Erin Brockovich

Abstract Leadership style has a substantial impact on the operations of any business. This essay examines the movie Erin Brokovich (2000) in an effort to identify the strengths and weaknesses associated with the transactional and transformational forms of leadership.The literature examined in this study illustrated the concept that successful leadership is a combination of components that rests on many separate traits. This study will be of value to any person studying leadership theory. 1 Introduction Leadership is a fundamental issue that impacts performance and resolution on every level. The film Erin Brokovich (2000) depicts a single mother that takes on a corporation in an effort to illustrate the company’s misdeeds. Examining the role of both Ms Brokovich and her attorney Ed Masry as the plot of the story develops demonstrates the wide array of influence that the differing styles of leadership had both on the case at hand and further proceedings based on similar circumstances. The area of transformational leadership, or the proactive approach employed by Ms Brokovich will be examined in order to identify the benefits and detriments of the straight forward approach (Gardner and Laskin, 2013). The next segment will be an analysis of Ed Masry’s transactional leadership approach, or leading through reactive measures, which in turn will lead to an illustration of effectiveness (Gardner et al, 2013). With a brief comparison illustrating the differences and values of e ach method this essay will close with an evaluation of impact. In the end this essay will have considered the transactional and transformational forms of leadership with the stated goal of illustrating the benefits and detriments associated with each approach. 2 Leadership Hughes (2009) defines leadership as the capacity to influence others to a specific goal or objective. During this process of leadership, there are several different methods that are cited to produce solid results, which in turn produce identifiable management trends (Abrahamson and Eisenman, 2008). Smircich and Morgan (1982) argue that certain styles of leadership emphasize the right or obligation of one person to provide direction for others. In every case the style of leadership utilized makes a significant impact on the company or project (Peters and Austin, 1985). This essay focuses on the transformational and the transactional forms of leadership as demonstrated in the movie Erin Brokovich (2000).2.1 Transformational LeadershipGhandi asserted â€Å"We are all, first and foremost, human beings and we must relate to one another on that naked basis.† (Gardner, 2013:266). This description is one method of illustrating the visionary elements that comprise the transformational form of leadership. Transformational leadership is defined by the capacity of the individual to not only engage with the issues at hand, but convince others around them that there is a genuine cause for continued effort (Northouse, 2004). Yet, this style of leadership can fall into a overconfidence trap (Russo, Schoemaker & Russo, 1990). Some researchers identify elements of this approach as a form of Charismatic leadership that is fraught with potential harm to the company (Ouimet, 2010). As with the main character, Erin Brokovich, her qualities of women leadership exude confidence and unwavering ambition, serves to provide those around her with a sense of purpose and direction (Gardner, 2013). Further her aspect of altruism helps her to reach out to others (Ouimet, 2010). N ot only has the leadership created a potential future but this person has provided a reason for the effort (Northouse, 2004). This sense of purpose is credited with driving the agenda for any project under this form of leadership. As with Ms Brokovich the character, the transactional leader brings a form of intuition and basic enthusiasm to the table, which in turn fuels the entire effort (Schoemaker, Krupp, Howland, 2013). There is no sense during the movie of a form of servant leadership; Ms Brokovich was centre on her goals, excluding any diversions (Schoemaker et al, 2013). Coupled with the gender gap that Ms Brokovich contends with throughout the movie, there is a real sense of her having to fight for every single effort (Virick and Greer, 2012). However there is a perception that there is no correct situational leadership style leading to success, it is a combination of factors coupled with Ms Brokovich personal drive (Virick et al, 2012). A distinct detriment involved with the transformational approach outlined by Golemans (2013) leadership theory as clearly demonstrated by Erin Brokovich, was the headstrong opinionated statement of ideals regardless of the surroundings. As was the case when Ms Brokovich spoke her mind in the courtroom and lost her accident claim, there is very real potential to harm an on-going effort with a poorly founded assertion. Yet, there cannot be a turning away from a potential issue through the advent of fearing failure (McCullough, 2008). Ms Brokovich clearly illustrates that by clarifying the basic elements of the initial client’s case, the medical records, that the uncovering of the past association of the water company held clear need for investigation. As in the model Simon (1959) outlined there is a rational model that allows for the person to choose the best alternative. The uncovering of these links led to a transformation of the case from a routine operation to a case that yi elded substantial gain and reparations for every party involved. As the Ann Brown (1996) evidence demonstrated knowledge is critical for progress. The process of critical thinking directly leads to higher forms of literacy and argumentation as well as sophistication (Brown, 1996). Transformational leaders have the capacity to invoke charisma and personal attributes in order to attain their goal (Goleman, 2000). Utilizing at least some feminine wiles, Ms Brokovich was able to convince the keeper of the county water records to not only allow her unfettered access, but extended her every personal nicety possible. This quality of contact and ability to connect with those involved most closely with the case provided further opportunities for this form transformational leadership to play a pivotal role (Goleman, 2013). It was the personal outreach of Ms Brokovich that enabled the initial claimants to realize the connection between the water company and the sicknesses that that family was experiencing. The stimulation that Ms Brokovich provided allowed t he pieces of the puzzle to come together in such a manner that the truth could emerge (Gardner, 2013). This demonstration of continued research and determination is a critical element of the transformational approach to leadership. Others cite the high instances of failure due to the lack of support offered to potential leaders during crises (Lawerence, 2013). There is an innate instinct to choose a successful leader, and a person that does not consistently show wise decision making can rapidly lose their following. A transformational leader will possess the capacity to encourage the group to action (Gardner, 2013). This is a critical component any operation, the ability to bring the clients to focused action. As Ms Brokovich discovered, it was necessary to enlist nearly every one of the potential claimants in order for the claim to go forward against the water company. It was her personal connection, intuition and knowledge of the situation that enabled the lawyers to create a case that would be capable of winning in court (Gardner, 2013). Yet, depending too much on these personal relationships can become a detriment in the event the core person or knowledge is lost or corrupted (Golemman, 2013). Despite the fact that Ms Brokovich possessed the capacity of personally remembering each and every element of each and every case, there was the real potential for oversight, which is a substantial weakness of the transformational approach to leadership (Northouse, 2004). Finally, the transformational leadership approach is cited for inspiring the long term effort (Gardner, 2013). Yet, when it fails others describe this form leadership as wreaking tremendous consequences on any underlying company (Northouse, 2004). Following the initial success Ms Brokovich inspired those around her to seek out others in similar situations, thus creating a long term effort to correct the illegal acts of large corporations. In a very real way, it was the leadership style of Ms Brokovich that first identified, then researched and then made possible the settlement against the water company. Lacking such a person playing this key role, there would never have been an awareness of the issue and many families and individuals would be worse off. In this case, transformational leadership, while showing some weakness, supplied the impetus for positive resolution and personal success.2.2 Transactional LeadershipTransactional leadership is an approach that emphasizes the role of reward in the effort to produce results (Bolman, 2013). Resting on the twin concepts of reward contingent on effort and stability of the status quo, the transactional form of leadership provides incentives to the employee workforce. The very first example of this style of leadership employing the reward element is the day Ms Brokovich forces her way onto Mr Masry’s staff. With the act of offering her a job as a form of reward for her perseverance and ambition, the transactional leadership style of Mr Masry was illustrated (Gardner, 2013). Despite his initial reluctance to give her a position, he was led to the act by the actions of Ms Brokovich. Further, this element allowed Mr Masry the luxury of maintaining the status quo at work, providing another illustration of the transactional philosophy at work (Avolio and Yammarino, 2002). Trying very hard to maintain a business that operates smoothly Mr Masry is very concerned with reducing any outbursts or unsightly scenes at the workplace. Avilo et al (2002) outlines the argument that the only truly effective form of leadership rests in the combination of the transformation and transactional format. Others cite the highly unstable nature of the transformational style and cite instances that misinformation and lack of information has led to failure on the part of companies employing these methods (Gardner, 2013). The literature supports the contention that the transactional form of leadership is effective and adaptable, capable of being utilized in nearly any environment (Avilo et al, 2002). Yet, the Chhokar, Brodbeck and House (2007) literature disputes this assertion assigning the transactional approach to be best used only by temporary management during transitional phases. The next example of the transactional form of leadership espoused by Mr Masry rests in the firing of Ms Brokovich following her initial foray into research. The managerial approach in this instance equated the actions of Ms Brokovich with the deliberate abandonment of duty, thereby resulting in termination (Chhokar et al, 2007). This reaction was in direct response to the attendant attitudes of the other employees in the office as well as a direct effort to maintain tranquillity in the work place. The role of the transactional leader is to determine what is in the best interests of the company and provide the best employee centred solution (Northouse, 2004). Again, this action on the part of Mr Masry was a direct reward of the actions perceived to be taken by Ms Brokovich, which in turn led to a direct reprisal. The transactional leadership approach does not individualize employees, but seeks to treat each person the same, thereby equalling the work place (Northouse, 2004). With the actions of Mr Masry directly fuelling Ms Brokovich outrage, there was a very real sense of motivation in her decision to re-join the team after Mr Masry sought out her help. The transactional approach in this case dictated that Mr Masry ensure that Ms Brokovich was properly motivated to work with the team, despite her sometimes outspoken manner (Wheatley, 2004). This transactional style is repeated throughout the movie as Mr Masry’s preferred form of management. From the instant that Ms Brokovich is taken back onto the staff at the law firm, there is the sense of pay for performance being demonstrated by being given a rental car and a raise (Gardner, 2013). This acknowledgement of value in the work that Ms Brokovich was conducting was reflected in the reward of better pay and position at the work place. As the movie continued to demonstrate the building case against the water company the transactional style of leadership of Mr Masry continued to show. With the move to bring in a partner firm to defray the cost, Mr Masry was utilizing the transactional approach to maintain the status quo (Bograd, 1995). By attempting to have the meeting at a time when he was aware that Ms Brokovich would be gone, only supports the approach by illustrating the desire to maintain a low profile, confrontation free work place (Gardner, 2013). Yet, this approach could easily have overlooked the case at hand by focusing on maintaining day to day ordinary operations (Goleman, 2013). It was Mr Masry’s wish to maintain an ethical countenance and make the situation better for Ms Brokovich that served to provide the opportunity for this case to emerge (Mendonca and Kanungo, 2007). His sense of corporate responsibility, or the need to be accountable for his actions that caused him to take that action (Gol eman, 2013). Finally, the transactional form of leadership espoused by Mr Masry was best exemplified by the overpayment of funds to Ms Brokovich. It was the determination of management that the job provided by Ms Brokovich was worthy of an increase in pay, thereby providing correct remuneration for effort (Gardner, 2013). This final demonstration of transactional philosophy clearly illustrates the strength of proper management. Yet, a clear liability rests in the opportunity for management to neglect to adequately reward the employee, thereby detracting from the fundamental effort (Northouse, 2004). 3 Conclusion The movie Erin Brokovich (2000) provided a clear illustration of leadership in the form of Ms Brokovich’s transformational approach as well as Mr Masry’s transactional view. Both methods have been credited with providing sound and reasonable provisions for both companies and individuals. Yet, the opportunity for weakness due to the individual personality detriments found in the transformational approach can hinder development of any idea or concept significantly. Further, the transformational approach rests largely on the assurance that the leadership has the correct information as well as the appropriate know-how. Lacking a clear strategy can doom any project to failure. In comparison the transactional approach has the potential to overlook possible opportunities in the quest to maintain office stability. Relying on the actions of others to provide impetus for progress can limit the overall capacity for a business to succeed. The literature in this analysis supports the approach that a combination of the transformational and transactional approaches is the best method of overall leadership. Leading by providing vision, yet rewarding the industriousness of the employee base has the potential to build a long lasting organization that will have the innate capacity to meet any goal. Much like the movie Erin Brokovich (2000) illustrated, with proper leadership, vision and determination even the biggest well-funded organization must submit to the rule of law. 4 References Abrahamson, E. and Eisenman, M. 2008. Employee-management techniques: transient fads or trending fashionsAdministrative Science Quarterly, 53 (4), pp. 719–744. Avolio, B. J. and Yammarino, F. J. 2002. Transformational and charismatic leadership. Amsterdam: Elsevier Science. Bograd, H. 1995. The Jossey-Bass Handbook of Nonprofit Leadership and Management.Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Quarterly, 24 (3), pp. 269–271. Bolman, L. G. 2013. Reframing organizations. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Brown, A. and Campione, J. C. 1996. Psychological theory and the design of innovative learning environments. Berkeley, CA: University of California. Chhokar, J. S., Brodbeck, F. C. and House, R. J. 2007. Culture and leadership across the world. Mahwah, N.J.: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Gardner, H. and Laskin, E. 2013. Leading minds. New York, NY: BasicBooks. Goleman, D., Boyatzis, R. E. and Mckee, A. 2013. Primal leadership. Goleman (2000), Leadership that gets results, Harvard Business Review Hughes, R. 2009. Time for leadership development interventions in the public health nutrition workforce. Public health nutrition, 12 (08), pp. 1029–1029. Lawrence (2013), Developing Leaders in a VUCA Environment, UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School Mendonca, M. and Kanungo, R. N. 2007. Ethical leadership. Maidenhead: McGraw-Hill/Open University Press. McCullough 2008. Timeless Leadership: The great leadership lessons don’t change, Harvard Business Review Northouse, P. G. 2004. Leadership. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Sage. Ouimet, G. 2010. Dynamics of narcissistic leadership in organizations: Towards an integrated research model. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 25 (7), pp. 713–726. Peters, T. J. and Austin, N. 1985. A passion for excellence. The leadership difference. Price, T. L. 2008. Leadership ethics. Leadership, 1 pp. 1–2008. Russo, J. E., Schoemaker, P. J., & Russo, E. J. 1990. Decision traps: Ten barriers to brilliant decision-making and how to overcome them. Simon & Schuster. Schoemaker, Krupp, Howland 2013. Strategic Leadership: The Essential Skills, Harvard Business Review Simon, H. A. 1959. Theories of decision-making in economics and behavioral science. The American economic review, 49(3), 253-283 Smircich, L., Morgan, G. and Others. 1982. Leadership: The management of meaning. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 18 (3), pp. 257–273. Virick, M. and Greer, C. R. 2012. Gender diversity in leadership succession: Preparing for the future. Human Resource Management, 51 (4), pp. 575–600. Wheatley, M. J. 2004. Leadership and the new science. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers. Erin Brockovich Film Review: Erin Brockovich This film was based on a true story of an unemployed single mother, Erin Brockovich, who is just trying to get by. After a stream of bad luck, she finally convinces a lawyer to give her a job as a file clerk at his firm. Although no one took her all too seriously at work because of her lack of experience and â€Å"trashy† ensemble, she soon changes their perception of her when she begins to investigate a suspicious pro bono real estate case involving the Pacific Gas & Electric Company.After relentless prying she finds out that PG&E was secretly trying to buy land from local residents in order to cover up the damages done in the area. Come to find out, they had been contaminating an entire neighborhood’s water supply with a deadly toxin called hexavalent chromium and not telling anyone. Erin Brockovich is by far the most interesting model of leadership in this movie but when you consider mainstream leadership qualities, she is not our usual c ontender.What makes her so rare is that she hardly fits our cookie cutter impression of a leadership type individual. She was out of work, had three children, single, had two divorces, and no real employment skills. Yet, she had other hidden qualities that surfaced when the opportunity arose, which made her the ultimate transformational leader. Her independence, consistency, and inquisitiveness were the driving factors that ultimately won a 330 million dollar lawsuit against a multi billion-dollar corporation.In the film, Erin reveals how leadership can come from the most unusual of backgrounds and experiences. Although Erin was a great leader in the film, I feel as though it was more or less situational and all leaders could not practice leadership in the way depicted in this movie. Like discussed in class, leaders can blossom from unexpected places. Some people are better at one thing than others and vice versa. Every opportunity to step forth is situational and should be analyzed in this way.A single person cannot be the best at everything and must step down and let others take the reigns as well. Apart from being accepted at work, another challenge Erin had to overcome was getting her voice heard and convincing people that she was right and that there was some under the table things happening right before their eyes. Here, Erin emerged as a leader and was not afraid to back down from what she believed in and fought for the families affected by the contaminated water like they were her own.She handled these challenges with determination and courage. The leadership elements communication, commitment, courage, consideration, and competence were relevant throughout the movie. It took a great deal of communication and courage in order for Erin to finally get her point across because at first she did not have any credibility and no one really took her seriously assumed that she had a lack of competence with law. She was forced to make them believe otherwise, and she ended up being successful with this.Her commitment to the project and consideration of the families involved was tremendous. Her commitment was one of her strongest elements and I believe this was what made her so powerful in this case. Her courage of conviction was unmatched, and her leadership qualities really shined through with these elements. What I took away from this movie was motivation. If you have the heart and desire to do something, then anything is possible. Even when you may not have the background or experience in the matter, emergent leaders can develop from anywhere.As a leader, I feel as though it is important to communicate and let your passion show through because people want to know that their leaders believe in what they are doing. Erin was an exceptional example of leadership because at first she did not seem like our typical leader. However, it was the situation that was presented that gave her the will to transform into exactly the type of leader that t hose families needed, and in the end Erin helped solidify a victory with the lawsuit.

Holding High Standards... The Power of Disaffirming

Holding High Standards... The Power of Disaffirming If you manage other people and you hold high standards for work product, you probably have encountered a situation or two where you have had to tell someone they did not do a good enough job. How do you feel when you face this type of situation? Do you feel bad about it afterward? Or do you feel empowered and like you made a positive difference in the world? I grew up thinking that if I corrected someone or disaffirmed them, I was being mean and overly critical. I still did it, but I felt self-critical more than anything else and made myself wrong for hurting others. I’ve been spending the better part of the last year becoming more comfortable with my opinions and with expressing them, even if I know someone might feel hurt. As the owner of a company who cares greatly about the quality of the work we put out, I have many opportunities to be honest with people about their writing. â€Å"Behind the scenes† at the Essay Expert, I work with a team of subcontractors and review their work before it goes out to a client. Sometimes the first drafts that come to me do not meet my standards. And The Essay Expert’s clients count on my high standards. Last week, I faced two situations that inspired me to write about the power of disaffirmation in creating results and even cultivating relationships. In one, I received a draft of a LinkedIn summary from one of my writers that I felt didn’t hit the mark. There was time for me to have a quick call with him and steer him in the right direction. I told him what didn’t work about what he wrote and gave him some different ideas of how to approach the project. The second draft was brilliant and here’s what the client, who lives in Switzerland, had to say: â€Å"Thank you so much for sending the draft. I cannot put my first reaction into words (not even in German) in the very best meaning of the word!† If I had been shy about issuing corrections, I would not have had such a happy client. Because I disaffirmed the writer, he learned about how to write for a new type of client and both of us got to feel great about the client’s response. In another situation, an editor took 5 hours to edit a document that would have taken me 3. Not only that, but she sent it to me an hour late and failed to correct some glaring errors in the document. I spent 2 hours editing the document before sending it to the client- 1 hour more than I would have spent if I had edited it myself. Again, my disaffirming power sprang into action. I very directly told her about the problems I saw and what I was prepared to pay her for her work. We ultimately reached an agreement and parted amicably. Sometimes when I work with someone on a project like a law school admissions essay, the applicant tells me not to hold back with my criticism. I laugh when they make this request – I have no problem telling it like I see it! But when it comes to critiquing in a managerial role, I’ve historically had a more difficult time. The greatest part about these two recent experiences to me is that I felt strong and good about myself even though I had criticized people I am managing. I’ve been learning a lot about stepping into a managerial role in a powerful way. Sometimes disaffirmation can hurt both the recipient and me- but what hurts more is compromising on what I know is right, or on the quality of the work my business produces. Ultimately I am somewhat of a mama bear, willing to growl a bit in order to provide a top product to my clients. I will take strong action, give direct feedback, and use the power of disaffirmation if that’s what it takes to run a successful and well-respected business. If you are in a managerial position, how do you express your criticism? How do you handle it when someone fails to come through in the way you expect? Are you willing to talk straight to people? And how do you feel when you don’t? And what’s the bigger goal that inspires you to take the actions you take?

Biography of Willa Cather, American Author

Biography of Willa Cather, American Author Willa Cather (born Wilella Sibert Cather; December 7, 1873–April 24, 1947) was a Pulitzer Prize-winning American writer who gained acclaim for her novels capturing the American pioneer experience. Fast Facts: Willa Cather Born:  December 7, 1873 in Back Creek Valley, Virginia, USADied:  April 24, 1947 in New York City, New York, USAOccupation:  Author and journalistEducation: University of Nebraska–LincolnSelected Works: My ntonia (1918), O Pioneers! (1913), Death Comes for the Archbishop (1927), One of Ours (1922)Key Accomplishment: 1923 Pulitzer Prize for One of OursFamous Quote:  There are only two or three human stories, and they go on repeating themselves as fiercely as if they had never happened before. (from O Pioneers!) Early Life on the Prairie Willa Cather was born on the farm of her maternal grandmother, Rachel Boak, in the poor farming region of Back Creek Valley, Virginia, on December 7, 1873. The oldest of seven children, she was the daughter of Charles Cather and Mary Cather (nà ©e Boak). Despite the Cather family having spent several generations in Virginia, Charles moved his family to the Nebraska frontier when Willa was nine years old. After spending about eighteen months attempting to farm in the community of Catherton, the Cathers moved into the town of Red Cloud. Charles opened a business for real estate and insurance, and the children, including Willa, were able to attend formal school for the first time. Many of the figures in Willa’s early life would appear in fictionalized form in her later novels: most notably her grandmother Rachel Boak, but also her parents and her friend and neighbor Marjorie Anderson. As a girl, Willa found herself fascinated by the frontier environment and its people. She developed a lifelong passion for the land and befriended a wide array of the area’s residents. Her curiosity and interest in literature and language led her to forge connections with immigrant families in her community, especially older women who remembered the â€Å"Old World† and who delighted in telling young Willa their stories. Another of her friends and mentors was the local doctor, Robert Damerell, under whose guidance she decided to pursue science and medicine. Student, Teacher, Journalist Willa attended the University of Nebraska, where her career plans took an unexpected turn. During her freshman year, her English professor submitted an essay she had written on Thomas Carlyle to the Nebraska State Journal, which published it. Seeing her name in print had a huge impact on the young student, and she shifted her aspirations immediately towards becoming a professional writer. While at the University of Nebraska, Willa immersed herself in the world of writing, particularly journalism, although she also penned short stories. She became the editor of the university’s student newspaper while also contributing to the Journal and to the Lincoln Courier as a theatre critic and columnist. Quickly, she gained a reputation for her strong opinions and sharp, intelligent columns, as well as for her dressing in masculine fashions and using â€Å"William† as a nickname. In 1894, she graduated with her B.A. in English. In 1896, Willa accepted a position in Pittsburgh as writer and managing editor for Home Monthly, a women’s magazine. She continued to write for the Journal and the Pittsburgh Leader, mostly as a theatre critic, while running Home Monthly. During this period, her love for the arts brought her in contact with Pittsburgh socialite Isabelle McClung, who became her lifelong friend. After a few years of journalism, Willa stepped into the role of teacher. Fom 1901 to 1906, she taught English, Latin, and, in one case, algebra at nearby high schools. During this time, she began publishing: first a book of poetry, April Twilights, in 1903, and then a short story collection, The Troll Garden, in 1905. These caught the eye of S.S. McClure, who, in 1906, invited Willa to join the staff of McClure’s Magazine in New York City. Literary Success in New York City Willa was extremely successful at McClure’s. She ghostwrote a notable biography of Christian Science founder Mary Baker Eddy, which was credited to researcher Georgine Milmine and published in several installments around 1907. Her position as managing editor earned her prestige and the admiration of McClure himself, but it also meant that she had significantly less time to work on her own writing. On the advice of her mentor Sarah Orne Jewett, Willa left the magazine business in 1911 to focus on fiction. Although she no longer worked for McClure’s, her relationship with the publication continued. In 1912, the magazine published, in serial, her first novel, Alexander’s Bridge. The novel was well-reviewed (although Willa herself would, later in life, consider it a more derivative work than her later novels). Her next three novels cemented her legacy. Her â€Å"Prairie Trilogy† consisted of O Pioneers! (published in 1913), The Song of the Lark (1915), and My ntonia  (1918). These three novels centered on the pioneer experience, drawing on her childhood experiences of life in Nebraska, the immigrant communities she loved there, and her passion for the untamed land. The novels included some autobiographical elements, and all three were celebrated by critics and audiences alike. These novels shaped her reputation as a writer who used plain but beautiful language to write thoroughly American romantic literature. Dissatisfied with her publisher’s lack of support for her novels, Willa began publishing short stories with Knopf in 1920. She would eventually publish sixteen works with them, including her 1923 novel One Of Them, which won the 1923 Pulitzer Prize for the Novel. A subsequent book, 1925’s Death Comes for the Archbishop, also enjoyed a long legacy. At this point in her career, Willa’s novels were beginning to move away from epic, romantic tales of the American prairie to stories that leaned into the disillusionment of the post-World War I era. Later Years As the 1930s rolled around, literary critics soured on Willa’s books, criticizing them for being too nostalgic and not contemporary enough. She continued to publish, but at a much slower pace than before. During this time, she received honorary degrees from Yale, Princeton, and Berkeley. Her personal life also began to take a toll. Her mother and the two brothers with whom she was closest all passed away, as did Isabelle McClung. The bright spot was Edith Lewis, the editor who was her closest companion from the early 1900s until her death. Scholars are divided as to whether or not the relationship was romantic or platonic; Willa, a deeply private person, destroyed many personal papers, so there is no certain evidence either way, but scholars of queer theory have often interpreted her works through the lens of this partnership. Willa’s personal life remained something she kept closely guarded, even after her death. Willa despaired over the coming conflicts of World War II, and she began to have issues with an inflamed tendon in her writing hand. Her final novel, Sapphira and the Slave Girl, was published in 1940 and marked a significantly darker tone than her previous works. In 1944, the National Institute of Arts and Letters awarded her the gold medal for fiction as a mark of her lifetime of literary achievement. In her final years, her health began to decline, and on April 24, 1947, Willa Cather died of a cerebral hemorrhage in New York City. Legacy Willa Cather left behind a canon that was both plainspoken and elegant, accessible and deeply nuanced. Her portrayals of immigrants and women (and of immigrant women) have been at the center of much modern scholarship. With a style that encompassed sweeping epics along with realistic depictions of frontier life, Willa Cather’s writings have become iconic pieces of the literary canon, both in America and worldwide. Sources Ahearn, Amy. Willa Cather: A Longer Biographical Sketch. Willa Cather Archive, https://cather.unl.edu/life.longbio.html.Smiley, Jane. Willa Cather, Pioneer. The Paris Review, 27 February 2018, https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2018/02/27/willa-cather-pioneer.Woodress, James.  Willa Cather: A Literary Life. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1987.

What is the Cold War (1917-1991) Discuss its cultural, economic, Essay

What is the Cold War (1917-1991) Discuss its cultural, economic, political, religious, and social dimensions - Essay Example between the two power blocs, which led to an international power struggle with both parties vying for control and dominance, exploiting every chance for expansion anywhere in the world. This supremacy battle led to the Cold War, which was a state of military and political tension after World War II between the Western bloc and the Eastern bloc. This paper discusses how the cold war shaped the socio-political and economic landscape of the U.S. As the cold war came to dominance, most of American policies toward the rest of the world, attitudes about immigration and immigration policies began to change. â€Å"The increasing prevalence of an internationalist ideology led to the passage and implementation of the Displaced Persons Acts of 1948 and 1950, which brought more than 400,000 European refugees into the US...†( McLaughlin & Mary, 15). By the early 1960s, calls to reform U.S immigration policy had increased, majorly because of the growing strength of the civil rights movement. The focus of civil rights movement was the importance of equal treatment regardless of nationality or race; this led many to view the quota system that was in place since 1920 as backward and discriminatory. The Congress debated and eventually passed the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1965(McLaughlin & Mary, 76).This Act greatly changed the face of the American population. The US has been involved in many wars with different objectives and results. However, one thing stands out from the wars that the U.S has been involved in, that is, the wars have served as crusades of political instruments. The only war that was exception to these objectives was the Korean and Vietnam wars. The war was a cold war-era proxy war that started in November 1955 and lasted for 20 years. The war had far-reaching consequences for the US. Many lives were lost; â€Å"†¦.US lost more than 58,000 soldiers while more than 150,000 soldiers were wounded† (Hosch, 43). These harsh consequences led the Congress to

Explain how insights from two theoretical perspectives can be used to Essay

Explain how insights from two theoretical perspectives can be used to explore the significance of ‘gaps’, ‘silences’ and ‘absences’ in The Turn of the Screw - Essay Example Eventually, her visions also lead to the tragic end of the novella. The strange images which appear before the governess, along with her generally distracted nature, lend themselves to two different literary interpretations, Marxist and Feminist. Her own attraction to the wealth of the family which has hired her, with the potential of advancing her own financial situation, is an obsession which seems to have led to many of her visions. Her companion in taking care of the children, the illiterate Mrs. Grose, tells the governess that the person the governess â€Å"sees† around the grounds must be the former valet Peter Quint, since he was known to wear the clothes of the head of the house. But since the governess had never known him, no one else can now see him, and he had died, the most plausible explanation is that the governess’ vision is that of the head of the house. Before leaving for his country estate, she had met him in London on Halsey Street. She is described in the introduction as being impressed by him as â€Å"a gentleman, a bachelor in the prime of life...He struck her, inevitably, as gallant and splendid. She conceived him as rich, but as fearfully extravagant--saw him all in a glow of high fashion, of good looks, of expensive habits, of charming ways with women.† This quote from the Introduction is a pattern repeated throughout the story, as the governess fills in the gaps of the facts she doesn’t have with her own, mostly pleasant fantasies, at least of this gentleman who hired her. Her impressions of this man fit well into the Marxist theory of literary analysis, in which economic and social conditions are thought to override all concerns. Her obsession with the great advancement given to her by her new position becomes quite clear in Chapter III, in which her new feeling of possession would quickly be

Financial Performance Analysis Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Financial Performance Analysis - Case Study Example This shows a continuous decline in current ratio in 2006 onwards as compared to that in 2005, which shows that the company is experiencing liquidity crunch; and this may ultimately lead to insolvency of the company. The desired (benchmark) current ratio is 2:1. The current ration of M & S shows that the short term assets of the company are not sufficient to cover the short term liabilities. The Debt ratio of M&S was 4055.2/5210.5 = 78% in 2006 which is lower than 3958.1/4867.3 = 81% in 2005. In addition, the interim statements shows a slight increase in the debt to asset ratio to 4289.6/5410.8 = 79%. Overall, the ratio shows that almost 80% of the total assets of the company are financed through debt. When analyzed with current ratio, this shows that the company might be vulnerable to problems arising due to extra loans and debts, and inability to service debt due to lower levels of current assets. The Debt-Equity ratio of the company has shown a declining trend as it decreases from 3958.1/909.2 = 4.35 in 2005 to 4055.2/1155.3 = 3.51 in 2006. It shows an increase to 4289.6/1121.2 = 3.83 for the half yearly period in 2006. This relatively lower level of D/E ratio is considered to be safer and shows that the company is not heavily indebted. ... The ROA for the period April - September 2006 was 281.3/5410.8 = 5.2%. The decline shows that the company is not doing well in making an effective use of its assets to generate income for 2006 as compared to that in 2005. Total Assets Turnover The asset turnover for the company has been 7797.7/5210.5 = 1.50 in 2006 as compared to 7490.5/4867.3 = 1.54 in 2005 showing a declining trend. It was 3929.4/5410.8 = 0.726 for the half year period in September 2006. The total assets turnover is a critical ratio that measures the efficiency of the organization in using its assets to generate sales. The ratio for M&S is on the lower side showing that assets are not being used efficiently to generate dollar of sales. Management should take a note of this and should take appropriate steps to resolve this issue. Inventory Turnover The inventory turnover (Cost of Sales/Inventory) for the company has been 4812.1/374.3 = 12.86 in 2006 as compared to 4887.6/338.9 = 14.42 in 2005. This shows that on average, inventory has been sold 12.86 times in 2006 as compared to 14.42 times in 2005. The decline might be due to the ineffective inventory management practices, or may also be due to the lack of sales (but the sales have increased in 2006 as compared to 2005). The company should investigate this decline in inventory turnover to appropriately identify and resolve issues. Cost of Goods Sold to Sales & Gross Profit Margin The company did relatively better in reducing the cost of goods sold to sales ratio at 4812.6/7797.7 = 61.72% in 2006 as compared to 4887.6/7490.5 = 65.25% in 2005. This shows that the cost of inputs have been kept to low as compared to the revenue that is being generated from these inputs. This may show efficiencies in production function and indicates that there

Basic Implementation of OpenStack

Basic Implementation of OpenStack 3.1 Basic Installation   Ã‚   In this project Open stack was installed through pack stack that is a repository module, help to implement various parts of OpenStack. It represents a utility which facilitates the deployment on multiple nodes for different components of OpenStack via SSH. This requires multiple pre-installed servers. In our case it is CentOS. There are two ways to work with packsack. As follows. Packstack Interactively: the Interactive way is the user commands are run at same time as he gives the command. The user enters the command Packstack Non-Interactively: the Non-Interactive way is the way when the user updates the file known as answer file. Enables and customize the options in the answer file, that customize file is run for OpenStack. In this project, Non interactive is used to install pack stack. Answer file will be applied on our controller node, as all service will work in controller node. The answer file is a file that pack stack takes in order to take decisions that we put in the script, that we want to setup in OpenStack. Services will be enabled such as Glance, Cinder, Nova, Horizon, Swift, Ceilometer, and Heat as shown in FIG 3.1 and FIG 3.2 FIG.3.1 (Answer File with services) FIG.3.2 (Answer File with heat services enabled) Answer file also consists of IP addresses of the three main nodes, Compute, Controller, and Neutron. Compute node, in this project the three nodes are on one single node as shown in FIG.3.3. All these nodes should be interconnected. FIG.3.3(Answer File with all IP address) Moreover, the answer file also consists of keystone authentication user and password in plain text as well as the token that is discussed in the previous chapter as well. This token allows the user to the services that user is allowed to get access. After Answer file is modified the file is run through pack stack through the following in FIG3.4 . FIG.3.4(Run Answer File over pack stack ) Then access the dashboard through GUI as it is successfully installed after as shown in FIG 3.5 FIG.3.5 (User Authentication by open stack (Keystone)) As discussed before keystone plays the authentication role, known as identity service as well. It ask for username and password when this authentication is done the keystone provides the token to the user that consist of the services that are been allowed to the user to access 3.2 Implantation Projects and Other services FIG.3.2 (Different projects of OpenStack) After getting access we can see different projects. OpenStack can deal with different project at a time. Every project has different members as shown is FIG 3.3.A member can be a part of two different projects. FIG.3.3 (Project Members) The cinder volume is the block storage that is provided to the user related to different projects. This is a logical storage to every user that can be attached or detached to the user. This memory can be reused for another user as user finished his work and memory is deleted. The user can be given different memory chunk according to the use. FIG.3.4 (OpenStack Volumes attached to different users) As in FIG.3.4 different volumes are attached to different users for the project admin, their IDs are showing as their name with size of their volume, with the contrast of their instances those are attached to. The next service will be glance service in OpenStack picture. Glance is the storage service that is responsible for keeping images for different instances. All the instances will run through the image file that will be stored in Glance. There can be more than one image but in our scenario its just one image as shown in FIG.3.5 FIG.3.5 (Openstack Glance service) 3.3 Networks and Router The network is the neutron service of the OpenStack that provides the interfaces for different user and services to connect with each other. Since OpenStack deals with cloud computing with private and public cloud, therefore there will be a big role to play for NATing. As shown in FIG 3.6a. OpenStack not only provides compute and data storage service but also understands the role of networks to connect these services. In the following FIG it clearly shows the instances those are connected to a private cloud, on one side of the router with all private IP addresses, will be nated on the other side of the router through public cloud. FIG.3.6a (OpenStack Network) In other words, these private instances can also be accessed through external network. In this unit, this will be explained further. FIG.3.6b (OpenStack Network) As shown in FIG.3.6b private and public IP addresses are shown that will be used for nating. Furthermore, router is also available is OpenStack networking services that not only help in nating but also manages the external and internal networks of OpenStack services. FIG.3.7 (Openstack Router) Unlike other vendor routers, it does not need so much of command configuration, which is the best part of OpenStack router. It is capable of doing all basic required routing functions. These all capabilities plays great role in OpenStack. As shown in FIG.3.7, FIG.3.8 and FIG.3.9 some of the routing capabilities. FIG.3.8 (Openstack Router) In the FIG.3.6 you can easily identify the router ports, where the ports are assigned with the IP addresses, these are the IP addresses from the private and public cloud as shown in FIG.3.4. Moreover, this clarifies that NATing has done by the router, where one port is towards external gateway of the network. This is towards the internet in our scenario. The port is defined on internal or private network. FIG.3.9 (Openstack Router) Public IP addresses are defined as floating IP for the project that needs to be accessed from external network. In the given FIG 3.10 following floating public IP addresses are shown that are for the admin projects, where instances are also defined with their tagged names, as well as their status. FIG.3.10 (Floating IP addresses) For any network it very important to have systematic way of deployments and organize the way of understanding the deployment of any network. This cannot be possible without a graphical representation of network topology diagram as shown in FIG.3.11, as well as in FIG.3.6a in the beginning. FIG.3.11 (Floating IP addresses)