Anton chekhov critic research paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Anton chekhov critic - Research Paper Example His is rather the cynical chuckle of a grown-up watching a child assume grimaces of deep earnestness and self-importance†. This is a unique type of humor that Chekhov captured masterfully in his early career and it is nice to see it appreciated by critics. This opinion of Chekhov is important because it shows that he did not take life too importantly. Many authors become overly serious about their craft and are unable to look at themselves objectively. This can completely ruin people, as once you begin taking yourself too seriously you lose your edge. In his earlier stories, Fagin claims that Chekhov had a much better sense of humour and did not take himself too seriously. This made these easier stories much more enjoyable to read, as â€Å"his earlier stories the laughable, and it is a more or less cheerful laugh, with little of the serious behind it† (Fagin). As Chekhov’s career carried on, however, Fagin noticed that he began to look at life differently and his stories suffered as a result. This is unfortunate, but it is probably a direct result of his upbringing in Russia and the social landscape during that time period. Fagin writes, â€Å"But as the stories grow more in volume, the undercurrent of gloom and a stifled groan of pain become more and more audible, until, in the later volumes, his laugh quite eloquently suggest the ominous combination of submission to Fate and Mephistophelian despair†. This shows that there was a fair amount of gloom in his life, as he did not know what the future would hold, but he did not believe that it would be positive for him and his country. No one knows for sure why Chekhov’s style of writing changed, but is very likely that the impact of the Russian political system had a major impact on it. This political system is though to be very dreary and to take a great deal of hope away from people, so it is possible that Chekhov essentially lost hope in life and that his writing shows this. No matter what the reason for

The Nature of Organizational Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Nature of Organizational Change - Essay Example ystem make profit margins of over 5%.He hopes to build a switching system and engines for trains and aims at selling water purification systems ,power plants, build steel mills in Russia ,build a cement processing plant and in Pakistan they hope to put up a desalination plant. He wants to see the that he boost his sales revenue through acquisitions as he did in the acquisition of Australian Engineering and CTI molecular firm who have assisted in acquiring of CT and MRI systems that assist in diagnosing of diseases. He has since underpinned all underperforming businesses such as the telecommunication business and made the companies structure simpler. When most people thought that he would put the underperforming business under a joint venture, he went ahead to sell the poor selling handset business unit to Taiwan BenQ Corp. The Chief Executive officer (CEO) is a transformational kind of leader who intends to change the culture of the organization and has led the organization to become one of the leading companies in the world. Since he took over the company, he has been able to push over the 400,000 employees to make decisions that are quick and to focus more on customers as they do in technology. Most of those who have worked with him say that he is very easy to work with. According to Jack Bergen, he describes him as a good communicator and a person who is able to build consensus. Therefore, he is a team player, a person who is able to consult widely and a go getter (Edersheim and Drucker 117). The company has eleven main entities that operate distinct and separate entities with their own board members and therefore communicating any change for the Chief Executive officer (CEO) is a big problem. He faced a very huge task of trying to change the mind set of his senior managers and employees so that they could keep up with the changes that were taking place in the global economy and technology. He also faced a lot of resistance from those who perceived him to be

Contemporary Organisational Theory Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Contemporary Organisational Theory - Assignment Example nsion felt in 24 nations in the world, signifying the complexities required for the management of such organisation, it has defiled the conventional methods adopted by organisations with the same complexities. The system adopted by Gore sought to deviate from the conventional methods of management. The concept was based on theory Y, which sought to build human relation. The theory assumes that people get motivation within self. When one is self-motivated, they become anxious to identify solutions for different problems. Besides, the theory ascribes that such individuals have the potential of working together in tasks without jeopardising the peace in the work environment. The method used by Bill and Vieve limited the number of employees for every given plant facility. For instance, they believe that 200 associates are appropriate for the model because it encourage the development of interpersonal trust. The two believes that if the number is exceeded, the productivity is likely to decline. They solved the problem by ensuring that every time the number is reached they opened a new facility instead of expanding. The concept of a limited number of employees is based on the anthropological concepts developed by Robin Dunbar. The concept asserts that social groupings correlates with the size that human can manage. Cases of complex social relations are not appropriate when encouraging human relationship. The number of people each employee can relate with was estimated to be 148 according to Dunbar. The new associates were given mentors who guided them and carried them through the units in the organisation to identify areas that match with their skills and talents. The approach is unique because it enables new entrance to identify areas within the organisation that matches with their preferences and hence improves their output. These strategies are unique because most organisations have right job descriptions used for employing new people based on the items listed in the

Anton chekhov critic research paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Anton chekhov critic - Research Paper Example His is rather the cynical chuckle of a grown-up watching a child assume grimaces of deep earnestness and self-importance†. This is a unique type of humor that Chekhov captured masterfully in his early career and it is nice to see it appreciated by critics. This opinion of Chekhov is important because it shows that he did not take life too importantly. Many authors become overly serious about their craft and are unable to look at themselves objectively. This can completely ruin people, as once you begin taking yourself too seriously you lose your edge. In his earlier stories, Fagin claims that Chekhov had a much better sense of humour and did not take himself too seriously. This made these easier stories much more enjoyable to read, as â€Å"his earlier stories the laughable, and it is a more or less cheerful laugh, with little of the serious behind it† (Fagin). As Chekhov’s career carried on, however, Fagin noticed that he began to look at life differently and his stories suffered as a result. This is unfortunate, but it is probably a direct result of his upbringing in Russia and the social landscape during that time period. Fagin writes, â€Å"But as the stories grow more in volume, the undercurrent of gloom and a stifled groan of pain become more and more audible, until, in the later volumes, his laugh quite eloquently suggest the ominous combination of submission to Fate and Mephistophelian despair†. This shows that there was a fair amount of gloom in his life, as he did not know what the future would hold, but he did not believe that it would be positive for him and his country. No one knows for sure why Chekhov’s style of writing changed, but is very likely that the impact of the Russian political system had a major impact on it. This political system is though to be very dreary and to take a great deal of hope away from people, so it is possible that Chekhov essentially lost hope in life and that his writing shows this. No matter what the reason for

Contemporary Organisational Theory Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Contemporary Organisational Theory - Assignment Example nsion felt in 24 nations in the world, signifying the complexities required for the management of such organisation, it has defiled the conventional methods adopted by organisations with the same complexities. The system adopted by Gore sought to deviate from the conventional methods of management. The concept was based on theory Y, which sought to build human relation. The theory assumes that people get motivation within self. When one is self-motivated, they become anxious to identify solutions for different problems. Besides, the theory ascribes that such individuals have the potential of working together in tasks without jeopardising the peace in the work environment. The method used by Bill and Vieve limited the number of employees for every given plant facility. For instance, they believe that 200 associates are appropriate for the model because it encourage the development of interpersonal trust. The two believes that if the number is exceeded, the productivity is likely to decline. They solved the problem by ensuring that every time the number is reached they opened a new facility instead of expanding. The concept of a limited number of employees is based on the anthropological concepts developed by Robin Dunbar. The concept asserts that social groupings correlates with the size that human can manage. Cases of complex social relations are not appropriate when encouraging human relationship. The number of people each employee can relate with was estimated to be 148 according to Dunbar. The new associates were given mentors who guided them and carried them through the units in the organisation to identify areas that match with their skills and talents. The approach is unique because it enables new entrance to identify areas within the organisation that matches with their preferences and hence improves their output. These strategies are unique because most organisations have right job descriptions used for employing new people based on the items listed in the

American Indians Essay Example for Free

American Indians Essay The people now known as Indians or Native Americans were the first people to live in the Americas. They had been living there for thousands of years before any Europeans arrived. The Vikings explored the east coast of North America around A. D. 1000 and had some contact with Indians (Watson Howell 1980). But lasting contact between Indians and Europeans began with Christopher Columbuss voyages to the Americas. In 1492, Columbus sailed across the Atlantic Ocean from Spain. He was seeking a short sea route to the Indies, which then included India, China, the East Indies, and Japan. Europeans did not then know that North and South America existed. When Columbus landed in what is now known as the West Indies, he did not realize he had come to a New World. He thought he had reached the Indies, and so he called the people he met Indians. Almost every Indian group had its own name. Many of these names reflected the pride of each group in itself and its way of life. For example, the Delaware Indians of eastern North America called themselves Lenape, which means genuine people. Today, many Indians refer to themselves as Native Americans. The first Indians came to the New World from Siberia, in Asia. Most scientists think they arrived at least 15,000 years ago. At that time huge ice sheets covered much of the northern half of the earth. The Bering Strait, which today is a narrow area of water that separates Asia and North America, was easily walked across by the Indians who were following the animals that they were hunting. Much later this ice sheet melted and the land bridge became covered with water. By then, Indian groups had already spread throughout the New World, all over North and South America. These Indian groups developed different cultures because of the different climates and landforms in the regions in which they settled. Body Anthropologists, scientists who study human culture, classify the hundreds of North and South American Indian tribes into groups of tribes that are alike. These groups are called culture areas. Some of the cultures of North America are the Arctic; the Northeast, or Eastern Woodlands; the Plains; and Southwest. The Indians spoke hundreds of different languages and had many different ways of life. Some groups lived in great cities and others in small villages. The Aztec and the Maya of Central America built large cities. Some of the Aztec cities had as many as 100,000 people. The Maya built special buildings in which they studied the moon, the stars, and the sun. They also developed a calendar and a system of writing. Many of the Indians of Eastern North America lived in villages. They hunted and farmed, growing such crops as beans, corns and squash (Bains, 1985). Most of the Indians were friendly at first and taught the newcomers many things. The European explorers followed Indian trails to sources of water and deposits of copper, gold, silver, turquoise, and other minerals. The Indians taught them to make snowshoes and sleds and to travel by canoe. Food was another of the Indians important gifts. The Indians grew many foods that the newcomers had never heard of, such as avocados, corn, peanuts, peppers, pineapples, potatoes, squash, and tomatoes. They also introduced the whites to tobacco. The Indians, in turn, learned much from the whites. The Europeans brought many goods that were new to the Indians. These goods included metal tools, guns, and liquor. The Europeans also brought cattle and horses, which were unknown to the Indians. The Europeans and the Indians had widely different ways of life. Some Europeans tried to understand the Indians ways and treated them fairly. But others cheated the Indians and took their land. When the Indians fought back, thousands of them were killed in battle. At first, they had only bows and arrows and spears, but the Europeans had guns. Even more Indians died from measles, smallpox, and other new diseases introduced by the whites. As the Europeans moved westward across North America, they became a greater threat to the Indian way of life. Finally, most of the remaining Indians were moved onto reservations. Most daily activities of an Indian family centered on providing the main necessities of life such as food, clothing, and shelter. Men and women usually had separate tasks. For example, both men and women were often involved in providing food. But they did so in different ways. In some areas, the women gathered wild plants for food, and the men hunted. In the Northeast and Southeast culture areas, the men hunted, and the women farmed the land. In parts of what are now Arizona and New Mexico and in Middle and South America, the men did the farming. The women gathered plants. In all areas, women were generally responsible for preparing the food. Many Indians married at an early age, the girls between 13 and 15 and the boys between 15 and 20. In some Indian tribes, the parents or other relatives chose the marriage partners for the young people. In other tribes, especially those of North America, a young man could select his own mate. He had to convince the girl and her parents that he would make a suitable husband. In many cases, he offered them valuable gifts to win their approval. Throughout most of the New World, marriage was a family affair and not a religious ceremony. The boys family usually gave presents to the brides family. Many newly married couples lived with the girls family and the husband worked for her family until the birth of a child. Then the couple might establish their own home. But they generally did not move to a new home in a new area. Many other newly married couples joined an existing family group or lived close to one. Some of the couples moved in with other relatives of the woman or with the relatives of the man. This extended family shared with the daily work of the household, including the raising of children. Many Indian groups allowed men to have more than one wife. But this practice was common only among rich or powerful men. After a man died, his wife would often live with his brother as husband and wife even if the brother was already married. Similarly, if a woman died, her family would probably be expected to give her husband another unmarried daughter to replace her. Most Indian families were small because many children died at birth or as babies. Indian children were praised when they behaved well and shamed when they misbehaved. Only the Aztec and Inca tribes had regular schools. Boys and girls of other tribes learned to perform mens and womens jobs by helping their parents and older brothers and sisters. After most boys reached their early teens, they went through a test of strength or bravery called an initiation ceremony. Many went without food for a long period or lived alone in the wilderness. In some tribes, a boy was expected to have a vision of the spirit that would become his lifelong guardian. Some groups also had initiation ceremonies for girls. A teenager who successfully completed an initiation ceremony was considered an adult and ready to be married. Food that Indians ate depended on where they lived. Indian tribes that lived on the plains of the United States, where buffalo and other game were plentiful, ate mainly meat. Meat was also the principal food of those Indians who inhabited the woodlands and tundra (frigid treeless plain) of Alaska and Canada. The Pueblo of the Southwest and other farming groups lived chiefly on beans, corn, and squash. Potatoes were an important crop among the Inca. MacNeish (1992) stated that Indians in the tropical areas of South America made bread from the roots of bitter cassava, a small shrub. Tribes that lived near water caught fish and gathered shellfish. Most Indian groups ate berries, nuts, roots, seeds, and wild plants. They also gathered salt and collected maple sap wherever they could. Indians made a kind of tea from such plants as sassafras and wintergreen. Many Indians drank a mild beer that was known as chicha. They made this beer from corn, cassava, peanuts, or potatoes. Indians who ate mostly meat cooked it by roasting, broiling, or boiling. Farming Indians and others who ate chiefly vegetables developed various methods of boiling or baking. They often made pit ovens by lining holes in the ground with hot stones. Indians preserved meat by smoking it or by drying it in the sun. North American Indians mixed dried meat with grease and berries to make a food called pemmican. Most Indians ate with their fingers, but some used spoons made from animal bones, shells, or wood. Indians built many kinds of homes because they lived in different climates and had different building materials available to them (Brandt Guzzi, 1985). Those who moved about a great deal had simple shelters they could carry easily, or they built temporary shelters. Indians who stayed in one place built larger, more permanent homes. Some groups built large houses where many families lived together. Others had simple dwellings that housed only a few people. In some cases, shelter changed with the season. Some Indians in Canada built snow houses during the winter. But in the summer, they lived in tents made of animal hides. In the United States, these Indians are sometimes called Eskimos. In other areas, the Indians covered their tepees with animal skins or with tree bark. Indians at the southern tip of South America also used skins to cover shelters called windbreaks, which were open on one side. Some tribes of the Northwest made cloth of bark and reeds, and the Pueblo wove cotton cloth. The Aztec, Inca, Maya, and some Caribbean tribes wove beautiful cotton and woolen cloth. Indians in the hot South American areas often wore no clothing at all. In many tribes, a man wore only a breechcloth, a narrow band of cloth that passed between the legs and looped over the front and rear of a belt. Women wore simple aprons or skirts. Indians in colder climates wore leggings, shirts, and robes. Some wore sandals or moccasins to protect their feet. Travel by water was the most common means of transportation. Many Indians used bark canoes, which were light and easy to carry. Some large dugout canoes carried as many as 60 people. The Plains tribes used dogs and, later, horses to pull a load-carrying frame called a travois. Andean Indians used alpacas and llamas as beasts of burden. But these animals could not carry heavy loads, so the people themselves carried most of their goods. People often supported a heavy load on their back with a pack strap called a tumpline. Indians of the Arctic and the Northwest Coast and some other areas hunted or fished for most of their food. They also hunted some birds only for the feathers, and they prized the fur of beavers and certain other animals. Indians in the West got most of their food by gathering wild seeds, nuts, and roots. Even in the Southwest and other farming areas, hunting, gathering, and fishing were important. The most important game animals of North and South America included deer; rabbits and other small game: ducks, geese, herons, seals, sea lions, whales, turtles, and snakes. Bear, buffalo, caribou, elk, and moose lived only in North America. Animals that were hunted mainly in South America included the guanaco, jaguar, peccary, rhea, and tapir. Indians hunted with the same kinds of weapons they used in war. Many bows and arrows, spears, and clubs had special features for hunting. For example, some Indians used unsharpened arrows to shoot birds in trees. These arrows stunned the birds so that they fell to the ground. The Hopi stunned small game with a kind of boomerang. The Indians caught fish with harpoons, hooks and lines, spears, and traps and nets. Tribes of the Northwest Coast also used long poles called herring rakes. These poles had jagged points and could catch a number of herring at one time. In tropical South America, Indians stood on river sand bars and shot fish with bows and arrows. Both North and South American Indians used drugs to catch fish. In one method, Indians chopped up certain plants and threw them in the water. These plants stunned the fish. Then the Indians could easily scoop them out of the water. Indians of the Northeast and the Tropical Forest used slash-and-burn farming methods. They cut down a number of trees and burned them. Then they planted their crops among the trunks. The ashes from the burned trees served as fertilizer. Indians in Mexico and the Southern United States raised turkeys. Wars occurred from time to time among the tribes of the Americas. But not all tribes took part in warfare. Many tribes opposed fighting, and others were so small that they did not have enough warriors to fight a war. Many of the Indian leaders who tried to defend their tribes and land against the white people became famous warriors. They included King Philip, a Wampanoag; Pontiac, an Ottawa; Tecumseh, a Shawnee; Osceola, a Seminole; Crazy Horse, of the Sioux; and Geronimo, an Apache. The bow and arrow was probably the most common Indian weapon throughout North and South America. Some South American tribes put poison on their arrowheads. Many Indians fought with spears and war clubs (Steele Galdone 1992). The Indians of eastern North America developed a special type of club known as the tomahawk. A weapon of the Aztec consisted of pieces of obsidian (volcanic glass) stuck into a wooden club. South American Indians used blowguns and slings. Warfare gave Indians a chance to achieve high rank in their tribes. On the Plains, it was considered braver to touch a live enemy and get away than to kill the enemy. This act was known as counting coup â€Å"koo†. Warriors on the Plains carried a coup stick into battle and attempted to touch an enemy with it. Those warriors who counted coup wore eagle feathers as signs of their courage.

Refurbishment vs redevelopment

Refurbishment vs redevelopment Chapter 1 Refurbishment vs redevelopment Malaysia property market has experienced a drastic change in 2008. The property market moved from a boom at the end of 2007 to uncertainties due to increasing construction cost. Finally, the property market moved into a relatively quiet market towards the end of 2008. With all the banks trying to tighten their loan terms, obtaining loans for development of all types of commercial building have been difficult in the last three years. Yet, study shows that there is still a high demand for space in office building in area like Kuala Lumpur. From time to time, there are several developments of new office buildings in Klang Valley area. From the study done by JPPH, there is an increase of approximately 10 million square metres of new office space throughout Kuala Lumpur. Yet, the average vacancy rate in office space decreased to 18.6%. This proved that the demand for office building is still able to cater the increase in new office space. Study also showed that there is a new supply of approximately 280,000 square metres of new office space and additional 92,000 square metres of office being refurbished and repositioned in the year of 2009. So, building owners have to struggle to maintain the popularity and the competitiveness of their building. The current lack of new-build development raises the likelihood of grade-A supply shortages when the occupier market returns, creating investment opportunities for carefully targeted refurbishment. But, usually owner is in great dilemma when they are in such situation. As everyone know, the refurbishment of office space offers advantages over new-build which can facilitate the achievement of economic, social and environmental sustainability. But, redevelopment is the ultimate solution for eliminating all problems regarding the maintenance, changing tenants requirement and other probems. Making comparisons between refurbishment and redevelopment is also problematic because the term refurbishment can be used to encompass a wide spectrum of building works, from minor cosmetic improvements through to extensive reconstruction. But, in the majority of cases, refurbishment will be a quicker and cheaper means of restoring second-hand office space to grade-A specification. As a low-cost option, the refurbishment of office space should be intuitively attractive in an economic climate marked by a lack of development finance. But in many cases refurbishment is as costly as redevelopment and likely to carry with it greater risks and physical constraints. Problem statement Malaysian has been accused as a clever builder but poor manager. For example, certain office buildings in Golden Triangle are often looked deteriorated and relatively matured compared to other purposed-built office building. Example of such older office buildings are those office building located on the fringe of Central Business District, like Jalan Ampang. These older office buildings have a higher tendency to be left vacant due to its poor office building images. This will leads to lower rental rate to be paid by the tenants to remain its competitiveness. Other important characteristic of such office building also includes by low occupancy rate, lower quality of the building and services provided. Besides, recent office developments are very likely to adopt green features such as energy saving, reduction of wastage and water usage, as well as the use of environmentally friendly materials. This new trend in development had forced many owners evaluate the condition of their building and try to make several changes to the buildings to attracts more tenants. These efforts are important to attract corporations who fascinate energy-saving and environmental-friendly building. But making such decision is not easy. The owners have to evaluate the cost and benefit of each choice, and determine the solution he desires to improve the condition of his buildings. But other factors also have to take into consideration. For example, the rate of interest the bank would charge for development of different risk, the time of completion and others also greatly affect the decision-making of owner Objectives of study This study has three main objectives. There are: To determine factors influencing the decision-making in deriving a solution to the method chosen. To identify the benefits of building refurbishment or redevelopment to the building users. To determine whether tenant likes refurbished secondary office building or newly redeveloped building. Scope of study The scope of this study will focus on selected office buildings, both building which had undergo refurbishment and those which had undergone redevelopment. To ensure a more complete study, the newly constructed building is also considered as building undergone redevelopment. The respondents of the questionnaire are limited to tenants in Golden Triangle area only. As for the property manager, all property managers can be chosen as the interviewee. Building manager who are hired by owners and acted on behalf of them, will gives their opinions in owner perspectives (maximise profit) and current tenants will voice out their preferences in choosing a building space. Methodology All the relevant data are collected through primary data and secondary data. Primary data includes questionnaire, samplings, interviews and case study. In this study, respondents identified in questionnaire study are selected property manager who represents building owners point of view and some tenants within Golden Triangle area through sampling. As for interview session, interviewees targeted are property manager who are the representatives of building owners. Through this interview sessions, benefit of building refurbishment and redevelopment will be ascertained. Finally, case study of three similar office buildings will also be done as the quantitative analysis. All three building will be compared according to the cost incurred for construction and the benefit obtained. Then the differences in term of occupancy rates, rental and others will be calculated to represent the increment in term of market value. On the other hand, collection of data in this study will also includes references such as reference book, journal, articles, conference paper, property market reports, internet/ website searching and other sources. In addition, data will also be collected from books, magazines or newspaper article to obtain general information on building refurbishment and the effects of building refurbishment. Further details of methodology will be discussed in Chapter 3. Structure of Study This study consisted of five chapters. The brief discussion of each chapter is discussed as follows: Chapter 1 Chapter 1 is the introduction of the study. This chapter starts with an introduction of this study with a brief background. Besides, other things like problem statement, scope of study, methodology and others are also discussed in this chapter. Chapter 2 Chapter 2 is about the literature review. In this chapter, definition of building refurbishment and redevelopment, benefit of building refurbishment and redevelopment and others will be discussed in this chapter. Besides, factor influencing decision making of building refurbishment and the tenant preferences will also be discussed. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 is the methodology. In this chapter, methodology used to survey and interview in order to gather information needed. The structure of questionnaire is also discussed in this chapter. Furthermore, a brief discussion on the opinion of respondents of questionnaire and interviews will also be carried out in the last part of this chapter. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 is the chapter regarding research findings analysis. In this chapter, data gather will be analysed and presented in this chapter. An analysis on the benefit of building refurbishment and its value-enhancing ability will also be carried out by studying the information gathered through interviews, questionnaire survey, and secondary data. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 discuss about the conclusion and recommendation. In this chapter, conclusion from the findings and analysis of data in the previous chapter will be discussed and summarized. Besides, it also illustrate on the confirmation of the objectives and overall summary for the whole study. Other information included in this chapter is the suggestions for further study.