Humor in the Workplace

Introduction Modern scholars as well as business administrators attempt to identify those factors which impact people’s attitude toward their jobs, their willingness to remain with the company, and contribute to its performance.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Humor in the Workplace specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Special attention is paid to humor and fun at the workplace since they are associated with such positive outcomes as decreased absenteeism and burnout, and improved relations among employees (Plester, 2009, p 584). Additionally, it is believed that humor and fun can enhance group cohesiveness and team work (Baptise, 2009, p 601). Overall, their effects are considered to be beneficial. This paper aims to discuss the ways in which fun and humor can impact managing people at work. Yet, it is necessary for us to explain how humor and fun are constructed in contemporary organizations. In o ther words, one has to understand in what kind of companies people are more likely to have fun or resort to humor. The findings of this paper can be important from theoretical and practical perspectives: on the one hand, they can better explain those forces which govern the relations among colleagues; while on the other hand, they can be used by managers, who need to improve the climate in the workplace and ultimately raise productivity of employees. Humor and fun in their workplace and their manifestations Humor and fun are those notions which avoid definitions or interpretations; in part, because there are hundreds if not thousands definitions of humor.Advertising Looking for critical writing on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Managers and researchers do not overlook the issue because it is vital to mark the boundaries of legitimate or permissible fun in the workplace. Modern scholars define these notion s in terms of what they are not. In other words, they try to single out those aspects of fun, which are not permissible, for instance, Jerald Greenberg focuses on those jokes which are based on racial or sexual stereotypes (2010 p 176). In short, humor must not be offensive or it will eventually result into hostility. In their turn, Susanna Stromberg and Jan Karlsson (2009) argue that the management must not tolerate those activities which can potentially distract employees from their direct duties or harm the reputation of an organization. In addition to that, psychologists and sociologists associate humor and fun with subcultures in the workplace. The thing is that employees can adopt overtly compliant behavior and at the same time mock the managers behind their backs (Stromberg Karlsson, 2009, p 634). Understanding of these boundaries is crucial for the management since humor can turn into a very dangerous weapon that produces adverse effects on the company. At this point we can say that the impacts of fun or humor depend on how employees and managers understand these notions and how they determine whether they are appropriate for a particular situation or not.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Humor in the Workplace specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Apart from that, one should remember that humor and fun in the workplace are connected with organizational culture, structure, power distance between the co-workers. One of the factors which are commonly identified by scholars is generational difference (Lamm Meeks 2009). Different generations such as baby boomers1, generation Xers2, or Millennials3 have different attitudes and perceptions of work (Macky, Gardner Forsyth, 2008). For example, some people, who were born between 1941 and 1960 may object to fun because it may distract employees from their direct responsibilities, whereas Millennials are more favorable of it (Lamm Me eks 2009, p 620; Zemke et al, 2000). Thus, one can say that the age of employees shapes workplace relations, including attitude toward humor and fun. Another very important factor is power distance in the company. If an organization has a complex hierarchical structure in which there are many formal barriers among co-workers, they are less likely to make or take jokes. Such scholars as Peter Fleming and Andrew Sturdy (2009) study believe that lack of empowerment, over-supervision suppress individuality and subsequently stifle person’s willingness to express joy or fun. Certainly, one can hardly deny the fact that humor is present in bureaucratic and hierarchical organizations as well, but it often has such characteristics as sarcasm or even cynicism because it is usually directed against high-ranking officials or even against clients (Kinnie, Hutchinson Purcell, p 967). Thus, we can say that the nature of fun and humor in contemporary organizations are dependent on the cultu re, structure, values, and even demographic characteristic of the employees, especially age.Advertising Looking for critical writing on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The influence of humor and fun The influence of humor and fun manifest itself at different levels. Such a researchers Nicole Baptiste points out the following beneficial effects of fun the workplace: 1) psychological benefits such as decreased sense of stress and anxiety or enhanced job satisfaction; 2) physical improvements, especially reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, and 3) improved relations among employees in terns of cooperation, social support, trust, and reciprocity (Baptiste, 2009, p 603). These are the most important advantages. It should also be mentioned that a person, who expresses his/her disagreement through joke or witticism, is less likely to come into conflict with his/her colleagues. This ability to express fun is particularly important in the relations between the managers and frontline personnel. Apart from that, both humor and fun can improve a great number of organizational activities, especially brainstorming during which employees have to come up with daring and often unrealistic ideas (Baptiste, 2009, p 608). The managers, who use humor as method of motivation, can better involve the frontline personnel into brainstorming because they will not be afraid of making mistakes. As it has been said before, the employees, who can freely make jokes, feel more relaxed, and they are less susceptible to work stress. More importantly, they are less likely to vent their spleen on their families. Therefore, these improvements can be explained by the psychological impacts of having fun. Apart from that, the surveys conducted by different companies show that the employees, who have an opportunity to have fun at work, display higher levels of job satisfaction (Karl Pelluchette, 2006). Consequently, these people are more likely to stay with a company or an organization that will not have to incur extra expenses on recruitment and training of new hires. One should not assume that fun in the workplace is related only to psychological wellbeing of the staff. In fact, these activities can allow the company to minimize its operating costs. This is one the key reasons why fun and humor are accepted or at least tolerated by modern business administrators. Additionally, we need to discuss the culture which can emerge due to the influence of humor and fun. Such companies as Google create leisure-oriented workplace, allow employees to ride scooters in the office in effort to reduce work stress (Bolton Houlihan, 2009, p 558). The management of this corporation encourages or at least does not prohibit the personnel to have fun. As a result, the employees of this corporation have formed a distinct type of identity that is different from other companies. The business culture of Google has become associated with empowerment, relative autonomy of the employees, and youth. On the whole, it is possible to argue that humor and fun liberalize the managerial policies of an organization and makes them less formalized and bureaucratic. Neverthe less, business administrators should remember at the same time, humor and fun can lead to excessively familiar relations between the management and front-line personnel; in particular, one should remember about those situations when interpersonal relations become more important than workplace responsibilities. Yet, such scenario is possible only in those cases when the management cannot draw a distinct line between interpersonal and workplace relations. Discussion This analysis indicates that the influence of humor and fun on the managerial policies and employee relations is not universal. The outcomes depend on the size of an organization, demographic structure, its dominant business culture, and workplace hierarchy. As a rule, they lead to the liberalization of relations between the senior management and frontline personnel. In such environment, the employees feel free to express their opinions. By encouraging the workers to have fun, the management can promote better teamwork and brainstorming practices. Yet, the most crucial question is how to define humor and fun so that they would be applicable to modern work environment. They must not evolve into familiarity, negligence, and over-permissiveness, since they can weaken the company’s performance. These are the most important questions that the management should remember about. References Baptiste N. 2009. Fun and well-being: insights from senior managers in a local authority. Employee Relations. 31 (6), p 600-612. Bolton S. Houlihan M. 2009 Are we having fun yet? A consideration of workplace fun and engagement. Employee Relations 31, (6), pp 556-559. Greenberg. J. (2010). Insidious Workplace Behavior. London: Routledge. Fleming P. Sturdy A. Just be yourself!† Towards neo-normative control in organisations? Employee Relations, (31), 6, p 569-583. Karl, K. and Peluchette, J. 2006, Does workplace fun buffer the impact of emotional exhaustion on job dissatisfaction? A study of health care worker s, Journal of Behavioral and Applied Management, 7 (2), pp. 128-41. Kinnie, N., Hutchinson, S. and Purcell, J. (2000), Fun and surveillance: the paradox of high  commitment management in call centres, International Journal of Human Resource Management, 11 (5), pp. 967-85. Lamm E. Meeks M. Workplace fun: the moderating effects of generational differences. Employee relations, 31, (6), p 613-631 Macky, K., Gardner, D. and Forsyth, S. (2008), Generational differences at work: introduction. and overview. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 28 (8), pp. 857-61. Plester B. 2009. Crossing the line: boundaries of workplace humour and fun. Employee Relations. 31, (6), pp 584-599. Stromberg. S. Karlsson. J. 2009. Rituals of fun and mischief: the case of the Swedish meatpackers. Employee Relations (31), 6, pp 632-647. Zemke, R., Raines, C. and Filipczak, B. (Eds) 2000. Generations at Work: Managing the Clash of Veterans, Boomers, Xers, and Nexters in Your Workplace. NY: Amacon, Footnotes 1 The generation of people born after the World War II. 2 People who were born between 1960 and 1980 3 People who were born between 1980 and 2000 This critical writing on Humor in the Workplace was written and submitted by user Khloe Alford to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

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Changing Rights Freedoms of Aboriginal People in Australia

Changing Rights Freedoms of Aboriginal People in Australia OUTCOMES ASSESSED HT5-2: sequences and explains the significant patterns of continuity and change in the development of the modern world and Australia HT5-3: explains and analyses the motives and actions of past individuals and groups in the historical contexts that shaped the modern world and Australia HT5-6: uses relevant evidence from sources to support historical narratives, explanations and analyses of the modern world and Australia HT5-7: explains different contexts, perspectives and interpretations of the modern world and Australia HT5-8: selects and analyses a range of historical sources to locate information relevant to an historical inquiry HT5-9: applies a range of relevant historical terms and concepts when communicating an understanding of the past HT5-10: selects and uses appropriate oral, written, visual and digital forms to communicate effectively about the past for different audiences In this task you will be assessed on how well you: Show an understanding of the Changing Rights Freedoms of Aboriginal People in Australias history. Present evidence reliant upon the topic you have studied in class during Term One, as well as your own research. This will include the impact of European occupation of Australia; Human Rights; legislation pertaining to Aboriginal Australians from Settlement to the current day. The ability to examine history through a multi-modal presentation. DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITY This assessment will be in THREE PARTS as outlined below. The year 2017 has seen controversy emerge surrounding the celebration of Australia Day on January 26th. This date coincides with arrival of the First Fleet and the beginning of the loss of rights and freedoms of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. In order to explain to the Australian public why members of the Australian public have protested and campaigned to change the date of Australia Day, Triple Js Hack program has invited you on to the program to provide an explanation of this issue. You have been provided with the questions prior to your interview in order to prepare your responses. Complete the scaffolded transcript attached which will form the majority of your response to the interview. You must include a Harvard style bibliography. TO BE SUBMITTED: THURSDAY, 2 MARCH 2017 Record your response using a recording device and upload to OneNote/Stile (per teachers instruction). Your verbal response is an audio recording of your transcript and must be no longer than 5 minutes in length. TO BE SUBMITTED: THURSDAY, 2 MARCH 2017 You will complete a source analysis (ADAM PRU) of one source during class time in week 6, answering an unseen question. The source will be directly related to what you have studied for Parts A and B. TO BE COMPLETED IN CLASS: MONDAY, 6 MARCH 2017 TRANSCRIPT Transcript of Triple Js Hack program featuring JITHIN ABRAHAM Presenter: Recent protests and demonstrations have occurred on Australia Day 2017 (26th January) in opposition to the celebration of Australia Day on this date. Why do you think this is? [Jithin]: Well as we all know Australia day is well known for Captain Cooks arrival of the First Fleet but, in truth what many of us dont know is on that same day is what aboriginals call invasion day. This day symbolizes the denial of rights and freedoms of aboriginal people. Just as Paul Keating said, we failed to make the most basic human response and enter into their hearts and minds (Redfern speech). During this timeframe, indigenous Australians have experienced discrimination, inequality and lack of opportunity. Shane Howard in Solid Rock sang Wasnt long before they felt the sting White man, white law, white gun. To many Aboriginals this day is very little about celebrating and rather about remembering of a deep loss. A Loss of their land, family, and the right to practice their culture. Presenter: So what was the nature of the contact between the first settlers and Aboriginal Australians? [Jithin]: Um, it seems to me the early European settlers were just as curious as aboriginals. For instance, Captain Cook wrote: I cannot tell if these natives are the most miserable, or the happiest people on earth. The aborigines were a peaceful and nomadic group of natives. We know the English were told be at good terms between aboriginals. But gradually we realize the strong connection indigenous Australians had with the land was being disrespected as White settlement expanded. Without doubt, we understand white settlers felt vastly superior to the indigenous population leading to violence, prejudice and racism. Presenter: Can you explain to the audience the impact this would have had on Aboriginal Australians at this time? Maybe this is why it has been referred to as Invasion Day? [Jithin]: So, we understand white settlement had a dark and devastating impact on aboriginal Australians. Many aboriginals were forced off their ancestral land and became displaced. This led them to new diseases introduced by settlers, which they had had no immunity too. Just like Djinyini Gondarra said The land is my mother. Like a human mother, the land gives us protection, enjoyment and provides our needs. Due to this, they were unable to access food and water, which made them more fragile and powerless. Also during this period violent conflict between settlers arose causing many heartless deaths. The impact of white settlers resulted in a drastic decline in the indigenous population. Presenter: You mentioned the government policy of protectionism, what was this exactly? [Jithin]: Yeah, the policy of protectionism ran for around 68 years and the main idea behind it was to control and separate aboriginal people from the white population and from each other. The policy of protectionism placed restrictions that denied their independence, freedom and basic human rights. Rights such as the where aboriginal people should live were denied and instead, the government directed how aboriginal people should live. The freedom to express their traditional customs were banned. The protector was the legal owner of all personal property rightfully owned by the aboriginal workers. Spending money even to buy basic items was restricted. The freedom to marry whoever had to be granted by white superiors and traditional names were refused. We can clearly understand this policy was very RACIST towards aboriginals. Presenter: Can you just outline for the audience the purpose of reservations and missions during this time period? Who were they administered by [Jithin]: Reserves and missions were enforced by their so-called white protectors. This meant approval was needed to enter or leave fenced areas. By doing this they excluded aborigines from cities and towns, which achieved their purpose of separating aboriginals from the white population. White superiors were strict and conditions inside these reserves were extremely harsh. Just as R. Broome said, It was evident at one point the reserves superintendents were at once policeman, judge and jury. Presenter: The toll on the Aboriginal population of Australia must have been horrendous. What were some of the consequences of this policy? [Jithin]: It was clear that the policies of protection had led to the dispossession, despair and a rapid decline in the size of the Aboriginal population. An Increase in infant mortality, suicide and life expectancy had a great impact. Harsh living conditions directed them to drink and most children lost links with their family and land. Many aborigines missed out on being educated in the language, culture and traditions of their people. Also,numerous mental health problems arose during the lifetime of aboriginal children. Presenter: You mentioned assimilation earlier in the program, what was this? Was it another policy put in place by the government? [Jithin]: Once the government understood the protection policy wasnt going as planned, with expenses and maintenance in running reserves and missions. The way forward was to absorb aborigines into towns and cities and the wider white community. By doing this Aboriginals would lose their cultural background but instead have their status raised. As part of Assimilation, the certificate of exemption was introduced and it required a denial of all cultural identity. It was only accepted to aborigines who were considered as detribalised and which have worked for the white man. Presenter: What would become of full blood Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people during this period? [Jithin]: Well, full blood aboriginals were excluded from white society and placed in reserves and missions. Where they were ignored and left to die out alongside their culture. All opportunities were put back and they relied on each other to sustain. Presenter: And what about those who were deemed half-caste? [Jithin]: As part of assimilation half-castes were absorbed into the wider white community. In promise of a simpler lifestyle away from the harsh conditions found in reserves. But instead they were seen by the assumption of black inferiority and white superiority. Presenter: Just for the benefit of those listeners who have just tuned in, would you mind just defining the term the Stolen Generation? [Jithin]: The stolen generation were identified as those who were of aboriginal origin and were taken away from their families to be put into church missions, foster families and institutions. Under the act of government. Presenter: It sounds as though the impact of this policy was devastating to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Can you explain this impact for our listeners out there? [Jithin]: When aboriginal people arrived in towns and cities and the wider white community, they came up against racism and discrimination. Aborigines were rather excluded from hotels and bars, they could only use swimming pools at certain times and sit in certain places at the cinemas. The most terrible part of the assimilated policy was that it led to children being taken away from their parents and families to be put into foster homes. These were known as the stolen generation. Presenter: Do you have an example from the material you have come across from a victim of the Stolen Generation? What was their experience? [Your Name]: Presenter: By todays standards, wouldnt these policies have been a breach of the Declaration of Human Rights? Do you mind just explaining, say three rights that these policies would have contravened? [Jithin]: Yes, they definitely would have breached the declaration of human rights. These policies have violated rights such asà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Um, all adults have the right to marriage and to raise a family. Everyone has the right to an adequate standard of living for themselves and their family. And we are all equal before the law and entitled to equal protection of the law. Presenter: Wow, some powerful stuff. No wonder that some people are upset with our current celebration of Australia Day on the 26th January. But this isnt the first time people have protested against the abuse of rights and freedoms of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders is it? For the benefit of the audience could you please outline one of these protests? (Who, what, when, where, why) [Your Name]: Presenter: Thank you so much for your time today on Hack. Heres hoping the information you have provided has enlightened some of the more ignorant corners of Australian society. HARVARD STYLE BIBLIOGRAPHY Jens Korff. 2017. Australia Day Invasion Day. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/history/australia-day-invasion-day. [Accessed 18 February 2017 Paul Keating. 1992. Transcript. [ONLINE] Available at: https://antar.org.au/sites/default/files/paul_keating_speech_transcript.pdf. [Accessed 22 February 2017]. Shane Howard. 1982. Lyrics. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.top40db.net/lyrics/?SongID=83327. [Accessed 22 February 2017]. Skwirk. 2016. First contact with Europeans. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.skwirk.com/p-c_s-17_u-455_t-1228_c-4698/first-contact-with-europeans/wa/first-contact-with-europeans/aboriginal-people-and-torres-strait-islanders/contact-with-europeans-the-effects. [Accessed 22 February 2017]. Skwirk. 2017. Impact of European settlement on Indigenous people. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.skwirk.com/p-c_s-56_u-426_t-1075_c-4149/WA/10/Impact-of-European-settlement-on-Indigenous-people/_tb-v. [Accessed 23 February 2017]. Nature and Mind. 2014. Quotes. [ONLINE] Available at: https://mindofnature.wordpress.com/2014/07/30/ten-australian-aboriginal-quotes-and-sayings-on-spirituality-nature-and-humanity/. [Accessed 24 February 2017]. R. Broome, Aboriginal Australians Black responses to white Dominance, 1788-1980, Allen Unwin, Sydney, 1982, pp. 178-9 Skwirk. 2016. Life on the reserves. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.skwirk.com/p-c_s-14_u-120_t-327_c-1125/life-on-the-reserves/nsw/history/changing-rights-and-freedoms-aboriginal-people/the-aboriginal-experience. [Accessed 26 February 2017].

Margots Intentional Killing in Hemingways The Short Happy Life of Fra

Ernest Hemingway is known for writing novels and short stories with unresolved endings. In his short story, ?The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber?, he definitely leaves his readers guessing. The question is whether Margot kills her husband, Francis, intentionally, or if she accidentally shoots him, because she tries to save his life. There are many points that could be argued for both conclusions, but my observations have led me to believe that Margot did indeed shoot her husband intentionally, however, without pre-meditation. Margot has one of the most obvious motivations to kill her husband: money. In addition, she, on the other hand, has one great asset, her beauty, ?They had a sound basis of union. Margot was too beautiful for Macomber to divorce her and Macomber had too much money for Margot ever to leave him? (Hemingway). As this sentence says, their relationship is one of selfishness on both their parts. Francis desires beauty while Margot desires wealth. Money has long been considered the root of evil especially for those who do anything to keep it. The marriage bet...

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Prison Inmates Should Be Allowed To Take College Courses Prison inmates should be allowed to take college course because having an education helps reform the inmate into a useful member of society. Education is useful in helping the inmate acquire the life skills necessary to make a life change for the better. Studies have shown that inmates who participate in educational programs were less likely to recidivate once released back into to society than those who did ot participate. Allowing prisoners to take college courses restructures the way inmates think and benefits society as a whole by helping inmates adapt once released, providing Job skills necessary to find work, and aiding in inmate rehabilitation. Providing an education for inmates helps them acquire the necessary life skills to make better choices once released and makes it easier to adapt to life outside the prison walls. An educated person is better able to choose etween right and wrong and also make wiser decisions. By restructuring the way an inmate thinks, the inmate makes better choices and finds better role models to emulate. An inmate who has the ability to read and write is better able to find information for himself and is more likely to use that information to make informed decisions. It is therefore easy to deduce, an inmate who has received a prison education can think more clearly and will act more positively preventing most inmates from recidivism. Using the education gained in prison will facilitate an inmate’s adaption to society and provides the necessary Jobs skills to find work once released. Education for inmates helps build a foundation for future success and provides the Job skills necessary to help inmates find work once they are released. Teaching basic educational skills to inmates such as reading, writing, and math skills increases their chances of passing employment tests and greatly improves their..

The Crown of Minos essays

The Crown of Minos essays There are different versions of the Greek myth of King Minos by Panocles. The Coop Theater Company performed the most famous version at the Black Box Theater on October 28. Writer, Director David Watkins, Jr.s adaptation of the Greek myth of King Minos and the Minotaur was great. Watkins production captured everything that helped the message of the play. The play starts by introducing King Minos (Ken MacFarlane). He was King of Crete. Minos was a tyrant who wouldnt listen to anyone. His wife Pasiphae (Annmarie Hehir) was the daughter of the sun god Helios and the oceanid Perse. Minos and Pasiphae with the help of a god had four sons Androgeus, Catreus, Deucalion and Glaucus. They also had four daughters Acalle, Xenodice, Ariadne and Phaedra. All their kids except Ariadne (Jen Eldridge), Phaedra (Christy Buchholz) and Androgeus (Morris Nash) died in the beginning of the play. Ariadne had a dream that Dionysus (Dante Salerno) came to her and was going to ask her to marry him. Dionysus was the god of wine, vegetation, pleasures, and of civilization. He gave her a ring, which she didnt tell anyone who it was from. King Minos was told of her dream and he got mad and started thinking that Dionysus was after him and his family. Ariadne was faithful to Dionysus waiting for the day he would come for her. One day, a dispute over the domination of Crete led Minos to pray to Poseidon for a creature to sacrifice to the sea god as a sign of his true kingship. Poseidon sent Minos, a beautiful white bull from the sea, which became known as the Cretan Bull. This confirmed that Minos was the true king. However, Minos found the bull so beautiful that he refused to sacrifice the bull to the sea god. Instead, Minos sacrificed a bull of poorer quality to Poseidon. Minos kept this great bull for breeding with his herd of cows. Poseidon punished Minos by making Pasiphae fall in love with the bull. Pasiphae had unco...

Essay about Huck Finn River

Essay about Huck Finn River Essay about Huck Finn River Mark Twain’s masterpiece, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, primarily takes place around the majestic Mississippi River. In fact, there wouldn’t be a story full of adventures if the Mississippi River wasn’t there to provide Huck and Jim a mode of transportation. However, the river symbolizes much more than a physical landmark throughout the story. Twain effectively utilizes the river to play several roles in his novel. For Huck and Jim, the grand Mississippi offers them a gateway to new adventures, freedom, and comfort. When Jim decided to become a fugitive slave after realizing that he would be sold, Huck makes a daring commitment to follow him. Although Huck had his own reasons to flee, he possessed an insatiable thirst for adventure. â€Å"Next morning I said it was getting slow and dull, and I wanted to get a stirring up, some way. I said I reckoned I would slip over the river and find out what was going on.† (Twain 54) Huck dresses up as a girl in o rder to find out what was going on in the next town. It was a risky and foolish adventure, especially since Huck was aiding a runaway fugitive down the Mississippi River. The river simply didn’t allow Huck and Jim to have many uneventful days. Fog from the river also makes the duo miss the mouth of the Ohio River, resulting in witnessing a dangerous family feud, crashing their raft into a steamboat, and assisting two low-life con artists. These adventurous turn of events were all made possible by the Mississippi River. Since these events happened in real physical towns and landmarks near the river, Twain is able to provide the reader a high level of authenticity. For Huck and Jim, the river represents freedom and hope for a better life. Jim is shackled by the cruel reality of slavery; his wife and children were enslaved and separated as well. He has no intentions of being sold to a slave state and decides to utilize the river as an opportunity for a new life. Although Jim is an uneducated slave, he is smart enough to know that he would be free if the river carried him to a free state. The river was a great idea, because it wouldn’t leave tracks behind for slave catchers to follow his trail. Jim’s grand plan was to allow the river to carry him to freedom, which would allow him to work towards buying his family’s freedom. This idealistic plan could only be made possible if the river’s currents would allow it. Although Huck is white and legally not a slave, he feels hopelessly enslaved by society and his drunken father. â€Å"All right; I can stop anywhere I want to.† (Twain 34) After Huck escapes, his adventures on the Mississippi River begin. The river enables him to finally be in control of his own life. Neither the Widow Douglas nor Pap is able to mold him into something Huck is clearly not cut out to be. While floating down the river on a raft, Huck and Jim are finally able to experience a taste of freedom. Although floating down the river on a raft may seem to be a cluttered and cramped

Give a topic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Give a topic - Essay Example It brings out their affiliation towards worshiping things they can see rather than an invisible power. They believe all animals and plants, large and small, have powers because the perceived great spirits have a presence in them. This includes non living things like rocks. They also believe that humans need to bow down to nature and have patience as it helps them in their short lives. Another fascinating point by the people of the Pacific islands is their belief that the power of the spirits is concentrated in certain beings and places. They believe that these powers are the ones that enable them to display unusual insights, strength and effectiveness. As described by Tlakaelel, the spiritual leader, such powers may be found in objects like specially made mirrors that concentrate power. The leader believes that when one reaches a point that they can concentrate with all their being, it’s a moment of light full of ecstasy. It is also interesting the way it is pointed out that s uch sacred sites may be recognized by the powers felt by the believers within their

Efficiency Of The Work Of The Allstate Insurance Company Term Paper

Efficiency Of The Work Of The Allstate Insurance Company - Term Paper Example Necessary knowledge and skills apply in this process, thereby measuring just how much the program is set to work out in favor of the company. In the context of this company, the idea of this condition is down packed. Current job skills and expertise in the company is highly evaluated in the present times in relation to the goals, mission, and objectives of the company. Advancement program for employee skills and expertise is operational, training of workers put in place as well as mentoring services. Creative and critical skill development is therefore at the disposal of workers, and opportunities for advancement are therefore created. As much as the condition here is hectic to functionalize, it clarifies the firm’s goals and initiates efficiency in the operations of the company (Andreas, 1998). Difficult goals call for maximum attention and analysis over time. This is the second's step towards achieving functional goal-setting procedures. The employees must be upfront at all times in regard to the attainment of these difficult goals. Employees focus on their work has been enhanced in this company by the fact there is a childcare unit in the company. The childcare units are favorable to the users since they offer care discounts for the parents. Over and above this fact, Allstate uses other means to keep the workers focused on the goals of the firm. These means are: offering dry cleaning services as well as oil-change services. It is therefore little or no time wasted by the employees during work hours when they need the aforementioned services. Day breaks allow the parents to see their children without wasting so much time. They can, therefore, work as required by the company (Hellriegel & Slocum, 2011). Goal achievement progress needs to be monitored at each point in time, and necessary feedback toward such progress reported from time to time.