Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Improving The Organizations Culture Assessment Of The...
Many issues and problems emerge in organizations that require action to be taken by either individuals or an authoritative figure to address problems that prohibit maximizing productivity. Because numerous decisions are made on any given day in an attempt for a school or organization to operate as smoothly as possible, there is required effort and energy to constantly monitor an organizationââ¬â¢s culture. A problematic situation in my current organization that is rooted in employee motivation and attitudes is the lack of satisfaction group members consistently feel. A year ago, the organization participated in a culture assessment that was conducted by the Kentucky School Boards Association (KSBA). This audit was ordered by our executiveâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦Therefore, coaches and consultants felt that they were constantly behind in their work to implement strategies in schools that would help instructional practices and learning. Directors and supervisors began to see a decrease in their staffââ¬â¢s motivation in their productivity, intensity and duration. According to Jex and Britt (2008), motivation has an impact in influencing work performance and behavior and is considered a key factor for any organization to understand. In this problem defined, decision making led to a negative effect as employees started to communicate their displeasure to supervisors and to one another. The disapproval and lack of buy-in into new ideas from leaders developed divisions within the organization. The executive director was quite aware of the impact his decisions were making and personally accepted responsibility for this set of unique circumstances. Though, there was no immediate action that could remedy the situation until the end of the fiscal year. Privately, he discussed his personal frustration to me in regard to past decisions that eventually led staff to be unhappy and ultimately hindered the culture. A special session among board of directors and sup erintendents was called to review the culture assessment results and initiate brainstorming ideas to address issues and concerns. This was a hardship for the executive
A Managerial Approach to Marketing Free Essays
The product that I will be proposing in the meeting will be a video game called FaDream. FaDreamââ¬â¢s platform will be connected to the FaDream Game Portal. This website will have a collection of downloadable games for the users. We will write a custom essay sample on A Managerial Approach to Marketing or any similar topic only for you Order Now The users of FaDream will have to get the membership to the FaDream Game Portal in order to gain access to numerous games of all sorts. They will be charged with membership fees every month in order to stay connected. Besides this they will have to get a platform with remotes, virtual gaming equipment, etc. There have been video games in the past but what makes this one different from the rest is that this video game will only work once it is connected to the internet. It will be linked to a website called www.FaDream.com/gameportal which will have a collection of downloadable games. People might argue that such technology is nothing new because of the online games present on the internet through the computer. FaDream cannot be compared with online gaming because the experience that the players will get with FaDream will be unmatched. What makes this product new is the quality, availability and variety of games present at all times. There will be no more hassle of buying expensive CDs from the store and taking care of them. There will be no more hassle of repairing the sensitive lens in the video game platform. All the users will need is the platform and an internet connection. The technology will be successful because of widespread use of internet already all over the world. Another factor which makes this different from everything else in the market is the affordability. FaDream will be Entertainment with Affordibiltiy. The price of the platform will be a fraction of what is paid for other video games in the market and this is what makes this product is feasible. To be more precise the price range of the platform will fall within $80 to $90 and besides this the membership fees will be approximately $7 per month. This is all about the product and price of FaDream. This project will be joint venture with XYZ Company which already has a name in the market in order to gain confidence of its audience. The target audience that we will be satisfying with this technology will be middle class males and females within the age range of 8 to 30 years. The age range is so large because of the variety of games available on the FaDream portal. It has games for every gender and age. It will be advertised in magazines all over the world. Other mediums of advertisement that will be used will be the internet and television. The logo which will be used for advertisement will be Entertainment with Affordability. After an intense advertisement campaign which will inform the audience about the product, FaDream will be launched worldwide. After this launch, the advertising strategy will be changed and the advertisements will become persuasive. Once the audience has knowledge about the product, they will have to be convinced that they need to have it with them. In conclusion, this product is totally new in the market and this is its strength but we must not forget that the market has been taken over by very strong competition. Getting people to recognize FaDream from among every other video game will be a threat and a challenge. We must ensure that the marketing strategy that will be employed by us must have no limitations because a good marketing strategy will be our only opportunity. à How to cite A Managerial Approach to Marketing, Essays
An Inquiry Into Hamlets Madness Essay Example For Students
An Inquiry Into Hamlets Madness Essay In the event of examining the nature of Hamlets madness,we will need to probe into Hamlets state of mind at different periods and circumstances in the play. Hamlet can be seen to be and not to be mad by different people at different stages. From one perspective, Hamlet can be seen to be mad when Ophelia goes to her father and gives a description of Hamlets disposition when he goes to see her, also when he goes to see his mother in her closet as can be seen in his tone of voice and his murder of Polonius and his lack of repentance for his death. also, his psychological trauma and emotional depression at the begining of the play may have plunged him into emotional insanity, and lastly his encounter with Leartes in Ophelias grave. Also the things which he claimed to have done on the ship bound for England goes to show his sanity, and lastly his encounter with Leartes in Ophelias grave. Upon the revelation of the ghost who is supposedly Hamlets fathers spirit, we witness a marked change in Hamlets disposition both in words and in deeds, one of such can be seen when (in Act 2 scene 1) Ophelia goes to see her father, apparently scared gives him a brief but vivid description of Hamlets disposition when he came to see her. she describes him as having a look so pietous in purport as if he had been loosed out of hell. This shows us a marked change in Hamlets disposition, the statement As if he had been loosed out of hell raises a lot of questions such as, what happened to Hamlet?. Possibly,some spirit or demon may have taken over him thus his appearance as being hellish in nature or it could be that he had lost his wits to hell and thus is not aware of his appearance and we are made to believe that that he appears thus throughout most of the play. Secondly, to further back up the point that hamlet was indeed mad is or can be seen with the encounter he had with his mother in her closet, where he lashes out at her to the extent that he is rude and also armed with such venomous words that frighten his mother. Possibly, he does this out of mere outrage at finding Claudius guilt and unable to take revenge but has to see his mother and thus speaks daggers to her heart and seizes her arm possibly in a fit of madness rather than outrage as it should be noted, the act was not premeditated but rather spontaneous and Getrude in shock screams for help and Polonious who is behind the arras(curtains) screams the same and Hamlet hearing him draws his sword and kills him. And when he finally realizes whom he had killed he shows no remorse whatsoever but rather sees his actions as being justified as he says Thou wretched, rash, intrudig fool, farewell. This action and statement show a completely different personality as in most periods in the book we see Hamlet in a suicidal melancholy but never in a murderous mood as we see him here so thus it would be safe to say that he was probably momentarily taken over by a fit of madness. Also from the begining of the book, we see the tragic hero as being psychologically disturbed by the death of his father and the overhasty marriage of his mother to his uncle Claudius, and to further compound matters his love is rejected by Ophelia on the advice of her father over her true feelings and Hamlets feelings, thus driving him into a state of emotional depression as well as psychological instability as Hamlet now saw himself as loosing both parents as well as a confidant, thus leaving him with no womanly affection whatsoever as he could no longer enjoy the sole monopoly of his mothers affection which had now gone to his uncle (Hamlet is .
Thursday, April 30, 2020
Staging the Play A Dolls House
Introduction/Synopsis One of the foremost characteristics of Ibsenââ¬â¢s play A Dollââ¬â¢s House is that its plot appears linearly defined, which in turn, explains the semantic realism of playââ¬â¢s overall sounding. As it is being the case with most of Ibsenââ¬â¢s other plays, throughout A Dollââ¬â¢s House, charactersââ¬â¢ existential stances never cease undergoing a qualitative transformation ââ¬â the manner in which characters position themselves at playââ¬â¢s beginning is being different from the manner in which they position themselves at playââ¬â¢s end.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Staging the Play A Dollââ¬â¢s House specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More There are good reasons to believe that the realism of this particular play is being reflective of the actual workings of authorââ¬â¢s analytical mindset ââ¬â apparently, Ibsen never ceased being aware of the fact that the extent of playââ¬â¢s realistic sounding reflects the extent of presented charactersââ¬â¢ intellectual flexibility, extrapolated in the particulars of how they address lifeââ¬â¢s challenges. As Kaufmann (1965) put it ââ¬Å"[Ibsen] knows that truth never is a possession, but a constant effort to find the appropriate response to every situation which demands a decisionâ⬠(22). The legitimacy of such our hypothesis can be explored in relation to playââ¬â¢s synopsis: Nora Helmer is a married woman, who helped her husband Torvald Helmer (bank clerk) once by borrowing a large sum of money from the bank, after forged her dadââ¬â¢s signature. Torvald is completely unaware of the forgery that had taken place. Initially, he is presented as a loving husband, who treats Nora in particularly affectionate manner, even though he also appears to be utterly ignorant of Noraââ¬â¢s basic humanity ââ¬â throughout the play, Torvald treats her as pretty but soulless d oll. Krogstad is another important character in the play. When being faced with the prospect of losing his job in Torvaldââ¬â¢s bank, he threatens to blackmail Nora (because of her forgery) if she does not convince Torvald to refrain from firing him. Eventually, Torvald finds out about Noraââ¬â¢s forgery and becomes enraged over his wifeââ¬â¢s presumed infidelity. He ends up accusing Nora of moral depravity, while suggesting that under no circumstances should Nora have considered keeping secrets from him. Torvaldââ¬â¢s behavior opens Noraââ¬â¢s eyes to the fact that she has been loyal to an unworthy man, incapable of addressing lifeââ¬â¢s challenges outside the structure of conventional morality, and for whom the continuous observation of social customs meant so much more then ensuring his wifeââ¬â¢s happiness. It begins to dawn upon Nora that, her stay with Torlvald may very well be compared to the stay of a bird in the cage. After having realized it, Nora deci des to leave Torvald, who in her eyes has been downsized from a respectful head of the household to a regular moralistic hypocrite, unable of appreciating Nora in a way she truly deserved. Nora says good-bye to Torlvald and her children and embarks upon the quest to find her long lost sense of identity.Advertising Looking for research paper on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The proposed choices for playââ¬â¢s production The earlier provided outline of the plot points out what can be considered the foremost indication of playââ¬â¢s dramaturgic uniqueness ââ¬â the strongly defined dramatics sounding of its themes and motifs. Therefore, it comes as not a particular surprise that the action in A Dollââ¬â¢s House appears spatially limited. As it was pointed out by Jakovljevic (2002): ââ¬Å"Ibsenââ¬â¢s family drama [A Dollââ¬â¢s House] is set within the space of perspectival constraints. T he entire play takes place in this single set that represents the living room in a middle class family flatâ⬠(432). What it means is that, while staging A Dollââ¬â¢s House, directors must focus their attention on ensuring the psychological plausibility of themes and motifs, contained in this particular play, as their principal priority. The best way to accomplish this is by exposing the essence of psychological anxieties, experienced by the playââ¬â¢s characters, as such that relate to psychological anxieties, on the part of audienceââ¬â¢s members. Within the context of Ibsen playââ¬â¢s staging, ensuring actionââ¬â¢s psychological plausibility will not represent much of a challenge. The reason for this is simple ââ¬â unlike what it is being commonly assumed, A Dollââ¬â¢s House is not solely concerned with exploring the theme of womenââ¬â¢s liberation from patriarchal oppression, which could make this play ideologically outdated, but also with exposing what accounts for existentialist incompatibility between husband and wife ââ¬â subject matter that even today remains utterly relevant. As it was rightly noted by Haugen (1979): ââ¬Å"Ibsenââ¬â¢s Nora is not just a woman arguing for female liberation; she is much more. She embodies the comedy as well as the tragedy of modern lifeâ⬠(vii). In other words, there is a well defined rationale for a modernist staging of A Dollââ¬â¢s House, as such staging that would emphasize the playââ¬â¢s contemporary themes and motifs. One way of ensuring the conceptual relevance of Ibsenââ¬â¢s play for a modern audience is to stage an unconventional production. The following is how four elements of theatre (set, costumes, characterization and audience participation) can reflect a modernist staging of A Dollââ¬â¢s House. Set A Dollââ¬â¢s House, does not leave the boundaries of one single room. This eases up the process of designing the set. Given the minimalistic traditions of modernist theatre, a table and few chairs in the foreground are more than adequate for the set.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Staging the Play A Dollââ¬â¢s House specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More After all, the action in this particular Ibsenââ¬â¢s play can be best referred to as essentially verbal, which suggests the lessened importance of an onstage environment, as an additional instrument of ensuring actionââ¬â¢s plausibility: ââ¬Å"In a word, A Dollââ¬â¢s House is a play about writing. It is a play about writing with consequences, about words that act and generate actionâ⬠(Jakovljevic 433). Nevertheless, to make unraveling of the plot more authenticated, the trappings of a middle class home may be utilized as well. By simplifying onstage set to a minimum, the director will be able to ââ¬Å"kill two rabbits with one shotâ⬠: to modernize the playââ¬â¢s action in the eye s of the audience, and to emphasize the sheer extent of play actionââ¬â¢s drama. Costumes The dramaturgic value of A Dollââ¬â¢s House is Ibsenââ¬â¢s ability to expose charactersââ¬â¢ psychological anxieties, rather than his talent in authenticating the realities of 19th centuryââ¬â¢s Norwegian living. Therefore, a modern production should dress actors in contemporary or ââ¬Ëminimalistââ¬â¢ costumes. It will provide an additional stimulus for the audience to focus on playââ¬â¢s themes and motifs if Torvald, Krogstad and Dr. Rank wear black trousers and black golf sweaters. Nora and Mrs. Linde can wear black shirts and matching tight skirts. In its turn, this will substantially increase the extent of productionââ¬â¢s intellectual appeal. The suggestion, in this respect, correlates with the point, made in Cimaââ¬â¢s (1983) article: ââ¬Å"The director might choose to present A Dollââ¬â¢s House so that the action is ââ¬Ëto discover oneselfââ¬â¢ (a ââ¬Ëfeministââ¬â¢ approach), or he might focus on the action ââ¬Ëto play the gameâ⬠(15). By having actors dressed in minimalist costumes, the director will prompt them to be more focused on ââ¬Ëplaying the gameââ¬â¢, as opposed to be concerned with maintaining the spirit of historicity. The utilization of ââ¬Ëminimalistââ¬â¢ costumes in production of A Dollââ¬â¢s House is the pathway towards ensuring productionââ¬â¢s modernist sounding. Characterization As mentioned earlier, with the possible exception of Torvald, the characters in Ibsenââ¬â¢s play are represented in the state of undergoing a constant intellectual transition. For example, the manner in which Nora reacts to lifeââ¬â¢s challenges in Act One is qualitatively different from the way she reacts to these challenges in Act Three.Advertising Looking for research paper on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More What it means is that, while striving to ensure the genuineness of actorsââ¬â¢ onstage performance, the director will have to look into creating objective preconditions for actorsââ¬â¢ interaction to serve the purpose of revealing developmental aspects of played charactersââ¬â¢ psychological makeup: ââ¬Å"With the advent of Ibsenââ¬â¢s playsâ⬠¦ a revised category of gestures became necessary: the autistic gesture, or subtle visual sign of the characterââ¬â¢s soliloquy with himselfâ⬠(Cima 22). This can be achieved with the means of encouraging actors to perform in essentially spontaneous manner, while going as far as even indulging in verbal interaction with the audience, if thought contextually appropriate. Audience participation The success of using a modernist approach to theatrical productions depends of turning viewers into active participants, often despite their desire to remain passive. Encouraging actors to improvise thought-provoking remarks, even if these remarks have nothing to do with playââ¬â¢s actual script, can do this. Within the framework of A Dollââ¬â¢s House modernist staging, actors were prompted to expose parallels between Torvaldââ¬â¢s behavioral superficiality and the behavioral superficiality of many of todayââ¬â¢s overly effeminate men, who despite their willingness to ââ¬Ëact responsiblyââ¬â¢, exhibit a number of psychological weakness in their daily lives. For example, while coming up with his moralistic speeches, Torvald may very well refer to political correctness, as the source of conventional morality, which will undoubtedly trigger strong emotional reactions in the audience. Whymanââ¬â¢s production of the play/Conclusion The legitimacy of an earlier outlined production proposal can be explored in relation to Gardnerââ¬â¢s online article, where she elaborates on the particulars of Erica Whymanââ¬â¢s staging of A Dollââ¬â¢s House. According to Gardner (2008), Whyman had made a deliberate point in representing playââ¬â¢s plot as such that is being unraveled during the course of fifties: ââ¬Å"The 1950s setting works very well; it is a period far enough away in time for the stifling social code of Ibsenââ¬â¢s play not to jar, but modern enough to connect with todayâ⬠(Guardian). Moreover, as it appears from Gardnerââ¬â¢s article, Whyman considered it fully appropriate altering the semantic subtleties of playââ¬â¢s characterization: ââ¬Å"Well-meaning but misguided Torvold is no villain; indeed, initially it is the beautiful Nora ââ¬â a self-conscious spoiled child ââ¬â who is the least appealing of the protagonistsâ⬠(Guardian). Apparently, Whyman had no reservations about modernizing the, which contributed immensely to productionââ¬â¢s success with the audience. It is understood, of course, that the manner in which Whyman had gone about staging Ibsenââ¬â¢s play, points out to the fact that it would indeed be appropri ate, on directorââ¬â¢s part, to utilize modernist approach in designing the theatrical production of A Dollââ¬â¢s House ââ¬â just as it was initially hypothesized in the paper. References Cima, Gibson Gay ââ¬Å"Discovering Signs: The Emergence of the Critical Actor in Ibsen.â⬠Theatre Journal 35.1 (1983): 5-22. Print. DiYanni, Robert. Literature: Approaches to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. 2ndà edition. New York: McGraw-Hill Humanities. Print. Gardner, Lyn ââ¬Å"A Dollââ¬â¢s House.â⬠28 Apr. 2008. Guardian.Co.Uk. 24 Apr. 2011. https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2008/apr/28/theatre1 Haugen, Einar. Ibsenââ¬â¢s Drama: Author to Audience. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1979. Print. Jakovljevic, Branislav ââ¬Å"Shattered Back Wall: Performative Utterance of A Dollââ¬â¢sà House.â⬠Theatre Journal 54.3 (2002): 431-448. Print. Kaufmann, F.W. ââ¬Å"Ibsenââ¬â¢s Conception of Truth.â⬠Ibsen: A Collection of Criticalà Essays. Ed. Rol f Fjelde. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall. 1965. 17-30. Print. Appendices Erica Whymanââ¬â¢s fifties-styled production of A Dollââ¬â¢s House. This research paper on Staging the Play A Dollââ¬â¢s House was written and submitted by user Amelie Mccarthy 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.
Tuesday, April 14, 2020
How to Write an Argumentative Essay
How to Write an Argumentative EssayGrade argumentative essay samples are widely available. These workbooks and resource materials are designed to serve as proofreading and editing resources. The purpose of this type of essay is to clearly express a student's points of view using key examples and direct speaking.The essay sample must first be created in a word processing program such as Microsoft Word. The writer will then be asked to perform a range of editing tasks to turn the written sample into a usable essay. Most importantly, the writer should then revise and edit the essays for clarity and to provide students with meaningful and effective learning experiences. In addition, it is also important to look for Grade Argumentative Essay samples that contain multiple-choice questions as well as text-matching.The objective of the essay writing activity is to express one's own views, insights, and opinions. Students may do this either by reading other viewpoints. Regardless of the type of essay they choose, they should choose a topic that they will relate to. Some topics include language usage, cultural references, sociology, social studies, politics, economics, and world issues. Students should consider choosing a topic that best fits their learning style, which will facilitate their learning.It is possible to create a Grade Argumentative Essay from an existing essay. Students may choose to rework their essay to fit the requirements of the Grade Argumentative Essay example. Furthermore, they can also find pre-formatted Word documents on the Internet that can be easily modified to suit their needs. Students can select the templates they want in order to fulfill the requirements of their essay. Additionally, these templates are very useful in order to quickly create an essay that is quality-controlled and formatted in a timely manner.Students will have plenty of opportunities to rework their essay once they have completed it. In addition, it is also important to le arn about Grade Argumentative Essay sample formats and writing styles so that the students will be able to effectively express their ideas using short statements and simple sentences. Furthermore, they can use these essays as a learning tool by applying their own skills to improve their academic performance.The purpose of Grade Argumentative Essay sample is to provide students with powerful examples that they can use in writing their own essays. The writer should write about specific examples of social behaviors and their consequences. Students should focus on examples that are relevant to the essay topic. For example, if a student is writing about anti-Semitic policies in the United States, he or she should not rely solely on examples about Jewish people. Instead, he or she should compare the policies of the United States to other countries.One of the most challenging tasks for students to undertake in the Grade Argumentative Essay sample is that of writing a convincing conclusion. When writing the conclusion, the writer should make a clear and concise statement, supporting his or her position using evidence. Before writing the conclusion, students should remember that it is imperative to place in context. The reason for this is that a student's written statement must match the thesis statement that he or she has already presented. Students can further enhance their writing skills by practicing making connections between two or more different examples in the beginning and end of the essay.Of course, any essay should be enjoyed by both the writer and the reader. Thus, it is important to be sensitive in the way the writer writes. Furthermore, it is also important to take note of what makes an essay successful. Grade Argumentative Essay sample writers should also be aware of the various qualities that are required in essay writing.
Saturday, March 21, 2020
Understanding Cross
Understanding Cross Summary The article by Fink, Neyer and Kà ¶lling (2007) presents a comprehensive research on cross-cultural management. The paper explores the variations in culture and how the variations affect managers and employees in a managerial environment. The paper brings out the incidences of management that emerge from cross-cultural variations. The paper approaches the issue from a theoretical concept using the Parsons and Shilsââ¬â¢ theory of action.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Understanding Cross-Cultural Management Interaction specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Three fundamental issues of cross-cultural management are explored in the article. These are cross-cultural standards of management, the impact of cross cultural attributes on personality traits, and the managerial dimensions of managing in a cross-cultural environment. The article develops a model of management that can help in enhancing management and adj usting employees and managers in a cross-cultural context of management (Fink, Neyer Kà ¶lling, 2007). Strengths The method of research that is used in the paper is quite comprehensive in the sense that it borrows from both literature and a deeper exploration of a theoretical concept to develop a cross-cultural model of management. The qualities of the sources used in the paper are of a desirable standard. The paper makes use of other resources to build up literature, resulting in comprehensive outcomes that are founded in the cross-cultural model of management that is developed by the researchers. The paper makes use of specific and limited sources in the literature. This helps the researchers to focus on the main issue that informs the research (Krishnaswamy, Appa Mathirajan, 2006). The multilevel perspective that is taken in the article is desirable; that is, exploration of cultural dimensions of cross-cultural management, the cross-cultural standards of management and the imp acts of cross-culture on personality traits of manager and employees. It helps in the development of relational concepts of cross-cultural management, thus making the deductions more comprehensive in scope. The other feature that is important in this research is the summarization of literature under each mini-research into a conceptual perspective. This implies the value and the critical contribution of literature, making the research to attain the exploratory attribute (Mitchell Jolley, 2013). Weakness The researchers did not limit the research questions, a factor that works negatively when it comes to narrowing down of the research topic. However, the research questions in the article are specific. This aided the researchers to focus on the main goals of the research. The literature is quite limited and seems insufficient when it comes to development of deductions or recommendations that are universal. The researchers ought to have expanded the research in order to broaden the sc ope of the research (Mitchell Jolley, 2013). Why the article is critical to human resource managers The contemporary managerial environment has increasingly become complex due to globalization and its impact on management. Cross-cultural perspectives are, therefore, quite common in the contemporary managerial environment. The article presents a comprehensive research into the cross-cultural antecedents of management. The concept of cross-cultural management developed in the article can be aped and replicated in organizations that are going international in their operations.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Human resource managers find it complex to manage organizations that draw people from diverse cultures of management. This is analyzed in the article. Reading the article can, therefore, help human resource managers to identify the aspects of variations of cultur e in their organizations and develop effective tactics of dealing with the problems of adapting and managing in culturally diverse environments (Tjosvold, 2003). References Fink, G, Neyer A., Kà ¶lling, M. (2007). Understanding cross-cultural management interaction. International Studies of Management Organization, 36(4), 38-60. Krishnaswamy, K. N., Appa, L. S., Mathirajan, M. (2006). Management research methodology: Integration of principles, methods and techniques. New Delhi: Pearson Education. Mitchell, M. L., Jolley, J. M. (2013). Research design explained. Australia: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Tjosvold, D. (2003). Cross-cultural management: Foundations and future. Aldershot: Ashgate.
Thursday, March 5, 2020
Native American Stereotypes in Film and Television
Native American Stereotypes in Film and Television The 2013 remake of ââ¬Å"The Lone Ranger,â⬠featuring Native American sidekick Tonto (Johnny Depp), renewed concerns about whether the media promotes stereotypical images of Native Americans. In film and television, American Indians have long been portrayed as people of few words with magical powers. Often the Indians in Hollywood are dressed as ââ¬Å"warriors,â⬠which perpetuates the notion that Natives are savages. On the other hand, Native American women are depicted as beautiful maidens sexually available to white men. Collectively, the stereotypical images of American Indians in Hollywood continue to influence public perception of this racial group. Beautiful Maidens While the media often portrays Native American men as warriors and medicine men, their female counterparts are typically portrayed as beautiful Indian maidens. There is the maiden on the cover of Land Oââ¬â¢ Lakes butter products, Hollywoodââ¬â¢s various representations ofà ââ¬Å"Pocahontasâ⬠and Gwen Stefaniââ¬â¢s controversial portrayal of an Indian princess for No Doubtââ¬â¢s 2012 music video for ââ¬Å"Looking Hot.â⬠Native American author Sherman Alexie tweeted that with the video No Doubt turned ââ¬Å"500 years of colonialism into a silly dance song and fashion show.â⬠Representations of Native American women as ââ¬Å"easy squawsâ⬠have real-world consequences. American Indian women suffer from high rates of sexual assaults, often perpetrated by non-Native men. According to the book Feminisms and Womanisms: A Womenââ¬â¢s Studies Reader, American Indian girls are also often subjected to derogatory sexual comments. ââ¬Å"Whether princess or squaw, Native femininity is sexualized,â⬠writes Kim Anderson in the book. ââ¬Å"This understanding finds its way into our lives and our communities. Sometimes, it means constantly having to fend off the advances of people with an appetite for the ââ¬ËOther.ââ¬â¢ It may involve a continual struggle to resist crass, sexualized interpretations of oneââ¬â¢s beingâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ Stoic Indians Unsmiling Indians who speak few words can be found in classical cinema as well as in cinema of the 21st century. This representation of Native Americans paints them as one-dimensional people who lack the full range of emotions that other groups display. Adrienne Keene of the Native Appropriations blog says that portrayals of indigenous peoples as stoic can largely be traced to the pictures of Edward Curtis, who photographed American Indians in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. ââ¬Å"The common theme throughout Edward Curtisââ¬â¢s portraits is stoicism,â⬠Keene explains. ââ¬Å"None of his subjects smile. Ever. â⬠¦To anyone who has spent any time with Indians, you know that the ââ¬Ëstoic Indianââ¬â¢ stereotype couldnââ¬â¢t be further from the truth. Natives joke, tease, and laugh more than anyone I know- I often leave Native events with my sides hurting from laughing so much.â⬠Magical Medicine Men Like the ââ¬Å"Magical Negro,â⬠Native American males are often portrayed as wise men with magical powers in film and television shows. Usually medicine men of some sort, these characters have little function other than to guide white characters in the right direction. Oliver Stoneââ¬â¢s 1991 film ââ¬Å"The Doorsâ⬠is a case in point. In this film about the famed rock group, a medicine man appears at key moments in Jim Morrisonââ¬â¢s life to shape the singerââ¬â¢s consciousness. The real Jim Morrison may have really felt that he connected with a medicine man, but his thinking was likely influenced by Hollywood depictions of American Indians. In all cultures, there have traditionally been individuals with an impressive knowledge of the healing qualities of plants and herbs. Yet, Native Americans have been portrayed in film and television time and time again as medicine men who have no other purpose but to rescue hapless white people from harm. Bloodthirsty Warriors In films such as ââ¬Å"The Last of The Mohicans,â⬠based on James Fenimore Cooperââ¬â¢s book of the same name, there is no shortage of Indian warriors. Hollywood has traditionally portrayed Native Americans as tomahawk-wielding savages thirsty for the white manââ¬â¢s blood. These brutes engage in barbaric practices such as scalping and sexually violate white women. The Anti-Defamation League has attempted to set this stereotype straight, however. ââ¬Å"While warfare and conflict did exist among Native Americans, the majority of tribes were peaceful and only attacked in self-defense,â⬠the ADL reports. ââ¬Å"Just like European nations, American Indian tribes had complex histories and relationships with one another that sometimes involved combat, but also included alliances, trade, intermarriage and the full spectrum of human ventures.â⬠As the character, Thomas-Builds-the Fire notes in the film ââ¬Å"Smoke Signals,â⬠many First Nations peoples have no history of being warriors. Thomas points out that he came from a tribe of fishermen. The warrior stereotype is a ââ¬Å"shallowâ⬠one the ADL asserts, as it ââ¬Å"obscures family and community life, spirituality, and the intricacies inherent in every human society.â⬠In the Wild and on the Rez In Hollywood films, Native Americans are typically found living in the wilderness and on reservations. In reality, considerable numbers of First Nations peoples live off the reservation and in major U.S. cities. According to Washington University in St. Louis, 60 percent of the Native American population lives in cities. The U.S. Census Bureau reports that New York, Los Angeles, and Phoenix boast the largest populations of Native Americans. In Hollywood, however, itââ¬â¢s rare to see an aboriginal character living in a metropolitan area.
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