commit a crime, social interaction accounts for continued acts that develop a pattern of interest to sociologists. Tannenbaum first introduced the idea of ‘tagging'. [3] While conducting his studies with delinquent youth, he found that a negative tag or label often contributed to further involvement in delinquent activities. This initial tagging may cause the individual to adopt it as part of their identity. The crux of Tannenbaum's argument is that the greater the attention placed on this label, the more likely the person is to identify themselves as the label. Kerry Townsend writes about the revolution in criminology caused by Tannenbaum's work: â€Å"The roots of Frank Tannenbaum’s theoretical model, known as the â€Å"dramatization of evil† or labeling theory, surfaces in the mid- to late-thirties. At this time, the ‘New Deal' legislation had not defeated the woes of the Great Depression, and, although dwindling, immigration into the United States continued (Sumner, 1994). 4] The social climate was one of disillusionment with the government. The class structure was one of cultural isolationism; cultural relativity had not yet taken hold. ‘The persistence of the class structure, despite the welfare reforms and controls over big business, was unmistakable. ‘[5] The Positivist School of Criminological thought was still dominant, and in many states, the s terilization movement was underway. The emphasis on biological determinism and internal explanations of crime were the preeminent force in the theories of the early thirties. This dominance by the Positivist School changed in the late thirties with the introduction of conflict and social explanations of crime and criminality†¦ â€Å"One of the central tenets of the theory is to encourage the end of labeling process. In the words of Frank Tannenbaum, â€Å"the way out is through a refusal to dramatize the evil†, the justice system attempts to do this through diversion programs. The growth of the theory and its current application, both practical and theoretical, provide a solid foundation for continued popularity. [6]: [edit]Edwin Lemert It was sociologist Edwin Lemert (1951) who introduced the concept of â€Å"secondary deviance. † The primary deviance is the experience connected to the overt behavior, say drug addiction and its practical demands and consequences. Secondary deviation is the role created to deal with society's condemnation of the behavior. With other sociologists of his time, he saw how all deviant acts are social acts, a result of the cooperation of society. In studying drug addiction, Lemert observed a very powerful and subtle force at work. Besides the physical addiction to the drug and all the economic and social disruptions it caused, there was an intensely intellectual process at work concerning one's own identity and the justification for the behavior: â€Å"I do these things because I am this way. † There might be certain subjective and personal motives that might first lead a person to drink or shoplift. But the activity itself tells us little about the person's self-image or its relationship to the activity. Lemert writes: â€Å"His acts are repeated and organized subjectively and transformed into active roles and become the social criteria for assigning status†¦.. When a person begins to employ his deviant behavior or a role based on it as a means of defense, attack, or adjustment to the overt and covert problems created by the consequent societal reaction to him, his deviation is secondary† [7] [edit]Howard Becker While it was Lemert who introduced the key concepts of labeling theory, it was Howard Becker who became their champion. He first began describing the process of how a person adopts a deviant role in a study of dance musicians, with whom he once worked. He later studied the identity formation of marijuana smokers. This study was the basis of his Outsiders published in 1963. This work became the manifesto of the labeling theory movement among sociologists. In his opening, Becker writes: â€Å"†¦ social groups create deviance by making rules whose infraction creates deviance, and by applying those roles to particular people and labeling them as outsiders. From this point of view, deviance is not a quality of the act the person commits, but rather a consequence of the application by other of rules and sanctions to an ‘offender. ‘ The deviant is one to whom that label has been successfully applied; deviant behavior is behavior that people so label. [8] While society uses the stigmatic label to justify its condemnation, the deviant actor uses it to justify his actions. He wrote: â€Å"To put a complex argument in a few words: instead of the deviant motives leading to the deviant behavior, it is the other way around, the deviant behavior in time produces the deviant motivation. â€Å"[9] Becker's immensely popular views were also subjected to a barrage of criticism, most of it blaming him for neglecting the influence of other biological, genetic effects and personal responsibility. In a later 1973 edition of his work, he answered his critics. He wrote that while sociologists, while dedicated to studying society, are often careful not to look too closely. Instead, he wrote: â€Å"I prefer to think of what we study as collective action. People act, as Mead and Blumer have made clearest, together. They do what they do with an eye on what others have done, are doing now, and may do in the future. One tries to fit his own line of action into the actions of others, just as each of them likewise adjusts his own developing actions to what he sees and expects others to do. [10] Francis Cullen reported in 1984 that Becker was probably too generous with his critics. After 20 years, his views, far from being supplanted, have been corrected and absorbed into an expanded â€Å"structuring perspective. â€Å"[11] [edit]Albert Memmi In The Colonizer and the Colonized (1965) Albert Memmi described the deep psychological effects of the social stigma created by the domination of one group by another. He wrote: â€Å"The longer the oppression lasts, the more profoundly it affects him (the oppressed). It ends by becoming so familiar to him that he believes it is part of his own constitution, that he accepts it and could not imagine his recovery from it. This acceptance is the crowning point of oppression. â€Å"[12] In Dominated Man (1968), Memmi turned his attention to the motivation of stigmatic labeling: it justifies the exploitation or criminalization of the victim. He wrote: â€Å"Why does the accuser feel obliged to accuse in order to justify himself? Because he feels guilty toward his victim. Because he feels that his attitude and his behavior are essentially unjust and fraudulent†¦. Proof? In almost every case, the punishment has already been inflicted. The victim of racism is already living under the weight of disgrace and oppression†¦. In order to justify such punishment and misfortune, a process of rationlization is set in motion, by which to explain the ghetto and colonial exploitation. â€Å"[13] Central to stigmatic labeling is the attribution of an inherent fault: It is as if one says, â€Å"There must be something wrong with these people. Otherwise, why would we treat them so badly? † [edit]Erving Goffman Perhaps the most important contributor to labeling theory was Erving Goffman, President of the American Sociological Association, and one of America's most cited sociologists. His most popular books include The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life,[14] Interaction Ritual, [15] and Frame Analysis. [16] His most important contribution to labeling theory, however, was Stigma: Notes on the Management of Spoiled Identity published in 1963. [17] Unlike other authors who examined the process of adopting a deviant identity, Goffman explored the ways people managed that identity and controlled information about it.

Mining Group Gold Process Essay

Mining Group Gold Process Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the present, organizational success is based on participative and collaborative team building among the engaged individuals. The ostensible continuous impulsion is the driver of success and ensures the establishment of team works within a group as well as adoption of strategies that are in line with a projects goals, objectives, mission and vision. In fact, teams of individuals in an organization have something that acts as the success motivator and the desire to achieve is instilled into them through the creation of significant meetings within the departments. Some of the individuals for the very first time join as new group members while others joined earlier into high performance groups. All this happen along with the issues of proper planning and effective management is the issue of improvised work assemblages that indeed are placed together to accomplish some of the specific activities in the shortest way possible. Essentially, for the success of an organizational group, regular departmental meetings are normally called on for frequently on regular basis, either weekly or monthly (Whyte, 1997). The set expectations and perceptions that lead to the taking up and initiation of these meetings are that for success to be realized a common reached consensus must be undertaken. In this case, the Mining Group Gold method plays the most important role in facilitation of such meetings.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Mining Group Gold is a group process as well as a meeting management method that is build upon a sole purpose. That is, the process is based on influencing the collective wisdom, ideas and experience of each individual in a group in order to build on their abilities and improve on the overall meeting process as well as improving on the process of creating general organizational decisions (Cassidy & American Society for Training and Development, 1999). The method was developed in the year 1995. Nevertheless, the method was developed to assist individual teams and groups to maximize and capitalize on their joint effort in a decision-making event. The method is based on several steps that were developed in the 1995 by Kayser. Kaysers’ Steps to Mining Group Gold   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In his creation of the Mining Group Gold an endeavor to facilitate effective meeting management, Kayser suggested that every meeting should start with a clear purpose or agenda for discussion. Kayser argued that every meeting has a purpose of either sharing some information or discussing an agenda. In other words, at this step entails the process of outlining the basic objectives and laying down the aims of the meeting prior to the allocation of responsibilities t be observed during the meetings course. The first step creates a foundation for the establishment of the second step. Most importantly, the second step is concerned with the predictable results of the meeting by the stakeholders in the meeting. Essentially, the desirable results are written down and serve as the guiding principles as well as the framework under which the meeting is controlled. Moreover, the third step is concerned with the allocation of responsibilities; that is the facilitator, the timekeeper, the overseer and the scribe. The individuals quoted above serve as the controllers of the meeting and are responsible with keeping the meeting’s agenda rolling (Whyte, 1997). In Mining Group Gold process, the fourth step is the step of setting of the agenda, which is a wide-ranging statement of the chief objectives of the meeting, and it is the step that connects the objectives of the meeting with the anticipatable results. The last and the most significant step is the step concerned with the organization and allotment of time for each agenda. Inherently, the Mining Group Gold is a process that is very effective for all and in all types of proceedings of a meeting. In fact, the process encourages efficient facilitation and management of meetings (Cassidy & ASTD, 1999). Steps for dealing with emotions during meetings   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the course of a meeting, there are well set steps that assist in dealing with emotions when meetings are in progress. The first step that plays a vital role is concerned with the creation of a moment of silence to create room for relaxation. During the moments of silence, individuals are given a chance to reflect on the probable consequences of letting such emotions control them hence cooling down to the positive extreme. The second step involves writing down the emotions in form of objectives because they can be used later to create teams empowerment foundation. The third step involves the facilitator whereby he or she asks every member to read out what they have written. The fourth and the last step is the step of mining of the supplementary information that arises from what has been written (Xerox Corporation, 1985). Lastly, the way forward is established to significantly improve teamwork hence empowering the group members alongside nurturing an effective communication. My opinion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In my own opinion, if the Mining group gold is effectively implemented, it will critically improve the welfare of the team members promoting team work as well as fostering empowerment and effective communication. This is because of the process’s ability to create like-mindedness and its nature of encouraging unity of direction. Finally, because the Mining Group Gold upholds objectivity by eliminating subjectivity it creates a collective purpose for any meeting session hence determining the outcomes. In conclusion, the Mining Group Gold is an effective method because it deals with expressive astuteness. References Cassidy, M. F., & American Society for Training and Development (ASTD). (1999). Group decision-making. Alexandria, VA: American Society for Training & Development. Whyte, W. F. (1997). Creative problem solving in the field: Reflections on a career. Walnut Creek: AltaMira Press. Xerox Corporation., & Xerox Corporation. (1985). Mining group gold: A guide providing facilitation techniques, tips, checklists and guidesheets. Rochester, NY: Multinational Customer and Service Education. Source document