Analyze the data in paragraphs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Analyze the data in paragraphs - Essay Example When asked whether ELI classrooms temperature is usually suitable, 4 out of 30(13%) of the students agreed that the temperature is ok, 22 out of 30(74%) disagreed and thought that the temperature is not suitable and 4 out of 30(13%) were neutral. The fourth question was about whether ELI classrooms are provided with comfortable chairs and tables.9 out of 30(30%) of students interviewed answered in the affirmative, 14 out of 30(47%) of the students did not think that the tables and chairs are comfortable and 7 out of 30(23%) were undecided and hence neutral. The last question was about whether ELI classrooms are near to each other and usually taken in same building.8 out of 30(27%) replied in the affirmative,16 out of 30(53%) disagreed and 6 out of 30(20%) were neutral. The survey clearly indicates that ELI classrooms temperature is not suitable to most students and also the classrooms should be provided with comfortable chairs and tables. Majority of the students (53%) also do not think that ELI classrooms are near to each other and usually taken in same building. This should also be evaluated and implemented by concerned party, since it touches on the well being of the students directly, which is very crucial for their learning process. The ELI classrooms are however designed to be comfortable and practical for most students and are well equipped with technical tools which help in learning

Glass Ceiling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Glass Ceiling - Essay Example ual binary is a persistent feature of the workplace today and the glass ceiling is an implicit manifestation of the impediments that women face in the labor force. According to Paige Churchman, renowned feminist theorist Gay Bryan coined the term glass ceiling many decades ago to describe the invisible barriers to professional advancement that women face in the labor force. Although women have entered the paid labor force in record numbers, attainting leadership roles in a corporate environment remains a challenge and invisible barriers impeded their development. While women hope to lead by example and advance professionally, the challenges that they face today are less overt than they once were but remain important impediments to their full professional advancement (Churchman, 2009). According to Women at Work, Leadership for the Next Century, the glass ceiling is a phenomenon which invisible, artificial barriers to the professional advancement of women remain the greatest impediments to their growth within an organization (Smith, 1999). The glass ceiling is arguably the most important impediment to the professional development of women in the 21st century and it is predicated upon the sexual binary. The glass ceiling is an important challenge for women in the paid labor force because it is implicit and limits their opportunities for professional advancement. While discrimination and sexual harassment are often explicit barriers to the full inclusion of women within the paid labor force, the entry of women into paid labor in record numbers has not resulted in complete equality. According to Nora Frenkel more than 25 years ago, â€Å"women have reached a certain point. I call it the glass ceiling. There isnt enough room for all those women at the top,† (Me yerson & Fletcher, 2000, 127). The glass ceiling, in addition to â€Å"pink collar ghettos†, are important yet often ignored aspects of the challenges women face in the labor force today. These metaphors

Civil War Essay Example for Free

Civil War Essay Brothers fighting brothers, a country imploding in itself, the world is an antithesis of what auspicious t it is today. A country separated by gender, race, religion, and class is that really a Union? The Civil War has begun, a fight not yet for the freedom of slaves but a fight to mold two sides of a coin into one. The oppressed brethren are reluctant to fight and why shouldn’t they be through all the injustices the Union has placed upon them? Regardless, Alfred M. Green delivers a speech in an effort to persuade his brethren into fighting for the right to join the army that empathizes with his fellow brethren’s inundation, that promises commemoration and recognition for his fellow African Americans, and that promotes the Union’s battle as a righteous one. Green starts his speech down on the mat with a crowd that holds the candid opinion of not wanting to join a fight for a country that oppresses its people, enslaves its people, and imprisons its people. Nevertheless Green acknowledges his brethren’s suffering and injustice caused by the â€Å"fugitive slave-laws† and the â€Å"Dred Scott decisions† and states that ‘[their] duty is not to cavil over past grievances† but to aid the country with â€Å"burning zeal and enthusiasm†. By empathizing with the injustices the Union has committed towards the black community, Green preemptively dismisses the crowd’s probable argument and establishes a common ground to build upon later in his speech. Likewise, Green mention’s that â€Å"the brave deeds of our fathers†¦ have failed to bring us recognition† which quickly refutes the future argument that the Brethren have already sacrificed their share and establishes the point that it’s up to the blacks of that era to bring â€Å"honor† and â€Å"glory† to the African American race. After acknowledging the mistreatment the Union has committed to the free and enslaved blacks, Green emphasizes that joining the war against the South will â€Å"improve the present auspicious moment creating anew [the brethren’s] claims upon the justice and honor for the Republic†. This quote suggests that taking up arms for the Union will secure the future of free African Americans with freedom and honor. In addition, Green says, â€Å"let not the honor and glory achieved by our fathers be blasted or sullied by a want of true heroism among their sons†. Green invokes â€Å"filial piety† in the crowd by ultimately saying that the good reputation their ancestors had laid out in the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812 should not be â€Å"sullied† or â€Å"blasted† and should be preserved and built upon for this time they may secure a free future. Towards the climax of his speech, Green promotes the Union Army as God’s Army and â€Å"[he or God] will defend the right, remembering that these are other days than those of yore.† By stating God wants the audience to â€Å"take up the sword† ultimately encourages the religious brethren to join this â€Å"army of God† and gives these mistreated people hope because God wants them to succeed and gain freedom from judgment and racism imposed on their race. Green also says â€Å"[their] very presence among the troops of the North would inspire [their] oppressed brethren of the South with zeal†¦ and confidence.† Green’s intention for this quote was to evoke the righteousness of the northern audience to fight for the southern slaves who are enduring far worse hardships. Alfred M. Green recognizes the hardship his race has endured but insists that their involvement in the war will secure a future filled with honor and glory and insists that God sides with the North and trusts them to fight for and free the enslaved south. In essence, Green convincing blacks and whites to work together as equals was the leap of mankind that inspired the many immigrants and future generations to see the United States of America as the land of freedom and the home of the brave.

Strategies for Organizational Structure

Strategies for Organizational Structure 1.1 Organizational Structure Organizational Structure is the strategic manner by which organizations arrange (or rearrange) themselves (Galbraith, 1973). This is essentially important in determining how organizations plan on utilizing their resources , particularly their human resources. To do so efficiently, certain questions need to have precise answers such as the specific responsibilities of each individual within the organization, to whom exactly they report and most importantly the coordination process that is to be implemented to bring together all these people and processes simultaneously. Bearing in mind that any framework followed needs to be consistent with the organizations main objectives, a formal channel defining the lines of authority from top to bottom (i.e. Hierarchy of Authority) is established which identifies clearly who is responsible for which personnel and/or tasks (Perrow, 1986). Traditionally, the authority of decision-making has been a centralized process (i.e. directed to higher-level management), but with increasing challenges innovation in recent times, many organizations now encourage a decentralized decision making model which gives its members the authority to make decisions without the need to consult their superiors. This has the advantage of producing a real-time response to problems by people who are specialized in that process while at the same time giving employees certain autonomy which creates a sense of job satisfaction and motivation. However this could lead to the undermining of upper management if not tackled properly. There exist 2 primary dimensions to organizational structure: The Vertical Dimension relates to the hierarchy within a company by distinguishing the decision makers and people in charge. Such organizations are considered to have either a tall or a flat structure (See Fig.1 in Appendix A). It includes the Span of Control of these individuals, which refers to the number of people they are responsible for and in effect, those groups who report to a single manager (these differ in quantity based on the nature of the work, skill-sets available, organizational culture, management style and level of Formalization, i.e. documentation of processes, rules and regulations (Noshria, 1991). Due to the high number or levels found in a Tall Structure (can exceed twelve), managers tend to have a Narrow Span of Control; where only 5 or 6 people report to any single supervisor. The converse holds for Flat Structures which have a Wide Span of Control; where up to 10 to 12 people could be reporting to a single manager, depending on the tasks involved. In short, th e taller the structure, the more the Span of Control decreases. The Horizontal Dimension addresses the division and assignment of tasks and functions across various departments within the organization. Such organizations are considered to be either wide or narrow. The structure that an organization adopts for itself is contingent upon a number of considerations like its products and services, the sort of customer base it caters to, the business strategy it employs and the management of different departments processes. The most common organizational types can be classified as follows (Fontaine, 2007): The Functional Structure which is more in line with the Vertical Dimension is perhaps the most common structure in the business world due to its simplicity and ease. By this structure, organizations set up themselves into different departments with similar skill-sets, managed by someone who is an expert in that trade. (See Fig.2 in Appendix A) (Ouchi Dowling, 1974) The Divisional Structure is more concerned with utilizing people with similar abilities across the entire business, wherever the need may be. Thus such a structure lies within the Horizontal Dimension. Such divisions may be based on different product lines, consumer markets and even geographical markets. (See Fig.3 in Appendix A) The Matrix Structure is an incorporation of both Functional and Divisional Structures, although interestingly, it operates like neither. The foundation of this structure is still functional; however different projects would require the pooling of these human resources from the various departments to serve their purpose. The project managers borrow their staff who are then involved in the project from start to finish. This is sometimes a challenge as there is a limited number of staff in each department and each project would have its own specific needs. However it is the most efficient of all organizational structures. (See Fig.4 in Appendix A) (Davis Lawrence, 1977) The Horizontally Linked Structure is a relatively new concept whereby an organization groups its people along the value chain of activities and processes that produce, market, deliver, and service the firms offerings (Spector, 2007). (See Fig.5 in Appendix A) 1.2 Organizational Culture Culture is a complex yet powerful force present in any organization that encompasses its workers values, beliefs, attitudes, behavior and shared assumptions. It is the moral compass that guides individuals in their actions at an unconscious level in all aspects of its internal and external relationships. Organizational Culture can be identified by 4 basic types: (Cameron Quinn, 1999) (See Fig.6 in Appendix A) Collaborative (Clan) Culture: This sort of culture is characterized by its open and friendly environment where people genuinely invest a lot of themselves in the work they do. A family system is at play where managers play parental and/or mentor figures. There is a great deal of focus on group coordination consensus, and the organizations belief is that its greatest assets are its workers. Create (Adhocracy) Culture: Entrepreneur and Innovative skills are highly valued in this culture with focus on individual initiative and freedom. The organization thrives by being market leader by continually introducing new products or services , hence their stress upon risk-taking measures and experimentation as a unifying quality. Long-term strategies focus on growth and acquiring new resources. Control (Hierarchy) Culture: Behavior is governed by a strict set of rules and policies in this setting. Formal structures intend on maintaining dependency and low cost of their product with workers being commended on their performance, efficiency and consistency. Leaders are required to be efficiency-conscious with ultimate goals of security and predictability. Compete (Market) Culture: This culture is perhaps the most cut-throat of all with worker competitiveness and goal oriented. Leaders need to be demanding, active and most importantly productive with the common unifying goal of success. The organization is in a constant battle to increase market share and penetration by providing competitive pricing and holding the position of market leader. Long-term focus is on achieving measurable goals and targets, and building a strong reputation. It is important to understand that no one culture is better than the other. Each culture plays a critical role in an organizations success so long as it is in sync with the organizations goals. Recent studies conducted have shown that even within a single organization, there may exist multiple cultures (sub-cultures) besides the dominating one which once again should not be construed as a negative element. In fact many scholars believe the existence of sub-cultures to be a source of healthy competition and the driving force behind innovation within the industry. The understanding of organizational cultures is equally important for managers and owners not only to be aware of their employees needs but also in designing a workplace that complements such a culture. 1.3 Effects on Business The relationship between Organizational Structure and Culture is one that is not clearly distinguishable. In general, the structure is designed to exist within a particular culture , in effect, aiding the culture to run with the consistency and efficiency that would be the sign of a successful system. Thus, organizational structure is primarily concerned with the setup of the culture. Traditionally, certain cultures have been associated with certain structures and each of these setups have their benefits and disadvantages. Functional Structure + Control Culture: Since centralized decision making is prevalent here, top-management is in control of most aspects of the business. This could be beneficial if the management is highly skilled and there isnt as much competence on the lower levels of the business but could be equally disastrous if such skills are in short supply in management. As a bonus, employees have the opportunity to learn a great deal from their seniors which could help in their career paths to take on decision making positions. Since this setup fosters stability and efficiency, there is better collaboration with similar processes per group while making use of the economies of scale. The biggest disadvantage here is of lack of communication not only between the different levels of the hierarchy but also between the different departments , leading to serious conflicts. This in turn affects each individuals priority on goals which tend to be more department-focused than that of the organizat ion as a whole. Customers are usually also affected by such systems where they are passed on from department to department regarding issues they might have. Divisional Structure + Create Culture: Since the structure is one which brings together different departments and the culture one in which individuals are encouraged to think innovatively, the result is a well-functioning unit with greater opportunities to learn about the different aspects of the business. In addition to better response time to customers issues due to greater accountability, the wider span of control helps in developing managerial and executive skills. The disadvantage here is of a great deal of duplication of tasks because of the different units with all departments in it performing the same function. This also spells out a reduction in specialization as well as a great deal of in-house competition between the different divisions of the business. Matrix Structure + Compete Culture: The efficiency of this model is extremely high due to the continuous utilization of highly skilled personnel from different departments on different projects. Since these sorts of projects depend on a vast amount of technical knowledge, individuals often have the authority to make critical decisions which also exposes others to a great amount of learning potential, even in scopes of fields beyond their own. Also departmental conflict is reduced due to the regular re-shuffling between projects , rather the competition is between different teams. Unfortunately it is because of these same hasty groupings that employees can tend to get frustrated and confused about their new functions and who they now report to. Also a great deal of time is wasted in meetings to decide on the allocation of these valuable human resources. The above examples were just a few of many forms of different structures and cultures combined. It is important to note that for the specific needs of a particular business, some forms of combination of any 2 factors could serve them better than if the same set-up were used elsewhere. Numerous factors need to be taken into consideration before a decision is reached on which option is to be implemented , and it may also require the trial-testing of the different combinations practically before anything conclusive can be said in that regard. 1.4 Individual Behavior The term Organizational Behavior actually relates to the collective dominant behaviors of individuals within an organization. As such positive individual behavior would have the potential to do the following in an organization (See Fig.7 in Appendix A). The factors which distinguish a happy satisfied employee from a disgruntled unmotivated employee are highlighted in the MARS Model of Individual Behavior (McShane Von Glinow, 2008) which identifies 4 elements effecting employee performance; Motivation, Ability, Role Perception and Situational Forces (See Fig.8 in Appendix A) Motivation is the set of internal influences behind an employees voluntary actions. In the workplace Maslows hierarchy of needs describe the fundamentals that serve such actions (Maslow, 1954): Level 1 Physical: the need for air, water, food exercise, rest, freedom from diseases disabilities Level 2 Security: the need for job security, safe working conditions and overall stability Level 3 Social: the need for being loved, a sense of belonging, inclusion and workplace camaraderie Level 4 Esteem: the need for recognition, prestige and promotion Level 5 Self-Actualization: The need for autonomy, development and creativity An employees Ability are the natural aptitudes and learned capabilities that are required to successfully complete a task. This requires proper analysis of a persons core competencies and then matching them with the appropriate job. Role Perceptions refer to the beliefs held about what behavior is required to achieve the end results which include an understanding of what tasks need to be performed, their relative importance and preferred behaviors to accomplish them. Situational Factors encompass the environmental conditionals beyond an individuals short-term control that constrain or facilitate behaviors such as time, people, budget and work facilities. Types of Behavior in Organizations A significantly important aspect influencing organizational behavior is a persons Personality. Personality can be described as a set of feelings and behaviors that have been significantly formed by genetic and environmental factors and that explain a persons behavioral tendencies. Some major forces influencing personality include cultural and hereditary forces, family relationships and social class. These factors along with others, contribute towards the 5 big personality dimensions: Openness to Experience : Sensitive, Flexible Conscientiousness : Careful, Dependable Extroversion : Outgoing, Talkative Agreeableness : Courteous, Caring Neuroticism : Anxious, Hostile The importance of the study of different behavioral patterns is essential in unleashing the potential of any organization by unleashing the potential of all individuals who work therein. The Locus of Control determines the degree towards which individuals believe their behaviors influence what happens to them. Whereas Internals believe in their efforts and abilities Externals believe events are mainly due to external causes. It is the presence of such personalities spread throughout an organization which deems necessary appropriate maneuvers to maintain positive behavior in as many of its employees as possible. In addition to the benefits already discussed brought about by such behavior to organizations, an equally important aspect is that of self-efficacy and motivation. The ability to adapt ones behavior to a given situation is not only an important learning tool but a vital quality to have in your possession in order to cope with the different cultures that now exist within organi zations, while retaining ones unique identity. Furthermore the visualization of reactions to constraints posed to oneself might give them a clearer idea of the reactions of others to the same situation and possible tactics to handle it better. 1.5 Organizational Theory Organizational theories can be broadly classified as follows: Classical Organizational Theory deals with formal organization and its concepts to improve upon management efficiency. i) Taylors Scientific Management Approach (1947): This approach focused on achieving efficiency, standardization, specialization and simplification brought about by the planning of work. It also stressed on mutual respect between management workers to increase productivity by implementing measures to reduce physical emotional stress of workers, providing them with appropriate training to develop their capabilities and by eliminating the traditional boss concept. Taylor suggested 4 principles of scientific management for improved productivity: An employees work should be tackled in a scientific methodology, rather than by a rule-of-thumb. Hiring of members should be based on some analysis who are then trained, taught and developed. Management should apply a policy of cooperation rather than conflict with labors to achieve goals. Training of workers be carried out by experts using scientific methods. ii) Webers Bureaucratic Approach (1947): This approach took into consideration the organization as a segment of broader society, but was criticized for its rigidness, impersonality, unfeasible to bigger objectives and lack of initiative to improve status (Hicks and Gullett, 1975). The basis of the approach was on the following principles: Existence of hierarchy system with clear amounts of responsibility and authority defined for each position. Rules and Regulations should govern the behavior of organizations to maintain predictability and stability. Hiring and selection of employees should be impartial. Designations and not people should be delegated responsibility and authority to maintain democracy. iii) Fayols Administrative Theory (1949): This theory relates to the accomplishment of tasks and touches on management principles functions and concepts of line, staff committees. Productivity of technical and managerial work can be improved by dividing and/or specialization of the work. Authority and due responsibility are essential in achieving organizational objectives. Being answerable to and taking orders from a single supervisor would be most efficient in unity of command. All members of the organization should have a common goal to provide them with direction. Organizations interests should be given priority over individual and/or group interests. Measures to retain employees by several methods (e.g. time incentives, bonuses, profit-sharing, etc.) Management should utilize a blended system of both centralized decentralized decision making. Members on the same level of hierarchy should work together to accomplish work (Scalar chain). The organization should try to establish equity, fairness and justice. Employees should be given time to settle into their work and be assured of the security of their jobs. Members should be encouraged to show initiative. Measures to strengthen unity and allegiance should be practiced which would yield better performance. Concept of line and staff holds equally as important in organizations as anywhere else. Members from different departments at same hierarchal level can form committees around common goals. Functions of management include planning, organizing, training, commanding and coordinating functions (Fayol, 1949) as well as staffing, directing, reporting and budgeting (Gulick Urwick, 1937). Neoclassical Theory shed light upon the importance of individual group behavior and good social relations between all hierarchal levels to improve productivity as a result of high-morale brought about by such measures (Roethlisberger and Dickson, 1943). The neoclassical approach was based on the following principles: All members of an organization should be treated with the respect that a human deserves rather than be classified as a tool and as such requires fulfillment beyond economic and security factors. The approach highlighted informal groups at work within the formal organization and its importance. Workers should be allowed opportunities in decision making processes that would allow for a new and more effective form of management besides increasing productivity. Modern Theories define an organization as a designed and structured process in which individuals interact for objectives (Hicks and Gullet, 1975). The theories can be broadly classified as follows: i) The Systems Approach: This takes on the view that organizations are composed of systems and sub-systems which are mutually dependent on each other and may be composed of some components, functions and processes (Albrecht, 1983). So the organization has 3 basic elements (Bakke, 1959): 1. Components; that include the individual, formal and informal organization, patterns of behavior emerging from role demands of the organization, role comprehension of the individual, and the physical environment in which individuals work. 2. Linking processes; like communication, balance and decision making between the different components to operate in an organized and correlated manner. 3. Organizational Goals; like growth, stability and interaction between all members of the organization. ii) Socio-Technical Approach: This considers an equilibrium between people (the social system), techniques knowledge (the technical system) and consumers (the external environment) to be of great significance in determining the organizations effectiveness (Pasmore, 1988). iii) The Contingency or Situational Approach: The situational approach takes into account that as organizations are highly dependent of their external environments, there can be no universal guideline suited for all situations (Selznick, 1949; Burns and Stalker, 1961; Woodward, 1965; Lawrence and Lorsch, 1967). The contingency approach suggests that social, legal, political, technical and economic factors need to be taken into consideration before determining an organizations relations to different environments (Hellriegel and Slocum, 1973).

lion king the musical Essay -- essays research papers

Lion King: The Musical   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The original Disney cartoon of a lion cub blamed for his father’s death has been remade into a Broadway musical acclaimed all over the world. Seen by over twenty five million people in over 15 thousand performances this intricately designed wonder has taken over 37 thousand hours just to build the puppets and masks. Julie Taymor the director and costume designer was faced with a problem of whether to create humans or animals playing the part and she decided to make masks that show the animal face, as well as, show the human face giving the character his or her personality. As for expressing other animals that are not part of the main cast or to express a certain theme, 2 different kinds of puppetry were used to express an African theme.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Masks are considered â€Å"functional works of art† and play a social purpose in Africa. They are used in storytelling and ceremonies and are made to be worn over the head rather than cover the face. This technique is also used in The Lion King so that the human facial expression is not lost and to support the beadwork, corsets and armor used to show the human qualities of a lion. The costumes on the other hand are made of silk cloth to hide the human form, break the shoulder line and to enhance the powerful joints and thighs. The masks are made in such a way that the actor can control the facial expression of the mask through cables ... lion king the musical Essay -- essays research papers Lion King: The Musical   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The original Disney cartoon of a lion cub blamed for his father’s death has been remade into a Broadway musical acclaimed all over the world. Seen by over twenty five million people in over 15 thousand performances this intricately designed wonder has taken over 37 thousand hours just to build the puppets and masks. Julie Taymor the director and costume designer was faced with a problem of whether to create humans or animals playing the part and she decided to make masks that show the animal face, as well as, show the human face giving the character his or her personality. As for expressing other animals that are not part of the main cast or to express a certain theme, 2 different kinds of puppetry were used to express an African theme.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Masks are considered â€Å"functional works of art† and play a social purpose in Africa. They are used in storytelling and ceremonies and are made to be worn over the head rather than cover the face. This technique is also used in The Lion King so that the human facial expression is not lost and to support the beadwork, corsets and armor used to show the human qualities of a lion. The costumes on the other hand are made of silk cloth to hide the human form, break the shoulder line and to enhance the powerful joints and thighs. The masks are made in such a way that the actor can control the facial expression of the mask through cables ...

Cyberculture and the Future of Print :: Technology Writing Technological Papers

The technology that is available to the public today is mind-blowing. In my lifetime alone, I have seen astounding technological progress: from the home computer to the DVD player, to truly surreal medical breakthroughs. A new era is taking hold of society. We are faster, better educated, richer, and livelonger. All of these things can be attributed to the technological advances that have occurred within the last fifty years. Thanks to the â€Å"modern marvels† of our time, we can watch big-screen quality movies in our own homes, brew an awesome cup of French espresso without leaving the kitchen, and cooler still—communicate with someone in China, without ever picking up the phone or using a pen. Although electronic mail (a.k.a. email) is mainly used, at least in societies perception, for â€Å"quick† (and therefore not terribly important) conversations, I believe email has an important role precisely because it gets rid of the quick and unimportant details before face-to-face communication can take place. Allowing the face-to-face communication to focus more on significant issues. Erin Karper, a graduate student at Purdue University, writes this about an interview she conducted with a fellow student: Yes, I think [email] is important. I think that it allows us to prepare in advance for face-to-face meetings by allowing people to enter the conversation in a written mode, perhaps more carefully and well stated compared with the time-limited, real-time, face-to-face group discourse. So, what I am saying†¦I think email is important because it allows for pre-meeting communication that is of a different nature in terms of turn taking, temporality, and so forth. This different nature allows for more participation and more diverse modes of communication centering upon a given issue. I am not a knowledgeable user of technology; nor can I even claim to be an efficient one, but some technology I admit I can’t live without; such as: Microsoft word and, my best friend, email—though I use it for personal and educational correspondence; not nearly as fancy as Erin and her colleagues. I’m a busy person, and don’t have time for face-to-face communication with my friends and family, and I definitely don’t have the time to write and mail a letter. Email is an excellent alternative to face-to-face meetings, phone calls, and letters. I can describe important details of my day to people who mean the most to me, or I can update a classmate on upcoming assignments.

Gender Expectations from Society

Gender Expectations As far as anyone is concerned, boys and girls have always been different. From the well-known immaturity of a boy and the maturity of a girl to the actual differentiation of sex, it is obvious the difference between the two. Masculinity vs. femininity, the learning process when growing up, and responsibilities are the differences the stories â€Å"Boys† by Rick Moody and â€Å"Girl† by Jamaica Kincaid illustrate very well. And as society has its role, it uses these differences to set standards for each gender as for what is expected by them.These standards that are set are very stereotypical, making expectations and gender stereotypes go hand in hand. The learning process for a boy and a girl as they grow up is very different. In the story â€Å"Boys†, how boys learn is illustrated very well. Throughout the whole story, the boys are about doing things and learning from their mistakes. No one teaches them anything, but they learn from life on a trial and error basis. They were left alone to learn by themselves through what life had to offer for them. But the girl from the story â€Å"Girl† was taught completely different.She was taught everything by what seemed to be a mother figure. She was taught what to do at a young age while being taught what she would have to do in the future at the same. From how to fold clothes to â€Å"†¦how to bully a man† (Kincaid 201) there was always some one teaching her. And due to this learning process for each gender, responsibilities are set. Responsibilities are probably the biggest part of growing up. The responsibilities for each gender differentiate greatly. A woman seems to have more responsibilities because she is taught what she must do, and especially if she is maintaining a household.But she knows what to do when it comes time that she has to do it. As for a man, he never stops learning. Life seems to continue going on that trial and error basis. And the respo nsibilities for him are not that hard until he begins a family. Once he starts a family, he must take the full-blown responsibility for caring and providing for them. But a boy does not become a man because of age, but because of what he learned from life. In the story â€Å"Boys†, the boys are seen to be in their teenage years but are still considered boys.Not until their father dies are they considered men, because that is when they learn what they need to actually be men. A woman has no need for this type of lesson, because they were taught everything they need to become since they were young. These responsibilities are thought to be because of one idea: masculinity vs. femininity. Masculinity vs. femininity has always been a great factor for what is expected from each gender, and is generally stereotyped. Men are thought to always be strong and to be leaders, while women are thought to be fragile and helpful.This greatly influences the expectations, as women are thought t o be weaker and more vulnerable. This is why women are thought to have to stay home and take care of the household while the man goes out to work. For a man, it is expected that he lead the household and take care of it. Also, because a man is generally thought as being strong, he must go out and work in order to provide for his family. And though times have changed, this idea seems to remain. Men can stay home while the woman works, but then others look down on them.It’s just what is expected from a man and woman based on their responsibilities and their learning process. It seems that most ideas and expectations concerning men and women are very stereotypical. Maybe it is because of masculinity vs. femininity and the expectations that come from that. Maybe it’s the learning process that boys and girls have as they grow up and the expectations based on how they learn. Or maybe it is because of the responsibilities that are expected from man or woman. Maybe it’s a combination of these reasons. But whatever the reason may be, the stereotypes are there. They are stereotyped expectations on gender.