Essay --

"Every responsible person understands what is in products such as hamburgers and fries, as well as the consequence to one's waistline, and potentially to one's health, of excessively eating those foods over a prolonged period of time† (Wald, 2003). This was a statement made by McDonald’s lawyers in 2003 during a court case in which McDonald’s was being sued for their failure to inform people of the nutritional value of their food. The vast majority of overweight or obese people in the United States have gotten that way due to a lack of care when it comes to the foods they eat, specifically fast food. The negative effects of fast food on health is widespread knowledge in the United States, but most people choose to ignore it and doing so has resulted in America being labelled as the ‘fattest country’ in the world. Some of these negative effects include a recent surge in obesity in both children and adults, food addiction that people are not aware that they have, and life-altering weight related sicknesses and diseases. A major player in these and many other negative things has been the fast food industry as a whole. The fast food industry has had a tremendous effect on the economy of the United States over the past 30 years. Over a short period of time, the amount of money Americans spend on fast food has increased dramatically. In 1972 Americans spent $3 billion on fast food, and in 2003 $110 billion was spent on fast food (Ingram, 2005). It has been shown that Americans spend more on fast food than many recreational activities that you would typically imagine to cost more. Annually, Americans spend more on fast food than movies, books, magazines, videos and recorded music combined (Schlosser, 2005). Even in an economic recession... ...Obese people are bringing a variety of preventable hardships onto themselves by eating fast food, but they are not able to stop eating it due to its addictive nature (Brownell, 2004). Not only does fast food have no nutritional value, but it does more harm than good for you (Carmona, 2007). After people stuff themselves full of fast food, two hours later they are starving again, which results in them wanting more fast food. This is a vicious cycle in America that must be broken soon, because as the numbers of overweight and obese people rise, so does the number of people dying unnecessarily early deaths due to the effects of fast food. If people start moderating their fast food intake and paying more attention to things such as calorie information, the amount of obese people in America will decrease, and so will the number of deaths, resulting in a healthier nation.

The Forge and the Satis House in Great Expectations Essay -- Great Exp

The Forge and the Satis House in Great Expectations   Ã‚  Ã‚   During the Victorian Age in England, individuals revealed their class and prestige by flaunting their money, yet they were only disguising their inner character with the riches. Strong relationships are a key to a fulfilled life; in Dicken's Great Expectations, the contrast of the Forge and the Satis house uncover that happiness is born through relationships with others and not through money.    The Forge's simplicity contributes to a simple existance of those who live in it. To begin Pip's journey through life, he resided in a plain wooden house that was like many of the houses around it. THe house did not contain many posessions, yet the space was filled with the love and bond between Pip and Joe. The family did not need more than the basic necessities of life to get by. Pip's imagination was forced to develop as a result of this simplicity, and he expanded his ideas in the process.    Unlike the Forge, the Satis house was frozen in time and the emotions within the walls were frozen as well. ...

Conflict between Individuality and Conformity in The Bell Jar Essays

Conflict between Individuality and Conformity in The Bell Jar    In Sylvia Plath's novel The Bell Jar, Esther Greenwood seems incapable of healthy relationships with other women. She is trapped in a patriarchal society with rigid expectations of womanhood. The cost of transgressing social norms is isolation, institutionalization and a lost identity as woman. The struggle for an individual identity under this regime is enough to drive a person to the verge of suicide. Given the oppressive system under which she must operate, Esther Greenwood's problems with women stem from her conflict between individuality and conformity.    In formulating my topic, I have relied on Adrienne Rich's book Of Woman Born, as well as Cathy Griggers' essay "Lesbian Bodies in the Age of (Post)mechanical Reproduction." Rich discusses the cultural institutionalization of motherhood, while Griggers brings a Feminist and Marxist perspective to the topic of lesbian body image in a capitalist, market-driven society. Both consider the effects of patriarchy and heterosexism in their treatment of the experience of lesbians in society. I found these texts to be very helpful in offering an explanation of Esther's harsh negative reaction to Joan, as well as in illustrating the anxieties of women in an androcentric, heterocentric, and conformist society.    Esther's fundamental problem with female relationships is best exemplified in her conflict with mothering and mentoring figures. These women defy her desire to be independent and free. Rich describes the tendency toward matrophobia, the fear of becoming one's mother. She explains that "the mother stands for the victim in ourselves, the unfree woman" (236). This fear of becoming like the mother/... ...rginia Woolf and Walter Pater. New Haven: Yale UP, 1980.    Minow-Pinkney, Makiko. Virginia Woolf & the Problem of the Subject. Sussex: Harvester P, 1987.    Moi, Toril. Sexual/Textual Politics; Feminist Literary Theory. London: Routledge, 1985.    Oberg, Arthur. "Sylvia Plath and the New Decadence." in Butscher, Edward, ed.    Phillips, Robert. "The Dark Funnel: A Reading of Sylvia Plath." in Butscher, Edward, ed.    Plath, Sylvia. The Collected Poems. Ed. Ted Hughes. New York: Harper and Row, 1981.    Rose, Jacqueline. The Haunting of Sylvia Plath. Cambridge: Harvard UP, 1992.    Rosenblatt, Jon. Sylvia Plath: The Poetry of Initiation. Chapel Hill: U of North Carolina P, 1979.    Smith, Pamela. "Architectonics: Sylvia Plath's Colossus." in Butscher, Edward, ed.      

Globalization of multinational activities: meaning and debate Essay

There are many definition of the globalization. For example, the International Monetary fund consider globalization of multinational activities as â€Å"the growing economic interdependence of countries worldwide through increasing volume and variety of cross-border transactions in goods and services, free international capital flows, and more rapid and widespread diffusion of technology†. (Dowling 2005) There is one more definition given by the International forum on Globalization. According to it globalization is â€Å"the present worldwide drive toward a globalized economic system dominated by supranational corporate trade and banking institutions that are not accountable to democratic processes or national governments†. (Wright 2001) But first of all globalization promotes cultural diversity and division of labor. Immanuel Wallerstein stresses that globalization of business can’t be understood separately from historical events. Lots of definition ensue the debates concerning roles of governments, companies and individuals in increasing national welfare in the context of globalization. Globalization of multinational activities has not only economic aspect but also political, cultural and technological, because they are closely connected with each other. It means that changes in one aspect are followed by changes in others. These aspects of globalization are considered key points to people’s quality of life and social benefits. (Debrah 2004) The economic aspect of impact involves trade, migration and investment opportunities. Globalization of international trade suggests more available access to goods and services which were never seen before. Due to this process people are able nowadays to buy a wide range of services and goods. International investments take place through foreign direct investments. It means that multinational organizations invest directly the assets in foreign companies or investments take place by purchasing and selling the financial assets of other foreign companies. Due to globalization independent migration suggests that individuals can find employment in spheres where the companies have labor shortages. But free migration is criticized, because it can lead to destruction of native industry and loss of jobs. International investments are also criticized, because if to accept such financial scheme the country can loose economic sovereignty and â€Å"may be forced to set policies that are contrary to its citizen’s interests or desires†. What is more important is that international companies investing in country or company can receive too much economic and political power. It is admitted by critics that migration is like exploitation of workers from other countries. (Baolian 2004) The political impact of globalization is creation of international rules and institution to deal with trade, human rights and international environment. New global institutions for regulating multinational activities are World Trade Organization, Euro currency and North American Free Trade Agreement, etc. central question is if government can control the economic activity of world companies. Globalization is also characterized by cultural global ties i. e. new ideas and concepts about trade and media throughout the world. However global cultural ties are not always favorable as they may cause constrains for companies. One more point about globalization of business is the significant change of technologies, transport and communication. Nowadays transportation costs have been reduced significantly because of technological advances which make foreign markets freer for trade. It was counted that billions of dollars in different kinds of assets and/or currencies are exchanged every day with the help of electronic means. It is seen that globalization spreads the developing and appearing of new multinational activities es. (Baolian 2004) Globalization: impact on multinational activities Globalization is sometimes described as the main cause of disturbances and changes in the world. Actually the term â€Å"globalization† is the shelter for collective effect and the changes. Globalization is the total changes taken place in the factories or storefronts which are seen in the spheres of economy, multinational activities and lifestyles. It is a matter of fact that this process was caused by four significant forms of capital flows throughout the global economy and multinational activities’ spheres. It is necessary to mention these four important capital flows: 1. Human capital involving the processes of immigration, emigration, migration and/deportation. 2. Financial capital including debts, equity, aids, credits, lending. 3. Resource capital means resources of energy, lumber, different minerals resources and metals. 4. Power capital suggests security forces, armed forces and different alliances and unions among countries (Wright 2001) It was mentioned that most difficulties and stresses confronted in the general affairs of multinational activities and interactions between them can be revealed in the four mentioned capital flows. It means that globalization has great influence on these flows and is able to direct them. Globalization also affects telecommunication and travel modes and they have become cheaper. As the result they have become accessible to more people, domestic and international companies. As for cultural and political friction they â€Å"can thus be explained as arising from the difference in opinion between two or more parties about the origination, treatment, timing, ownership or value of one or more of the capital flows†. (Wright 2001) The impact of globalization is constant and inevitable. And the process of globalization was inevitable. And there appears a question: why? The main reasons of such globalization influence in the word are: advantages of low labor costs need of vertical and horizontal division of labor, great number of untapped markets, and legislation in foreign countries. It is seen that the mentioned points provide international companies with lots of profitable opportunities. It is a common knowledge that globalization of multinational activities is first of all significant expansion of regional and international markets, international laws, cultures and values. It is possible to say that globalization describes the expansion of politics from narrower area (local, regional, national) to broader horizon of international area and thus the whole planet. It is obvious that the impact of globalization is really great and considerable. Due to the globalization processes occurring in the world international and domestic markets become now standardized, mostly because they are interacting, influencing and in such a way combining with ex-rivals from different parts of the world. (Sparrow 2004) Globalization is positive, because there is an increasing competitiveness of multinational activities. Nowadays the national markets are too saturated and companies need new flied of action on a larger scale. The next fact is that globalization of business aims at gaining economies of large scale. It means that investments, administration, production of goods and services, marketing and advertising will be equally distributed among many countries. As the result the expansion costs will be significantly reduced. The last point witness for globalization is that nowadays consumers have globalized preferences and product markets have to correspond. It means that international markets have to be also global. (Sparrow 2004) Globalization of multinational activities and economy was enabled by the series of factors. Highly developed technology gives the possibility for computing power to reduce the costs of transactions and information gathering. This push is intensified by the Internet, because it is global and rather cheap. Modern communications provide the access to available information in the whole world. The importance of communication and Internet has significantly increased, because they are useful for people’s communication. It is a matter of fact that the barriers to international trade and business are falling and becoming more standardized. The important forces were GATT (General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs) and WTO (World Trade Organization). Due to globalization many countries deliberately reduced their trade barriers, removed barriers to direct foreign investments, and liberalized trade control. Governments of many countries believe that such measures will promote and assist national welfare, economic growth and developing of multinational activities. It is necessary to notice international finances and rapid capital flows. Nowadays technology developments assist banks and other financial establishments in funding foreign expansion, setting new affiliated offices and providing investment opportunities in the whole world. (Dowling 2004) The possibilities of the globalization are: 1. To set economies of large scale, because Internet and communications are global by nature and they are cheaper than other media. 2. Multinational activities are more credible and people believe if it is successful in many countries, its quality is good as well. 3. It is easier and quicker to introduce new production line with global international brand. The main strategies of international globalization are to consolidate comparative advantage, to develop honest competency, to develop global way of thinking, to globalize competency of international companies and to integrate countries. But it is known that the demand of globalization is to think globally, but to act locally. It is a matter of fact that international organizations used to deal with restricted markets and it is hard for them to deal with new global perspectives. New global economy tries to get rid of static organization and to change them by new organization more suited for new globalized economy and new globalized world. (Sparrow 2004) â€Å"Over the course of the past decade, in many countries (especially in the developed world), savers have increasingly diversified their portfolios to include foreign financial assets (foreign bonds, equities, loans), while borrowers increasingly turn to foreign sources of funds, along with domestic ones. While flows of this kind to developing countries also rose sharply in the 1990s, they have been much more volatile than either trade or FDI flows, and have also been restricted to a narrower range of ’emerging market’ countries. † (Sparrow 2004) It is a matter of fact that the number of international transactions dramatically increased during last decades. Economies of many countries became internationalized as their GNP increased due to international exchange of goods and services. It was mentioned that â€Å"increasing economic integration among nations, some scholars argue, has dramatically reduced the barriers between national economies, undermining the autonomy of national governments†. (Dowling 2004) The positive and negative sides of globalization Globalisation has caused many problems for business executives and the government. However, many people support this process. The supporters of globalisation state that globalisation is inevitable and can’t be stopped anyhow. They even argue that globalization can make the world rich. Speaking about four factors of production (labour, land, entrepreneur and capital) we can’t but mention that in the process of globalisation two or three factors must cross the borders. If a company invests in another country, it will receive dividends from that country. There is a flow of these factors of production through multinational corporations. Modern companies try to respond to the emerging open market opportunities, and for the aim of winning better market share and higher profits, have to pay their attention to the globalization and the need for creating large multinational corporations. A bright example of such changes may be represented by the German Hoechst chemical company, which at the beginning of the year 2000, admitting the rapidly changing positions on the chemical market and understanding the new accents on the global cooperation and production, decided to take this step and create a new structure. Through the 2001 and 2002 it has sold twelve of its businesses in Germany for being no more profitable, and has bought four new pharmaceutical firms outside Europe. Hoechst in Europe was the pioneer of such drastic changes in the multinational management trends. Though the Hoechst’s labor force in Germany was decreased almost twice, it became possible to increase the sales over the US continent from 6 to 33 percent of the market share by the end of 2002. These actions could be viewed as an example of new innovative approach to the company’s management. On the other hand, and as Mockler (2002) puts it, ‘such actions were contributing to unrest and uncertainty in Europe’. (p. 12) The topic of multinational management should be discussed though the real life examples and it would be appropriate to note a company which was able to master the issues of multinational management. The talk will be about GE, a company which is now one of the most advanced and highly innovative corporations in relation to management approaches and structures. Its ex-CEO Jack Welch is known all over the world for having put the quality of the company management, and thus the quality of its operations to another, much higher level. Understanding the huge perspective of the global company through the period of Welch’s being GE’s CEO he has implemented one of the most prominent and successful management systems in the world. His main idea was to work though the principle of ‘creative destruction’, which was later used by other multinational companies. (Rugman & Verbeke 2003, p. 29) ‘The objective of the GE’s management strategy was to stretch the potential of the firm, even though this firm was very large. To fulfill these tasks it was necessary to apply the abilities of defining strategic guidelines which channel and stimulate innovative and entrepreneurial actions without inhibiting often unstructured individual initiative’. (Mockler 2002, p. 15) GE has become the multinational company with the ability to adapt to the changes and to implement the latest innovations into its operations. Welch understood the necessity of these innovations, and meeting these challenges, the company turned them into its assets. GE is one of the brightest examples of the multinational companies, which were able to adapt to the rapidly changing technologies and management theories. As the core problem of the multinational corporations is to work through different cultures and traditions, which is almost impossible at times, the role of management must not be underestimated in relation to such global structures. Management provides such company with clear structure, understanding of problems and challenges and gives the clear picture of its market position. GE made it possible for each worker to understand his role in contributing into the general process of management. Namely management has made this company one of the most successful in the recent years. The opponents of globalization argue that globalisation does not bring back more returns as the returns that go out. They argue that for example, a company likes British Telkom, which went abroad because of internal problems with its multinational business. However, these examples can’t spoil positive judgment about globalization. We have many examples of companies that were on the virtue of collapsing but now they are performing very well after going international. Why do others think that globalisation is not useful? In this article â€Å"Will globalisation make you happy† Wright R. (2000) argued that globalisation makes human beings happy but unfortunately they are pursuing things such as power and money which does not bring everlasting happiness. He asks the question, â€Å"does money bring happiness? †. Wright writes that survey carried out in many countries, both rich and poor and confirms that poor relationships are the source of unhappiness and there is no happiness in richness. In the same survey, it was found that a nation is fairly comfortable with a standard of living that is lower than what the average human being thinks. Changing of Employee relations Also a lot of needs appear concerning the changing of employee behaviour in order to provide effective employee relations. There a lot of important work to be implemented by managers and employees itself. (Harris et al) Most people work and live in familiar environment, in the surroundings we were brought up or places similar to this. Accordingly, people that we meet, work with and entertain, are similar to us, due to the fact that they have the same ethnic context, similar viewpoints and religion, the same framework of values, and the same language, that we speak. (Harris et al) Effective changes of behavior starts with detailed interpreting the terms under which the individual is involved into behavior that needs to be changed. It is necessary to understand his motivation in these or that circumstances. Understanding these aspects will make the process of motivating the person easier and predictable. For instance, many supervising managers suppose that speaking foreign languages during working process is the evidence of employee’s laziness, disrespect and desire to detract from the work. But in fact many employees use another language while attempting to perform some information related to their work more accurately. Sometimes it may be the evidence of stress or tiredness, or just an attempt to make the process of communication faster. (Harris et al) One important aspect of making successful cross-cultural interrelations is to be considered. Building up mutual understanding and successful communication demands self-assessment. Each employee should clearly understand and evaluate the styles he or she uses in various situations, and to what degree. (Harris et al) Ability to appreciate other people is significant for successful cross-cultural communication and cooperation. Each person should be aware that it is important to find time to pay attention to other people, to understand and evaluate their style and behavior. For instance, within a definite firm, manager staff members may represent a wide range or personal styles: â€Å"with regard to completing reports, one team leader may require pages of details, and the other leader wants only bullet points of information†. (Harris et al, p. 89) As regards to such peculiarities, cultural and language differences do not matter. Professional manager should realize that the problems of cross-cultural relations affect many spheres of business and economy, for instance, marketing, both domestic and international. It is necessary to take into consideration that, for instance, USA culture consists not only of native culture. Foreign culture of the state is made up not only by foreign citizens. American citizens now may have foreign origin, for instance, Indian, Chinese, Canadian, Australian or Russian. That is why understanding foreign cultures is important for the workers in any sphere, even if they deal with domestic consumers and companies. For those who have business relations with foreign customers of companies such skill is compulsory. The process of globalization and changing conditions of the world market made all spheres of business and finance a cross-cultural phenomenon, which demands that managers on all levels must be aware of cultural differences and means of establishing successful relations to succeed in the market. (Harris et al)

Communication Medium

There are two types of communication mediums needed for any successful business; Physical Media and Mechanical Media. Physical media channels where the person who is talking can be seen and heard by the audience. The whole point here is to be able to not only hear the messages, but also to see the body language and feel like they are in the room. This does not need to be two way channels. In certain situations the receiver expect physical communication. This is the case especially when dealing with high concern messages.If a message is perceived as important they expect to hear it live from their manager. On the other hand, mechanical media is more of the daily form of communication. With mechanical media written or electronic channels are the primary sources. These channels can be used as archives for messages or for giving the big picture and a deeper knowledge. But they can also be very fast. Typically though, because it is written, it is always interpret by the reader based on hi s or her mental condition.In other words, it is not best to put humor or irony in these communication mediums because it can be percieved the wrong way. Since the company is spread through several continents around the world a great new medium is Global 365. Microsoft Office 365 operates as a cloud-based replacement for Microsoft's desktop tools, packaging Office, SharePoint Online, Exchange Online and Microsoft Lync into a cloud service. Office 365 is not only marketed to a larger company, it is also provides a package for the cost consensus smaller company.What is meant by this cheaper Office Web Apps only version. While a bigger company would purchase the full version. The idea of all your Microsoft software e-mail, documents, contacts and calendars are available anywhere at any time is an enticing feature. As well as the compatibilities it has with almost all devices. It is compatible with PCs, Macs, iPhones, Android phones, Blackberry smartphones, Windows Mobile and Windows Pho nes. Office 365 is all about collaboration.Users can share large files both inside and outside their organization, from a single document location point, meaning that the current version of a document is always the most current, regardless of how many editors are involved. Office Web Apps allow users to access and edit Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote documents in their browser, and simultaneous editing of Excel spreadsheets and OneNote notebooks with others in real time is easy and intuitive, with users able to see exactly who is editing and viewing documents at all times.A company can use emails, the company website, video conferences, slide-shows, webinars, a personal letter to the employee, the company magazine or the company's voice mail or speaker system to meet and provide feedback. The important thing to note is that positive feedback motivates people to improve, and the media a company has available to use are only limited by the imagination of its Human Resources depart ment.

Exploring and Sharing Youth Work Practice

Exploring the Values and Principles of Youth Work â€Å"Youth work, enables, helps, encourages and celebrates young people’s achievements and efforts. It walks beside a young person on their journey to transition to the adult world. It does not judge but rather provides an open ended support at times and in places where no other service can. † Professor Ted Milburn, CBE President YMCA Scotland Youth work is a process of engaging and building relationships with young people and providing a safe, secure and fun environment where young people feel supported and valued.Young people are central to the planning and delivery of youth work as it responds to youth issues. This offers a range of opportunities and programmes that reflect the many different requirements such as age difference, gender, special needs and race enabling young people to fulfil their potential. The purpose of youth work is well defined in the Youth Work Manifesto 2011, and is as follows: †¢ build se lf-esteem and self-confidence †¢ develop the ability to manage personal and social relationships †¢ create learning and develop new skills encourage positive group atmospheres †¢ build the capacity of young people to consider risk, make reasoned decisions and take control of their lives †¢ develop a ‘world view’ which widens horizons and invites social commitment †¢ build the capacity of young people to influence local and national decision makers The values and principles that underpin youth work are: Young people choose to participate The young person takes part voluntarily. She/he chooses to be involved, not least because they want to relax, meet friends and have fun.The young person decides whether to engage or to walk away. The work must build from where young people are Youth Work operates on young people’s own personal and recreational territory – within both their geographic and interest communities. The young personâ€℠¢s life experience is respected and forms the basis for shaping the agenda in negotiation with peers and youth workers. Youth Work recognises the young person as a partner in a learning process It complements formal education, promoting young people access to learning opportunities which enable them to fulfil their potential.Youth Work safeguards the welfare of young people It provides young people with a safe environment in which to explore their values, beliefs, ideas and issues. Youth Work treats young people with respect It values each individual and their differences, and promoting the acceptance and understanding of others, whilst challenging oppressive behaviour and ideas. Youth Work is concerned with facilitating and empowering the voice of young people It encourages and enables young people to influence the environment in which they live.Youth Work respects and values individual differences It supports and strengthens young people’s belief in themselves, and their ca pacity to grow and to change through a supportive group environment. Youth Work is underpinned by the principles of equity, diversity and interdependence Effective Communication in Youth Work â€Å"We all use language to communicate, to express ourselves, to get our ideas across, and to connect with the person to whom we are speaking. When a relationship is working, the act of communicating seems to flow relatively effortlessly.When a relationship is deteriorating, the act of communicating can be as frustrating as climbing a hill of sand. † Chip Rose, attorney and mediator The act of communicating involves verbal and nonverbal components. The verbal component refers to the content of our message‚ the choice and arrangement of our words. The nonverbal component refers to the message we send through our body language. Some of the methods used to communicate are: Non Verbal CommunicationVerbal Communication †¢ Facial Expression (e. g. frown)†¢ Dialogue †¢ Bo dy Posture†¢ Presentation Hand Gestures†¢ Tone of voice †¢ Pictorial representations†¢ Written word †¢ Appearance (e. g. untidiness)†¢ Pacing and volume of voice Exchanging ideas and thoughts verbally with others is the most common form of communication. However, there can be barriers with this, especially within a youth work setting. Some of these barriers are: Language It is important not to use overly-formal language and jargon, which young people might not understand. Also be aware of the language young people might use, i. e. slang. Stereotypes and generalizationsYouth workers must be sensitive to the complexities of certain situations and should be open to different opinions and views and not see the world as black and white. Jumping to conclusions Youth workers should not assume to know the reasons behind events. It is important to have all the information. Dysfunctional responses Ignoring or not responding to a comment or question quickly underm ines effective communication with a young person. Also, responding with an irrelevant comment or interrupting others while they are speaking also creates a poor environment.Lacking Confidence Whether it is the youth worker or young person, lacking confidence can be a major barrier to effective communication. Shyness, difficulty being assertive, or lack of self-worth can hinder your ability to make your needs and opinions known to others Nonverbal Cues Nonverbal cues can block verbal communication. The wrong facial expressions or body language from a youth worker might put off a young person from opening up or continuing a conversation. Not ListeningNot listening constitutes a major barrier in verbal communication. If a young person thinks that you are not listening then they will not speak with you. Inconsistency Inconsistency can also blocks verbal communication. If you say one thing and then later change your stance, it might confuse or frustrate a young person. Verbal communicati on barriers can put a serious strain on relationships that ultimately need to be collaborative in order to most effectively meet the needs of our young people.Use of these â€Å"communication errors† results in increased emotional distancing between youth worker and young person and can result in conflict and a negative environment for everyone involved. Albert Mehrabian, a US Educational Psychologist, has developed a famous formula for how verbal communication works. The formula is: 7% of meaning is in the words that are spoken. 38% of meaning is in the way that the words are said. 55% of meaning is in facial expression and body language. The key message here is simple – It's not what you say, it's the way that you say it. Nonverbal Communication tableGesture | Common Interpretation | Hair Twirling | Flirting, nervous, uncertainty, incompetence| Placing your hand in front of your mouth | Insecurity, uncertainty| Rubbing your arm or leg | Nervous, uncertainty| Slumped posture | Can’t be bothered, low self-esteem, boredom, alienation| Open palms | Open, honest| Palms down | Serious, domination| Clenched fist | Angry, frustrated, aggression| Holding hands behind back | Hiding something, defensive| Wringing hands | Nervousness, anxious| Arms folded over chest | Annoyed, bored, uninterested, low self-esteem| Too little eye contact | Shy, dishonest, nervous, no confidence|Gesture | Common Interpretation | When exaggerated| Forward Lean | Interested, concern, affection| Troubled| Direct eye contact | Interested | Aggressive| Unique dress/hairstyle | Confident, creative | Attention seeking, confused| Upright posture | Confident | Feeling uneasy| Handshake | Friendly | Intrusive, eccentric, aggressiveAn assertive person has the ability to express the needs, wants and emotions in a controlled manner without violating the rights of others or being aggressive. Characteristics of an assertive person might include: †¢ Knowledge of their own right s †¢ Ability to initiate and sustain comfortable relationships with a variety of people †¢ Willingness to compromise †¢ Ability to discuss things in a controlled manner The difference between an assertive person and an aggressive person are as follows: Assertive =â€Å"Win, win† †¢ Expresses feelings and thoughts honestly and appropriately †¢ Shows respect for themselves and others †¢ Considers the rights and needs of others Can effectively influence, listen and negotiate so others co-operate willingly Aggressive = â€Å"winner, loser† †¢ Expresses feelings and thoughts in a way which violates the rights of others †¢ Shows disrespect for themselves and others †¢ Puts own needs above others and denies people choice †¢ Can negatively influence, not listen and not negotiate and make others do what they don’t want to do †¢ Puts own needs above others and denies people choice Interpersonal skills are the skills u sed when interacting with other people. In a challenging situation, effective interpersonal skills are essential. In a youth work setting, some of the skills a worker should have are: An ability to ‘read’ other people and build rapport †¢ Being able to ask useful questions †¢ You can more easily influence people †¢ You can handle conflict and challenging situations in constructive ways †¢ Show understanding With good interpersonal skills communication and relationships between young people and workers are enhanced. Building Relationships in Youth Work â€Å"The flexibility and skills of youth work staff enable them to get trust from young people†¦ in many instances for the first time that a young person has been able to trust an adult. I never cease to be amazed at how the youth work process can transform some of our most vulnerable young people and change their view of self and society in such a positive fashion. †Alex Linkston, CBE, Pri nce’s Trust Volunteer, retired CEO West Lothian Council and Chair of YouthLink Scotland. It is important to promote positive relationships with young people in youth work to: †¢ Provide learning and encourage success †¢ Ensure everyone is given a voice and feels heard †¢ Empower those with conflict to resolve it for themselves †¢ Preserve a sense of belonging and create positivity †¢ Develop and maintain mutual respect †¢ Build and repair relationships †¢ Develop world view and broaden horizons †¢ Build social skills and provide Life Skills Five qualities, which constitute a positive personal relationship, are: †¢ Trust †¢ Mutual respect †¢ Communication †¢ Understanding †¢ Familiarity/Common groundFive qualities, which constitute positive youth work relationships, are: †¢ Trust †¢ Approachable †¢ Non judgemental †¢ Good listener/empowering †¢ Respect So what are the differences between a personal relationship and a youth work relationship? – Even though the words used above to describe the two different types of relationships tend to be different they are quite similar in that they involve helpfulness and working together. In a professional relationship you often motivated by a task/goal (i. e. the young person’s learning, etc. ) that you are working together to complete and achieve. In a personal relationship the ultimate goal is happiness and building true trust.There are two main themes that emerge with some regularity when reading about relationships in youth work. These themes detail why positive relationships in youth work are important and are stated below: Education for relationship The ability to develop good and satisfying interpersonal relationships is seen as the main, or a major reason for fostering learning. This has been one of the main themes lying behind many informal educators concern with social education. Education through relatio nship Our relationships are a fundamental source of learning. By paying attention to the nature of the relationship between educators and learners, it is argues, we can make a significant difference.In particular, the quality of the relationship deeply influences the hopefulness required to remain curious and open to new experiences, and the capacity to see connections and discover meanings (Salzberger-Whittenberg et al. 1983: ix). Introduction to Planning and Evaluating Youth Work Plan (Needs & Aims) †¢ Describe why the youth work group/programme is needed by the young person and/or the community †¢ State who has identified the need for the group. (I. e. young person/Social work/ groups/partner organisations) †¢ Describe what the project is about in â€Å"broad terms†. State what the group is aiming to achieve. The need for a group can be identified through: †¢ Discussions †¢ Formal consultation †¢ Social Network surveys †¢ Partnership meet ings †¢ Community lead steering groups †¢ Statistics †¢ Government Policies Outline (Objectives/Implementations) List the objectives (specific aims) of the group and make a series of actions that will be put in place to ensure each of the stated objectives is achieved †¢ Describe how the objectives will be carried out/delivered How many beneficiaries/Age group/gender †¢ List who will benefit from the group (i. e. young person/social work/parents) †¢ List any information about the target group Resources (Funding, staff, etc. ) †¢ List any resources required such as money, staffing requirements, equipment, area, time and transport, etc. Partners Involved †¢ List any other agencies/partners that may be involved with the group/project such as police/SW/school/NHS Intended Experiences & Outcomes Describe how the group relates to the CfE capacities (Confident Individuals, Responsible Citizens, Successful Learners and Effective Contributors) †¢ Highlight the importance of the quality and nature of the participant’s experiences †¢ Describe the outcome of the group (i. e. what is to be achieved) †¢ Assess the progress in the learning plan and look at next steps Intended Impact (Data Definitions) †¢ Describe the purpose/point of the group. †¢ Describe how the group will have a positive effect on the all-round development and life chances of the young people involved Evaluation †¢ State how the group will be evaluated (i. e. participant feedback)

Wassily Kandinsky

Wassily Kandinsky could have been the premier abstract artist of the 20th century is a world at war had no twice interfered with his artistic career and destroyed three of his early works. Kandinsky was born in Russia in 1866 and soon moved to Germany where he worked with the Bauhaus School of expressionist painters integrating art in architecture and design (â€Å"Artcyclopedia†).   He also founded the Der Blaue Reiter, a group of artists attempting to express and define spirituality through art (â€Å"Artcyclopedia†)   Kandinsky believed that music and art should be integrated as a well as a means of defining the influence of the soul on the outer world. To that end, he began his series called Composition and had completed 7 of them before the beginning of World War II. Tragically, the first three canvases in the series were destroyed during the war.   While Kandinsky could not have planned for the destruction of his work, the loss of the first three Composition pieces helps complete the series as an allegory for his life, the ultimate tribute to a man who believe art should be spiritual.At the only time in recent history when the entire collection, with full-size black and white photos of the lost three holding their place, was displayed, reviewer Mark harden called Kandinsky one of he most original and influential artists of the 20th century. â€Å"His â€Å"inner necessity† to express his emotional perceptions led to the development of an abstract style of painting that was based on the non-representational properties of color and form. Kandinsky's compositions were the culmination of his efforts to create a â€Å"pure painting† that would provide the same emotional power as a musical composition.The exhibition â€Å"Kandinsky: Compositions†, organized by Magdalena Dabrowski and on display at the Los Angeles County Art Museum until September 3, 1995, presents these monumental works together for the first and possib ly last time and provides an opportunity to witness the creative process of Kandinsky† (Harden, 1995). The loss of the first three works and the attempt at representing them in the show left the viewer with a great sense of loss, Harden wrote, but perhaps more interesting is the fact they were lost at sometime near the artist’s death in 1944. That they were destroyed in Germany during the war as some much of his life had been as well simply adds an ironic twist to the entire project.The other twist on the Composition   series is that the final painting is the only one of the series done on a black background. In 1911, when he was working on Composition IV and V, Kandinsky is quoted as saying, â€Å"(Black) is like the silence of the body after death, the close of life.†Ã‚   (Harden, 1995)   He painted Composition X on a black background just five years before his death, when Germany was once again disrupting the world and taking the world back to war.By 1911, Kandinsky was already a world-renowned painter and known for his desire to incorporate spirituality into his art but as tension rose in Europe, he returned to his native Moscow where he remained until 1921. Compositions VI and VII would be completed in 1913 and then he did not return to the series until a decade late.   (Geggenheim, 2007). â€Å"Composition VII is the pinnacle of Kandinsky's pre-World War One artistic achievement. The creation of this work involved over thirty preparatory drawings, watercolors and oil studies. Each of these is included in the exhibition, documenting the deliberate creative process used by Kandinsky in his compositions. Amazingly, once he had completed the preparatory work, Kandinsky executed the actual painting of Composition VII in less than four days.† (Harden, 1995).Composition VII may have also been intended to be his finale in the series as art scholars â€Å"through Kandinsky's writings and study of the less abstract preparatory wor ks, have determined that Composition VII combines the themes of The Resurrection, The Last Judgment, The Deluge and The Garden of Love in an operatic outburst of pure painting† (Harden, 1995). Because Kandinsky had such a strong belief in the use of abstraction to present underlying themes with symbols and it is likely that he had intended this wrapping up of religious themes to be his final work in the series (Long, 1975).   Then, he began his self-imposed exile to his native land and stayed there until it appeared Germany was a haven again for thought and progress.In 1922, he joined Bauhaus and in 1923, painted Compositions VIII, like all the works in the series it was highly representational of his emotions and mental state at the time of its painting. â€Å"Composition VIII reflects the influence of Suprematism and Constructivism absorbed by Kandinsky while in Russia prior to his return to Germany to teach at the Bauhaus. Here, Kandinsky has moved from color to form as the dominating compositional element. Contrasting forms now provide the dynamic balance of the work; the large circle in the upper left plays against the network of precise lines in the right portion of the canvas.† (Harden, 1975)   This work also is more bright and less chaotic than his final pre-war effort, possible indicative of a more upbeat and spiritual peaceful time. Kandinsky was making progress in his work, developing with the group at Bauhaus and gaining additional international acclaim. His first solo show in New York coincided with this work (Guggenheim, 2007).Perhaps this perceived happiness and his involvement in other pursuits is why it would be another 10 years before Kandinsky added another painting to the Compositions series. He gained citizenship in Germany in 1928 and seemed contented in his new homeland until 1933 when Bauhaus was one of the early casualties of the Nazi government. He then moved to France where his Composition IX was definitely influence d by the surrealists gaining popularity there (Harden, 1995). After Composition IX was completed in 1936, Europe once again became an ugly place to live and in 1937, 57 of Kandinsky’s works were seized by the Nazi government.(Guggenheim, 2007). Some, like the first three Composition pieces, were destroyed.Two years later, in 1939, Kandinsky completed the series, breaking from all the previous works and creating his work on a field of black. Given his earlier statements about the color and the loss of his other works, it is no doubt a reflection of the very pain in Kandinsky’s soul brought on by the second World War. â€Å"The outstanding characteristic of Composition X is obviously the stark, black ground. The colors and forms appear particularly sharp against the black background. The brilliance of the colored shapes brings to mind the cutouts done by Matisse over a decade later.The movement of the forms is distinctly upward and outward from both sides of a central a xis running through the book-like form near the top of the canvas. This movement enhances the evocation of hot-air balloon forms rising into an infinite space. The round form between the book shape and the brown balloon shape has a lunar feel to it that even conveys a feeling of literal â€Å"outer space†. Kandinsky had always expressed a strong dislike for the color black and it is significant that he chose it as the dominating color of his last major artistic statement.† (Harden, 1995).Ultimately, the reviewer is right and the final Composition is kandinsky’s statement about his loss and the world at war. â€Å"For Kandinsky, if that objective element of a painting were taken away, the building blocks of the composition would reveal themselves to cause a feeling of repose and tranquil repetition, of well-balanced parts.† (Dabrowski, 1995).  Ã‚   The artist spent a lifetime telling the world that he disliked the color black and that his work was all abo ut the symbolism and the meaning behind the painting itself.   It makes perfect sense then that his final major work would be about death itself and the life that has been interposed over it. Whether Kandinsky knew that Compositions X would be among his final works is not clear.What is clear is that death too is symbolic of loss and pain, emotions that the highly spiritual Kadinsky could not help but feel when his work was captured by the Nazi regime. Perhaps more so than even the usual artist, Kandinsky was tied to his art, deeply and emotional. That they were an expression of his belief system and his very soul make the loss of the first three Compositions even more tragic.Sadly, World War II was a horrible time for the great works, with many works of art lost forever to the savages of war. The difference in Kandinsky’s work, as opposed to other great masters, is that the artist was still alive and he was able to present one last finale, to express the pain and rage and t he destruction and to show that life, even without art, must sometimes go on.WORKS CITEDDabrowski, Magdelena. â€Å"Kandinsky:Compositions† Museum of Modern art: New York, 1995.â€Å"Geggenheim Museum†, http://www.guggenheimcollection.org/site/artist_bio_71.html, November 14, 2007Harden, Mark. â€Å"Kandinsky: Compositions† http://www.glyphs.com/art/kandinsky/, November 14, 2007.Long, Rose-Carol Washton. â€Å"Kandinsky's Abstract Style: The Veiling of Apocalyptic Folk Imagery†,Art Journal > Vol. 34, No. 3 (Spring, 1975), pp. 217-228 Stable URL: http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0004-3249%28197521%2934%3A3%3C217%3AKASTVO%3E2.0.CO%3B2-4 , November 14, 2007.â€Å"Wassily Kandinsky† November 14, 2007.