A Conflict of Loyalties Case Study

A Conflict of Loyalties Case Study The government is mandated to implement policies that bring a greater good to the public. Government policies are implemented by people who work in the public service. These are better known as the civil servants. Public administrators have a wide scope of roles that they are supposed to execute. However, their major objective is to ensure that the government is functioning properly.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on A Conflict of Loyalties specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Therefore, most of the activities that the public administrators carry out are concerned with the management of governmental programs, making decisions on behalf of the government, as well as analysing government policies before they are implemented. Public administration faces a number of problems that affect proper functioning of the departments that public administrators head. In addressing the problems, it is important to first analyse the f actors that cause these problems. This article is an assessment of the factors that are the main source of the problems of public administration in the â€Å"conflict of loyalties† case study. The paper describes the problems faced by A.J. Stewart as a public administrator in the Department of Defence. The paper ends by recommending how issues in public administration should be resolved. Case factors The author of this case mentions about A.J. Stewart who was employed as a public servant in the Department of Defence Production and the challenges he was facing in administering his duties. Stewart was working in the electronics branch. The Department of Supply and Services was later established within the larger department where Stewart worked. Stewart was the head of the Union in 1975. The department had up to 8,100 members. It is indicated that the Union did not have any certification to work as a bargaining agent on behalf of the Purchasing and Supply Group. Public Service A lliance of Canada (PSAC) was the certified agent for the group. This Union was, however, a founding member of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, which Stewart was a member, and the Civil Services Association of Canada. Stewart constantly complained about the state of affairs in the Department of Supply and Services. The management of the department did not consult with the Union to restore order. This led to further problems that greatly affected the performance of the department negatively.Advertising Looking for case study on public administration? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The efforts by Stewart to meet the President to resolve the problems were all in vain. He made efforts to reorganize the department, but nothing fruitful came out of his efforts. This made him frustrated, especially with the management that was supposed to attend to his concerns. From the case, it is observed that one of the major fact ors that lead to the problems in public administration is poor communication because communication is very important in any setup. It facilitates success and has a positive effect on job performance and execution of activities. The poor communication system in the department deterred any efforts by Stewart. He wrote letters to the concerned parties, but they were all ignored. It is difficult to solve any problem without dialogue. On the other hand, identification of problems that affect an organisation is always easier when there is effective communication. In addition, it is easier to make decisions because all the concerned parties are involved in the process. Policies are not implemented effectively when there is poor communication. Therefore, it is the obligation of all the concerned parties within the Department of Supply and Services to improve the current level of communication so that the current problems can be addressed comprehensively. There is an extent to which the gove rnment employees are expected to express views publicly. There is information that public servants are not supposed to release because it can expose the government and may affect its functioning and effectiveness in serving the public. The public service union should make it clear to the employees the information that they are not supposed to release to the public. It is also the role of the Union to inform the employees which information is safe for release to the public. Stewart expressed his views publicly through the newspaper called, â€Å"The Citizen† when he realised the issues that were affecting the public service union. This was a move that could greatly affect the reputation of the Union. Therefore, Stewart should have found other ways of trying to find a solution to the problem. For instance, he should have identified the employees of the Union who would support his idea and engage them in the process. He would have communicated with these individuals about the po ssible solutions to the problems affecting the Union at the time.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on A Conflict of Loyalties specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Since the top management seemed not to listen to him, he would then use his supporters to exert pressure on the top officials and influence other employees. In the long run, someone would have listened to him and his grievances would have been taken into consideration. Bureaucracy is the other factor that is leading to problems in the Department of Supply and Services. The purchasing process is slow due to the many protocols that are put in place. In the past, it has been observed that the department has no intentions of speeding up the process. The purchase costs have also increased rapidly. Every additional senior management post is accompanied by an additional staff. The cost of maintaining these workers is added to the purchases, further making operations of the department more expensive. Doing away with the Department of Supply and Services could be an option, but this will only affect the lower staff members who are likely to lose their jobs. The rest of the senior members have the power and the ability to quickly create another department, meaning that scrapping the Department of Supply and Services would hurt them less. The complex bureaucracy could affect the flow of information. The minister should open consultations with the Department of Supply and Services to address the bureaucracy issue, but he has failed to do so. This has led to the persistence of the same problem. Unfortunately, the problem is escalating as a solution continues to delay. Stewart took it upon himself to expose the issues in his department through an article in the newspaper. This was a move that put him in trouble. He was summoned by the Deputy Minister and ordered to take corrective measures for breaching the loyalty and discretion required to be exhib ited by a public officer. Mr. Roches, the Deputy Minister, was right about the issue. However, the right decision was not to seek for a suitable problem resolution technique that would engage Stewart in a respectable and non-threatening manner. He was not supposed to threaten Stewart by stating that he would likely lose his job position. Instead, he would have called Stewart in private and discuss the issue with the aim of coming up with an amicable solution.Advertising Looking for case study on public administration? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More He would have asked Stewart to express his mind to him while listening attentively to identify the problem and the cause of the problem. This would build a platform where both of them would agree to find a solution to the problems affecting the Department of Supply and Services. Mr Stewart has the option of making an apology to the public or privately apologizing to the board as stipulated under the Public Service Staff Relation Act. Otherwise, the board has the powers to check whether he failed to carry out his obligations and take action against him. The action taken should be guided by the need to restore discipline when communicating departmental issues to the public. Recommendation It is normal for organisations or departments to experience issues that are likely to affect performance. How the problems are resolved is what matters for such organisations. One of the major factors that should be considered in such cases is communication. The employees should have a clear line thr ough which they communicate their issues to the top management. On the other hand, the top management and officials should be ready and willing to listen to the employees. In a public service union, it is against the regulation to express views to the public without consulting. Any employee who does that should face the right actions against him. However, the actions should be justified and not seen to be discriminatory. The aim of taking any action should be restoring sanity of public service administration and not cowing public servants.

Bradford college recruitment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Bradford college recruitment - Essay Example EVALUATION OF MOTIVATIONAL THEORIES Maslow’s Hierarchy Theory The motivational theory of Maslow has been viewed to be developed by a psychologist named Abraham Maslow. This motivational theory further reveals that it is the prior requirement of an individual to fulfil his or her basic needs initially. The basic level of hierarchy needs incorporates various sorts of needs that have been portrayed hereunder (Corpuz 261-268). The theory can be better explained with the help of the following pictorial illustration. Source: (Corpuz 261-268). It is necessary for every individual to satisfy basic needs. The fulfilment of these basic needs act as a driving factor for motivating an individual. With reference to Maslow’s Hierarchy theory, all the levels have been briefly explained hereunder (Corpuz 261-268). Physiological Needs Physiological needs represent those needs that are required by every individual to sustain and survive. In this context, physiological needs embrace air, water, sleep and accommodation among others. These are considered to be the basic needs for an individual. It can be stated that without fulfilling these basic needs, an individual cannot take measures or implements procedures to satisfy other needs. In this similar context, it can be further affirmed that if any of the aforementioned needs is not fulfilled by an individual, then it becomes difficult for him to satisfy other needs and thus, the person tries to satisfy the missing need on a priority basis. This reflects the task identity on the basis of prior needs (Corpuz 261-268). Safety Needs In accordance with the fulfilment of basic needs, the next level of need emerges. Next level of need reflects safety needs. In this regard, there lies probable chance of arising crucial threats from safety needs in terms of physical as well as the emotional harm. Thus, an individual need certain measures to follow that helps in the fulfilment of safety needs at large. For example, safety agai nst the occurrence of accidents or injuries and the financial securities that is provided against the health schemes reflects the examples of safety needs (Rakowski 4-5). Social Needs With reference to the Maslow’s Hierarchy theory, after fulfilling the fundamental requirements that comprise physiological along with safety needs, an individual takes into account the higher level of need. It has been viewed that an individual dwells within a society. Social needs reflect the needs and wants linked with societal interactions. Every individual dwelling within a society needs someone to share thoughts and feelings (Rakowski 4-5). Self- Esteem The need that drives a person to get love and respect from others represents self-esteem. In this context, fulfilment of desire to become famous and attain important position reflects self-esteem needs. According to this statement, an individual reflects autonomy within his personal boundaries. Every individual desires for gaining self-respe ct, higher achievements with respect to assigned work, recognition as well as awards and certain amount of reputation within the society (Rakowski 4-5). Self- Actualisation Self- actualisation reflects the summation of fulfilling all the levels of Maslow’s Hierarchy needs. It represents the stage of an individual where he or she

The Interviews Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Interviews - Research Paper Example The first step in carrying out qualitative analysis of informal or semi-structured interview data is to read carefully the transcripts while making notations in the margins (Fields, 2008, p. 183-193). These printed copies of interview transcripts are useful for analysis before they can be entered into the database of the software. It is advisable to break the long respondent soliloquies into single paragraphs in order to reflect the transition from one idea to another. In case one is not using a computer software package for analysis, it would be easier to insert line numbers onto every page of the transcripts to help in referencing in the course of the analysis. The second step entails developing the observations into preliminary interpretive and descriptive categories based on evidence that is presented in the transcripts, the conceptual or theoretical framework used in guiding the research, as well as one’s literature review (Fields, 2008,p. 183-193). Observations made in the first step are extended until possibilities and implications are played out in full. It is prudent at this stage or level to examine additional transcripts in order to determine whether the notion expressed is uniform in the remainder of the sample. Here, there is more engagement with the computer software packages for analysis where documents are entered into the system, and a memo written for every one of them. The memos are derived from the researcher’s field notes, as well as any thoughts they have had concerning the respondent since the interview’s date. The third step of analyzing the qualitative data collected from informal, semi-structured interviews consists of a thorough examination of the preliminary codes developed to further review the interview text (Fields, 2008, p. 183-193). This is done in order to develop pattern codes and

The Corporate Communication Strategy

The Corporate Communication Strategy This report aims to critically evaluate and analyse the corporate communication strategy, framework and main issues influencing a corporation. The company that I have chosen to examine and apply the knowledge of corporate communication is Microsoft Corporation. Communication strategy of Microsoft Corporation applies or follows which enabled it to expand and grow its business with such an immense efficiency. How does the organisation incorporates main issues of corporate communication; such as, communicating with external and internal stakeholders, maintaining its identity, image and reputation to reflect its organisational behaviour, the organisations attitude towards cultural influence, the role and impact of technology, and lastly, the role of Human Resource Management in contribution of its effective communication and overall performance in global context. (Cornelissen J, 2004) states that corporate communication is a function of corporate identity, corporate image, corporate brand and corporate reputation for the goodwill of the organization and its ongoing concern which is making profit. Corporate communication is a modern term of Public Relations. The term corporate communication is increasingly being used in practice to describe the management function that is still referred to as public relations in academic literature (Groenewald, 1998). According to surveys, over half of the heads of corporate communication departments administer communication functions. They are as follows; External and internal communications Managing corporate reputation and brand Recruiting and retaining Product launches Developing company strategy Corporate social responsibility Boosting investor or analyst perception Managing crises Corporate communication is simply the process of exchanging information within and outside of any organisation with concern of the above mentioned functions to run it effectively and efficiently. It is taken as an important aspect for any organisation to develop and flourish its capability at its best. However, it is more crucial to organisations that operate globally. Most of the successful organisation has used corporate communication as the means of success because it helps to formulate their distinctiveness, their status and mark their existence in the mind of their customers. Background of the organisation: Microsoft Corporation was founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen in USA. It is a multinational company with headquarter in Redmond, WA, United States, and its subsidiaries in 110 countries. With 182,884 employees in USA and worldwide and annual revenue of USD 62.48 billion, it can be said that it is one of the worlds largest and dominant software companies. It provides software, services and solutions to people and businesses world-wide. The company focuses on research and developing, manufacturing, licensing, and supporting wide range of software products and services for various types of computing devices. The major software products and services it provides are; operating systems for servers, personal computers, and intelligent devices, different types of personal and business applications, software development tools, online services platform, and games; taking into consideration and benefiting all range of people from business, students, workforce to households. *According to the Microsoft Corporation, The Microsoft mission is to help people and businesses around the world realize their full potential. We work to accomplish this mission through the development of innovative products and services that help people harness the power, opportunities, and benefits of technology. http://www.microsoft.com/about/corporatecitizenship/en-us/our-commitments/reporting/about-microsoft/ The communication strategy and its framework in the organisation: An effective corporate communication strategy is very important for any organisation to overpower todays highly competitive and information driven business environment. It protects an organisation from negative publicities and limits misleading steps of the corporate. Strategy requires choices deciding what particular kind of value an organisation wants to deliver and to whom (Porter, in Gibson, 1997). Implementation of proper and practical strategies can bring equal opportunity to people; resulting in distribution of innovative information, resolution of conflict and coordination in organisation. X-Border communication strategy issues include; degree of adaptation and standardisation, consistency, internal vs external, corporate identity and reputation, costs, role of technology. As a multinational organisation, Microsoft Corporation adapts almost all of the x-border communication strategy to stay on top of the market. (see Appendix) Steve A. Ballmer, CEO, Microsoft Corporation, states that they see their citizenship strategies and business strategies as complementary, creating shared value for Microsoft shareholders, employees, stakeholders, and society. http://www.microsoft.com/about/corporatecitizenship/en-us/our-commitments/reporting/ceo-intro-letter/ Neil Holloway, President of Microsoft Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), focused on the balanced objectives of driving customer satisfaction, improving integration across Microsoft business units, addressing the unique technology needs of diverse markets, and growing the software business in the region. http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/exec/neilho/default.mspx The statement of Neil Holloway and Steve A. Ballmer clearly implements the communication model (shown below) in Microsoft. Keeping in mind of their identity and image, they deliver messages to their shareholders, employees, stakeholders, and society by the use of Management communication, Organisational communication, and Marketing communication. (see Appendix 1) Figure 1: Communication model, Strategy of the organisation (M. Welch and P. Jackson, 2007) Communication framework In all organisations, communication flows vertically and horizontally, internally and externally, formally and informally linking employees internally to each other and to various layers of management, and to the many external resource holder of the organisation (Fombrun and Riel, 2006). There are three main types of structures of the company and they are as follows; Functional Matrix Project Microsoft follows the matrix structure to perform communication (see Appendix 3). It has horizontal divisions for international operations and vertical divisions for product groups. Mike Love, senior director of corporate communications at Microsoft EMEA says that Microsofts matrix of management decision-making and the challenge to communicate through this matrix is very complex. He also adds that Internal and External communicators each have geographical, functional and product-area responsibilities as their direct focus (see Figure 2, below). http://www.melcrum.com/articles/clutter_at_microsoft.shtml Figure 2: Areas of responsibility at Microsoft Microsofts governing body is the Annual Meeting of Shareholders and the executive body is the Board of Directors (see Appendix 4). Microsoft adapts a centralized and functional area accompanied by a network of decentralized structure for adapting the function to the special needs of the independent business units. The main issues relating to corporate communication External and Internal communication External communication: External communication refers to communicating with external parties of an organisation which includes customers and business partners, suppliers, media, and competitors. Communication with customers: Customers are the most influential part for any organisation to exist in business environment. Microsoft claims that the success of their company is based on their ability to listen and respond to customer feedback about their products, programs, and services, and to increase customer satisfaction with all of the possible ways. They continually engage with their customers and partners through third-party surveys and feedback mechanisms within their products, and community-based websites (see Appendix). However, Microsoft has not institutionalised engagement of external stakeholders in corporate decision-making. Their customer and partner experience (CPE) strategy is sponsored by their chief operating officer and president of the Microsoft Business Division. Communication with media: Media is one of the most powerful and critical areas of any corporate communication function. According to Argenti (2009), the media are both a constituency and a conduit through which investors, employees, and consumers receive information about and form images of a company. It has the ability to turn a business up or down in a matter of seconds. It is very essential for corporation to understand this matter and have a good relationship with media. Microsoft has good understanding on this matter. Hence, they have included media as one of the areas of responsibilities (see Figure 2). They have a separate section in their company site called Microsoft News Center where it provides latest updates and information on company. For media, it has a section called Press Tools with Press Releases, Analyst Reports and many more. It has also established number of air-traffic control tools to avoid misleading and misinterpreting messages to media (see Appendix). Communication with competitors: The main competitors of Microsoft are Google, Apple, VMware, Oracle, and Open source (Linux and Firefox). However, Google is seen to be the prior competitor of Microsoft. Microsoft keeps up-to-date information about its competitors. Microsoft had some problem with its competitors in past and was accused for its unhealthy competition (see Appendix). This had a negative impact on the reputation and image of Microsoft. Since then, Microsoft has been keeping healthy relationship and healthy competition with its competitors through changes in its products and services, filtering words when having conversation on their competitors. http://blog.seattlepi.com/microsoft/archives/208984.asp Communication with Government: Government is involved in all stages of business development. As Microsoft operates in various regions and areas globally, it makes sure to follow the national, regional, and local bylaws and legislation of the country. Microsoft also sense importance of collaboration among the internationally recognized groups. Its Citizenship and reporting strategies are guided by those laid out in the Global Reporting Initiative, the Global Network Initiative the United Nations Global Compact, the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, and the Carbon Disclosure Project. Communication with shareholders: However, the company does not provide training to staff on stakeholder engagement, nor do they disseminate the principles through more than one medium or translate them into other languages. Microsoft has also not institutionalised external stakeholder engagement in corporate decision-making.**** Internal communication: Strong internal communications- fostering increased workforce loyalty and productivity will thus continue to play a pivotal role in a companys employee relation and overall success (Argenti, 2009). Microsoft fully realise the role of employees and vendors for its overall success. It is also aware that with change in culture and business environment, employees and their attitudes, beliefs are changing and they need to be treated in different ways. To understand the values and attitudes of employees to gain their loyalty and productivity, effective communication among and with employees is very crucial. Communication with employees: One of their most important developments during the past year has been the establishment of an Internal Communicator Community (see Appendix). They have also developed a new approach to the annual planning process by creating a forum for sharing internal and external communication plans across all business disciplines to build a one company approach. They have also established a regular quarterly meeting and monthly Live Meeting1/conference call for all Public Relations leads in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) regardless of their areas of responsibility. This has become a clearing house for communication plans and has helped establish the discipline of air-traffic control. Communication with vendors: http://www.itworldcanada.com/news/microsoft-adds-human-element-to-corporate-communications/110453 Identity, Image, and Reputation The concept of corporate identity is traced by organisations marks or logos, name, motto, products, services, and any other possessions of the organisation that is visible and tangible to differentiate themselves from their competitors and print their image in the minds of consumers (Argenti, 2009). Image is shaped by the identity of an organisation, it is the way internal and external constituents perceive the organisations identity get fulfilled. Finally, strong reputation of an organisation is achieved when identity and image align with each other. Microsofts identity is majorly reflected by its name, products and services, market capitalisation, market capture, and Bill Gates, former CEO, Microsoft Corporation (see Appendix). Microsofts image has been problematic since its establishment. It has been accused Microsofts holds a highly valued reputation Read more: Corporate Identity http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/encyclopedia/Con-Cos/Corporate-Identity.html#ixzz18qO7ytiL Corporate Identity Names, Brands, Symbols, Self-presentation is perceived by à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Employee Image Investor Image Community Image Customer Image The sum of their Corporate Reputation perceptions equals à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Figure 3: Reputation Framework (Argenti, 2009) Culture and its influence in corporate communication Any organisations culture is reflected by the behaviours, attitudes, beliefs, norms and values of its employee working with each other towards attaining a common goal. It has become a serious issue with prevalence of globalisation (see Appendix). Hofstede (1980, 1982, 1987) has outlined five dimensions of cultural impact in an organisation. They are as follows; Power distance Individualism Vs Collectivism Uncertainty avoidance Masculinity or Feminity Long term or Short term Microsoft believes that the following listed values guide their behaviours and it is reflected in their employees in their interaction with each other and their stakeholders. Integrity and honesty Passion for customers, partners, and technology Open and respectful with others and dedicated to making them better Willingness to take on big challenges and see them through Self-critical, questioning, and committed to personal excellence and self-improvement Accountable for commitments, results, and quality to customers, shareholders, partners, and employees (see Appendix 5) The above statements by Microsoft shows that it follows collectivism idea, there is no power distance as employees believe in open and respectful relation with each other. They believe in one company approach. We should communicate with and not at our internal audiences, engaging in a dialogue not a monologue. Such an approach fits well with Microsofts corporate culture, which strives to be devoid of hierarchy. http://www.melcrum.com/articles/clutter_at_microsoft.shtml The role of technology The role of technology in carrying on communication effectively has been immense. With rapid development of technologies nowadays, it is almost impossible to have a thought of communication without technologies. Microsoft Corporation itself is a leader in developing and distributing innovative technologies world-wide. There are numerous software products and services produced by Microsoft for communication use. However, technologies that they use for internal and external communication are; e-mails, video conferencing, teleconferencing, telephones, webcasts, podcasts, blogs, internal intranet site, air-traffic control tools, and integrated communication planning. The role of Human Resource in corporate communication HRM is a strategic and coherent approach to the managers of the organisation. The most valued assets, the people working there who individually and collectively contribute to the achievements of its objectives. (Armstrong, 2003). According to Ulrich (1997), there are four roles of Human Resource Management in an organisation. They are as follows; Administrative expert Employee champion Change agent Strategic partner http://www.stw.de/typo3temp/pics/c98097d6bc.jpg Figure 4: The HR Business Partner (based on an idea by Dave Ulrich, 1997) Conclusion and recommendation In conclusion, Microsoft practices a very good and practical corporate communication strategy and framework. Microsoft follows the matrix structure with strongly centralized and wholly decentralized framework for communication. They understand the importance of effective communication between their internal and external stakeholders for their success. Microsoft has implemented various communication tools and plans, such as, air-traffic control tools and integrated communication planning specially for effective communication with employees and media. The use of technologies for communication are; e-mails, telephones, video conferencing, blogs, webcasts, podcasts, Annual Report, Press Releases, internal intranet site. Their identity is basically its name, products and services, and Bill Gates, former Chairman of Microsoft who is known as one of the wealthiest people alive. Their image and reputation were frequently in stake and problematic with different kinds of accuses. However, they are doing their best in overcoming and maintaining a superior image. Microsoft practices open and respectful culture with equal opportunities for all employees. They practices This invariably means they work within communication silos roles rather than taking a broader view of the company as a whole.

Revenge and Release in High School Lexicography :: Education Teaching Lexicography Essays

Revenge and Release in High School Lexicography Eighteenth Century British literature can be a hard sell for high school students: excepting Gulliver’s Travels, it seems they would rather chew through the ossified gum underneath their desks than the period’s personal essays and heroic couplets. Given their general reaction to the century, studying Dr. Johnson’s lexicography would not seem a sure-fire plan for pedagogical fireworks. Nevertheless, it was; I had underestimated the emotional potential of high school lexicography. Simply reading portions of Johnson’s A Dictionary of the English Language did not ignite my students’ interest, but reading his entries with the prospect of writing their own caused a few mental sparks. It was, however, the process of defining and sharing these words--their words and their world--that brought literary ignition amidst a seemingly inflammable century. Why? There are peripheral reasons which I will discuss, but the central fuel was the emotional element of lexi cography, the potential for revenge and release. Our crucial first step was acquaintance with "the Great Lexicographer" (Dixon 220). We needed the invigoration of knowing the man, and his friend Boswell introduced us. In our text’s excerpt from his The Life of Samuel Johnson, the passage which ingratiated Johnson with students was his initial joke at the biographer’s expense: for with that quickness of wit for which he was so remarkable, he seized the expression "come from Scotland," which I used in the sense of being of that country: and, as if I had said that I had come away from it, or left, retorted, "That, Sir, I find, is what a very great many of your countrymen cannot help." (578) Perhaps Johnson’s cockiness or Boswell’s reaction--"This stroke stunned me a good deal; and when we had sat down, I felt myself not a little embarrassed, and apprehensive of what might come next" (578)--resonated with the students’ experience. Either way, reading and discussing this passage coalesced the 18th C. parlor and the 20th C. locker room, instilling some respect and preconditioning recognition of Johnson’s witty agenda. Analysis of Johnson’s preface to A Dictionary of the English Language deepened their relationship with the lexicographer. We appreciated his sarcasm in contrasting his labor with that of other scholars and artists: Among these unhappy mortals is the writer of dictionaries . . . doomed only to remove rubbish and clear obstructions from the paths through which learning and genius press forward to conquest and glory, without bestowing a smile on the humble drudge that facilitates their progress.

Little Buddha

Little Buddha Little Buddha was a movie staring Keanu Reeves about a boy named Jesse who was thought to be the reincarnation of a Tibetan teacher named Lama DorJe. In the movie, Jesse is given a book by Lama Norbu that explains how Buddhism originated. Followers believe that it was started by Prince Siddhartha, who was played in the movie by Keanu Reeves. According to the book, there were many signs from the beginning that indicate Siddhartha was a special being. Siddhartha was born in the forrest and his mother had him painlessly while standing up. When he was born, he was fully conscious.He could also fully stand and alk, where as regular babies can't do either. Whenever he would walk, lotus flower pedals would sprout up from below his footsteps. He also spoke of Nirvana before Nirvana was a thing. Siddhartha was born of royalty and he was protected from the world outside his palace. He got everything he wanted but one day he heard a song that was about everything he didn't know ab out the outside world. So one day he decided to leave the palace and finds out about all of the pain, suffering, and death there is taking place in the world and he discovers compassion.Siddhartha then moves out of the palace to try and find out more about the â€Å"Outside World. After days of being away from home, he finds a tribe called the Ascetic Tribe. The Ascetic Tribe were people who had reached Enlightenment but they were not Buddha. The Ascetic Tribe had very gruesome rituals they practiced. They would only eat dirt, bugs, leaves, and fruits and vegetables they could find. Siddhartha soon became an Ascetic and was one for 10 years until he heard a passing musician tell his pupil, â€Å"If you pull the string too tight, it breaks, but if it's too loose, it wont play. this led Siddhartha to believe the Ascetic life was too extreme, and he decided to go to the river to bathe. While he was bathing, a beautiful woman came up and offered him rice, and he took and ate the rice with the other Ascetics watching him. He was then banished from the Ascetic Tribe because he was disloyal to the religion. Siddhartha was now trying to find Enlightenment a different way. As Siddhartha was trying to find Enlightenment he meditated under a tree. The demon Mara didn't want him to progress and so he tried to distract Siddhartha by making him want his Five Daughters.The Five Daughters Of Mara are Pride, Fear, Desire, Ignorance and Greed. Siddhartha could not want any of these because if he id he would have to start the whole process of Enlightenment all over again. Mara tried to distract him with many images of discomforting things. For example, he had an army of soldiers light up flaming arrows and show them at him, but all that happened was that the arrows turned into flower pedals and landed all around him. Another example of Mara's distractions was a mirror image of himself talking about things he would want to desire but Siddhartha didn't listen and then Mara was o vercome.Siddhartha then reached Enlightenment. At the end of the movie, it turns out that Jesse and two other kids were all the reincarnation ot Lama DorJe. Lama Norbu said that it was extremely rare that a reincarnation can turn into three people, but he said it can happen, and in this case, it did happen. Lama Norbu said that when three people are a reincarnation, one person is â€Å"Mind,† another is â€Å"Body,† and the last is â€Å"Spirit. † Part 2: Colors In the first paragraph of this essay, I explained that the movie Little Buddha is about. boy named Jesse who was thought to be the reincarnation of a Tibetan teacher named Lama DorJe. Jesse lives in Seattle and we meet him when the Tibetan monks go to his house. Jesse's family life is going downhill because his Dad has basically Just lost his Job, is Dad's friend Just died, and they are about to lose their house. This is maybe why it is always portrayed as being gray and gloomy outside all the time, beca use they were trying to express his family's feelings. Also, everybody was always dressed in dark and grim colors such as black, dark blue, etc.In contrast, whenever you saw Siddhartha, he always had a sunny, golden, and bright setting around him. For example, when you first see him, when he is being born, that is when the setting was the brightest. Also, almost everybody was dressed in bright colors such as red, gold, and silver. This shows that Siddhartha is the erson who is going to be the person who is going to become the Buddha or the â€Å"Enlightened One† Or maybe since he was the â€Å"Enlightened One,† they try to deliberately put more light on Siddhartha always when we see him.However, during the period of time when Siddhartha is looking for Enlightenment, the light is a little bit darker than when he finds Enlightenment. But during the time he was trying to find Enlightenment with the Ascetics the colors were brown and gray, so in a way, that showed us that was not the right path to take. Then when he is tempted by Mara, the colors change to dark blue, gray, and black so we know that Mara is a bad omen. But then once Siddhartha conquers Mara, he reaches Enlightenment, and the colors are golden again.

My Success Story - 737 Words

Vission Essay When I was nine years old, I studied Chinese Kung Fu. I went to class every day, practicing the different things that my coach wanted us to learn. One of the skills that we learned was how to do a handspring. After about a year of study, the coach told us to practice the handspring without using our hands. At first, I was too afraid to try the handspring without using my hands. I was so scared that I would fall and hurt myself that my body just would not cooperate with my efforts to try. Instead, I would find myself using a hand to brace myself. It was then that my coach gave me the most memorable advice that I have ever received. He told me, Try to do it, just one time. You need to work through your fear and believe in yourself. If you dont face the challenge, you will never succeed. This was the best advice that I have ever received. Notice how the coach did not promise me success. Instead, what he pointed out was that I would never have success if I never tried. While he could no t guarantee me success, he pointed out that I could guarantee myself failure if I never tried. When I took his advice to heart and tried the handspring, I was able to do it without using both of my hands. In this case, his advice led me to success. Had I never tried the trick, I would have fallen further and further behind my classmates. I would not have been able to excel in my Chinese Kung Fu. Instead, I would have stagnated at that point in my learning. Of course, hisShow MoreRelatedMy Success Story Essay824 Words   |  4 PagesMy success to education Blondie Torres ENG. 121 Concetta Williams July 18, 2011 Looking back at the past eleven weeks I have grown and learned so much here at Ashford University. I never thought that I would actually accomplish my educational dreams and be successful in my life, but I definitely have proved, myself wrong. I love knowing that I am doing great and I really try to do my best in completing my homework on time, with the occasions of a few speed bumps along the way. I decidedRead MoreAnalysis Of Mordecai Richler s The 888 Words   |  4 Pagesutterly terrified.   I mean, we made it.   After years of preparation, we made it here.   This was the goal, right? The olympics? But what happens if I screw up? If I blank? I cannot even fathom the possibility of losing.   I have not been working all my life to finish second. All those hours at the gym, all those late nights at the rink, all those classes I missed for hockey†¦ I need to succeed, for that little girl skating around the backyard rink at 12:00am on a school night, who was practically shakingRead MoreReflection : Agony 857 Words   |  4 Pagesmoments that make up our story. Its a challenge to get through something as monumental as loosing someone close to you. 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