My jewelry box free essay sample

In my jewelry box lies a necklace, my favorite necklace. No, it is not the most stylish or expensive piece in my possession, nor is it something I wear to this day, yet it defines me, my upbringing, and my family. It is a dainty necklace, a nondescript gold chain of interwoven links that falls just below my collarbone. Dangling from this understated chain are two charms, representatives of two things that usually never go together: a cross and a Star of David.My upbringing wasn’t exactly conventional. During my early formative years, I bounced from visiting the church where my grandfather was the pastor to spending Friday nights in synagogue with my parents. Ultimately, my parents, strong believers in a private school education, decided to send me to a private, Christian elementary school for the first four years of my education. Part of this school’s curriculum was religion including church services in the chapel every Wednesday. We will write a custom essay sample on My jewelry box or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page My favorite part of the chapel was the church pews. My finger would trace the lines the dark cherry wood, which were symbolic of what was once the rings of the tree it originated from. My second favorite part was the red velvety cushions, which sat complacently atop the pews. They were my favorite shade of red, the red of a glass of wine, the red of Supermans cape. I would sit daydreaming, making mazes for myself out of the lines of the wooden pews. But this world of my daydream would wash away as a wave of emotion came over me. The students of my school and my fellow classmates had begun singing hymns, their emotion almost tangible to me. Even during silent prayer, the air was heavy with the prominence of their faith. Every Wednesday, I would feel this immense emotion overflow out of everyone in the chapel, never faltering from week to week. Wednesdays service was the culmination of their faith, coming out and inundating the chapel. I had always admired that, peoples immense faith, and to this day I carry this admiration and the memories of Wednesday chapel.Three years after my Christian school era, my mother remarried to an Orthodox Jewish man thrusting me into a different Jewish lifestyle than the one I had been exposed to. This included exposure to traditions of the Jewish faith, which heretofore had been foreign to me. Indeed, it represented a different way of life.In the days that I use to take the bus to school, I could always expect two things. The first is that I would always have Eggo waffles for breakfast, and the second is that my stepfather, Richie, would always be in the dining room davening, the Hebrew word for praying. My baby sister sleeping at that time, I would be careful to make as little noise as possible in the scarcely illuminated hallway. In traversing the hallway, my path would intentionally zigzag as I avoided the creaks in the walnut floorboards. Once I finally reached the stairs; the hardest part of my journey was over. From the top of the steps, penetrating the darkness of the hallway, was the brilliant light of the chandelier in the dining room. This light served as a lighthouse for me, ensuring my safe arrival at the bottom of the steps. As I walked into this haze of light, I would see, as expected, my stepfather adorned in his talis and tefillin. He would be in such intense prayer that I wasn’t even sure if he was aware of my arrival. But, like the students in my Christian school, this intensity and devotion in his prayer, symbolic of his faith in God and his religion, never wavered; everyday no matter what, the dining room light would be on.Though unconventional, the influences of these two religions come together in my life as beautifully as my necklace. The amalgamation of the two religions with which I have been raised demonstrates that no religion outshines the other; they are both individually beautiful in the traditions and practices that come with each. Through these two very different experiences, I feel I am able to appreciate the magnificence of faith. I am thankful for my upbringing and I feel it has shaped me into a more tolerant and open-minded person. Though at this point in my life, I am not guided by any particular religion, my past experiences have prepared me for many of life’s lessons. I have learned that it is not about what faith you choose to practice; it is about that sheer fact tha t you are practicing, that your faith permeates your life. Religion, no matter what branch or faith, gives people, especially children, a set of boundaries and rules to live by that I feel are irreplaceable in ones childhood.

Free Essays on Employee Motivation

Many managers in this day and age are asking the question, â€Å"How can I motivate my employees?† In this paper, I will explore significant factors that affect motivation level of employees and suggest actions that and organization can take in order to ensure a higher motivational level for its employees. What managers need to realize, is that there is a difference between employee retention and employee motivation. The focus on retaining employees is to keep them on the job. But more importantly, the focus of employee motivation is to increase performance. As stated by Kulpa, Adorno & Zeder, P.A. (2001) : In order to increase performance, management needs to set goals and then link the accomplishment of those goals with rewards of value. Money is a reward of value for many employees. Yet, there are as many employees who also have personal goals that have something to do with job performance and career development. Good supervision and motivation seek out personal goals and align them with the goals of the firm. Pay and benefits can possibly contribute to a higher motivation level, but there still debate about the link between pay and performance. Therefore, I will discuss other factors that can be motivators and not to mention can also save the company’s payroll. Recognition can be considered a great reward to many employees. Many consultants, in fact, do agree that recognition may be more motivating than salary in many cases (Kulp, Adorno & Zeder, P.A., 2001). Salary increases or bonuses typically happen only once a year, while recognition could take place every day. Employees become more motivated when they are rewarded everyday, instead of only once a year. An employee can be shown recognition in many ways, whether it is just a simple thank you or it could also be gained through achieving a certificate or earning a free lunch. Job context in general is also a big motivational factor. What employee... Free Essays on Employee Motivation Free Essays on Employee Motivation Many managers in this day and age are asking the question, â€Å"How can I motivate my employees?† In this paper, I will explore significant factors that affect motivation level of employees and suggest actions that and organization can take in order to ensure a higher motivational level for its employees. What managers need to realize, is that there is a difference between employee retention and employee motivation. The focus on retaining employees is to keep them on the job. But more importantly, the focus of employee motivation is to increase performance. As stated by Kulpa, Adorno & Zeder, P.A. (2001) : In order to increase performance, management needs to set goals and then link the accomplishment of those goals with rewards of value. Money is a reward of value for many employees. Yet, there are as many employees who also have personal goals that have something to do with job performance and career development. Good supervision and motivation seek out personal goals and align them with the goals of the firm. Pay and benefits can possibly contribute to a higher motivation level, but there still debate about the link between pay and performance. Therefore, I will discuss other factors that can be motivators and not to mention can also save the company’s payroll. Recognition can be considered a great reward to many employees. Many consultants, in fact, do agree that recognition may be more motivating than salary in many cases (Kulp, Adorno & Zeder, P.A., 2001). Salary increases or bonuses typically happen only once a year, while recognition could take place every day. Employees become more motivated when they are rewarded everyday, instead of only once a year. An employee can be shown recognition in many ways, whether it is just a simple thank you or it could also be gained through achieving a certificate or earning a free lunch. Job context in general is also a big motivational factor. What employee... Free Essays on Employee Motivation WHAT IS MOTIVATION? Motivation is difficult to explain and even harder to â€Å"turn on† in people. Webster defines motivation as â€Å"an act or process of motivating; the condition of being motivated; a force, stimulus, or influence: incentive or drive† (â€Å"Motivation†). It is most often the job of the manager to use motivation to drive its employees to accomplish acts which they normally would not have done. The study of motivation helps managers understand what prompts people to initiate action, what influences their choice of action, and why they persist in their action over time (Daft and Marcic 444). Since motivation influences productivity, supervisors need to understand what motivates employees to reach peak performance. It is not an easy task to increase employee motivation because employees respond in different ways to their jobs and their organization’s practices (Supervision 1998). Motivation is the set of processes that moves a person toward a goal. Therefore, motivator behaviors are voluntary choices controlled by the individual employee (Supervision 1998). It is extremely important to managers and supervisors to motivate employees. Motivators are a collection of learned attitudes and beliefs. They provide an individual with information regarding which motivators are most important to him/her at the present time. There are many attitudes and beliefs. These motivators were identified originally by Edward Spranger and supported in additional research by Gordon W. Alport and Philip E. Vernon (Wolfe 167). Motivators can be flexible and will often change throughout careers and life. As an individual situation changes, the priorities of their motivators tend to change as well. MOTIVATION AND EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION The job of a manager in the workplace is to get things done through employees. To do this the manager should be able to motivate employees. This is easier said then done! To understand mot...

Be true to thyself

Be true to thyself Essay â€Å"I was looking for myself and asking everyone except myself questions which I, and only I, could answer.†-The Invisible ManBe True to ThyselfMany people travel through life on a constant search on who there are and how they fit into this world. Some maneuver through situations and issues that they are faced with never being true to themselves, but more so modeling the behaviors of others. It is not until one defines their self-image, obtain a healthy amount of self-esteem, and confidence can they execute decisions concerning their lives. Until then, their actions are merely mimics or derivatives of the thoughts or beliefs of another. In Ralph Ellison’s novel Invisible Man, the nameless protagonist does not possess a definite sense of self, which results in his living his life for others. Primarily, the invisible man emulates his life after other people. The first example of this is how he behaves like his grandfather. On his deathbed the invisible man’s grandfather tells him to â€Å"to keep up the good fight†(Ellison16). Following this he was always doing what was right and was â€Å"considered an example of desired conduct—just as his grandfather had been†(Ellison 17). Once the invisible man goes off to college he begins to act in a manner to please Mr. Norton. Not only does Mr. Norton not identify with the invisible man racially, he views blacks as â€Å"a mark on the scoreboard of his achievement†(Ellison 95). Despite these two facts the invisible man allows himself to be a â€Å"do boy† by chauffeuring Mr. Norton to slave quarters. It is here that the protagonist can truly be identified as someone that is not in touch with himself because he sacrifices his education for a man that is not concerned about him or his race. Dr. Bledsoe tries to drive this concept into the invisible man when he tells him that â€Å"the white folks tell everybody what to think†(Ellison 143). Dr. Bledsoe expels the invisible man from school, hoping that he will learn how to survive and develop an identity that suits him. After being expelled from school, the invisible man begins a journey to make a living for himself. He ends up in New York where he is introduced to â€Å"The Brotherhood†. â€Å"The Brotherhood† quickly gives him a place to live, a job with a reasonable salary, and petty cash to spend on clothing. He adopts their ideologies, mimics their way of life, and indulges himself in their literature. After going through a rigorous tutorial program the invisible man emerges brainwashed and still lacking an identity. Never making his own decisions, the invisible man becomes â€Å"chief spokesman of the Harlem District†(Ellison 359) and finally begins to promote the ideas of â€Å"The Bro therhood† to the people of Harlem. Not knowing that â€Å"The Brotherhood† is using him to entice the people into following their doctrine and adopting their philosophies. He never decided where he would go or what cause he would speak against. He became a pawn for â€Å"The Brotherhood†. To them he was not an individual, but an inanimate object. Eventually the invisible man grows tired of â€Å"The Brotherhood† and their mannerisms. However, instead of trying to work on developing an identity, the invisible man begins to impersonate â€Å"Rine the runner and Rine the gambler and Rine the briber and Rine the lover and Rinehart the Reverend†(Ellison 498). Wearing a large hat and glasses tinted a dark green, he moves about the street with greetings of â€Å"Hey now!†(Ellison 485) and â€Å"daddy-o†(Ellison 484). He immerses himself into a youthful lifestyle with no prior knowledge of how it operates. His resemblance to Rinehart is advant ageous because it allows him to travel safely from place to place while in hiding from â€Å"â€Å"The Brotherhood†Ã¢â‚¬ . The invisible man moves through his life never really living for himself but for others. In addition, to adopting the behaviors expected of him, he also adopts the personalities of others. Both of these practices strengthen the idea that he is invisible â€Å"simply because people refuse to see† (Ellison 3) him because there really is not a concrete personality to see. Though the invisible man lives a life of emulation for some time, he eventually retreats from others to discover his identity. The invisible man’s first step to living a personally fulfilling life was realizing that his â€Å"future lies chiefly in his own hands†(Vanzant 1/15). Consequently, if he does not know what to identify himself with he will not control his future. To have an established identity one’s self-image, self-esteem and confidence must be asses sed and developed. Secondly he learns that â€Å"identification with an organization or a cause is no substitute for self-realization† (Vanzant4/29). He realizes that his relationship to â€Å"The Brotherhood† and his role in their activities was insignificant. He excepts the fact that he was not really a part of the group, but more so someone that ran errands. In addition, the invisible man discovers â€Å"In the solitude of your mind are the answers to all your questions about life. You must take the time to ask and listen†(Vanzant 1/17). This is seen when he says â€Å"I was looking for myself and asking everyone except myself questions which I, and only I, could answer.† (Ellison 15). Taking time to think about morals, values and basic characteristics can prove useful in determining the qualities, which a person would like to exemplify. Knowing what he stands for will allow him to make better judgments in the future. In due time, he will begin to make judgments based on what his morals, ideas, and values reflect. â€Å"Nothing can dim the light which shines from within†(Vanzant 2/5), when you have a positive self-image you exude a confidence that surpasses even the most negative comments and corrupted situations. The invisible man begins to look at himself positivelyâ€Å"We must not wish to be anything but what we, are and to be that perfectly†(Vanzant 1/7). When we are satisfied with whom we are then we can begin to accomplish things. As the invisible man’s self-esteem increases so does his self-confidence. When someone begins to construct who they are they must realize that â€Å"If you have no confidence in self, you are twice defeated in the race of life. With no confidence, you have won even before you have started†(Vanzant 2/7). The invisible man develops a self-definition, which makes him â€Å"visible† to others. READ: The Failures of Affirmative Action EssayFurthermore, retreating underground was the best decision the invisible man made. Underground is where he finally realizes that he has no identity â€Å"is the way it has always been† (Ellison 566) and that his life was merely a farce. He realizes that other people controlled his whole life: from his grandfather’s death; to driving Mr. Norton; to being expelled from college by Dr. Bledsoe; to being a member of â€Å" â€Å"The Brotherhood†. He understands that he was never given a chance to think for himself and develop an identity befitting him: My problem was that I always tried to go in everyone’s way but my own. I have also been called one thing and then another while no one really wished to hear what I called myself. So after many years of trying to adopt the opinion of others I finally rebelled. (Ellison 573)After years and years of portraying others thoughts and beliefs he accepts â€Å"That I am nobo dy but myself.†(Ellison 15). It took him years to understand that some people live their whole life never knowing who they are and he was one of those people. Happy and content with his subterraneous lifestyle the invisible man begins to live a life true to himself. Invisible Man is a dynamic novel that many people can relate to today. Myriads of people are on a continuous search for their identity and purpose. This process has been conquered by some; however, many never discover or develop to their full potential. The lesson of this novel, however, is that seeking a strong self-definition is essential, while keeping in mind to not let outside agents determine that definition. This novel is one that I would recommend to all of my friends because while following the path that the invisible man takes to self-discover, I realized that many of us are on the same trail of discovery. Invisible Man highlights and emphasizes the significance in having a strong self-identity to live a productive and satisfying life.

Consumer Attitudes and Behaviour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Consumer Attitudes and Behaviour - Essay Example This essay analyzes the attitudes and behavior of consumers that are better explained through the evaluation of certain theories and concepts that bear relations. The supposition takes into deliberation behavior as the fundamental determinant concerning the personal intention to carry out presented behavior. In the formulation of personal behaviors, certain personality assumptions are taken into thought. The three independent concepts that individual consider in formulating their behaviors include; the promptly reachable or salient beliefs regarding the perceived upshots of reflected guiding principles and beliefs that lead to the positive or negative attitude towards behavior. The second consideration is the apparent normative prospects in relation to pertinent referent individuals. Outstanding normative beliefs, direct to the development of a subjective model that bears orientation on the expected societal pressure, on whether to perform or not carry out certain behaviors. In the e nd, individuals are implicit to take into thought certain factors that may either promote or encumber their capacity to carry out certain behaviors. The factors that may bring promotion or hindrances to performance of behavior or rather the standard societal beliefs, direct to the development of expected behavioral standards. The perceived behavioral standards or limitations can also be regarded as the apparent capability to execute the behavior. In general terms, the favorable the mind-set and subjective standard in relation to behavior, and the superior professed behavioral control. This means that an individual’s intention gets stronger in the conduction of behavior (Fishbein, Ajzen, & Robert 2007, 5). The conjecture of reasoned action bears central application in marketing. The theory conceptualizes the practical functions concerning the attitudinal and normative factors. The attitudinal and normative factors are imperative components in the formation of intentions and ge t considered as separate but dependent they are also considered inseparable. The supposition in itself gyrates around the attitudinal and normative thinking, objectives as well as behaviors. The conjecture of planned behavior, which gets considered, as an extension of the conjecture of reasoned action, brings about the concepts or ideas of self worth or efficacy (Lefebvre 2000, 5). This connotes that it has an edge over the performance of behavior. In reference to the conjecture of reasoned action, the imperative predictor, the consequent behavior becomes an individual’s objective to take action. According to the conjecture, the behavioral intention obtains influence through an individual’s mind-set engaging in a certain conduct, as well as, the subjective model that the individual holds concerning behavior. With

Ethnographic Research Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Ethnographic Research Project - Essay Example Different cultures are affecting the present market conditions and business process. People belonging from various cultures behave in certain ways in their day to day activities. The goods are produced and consumed according to their lifestyle and culture. The companies are also very aware of this. They manufacture and sell goods and services according to the tastes and preferences of its customers. By studying the culture of its targeted customers different brands have developed its brand image. Brand has a strong relation with the product which has unique characterises. It builds up a strong image of the product on the mind of the customer which portrays the status and taste of the customers. The social, personal and cultural identity of people defines the relationship between the production and consumptions. The development of new promotional culture helps to attract more customers. The brands are perceived in a different way for this new promotional culture. The topic of this research paper is ethnography. The main aim of this paper is assessing the role of consumption and cultural production in the present time of new economies. In the modern time the production of the company is highly dependent on the cultural tastes of the customers. The research paper describes the importance of brands and branding in this context. The objectives of this paper are to explain the contribution of design and aesthetics for the development of various promotional cultures by the companies. The research paper will also focus on the process by which consumption shapes our experiences, relationships by opening up different ethical questions. The assignment has also emphasised on the link between consumption and production which has affected many cultural industries. This research paper is done on the study of primary and secondary data. Primary Research is the most important part of this project. A detailed study of this people and their day to day

Jung and Freud Essay Example for Free

Jung and Freud Essay Dreams had been the subject of numerous works from famous psychology theorists Sigmund Freud and Carl G. Jung, although the two giants had divergent views. Freud, in accordance with his psychoanalytic tradition, believed that dreams and their imagery have specific psychological significance for the dreamer (Bower, 1986). As far back as 1899, in Freuds The Interpretation of Dreams, he declared that dream interpretation is the road to knowing the unconscious activities of ones mind (Price, 1986). Freud emphasized that dreams are associated with a person’s subconsciously repressed thoughts. On the other hand, Jung believes that recurring dreams suggest psychoanalytical conflict. Recent studies building upon Jungs theory noted that recurrent dreamers registered marked elevations in depression and anxiety, thereby lending proof to the theory of Jung that recurrent dreams mean psychoanalytical conflict (Bower, 1986). However, compared to Freud, Jung did not believe that dreams are attempts at repression; instead he believed that dreams are means by which the personal unconscious can be understood. Personally, I am inclined to believe the account of Jung on dreams and their interpretation. It is easier to view dreams as manifestations of inner conflict, rather than attempts at repression. Indeed, the conscious mind is inactive while people are in sleep, and it is at this time that anxiety and depression could actually rise to the surface. I believe the mind processes a lot of information, whether it is awake or not. Thus, the mind would naturally attempt to process, involuntarily, the things that are most bothersome when it has less control. Thus, dreams are better interpreted as the mind’s way of sorting things out. For example, I observed that I often dream about my family when there is tension in my home. I would dream of both happy and sad moments. These dreams I consider to be calls of my subconscious to address my family issues and resolve them. I believe these dreams recur because the conflict within my family brings me anxiety, which I bring in my sleep. References Bower, B. (1986). Recurrent Dreams: Clues to Conflict. Science News 129(13), 197. Price, S. R. F. (1986). The Future of Dreams: From Freud to Artemidorus. Past and Present 113, 3-37. Willbern, D. (1979). Freud and the Inter-Penetration of Dreams. Diacritics 9(1 The Tropology of Freud), 97-110.

An Examination of File-sharing on the Internet Essay -- Research File

An Examination of File-sharing on the Internet â€Å"Napster and its founder held the promise of everything the new medium of the Internet encompassed: youth, radical change and the free exchange of information. But youthful exuberance would soon give way to reality as the music industry placed a bull's-eye squarely on Napster.† I. Introduction Today the use of a computer has provided many privileges to its users, and among those privileges the main and largest one is the distribution of information across the internet. Through the internet, the average person has the ability to access millions of databases of information at no cost. This is the intent that the internet was founded on; that all people could come together to exchange ideas freely, without fear of rebuke or prosecution. However that time seems to be a small scratch on the long wall of history, for a few years ago a simple file-sharing program called Napster sprung up on the internet, and in doing so opened up a whole can of controversy . File-sharing became such a complicated issue as many files are, at their root, simply information. However that information has copyrights and ownership attached to it, a fact that cannot be overlooked by the world no matter how much they would like. Thus, those users around the world who choose to share files are now being pursued by huge corporations with ridiculous threats of a $15,000 fine per song downloaded (and they haven’t even began to pursue the infringements of movies or software yet). But are these companies justified in their actions? Does the basis for file-sharing really warrant such a harsh rebuttal? To determine this, let’s take a look at the long road that led us to the junction of chaos we now f... ...er Died, May 2002, Wired News, 16 Nov. 2003 . [vi] â€Å"Approaching Ethics† Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, Santa Clara University, 2000, 3, . [vii] File Sharing Software gets the Legal OK, 2001, Amplifier, 17 November 2003, . [viii] Grossman; Hasnain; Holton; Morrissey; Roston; Taylor; Chu. â€Å"IT’S ALL FREE!† Time. May 2003:18. [ix] Ernesto Damiani. â€Å"Managing and Sharing Servents' Reputations in P2P Systems,† IEEE Transactions on Knowledge & Data Engineering 15 (2003):1 [x] Berdichevsky & Neuenschwander, â€Å"Ethics of Persuasive Technology,† Communications of the ACM, 15 November 2003, .