Monday, September 23, 2019
Family business managment Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words
Family business managment - Case Study Example There was collaborative decision making in the Cohen family as it is documented that the family members met twice a week over lunch to debate and come to a consensus as pertained to the pressing company issues (Ward, 3). However, the Cohen family has its weaknesses that would have proved fatal for the success of the company. Firstly positions in the company were awarded with reference to the predecessorââ¬â¢s position and not with reference to qualifications; Abe and Cohen lineages. Moreover, they held informal meetings hence lack of giving much seriousness to issues that needed intensive decision making. It has been documented that the family members decided when they would have their leaves irrespective of the number yet this was not a privilege accorded to employees who were not family members. The family members seem to be favored other than other employees, creating a loophole for failure of the business (Ward, 4). The issue of succession needs to be resolved to ensure the success of the business. This is following the reassignment of Robert Cohen. It has been documented that no one has yet been appointed to oversee the international relations of the company. This needs to be resolved for the company to maintain its competitive edge in the international business. Consequently, compensation of the next generation and appraisal of the fourth generation was also an issue that needed to be resolved and addressed. There needed to be a top level management, an issue which Abel speculated would raise conflict leading to some family members leaving the company. Subsequently, the issue of diversification of the company needed to be addressed and resolved, this was to inculcate the diversity in the family and also to accommodate all family members (Ward, 7). At first the family meetings were 100% informal as they are documented to occur across a desk shared by Abe and
Sunday, September 22, 2019
Manpower Planning Essay Example for Free
Manpower Planning Essay In manpower planning Analyzing the current manpower plan Reviewing utilization Finding out current demand Finding out future supply Finally developing a manpower plan The MDI campus Is lush green and has a dedicated area for various Indoor sports and leisure activities Each leisure area requires a dedicated gardener and each such garden/lawn requires manpower planning to estimate the number of gardeners required in the area. Thorough analysis we concluded that the present number of Gardeners are somewhat overstaffed. The staffing is more appropriate during monsoon and rainy season when there is an overgrowth of grass. In other seasons the number of gardeners required is lesser. We interviewed a number of gardeners to ascertain their working habits and methodologies. The findings are documented below: 2. 3. 4. 5. Primary Job: Trimming grasses pruning bushes Secondary Jobs: Keeping the bushes and the plantation in order Soil upkeep and enrichment Cleanliness of the gardens and lawns Pesticide spraying New plantation and expansion of green area Primary analysis results: 1 . Gardeners are normally late and they also are not in their full capacity. At any given time not all the gardeners employed are present. 2. Working hours: 40 hours a week 5 days. 3. Overtime, if required is taken cared of. 4. All the gardeners have one supervisor whom they report to. 5. Few gardeners are cross skilled and may work across domains 6. Each gardener has the same salary which is around 6500 Per month Page 4 The gardens are of three types according to their function: 1 . Sport grounds- 2 namely Golf Course and Football grounds 2. Utility Lawns- 3 namely the Inland Greens, the lawn near CM/Odyssey and Library Greens 3. Leisure lawns- 5 namely the lawns near Lash, the lawn inside Scholars Building, Directors Bungalow and the Staff Quarters and the lawns at the main gate Garden/ Lawn Number of Golf Course Football ground hours/day Reek. 26 Gardeners Reek. 4. 5 3. 5 Inland Greens 21 9 3 2 Lawns at main gate Lawns near CM/ Odyssey Lawns near Lash 14 2. 5 0. 5 Lawn inside Scholars Bungalow Lawns near Staff Quarters 8 1. 5 6 10 Cost analysis We estimated that the manpower planning be done according to the seasonal variations. During off seasons the cross skilled gardeners can be accommodated in other works whereas during on season these same gardeners can be taken back into the gardening work. In this way MDI can optimism the utilization of each gardener even better. Page 5 Recommendations We recommend a change in the number of gardeners required as we promote cross killing of gardeners and each gardener would be then better utilized, the number we came up with was 23 gardeners. The current number of gardeners present are 24 gardeners. Thus, the final number according to us comes out to be 23 gardeners.
Friday, September 20, 2019
Framework Advocating CSOs Analysis
Framework Advocating CSOs Analysis Take a case of actually existing civil society and critically discuss the extent to which your case has managed to achieve any democratic or developmental progress. Championed as the panacea for development ills under the neoliberal New Policy Agenda (McIllwaine;1998), civil society has become the sweetheart of development donors (Barr, Fafchamps Owens, 2005;659), famed for its ability to incubate participatory development[ma1][ma2]. Civil society is conceptualised as an independent third pillar between state and market, comprising of horizontal networks of associational groups with cross cut ties of kinship and patronage (Putnam, 1993). Within this network, citizens organize to pursue shared interests and influence policy in the public domain (UNDP, 2014). Civil society organisations (CSOs) can embody autonomous or NGO supported community based organisations, or can comprise of NGOs as primary agents of civil society themselves (Mohan, 2002[ma3]). Despite doubt surrounding the classification of NGOs as CSOs (Carmody, 2007), this essay will define NGOs as a variant of CSOs, as their primary purpose is influencing public policy (Edwards Hulme, 1997;24), and are independent from direct government control (UNDP, 2014[ma4][ma5]). Thus, for the reasons outlined, this essay will focus on the Voice2People programme of Christian Aid, an NGO based CSO. Ultimately, this essay will examine the extent to which the normative framework advocating CSOs as the missing middle between citizen and state (World Bank, 1996;114), represents the reality of actually existing civil society (Mamdani, 1996;19). It is in this sense that actually existing civil society is defined as the reality of CSOs in practise as largely dissonant from the normative promised agenda for change (Ibid). By analysing Christian Aids Voice2People programme, this essay will posit that the realities of actually existing civil society are divergent from the normative ideals placed upon it, and thus can achieve little democratic or developmental success. This essay will begin by demonstrating the normative and programmatic qualities perceived as inherent within CSOs, in particular their ability to facilitate participatory development, upon which donor funding is predicated (Igoe Kelsall, 2005). It will then outline the Voice2People programme rolled out by Christian Aid, in relation to the normative characteristics it is perceived to retain. Once the theoretical framework is outlined, this paper will then assess the extent to which these normative ideals diverge from reality of actually existing civil society. By outlining the flaws of the theoretical framework underlying the programme, and the problematic constraints it faced, this essay will conclude by arguing that contrary to normative perceptions, actually existing civil society in the case of the Voice2People programme, can achieve very little democratic or developmental progress. The normative characteristics of civil society organisations However, it is first essential to outline the perceived normative characteristics of CSOs in order to analyse their divergence from the empirical reality of actually existing civil society. These characteristics are normative in the sense they are expected rather than empirically validated. It[ma6][ma7] is also essential to underscore the ideological nature of these characteristics, which dovetail the neoliberal new policy agenda (Robinson, 2003;2) which embraces the democratic development paradigm (Banks, Edwards and Hulme; 2015, 710) in supporting inclusive participation to facilitate development (Mertz, 2012;54). Firstly, neoliberal theory posits CSOs as vehicles through which to build better citizens (Archer, 1994). Civil society is thus perceived as an arena for the cultivation of liberal norms, including participation and market rationality (Williams Young, 2012). CSOs become schools of liberal democracy (Banks, Edwards Hulme, 2015;4) educating citizens to take participate in formulating their own development agenda. Secondly, CSOs are also regarded as key actors in encouraging increased state accountability, as an active civil society enables choice, scrutinises errant governments, and leads to pluralised democracy (Mohan, 2002). CSOs thus demand state accountability to local demands (Suileman, 2013;245) an issue outlined by the Voice2People baseline report (Christian Aid, 2013). In addition, CSOs are also perceived by donors as vital facilitators of democratisation. This is because CSOs are seen to exhibit a pluralising function as they disperse the distribution of political power in s ociety through increasing channels of access (Hadenius Uggla, 1996) what Ndegwa (1996;3) terms the civil society political liberalisation thesis. Additionally, as Przewoski (1992) notes, CSOs also play a constitutive role in defining the rules of state/CSO interaction along democratic lines. Finally, the last perceived function of CSOs is facilitating localised empowerment, so communities can pursue their own development activities either through CSOs or as autonomous politically conscious citizens. This view posits the poor not as beneficiaries, but as controllers of the development process with the means to radically alter their own situation (Clark, 1991;201). However, for the sake of this essay, the above functions will be amalgamated into one role of facilitating participatory development the process through which stakeholders can influence and share control over development initiatives, decisions and resources that affect themselves (Worldbank, 1996b;4). This requires the participation of empowered groups in the design and implementation of development projects, and is dependent on a state open to pluralising the political arena to organisations such as CSOs who can demand accountability on behalf of their members. The[ma8] next section of this essay will outline the Voice2People programme rolled out by Christian Aid, which attempts to facilitate participatory development in Nigeria. A case of actually existing civil society Christian Aids Voice2People programme is a DFID funded programme worth à £2million (DFID, 2016), aiming to facilitate citizen-driven development and increased government accountability in Anambra State, Nigeria (Christian Aid, 2016;2). It is through this programme which aims to influence public development policy, that Christian Aid can be regarded as a CSO in its own right. Prior to the programme, the baseline report suggested that 54% of 1, 535 respondents in the area felt they were not able participate in making demands to state representatives, and that there was no accountability mechanism to ensure state compliance with local needs (Christian Aid, 2013;6-8). Consequently, the Voice2People community based programme utilised two strategies (outlined by Brown and Tandon;1994) in an attempt to rectify this democratic deficit (Warleigh, 2001;1). Firstly, Voice2People employed state reform strategies to secure agreements which guaranteed quarterly community engagement meetings, with the aim to precipitate democratic norms such as state accountability. Secondly, societal programmes such as the use of participatory rural appraisals (PRAs) intended to create community charters of needs, aiming to immerse all levels of community participation in development consultations (Christian Aid, 2016a;8). However, this next section will analyse the theoretical and practical barriers which constrain the Voice2People programme; an example of actually existing civil society (Mamdani, 1996:19); in achieving participatory development. Can Voice2People achieve participatory development? In the donor community, the perceived functions of CSOs are taken as normative and unproblematic. This is concerning as this next section will show, there are various theoretical and practical barriers which constrains actually existing civil society (in this case, the Voice2People programme) to achieving participatory development[ma9]. Theoretical barriers One[ma10] of the first theoretical constraints which limit the Voice2People programme and other CSO work in achieving participatory development, is the problematic dichotomy in which state and CSOs are theorised (Lewis, 2000). CSOs are perceived as autonomous agent able to impose community-formulated demands onto a democratic state. However, it is unwise to conceive civil society as unconstrained by the power of the state, as Hadenius and Uggla (1996) note, CSO inclusion is dependent on regime type, with autocratic regimes opposing CSO engagement due to desire to monopolise the political space (Clark, 1991[ma11]). Therefore, as Stewart (1997) suggests, the presence of CSOs does not instantly facilitate democratic engagement with states. In some cases, inclusion of CSOs into policy consultation is little more than PR to meet the criteria of debt relief. In the case of Voice2Protect, government legislation passed in July 2016 which requires a state-led regulatory body to oversee the wo rk of CSOs (Civicus, 2016), demonstrates the power of the Nigerian state in constraining the work of Voice2People. It is therefore too simplistic to theorise the state and CSOs as independent actors with equal agency in influencing public policy[ma12]. Moreover, it would also be unwise to suggest that even democratic states can adequately address the demands of CSOs, as due to the streamlining and weakening of state under structural adjustment, gridlock can occur, whereby the sheer volume of CSO interests and demands can lead to political impasse (Blair, 1997 in Lewis, 2002). This suggests that Voice2People is unable to achieve participatory development success either due to the constraining power of the state, or through lack of state capacity, notions largely ignored by the theoretical framework. This has led to the critique by some post-colonial scholars, who suggest that civil society as a concept has very little explanatory value for the complexities of African associational life (maia) which can include an autocratic state characterised by big men rule (cite). Therefore, although Voice2People established a working relationship with the House that was formalised with an agreement to hold quarterly meetings with members (Christian Aid, 2016;4), there are no constitutional mechanisms to guarantee the continuation of this interaction, and no clear capacity of the state to meet the demands forwarded by Voice2People. This is further evidenced by the Voice2People progress report which cites that citizens found it difficult to engage government officials si nce the governments lacked the financial power to undertaken any projects (Christian Aid, 2014;6). As well as the problematic dichotomy between state and CSOs, the theoretical underpinnings behind CSO led service provision also limits the extent to which Voice2People can achieve participatory development. Due to their closeness to intended beneficiaries, CSOs are regarded as ideal for replacing waning state services that have been decimated by structural adjustment (Carmody;2007). Empowerment therefore is economic in the liberal sense, as through the participation of contributing funds towards a community service project, one gets to become the controller of their own development. Voice2People utilises this approach to pacify the 46% of respondents who were not happy at allwith the level of state service provision (Christian Aid, 2013;6). Although seemingly locally appropriate, this approach is highly problematic as it reduces the concept of public welfare to mere private provision to the extent that citizens forego their sense of state entitlement (Kamat, 2003;156). CSO service p rovision, no matter how well intentioned, therefore reduces the state to a franchise state (Wood, 1997;1) ultimately unaccountable for the services provided to its citizens through other actors. Community based service provision as utilised by Voice2People therefore achieves very little democratic output, as any state accountability based on service provision is nullified, and replaced by self-dependency. Additionally, this project does little to increase development, as the limited financial accessibility of community funded services, means that the chronic poor seldom partake in this form of neoliberal participation and are thus excluded from accessing vital services. conclude [ma13][ma14] Practical constraints When aiming to facilitate participatory development, one of the practical constraints faced by Voice2Protect is the extent to which it can achieve full participation. In an attempt to facilitate inclusive participationVoice2People liaisons with established community structures (Christian Aid), to create charters of demands which prioritise community development needs (ibid). However, by working through established community structures such as chieftaincies, existing power relations are entrenched and reproduced (white). This new localism which essentialises established structures as microcosms of a homogenous community (mohan) is problematic, as it excludes traditionally ostracised groups from access to civil society participation. Additionally, community participation can also be co-opted by middle class hegemonic groups in a bid to access influences and resources (Mercer and green), often leading to disillusionment amongst the primordial public of traditionalist groups who interven tions aimed to target (Suiliman[ma15]). These issues occurred in the Voice2Project programme, whereby community mobilisation was misconstrued to have political bearings by stakeholders wanting to gain access (cite) and thus exclusive meetings were still utilised to buy-in community leadership for the middle classes(Cite). Conclude On a similar note, for Voice2Protect to achieve full democratic participation, there needs to be greater emphasis on the gendered implications of PRAs and other participatory tools, as some V2P communities are yet to adopt balanced representation in decision making platforms (cite). The time necessary to participate in decision making is problematic, as it reduces the time women dedicate to caregiving roles, therefore impeding female participation (Howell and Milligan[ma16]). This then leads to talking to men about women which is hardly democratic nor will ever understand the gendered development issues facing women as a group (Ardner). Concludeand addmore Additionally, one of the clearest practical factors constraining Voice2Protect in facilitating participatory development, is that contrary to building better citizens (archer), CSOs can often pluralise the political arena for the worst, incorporating the voice of extremist or violent community organisations (Lewis and Kanjii). A pluralised political arena thus legitimises vice as well as virtue (Robinson White, 1998;229), as well as ethnic chauvinism (diamond) as an exercise in liberal democracy. Although this does increase pluralised democratic output (for the better or for worse), such instances could indeed hinder inclusive community development, as can often become a platform for legitimising prejudices or community based structural violence[ma17][ma18][ma19]. more Finally, an additional practical limitation faced by Voice2People, is the problematic mode through which democratic participation is facilitated within its programmes. Ultimately, the Voice2People programme is externally facilitated by an NGO based CSO, unlike programmes led by traditionalist CSOs which arise out of indigenous community structures. This stems from a contradictive paradox of self-help, whereby external NGO based CSOs are deployed to facilitate empowerment in traditionalist settings (Page, 2014). The concern here is, that due to the nature of Voice2People as an external NGO directed programme, true participatory development is constrained as it foregoes the political conscientization necessary for true and sustainable empowerment. Evidently, by using NGO based CSOs as proxies for indigenous organisations[ma20], only artificial low intensity democracy can be achieved (Carmody). This artificial empowerment runs the risk of disintegrating once the NGO based CSO has withdr awn, and is therefore unsustainable and unable to exert continuous pressure for longstanding change. Since the timescale of the Voice2People programme had an end date of March 2016 (Christian Aid, 2016), one can suggest that due to the lack of endogenous indigenous programmes to guarantee democratic output, participatory development progress began to disintegrate after the withdrawal of Christian Aid. This suggests that the dichotomy theorised by Mamdani (1996;19), which bifurcates the normative perceptions of civil society and its actually existing form, is too simplistic to encapsulate the different issues faced by varying CSOs. Through homogenising the realities of all actually existing civil society, the dichotomy ignores the vastly different realities faced by NGO based CSOs in relation to indigenous organisations[ma21]. Conclusion Normative ideals as unattainable clear divergence to the reality fo actually existing civil society [ma1]democratic development paradigm (Banks, Edwards and Hulme; 2015, 710 [ma2]Since democracy is regarded as the requisite political system conducive to growth (Chan, 2002), [ma3]Make all this link a bit more [ma4]Something about beneficiary membership or something about closeness to them [ma5]This will become important later on [ma6]Link these two sections together better [ma7] [ma8]Make sure you notePD as requiring liberally moulded empowered citizen participation and a democratic and accountable state. [ma9]Describe theoretical as motivations beind and practical barriers and issues facing actual formation/methodology [ma10]Maybe link western concept here: universalism of normative ideal does not take into account the authoritarian big man state this suggests it is applicable to western experience only. Miaia Why are we pushing the concept it if has failed in the US (Carmoroff and Carmoroff) [ma11]Mandani state power is in the ability to incorporate [ma12]Conclude: how does this link to participatory development? How does this constrain V2P? [ma13] Moreover, it can also be argued that the envisioned concept of civil society is applicable only to the western experience and thus in reality, can achieve very little democratic or developmental progress elsewhere (Lewis, 2003). In this sense, donor support for CSOs is misguided, as the theoretical framework used to mould civil society in Eastern Europe after the fall of communism, has very little explanatory value for the complexities of African associational life such as the constraining power of tribe and caste (Maina). It also ignores the need of a democratic tradition to perpetuate democratic norms within civil society, as an earlier point states, the presence of CSOs such as Voice2People, does not necessarily equate to democracy. Additionally, the limited western definition of CSOs may lead to duplication of efforts to build civil society where an indigenous form already exists (Uggla). This dissonance of the legitimacy to alternatives to western defined CSOs limits true democr acy due to the monopolisation of the political sphere by one homogenous form of CSO (hearn, 2001). When the wrong kinds of CSO are excluded, how can participatory development occur? (Banks Edwards and Hulme). Actually existing civil society cannot therefore lead to full participatory development, as the attributes of civil society itself, are western and ungeneralizable to the Nigerian case. Link to V2P. conclude [ma14] [ma15]say this too much reword this so it isnt repetitive [ma16]needs to link more [ma17]need an example of V2P and how this is not participatory can prejudices lead to the deliberate exclusion of others in participation the need for monitors has reflected this [ma18]it is in this sense that White cites the possibility of CS impeding democracy by gives rise to a multiplicity of distinct structures of dominance and subordinacy [ma19]find example of this in CA policy doccs [ma20]I can only stress that throughà ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¦ [ma21]add example of this from CA policy docc
Thursday, September 19, 2019
Beowulf is an Anglo Saxon Hero Essay -- Epic of Beowulf Essays
There has only been one hero in Anglo-Saxon history, only one man can meet every requirement one needs to be classified as hero. Only one man's honor, loyalty, courage, generosity, and wisdom, fits the true definition of a hero. That man is Beowulf. With these leading traits, Beowulf's rise to heroism was not just by chance. He filled each of the five characteristics perfectly, as if it was his destiny to be admired. To gain the respect and glory that a person of power needs, one must earn it. There is only one way to achieve respect in the times of the Anglo-Saxons. Only Beowulf was the most honored man throughout all Anglo-Saxon history. He performed three straightforward tasks to reach his level of admiration. In the time of The Anglo-Saxon?s, men lived by the Comitatus Code. One avenged the death of their king. Men lived a lifestyle of boasting and violence. Beowulf?s first major feat was undoubtedly through violence. An evil bloodthirsty creature named Grendel haunted the mead hall of Heorot. Upon hearing of this ghastly monster, Beowulf found it too ?hard to ignore? (Lines 409-410). Many claimed it was an impossible feat to go toe to toe with Grendel (Line 473). ?No one has ever outlasted an entire night with Grendel? (Lines 527-528). Hrothgar said that he would hate to burden anyone with such a great task. For many have tried, yet none have succeeded in killing Grendel. Ho wever, Beowulf took on Grendel and ripped his arm off as a sign of his sheer strength. Upon accomplishing this act, Beowulf did what was a customary action for this time. He bragged, boasted, and did not downplay the praise he received. He had just ripped the arm off the monster that had been previously tormenting Heorot?s mead ... ... decision throughout all Anglo-Saxon history. Life doesn?t cost Beowulf a thought (Line 1535). Beowulf gave his breath so that life still can go on. He made the choice that was best for his people, but in turn fatal for him. Beowulf, the honorable, loyal, and courageous king of great generosity and wisdom has fallen. The perfectness on every level was amazing. The five traits that Beowulf needed to qualify for to even be considered a hero, he exceeded them. Beowulf was the man whose honor lives on. Beowulf was the man whole loyalty and courageousness never faltered. Beowulf was the man whose generosity touched the heart of others. Beowulf was the man with the greatest wisdom throughout all history. ?Beowulf worked for the people, but as well at that he behaved like a hero?(Lines 3006-3007). Beowulf knew he was destined to be our king, leader, our beast.
Essay --
Child Obesity Six through eleven year old obese children have increased from seven percent to eighteen percent, for children of twelve through nineteen the percentage has increased from five percent to eighteen as stated by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention http://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/obesity/facts.htm. In this new decade, fast, fatty, and sugary, food has become day to day life consumption in our society. Americaââ¬â¢s children are exposed to these foods and unfortunately take part in this diet because their providers present them with this unhealthy diet. Not only do they have an inadequate nutritious diet, but they also lack of physical activity. There are millions of children who need your help to not be in danger of a serious health problem and die. Child obesity is increasing rapidly in the United States. Letââ¬â¢s begin by addressing the problems that can occur among child obesity. The first problem is that children may not be able to meet all of their physical needs. Example of a fifteen month old weighing fifty five pounds, twenty...
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
Televisions Effects on the Natural Environment Essay -- Environmental
Television's Effects on the Natural Environment You may be thinking, ââ¬Å"How on earth could the TV have an affect on our natural environment?â⬠and you have every right to. At first glance, it may seem impossible that the TV can have an effect on our natural surroundings; but, nevertheless, it does. One of the ways that the TV can have an effect on our surroundings is by the amount of power that is needed to run all of the TVââ¬â¢s in the world. I realize, that compared to other appliances, a television does not use a huge amount of energy. But think about this: almost every family in America has at least one TV if not more (some people that I know have upwards of 6 and 7). Can you imagine the power it must take to run all of these televisions? And this is only in our country! Just think, if our society would stop watching television, we could save huge amounts of energy (fossil fuels) each year. This extra energy (fuel) could be used or saved in more efficient ways. The TV not only has an effect on our natural resources, but it affects our living organisms as well; in both bad and good ways. Lets discuss the bad first. Going back to what I discussed earlier, when we mine for fuels to produce the energy to power our TVââ¬â¢s, we are harming the habitat that our precious animals live on. Bet you never thought that a TV would indirectly be destroying an animalââ¬â¢s habitat? Television programming can also have an affect on our animals and their habitat. When programs and channels film documentaries and movies in the wilderness, they definitely have an effect on the environment. During the filming of a documentary or, especially, a movie the filmmakers need to transport their crew and equipment into very delicate ... ... viewing quality becomes and the more channels we can get, the more people are likely to stay inside. Donââ¬â¢t get me wrong, I love TV, and I feel that it is one of the most important inventions that this world has been blessed with; but I feel that it is taking away from some of the ââ¬Å"realnessâ⬠of our lives. People are becoming less healthy, they are developing eye and other health problems, and they donââ¬â¢t know what is real and what is not any more. I hope that in the future television designers and makers can develop so new technologies that would improve and not worsen our environment. The television is a very helpful and important tool that has had a great impact on our society, but we need to be aware of how this tool has also affected out environment as well, so next time you watch you television, think about what impact you might be having on our environment!
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
Emotional Intelligence in Brave New World
Emotional Intelligence in Brave New World In Aldous Huxleyââ¬â¢s Brave New World, both the world and its people are designed to disallow deep feeling and passion. But, assuming the citizens of Brave New World are human, is it really possible for humans to exist as social, thinking beings without true emotion? What is emotional intelligence? For years people have been asking that same question. Emotional intelligence was first discovered in the 1930s by Edward Thorndike, but the term was still unfamiliar to the psychological world.The term ââ¬Å"emotional intelligenceâ⬠was not officially used until 1985 by Wayne Payne (Cherry ââ¬Å"Timeline of Modernà Psychologyâ⬠). Today researchers still do not have an accurate description of emotional intelligence. In 1990 John D. Mayer was the first to describe emotional intelligence (EI) as ââ¬Å"the subset of social intelligence that involves the ability to monitor one's own and others' feelings and emotions, to discriminate a mong them and to use this information to guide one's thinking and actionsâ⬠(Salovey 1990, pg. 185).Mayer and his research partner Peter Salovey further defined emotional intelligence as ââ¬Å"a set of skills hypothesized to contribute to the accurate appraisal and expression of emotion in oneself and in others, the effective regulation of emotion in self and others, and the use of feelings to motivate, plan and achieve in one's lifeâ⬠(Salovey 1990, pg. 210). Emotional intelligence is not only the regulation of emotions, but also the deregulation of emotions. The regulation of emotions is when we have control over our emotions. The deregulation of emotions is when there is no control over our emotions.The deregulation of emotions is greatly needed in our society because to be creative and to think outside of the box, one needs to let go of his or her emotions. To be passionate, our society needs to let our emotions run freely and flow without being restricted. Emotional intelligence gives that passion which encourages people to create our imaginative and our artistic society that we have established today. The question of whether we can live without deep emotion is also a question of whether we can exist without imagination.Emotional intelligence is a key ingredient in critical thinking. Critical thinking is the Rational reflective thinking concerned with what to do or believe, then critical thinking clearly implicitly implies the capacity to bring reason to bear on emotions, if for no other reason than that our emotions and feelings are deeply inter involved with our beliefs and actions. (Elder) In her article, Linda Elder gives the example: ââ¬Å"If [a person] feel[s] fear, it is because [they believe] that [they are] being threatened. Therefore [they are] likely to attack or fleeâ⬠(Elder).This shows how thought and emotions collaborate with each other to express our actions in difficult situations and in everyday life situations. Elder di scusses how ââ¬Å"it is critical thinking which provides us with the mental tools needed to explicitly understand how reasoning works, and how those tools can be used to take command of what we think, feel, desire, and doâ⬠(Elder). To effectively solve difficult problems ââ¬Å"one must have the desire to do soâ⬠¦Thus the affective dimension, comprised of feelings and volition, is a necessary condition and component of high quality reasoning and problem solvingâ⬠(Elder).If a person has a ââ¬Å"ââ¬Ëdefect in emotion and drive,ââ¬â¢Ã¢â¬ that person can create a ââ¬Å"ââ¬Ëdefect in thought and reasonâ⬠(Elder). ââ¬Å"In short, the truly intelligent person is not a disembodied intellect functioning in an emotional wasteland, but a deeply committed mindful person, full of passion and high values, engaged in effective reasoning, sound judgment, and wise conductâ⬠(Elder). ââ¬Å"The emotions that you experience and the thoughts that drive them, li ke everything in the Universe, are at their core pure energyâ⬠(ââ¬Å"The Power of Emotionsâ⬠).Emotions are designed to help people become aware of their special needs. Without emotions, people would not know how to make decisions. Our bodies were made to make decisions based on our emotions. In her article ââ¬Å"The Importance of Emotions,â⬠Carla Valencia discusses how emotions are the most important factors in making correct decisions (Valencia 1-2). Valencia explains how positive emotions ââ¬Å"not only motivate our existence, but also give enjoyment and happinessâ⬠to our lives (3). When we express ââ¬Å"negative emotions, on the other hand, [it] impact[s] our lives in a negative wayâ⬠(3).This affects our decisions because if we ââ¬Å"take a decision when [we] feel revenge for example, the results could be dangerous. A negative emotional state leads to a negative behaviorâ⬠(pg. 3). If people misuse their emotions, it can lead to wrong decisi ons. The different emotions that human beings feel are important for people to function as social and intellectual beings. In her book The Food and Feelings Workbook, Karin Koenig reveals that: The function of emotions is to tell us about our internal world, just as senses provide guidance in the external worldâ⬠¦ emotions also] keep you safe and out of harmââ¬â¢s way, steer you toward whatââ¬â¢s healthy and life-affirming, and deter you from whatââ¬â¢s dangerous and life-threatening. (Koenig ââ¬Å"What Is the Purpose of Feelings? â⬠) Koenig believes that our feelings and emotions show people the ââ¬Å"painfulâ⬠and the ââ¬Å"pleasurableâ⬠things, so that they can adjust and make proper choices (Koenig ââ¬Å"What Is the Purpose of Feelings? â⬠). In The Food and Feelings Workbook, Koenig argues that people ââ¬Å"have a better chance at physical survival if [they] are biologically programmed to be highly sensitive to both pleasure and painâ⬠¦ People] are also programmed for emotional survivalâ⬠(Koenig ââ¬Å"How Do I Know When I Have a Feeling or an Emotion? â⬠). This explains why we need our different emotions to survive. Our bodies need feelings to affectively interact with our environment. In his book called Emotional Design: Why We Love (or Hate) Everyday Things, Donald A. Norman says that ââ¬Å"affect is a vague sensation that may be either conscious or subconscious, but emotion is the conscious experience of such affectâ⬠(Norman 55). Emotions are not the result of a forced action; emotions occur naturally.Karin Koenig agrees with this statement by saying that ââ¬Å"feelings belong to our primitive defense system and are rooted in our collective biology and the history of the species. They are neurological, biochemical reactions that happen on a cellular level in response to stimuli. They donââ¬â¢t require thinkingâ⬠(Koenig ââ¬Å"How Do I Know When I Have a Feeling or an Emotion? â⬠). Emotions are used to differentiate the moral and the corrupt; the wrong and the right. We cannot survive without our emotions and feelings because our different emotions help us distinguish the good things from the bad things. Our emotions help us make decisions. Studies show that when a person's emotional connections are severed in the brain, he cannot make even simple decisionsâ⬠(Hein ââ¬Å"Emotions- Importance Of; Management of Negative Feelings; Positive Value ofâ⬠). People whose emotional needs are not fulfilled become depressed which usually leads to their death by committing suicide(Hein ââ¬Å"Teen Suicideâ⬠). ââ¬Å"Teenagers around the world are killing themselves to put an end to their intense emotional painâ⬠(Hein ââ¬Å"Teen Suicideâ⬠).Teenagers especially need their emotional needs to be fulfilled because they are at the point where they are developing their ââ¬Å"emotional developmentâ⬠(ââ¬Å"Emotional Development ââ¬â Emotio nal Development During Adolescenceâ⬠). Their ââ¬Å"behavioral problemsâ⬠are the result of their need to express their emotions (Hein ââ¬Å"Emotions- Importance Of; Management of Negative Feelings; Positive Value ofâ⬠). Our emotions are needed to help us make decisions, to help us be passionate about what we love, and to distinguish us from the rest of the world.We need our emotions to help us survive in this society, and without our emotions we are nothing but robots roaming aimlessly around the Earth. The stark reality of Aldous Huxleyââ¬â¢s Brave New World is due to the lack of emotions from the citizens. Huxleyââ¬â¢s ââ¬Å"utopianâ⬠society fails because to have a rich existence in a society, one needs to express and have a full range of emotions. Huxley describes a dystopian society with ââ¬Å"promiscuous sex, ââ¬Ëthe feeliesââ¬â¢, and most famously of all, [the] supposedly perfect pleasure-drug, somaâ⬠(Pearce). Humans need their emotio ns to distinguish them from other humans.Their emotions and their personality create their own identity. If everyone was the same like the characters in Brave New World, we would not be able to function. We need our emotions to help us through difficult situations. Because the characters in Brave New World do not have emotions, they do not know how to handle difficult situations. Huxley falsely depicted a ââ¬Å"utopianâ⬠society emotions and individuality. Huxleyââ¬â¢s characters are not credible in that they lack the needed human emotion to make decisions, to create their own identity, to be creative, and to be mentally healthy.Lenina is one important character who is like all the other citizens in the way that she acts and in what ââ¬Å"herâ⬠beliefs are. She is taught by the directors and World Controllers that ââ¬Å"No pains have been spared to make your lives emotionally easyââ¬âto preserve you, as far as that is possible, from having emotions at allâ⬠(Smith). In Brave New World, the citizens do not know how to express their emotions because they are forced to be the same. If a person is different, like Bernard Marx, everyone criticizes that person.Bernard Marx is out of the ordinary and he ââ¬Å"hated [Henry Foster and the Assistant Predestinator]â⬠because they talk about ââ¬Å"[Lenina] as though she were a bit of meatâ⬠(Huxley 45 ; 47). He respects Lenina and perhaps feels ââ¬Å"loveâ⬠for Lenina. This is unusual for an Alpha because they are injected with drugs when they are embryos so that they would not feel these emotions. The citizens are trained to have sex, and to take soma holidays. Bernard Marx is a defect so he actually feels and expresses his emotions which make him unique from the other people.Marx knows how wrong the ââ¬Å"promiscuous sex, ââ¬Ëthe feeliesââ¬â¢, and most famously of all, [the] supposedly perfect pleasure-drug, somaâ⬠is (Pearce). Linda is a citizen who was exposed to the outside world. Linda is forced to develop her emotions because if she does not, she will be considered an outcast to the ââ¬Å"savages. â⬠In Brave New World, Huxley demonstrates a false interpretation of a ââ¬Å"utopianâ⬠society by stripping away the citizens emotions and feelings. In addition to being a false utopian society, this book falsely demonstrates how the world would be like without emotions and feelings.Steve Hein accurately describes what would happen without emotions. He says that ââ¬Å"Our emotions help us make decisions,â⬠and without these emotions we would be making wrong decisions which could lead to dangerous situations. We also use our emotions for critical thinking. The citizens in Brave New World do not have emotions; therefore, they do not have critical thinking skills. We cannot survive without critical thinking skills. Other than helping us make the right decision, our emotions make us unique. Without emotions, we are robots roaming a imlessly through the Earth.
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