Top Level Of Management Business Essay

Top Level Of Management Business Essay It consists of board of directors, chief executive or managing director. The top management is the ultimate source of authority and it manages goals and policies for an enterprise. It devotes more time on planning and coordinating functions. The branch managers and departmental managers constitute middle level. They are responsible to the top management for the functioning of their department. They devote more time to organizational and directional functions. In small organization, there is only one layer of middle level of management but in big enterprises, there may be senior and junior middle level management. Their role can be emphasized as They execute the plans of the organization in accordance with the policies and directives of the top management. They make plans for the sub-units of the organization. They participate in employment training of lower level management. They interpret and explain policies from top level management to lower level. They are responsible for coordinating the activities within the division or department. It also sends important reports and other important data to top level management. They evaluate performance of junior managers. They are also responsible for inspiring lower level managers towards better performance. Lower Level of Management Lower level is also known as supervisory / operative level of management. It consists of supervisors, foreman, section officers, superintendent etc. According to  R.C. Davis, Supervisory management refers to those executives whose work has to be largely with personal oversight and direction of operative employees. In other words, they are concerned with direction and controlling function of management. Their activities include Assigning of jobs and tasks to various workers. They guide and instruct workers for day to day activities. They are responsible for the quality as well as quantity of production. They are also entrusted with the responsibility of maintaining good relation in the organization. They communicate workers problems, suggestions, and recommendatory appeals etc to the higher level and higher level goals and objectives to the workers. They help to solve the grievances of the workers. They supervise guide the sub-ordinates. They are responsible for providing training to the workers. They arrange necessary materials, machines, tools etc for getting the things done. They prepare periodical reports about the performance of the workers. They ensure discipline in the enterprise. They motivate workers. They are the image builders of the enterprise because they are in direct contact with the workers. Your business is changing. With the passage of time, your company will go through various stages of the business life cycle. Learn what upcoming focuses, challenges and financing sources you will need to succeed. A business goes through stages of development similar to the cycle of life for the human race. Parenting strategies that work for your toddler can not be applied to your teenager. The same goes for your small business. It will be faced with a different cycle throughout its life. What you focus on today will change and require different approaches to be successful. The Seven Stages of Business Life 1. Seed Stage:  The seed stage of your business life cycle is when your business is just a thought or an idea. This is the very conception or birth of a new business. Challenge: Most seed stage companies will have to overcome the challenge of market acceptance and pursue one niche opportunity. Do not spread money and time resources too thin. Focus: At this stage of the business the focus is on matching the business opportunity with your skills, experience and passions. Other focal points include: deciding on a business ownership structure, finding professional advisors, and business planning. Money Sources: Early in the business life cycle with no proven market or customers the business will rely on cash from owners, friends and family. Other potential sources include suppliers, customers and government grants. 2. Start-Up Stage:  Your business is born and now exists legally. Products or services are in production and you have your first customers. Challenge: If your business is in the start-up life cycle stage, it is likely you have overestimated money needs and the time to market. The main challenge is not to burn through what little cash you have. You need to learn what profitable needs your clients have and do a reality check to see if your business is on the right track. Focus: Start-ups requires establishing a customer base and market presence along with tracking and conserving cash flow. Money Sources: Owner, friends, family, suppliers, customers, or grants. 3. Growth Stage:  Your business has made it through the toddler years and is now a child. Revenues and customers are increasing with many new opportunities and issues. Profits are strong, but competition is surfacing. Challenge: The biggest challenge growth companies face is dealing with the constant range of issues bidding for more time and money. Effective management is required and a possible new business plan. Learn how to train and delegate to conquer this stage of development. Focus: Growth life cycle businesses are focused on running the business in a more formal fashion to deal with the increased sales and customers. Better accounting and management systems will have to be set-up. New employees will have to be hired to deal with the influx of business. Money Sources: Banks, profits, partnerships, grants and leasing options. 4. Established Stage:  Your business has now matured into a thriving company with a place in the market and loyal customers. Sales growth is not explosive but manageable. Business life has become more routine. Challenge: It is far too easy to rest on your laurels during this life stage. You have worked hard and have earned a rest but the marketplace is relentless and competitive. Stay focused on the bigger picture. Issues like the economy, competitors or changing customer tastes can quickly end all you have work for. Focus: An established life cycle company will be focused on improvement and productivity. To compete in an established market, you will require better business practices along with automation and outsourcing to improve productivity. Money Sources: Profits, banks, investors and government.

Leadership styles in greek mythology Essay

In ancient Greece, certain leadership qualities were seen as more desirable, and by reviewing Greek mythology it is possible to understand what these ancient people valued in their leaders. The tales of Uranus, Cronus, and Zeus show which characteristics were prized by the Greek people, and which were despised. Uranus, son and husband of Gaea, was tyrannical, and fearful, casting his offspring into the underworld. He was obsessed with absolute power. It did not concern him that his children, the Hundred-handed giants and the Cyclopes, burned with rage at him from their Underworld prison. It did not concern him that his mother-wife Gaea suffered dearly knowing the fate of her children. He was a wicked ruler, and his Titan sons and daughters were fearful of him. Even when Gaea urged them to join her in a plot to overthrow Uranus, the Titans, terrified, could not reply. It was only when Cronus, the youngest Titan, finally agreed to help Gaea that Uranus was finally and violently defeated. Cronus dismembered his father and scattered the body parts. The Titans then freed their siblings and made Cronus king. Cronus, however, turned out to be as wicked a king as his father Uranus. Gaea warned Cronus that like his father, his child would overthrow him. Obsessed with avoiding Uranus’s fate, Cronus devoured each of the children born to him and Rhea, his wife. Eventually, Rhea deceived Cronus to keep him from eating the newborn children. Cunningly, Rhea his one child, Zeus, and fed her husband a rock in the place of the shining child. When Zeus grew up, joined with his brother Poseidon and the other children of Cronus in a war resulted in Zeus’s overthrow of Cronus. At last, overpowered, the Titans retreated into Tartarus, where they were bound, imprisoned, for eternity. With the Titans in the depths of the earth, the rule of Zeus began. Unlike his father and grandfather, Zeus ruled the world justly. He assigned each of the deities their respective functions. He created a system of laws, and punished those immortals that broke their sacred word. Zeus also allowed the immortals to benefit mankind. Out of chaotic destruction, Zeus’s rule began and he established such order that no Olympian god would question his authority. Even when the Titans would try to return and overthrow Zeus, they could not defeat him due to the loyalty he had earned from the other Olympians. A reading of these tales shows that the Greeks looked for the qualities of strength and authority in their leaders, along with courage and wisdom. However, these alone were not enough. In order to be a great leader or king, one needed to establish a system of justice and fairness, where those who did wrong would face punishment, and where order would be maintained instead of chaos. Zeus was the model for earthly kings because of his ability to bring order, fairness, and justice along with his great strength.

Has UK become a digital nation?

Abstract Information Technology has become more prevalent making it indispensable in the day to day activities of not just individuals or businesses but to the nation as a whole. There are more government initiatives to move from paper-based record keeping to a digital record management. However, despite technology growth, the nation as a whole is not prepared to get accustomed to a digital world. Though technology simplifies certain key processes and tasks in our day to day lives there are still areas like training and development that the nation needs to tackle in order embrace the digital revolution. The key aim of this review is to understand the key role of information technology and information systems in business, public sector and in the lives of the common man and the evolution of technology and its use in various areas. The review critically analyses research about internet and other emerging technologies and points out the current gaps. Introduction The rapid development of information technology and tools has not only made it easier for individuals and businesses to work at their own convenience and obtain information faster, but has also shrunk the world into a global village. Information Systems and Technologies have now become the backbone and lifeblood of businesses. In an information age, almost all processes are automated by businesses, most transactions take place over the internet and businesses use information technology in some way or the other. The Office for National Statistics (2013) have shown that there has been a sharp increase in the usage of internet for business activities. From using internet as a primary means of communications, businesses are now increasingly using internet for making sales online. The statistics show that 18% of the business turnover was accounted for by online sales and nearly 43% of businesses in the UK used social media to market their products and promotional activities. Studies by Business Zone (2011) showed that 77% of the households in the UK have access to the internet and that the growth in the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) has the potential to generate ?35 million value added growth in the UK economy by businesses. In the digital technological age, businesses and nations have two options to either embrace the technology or be a technologically divided nation. Technology has become ingrained in the lives of the modern man and has proven to have significant advantages and benefits. The last four decades have shown a stark increase in the development and usage of technology. Businesses that do not have technological expertise miss out on opportunities, individuals find it difficult to carry on even the most mundane tasks without technological assistance as dependence on technology increases but technology enables information to be available at any time that helps organisations take strategic decisions (Melville et al, 2004) The main aim of this paper is to identify the role information systems play in organisations and to critically review the literature to get an in-depth understanding of the IT trends and infrastructure evolution in order to understand whether the UK has become a digital nation. Literature Review This section discusses the role of Information Systems in business organisations, the infrastructure and key technological developments over the past few years and also the role of internet in the digital and modern age.Information Systems in BusinessStudies show that information systems are being used by businesses in order to increase productivity, decrease costs, and effectively manage their day to day operations thereby increasing profits (Melville et al, 2004). Information Technology and Information Systems are no longer a separate department in an organisation but a cross-functional one which has a role to play in the overall business, thus making it inevitable (Rainer and Cegielski, 2010). In their book, Enabling and Transforming Business, the authors (Melville et al, 2004)discuss the role information system plays in not only developing the business but also as a key role it takes in facilitating the business to reach its strategic and long-term goals and vision. The authors d iscuss the power of digital information and the real-world applications of Information Technology in a business environment. The authors show that IT solutions can be applied to any business problem in order to maximise the returns and also to ensure that an effective solution is maintained. This is not just true to business organisations. In a digitised world, governments also apply Information Technology to make information available and to use IT and information systems to process, store and disseminate information to enable faster processing, reduction in costs, improved practices and complying with various regulations .(Rainer and Cegielski, 2010).There is an undeniable and key role that Information Technology plays in business organisations that it is almost impossible for businesses to function without IT support. This does not mean that using IT would lead the organisation to success. The authors point out by means of case studies and examples where using IT can actually lea d to the failure. This points out to the areas that need to be concentrated on while implementing an IT solution within the business or the key points that need to be considered while deciding to digitise the business to ensure that the IT implementation helps the business achieve its objectives. This book provides all the basic pointers that need to be noted while implementing an information system and takes the reader through the importance `and advantages of the same. This book however cannot act as a final guide for choosing appropriate technologies or for advanced readers. Businesses in this information age are moving to global web-based platforms to be able to appeal to more customers. Internet and other emerging technologies, such as wireless and mobile communication systems, further enhance their business offering and also for competitive and strategic advantage (Bocij, 2006). Organisations use information systems for provision of business intelligence that would enable them be in the forefront (Negash, 2004). Studies relate good organisational performance with a strong information systems and infrastructure. Information technology has a great impact in the performance of the company and helps to add value to the services offered. However, researchers show that in order for the information technology to be able to add value and help in the significant contribution of the success of the business, it is essential a good framework is being used to develop the IT business model, training needs are adhered to and that a proper change management mechanism is in place. (Melville et al, 2004). From the above, it can be noted that information systems in business is inevitable and even government organisations are adapting and embracing new technologies thus driving forward the digital age and making a contributing to drive the nation to go digital.Emerging TechnologiesInformation Technology is developing and evolving at a rapid pace. Technology is no longer just a personal computer or a network of computers. Gartner (2013) predicts the top technologies include mobile device management, mobile apps and applications, cloud computing, smart machines and 3-D printing in 2014. MIT technology (2014) discusses that future holds a lot more breakthroughs in technologies. The most fascinating and powerful technologies that would dominate the current year are noted as ultraprivate smartphones built with security and privacy, 3-D printing, neuromorphic chips that act like brain chips and mobile collaboration. The research shows that these technologies take the digital age to a whole new level and that helps businesses become and remain more competitive and also take provision of services to a whole new level. Powerful and modern technology would enable businesses to operate and collaborate in a better fashion. These emerging technologies show that the scope of technology has gone beyond just using of computers and how technology if used properly can help steering forward the digital era and also the impact it can make on business as well as the entire population.Internet in BusinessInternet in business is gaining more and more importance and the proliferation of this technology has made communications seamless across the globe. The Internet started out as a communication technology and now has become indispensable to the business not only for communication but also for various other purposes (Afuah, 2000). Internet is increasingly used as a tool to collaborate, make sales, communicate with customers, build brand image and as an economically viable channel to advertise and reach out to a larger population of customers (Zhao, 2000). Internet commerce or e-commerce facilitates processing of transactions online using internet technologies. The development of these technologies and the proliferation of these has enabled businesses to sell their products directly to the customers irrespective of their geographic location. This technological era has not only changed dramatically but has also led to the change in perspective in terms of business models and the way businesses and corporations operate and engage with customers. The emergence of social media sites on the internet enables businesses use these to be able to pitch their ideas and attract a plethora of customers, build trust and a brand image. Similarly, using internet technologies has enabled effective communication across the globe irrespective of the time zone and to be able to obtain information across the globe at convenience. Overall this has marked the rapid growth in using technology as a means for development and making a significant impact in the digital world.Benefits of ITStudies show that UK digitisation has had a very positive impact in the economy and has added nearly ?63 billion to the annual GDP. The other benefits of IT in the general population and the economy includes: Better living quality by minimising efforts and increasing efficiency of services offered. Internet proficiency can help government to meet its goals and also streamline various processes. (UK & Booz & Co, 2012) Businesses can collaborate better and use its online presence to market its products and services.Key Information Technology ChallengesThough internet and other Information and Communications Technologies have become more prevalent and common in businesses today, there are still various organisations that face various IT implementation challenges. These include: 1. Moving from paper-based environment to electronic records: Studies show that more than 90% of the businesses use electronic records. However, moving from paper based to electronic environment could be quite challenging. Businesses would need to be able to find the correct records management software and technologies to support their processes and manage business records digitally and this is difficult because of the lack of key skills and expertise in understanding the various tools and services that are offered. This process could be further complicated by various compliance laws that might become applicable whilst moving to electronic records, organisational culture and change management procedure in place to handle these (M Rapaport, 2014). Training: When implementing new technologies it is imperative that staff are trained. Implementing new technologies might cause reluctance in employees using these due to lack of knowledge, skills and expertise. It is imperative that businesses use good training methods and have adequate change control to ensure business-wide acceptance of the technologies (E Savitz, 2011). Security: Security is a key issue and data protection and privacy are areas of concern for enterprises. Systems and technologies are under various threats and risks and it is therefore essential for businesses to think through the information security challenges, authentication and authorisation methods, policies, compliance and regulatory requirements whilst implementing IT within the business (Symantec, 2014). Conclusion All businesses and individuals are using information technology more and more. Government departments are also moving towards electronic data and technology has now become a part and parcel of all organisations. However, this development has a lot of challenges and businesses need to cross a lot of barriers before implementing the correct information system and technology. Training and acceptance of technology has to be taken into consideration while implementing Information systems across the organisation. There are various advantages of using IT and affiliated technologies. The key challenges facing the government adapting to technology is ensuring cost effectiveness and having a fully transparent procedure that is auditable. Moving to a digital age can make certain things challenging; however, the benefits of implementation of technologies outweigh the challenges. The current trend shows that there would be an increase in the technological proliferation and for government to embrace the technology fully it requires that the skills gap be catered to and that ICT literacy is taken into consideration by the government. To become a digital nation, substantial investment is required and the adequate skills needed to be able to support the infrastructure and the technology are essential. The costs for such an emergence needs to be taken into consideration and the necessary measures need to be taken to be fully prepared to embrace the technological age with ease. This review has shown that there are various benefits of using Information Technology and has also shown evidence of the usage of Information Technology by businesses and the government. This clearly shows the steps and the contribution to move to a digital era. It also highlights the key challenges faced and these challenges if tackled effectively would lead to harnessing all the key benefits of technology thus making UK a truly digital nation. References Rainer and Cegielski (2010): Introduction to Information Systems: Enabling and Transforming Business. USA: Wiley Publication. N Melville, K Kraemer, and V Gurbaxani (2004): Review: Information technology and organizational performance: An integrative model of IT business value. MIS Quarterly, ACM Digital Library. Negash S (2004). â€Å"Business Intelligence,† Communications of the Association for Information Systems: Vol. 13, Article 15. Available at: http://aisel.aisnet.org/cais/vol13/iss1/15 Office for National Statistics (2013): ICT Activity for UK Business 2012, Available at: http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/rdit2/ict-activity-of-uk-businesses/2012/index.html Business Zone (2011): Internet stats show importance of online for small businesses, Available at: http://www.businesszone.co.uk/topic/technology/internet-stats-show-importance-online-small-businesses/36800 Bocij, P. (2006): Business Information Systems: Technology, Development and Management for the E-Business. UK: Pearson Education Trust. Rivera, J. (2013): Gartner Identifies the Top 10 Strategic Technology Trends for 2014, Orlando Available at: http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/2603623 MIT Technology (2014): 10 Breakthrough technologies in 2014, Available at: http://www.technologyreview.com/lists/technologies/2014/ A Afuah (2000): Internet Business Models and Strategies: Text and Cases, ACM Digital Library, USA David W. Stewart, Qin Zhao (2000) Internet Marketing, Business Models, and Public Policy. Journal of Public Policy & Marketing: Vol. 19, No. 2, pp. 287-296 Rapaport, M. (2014): Top Challenges of Moving from Paper to Digital in Quality Management, IQS, USA. Available at: http://www.iqs.com/iqs-blog/top-challenges-moving-paper-digital-quality-management/#.U9KImvldVo8 Savitz E. (2011): How To Get Employees To (Really) Use New Technology, Forbes, USA. Available at: http://www.forbes.com/sites/ciocentral/2011/07/14/how-to-get-employees-to-really-use-new-technology/ Symantec, 2014: Securing the New Enterprise: Five Key IT Challenges. Available at: http://www.symantec.com/content/en/us/enterprise/white_papers/b-5-key-it-challenges-en-us.pdf Go On UK & Booz & Co â€Å"This is for Everyone: The Case for Universal Digitisation†, 2012

How To Conduct a Job Interview Essays - 1941 Words

Conducting a job interview is the most widely used selection tool. It has proved most reliable and the employers rely on it in preference to any other tool. It is a process designed to predict future job performance by candidates oral responses to oral inquiries. For having a better comprehension of Job interviewing it is proper will to go through the definitions of interview and job interview. An interview as defined is a conversation between two people (the interviewer and the interviewees) where the interviewer put questions to the interviewees to get information from him. Job Interview on the other hand is generally defined as a conversation between an employer and a job candidate, where the employer evaluates a candidate for†¦show more content†¦It is obvious as earlier discussed that job interview is not a one way process, but a bilateral one. The fact that even if the employer finds a candidate well suited for the job and wants to hire him, unless the candidate agrees to the offer of employment the employer cannot hire him is the strongest proof of the bilateral nature of job interview. Job Interview Importance Although not all employers use tests or even reference checks during the selection process, but they consider job interview as vital for making a correct decision. Job interview helps in soliciting relevant information permissible under the law from candidate by putting questions, and listening to the answers. The interviewer may pursue points of interest as they develop. Irrespective of industry or nature of job the interviewer will always probe the following basic questions. . Does the candidate have necessary skills, qualification and experience to do the job? . Would the candidate display the right character, attributes and attitude required for the job. . Would the candidate adjust in the organization culture? 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Hip Hop And The Music Genre - 927 Words

What is Hip-Hop? According to Encyclopedia Britannica, Hip-Hop can be delineated as a music genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted.1 Originating from a disparaged subculture in the South Bronx and eagerly spreading through other sectors of New York City during the 1970’s, Hip-Hop evolved from formerly being a relatively fraudulent style to currently being a commercialized and disseminated music genre among diverse areas around the globe. Hip-hop s evolution into a composition distinct from RB ensued around the time that drum-machines and sampling technology became widely available to the general public at a financially affordable cost for the average consumer. Turntablist techniques (i.e. scratching, beat mixing, matching, and beat juggling) ultimately developed along with the breaks, producing a base that could be rapped over, in a manner similar to signifying, as well as percussive breaks (an influence found in Jamaican dub music). The art of manipulating sound and creating illustrious music were few of the techniques that identified the aeon of the hip-hop genre: Three of whom will be presented - The Diamond Era (1983 – 1988), The Golden Era (1989 – 1993), and The Silver Age (1994 – 1998). To commence, the first era (The Diamond Era) arose in the year 1983. Although Hip-Hop emerged before 1983, The Diamond era predates the introduction of a new foundation to the hip-hop genre withShow MoreRelatedHip Hop Is A Genre Of Music1192 Words   |  5 PagesMusic has always been one of the ways that people use to express the connection between their feelings and the outside world with melody, rhythm and sound. 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In particular, the issue of focus is the association of the hip-hop rap genre with the black youth subculture in America. As a youth subculture, hip-hop emerged in the 1970s from New York City’s borough of the Bronx. The African American community was the root of the music genre, which gained popularity in the 1980s and 1990s. As part of its growthRead MoreThe Music Of Hip Hop Essay1420 Words   |  6 PagesThroughout the ages, genres such as Rock and Roll, Pop, RB, and Funk ruled the music spectrum. Before the flow of an emcee rocked the crowd with his/her rhythmic flow, a significant day in music history would soon influence the music industry, cultures, fashion, and make this new genre into a global phenomenon. This significant day was marked on August 13, 1973, or also known as the birthday of Hip-Hop. While Hip-Hop can be commonly be associated with being an emcee/rapper, the art of emceeing

Song of Lawino - 1437 Words

Song of Lawino: Cultural Duality and Universality Song of Lawino by Okot p’Bitek centers on the main narrator Lawino’s plea towards her husband, Ocol, who shuns his old Acholi background for Westernization. Lawino implores Ocol not to abandon his heritage but rather accept both Acholi and Western cultures; as noted, cultural duality serves as the prime theme in Song of Lawino. Through the character of Lawino, p’Bitek conveys his message that Acholi and Western cultures could be fused in the era of Westernization. In making his point, p’Bitek employs techniques, namely the language, diction, syntax structures, imagery, and figures of speech, to ensure that Song of Lawino supports both Acholi and Western characteristics. Furthermore, the†¦show more content†¦For example, p’Bitek applies positive imagery when he portrays an Acholi woman in the arena, ready to dance: â€Å"The tattoos on her chest / Are like palm fruits, / The tattoos on her b ack / Are like stars on a black night; / Her eyes sparkle like the fireflies / Her breasts are ripe / Like the full moon.† (442 – 448). Immediately, the reader notices words and phrases, such as â€Å"palm fruits,† â€Å"stars on a black night,† â€Å"fireflies,† and â€Å"full moon,† which all relate to the natural world. In contrast, p’Bitek presents indecent imagery to delineate the environment â€Å"dances of the white people† take place in: â€Å"Some dungs are red like ochre / Others are yellow / Like the ripe mango, / Like inside a ripe pawpaw. / Others are black like soil, / Like the soil we use / For smearing the floor. / Some dungs are of mixed colours! / Vomit and urine flow by† (600 – 608). From this section, phrases like â€Å"ripe mango,† and â€Å"ripe pawpaw† also pertain to the nature. However, the depiction of the Acholi dancer emits an aura of fruitfulness and serenity, whereas the Western dances are rather filthy. This brings up an interesting aspect, as p’Bitek works with metaphors and similes associated with the nature in both cases, yet the two instances yield dramatically different effects. The enticing figures of speech indeed bring the two scenes in the spotlight; however, as opposed to supporting bothShow MoreRelatedSong of Lawino1470 Words   |  6 PagesThe son of lawino Literary analysis In the poem Song of Lawino racism reared its ugly head in a rather ridiculous form, some people might argue that any form of racism is ridiculous, which is very understandable, but in this particular situation in my opinion it is worst than the segregation in America throughout the early part of the century 20th century. It’s called self hatred, self hatred is a very uncommon form of racism and it can appear in any ethnic group but its black self hatred thatRead MoreA study on Okot pBiteks works Song of Lawino and Song of Ocol2281 Words   |  10 PagesSong of Lawino and Song of Ocol ï ¿ ½ PAGE * MERGEFORMAT ï ¿ ½1ï ¿ ½ Okot pBitek worked as anthropologist, poet, novelist an even footballer which led him to go and being educated in England on law and anthropology and later literature. He differed himself from other African writers who wrote in western styles and in western point of view. He has chosen an African tool to express himself, a tool associated with oral tradition of Africa. He called it song. He published his works in Acoli language howeverRead MoreTypical Ib A1 Hl English Exam Question2270 Words   |  10 Pagesused for the opposite effect of giving the poem a personal and intimate appeal. Although this does not necessarily mean that the poem does not have universal applications. This method of narration is used in the epic poem Song of Lawino by Okot p’Bitek. The persona Lawino is a prominent female member of the African Acoli tribe. p’Bitek uses her character as a spokeswoman and advocate of traditional African customs. Lawino’s character dislikes her husband’s behaviour as well as the other African’sRead MoreRole of African Elites in Dismantling Decolonization5146 Words   |  21 Pagescinema. (Beti: 1964:65) Colonial education taught Medza everything that is irrelevant to his African life. In Charles Mungoshi s Waiting for the Rain, Lucifer similarly feels alienated from his homeland because of his colonial education. In Song of Lawino and Song of Ocol, Okot P Bitek laments a situation in which colonial education emasculates the emerging African elite: my husband s house is a dark forest of books . . . /Their manhood was finished in the classrooms, their testicles were smashed

Emancipation from Segregation free essay sample

Emancipation from Segregation By Don Moore (2010) The physical chains of slavery were broken by the Emancipation Proclamation passed by President Lincoln in the 1860s. Ten years later the African American people faced a second form of slavery. In the South, right after the Civil War, in the 1870s, anti-African American laws were passed which were called the Jim Crow laws. According to David Pilgrim, Professor of Sociology, the Jim Crow laws mandated that African Americans were not to go to white movie theaters, white restaurants, white bars, and white public restrooms. African Americans were also not allowed to ride in trains, cars, or buses with whites. Blacks were not allowed to marry whites. Even mulattos were treated with the same indignity as blacks. The tyrant of segregation is rooted in the Jim Crow laws. In 1896, the Supreme Court ruled that segregation was constitutional as long as there were separate but equal places to live for both whites and blacks. A gentleman named Homer Plessey was caught riding on a train for whites only. Homer Plessey took his case to the Supreme Court and lost. In 1896, the Supreme Court made its decision to legitimize both the Jim Crow laws and the Jim Crow lifestyle (Pilgrim). For many years the African American had to be reminded of segregation by reading the â€Å"Colored Only† signs on public restrooms. Also the public drinking fountains had the signs â€Å"Colored Only† above them. The African American students had to attend schools for blacks only. Black students could never attend white schools. The black students had to be bused in separate buses for blacks while the white students rode on buses for whites (Pilgrim).The second form of slavery was segregation or alienating African Americans from white society. Segregation forced many African American families into states of poverty and oppression. The period from the 1870s until the mid 1960s was a period of despair for the African American people. The heavy burden of segregation forced the heart of the African American to cry out a freedom dream. The cries of frustration were communicated very well in both the music and the literature of pre Civil Rights Movement times.Many African American families had to go through a â€Å"battle royal† of emotional turmoil, spiritual growth, physical pain, poverty, and poor living conditions. The heavy burden of slavery dictated by the segregationists had to be lifted. Then a need for a revolution to abolish the slavery of segregation became top priority. The need for civil disobedience against segregation became a reality. According to an article in â€Å"A Dictionary of Contemporary History†, the 1954 case of Brown versus the Topeka Board of Education was the start of dissolving segregation in public schools.The Supreme Court overturned the 1896 Plessey case ruling and then mandated that segregation in public school violated the U. S. Constitution. The African American voice became the protagonist in mid 20th century black history. The voice of the Civil Rights Movement cried loud like a new fog horn of the new lighthouse of hope. Their antagonist white voice roared loud like a lion desiring to consume the prey of integration. Blacks wanted integration while the whites wanted segregation. Blacks wanted integration while the whites wanted segregation.The Civil Rights Movement Revolution was sparked by one woman named Rosa Parks who refused to sit at the back of a bus. The message behind the Civil Rights Movement is that blacks desire to be treated equally with whites. Blacks shall not be treated as second class citizens. Blacks deserve the same inalienable rights as whites. The Civil Rights Movement began its infancy in 1955. The Civil Rights Movement infant grew stronger rapidly. In the late 1950s, the Civil Rights Movement grew up to be a strong proud man like a weight lifter.America was faced with one of the most important issues of all time, the Civil Rights Movement decade. In the essay â€Å"Civil Rights Movement† by Duncan Townson, it states: â€Å"The struggle of massive, non-violent civil disobedience campaigns was pioneered by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. , who led the successful Montgomery bus boycott in Alabama in 1955-6. This was followed in 1960 by sit-ins, which were started by black students at Greensboro, North Carolina who were refused service at a whites-only lunch counter. Sit-ins spread to seven other Southern states within a month and succeeded in ending segregation in many public facilities.They were followed by Freedom Rides, in which white students joined blacks in breaking down segregation at bus terminals. The Meredith incident (1962), when a black student sought admission to the University of Mississippi, the Birmingham demonstrations (1963), during which Martin Luther King made his ‘I have a dream’ speech to over 200,000 people, all kept the pressure on the Kennedy and Johnson administrations† (A Dictionary of Contemporary History). According to an article, ‘We Shall Overcome. ’†Government, Politics, and Protest, â€Å" many demonstrators during the Civil Rights Movement freedom marches were killed.The Catholic churches, the Jewish synagogues, a nd President John F. Kennedy supported the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. Then during President Lyndon B. Johnson’s administration, two major pieces of legislation were signed into law. Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. One year later, Congress passed the Voting Rights Act of 1965 where African Americans were allowed to vote. The Civil Rights Movement became the wise old sage encouraging America to pass legislation to break the chains of segregation. The giant like Goliath named segregation was slain by the Civil Rights Movement, a wise King David. In 1951, a voice against segregation was evident in African American literature. The Civil Rights Movement dream began with the message of the Langston Hughes poem â€Å"Dream Boogie. † The underlying message from the poem â€Å"Dream Boogie† is the dream for racial equality must be heard. Comedy is incorporated in the poem â€Å"Dream Boogie†. â€Å"You think/It’s a happy beat? †(lines eight and nine) The boogie-woogie pianist is not stomping out a happy beat. The beat of the poem is an unhappy beat that wants to stomp out the fire of racial inequality fueled by segregationThe poem ends with an eternal hope for the four girls. â€Å"Four little girls/Might be awakened someday soon/By songs upon the breeze/As yet unfelt among the magnolia trees. †(lines 24-27). The four girls died for a great cause, the Civil Rights Movement. The four innocent souls will wake up in a far safer place where there is sweet music and no more violence. There is eternal hope for the innocent girls who were walking to Sunday school on that tragic day. All of the tragedies from the Civil Rights Movement do not compare with the glory of its success.According to Wil Haygood’s Art Review, there is the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that is portrayed in some of the art work that is shown at the International Gallery in the Smithsonian’s S. Dillon Ripley Center. One piece of artwork is a collage of photographs of the civil rights leader; the collage is called â€Å"In the Spirit of Martin: The Living Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. † A John Wilson charcoal and pastel portrait shows Dr. King’s head tilted to the left with tired eyes. The Civil Rights Movement fallen heroes are shown in a Norman Rockwell oil painting. Rockwell’s oil painting â€Å"Murder in Mississippi† shows one black civil rights activist shot dead and rests in the arms of one of the white men. The painting shows another black civil rights activist shot dead and lying on the floor in the pool of his own blood. Rockwell’s imagery reminds everyone that the Civil Rights Movement was expensive as a lot of blood was spilled in the name of racial equality. The segregationists had a more expensive price to pay. The move toward integration bound the feet that beat out the rhythm of segregation.The music during the Civil Rights Movement had both black and white influences. The music during the 1960s was music that was integrated. According to Ashley Kahn’s article â€Å"Songs of the Civil Rights Era,† the folk singer Bob Dylan wrote â€Å"A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall† and Stephen Stills wrote â€Å"For What It’s Worth. † The song writing of Bob Dylan influenced Mavis Staples’ father. Mavis Staples was a member of the Staple Singers which became one of the first black singing groups to work with both Bob Dylan and Stephen Stills. Bob Dylan’s folk songs encouraged the Staple Singers to write freedom march songs.The freedom march song â€Å"March up Freedom’s Highway† written by the Staple Singers was sung on the Alabama march. The next song written by the Staple Singers was â€Å"Long Walk to D. C. † which was sung on the Washington march. The Staple Singers song â€Å"Why Am I Treated So Bad† was written to be sung before Dr. King’s speech. Dr. King’s favorite freedom song was â€Å"Why Am I Treated So Bad. † The Civil Rights Movement freedom songs were songs of victory and hope. The Civil Rights Movement reminds us about the brotherhood of human kind. Americans are to treat every person as an equal.There is nothing that can create a barrier between people working together. There is no law of segregation anymore to divide the cultures of America. Every culture is an equally important piece of the American apple pie. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said: I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal. †¦ I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day the state of Alabama, whose governor’s lips are presently dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, will be transformed into a situation where little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today. (An excerpt from the Address at the March on Washington, Rosa Parks teaches Americans never to give in to being tolerant of the injustice done to others. If another person sees injustice is carried out on another person, the witness needs to advocate for the victim. When personal injustice is carried out, self advocacy is very important. According to an article titled â€Å"Rosa Parks† written by Malcolm West, Rosa Parks paid the same amount of bus fare as the white passengers did. Rosa’s money was just as much legal tender as the white man’s money. The white bus driver told Rosa Parks to pick a seat in the back of the bus.Rosa Parks refused to receive any injustice that the white bus driver was dishing out. â€Å"People always say that I didn’t give up my seat because I was tired, but that wasn’t true. I was not tired physically, or no more tired than I usually was at the end of a working day. I was not old, although some people have an image of me as being old then. I was forty-two. No, the only tired I was, was tired of giving in,† stated Rosa Parks. The bus driver James Blake demanded that Rosa Parks stand up. Rosa Parks emphatically said, â€Å"No. † The bus driver replied, â€Å"Well I’m going to have you arrested,† Rosa Parks said, â€Å"You may do that. Rosa Parks was arrested for violating the unfair laws of segregation. There was hope for Rosa Parks as she made her bail and went back to her home. The act of defiance by Rosa Parks sparked the one-day boycott of the city bus system on December 5, 1955 in which the local Women’s Political Council lead. The self advocacy of Rosa Parks sparked the huge revolution of anti segregation called the Civil Rights Movement. It sometimes takes just one person who is defiant against social injustice to create a revolution that can change the world in many ways.Any social change begins with one person acting on behalf of the welfare of others. The dream of social justice is built on the solid foundation of hope. A dream should never be deferred because of giving into defeat. All human beings were designed to live out any dream that is integrated with victory. The key ingredients that abolished the slavery of segregation were the African American activists, the development of the Civil Rights Movement, the racial equality poetry, the freedom march songs, the freedom marches, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.The power behind the Civil Rights Movement shattered the chains of segregation. No society should enforce laws that oppress its people through segregation. Every person who is a member of society should have the same rights, live in the same neighborhoods, work in the same companies, attend the same colleges, and become successful like anyone else. The walls of color have been torn down just like the Berlin Wall that segregated East Germany from West Germany. The United States is a country united as one integrated society. America has become a â€Å"melting pot† of many cultures.Each culture has an opportunity to contribute equally to society. Our country is a mural painted with many beautiful colors that God created. God is the painter, our country is the canvas, and the people are the paints used to create a wonderful masterpiece. The Civil Rights Movement is forever allowing more color to be added to our national painting. The emancipation from segregation is the Civil Rights Movement.