Explication of William Blakes A Poison Tree Essay -- Poison Tree Essa

Explication of William Blake's A Poison Tree    William Blake's "A Poison Tree" (1794) stands as one of his most intriguing poems, memorable for its vengeful feel and sinister act of deceit. This poem appears in his famous work Songs of Innocence and Experience: Shewing the Two Contrary States of the Human Soul (1794), placed significantly in the "Songs of Experience" section. As with many of his poems, Blake wants to impart a moral lesson here, pointing of course to the experience we gain in our human existence at the cost of our innocence. With this poem, he suggests that holding a grudge (suppressed anger left unchecked) can be fatal to the self as well as the object of wrath. Through images, punctuation, and word choice, Blake warns that remaining silent about our anger only hinders personal and spiritual growth, making us bitter, and that a grudge left unchecked becomes dangerous, even murderous. In the first stanza, Blake comments on the need to confront a problem if peace and happiness are to prevail. When the speaker "tells" his wrath, it "ends," but when he "tells it not," his anger "grows." Like an apple seed falling onto fertile soil, the speaker's repressed anger germinates and becomes the one obsession in his life. In the first couplet, Blake conveys the image of a plant being uprooted, nipping in the bud (as it were) a misunderstanding between the speaker and his friend. In sharp contrast, the speaker holds back from admitting anger to his foe in the following couplet, allowing it to fester within. With simple language, Blake neatly establishes the root of the poem, ending this first stanza with the foreshadowing "grow" (4). The second stanza depicts the speaker's treatment and nur... ...ional anger. The speaker realizes he is morally wrong, but gets so caught up in the moment and the seeming brilliance of his scheme that cannot stop himself from seeing it through. Unchecked anger drives the speaker to commit this murderous act, anger he cannot or refuses to acknowledge from the start of the poem. The mortal sin of murder will forever stain his hands - he cannot go on with living unless he suppresses the event, as he did his wrath. "A Poison Tree" suggests to me a prisoner's confession without actually naming or describing the crime itself. The speaker takes the time to brag about how he implemented his plan, without admitting his crime. Thus this poem's impact lies in the dangers that can arise from allowing one's anger to grow unchecked and take over our minds, hearts, and souls, like a wild plant in the garden of our experience.

Organizational Behavior across Cultures Essay

Cultural differences are inevitable in the world of today; the world is indeed an amalgamation of different cultures composed of diverse attitudes and values. People act in reference to the cultural features that define them. The distinctive nature of cultures brings sharp differences that people need to learn how to cope with, and embrace in their interactions (McFarlin & Sweeney, 2013). The most significant aspect is appreciating cultural differences and developing sensitivity towards cultural diversity. Without such, people from different cultural backgrounds often find it hard to relate effectively, and this leads to conflict. Organizational behavior is an example of many realms that cultural differences affect. Whenever an organization has employees from different cultural orientations, it is evident that the interaction amongst them will require cultural sensitivity in order to cultivate effective organizational relations. Literature Review                  In the wake of the globalization age, organizations are employing people from different cultures. Gelfand, Erez and Aycan (2007) assert that the importance of expatriates in the corporate world is increasing; hence, people are crossing boarders to find employment in other countries. Of course, this trend implies that different cultures will have to connect and meet organizational objectives. Certainly, an organization should develop structures of embracing cultural diversity by encouraging its employees to embrace sensitivity towards one another. In a cross-cultural environment, leadership is significant in realizing coherence among the employees. This fosters a robust organizational behavior by instilling cultural sensitivity among the employees (Gelfand, Erez and Aycan, 2007). In reference to the case study, John moves from Germany to the UAE for employment purposes. The culture at home is different from the culture in the UAE, thus he has to adjust to the organizational culture of the new environment. This emphasizes the point that different countries have different cultural trends. Saunders (2010) highlights that culture is richly embedded in values, norms and attitudes that defines it. People’s personalities and behavior stems from their cultural trends and beliefs. Thus, the organizational culture of an organization is influenced by the collective and individual cultural features of its employees. The unique features of the employees affect the way they relate to each other; hence influencing the organizational behavior (Saunders, 2010). For instance, a person’s religious beliefs and approach towards creating relationships have a huge impact on how he relates with other people. Cultural differences have being a source of conflict among employees, as every one seeks to practice his or her identity (Saunders, 2010). In such instances, it is important to note that managing the conflict from a cultural perspective is paramount. Since cultural diversity is the cause of the discontent, it is essential to address the cultural differences in a viable wa y. This will go a long way in creating a good environment for the employees. Based on the case study, it is true that Ahmad does not appreciate John’s insensitive nature to the culture of the UAE. As a devoted Muslim, Ahmad expected John to respect the month of Ramadan and ascribe to its rules because it is a significant religious practice in the UAE. The rude response from Ahmad surprises John because he did not violate the rules of Ramadan intentionally. Ahmad appears to uphold his cultural standards more than the professional standard, bearing in mind that John is his senior in the organization. Evidently, cultural differences have the capacity to influence the organizational behavior in an institution. Organizational behavior in a cross-cultural environment requires the individual and collective responses from the employees. It is evident that cultural diversity is a universal phenomenon that has an immense influence in the organizational culture of organizations. Fischer et al. (2005) posit that without effective management of cultural differences in an organization, it is certain that employees cannot develop feasible relationships to attain organizational goals and objectives. Fostering efficient relationships in a cross-cultural environment calls for employees and the leadership to enact cultural sensitive structures of adapting to the cultural diversity (Obinna and Farkas, 2011). Cultural intelligence is a significant element of embracing cultural diversity. Through cultural intelligence, an organization is able to appreciate the diverse cultural features in it, and work towards developing viable relationships aimed at achieving results. At the individual level, employees shou ld develop emotional intelligence in order to embrace and realize the beauty in cultural diversity. Valuing the cultural dimensions of fellow employees is paramount in encouraging a vibrant organizational behavior in a cross-cultural environment. The information above is true in relation to the case study. After realizing that he had violated the cultural rules of the UAE, John responded well by apologizing to Ahmad. Moreover, Ahmad also apologized to John for being rude and for not considering that he was from a different cultural background. The effective communication that ensued was vital in establishing a good relationship between John and the other employees. Cultural sensitivity was instrumental in developing efficient relationships in the organization. Conclusion                  Indeed, cultural diversity is a global trend that is not only unique to the UAE, but also to other parts of the world. It is important for the management of companies and organizations to manage cultural differences in the right way in order to build strong and efficient relationships among employees. This calls for embracing cultural diversity and valuing the contributions of every employee in an organization. References Gelfand, M.J., Erez, M. and Aycan, Z. (2007). Cross-Cultural Organizational Behavior. Annual Review of Psychology, 58 (479-514). Fischer, R., Ferreira, M.C., Asmar, E.R., Redford, P., and Harb, C. (2005). Organizational Behavior across Cultures. International Journal of Cross-Cultural Management, 5(1) 27-48. McFarlin, D. B., & Sweeney, P. D. (2013). International organizational behavior transcending borders and cultures. New York: Routledge. Obinna, A.K. and Farkas, M.K. (2011). Cultural Conflict Management for Firms and Organizations. International Journal of Business and Management Studies, 3(2). Saunders, M. (2010). Organizational trust: a cultural perspective. New York: Cambridge University Press. Source document

Calls for Change in High School Mathematics Essay

Mathematic educators, parents and students are calling for proper changes in approaches to learning mathematics in high schools. The need to improve learning of mathematics in schools is highly recognized and underlined. Thus, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics published the Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics that offered recommendations for high school mathematics reform. In addition, the Conference Board of the Mathematical Sciences in their official report ‘The Mathematical Sciences Curriculum K–12: What Is Still Fundamental and What Is Not’ stresses the importance of new topics and techniques in the secondary schools. New approaches should develop new learning techniques that would be discrete from statistics, mathematics, and emphasis on algebra and geometry should be properly re-assessed according to different abilities and needs of students who are taking mathematics course in the secondary school and high school respectively. The need for change and innovation is generally driven by emergence of advanced computing technologies that offers excellent opportunities for school educators to replace manipulative traditional techniques with more complex realistic problem-solving techniques. In its turn, the National Science Board Commission issued a report ‘Educating Americans for the 21st Century’ challenging courses in algebra and pre-calculus and stressing the importance of developing integrated mathematical sciences curriculum in the secondary school. Researchers argue that new curriculum will positively affect students’ achievement outcomes in the secondary and high schools. To make changes more effective teachers are required to understand the advantage of curriculum’s full scope and its consequences; students are required to support the expectations of classroom environment. The Core-Plus Mathematic Project is newly developed curriculum for high school mathematics. Of course, the Core-Plus Mathematic Project or CPMP curriculum is a matter of debates and controversies as not everyone admits the need of high school mathematics reforms. Nonetheless, the CPMP curriculum is worked out with assistance of mathematics education researchers, instructional specialists and classroom teachers. Moreover, the curriculum is shaped by empirical evidence gathered from students and teachers who are willing to participate in field testing. In particular, organization of mathematics curriculum should be interpreted in terms of teaching and assessment recommendations and should follow the standards set in the above-mentioned reports. New mathematics curriculum is a three-year mathematics course for high-school students who are allowed to take the fourth year to prepare for college mathematics. Newly designed curriculum differs from more traditional approaches as new curriculum encourages students’ understanding of mathematics – statistics, probability, algebra, geometry, trigonometry and discrete mathematics. Learning mathematics is developed in focused units that combine fundamental ideas with mathematical habits of mind. It means that new curriculum stresses the need to connect function, data analysis and symmetry with recursive and visual thinking. In contrast to traditional approaches to mathematics, new curriculum emphasizes the role of mathematical modeling and problem-solving instead of simple calculus. Researchers say the primary goal of curriculum improvement is to enhance students’ understanding and comprehension of key mathematical processes and concepts, to enhance student’s ability to use mathematical concepts in real-world problem-solving. Graphic calculators should enhance students’ understanding and abilities to solve authentic problems. Improved instructional materials encourage active teaching and learning processes that will primarily focus on problem situations, abstraction and analysis. Oral and written communication, reasoning with ability to represent, and conceptual understanding are highly appreciated and encouraged. All courses centre on mathematical reasoning and thinking with abilities to develop formal proof. Additional fourth year course will allow to keep students, who prepare for college mathematics, despite whether their undergraduate program is based on calculus. Students interested in mathematics are encouraged to be accelerated into the fourth course year. Today, many researches are focus on identifying whether new curriculum meets its specific goals. In particular, they try to reveal whether the learning outcomes based on new patterns of mathematics learning process differ from outcomes based on more traditional curriculum. During the past eight years researchers conducted various studies to examine mathematical achievement in classroom with CPMP curricula. Research studies have revealed that performance of CPMP students is much better than that of students with traditional interpretation of mathematical representation. It means that problem-solving and recursive thinking appear to be more effective in learning mathematics than simple understanding of key concepts of processes. Further, CPMP students are characterized by higher grade results at the end of the years than students with traditional approach to mathematics. Summing up, recent researches have indicated that CPMP students perform better than students with traditional curriculum. CPMP students are characterized by better abilities to interpret mathematical representation and calculation, to measure conceptual understanding and to recognize the importance of problem-solving. CPMP students are better in probability and statistics, algebraic manipulative skills, etc. Nonetheless, researchers argue that student’s success in college mathematics doesn’t fully depend on CPMP curriculum. Other factors, as, for example, student’s attentiveness, readiness to participate in learning process, self-awareness, classroom environment, play their important role in student’s high school mathematics performance. With guidance from educators, researchers and teachers, curriculum developers will be able to build on stronger patters of student outcomes. References Schoen, H. L. , & Hirsch, Ch. R. (2003). Responding to Calls for Change in High School Mathematics: Implications for Collegiate Mathematics. The Mathematical Association of America Monthly, February, pp. 109-123. Available on-line from http://www. jstor. org/stable/3647770 .

Gbmt Cilantro Cafe

Global Business Environment 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Introduction & History Changed by the revolution SWOT Vision Strategy & Implementation Reasons of success Success of the communication strategy The smart and innovative strategies 7. Recommendation Introduction ? An Egyptian coffee shop company based in Cairo. ? First modern-culture coffee shop in Egypt. History 1999 2000 Two young Egyptian entrepreneurs begin to think about the idea of Cilantro Cafe. Establishment of Delicious Inc. with â€Å"Cilantro† as a trade name. Launch of the first Cilantro Cafe. Within 4 years, the company opened 8 shops in Egypt.Rise of competition. 2004 2005 2008 January, 25th of 2011 End of 2011 El-Sewedy, an Egyptian local group, won the bid against Starbucks chain to make the acquisition of Cilantro. Beginning of the internationalization of the company with the opening of the first outlet abroad in London, UK. Beginning of a popular uprising which became the Egyptian revolution. The company owns aroun d 70 outlets in Egypt. Changed by the revolution ? Breaking away from the government ? Self Concepts ? Belonging to Egypt ? Cilantro Cafe provided values for customer ? Knowledge ? Health ConsciousnessTransition from local to Global process 1 2 Choice of country for franchise Selection criteria for franchisee Contract negotiation 3 4 5 6 Operational preparations Outlet Opening Continuous monitoring & feedback SWOT analysis – Internal Strengths ? Creation of the concept of a modern-culture coffee shop ? Diversified customers ? Value of knowledge and value of health-consciousness. ? Communication strategy: differentiation while creating add ? Value added services. ? Good marketing team ? Maintenance of the company’s key performance indicators SWOT analysis – Internal Weakness Hardly to control the franchise. ? Time consuming for the transition from local to Global process SWOT analysis – External Opportunities ? Domestic development ? A lot of potential pro spects ? Egypt revolution with the merge of Egypt 2. 0 whom new values clearly fitted with cilantro’s ones. SWOT analysis – External Threats ? Rising competition and global competitors. ? The country-of-origin effects and cultural symbolism for an in ternational brand are critical ? Adaptability to globalization Vision Delicious Inc. ? To build new and creative food service concepts ?Maintain & up-grade uniqueness in the products ? Positioning of the brands Strategy ? Increase the brand recognition ? Defend its home market by constantly up-grading what is offered to customers ? Adhering high quality standards and a unique Cilantro Spirit. ? Become an important contributing member of its community. Strategy ? Offer a positive environment for its internal family while ensuring the long-term business goals. ? Provide the â€Å"Cilantro Experience†. Implementation ? Decorations and layouts of the outlets can provide cozy, modern and fresh atmosphere ? Offering a rea ding corner and Online red book Providing healthy, fresh and tasty choices The smart and innovative strategy ? I & U Models ? I-Model ? Makes use of the export / sales ratio of a firm, which is said to reflect the dependence of the firm on international markets ? More suitable for SMEs The smart and innovative strategic ? I & U Models ? U-Model It assumes that a firm gradually increases its Internationalization operations in stages, at first starting small and low risk, building up experience incrementally to take on larger international roles ? PESTEL ? Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental and Legal.Success of the communication strategy ? Franchising department stays in continuous contact with the franchisee brand manager and conducts monthly regular audit for each of its outlets Main Reason of Success ? Drastic change in the Egyptian coffee house concept ? Introduced a new category of leisure in Egypt ? Post-revolution ? Strategy of differentiation -Provide a unique Cilantro spirit Further capitalize ? International Bank ? Issue Stocks ? Venture capital Recommendation ? A mix between I and U model is the most valuable strategy be cause it would provide multi-dimensionality. The End.

Annie John by Jamaica Kincaid Position Paper Essay

Annie John by Jamaica Kincaid Position Paper - Essay Example Mrs. John distanced herself from Annie and Annie also became rebellious. The book ends when Annie leaves for England. She also leaves behind her strained relationship with her mother. This essay traces the gradual degradation of their relationship. The incidents chosen for discussion are on Annie's desire to play with the trunk, her carelessness in laying the bedspread, her doing things differently from her mother, her dream, the name-calling, the physical maturity that alienates Annie from her parents and her final parting from her family. Annie started experiencing the rift in her relationship when her mother distanced herself from Annie. During her early years, Annie had a dependent relationship with her mother. They did many things together and enjoyed spending time together. For example, they used to enjoy looking at the mementos in their trunk which included clothes that Annie wore from her infanthood. When Annie turned twelve years old, her maturity made her mother cease doing this. When she suggested to her mother to look through the trunk, Mrs. John replied in the negative. Annie wrote that; 'A person I did not recognize answered in a voice I did not recognize, "Absolutely not! You and I don't have time for that anymore."' (Kincaid 27). Mrs. John's refusal changed Annie's close relationship with her mother ceased because she felt shocked, disappointed and hurt when she said that 'the ground wash out from under me.......' (Kincaid 27). Mrs. John decided to wean Annie off from her so she enrolled Annie to learn new things like manners and piano lessons. The narration hinted that Mrs. John was very angry, ashamed and disgusted when Annie was disobedient to her teachers' instructions. Mrs. John often expressed her disapproval of Annie by turning down her mouth. She also said that Annie would have to live in her own house and choose her own ways. She wanted Annie to be prepared for this to happen in the future. The mother and daughter relationship had shifted from its old comfortable ways. Annie did not have the security of living with her mother forever since Mrs. John told her that she expected Annie to grow up and move away. Annie realized this too and this strained her close relationship with mother. Annie's close relationship with her mother was constrained because she reached maturity. She could fathom her mother's disapproval or resentment and thus deliberately avoided her. For example, when Annie had laid her bedspread in a lopsided way that did not place the embroidery in the centre of her bed. The flower had an intricate design that had to occupy a central position when laid flat out on the bed. Mrs. John made a fuss about this and reprimanded Annie for being careless. Annie agreed with her and was silent because she could have felt alienated and isolated from her mother for displeasing her. She kept out of her mother's way to avoid further confrontation. (Kincaid 30). Annie's growing maturity made her aim for independence in her relationship with her mother. She thought she could achieve that by being different from her mother or rebellious with her mother. Annie strived to antagonize her by doing things that she could not tolerate. (Kincaid 87). Annie and her mother had become hypocrites and had

Women around the globe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Women around the globe - Essay Example Over the years, the feminist movement has morphed into the global feminist movement, which champions for the rights of women from different sociocultural contexts. The new movement is sensitive to cultural issues that continue to infringe upon women’s rights and undermine the quality of their lives. Explored below is a brief overview of the global feminist movement and major issues that affect women within specific sociocultural contexts such as violence, poverty, suppression of sexuality, and infringement of the right to vote, access to education and employment opportunities. Global feminism, a derivative of postcolonial feminism, black feminism and postculturalist and postmodern schools of thought represents the application of feminist thought on a global scale in its display of unique overlapping characteristics as it focuses on advocating for a culturally relevant and positive change in women’s outcomes (Singh 628). Scholars theorize that it is an integral part of feminism’s third wave as it mirrors the latter’s three major characteristics, which include the acceptance of the existence of multiple narratives in diverse cultural contexts, acceptance of social activism, and the preoccupation with creating coalitions to tackle gender concerns instead of relying on a single organization to do so. The fundamental goal of the movement is responding to women’s local-level concerns while simultaneously incorporating the goals and philosophies of the earlier feminist movements. It continues to unite cultures with the sole intention of addressing women’s concerns that are emergent in countries external to the Western hemisphere. The global feminist movement exerts its mandate through the dismantling global patriarchal structures, which predispose chauvinistic attitudes that likely to contribute to the infringement of women’s rights; hence, their oppression. However, it is important to note that women

Cap and Trade Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Cap and Trade - Essay Example As per the Cap and Trade law each entity has got a limit to the amount of emissions it can emit, which is set in the form of tons. Because of this the emission to the environment can be easily measured and traded in the pollution market. (www.edf.org ) Another element of the Cap and Trade law, allows the buyers and sellers of the allowances to trade internally. Entities are also given the power to bank the allowance which is not used for future use. (www.edf.org ) The system also makes it mandatory that, each entity has to be very much truthful regarding the number of allowances that it holds and the number of tons that it had emitted to the atmosphere which should be equal after a given period of time. (www.edf.org ) Thus this law is totally aimed at the industries, which are considered as the main contributors of atmospheric pollution in America. The business establishments in America will surely be affected by such a law, since it will put a curb to the level of pollutants they can emit. This could in turn affect the production output of such industries and automobile sector because they need to pay higher, for buying allowances. This could very well result in an increase in the prices of consumer products. The American government is the one who is in favor of the Cap and Trade law, since it will be another way to get money from the general American public and the industrial sectors. (www.washingtonpost.com ) There have been many sectors in the American industry, which are against the Cap and Trade system and these are mainly the Oil refining sector and Trucking industry along with the utilities sector, which will mainly face the brunt of this law. (www.environmentalleader.com ) Â