Thursday, December 26, 2019
Why Do We Still Have an Embargo of Cuba - 1688 Words
Summary In the article, ââ¬Å"Why Do We Still Have an Embargo of Cuba?â⬠Patrick Haney explores the history of the embargo and the different factors which have maintained and tightened its restrictions over the past fifty years. The embargo consists of a ban on trade and commercial activity, a ban on travel, a policy on how Cuban exiles can enter the U.S., and media broadcasting to the island. These once-executive orders now codified into law by the Helms-Burton Act, have become a politically charged topic which wins and loses elections, spawned influential interest groups, and powerful political action committees. One year and a half after Castroââ¬â¢s forces took power in Cuba, President Eisenhower first imposed an embargo on Cuba, with theâ⬠¦show more contentâ⬠¦Bush opposed the Cuban Democracy Act, which would tighten restriction on state. Candidate Clinton wins the support of the Cuban-Americans and the election by receiving twenty percent of the Cuban-American vote, up from Dukakisââ¬â¢s previous five percent in 1988 (Haney, 2010). Tapping into this typically right-wing group, Clinton forced Bush to additional time and money in Florida, which restricted his ability to campaign in other parts of the country. To please Cuban-Americans, Clinton signed the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act (Helms-Burton law), which codified years of executive orders into law and further tightened restrictions. Primarily in the volatile South Florida and New York City areas, candidates will take particular care in pleasing Cuban-Americans, as they are a powerful voting bloc that has continually altered elections (Haney, 2010). In the 2000 presidential election, Governor Bush promised to enforce the Helms-Burton law, and won over 80% of the Cuban-American vote in Florida (Congress, 2010). This state officially cast 537 more votes for Bush than for Gore, which means that the Cuban-Americans essentially secured Bushââ¬â¢s victory. Upon assuming office, Bush appointed Cuban-American hard-liner Otto Reich, to a top position in the State Department. The appointment was blocked by the Senate, but Reich eventually a recess appointment. As another act of appreciation, Bush appointed a Cuban-American to Secretary of Housing andShow MoreRelatedEmbargo on Cuba984 Words à |à 4 PagesEmbargo on Cuba The U.S. imposed an Embargo on Cuba on Oct. 19, 1960. Has the time come for the United States to lift the 5-decade embargo? The Embargo on Cuba was a part of Americaââ¬â¢s Cold War strategy against the Soviet Union, imposed on the basis that Cuba was a threat to the U.S. National Security because of their alliance with the Soviet Union. Although Cuba would like the U.S to terminate the embargo against their country, the U.S. wants Cuba to make their situation a better living environmentRead MoreThe Warming Of Relations Between Cuba And The United States1285 Words à |à 6 PagesA controversial subject,yet not spoken about enough,the warming of relations between Cuba and the U.S exists only due to the two countries having a rough past with each other. This ââ¬Å"rough pastâ⬠consists of aspects such as the protectorate status the U.S had previously put onto Cuba, which severely limited their independence and the U.S had, ironically, just helped them achieve. Some take a st ance that we as countries should stay distant from each other due to our vast governmental and cultural differencesRead MoreEssay Reconciling the Cuban Embargo1249 Words à |à 5 Pagesbe as lucky with our embargo policy towards Cuba. A policy that may have a major impact on the US, both domestically and internationally, is truly only actively discussed in the swing state of Florida. Is the US heading in the wrong direction with this policy? Certainly the author thinks so, and if hes right its not likely that well receive a ticker tape parade at the end of journey like Corrigan did. Alex Lightman walks us through 78 reasons to end the embargo of Cuba. He does this by statingRead MoreFidel Castro And The Cuban Revolution1517 Words à |à 7 Pagesdiplomatic relations with Cuba were cut in 1961. Even prior to the break in relations, President Eisenhower agreed to a CIA-backed plan to overthrow Fidel Castro. When John F. Kennedy was elected, he was informed of the CIA s plan. The newly elected president, unfortunately approved of the plan to attempt an uprising in Cuba against Fidel Castro. Before the Bay of Pigs invasion was developed; the United States tentatively backed Castro, in hopes of keeping a good relationship with Cuba. During the shortRead MoreShould the Cuban Embargo be Lifted?1940 Words à |à 8 PagesIs the Cuban Embargo a cruel reminder of the Cold war, or is it an important factor of American Democracy fighting the spread of Communism? The Cuban Embargo was a declaration issued by American President John Fitzgerald Kennedy. The embargo was issued because of the threat that the Communist government of Cuba, led by Fidel Castro in 1959, had on American security, assets and democracy at the height of the Cold War. Some 1.8 billion worth of industrial assets were lost with Cuban communist nationalizationRead MoreCub A Long History With Cuba2896 Words à |à 12 PagesThe United States has had a long history with Cuba. Within that long history came many arguments and accusations, such as the demand that Castro request that the U.S. embassy staff be reduc ed. Following that request came an outrageous accusation stating that the embassy was being used as a foundation for spies. This made U.S. officials think that Castroââ¬â¢s government was too anti-American to be trusted. Castro started nationalizing foreign property and companies as a response to the U.S., so the UnitedRead MoreCub A Destination Page Build Out997 Words à |à 4 PagesCuba - TravelStore Destination Page Build Out TRIPS TO CUBA ARE BECOMING EASIER FOR AMERICANS BY AIR, LAND AND SEA. With a fascinating culture and music scene, Caribbean s largest island, Cuba, offers a glimpse into another world that s remote, yet lies just 90 miles off the U.S. coast. While Americans visiting Cuba still need to travel with a properly licensed operator, it s getting easier as more tour operators and cruise lines develop trips that enable you to visit this unique and fascinatingRead MoreThe Embargo On Cuba And The United States1781 Words à |à 8 Pagesrelations with Cuba. Cuba and the United States have been hostile since the Cuban Revolution of 1959, when Fidel Castro overthrew the US-supportedbacked dictator, Fulgencio Batista, and established a Communist regime. The US rejected Castroââ¬â¢s bid for equal economic partnership because they wanted to maintain economic dominance. As such, Castro began seizing US assets, causing back-and-forth actions that culminated in Presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy placing an embargo in 1960-61. The embargo was intensifiedRead More Polici es On Cuba Essay1888 Words à |à 8 Pages Policies on Cuba In Juan Rulfos novel, Pedro Paramo, the reader follows a dusty road to a town of death, where the following is said ÃâUp and down the hill we went, but always descending . We had left the hot wind behind and were sinking into pure, airless heat. The stillness seem to be waiting for someone. ÃâIts hot here Ãâ I said ÃâYou might say, but this is nothing. My companion relied. ÃâTry to take it easy. Youll feel it even more when we get to Comala. That town sits on the coals of the EarthRead MoreEssay on Lift the Trade Ban on Cuba2012 Words à |à 9 Pages Unlock the Gate to Cuba In the long and turbulent history between Cuba and the United States, it can well be argued that Cuba did not turn out quite like its other Latin American peers. Things seemed to be on the right track in the early 1900ââ¬â¢s, when it appeared that Cuba was destined for a future of ââ¬Å"independenceâ⬠, like its neighbour Puerto Rico and it was yet another South American nation rife with the now atypical blend of affluent American investors and poor workers usually native to the land
Wednesday, December 18, 2019
Morning Raga By Mahesh Dattani - 1085 Words
Music has the power to bring people together. It can help in eliminating repressions and resistances. Music is a means of expression, it connects emotions. As a form of communication, music connects people with other human beings, their inner spirits, and their history in a way that words alone cannot. In other words, where words fail, music speaks. The film Morning Raga by Mahesh Dattani, revolves around three characters who are brought together by circumstance in a small village in South India. Each of them have been ruined by a tragic incident in their past, and now each of them finds succor in a shared love for music. Through the film, is noticeable how music guides the modern and traditional together, unify the past and present, and most importantly it brings fate and coincidence with individual choices. India is well-known worldwide for its rich cultural and traditional values, is full with a humongous abundance of music in so many forms. The film ââ¬Å"Morning Ragaâ⬠begins with people from a small village in South India boarding a bus to the city. On the way, the bus crashes into a car and goes off a bridge, where many passengers died. Swarnalatha is a tremendously talented Carnatic singer who since the beginning of the story has shown her passion and love for music. Her friend Vaishnavi always goes with her everywhere not only because they are really good friends, but also because she is her violinist. One day, Swarnalatha receives a letter, her longtime dream of
Tuesday, December 10, 2019
Explain the importance of Act 3 sc I in Romeo and Juliet Essay Example For Students
Explain the importance of Act 3 sc I in Romeo and Juliet Essay Romeo and Juliet is set in the 16th century. It is about two young aristocrats from families that were sworn to enmity. They fell in love and hoped that their secret love would bring an end to the family feud. However fate had other ideas; their families were instead torn apart by their (unions?) This essay attempts to explore the importance of act 3 scene I (sc) in the story. Act 3 sc I, is all about the hatred from Tybalt towards Romeo and anyone who associates with him. Act 3 sc I, is mostly important because it embodies all aspects, the love and hate, of the play. Act 3 sc I, focuses on the idea of dramatic irony. This is because we the audience know that Romeo has married Juliet and therefore this results in Romeo not striking Tybalt, because he has now developed a sudden respect for him. We know why Romeo is acting very friendly towards Tybalt; however Tybalt, Mercutio and other dont know why he is friendly towards the enemy. therefore building up tension in the audience. Act 3 sc I provides the actions which ultimately lead to the death of the protagonists. On one hand Romeo has just married Juliet, on the other he has just killed Tybalt and is faced with banishment, leaving him with nothing to do but run. Act 3 sc I is set in the Verona market square on a hot day. The day is hot and Mercutios mad blood is stirring, this means that he should be avoided. The fact that the Capulets are around suggests that a fight is to be expected, Benvolio is aware that the Capels are abroad and being the peacekeeper tries to persuade Mercutio to go back inside, lets retire. Mercutio is having a brawl with Benvolio about the sort of person he is, describing his own bad qualities in Benvolio who is in fact not at all violent. Many lines in this play hint that a fight should be expected soon. The main few lines are very close to the real fight. Line 58 thou art a villain. This phrase would be considered as a very nasty insult back in those times. This insult meant that you were a scoundrel or a peasant. This statement outlines the storyline of the play in some ways; this is because the story is about two families who want to prove that they are richer and more important than each other and as I have said Tybalt has just called Romeo a villain. Considering the time this play was written in, people would have taken this statement to heart and may have even killed because of it; therefore this is a very important line. It also important because this is the line that persuades Mercutio to draw his rapier. Another line that is important and is very close to the main fight is Away to heaven respective lenity (line 119). This line is important because it makes you, the audience, think Oh no! Whats going to happen now? this line is used very well in both, Baz Luhrman and the Zefferelli films. Luhrman uses this line by having Romeo whispering in Mercutios ear. He does this so that we have to listen with great concentration; he also does this so that he can create tension for the people who didnt hear the line. Zefferelli uses this line in his film so that everyone can hear Romeo. Romeo says this line where he is near crying therefore adding to the drama and tragedy of the film. Because of this the lines cannot be further improved. Was Malvolio's Treatment Justified EssayThe importance of Act 3 sc I in Romeo and Juliet is great. I say this because this scene influences the fate of Romeo after killing Tybalt. This scene is also very important because it underlines this play as a definite tragedy. After reading this play you can gain an insight into what it was like to be a teenager in those days. However the films show that Romeo and Juliet have left their teens behind. Act 3 sc I is an important scene because it embodies all aspects of the play. It shows that there is love and there is also hate, you can see this because when Tybalt meets Romeo, Romeo reacts as nicely as possible and Tybalt reacts with as much hate as possible. The whole of this play is based on the idea of dramatic irony. Dramatic irony is what builds up the tension for the audience. The dramatic irony in this play turns the story back and forth, once again building up tension for the audience. The structure of the whole play leads to a tragedy. We can see this because of the timing, a very good example of the timing is when Romeo has just killed Tybalt, because Romeo has just married Juliet he wouldnt want to fight Tybalt as he is his kinsman; however he kills Tybalt and is banished. This is great timing as this builds up more tension and makes the audience think oh no! Shakespeare tells the audience of the consequences in most scenes. He does this in act 1 sc I line 90-91, this is where Prince Escales is telling the Montagues and the Capulets: If you ever do disturb our streets again, your lives shall pay the forfeit of peace and in act 3 sc I we can see that Mercutio, Tybalt, and Romeo have forfeited the peace, therefore they would, as the prince said, pay the forfeit of peace. Just before this scene Romeo and Juliet have just married, this scene, act 3 sc I, shows Romeo killing Tybalt therefore disturbing the peace, and building up tension as this is also a part of dramatic irony, as Romeo has not heard of this rule. This is evident because Lady Montague asks Benvolio whether he was close when the fight started. She does this straight after the prince leaves therefore indicating that Romeo was no present when the prince was talking of this rule. Due to the reasons given above I conclude that act 3 sc I is a very important part of this play. The scenes that I have mentioned in the previous paragraph influence the viewers thoughts, this is because they always build up tension and make you question over and over again Why? Why? Why?
Monday, December 2, 2019
Towards an Aesthetic of Popular Music summary Essay Example
Towards an Aesthetic of Popular Music summary Paper In the article, ââ¬Å"Towards an Aesthetic of Popular Musicâ⬠, Simon Frith tries to show the aesthetic value of poplar music in the sociological field, while most of the academic musicologists think popular music, submitted to social forces, is aesthetically worthless. There are two different sociological approaches to judge the value of music. First is technique and technology, as Frith states, ââ¬Å"people produce and consume the music they are capable of producing and consuming. â⬠(Firth 498) But he also admits that these similarities between sounds and social group remain unclear. Secondly, popular music has different functions, and the most important function is commercial, but Frith argues against this notion for ââ¬Å"even if pop tastes are the effects of social conditioning and commercial manipulation, people still explain them to themselves in terms of value judgment. â⬠(Frith 499) The rock aesthetic relies on authenticity, which guarantees rock musicââ¬â¢s independence from commercial logic. But those standards are misleading, and the author thinks we should better study how music creates this impression of truth. Frith suggests a different approach to defining popular music and popular culture. As he said in the article, ââ¬Å"The question we should be asking is not what does popular music reveal about ââ¬Ëthe peopleââ¬â¢ but how does it construct them. â⬠(Frith 500) To support his argument, Frith explains four social functions of pop music. First, the music we listen to can represent our collective or various identities and society. Second, music can help us manage our relationships through public forms of private expression. We also get to know ourselves through the music. Third, music allows the listener to live within a moment. It can be a strong instrument to our remembrance of things past. Such power of music defines whole generations. We will write a custom essay sample on Towards an Aesthetic of Popular Music summary specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Towards an Aesthetic of Popular Music summary specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Towards an Aesthetic of Popular Music summary specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Fourth, the fact is that music can be possessed. What Frith realizes is that people feel they own the music and build it into their sense of themselves. After explaining the sociological functions of music, the author digs into the question of popular music aesthetics. He questions what makes popular music able to satisfy these social functions. To answer this question, Frith gives four points of his answer and tries to give suggestion for future critical work. His first point is brief. Pop music is complex ââ¬Å"intentionallyâ⬠, defined by Andrew Chester, while as European art music is ââ¬Å"extensionallyâ⬠. Frith thinks that in the 20th century, popular music has absorbed from Afro-American music. In his second point, he states that popular music has a strong vocal strength, and we react to the singerââ¬â¢s voice whether we understand the lyrics or not. It directly communicates to us through narrative structures. According to Frithââ¬â¢s third point, there are two different ways to analyze and classify musical genres in which music uses narrative structures to produce patterns of self-identification and to express different emotions. He suggests classifying popular songs according to their ideological effects. The authorââ¬â¢s last point is even serious music cannot escape from being associated to our lives and being under social forces. In the end, Frith concludes that music has ââ¬Å"some sort of collective, disruptive cultural effectâ⬠. Understand that popular music has an individualizing effect is key to finding its aesthetic values. Work cited Simon Frith. ââ¬Å"Towards an Aesthetic of Popular Musicâ⬠Writing in the Discipline: A Reader and Rhetoric for Academic writers, 7th edition. By Mary Kennedy and William Kennedy. Boston: Pearson, 2012. 497-509. Print.
Wednesday, November 27, 2019
The Colombia FARC Guerrilla Group
The Colombia FARC Guerrilla Group FARC is an acronym for Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia). FARC was founded in Colombia in 1964. Objectives of FARC According to FARC, its goals are to represent Colombias rural poor by seizing power through armed revolution, and establishing government. FARC is a self-proclaimed Marxist-Leninist organization, which means it is committed in some fashion to the the redistribution of wealth among the countrys population. In keeping with this position, it opposes multinational corporations and the privatization of national resources. FARCs commitment to ideological goals has waned considerably; it often appears largely to be a criminal organization. Its supporters tend to join in search of employment, less than to fulfill political goals. Backing and Affiliation FARC has supported itself through a number of criminal means, most notably through its participation in the cocaine trade, from harvest to manufacture. It also has functioned, like the mafia, in rural areas of Colombia, requiring businesses to pay for their protection against attack. It has received outside support from Cuba. In early 2008, news surfaced, based on laptops from a FARC camp, that Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez had forced a strategic alliance with FARC to undermine Colombias government. Notable Attacks July 17, 2008: Eight civilians were kidnapped and held for a week before being released. FARC is estimated to be holding about 800 hostages.April 15, 2005: A cylinder gas bomb attack killed a child and injured over twenty civilians in the town of Toribio. The attack was part of FARCs ongoing conflict with the government. FARC has frequently been accused of causing unnecessary civilian deaths.June 3, 2004: 34 coca farmers were found bound and shot. FARC took responsibility, and said they had killed the men for support of right-wing paramilitaries. FARC was first established as a guerrilla fighting force. It is organized in military fashion, and governed by a secretariat. FARC has employed a vast array of tactics and techniques to achieve military and financial goals including bombings, assassinations, extortion, kidnapping and hijacking. It is estimated to have about 9,000 to 12,000 active members. Origins and Context FARC was created in a period of intense class turmoil in Colombia and after many years of severe violence over the distribution of land and wealth in the rural country. In the late 1950s, two warring political forces, Conservative and Liberals, backed by army power, joined to become a National Front and began consolidating their hold over Colombia. However, both were interested in helping large landowners invest in and use peasant land. FARC was created out of guerrilla forces that opposed this consolidation. The increasing pressure on peasants by the government and property owners in the 1970s helped FARC grow. It became a proper military organization and gained support from peasants, but also students and intellectuals. In 1980, peace talks between the government and FARC began. The government hoped to transform FARC into a political party. In the meantime, right wing paramilitary groups began to grow, in particular to protect the lucrative coca trade. In the wake of peace talk failures, violence between FARC, the army and the paramilitaries grew in the 1990s.
Saturday, November 23, 2019
Profile of Christiane Amanpour
Profile of Christiane Amanpour Christiane Amanpour, CNN Chief Intl Correspondent for 20 Years: Christiane Amanpour, one of the worlds most honored broadcast journalists, was CNN Chief International Correspondent for 20 years. Shes also said to be the worlds highest-paid correspondent. On March 18, 2010, ABC News named Amanpour as moderator for its Sunday morning The Week interview program, starting on August 1, 2010. She left CNN after 27 years. An Amanpour report validates a storys importance. Shes often given insider access where other reporters are neither welcomed nor allowed. Shes an authority on Islam with extensive Middle East and worldwide connections. Recently Notable: Commented Amanpour on March 18, 2010, Im thrilled to be joining the incredible team at ABC News. Being asked to anchor This Week and the superb tradition started by David Brinkley, is a tremendous and rare honor and I look forward to discussing the great domestic and international issues of the day. Amanpour was in the Baghdad courtroom on October 19, 2005 when Saddam Hussein made his first trial appearance, and at Husseins initial hearing in 2004. Time magazine has called her the most influential foreign correspondent since Edward R. Murrow. Personal Data: Birth - January 12, 1958 in LondonEducation - From age 11, attended two Roman Catholic all-girls schools in Great Britain. Graduated Summa Cum Laude from University of Rhode Island in 1983 with a BA in Journalism.Family - Married since 1998 to James (Jamie) Rubin, US State Department spokesman under President Clinton; one son, Darius, born in 2000. Growing Up Christiane Amanpour: Born to Iranian airline executive Mohammed Amanpour and his British wife, Patricia, her family moved to Tehran soon after her birth. Christiane led a privileged life in Iran, and then at British boarding schools. She studied journalism in London only because her sister backed out of attending and couldnt obtain a tuition refund. Her family fled Iran, and became refugees, in 1979 during the Islamic Revolution. Shortly thereafter, Amanpour moved to Rhode Island to attend college. Christiane Amanpours Early Career Years: While a student, Amanpour interned at the Rhode Island NBC affiliate WJAR. After graduation, she endured numerous network rejections because she lacked the right look. She eventually landed an assistants job on CNNs international desk in Atlanta. I arrived at CNN with a suitcase, with my bicycle and with about 100 dollars. She was transferred to Eastern Europe in 1986, during the fall of Communism. It was there that her reporting caught the attention of CNN brass. Christiane Amanpour as CNN Foreign Correspondent: Amanpour was elevated to CNN foreign correspondent in 1989, where she reported on democratic revolutions in Eastern Europe. She first attained widespread acclaim for her riveting coverage of the Persian Gulf War in 1990, followed by award-winning reporting of the conflicts in Bosnia and Rwanda. Based in London, shes reported from war zones in Iraq, Israel, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, Rwanda and beyond. Shes also secured innumerable exclusive interviews with world leaders. Amanpour Exclusive Interviews, Partial List: 2003 British Prime Minister Tony Blair, French President Jacques Chirac just prior to the War in Iraq2003 Mahmoud Abbas, first Palestinian Prime Minister2002 Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, in isolation in his Ramallah headquarters. (Arafat hung up on her after a shouting match.)2001 Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf during the war against Afghanistan1999 Mikhail Gorbachev on the 10th anniversary of Communisms fall1997 Mohammad Khatami, new President of Iran Awards and Accolades, Partial List: On June 17, 2007, Amanpour was named by Queen Elizabeth as a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, which is only one step shy of knighthood. Professional awards include:2000 Edward R. Murrow Award for Distinguished Achievement in Broadcast Journalism2002 Harvards Goldsmith Career Award for JournalismTwo Emmy news/documentary awardsTwo George Foster Peabody Awards for BroadcastingTwo George Polk Awards for JournalismCourage in Journalism Award, International Womens Media FoundationMajor role in two duPont awards and a Golden Cable Ace award given to CNN Interesting Personal Notes: While attending University of Rhode Island, she became friends and shared an off-campus house with Brown University student John F. Kennedy, Jr. They remained close friends until his 1999 death. Christiane Amanpour is described as modest, private and quite magnetic. Her reporting is unfailingly hard-hitting, accurate and insightful. Shes often pictured on-camera sans make-up and in an ever-present, unglamorous flak jacket. She was named 1997 Iranian Woman of the Year. Memorable Quotes: Remember the movie Field of Dreams when the voice said, Build it and they will come? Well somehow that dumb statement has always stuck in my mind, and I always say, If you tell a compelling story, they will watch. I think that as a country that is so powerful, so good in its values, so determined to spread values such as democracy, morality around the world...its absolutely vital...that the people of the United States get a look at whats going on outside. Its our role and its our job to be able to go to these places and bring back stories, just as a window on the world. I remember once doing a live shot from a so-called famine camp in Ethiopia-and actually in Somalia as well. I was showing a man and telling his story and explaining how ill he was, and it was a live camera. All of a sudden, I realized that he was dying. And I didnt know what to do, I didnt know how to break that moment, how to get the camera away, what to do that would not sully what was happening in real life. And then theres always the crying and the weeping that we hear.....children, women, even men. And these images and these sounds are always with me....-...a strange thing has happened, something I never expected. Sadly, (my) marriage and motherhood have coincided with the demise of journalism as I knew it and I dreamt that it would always be. I am no longer sure that when I go out there and do my job, itll even see the light of air, if the experience of my colleagues is anything to go by. More times than I care to remember, I have sympathized with too many of them assigned like myself, to some of the worlds royal bad places. They would go through hell to do their pieces, only to frequently find them killed back in New York, because of some fascinating new twist on killer Twinkies or Fergie getting fatter or something. I have always thought it morally unacceptable to kill stories...that people have risked their lives to get.
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Organizational culture is fundamentally about symbolic meaning and as Essay - 1
Organizational culture is fundamentally about symbolic meaning and as such cannot be managed. Discuss - Essay Example By symbolism people consciously give shape and form to their own reality. Reality does not constitute of objects to which humans react, rather it is the social environment within which people act according to their own perspective of the situation. Any object or action can be called a symbol when it has a differentiated meaning from its actual self. An object or action becomes a symbol when it is not perceived by their apparent form but by the meaning applied to it by the members of the organization. For instance a large desk is not viewed as an object of convenience for various activities, but is regarded as a representative of the organizationââ¬â¢s power, status and influence. Thus, the desk becomes a cultural symbol of the organizationââ¬â¢s status (Schultz, 1995, p.76). Organizational culture is imbibed with abstract aspects like feelings, emotions and thought processes of people, and also with objects for their symbolic values rather than their instrumental values. Organi zational culture is thus not easy to manage since many profound aspects of culture like visions and feelings of people must be considered with great value when objective is to bring possible changes to organizational culture. This paper focuses on the interconnection of symbolism and organizational culture. ... In the last few decades, most academics have been suggesting that the idea of culture is the environment and the climate created by the organization for management of its people. Organizational culture is the system of feelings, thoughts and beliefs of a group of people associated with an organization, and the meaning that people attach to their actions. It reflects the views of the employees about the way things are done in an organization (Oââ¬â¢Donnell & Boyle, 2008, p.viii). Thus, culture provides a sense of identity to an organization. The culture of an organization encompasses everything that it is good at and all the things that worked in the past. These concepts are generally accepting by the employees who have been working in an organization for a long period. When new employees join the organization, they learn about the legends of the organization. With time such legends become the norm which means they become the normal and accepted pattern of behavior. (Oââ¬â¢Donne ll & Boyle, 2008, pp.4-5) In recent times management theories have been emphasizing on the managers the importance of creating a strong cultural ambiance within the organization (Oââ¬â¢Donnell & Boyle, 2008, p.viii). The fascinating thing about culture is that it indicates a phenomenon that is hidden beneath the surface and is invisible but has powerful impact. Culture shapes the behavioral patterns of the members of a group through the common beliefs that are held in that group (Schein, 2010, p.14). It has been suggested that ââ¬Å"culture and leadership are fundamentally intertwined.â⬠(Schein, 2010, p.xi) There are three elements to this ââ¬â 1) the leaders are
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