A Look at Karl Marxs Alienation free essay sample

A critical examination of Karl Marxs theory of alienation. In this essay the author goes head to head with Karl Marxs view of alienation. The contradictions which Marx makes on alienation of labor are pointed out and used to figure out what conception of the human essence Marx uses to rest his theory on. The author points out flaws in Marxs essay and offers alternative solutions. `Karl Marks who lived between 1818 and 1883 wrote the Estrange Labor manuscript in 1844. Being only 26 years of age he challenges the works of the great philosopher Hegel. In his manuscript he considered himself to be a young Hegelian philosopher. Marx explains his beliefs on what he believes to be the key elements of estranged labor, mainly alienation from nature, alienation from product of labor, alienation from the activity of labor, and alienation from species. Hegel believed that trough the use of labor to create objects we could satisfy our bodily needs. We will write a custom essay sample on A Look at Karl Marxs Alienation or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page He believed that our reason allowed for criticism to improve upon the objects, which allowed the mind to evolve toward pure reason and ultimately freedom. Hegel also noted that freedom was the essence of freedom. Marx does not completely agree with Hegel because he felt his theory was too abstract and ignored important concepts of social organization for production. Marx believes that philosophy in the past had mystified the real contradictions of human existence.`

Dynastic Mayan Rulers of Palenque

Dynastic Mayan Rulers of Palenque Palenque is a Maya civilization site located in the state of Chiapas, in Mexico. Occupied between about CE 200-800, Palenques heyday was under Pakal the Great [ruled CE 615-683], one of the most powerful kings of central America in Late Classic times. The rulers of Palenque were called the Holy Lord of Toktahn or Holy Lord of Baakal, and among the king list are several legendary leaders, including Snake Spine and Cha Ruler I. Snake Spine, if he was a real person, lived when the Olmec civilization ruled, and traded extensively into much of what is today considered the Maya region. The very first named ruler of Palenque is GI, the First Father, said to have been born 3122 BCE, and the Ancestral Goddess said to have been born 3121 BCE. The dynastic rulers of Palenque begin with Bahlum-Kuk or Kuk Balahm, the Quetzal Jaguar, who took the throne of Palenque in 431 CE. U-Kix-Chan (Snake Spine or O Pop) 967 BCECha Ruler I (Caspar) 252 BCEKuk Bahlam (Quetzal Jaguar) CE 431-435Cha Ruler (II) (Caspar II) 435-487Butzaj Sak Chihk (Manik) 487-501Ahkal Mo Nahb I (Lord Chaac or Chaacal I) 501-529Kan Joy Chitam (Kan Xul I), 529-565Ahkal Mo Nahb II (chaacal II, Akul Ah Nab II) 565-570Kan Bahlam (Chan Bahlum I, Kan-Balam I) 572-583Ix Yohl Iknal (Lady Kan, Lady Kanal Ikal) 583-604Ajen Yohl Mat (Aahc-Kan, Ac-Kan, Ah Kan) 605-612Janab Pakal (Pacal I) 612-612Muwaan Mat (Lady Beastie) 612-615Kinich Janab Pakal (Lord Shield, Pacal, Pakal) 615-683Kinich Kan Bahlam (Snake jaguar, Chan Bahlum), 684-702Kinich Kan Joy Chitam (Lord Hok, Kan Xul, Kan Xul II), 702-722Kinich Ahkal Mo Nahb (Chaacal III, Ah Kul Ah Nab III), 722-?Upakal Kinich Janab Pakal ?-?Kinich Kan Bahlam II ?-?Kinich Kuk Bahlam (Lord Kuk, Bahlum Kuk) 764-? Source: Robinson, Merle Green. 2002. Palenque (Chiapas, Mexico). pp 572-577 in Archaeology of Ancient Mexico and Central America: An Encyclopedia, Susan Toby Evans and David L. Webster, eds. Garland Publishing, Inc. New York. Stuart, David and George Stuart. 2008. Palenque: Eternal City of the Maya. Thames and Hudson.

Developing individuals and teams ( CMI Level 3 Diploma) Assignment

Developing individuals and teams ( CMI Level 3 Diploma) - Assignment Example I believe that factors such as a clear communication of the objective to team members, frequent communication between team members, knowledge sharing, willingness to help each other, a high degree of engagement of team members with the team objective and able leadership contribute to the effectiveness of the team. Absence of these factors can make a team ineffective. Question 3 I believe that working as a team increases the probability of success and chances of achieving project objectives. Cross-functional knowledge sharing between team members increases the overall competency of a team. Working as a team creates the scope for team members to share knowledge through interactive communication and a diversity of ideas increases the level of creativity within the team. Every team member has a distinct competency and skill level and combinations of such team members creates the scope for the team to sail through a turbulent environment. ... I have successfully operated my role of a team coordinator while working with different teams, and I believe that my ability to adapt in difficult conditions has significantly helped me in such context. There were no such occasions while I was asked to work outside of your preferred role; hence it is not possible for me to answer these questions. Question 5 I believe a good team player should have the characteristics such as: 1) ability to respect other team members because without respecting opinions of other team members, it would not be able to trust the capacity of other team members, which can destroy the team objectives in the contingent period; 2) ability to coordinate with team members in fulfilling the project objectives because lack of coordination between team members can slow down the pace of project completion; and 3) ability to follow orders without asking unnecessary questions to authority because renouncing the direction of authority would increase disruption in the t eam. Question 6 In my team, a situational leadership model was followed and each of us had the chance to show leadership skills during the contingent period by exposing our skill set. Working in a democratic environment and encouraging team members to make decisions in the contingent period was the major strength of the situational leadership model. But, in some cases, absence of a particular leader had created chaos of ideas among team members. Part 2 Answer 1 Fitzsimons, James and Denyer (2011) and Pearce and Manz (2005) defined leadership as the ability of individuals to influence the thinking process of others and also move others in the direction of the very individual. Every institution needs good

Share Price Prediction and Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Share Price Prediction and Analysis - Essay Example The following is a critical review of such literature. In addition, the discussion applies a synthesis of two approaches/models identified to predict the share prices for Tesco Plc from the publications of the firm’s financial statements for 2008 and 2009. Lastly, this discussion attempts to test the approach by comparing these two sets of predictions with actual share prices. A concluding remark, which comments on the results, winds up the paper. Approaches/Models for Predicting Share Prices In short-term or medium-term, different models or approaches are used in predicting the future prices of shares of various companies. Share prices of companies may take different forms such as linear, horizontal, cyclic, or seasonal as influenced by prevailing market and environmental factors (Hassan, et al., 2007). Due to lack of prediction methods that provide least prediction error, investors tend to apply numerous methods thereby comparing their results in a bid to finding the best mo del or approach to use (Chen, et al., 2003). ... Artificial Neural Network (ANN) is a share price prediction method that is commonly used. For many years, ANN has been developed and restructured in order to provide efficient and effective performances on predicting share prices of firms in a stock exchange for purposes of investment (Tom, et al, 2000). Nonetheless, most predictors used single dosage of ANN (Kim and Shin, 2007). Application of single dosage in predicting share prices rarely provides an opportunity to discover the decision rule that the model uses while making the predictions (Hassan, et al, 2007). Artificial Neural Network is a share price prediction model or approach, which is created through stimulation of biological central nervous system of investors or predictors (Swales and Yoon, 2002). One of the reasons explaining its extensive application is the ability to predict share prices from large databases (Olson and Mossman, 2003). The idea of back-propagation algorithm is the basis of Artificial Neural Network in predicting share prices of firms. ANN back propagation function is usually represented by the following function: Where, xi is the sum of inputs, which is multiplied by their respective weights wji; Aj is the predicted share value under the ANN model; and n is the end period in which the valuation is carried out. Decision tree (DT) model on the other hand is a data mining model or approach used in predicting or forecasting share prices within a stock exchange market. One of the reasons for its extensive application is the fact that DT has an excellent ability and capability of describing cause as well as effect relationships of various stock prices. From the concepts or application of DT, investors are

Value chain Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Value chain - Essay Example This paper discusses the core competencies of Google and how they provided the company with a competitive advantage in a market that was undefined, undifferentiated and had enormous number of potential competitors. Core Competencies are those capabilities or products of the organization that form the central base of its operations, or on which the organization can add on or build further its products or services (Campbell and Luchs, ). It is that set of capabilities that are central to the organization and that form the inner platform on which it can build the business further. In the case of Google, its core competency is the ‘Internet Search’ ability. ‘Internet Search’ is not only the basic format for Google on which the multi-billion dollar organization initially started, but, it also forms a core part of its additional business operations like Google AdWords, Google AdSense, Google Applications and other innovative business models that Google has developed overtime. The Internet search capacity is based on accuracy, credibility and speed at which Google is able to deliver its search results – and its ability to do so better than its competitors makes it the favourite search engine among the customers and determines the business revenues that it can generate on add business like AdWords, AdSense etc. Distinct Competencies is a related concept to core competency, and it again means a set of distinct capabilities that make the organization differentiated and better at doing things than its competitors. In the case of Google, its distinct competencies that underpin its Search Engine operations are its technology, its highly trained and creative workforce, and its innovative and creative approach to making Internet search quicker and accurate and its commitment to balancing ethics and personal freedom in its online operations. A firm is said to have a competitive if it is able to

The Theory Of Mcdonaldization Commerce Essay

The Theory Of Mcdonaldization Commerce Essay McDonaldization is the process by which the principles of the fast food industry have come to dominate an increasing number of organizations in modern society. This concept is the central thesis of The McDonaldization of Society 5, a book by George Ritzer. George Ritzer is a highly revered sociologist famous for his works exploring the effect of McDonalization on society. While the effects of McDonaldization can be seen all around us, people disagree on whether they are good or bad. Although McDonaldization has pros and cons, I believe that the positive effects that it has had on society outweigh the negative effects. The theory of Mcdonaldization identifies four primary principles which govern the actions of McDonaldized organizations; efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control. Efficiency refers to an organizations ability to perform its various functions as quickly, and for the lowest cost, as possible. Some examples of organizations attempts to increase efficiency include ATMs, self-checkout stands at the grocery store, and fast food drive-thru windows. Although efficiency is often advertised as a benefit to the consumer, and sometimes is, it can lead to several drawbacks. ATMs and self-checkout stands can take longer than traditional systems and force customers to perform work that was originally performed for them. Calculability refers to the element of McDonaldization by which everything in an organization is quantifiable. This often leads to quantity as a replacement for quality. This can be seen in fast food commercials which focus on the large size and small cost of hamburgers instead of the taste. It also has ties to efficiency (it is easier to identify efficient or inefficient processes if they are quantifiable) and predictability. Predictability is the process by which organizations eliminate any unexpected or unwanted outcomes, as well as any surprise or variability at all, in products and services. An example of this is that any mall in a given geographical region generally has the same shops and a similar layout as compared with any other mall in the given region. The final principle of McDonaldized organizations is control. This largely refers to the control of humans through nonhuman technologies. Nonhuman technologies are technologies, such as barcode scanners, computers, or even rules and regulations, which remove human variability from processes and control people. Obviously this has a strong connection to predictability as well (Ritzer, 2008). What different perspectives can we use to analyze McDonaldization? In the book Reframing Organizations: Artistry, Choice, and Leadership, the authors, Lee G. Bolman and Terrence E. Deal, suggest using frames to analyze the effects of socological phenomenons, such as McDonaldization, on society. Frames are essentially different perspectives which individuals can use to interpret situations, make judgements, analyze organizations, ect. The author suggests four frames: the structutal frame, human resource frame, symbolic frame, and the political frame. I feel that the structural, human resource, and symbolic frame are useful in analyzing McDonaldization. The structural frame is highly goal-oriented and systematic. It focuses on tasks, facts, and logic.This is definitely the most pervasive frame used by leaders such as Ray Kroc and those at other McDonaldized institutions. The four cornerstones of McDonaldization, efficiency, predictability, calculability, and control, are a major result of this almost purely structural perspective of the organization. After all, the primary metaphor for organizations under the structural frame is that of a machine or factory. One could argue that the characteristics valued in machines or factories are the very same characteristics that culminate in the four cornerstones of McDonaldization. Furthermore, the structural perspective is heavily concerned with rules, policies and technology, another striking similarity to McDonaldization which uses stringent rules and procedures and relies on nonhuman technology to achieve its goals of predictability and efficiency (Bolman Deal, 2008). Another characteristic of McDonaldization and leaders in McDonaldized organizations which occurred to me while researching Ritzers theory is their equivalence to systemizers. Systemizers see organizations through a structural frame and rely on numbers and calculations to analyze organizations. They do not focus on the human aspect of organizations (Leavitt, 2007). I feel that McDonaldized organizations share the same perspective as systemizers and encourage the development of systemizers within themselves. Not only are employs treated in a theory X, systemizing manner but so are customers. Customers are herded in, processed, and shipped out like cattle in a slaughter house. At this point I would like to briefly discuss the selection of the term McDonaldization to explain this societal phenomenon. I understand that McDonaldization is just a term used to describe the spread of characteristics valued by many modern organizations, and I will admit it is a creative one, however McDonalds was far from the first organization to implement this very structural system focusing on factors such as efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control. Earlier figures, such as Fredrick Taylor and Henry Ford, implemented these characteristics long before Ray Kroc and McDonalds. Perhaps the title of Ritzers central concept should have been Taylorization or Fordization. The human resource frame suggests that organizations exist to fulfill the human needs of consumers and employees alike. I feel that the human resource frame by far has the weakest representation within McDonaldized organizations and the limited implementation of it which we do see is very superficial. The human resource frame sees organizations as an extended family that is concerned with people, relationships, skills, and empowerment (Bolman Deal, 2008). These elements clash with the principles of efficiency, predictability, control, and calculability so they have been all but eliminated. This is part of the reason that McDonalds tends to higher teenagers or young, uneducated people. These people are easier to control and more willingly accept the mind-numbing, repetitive tasks associated with McDonaldized jobs. If McDonalds truly did care about people we would see them treat their employees differently. There is a strong theory X approach to management in McDonaldized organizations. The principles of McDonaldized organizations lend themselves to this type of approach. I do not think that the problem is with their ultimate goals, which I would argue are efficiency and predictability, I think the problem is with their means to achieving these goals, calculability and control. Because McDonalds treats their employees in a theory X manner they must rely on calculability and control to achieve their goals (Bolman Deal, 2008). I think it is important that McDonaldized organizations reframe in order to bring some humanity back to their workplace. One suggestion I would make to help reframe these organizations is to abandon the theory X approach and move to a theory Y approach of management (Bolman Deal, 2008). By empowering employees, cultivating their skills, and using positive motivational techniques they can reach their goals without relying so heavily on control and calculability. Reductions in the amount of control and calculability would allow for more autonomy within the workplace and increased humanization. The symbolic frame looks at the importance and significance of symbols, practices, rituals, and customs of a particular organization. McDonaldized organizations have begun exploiting the symbolic frame in an attempt to persuade society that they truly are compassionate organizations. Using McDonalds as an example we can see a multitude of cultural transmitters. The Ronald McDonald House charity, Happy Meal toys, the Happy Meals themselves, Playgrounds, the Im loving it slogan, Ronald McDonald (and other characters), the golden arches, etc. can all be seen as cultural transmitters. These transmitters are designed to portray the underlying meaning and values which McDonalds wants the public to believe it embraces (Bolman Deal, 2008). The playgrounds and Ronald McDonald House charity, for instance, are meant to portray McDonalds as a carrying organization which values the wellness of your family and the communities they operate in. I believe that McDonalds exploitation of the symbolic frame goes back to their very weak application of the human resource frame. Because the ideals of the human resource frame clash so greatly with the principle of McDonaldized organizations they must portray an atmosphere of caring and compassion through alternative means. This is why they dedicate so much time to developing cultural transmitters and exploiting the symbolic frame. This poses a very serious ethical dilemma. The practice of organizations portraying values and beliefs that they do not actually hold is deceptive and dishonest. In the end it may do more damage to the organization than it does good (Bolman Deal, 2008). Although I am not going to focus on Bolman and Deals political frame, I feel that it is important to briefly mention here. People have begun realizing that McDonaldized organizations are portraying false images and the organizations have received bad press. In response, they began using political techniques to build coalitions and gain support within society. Also, I feel that McDonaldized organizations view the market place as a jungle and are fighting for their share of the scarce resources or money (Bolman Deal, 2008). Advantages and Disadvantages of McDonaldization Much of the literature on McDonaldization exclusively focuses on the negative aspects of the phenomenon and does not make a strong distinction between employees and consumer in McDonaldized systems. Authors tell the terrors of a McDonaldized death, McDonaldized systems ravaging the environment, the mind-numbing tasks involved with McDonaldized jobs, and the frustrations of attending a McDonaldized educational institution.Admittedly, even I have focused primarily on the negative aspects of McDonaldization up to this point, but what are the advantages of McDonaldization and from whose perspective? In my opinion, Ritzer and others do a very lack luster job of clearly identifying the advantages associated with McDonaldization for consumers. I am not disputing that there are disadvantages associated with McDonaldization or even saying that advantages outweigh disadvantages or vice versa. I simply feel that in order to analyze any situation effectively we must consider the pros and cons fr om all perspectives and through all frames or perspectives. Two primary advantages of McDonaldization are convience and afforadability. Modern US society is an on-the-go, fast paced environment which values convenience. I am no exception to this phenomenon. When I go to Wal-Mart I just want to get my toothpaste, or whatever item I came for, and go. I am not looking to create personal relationships with the people that serve me my food or ring up my groceries. Between my coworkers, peers at school, bosses, professors, family, friends, and my boyfriend I already feel as though I am downing in personal relationships. The ability to conveniently and quickly complete daily tasks affords me more time to do the things I care about. For instance I can even manage my own bank account or check my email in the middle of the night. This would probably not be possible without some degree of McDonaldization. Affordability is another major advantage of McDonaldization. McDonaldization has allowed regular, middle class people to afford luxuries that even the richest men could not have dreamed of many years ago. While sitting in the Coffee Bean not long ago I saw a homeless man surfing the web and playing a DVD on his portable computer. McDonaldized systems have made this possible. Many products which were once very expensive are now accessible to almost everyone in developed nations. The wealth of information offered by the internet, as well as many products and services that were likely made possible by McDonaldization, cannot be over looked or downplayed when analyzing the effects of McDonaldization on society. How can we deal with McDonaldization? Some people have described McDonaldization as a cage. The image of an iron cage represents society as a whole surrounded by a rationalization system (Ritzer, 2003). Perhaps it is because I am a product of a McDonaldized society, but I certainly would not use the metaphor of a cage to describe McDonaldization. Although the cage-like image may fit to a certain degree, it is certainly not an iron cage because escape remains an easy option for most people (Ritzer, 2003). McDonaldization only dominates our lives to the extent which we allow it to dominate our lives. I exploit McDonaldization to obtain the advantages discussed in this paper and in no way does McDonaldization take advantage of me. For this reason, I think describing McDonaldization as a cage is a narrow-minded, deceptive portrayal. That being said, I feel there are several simple steps that those who do not prefer McDonaldized systems can take to deal with McDonaldization. Consumers, especially, have a great deal of freedom with the way they handle McDonaldization. After all, the ultimate choice is theirs. If they have a high level of distain for McDonaldized organizations they can simply desist from patronizing them. In my personal opinion, the most important step is to avoid the invasion of McDonaldization into ones personal life. My own family has done things such as avoiding McDonaldized meals and outings. I think this has helped us to cultivate strong, healthy relationships in our personal lives. Employees of McDonaldized systems, on the other hand, have a very limited amount of freedom when it comes to dealing with McDonaldization. Those in managerial position can subtly resist by doing things such as employing Maslows hierarchy of needs and a theory Y management approach (Bolman Deal, 2008). Of Course this only works to the extent that their bosses allowing it to go on. Im afraid that lower level employees are only afforded one option for dealing with McDonaldization (but it is probably the best option), Education. McDonaldized organizations, and their mind-numbing, mundane jobs, are here to stay. For many the last line of defense is education. I myself am going to school for this specific reason. Unfortunately, those employed in McDonaldized jobs are armed with little more than their creativity and critical thinking skills to survive in the meantime. Conclusion McDonaldization is the processes through which the principles of the fast food industry, efficiency, predictability, calculability, and control, have come to dominate an increasing number of organizations in modern society (Ritzer, 2008). McDonaldization can lead to several disadvantages, such as dehumanized jobs and services, and several advantages, such as convenience and affordability. These advantages and disadvantages are proliferated primarily through a stringent application of Bolman and Deals (2008) structural frame and use of the systemizer perspective (Leavitt, 2007). Although McDonaldized organizations use the symbolic frame to create the perception that they care about their employees, communities, and clientele, it is largely superficial. For example, McDonalds uses symbols such as the Ronald McDonald House charity, playgrounds, and friendly characters (such as Ronald McDonald) to give the illusion that they truly care about people. If they truly did care about people we would see a stronger implementation of the human resource frame within their organization. One possible approach to this problem would be for them to use a theory Y approach to achieve their goals of efficiency and predictability and reduce their dependence on calculability and control (Bolman Deal, 2008). Consumers who do not like McDonaldization can simply avoid patronizing McDonaldized organizations as much as possible. Employees of McDonaldized organizations, on the other hand, will likely have to rely on education to help them obtain better, less McDonalized jobs. Most likely McDonaldized organization will be around for many years to come. McDonaldization has invaded nearly every aspect of society. Even George Ritzers book, The McDonaldization of Society 5, which denounces the evils of McDonaldization is itself McDonaldized. It is highly structured, repetitive, and predictable at times. He even includes a instructors CD ROM with suggested essay questions for educators, thus aiding in McDonaldizing the educational process. People should stop fighting McDonaldization and learn to exploit it. In the end, McDonaldization can only dominate our lives to the extent that we allow it to. As a busy college student, I feel that Mcdonaldization is a great thing, if you use it cautiously. Coll ege students often run short on time especially because they have so many things going on. Online classes, Internet databases, and collaborative websites such as Google Docs, all of which were made possible at least partially due to McDonaldization, make the college experience more accessible and manageable. Instead of letting McDonaldization take advantage of us we must use McDonaldization to our own advantage.

Racism in Ken Keseys One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest :: One Flew Over Cuckoos Nest

Racism in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Sometimes things that seem crazy actually make sense. A good example is the narrator of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Chief Bromden. He appears to be an insane patient at a mental hospital who hallucinates about irrational mechanical people and a thick fog that permeates the hospital ward where he lives. In reality, Bromden's hallucinations provide valuable insight into the dehumanization that Bromden and the other ward patients are subjected to. Ken Kesey, in his writing of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest brings out his racism in the novel. The Aides in Kesey's novel, who are also called "black boys," negatively portray blacks as inferior to white people in society. The aides had a poor, rough childhood growing up as seen by their lack of education as seen in the quote "`Why, who you s'pose signed chief Bromden up for this foolishness? Inniuns ain't able to write'" (191). Their aides' hatred of the patients stems from their rough childhood. They are also cast as irresponsible and unable to carry out simple jobs. This is evident in the quote "`I'll take him. He's always untying his sheet and roaming around.'" (147), when Turkle, the night-shift aide, lies to the nurse in charge at night by saying that Bromden untied his sheets, when Turkle Irresponsibly untied Bromden's sheets for him. On the morning of the fishing trip on Nurse Ratched's ward, one of Ratched's aides called Bromden illiterate because he was half-Indian. The General statement made by the aid, which was in the quote "`Why, who you s'pose signed chief Bromden up for this foolishness? Inniuns ain't able to write.'" (191), describes Kesey's racism toward Indians. The quote reflects how Indians in Kesey's novel are portrayed as illiterate. Bromden also represents the Indians as imprisoned at the mercy of white people. In Kesey's novel Indians, such as Bromden's father were forced to hand over their land to white people. The Indians' land was very important to them and being forced to give up land was essentially giving up their freedom. The types of jobs that the hospital workers have also indicate Kesey's racism in his novel.