Rob Parson at Morgan Stanley free essay sample

Paul Nasr, a senior MD in Capital Market Services at Morgan Stanley (hereafter referred to as MS) is facing the challenging question of how to effectively handle Parson’s annual performance review without creating a vacancy in an irreplaceable area that was difficult to perform and had seen a tremendous amount of turnover at MS. Nasr had the fear of losing Parson, his valuable employee and a star producer if he was not promoted to Managing Director as promised by Nasr during his hiring. Rob Parson, Principal, Capital Market Services (CMS) had played a critical role in making significant gains in building MS’s revenue and reputation. Parson was an outstanding individual contributor, who in his sincere, relentless attempt to generate more business, had created a hostile environment around him by going against the norms and culture of the organization. MS’s environment and mission statement was of teamwork, innovation, building consensus and treating employees with dignity and respect. We will write a custom essay sample on Rob Parson at Morgan Stanley or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page However, there was no formal training for new employees regarding MS’s culture, expectations and performance evaluation (PE) process. Next, there were several biases and blind spots in the PE process. The 360 ° performance evaluation appeared to be a very shallow process, and there was no consensus on how to implement a decision based on PE and how to use the PE under various circumstances. Instructions and training on how to make effective performance assessment was not provided to the managers. There was no definite internal validity/reliability measure of the PE, leading to personal biases. Questions were not specific and focused on the job function of the employee. Although, Parson’s colleagues and seniors had described him to be volatile, cocky, abrasive, overbearing, and insincere and â€Å"not a team player†, strong examples to site his strengths and weakness were missing. Also, the 360 ° evaluation process was not customized to special situations where one may have to contribute individually and use out of the box strategies to build business in areas like CMS. Although, Parson had to break a few eggs in order to develop the firm’s presence in the CMS area, he had extraordinary client relationship skills and made significant gains in building MS’s reputation (ranked up from tenth to third) and revenues (market shares raised from 2% to 12. 2 %). Additionally, he was commended by several colleagues for his ability to cross-sell, his willingness to share information and make introductions and his energetic approach to his job. Clearly, the PE failed to mathematically compute these different dimensions in determining an employee’s promotion. Lastly, Nasr was partially responsible for Parson’s failure to adapt to MS’s work culture. Although he had worked with Parson at a different firm earlier and was familiar with his work style and personality, he failed in his responsibility to train Parson to Morgan Stanley’s work culture. He underestimated the fact that Parson was not the typical MS type and the degree to which some of Parson’s actions had violated MS norms. Also, in being sympathetic towards Parson and being perceived by others as his â€Å"Godfather† he failed to address the interpersonal problems Parson was facing in working with the people inside the firm and took a soft stance towards Parson. He could not be a good mentor and did not provide him timely and constructive feedback. Nasr could handle this problem by utilizing the following possible alternatives. First, he can recommend promotion for Parson after completing his performance evaluation and development summary. Nasr could explain to the senior product managers about Parson’s strengths and contributions to the firm within a short time and that too in a challenging area and submit to them an effective action plan to improve his interpersonal skills. Nasr should discuss with Parson the action plan and ask him to work on his interpersonal and organizational skills and have Parson himself address the committee about his shortcomings and remedial actions that he has taken. Secondly, Nasr can meet with Parson to discuss the PE data packet as well as his view on the same. He can come up with an action plan with Parson to work on his weaker areas and provide him with resources for the same, for e. g. assigning him a mentor to guide him to adapt to MS work style and sending him to workshops on team building and interpersonal skills. He can provide him with more frequent feedback and set target dates for reviewing him in 3 months to decide whether or not to put him up for promotion. Alternatively, Nasr does not put him up for promotion after his performance evaluation and development summary and explains his rationale behind the same; discusses short term and long term goals with him and comes up with an action plan for the forthcoming year. Lastly, After reflecting over all the aspects of the PE, Nasr can discuss in the meeting with the higher management his concerns if the current PE is fair to be used as a reliable criteria for promotion of an employee, keeping in mind that not all jobs in the company can be  perfectly filled by adhering to the job culture that MS has developed, and should be customized in special situations like these. On the other hand, I believe Parson should not be promoted at this point of time. MD needs to be a â€Å"role model†, who reflects company’s vision and mission statement to his department employees. He needs to command respect for knowledge and insight among people, both inside and outside the firm. Parson, on the other hand was overbearing, judgmental, rushing to a decision or opinion before having the facts, with inconsistent moods and disrespectful at times and not perceived as a team player by most of his colleagues. Also, he failed to lead as a Principal in CMS, by not showing much of a presence in the morning meetings. Contrary to the average score of 4. 0 for professional skills, he only scored average of 2. 95 for management skills in colleague rating. Ability to articulate department visions and strategy is an important responsibility of a MD, which Parson seems to be currently lacking. Rob Parson at Morgan Stanley free essay sample Paul Nasr, a senior MD in Capital Market Services at Morgan Stanley (hereafter referred to as MS) is facing the challenging question of how to effectively handle Parson’s annual performance review without creating a vacancy in an irreplaceable area that was difficult to perform and had seen a tremendous amount of turnover at MS. Nasr had the fear of losing Parson, his valuable employee and a star producer if he was not promoted to Managing Director as promised by Nasr during his hiring. Rob Parson, Principal, Capital Market Services (CMS) had played a critical role in making significant gains in building MS’s revenue and reputation. Parson was an outstanding individual contributor, who in his sincere, relentless attempt to generate more business, had created a hostile environment around him by going against the norms and culture of the organization. MS’s environment and mission statement was of teamwork, innovation, building consensus and treating employees with dignity and respect. We will write a custom essay sample on Rob Parson at Morgan Stanley or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page However, there was no formal training for new employees regarding MS’s culture, expectations and performance evaluation (PE) process. Next, there were several biases and blind spots in the PE process. The 360 ° performance evaluation appeared to be a very shallow process, and there was no consensus on how to implement a decision based on PE and how to use the PE under various circumstances. Instructions and training on how to make effective performance assessment was not provided to the managers. There was no definite internal validity/reliability measure of the PE, leading to personal biases. Questions were not specific and focused on the job function of the employee. Although, Parson’s colleagues and seniors had described him to be volatile, cocky, abrasive, overbearing, and insincere and â€Å"not a team player†, strong examples to site his strengths and weakness were missing. Also, the 360 ° evaluation process was not customized to special situations where one may have to contribute individually and use out of the box strategies to build business in areas like CMS. Although, Parson had to break a few eggs in order to develop the firm’s presence in the CMS area, he had extraordinary client relationship skills and made significant gains in building MS’s reputation (ranked up from tenth to third) and revenues (market shares raised from 2% to 12. 2 %). Additionally, he was commended by several colleagues for his ability to cross-sell, his willingness to share information and make introductions and his energetic approach to his job. Clearly, the PE failed to mathematically compute these different dimensions in determining an employee’s promotion. Lastly, Nasr was partially responsible for Parson’s failure to adapt to MS’s work culture. Although he had worked with Parson at a different firm earlier and was familiar with his work style and personality, he failed in his responsibility to train Parson to Morgan Stanley’s work culture. He underestimated the fact that Parson was not the typical MS type and the degree to which some of Parson’s actions had violated MS norms. Also, in being sympathetic towards Parson and being perceived by others as his â€Å"Godfather† he failed to address the interpersonal problems Parson was facing in working with the people inside the firm and took a soft stance towards Parson. He could not be a good mentor and did not provide him timely and constructive feedback. Nasr could handle this problem by utilizing the following possible alternatives. First, he can recommend promotion for Parson after completing his performance evaluation and development summary. Nasr could explain to the senior product managers about Parson’s strengths and contributions to the firm within a short time and that too in a challenging area and submit to them an effective action plan to improve his interpersonal skills. Nasr should discuss with Parson the action plan and ask him to work on his interpersonal and organizational skills and have Parson himself address the committee about his shortcomings and remedial actions that he has taken. Secondly, Nasr can meet with Parson to discuss the PE data packet as well as his view on the same. He can come up with an action plan with Parson to work on his weaker areas and provide him with resources for the same, for e. g. assigning him a mentor to guide him to adapt to MS work style and sending him to workshops on team building and interpersonal skills. He can provide him with more frequent feedback and set target dates for reviewing him in 3 months to decide whether or not to put him up for promotion. Alternatively, Nasr does not put him up for promotion after his performance evaluation and development summary and explains his rationale behind the same; discusses short term and long term goals with him and comes up with an action plan for the forthcoming year. Lastly, After reflecting over all the aspects of the PE, Nasr can discuss in the meeting with the higher management his concerns if the current PE is fair to be used as a reliable criteria for promotion of an employee, keeping in mind that not all jobs in the company can be erfectly filled by adhering to the job culture that MS has developed, and should be customized in special situations like these. On the other hand, I believe Parson should not be promoted at this point of time. MD needs to be a â€Å"role model†, who reflects company’s vision and mission statement to his department employees. He needs to command respect for knowledge and insight among people, both inside and outside the firm. Parson, on the other hand was overbearing, judgmental, rushing to a decision or opinion before having the facts, with inconsistent moods and disrespectful at times and not perceived as a team player by most of his colleagues. Also, he failed to lead as a Principal in CMS, by not showing much of a presence in the morning meetings. Contrary to the average score of 4. 0 for professional skills, he only scored average of 2. 95 for management skills in colleague rating. Ability to articulate department visions and strategy is an important responsibility of a MD, which Parson seems to be currently lacking.

Sugar Produces Bitter Results for the Environment

Sugar Produces Bitter Results for the Environment Sugar is present in products we consume every day, yet we rarely give a second thought to how and where it is produced and what toll it may take on the environment. Sugar Production Damages the Environment According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), roughly 145 million tons of sugars are produced in 121 countries each year. And sugar production does indeed take its toll on surrounding soil, water and air, especially in threatened tropical ecosystems near the equator. A 2004 report by WWF, titled â€Å"Sugar and the Environment,† shows that sugar may be responsible for more biodiversity loss than any other crop, due to its destruction of habitat to make way for plantations, its intensive use of water for irrigation, its heavy use of agricultural chemicals, and the polluted wastewater that is routinely discharged in the sugar production process. Environmental Damage from Sugar Production Is Widespread One extreme example of environmental destruction by the sugar industry is the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia. Waters around the reef suffer from large quantities of effluents, pesticides, and sediment from sugar farms, and the reef itself is threatened by the clearing of land, which has destroyed the wetlands that are an integral part of the reef’s ecology. Meanwhile, in Papua New Guinea, soil fertility has declined by about 40 percent over the last three decades in heavy sugar cane cultivation regions. And some of the world’s mightiest rivers- including the Niger in West Africa, the Zambezi in Southern Africa, the Indus River in Pakistan, and the Mekong River in Southeast Asia- have nearly dried up as a result of thirsty, water-intensive sugar production. Do Europe and the U.S. Produce Too Much Sugar? WWF blames Europe and, to a lesser extent, the United States, for over-producing sugar because of its profitability and therefore large contribution to the economy. WWF and other environmental groups are working on public education and legal campaigns to try to reform the international sugar trade. â€Å"The world has a growing appetite for sugar,† says Elizabeth Guttenstein of the World Wildlife Fund. â€Å"Industry, consumers and policy makers must work together to make sure that in the future sugar is produced in ways that least harm the environment.† Can Everglades Damage From Sugar Cane Farming be Reversed? Here in the United States the health of one of the country’s most unique ecosystems, Florida’s Everglades, is seriously compromised after decades of sugar cane farming. Tens of thousands of acres of the Everglades have been converted from teeming sub-tropical forest to lifeless marshland due to excessive fertilizer run-off and drainage for irrigation. A tenuous agreement between environmentalists and sugar producers under a â€Å"Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan† has ceded some sugar cane land back to nature and reduced water usage and fertilizer run-off. Only time will tell if these and other restoration efforts will help bring back Florida’s once teeming â€Å"river of grass.† Edited by Frederic Beaudry

4 Ways to Combat Negativity at Work

4 Ways to Combat Negativity at Work We all have that one co-worker who’s just plain†¦ negative. He or she comes in from the elevator followed by a sad, grey cloud. They spend all of their time grumbling about work- having either too much or too little, and their personal lives don’t sound much better. There’s always one in every office, and often to caricatured proportions. But it can be easy to drift into that negative territory. Just to make sure you haven’t taken on any of these bad habits or deflated attitudes, be on the look-out for the following four signs of encroaching negativity at work.   Avoid your own black cloud.Watch Your PostureRemember your first days on the job? You came to work all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, spine straight, head up, typing with your fingers on your home keys, sitting tall in your swivel chair, and drinking vegetable juice for lunch! Or, you know, some version of that kind of effort.But with time, and setbacks, and disappointments, your bad moods h ave started to sink into your bones. Before you know it, you’re slouched over your keys, slumping as you walk, and sneering at your screen. Even if you’re just stressed or inattentive to the ways in which your posture might be wavering, it’s making you look bad to your boss, who values positivity in outlook and professionalism in demeanor. Straighten up!Curb the ComplaintsIt’s too cold, too hot. The meeting was too long, too short. The coffee sucks. The vacation package sucks. Your insurance sucks. Your weekend sucked. The printer†¦ don’t get me started on the printer.Make sure you’re not constantly complaining, even if there are things that you could (reasonably) constantly complain about. And stop complaining altogether about things not in your power to change. If you find yourself ranting and raving for 20  minutes at a time, sit yourself down and ask why you’re suddenly so frustrated at work. But whatever you do, keep the c omplaining to a minimum. Start to notice every time you do it and keep track.Force Yourself to be FriendlyThat sounds awful, but how many people pop by your cubicle for a chat? Ask you to grab a coffee? Wait for you to head to lunch? If the answer is no one (especially if it used to be everyone), then you have some work to do. Not spending at least a small part of your workday chatting to coworkers is a pretty good sign that you’re not universally well-liked. Even if you aren’t a people person, try encouraging a little more social atmosphere. And the best way to make friends is to be upbeat and pleasant to be around!Can the PessimismLand a new project? Get a promotion? Is your first thought one of annoyance at how much extra work you’ll have to do? Or what stress you will be under? Or how many more hours you’ll have to log? That’s a bad sign. When even good news seems like bad news, it’s time to give yourself an outlook makeover.But don†™t worry! Even if you have slipped into the negativity bubble, it’s not too late to pull yourself back into the light. Remember, nobody likes a Negative Nelly. Get yourself back on the right track.

O2 Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

O2 - Dissertation Example 59-71). The historical evidences reveal the fact that O2 is not a very old brand; rather it initiated its operations during the decade of 80s, and was a subsidiary of a joint venture of two leading organizations. However, O2 came to existence in the early years of twenty first century as an outcome of splitting of the joint venture of two organizations (European Telecom, 2003, pp. 18-20). Although a Spanish company acquired and took over O2 and expanded the operations to European telecommunication market as well, O2 retained its origins (headquarter) in UK only. O2 did not only expand its business to other parts of Europe but also focused on extending its functional units within the industry and entered into the financial service industry (Sherwood, 2011). From the analysis of the marketing tactics of O2, it has come to observation that they have changed their slogans from time to time, which they consider it as revitalizing the brand in front of their customers (Telefonica UK Limite d, 2011). On the other hand, the major competitor of O2 that is Everything Everywhere, which comes under consideration as the giant and number one telecommunication brand of UK mull over the fact that they have their marketing as their key positive aspects and the reason of their position in the UK market. Moreover, Everything Everywhere works with a vision â€Å"to give the UK the best network and best service so that our customers trust us with their digital lives† (Everything Everywhere, 2012). However, O2 believes that if they bring further enhancements and progressions in their marketing strategies, it would provide strong basis for them to fight and compete against their main competitor (Huet, Tcheng and Galliot, 2010, pp. 152-153). The sales of the products or services of a company play a major role in deciding the success or the failure of the organization, which means that the sales of the organization is dependent upon how the company market its products and service s. It has even come to notice that O2 has not come under extensive research on the perspective of marketing that can provide the company with recommendations and proposals to improve their ways of alluring the people and convincing them to switch over to O2 telecommunications. The only information about the marketing strategies available is via published news (Telefonica UK Limited, 2011). The following research report intends to have a comprehensive study and analysis about the marketing strategies that O2 is currently using for attracting the customers in general. Based on these strategies, the thesis report would incorporate a wide range of marketing plans and policies that O2 can exercise so that they can gain the maximum share of the market and become the leading company within the telecommunication industry. The recommendations would also be a guideline for other telecommunication companies whether in UK or anywhere else in the world that they can employ in order to gain compe titive edge over others present

Phase 4 Individual Project 2 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Phase 4 Individual Project 2 - Assignment Example There was a keen and clear understanding that percolated through the organization: the company would focus on the discovery of ‘New Chemical Entities’ (or NCEs) and work towards the development of such molecules into viable drugs for sale in the market. The business goal of the company was to be a ‘market leader’ in the field of Drug discovery and research. The various laboratory instruments and equipment were chosen for procurement, based on the planned service capabilities of the company. Our company had invested in top quality bio-safety cabinets, laminar airflow chambers, gel documentation systems, liquid chromatography systems, flow cytometers and incubators, to name a few. The laboratory set up involved bulk investment of capital and recruitment of scientific personnel to handle such precision instruments. Clients were given tours of the laboratory facility and audits were managed professionally. This brought a good reputation to the company and soon, the company won its first major client: one of the ‘Top 10 Pharma companies’ of the nation! Pilot R&D studies were successfully conducted in the laboratory and the client was satisfied with the level of work and commitment. A few months in to the project from its first ever client, our company received a query to conduct ‘Clinical Trials’ on a particular drug that was discovered elsewhere. The management was keen to capitalize on such a wonderful opportunity that came along! ‘Clinical Research’ is indeed a dimension very different from ‘Drug Research and Development’; yet, it was lucrative since it promised good earnings in a much shorter duration. Our company’s senior management consisted of a Managing Director (who was not from the Life Sciences background), a President (who was a figure head) and a Chief Operating Officer (who was specialized in consulting services). The Head of the R&D facility was consulted for expert a dvice on this new project. After a few rounds of internal discussion, the management decided to go ahead with bidding for this Clinical Research project. The client insisted on several rounds of negotiation to which our company acceded. The final quote (which ultimately won the deal) was the lowest bid amongst all the local competitors. There were huge celebrations for winning the project and the existing employees were highly motivated and enthusiastic! The client expressed his urgency to begin the project with immediate effect. The Head of the R&D facility was now required to devote his time to the new project (though it meant a stark deviation from his original job responsibilities), owing to the project’s criticality. Resources were hastily recruited for the sole purpose of meeting the demands of this project. New departments such ‘Clinical Operations’, ‘Clinical Data Management’ and ‘Regulatory Affairs’ were formed in order to cater to the sudden requirements of the ‘clinical research’ sector. The Human Resource Development team was under extreme pressure to recruit the right resources in a very short span of time. The then existing Senior Management arranged for the legal documentation in the absence of a dedicated ‘Business team’. The project timelines and the milestones for payment proposed by the Sponsor (client) were quickly accepted by our company, in a bid to initiate this major project. A ‘Project Kick – Off meeting’ was arranged to formally commence the proceedings. A

Human Resource Management Essay Example for Free

Human Resource Management Essay Under what conditions is a group performance related pay scheme likely to fail? Should organisations employ only individual PRP schemes? Performance related pay (PRP), or merit pay, as it is often called, can be defined as the explicit link of financial reward to individual, group or company performance, or any combination of the three. In simple words, this means that the better the individual, group or company performs, the higher the financial reward will be for the worker. This reward can be in the form of a pay-rise, bonus, benefit such as a company house or car, or any such financial incentive that will in effect, motivate the employee to work even harder, and produce even better results. There are also different fixed types of PRP schemes, such as commission, profit-related pay, piece-rate (which is a more primitive method, as compared to the now modernistic methods that have been incorporated into management). PRP schemes are often categorised into three stages; The nature of the performance criteria, how performance against such criteria is assessed, and how this assessment is linked to pay. In accordance to these three approaches, it is possible to differentiate between individual schemes, and group approaches. This brings us to the focus of the discussion, which questions what could bring about the failure of group PRP schemes. This could come about due to many reasons. Some of the more basic ones being that particular members of the group might not be motivated, or hard-working enough to put in that effort in order to reap the benefits. Thus, due to certain individuals, the whole group could end up losing out on that financial gain. Normally when employing group schemes, it is specifically aimed at project completion, or some other such activity. The incentive normally given to the group in these situations, is in terms of either profit-sharing, or share ownership schemes. These normally provide the workers with a sense of producing enhanced performance, or showing strong commitment to the completion of the project. Other ways in which group PRP may fail is due to workers not getting along well together, or not communicating well with one another. This could be due to reasons such as some of them getting higher profit shares than others, or along other lines, some of them wanting to lead the group, or show their leadership abilities in order to impress their superiors. Also, it can divide the workforce into those supporting the plan, and those against it, which can then go on to create adversarial relationships. High levels of competition can be formed within the group. Offering financial incentives is a motivational tactic employed by the managers of firms, however, as Maslows hierarchy suggests, workers have other needs as well. Once their financial needs are satisfied, they move on to needs such as social, esteem, and self-actualisation. They need to feel that they belong, and they need to feel comfortable in their work environment. Offering them these financial rewards might make some of them feel as though they are robots, working just for money. This brings in Taylors theory of Scientific Management. He said that workers are robots, and as long as you pay them and satisfy their basic needs, they will work. However, this brings about dissatisfaction. In this sort of scenario, PRP could fail as well. The following table is an indication of the different PRP schemes, and how they function; Types of PRP schemes Nature of Performance Criteria How Performance is Assessed How Performance is Linked to Pay Individual PRP schemes Individual results, either in terms of inputs or outputs By individual appraisal with a superior, often against mutually agreed targets Either by a predetermined bonus or by movement within an incremental salary band Group PRP schemes Group or company performance, either in terms of profit or project targets According to a pre-determined formula based on company results for a specified period In terms of a regular bonus or various forms of share options applicable to all those involved in the scheme This brings us to individual PRP schemes. This is a system, which fulfils a number of functions that are relevant to organisational effectiveness. It has some features which are very favourable; Firstly, financial gain to the company is a prospect, since this system reduces the fixed pay-bill. This is done by the company paying out only based on what they get back in return, that is quality goods. Secondly, it is an effective method in terms of recruiting, and retaining because of the assumption that it will be attractive to quality employees, and unattractive to poor workers, whom the firm would be glad to part with. Also, it is a fairer method of payment, this being because it does not reward both, high and low performers equally, but only rewards them based on output, or productivity. Lastly, it is held to focus effort where the organisation wants it, strengthening the performance, planning process, and generally encouraging a performance-oriented culture, emphasising results rath er than effort. There are many advantages of an individual PRP scheme, as well as many failures. Firstly, the advantages are that individual differences in job performance are great enough to be worth the time and effort it takes management to measure and relate pay to them. Also, the pay ranges are wide enough to allow for significant base-pay differences among employees on the same job. Management is able to validly, and reliably measure individual differences in job performance. Another advantage is that the appraisers are skilful in employee performance planning and appraisal. The organisations culture supports performance-based pay. This can be said because it works out to be more cost-effective, as well as to be more production effective for the firm. A very important benefit of using this system is that the level of compensation technology in the organisation is reasonably high, the pay structures are equitable and competitive, and management knows how to relate pay to performance. Because of the well-carried out appraisals, the level of trust between the managers and employees is high. Individual PRP schemes also allow for the worker to put in their best, because it is a form of motivation. Offering financial incentives makes the worker work harder, and longer, and at the same time, by offering profit sharing as an incentive, it helps maintain the feeling that they are still a part of the firm, and are a contributing factor. They get a sense of belonging, and thus are comfortable in their work environment, thus making them work harder and better. Individual PRP schemes also allow mangers the will to manage, that is, the willingness to establish and communicate performance criteria and standards and the willingness to make tough human-resource decisions. Although these individual schemes have a lot of advantages and benefits, they also do have some points of failure. This could be due to the fact that the factors that encourage success, could also result in a preoccupation with the task at hand, and do not relate individual performance to the larger company objectives. This leading to the smaller things being accomplished, but the big picture of the company, and the goals that they set not getting achieved. PRP works against creating a climate of openness, trust, joint problem solving, and commitment to organisational objectives. This is again in terms of specialisation taking place. The worker will concentrate on only his specific task at hand, and the rest of the company objectives will get left behind. On the other hand, group schemes provide the chance for the company objectives on the whole to get achieved, as well as the smaller tasks simultaneously being carried out. Also, as mentioned earlier, individual PRP can also divide the workforce into those supporting the plan, and those against it, which could create adversarial relationships within the workforce. As one can see, there are advantages and disadvantages to both, individual and group PRP schemes. I dont think it possible to be able to generalise and say that one is better than the other, and that firms should use only one or the other. It mostly depends on the type of goal the firm is setting, what they want to achieve, and how they want to achieve it, which can help decide which system to use when. PRP schemes on the whole, are being used so far and wide these days by firms, and it is essential to the overall success, and progress of the firm, that they know when to use which type of scheme. Thus, I think it is not possible to say that organisations should employ only PRP schemes, I think it mostly depends on the situation, and the goal to be achieved. BIBLIOGRAPHY: 1. Hendry, C., Human Resource Management A Strategic Approach to Employment, Butterworth-Heinemann Ltd.: 1995 2. Goss, D., Principles of Human Resource Management, Routledge: 1994 3. Storey, J., Human Resource Management, A Critical Text, Routledge: 1995 4. Towers, B., The Handbook of Human Resource Management, Blackwell Publishers Ltd.: 1996

Implications of Information and Communication Technology for Business E

Implications of Information and Communication Technology for Business Time and geographical factors have a huge affect on the communication methods we use. In the business world time is money, and no matter how far u need to communicate to, it normally has to be done quickly and efficiently. This is where Information Systems (IS) and Information Communication Technology (ICT) have a huge impact on businesses nowadays, especially large scale organisations. Currently, Local Area Networks (LANs) are becoming more common in normal size businesses, and large-scale organisations tend to use Wide Area Networks (WANs), intranets and extranets. A LAN is a computer network that spans a relatively small area. Most LANs are confined to a single building or group of buildings. However, one LAN can be connected to other LANs over any distance via telephone lines and radio waves; this is what we call a WAN (a system of LANs connected together). Each node (individual computer) in a LAN is able to access data and devices anywhere on the LAN. This means that many users can share expensive devices, such as laser printers, as well as data. Users can also use the LAN to communicate with each other, by sending e-mail or engaging in chat sessions. Hence LANs can be very useful for a small to medium sized businesses. For big businesses/organisations, WANs are more useful, as it means the business is not limited to where it can be based. For example a company may have its head quarters in London, but have an office in Cambridge. With the use of a WAN the same benefits as the LAN can be achieved, but in a greater geographical situation. Anot... ...et facilities means the same thing, employees can browse the net rather than doing their work. There are measures to fight against this, but they are not very efficient. As you can see, technology in the past few years has rocketed, and now ICT and IS are extremely fundamental to businesses and organisations, without the use of them everything even down to the simplest of things such as communication will be affected. Bibliography  · Rowe, Christopher and Thompson, Jane, People and Chips, ‘The Human Implications of Information Technology’. McGraw Hill, 3rd Edition 1996  · Bocij Paul, Chaffey Dave, Greasley Andres and Hickie Simon, ‘Business Information Systems – Technology Development and Management for E-Business’. FT Prentice Hall 2002.  · Langford, Duncan, ‘Practical Computer Ethics’. McGraw Hill 1995

“Little Buddha” †A Summary and Review Essay

Little Buddha starts with a Buddhist monk, Lama Norbu, going to Seattle in search of Jesse Conrad, a boy who Lama Norbu believes may be the reincarnation of Lama Norbus old teacher, Lama Dorje. Lama Norbu and his fellow monks find Jesse and his family, and after an awkward first meeting gives Jesse a book called Little Buddha, which is read to him over the course of the movie to teach him the history and basic points of Buddhism. We get to watch what is being read to Jesse, so there is a movie of Buddha inside a movie of Buddhism. Jesse starts making trips to the Monastery to learn more about the monks and their practice. During his time in the monastery, Lama Norbu reads parts of the book to Jesse. We learn about the birth of Siddhartha Gautama as a prince who was destined by the stars to be great. We learn how his father sheltered him from everything that had the potential to disturb him, and how he finally, when he was a teenager, discovered suffering, poverty, old age, and death. We learn about how he left the palace with a goal to end suffering, and how he became an ascetic. Finally, after hearing a man telling his music pupil about how the string of an instrument has to be in the middle ground between being to tight and snapping and being too loose to play, Siddhartha realizes that the path to enlightenment lies in the Middle Way, or whatever the middle ground is between any two extremes. Jesse is very interested in Buddhism, and Lama Norbu convinces Jesses dad, Dean Conrad, to let Jesse make a trip to meet the other candidates for being the reincarnation of Lama Dorje, and then go to Bhutan for the decision of who it actually is. Jesses mother objects, but gives in after a very emotional scene and Dean, Jesse and Lama Norbu all fly together to Katmandu, where Jesse finds Raju, an awesome little guy who happens to be the second candidate for being the reincarnation of Lama Dorje. Raju asks to play Jesses gameboy, and after Rajus brother steals the gameboy and Raju gets it back, he and Jesse get along very well. The monks think that it is remarkable that the two candidates somehow managed to find each other without knowing who the other one was. After this they fly to India to meet Gita, an upper-class Indian girl. The third candidate comes off a bit conceited and boastful and the beginning, but they all seem to get along afterwards. It is at Gitas place where they find a tree much like the one Siddhartha Gautama meditated under to reach his enlightenment. Here Lama Norbu tells them the story of Siddharthas meditation, and how Mara, an evil  being of temptation and malice (much like Satan) tried to stop Siddhartha from reaching enlightenment. This is where all the good special effects come in. After all of his distractions fail, Siddhartha Gautama reaches enlightenment and becomes The Buddha. After this scene, we emerge from the Buddha tale and Lama Norbu and the rest fly to Bhutan, where Lama Norbu informs them that they are all partly the reincarnation of Lama Dorje. Lama Norbu, finally having completed his task, reveals that he is unhealthy, and he soon, after meditating for a very long time, passes away. Analysis:Little Buddha begins with Lama Norbu telling the apprentice monks at the monastery a story. The story teaches of the cycle of reincarnation, and the ultimate goal of being relieved from this cycle. The story also states that No human being needs ever to sacrifice another animal. This exhibits one of the main principles of Buddhism. Buddhists are generally vegetarian, and dont believe in killing other animals. The movie also teaches of the practice of meditation. Lama Norbu describes it to Jesse on the plane to Katmandu: It is being totally quiet and relaxed, separating yourself from everything around you, setting your mind free like a bird, and you can then see your thoughts as if they were passing clouds. Buddhists are also supposed to detach themselves from worldly connections, which is why they destroy the intricate sand murals that they create as soon as they are completed. Lama Norbu also tells Jesses father at the end that he is not a good example of Buddhist detachment because of his dedicated search for the reincarnation(s) of his teacher (obviously because of his love for Lama Dorje). The primary character who most exemplifies Buddhist philosophies is, despite the fact that he is not good at detachment, Lama Norbu. He is the old, wise one in the movie, and, not having any background on any of the young monks depicted in the movie, the obvious choice for best Buddhist. Lama Norbu is exceptionally good at meditating, too. When he was dying, he meditated for many days on end. I would definitely recommend Little Buddha to anyone interested in learning more about religion, or Buddhism in particular. Although the movie covers  most of Buddhas life and most of the main characteristic of Buddhism, is manages to avoid seeming educational. I would not recommend Little Buddha to anyone addicted to constant action, suspense, or romance, because this movie contains very little of any of them. This movie is all about the emotion the interactions, the learning, and the maturing of every character. Every one in the story gets introduced to a culture not familiar to them during the course of the film, and some characters, like Jesse, get absorbed into entirely new lifestyles. The movie is artwork at a very fine level much attention to detail is present, and the entertainment is all in the details. Little Buddha is the perfect nightmare movie for all people too shallow to comprehend it, all people so shallow as to think it slow, and all people too imperceptive or unfo cused to catch the subtle nuances of its characters interactions. I was very interested in the very prominent cinematic techniques used in Little Buddha. Usually, when one is watching a movie, one can forget that it is a movie because the cinematic techniques are planned to be subtle, as to not be noticed. Only film making aficionados usually pay special attention to cinematics. I could not help but notice though, that all of the sad scenes of the movie were displayed with a very blue tint, and the scene in the hot, eastern desert was displayed with a red tint. The directors of this movie were obviously not trying to make your average, run of the mill movie. They were trying to create a cinematic masterpiece. By using these prominent cinematic techniques, they were daring to make a controversial film. Every time an artist steps out of the lines, it is considered controversial. Controversial pieces of art always seem to follow one of four paths: 1: They are argued about, then forgotten; 2: They are argued about, then rejected; 3: They are argued about forever; and 4: They are argued about, and then become famous masterpieces. If you want to create a famous work of art, you have to step outside of the lines, you have to be creative, you have to dare to be controversial, and then you have to hope that people will appreciate what youve done. That is what I believe the makers of Little Buddha were trying to do. Little Buddha was an educational film that displayed thought and emotion  throughout, and gave the viewer a look at the inside of Buddhism. It was displayed in a way that taught more than a textbook paragraph ever could, with likeable characters, (for the most part) realistic character interaction, and the intention of spreading knowledge of Buddhism and possible Buddhism itself to anyone who is willing to spend two hours of their time on something well worth their while. Bibliography: Little Buddha, (Directed by Bernardo Bertolucci) 2004

”Medea” by Euripides Essay

‘Unclean, abhorrent child – destroyer.’ Medea’s murder of her children means she cannot be regarded as a true tragic hero. To what extent do you agree with this in view of Euripides’s presentations of Medea in the exodos? The image of Medea presented by Euripides in the exodos is undoubtedly largely horrifying and appalling to the audience. Medea manifestly presents her desire for revenge and it is difficult to sympathise with her character. However, in many respects her character fits the image of a tragic hero. Although, it is widely controversial to associate Medea with heroic aspects in modern days, from an ancient Greek’s perspective her actions and personality might well match aspects of the tragic hero such as consistency, appropriation, noble state, and tragic flaw. This essay will explore whether her presentation in the exodos as well as her actions in other circumstances justify her tragic hero status. First of all, Medea has always enjoyed a good reputation and high-rank in society. Her heroic identity symbolises the fact that she is a grand- daughter of the Sun. Moreover, Medea was a princess of Colchis and displayed a vast knowledge of enchantments and medicine. When Jason abandons her in a foreign land she becomes a ‘stateless refugee’ and her pride suffers. It has also been stated by the Chorus in the play: ‘Of all pains and hardships none is worse Than to be deprived of your native land’. [L.651-652] It seems intolerable for her to be rejected & homeless in a foreign land. We can infer this by the use of words such as ‘pains and hardships’ which emphasises her dramatic position through an accumulation of two similar meanings. Also, the word ‘deprived’ implies that Jason has taken her land almost physically. Here, the role of chorus modifies the structure in the play as they appearance break up the acts in the play. Thus, Euripides attaches an important role of the chorus to construct the play. Her behaviour has been farther explored by E.R Dodds who states that members of an ancient Greek society acknowledged ‘anything which exposes a man to the contempt or ridicule of his fellows, which causes them to â€Å"lose face,† †¦ as unbearable’. According to Aristotle, a tragic hero must hold noble, respected social status. It can be argued therefore that Medea’s murder of her children in exodos was a desperate and impulsive response to ‘the pressure of social conformity’ (Dodds) and a diseased attempt to gain back her reputation. Such actions are common in Greek tragedies such as The Oresteia where Atreus admitted an even larger horrific act of revenge against his brother who had affair with Atreus’s wife. Similarly, while Medea loses face when Jason abandons her, Atreus’s reputation suffers when his wife commits adultery. Nevertheless, later Atreus’s takes care of his brother’s son. This, as opposed to Medea, can be considered as tragic hero’s sense of guilt or, perhaps, the way to dispense justice. On the other hand, Medea doesn’t regret her actions. Her sense of guilt does not exist. Contrarily, she seems to be proud of her murder as she uses cynical and sarcastic techniques while she responds to Jason’s accusations in stichomythia: ‘Go home; your wife waits to be buried.’ The mention of Jason’s would-be wife is extremely cruel and tactless as previously, Medea mercilessly murdered her. In the exodos, Medea and Jason have a short and sharp exchange after Jason sees the dead bodies of his children. Questionably, Medea appears here to be extremely exultant, victoriously using cynical techniques untypical for the tragic hero such as ‘You grieve too soon. Old age is coming’. It is clear that Medea identifies her murder with a triumph over Jason. This opposes the fact that Medea can be regarded as a tragic hero because members of an ancient Greek society, despite their desire for high reputation, had a sense of guilt and justice which is described by E.R Dodds as a ‘gradually growing sense of guilt†¦which transformed into a punishment’ and ’embodiment of cosmic justice’. This implies that Medea as a tragic hero should regret her actions however, this never occurs. Instead, at the ending of the play, Medea and the bodies of her children are taken away by the gods in the shape of Deus ex Machina. Up until the exodos, Medea has had some features of a tragic hero. However in the exodos, the absence of any kind of regrets opens up a debate over whether Medea’s presentation can be truly regarded as a tragic hero. Here, the gods seem to appear strangely sympathetic in her murderous sufferings and surprisingly shocking in supporting Medea’s actions and punishing Jason. It can be argued that the gods support Medea and Deus ex Machina occurs in order to dispense justice by not allowing Jason to bury his children and leaving him unsatisfied. Although, the gods not always seem to make ‘right’ decision and sometimes their will performs as cruel and unmoral. It isn’t just the fact that Medea kills her children that seem to be questioning Medea’s heroic aspects. It is also true that Medea does not die. The play is in fact the only surviving Greek tragedy where the tragic hero doesn’t die. Furthermore, Medea is a woman driven by ‘male desire’. Her desire for revenge leads to her overcoming the sense of maternal instinct. Therefore, the Greek audience couldn’t completely regard Medea as a tragic hero and ‘yet the audience (†¦) shudder at the ruthless of her anger and passion for vengeance’ (Easterling). It is unclear whether Medea aims to portray herself as a woman or to employ the â€Å"heroic ‘male’ weapon†. She often sympathise with females as a group ‘We were born women – useless for honest purposes, But in all kinds of evil skilled practitioners’ [l.406-407] Here, Medea uses first person plural verb in order to become a representative of females. However, the fact that she lacks her maternal instinct and kills her children in ‘reaction to her dishonour’ and ‘her violence, which she herself abhors’ follow the idea of a male desire. At this point, it is difficult to define Medea as a tragic hero because she evidently contradicts the idea of consistency in that she portrays herself sometimes as a representative of oppressed women and sometimes as a ‘male hero’. It is largely controversial to argue that Medea’s presentation in the play (particularly in the exodos) is ‘good and appropriate’ (Aristotle). The tragic hero’s character should be ‘good if the purpose is good’ (Aristotle). Euripides’s presentation of Medea at the beginning of the play is to make the audience pity her dramatic position however, if we consider the fact that previously Medea has committed two acts of murder in order to marry Jason it is difficult to sympathise her. The murder of her children is a highly horrifying act of the play as the children plead for help (‘Help, help, for the gods’ sake! She’s killing us!). The repetitiveness of a word ‘help’ and their imprecations gives us a sense of their desperation. In this way, Medea fits her image of a tragic hero because according to Aristotle, ‘fear and pity must be aroused’ in circumstances in which a ‘tragic incident between those who are near or dear to one another’. Indeed, we pity characters in the exodos as the act of murder has been done at the expense of innocent children pleading for help. On the other hand, it has been investigated by P.E Easterling that â€Å"Euripides’ many imitators have tended to present Medea’s behaviour as that of madwomen†. This is because the way in which Medea murders her children is largely brutal as she uses a sword and seem to be murdering them in a mercilessly pattern. Therefore, even the Ancient Greek audience seems to reject the idea of Medea being ‘good and appropriate’. In addition, for Medea to fully fit the image of a Greek tragic hero it is essential that she has her tragic flaw which contributes to the downfall. It is necessary for the tragic heroes to be â€Å"wrapped in the mystery (†¦) with that ‘something beyond’ which we can only see through them, and which is the source of their strength and their fate alike†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Anderson) Without this, tragedy cannot be regarded as a tragedy itself. Therefore, in context of Medea, the equivalent of ‘something beyond’ can be considered her excessive pride and obsession with the ‘laughter of my enemies’. Even if the audience does not point out any indication of the ‘laughter’ of Medea’s enemies, she still insists their presence. She does not perceive the support of the women of Corinth (meaning the Chorus) or -perhaps, she does not want to perceive it. Therefore, Medea’s obsession with the ‘laughter’ of her enemies can be considered as the catalyst of her tragic downfall. However, it might be believed that this obsession cannot be regarded as the catalyst of her tragic downfall because it is clear that Medea fully acknowledg es her flaws and in her horrific act in the exodos she recognises that what’s she’s doing is wrong. In the line 1077 she says: ‘I understand The horror of what I am going to do’ Evidently, Medea appears to be aware of her tragic flaw and to accept the consequences. In this case, Medea cannot be regarded as a tragic hero because she acknowledges her flaws. Therefore, the Greek audience could not be entertained or surprised by Medea’s actions. We do not pity her because she accepts her tragic flaws throughout the play. Medea’s self-awareness of her immorality contradicts Anderson’s belief that ‘the message of tragedy is that men are better than they think they are. The message needs to be said over and over lest the race lose faith in itself entirely’. There is a large distinction between the recognition of a tragic hero in Ancient Greece and the modern world. We associate heroic aspects with goodness, appropriation and a well-developed sense of forgiveness. The presentation of Medea in the exodos as well as her actions throughout the play, strongly contradict with the principles of Christianity and her character appears as irrelevant to modern ideas. Unfortunately, Medea from the Ancient Greek’s point of view can be regarded as a tragic hero to a significant extent. The horrific act of murdering her children is insane and sickening; however, it is without doubt that it fits with the image of a tragic hero in a several respects. Bibliography Aristotle, Poetics. Trans. S.H. Butcher. www.classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/poetics/html Accessed 5th January 2012 P.E Easterling – ‘The Infanticide in Euripides’ Medea’, Yale Classical Studies, 25(1997) 193-225 Dodds, E.R. The Greeks and the Irrational. University of California Press, (2000). Allan, William. Euripides: Medea Duckworth Companions for Greek and Roman tragedy. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, (2002) Anderson, The Essence of Tragedy Northrop Frye,† The Mythos of Autumn† Word count: 1,496

Henry David Thoreau and Martin Luther King Jr Essay Essays

Henry David Thoreau and Martin Luther King Jr Essay Essays Henry David Thoreau and Martin Luther King Jr Essay Essay Henry David Thoreau and Martin Luther King Jr Essay Essay There is no uncertainty that there are many similarities between Martin Luther King Jr. and Henry Thoreau though they did non populate in the same century. King himself declared that he was greatly influenced by Thoreau’s essay on civil disobedient. The two civil right militants had similar thoughts on justness in the society. It is besides believed that Thoreau’s work was besides influenced by Ralph Emerson who initiated the ideas about transcendental philosophy in him. Although some people believe that King was more influenced by Mahatma Gandhi. the great Indian leader. it is of import to observe that the thoughts of Gandhi were based on the thoughts put frontward by Thoreau. Furthermore. King stated that while in college. he read Thoreau’s try on civil disobedient which inspired really strong feelings on him ( Arsenault. pg 62 ) . The chief difference between Thoreau and King is the context in which each one of them operated. It is besides of import to observe that King was most vocal a century after Thoreau had left the scene. Thoreau was an writer historiographer and a philosopher in the nineteenth century. One of his most celebrated books other than the civil disobedient essay was the Walden which had the chief subject as simple life. Thoreau was besides a white American since his gramps was a Frenchman. He was opposed to the unfairnesss against the minority in the society in the mid 19th century which included African Americans being used as slaves and the Mexican American war. On the other manus. King was a reverend. He is considered to be the greatest civil militants in America in the twentieth century. He was the leader of African Americans civil rights motion. In the mid twentieth century. there was no bondage in the United States but the African Americans were segregated and discriminated by the dominant race. King mobilized African Americans in protest lucifers and civil disobedient as a manner of contending for justness in the society ( Powell. pp 26 ) . Despite the two militants working in different centuries. they changed the civil rights traditions of civil rights and reforms in the American society. Thoreau was the first individual to present the thought of civil disobedient as channel of forcing for reforms in the American society. Since the publication of his essay on civil disobedient in the mid nineteenth century. his thoughts have transformed activism in the whole universe. The most celebrated influence of Thoreau thoughts was on King’s missive which he wrote while in prison in Birmingham. In the missive. King provinces that Thoreau essay convinced him that non collaborating with what is evil is every bit indispensable as cooperation with what is good. This is a clear indicant that King’s thoughts on civil rights motion were straight borrowed from Thoreau’s thoughts. The missive did non merely back up the thought on non violent civil disobedient in human rights protest but besides expounded on the thoughts introduced by Thoreau in the nineteenth century ( Schroeder. pp 1 ) . Thought the two militants had different positions on the rights and freedom of all in the society. their positions were based on the same thought. The basic thought was that the laden demand to take an active function in the battle against their rights. They were more concerned about the unequal intervention of the minorities in the society either being enslaved or segregated. While Thoreau advocated for individualized rights. King advocated for public consciousness of the freedoms and rights for the good of all ( Chernus. pp 305 ) . Though the missive from Birmingham by Martin Luther King Jr. was based on the same thought with the civil disobedient essay by Thoreau. the two writers were different on all facets. However. this does non contradict the fact that both played an of import function in procuring freedom for the African Americans. Thoreau aided in procuring freedom for the fleeting slaves in the nineteenth century through his strong unfavorable judgment against bondage while King led non violent protest lucifers and civil disobedient against the Jim Crows Torahs that segregated African Americans. They both held a strong place that unfair Torahs should be opposed by the multitudes ( Powell. pp 26 ) . The effectivity of civil disobedient and peaceable direct action in the 2nd half of the twentieth century led by King was inspired by the effectivity of the attack in India led by Gandhi. Thoreau’s thoughts had been proved to be effectual in India. King reintroduced Thoreau’s thoughts into the American protest traditions which were really effectual. The bequest of the two great work forces is still apparent in the American society every bit good as other societies of the universe today. It is common for conservationists. civil rights militants and same sex matrimony protagonists to raise the words of King and Thoreau to support their places ( Powell. pp 26 ) . It is incontestable that Thoreau in the nineteenth century and King in the twentieth century played an of import function in the battle for African American rights. They introduced the thought of civil disobedient in the American society which proved to be effectual. Though both of them were radically different. there thoughts on civil rights and civil disobedient were really similar.

Compare a gay speaker to a straight speaker Essay

Compare a gay speaker to a straight speaker - Essay Example However, one also believes that other factors influence the manner by which oral or verbal communication is relayed. As such, the research questions are as follows: (1) Does intonation of gays share similar patterns with females, more than male counterparts? (2) Does phrasing or the manner of responding to questions of gays or men depend somehow on stereotyped beliefs according to sexual orientation? The data collection method is through one-on-one or face-to-face interview. Two (2) separate interviews were conducted by the researcher on different settings and occasions. The gay person would be referred to as Speaker 1 and the male person interviewed would be referred to as Speaker 2. Speaker 1 was interviewed for about a little less than 20 minutes; while Speaker 2 was interviewed for about a little more than 40 minutes. A prepared set of questions assisted in soliciting the needed information and responses for both speakers. To facilitate the speakers’ ability to respond, easy and personal questions relating to their experiences, perceptions, and views formed the framework of the research methodology. The speakers were informed that their responses would be recorded and that their responses would be held in strict and confidential nature. Interviewing men from different gender types in terms of linguistic patterns generated similar and different results. To simplify data gathering and collection and compare the speakers’ linguistic phenomenon on a similar context, similar time frames were used as a point of review. For instance, for the first 10 minutes, the number of times that the speakers were noted to have exhibited rising intonations as contrasted with falling intonations, as well as providing concise responses in contrast to expounding on the issues, were noted. Likewise, the overall speed of the responses (slow versus

The Radicalism of Osama Bin Laden Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

The Radicalism of Osama Bin Laden - Case Study Example Osama Bin Laden, a Saudi citizen, was born to a self-made Saudi construction billionaire.   His family life was somewhat unstable as evidenced in the fact that his mother was his father’s tenth wife and was divorced early in his childhood.   With three half brothers and sisters from his mother’s side and over fifteen from his father’s, it would be hard to assume that he benefited from a stable home environment. Nevertheless, while his family life may have been unstable, familial wealth afforded him countless opportunities and experiences.   These included education in the best private schools in Saudi Arabia, education in Europe and the United States as well as unlimited world travel and contact with the global economic and social elite (Jacquard, 2002). Despite these and countless other opportunities, Bin Laden exhibited a persistent tendency towards religious fanaticism and upon the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, joined the mujahedeen forces. Born in 195 7, Bin Laden’s childhood period coincided with the collapse of colonialism and the rise of Arab and Islamic nationalism. His childhood and youth, therefore, unfolded during a period of politically inspired religious and nationalistic fervor. The degree to which the stated influenced him is amply evidenced in his response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. As Gunaratna (2002) explains, bin Laden immediately responded to the United States’ call for the liberation of Afghanistan, a Muslim territory, from the atheistic communist forces headed by the Soviet Union and joined the ranks of the mujahideen. During this period he was exposed to extremist Islamic ideology and, according to Gunaratna (2002, p. 21), was afforded the opportunity to establish â€Å"close relationships with several religious authorities,† most of whom like Omar Abdel Rahman, were living in exile having The times into which Osama Bin Laden was born and the way he interacted with and responded to them determined his evolution into a terrorist. It is within the context of these times that the events of September 11th assume a type of inevitability.