Symbols of Military Identity Essay -- Symbols Symbolism Military Essay

At the United States Air Force Academy, the first experience of a new cadet is the loss of personal "stuff" and hence individual identity. All material possessions — those that signify individual identity, safety or relationship -- are taken from the cadet and replaced by "stuff" which indicate membership in the cadet wing. Clothing, jewelry, wallet, even hair, disappear as indexes of membership in an economic group. Pictures and address books vanish as symbols of connection with social groups in the broader world. Watches and calendars and money, reminders of being and safety, have no relevance as cadets move into the "other world" of the academy grounds. Replacement "stuff" is utilitarian. Clothing is functional and suits its intended purpose to shelter and protect with a well-researched efficiency indicative of the military frame of mind. The clothing is easily cleaned and sanitized. It is even named in a military way — shirt, nonflying, blue; gloves, dress, white — indicating its function as well as obvious characteristics. It is most importantly uniform. The not so subtle message is that all people are identical, in purpose and value, except for a name. The clothing is at first bare, like the personality-stripped human who wears it, but gradually it acquires ornamentation and indicates a new identity for the wearer. USAF Academy emblems appear first as cadets begin to see themselves as a real part of the academy system. Individual units identified by color, red, blue, yellow, etc, begin to work together. They build their bodies and their skills in these groups and as groups. They struggle, survive and triumph as a unit. Those who choose or are chosen to leave do so quietly without contact with the group as they depart... ... This symbol of individual recognition, honor, and respect will continue with them throughout their careers. It is probably not incidental that cadets, even in basic training, retain names rather than, say, numbers. As long as he has his name, the cadet remains an individual. This is essential to the military structure for "good name", honor, integrity can exist only when the individual exists. The military officer, despite this temporary subjugation to the group, is always personally responsible for his actions, and responsible to each individual under his command. The symbolic structure of the uniform which unites, the insignia which are indexes of achievements and relationships, the name tag and salute which signify recognition of the individual are in combination symbolic of the tension between group and individual identity which is vital to the military. Symbols of Military Identity Essay -- Symbols Symbolism Military Essay At the United States Air Force Academy, the first experience of a new cadet is the loss of personal "stuff" and hence individual identity. All material possessions — those that signify individual identity, safety or relationship -- are taken from the cadet and replaced by "stuff" which indicate membership in the cadet wing. Clothing, jewelry, wallet, even hair, disappear as indexes of membership in an economic group. Pictures and address books vanish as symbols of connection with social groups in the broader world. Watches and calendars and money, reminders of being and safety, have no relevance as cadets move into the "other world" of the academy grounds. Replacement "stuff" is utilitarian. Clothing is functional and suits its intended purpose to shelter and protect with a well-researched efficiency indicative of the military frame of mind. The clothing is easily cleaned and sanitized. It is even named in a military way — shirt, nonflying, blue; gloves, dress, white — indicating its function as well as obvious characteristics. It is most importantly uniform. The not so subtle message is that all people are identical, in purpose and value, except for a name. The clothing is at first bare, like the personality-stripped human who wears it, but gradually it acquires ornamentation and indicates a new identity for the wearer. USAF Academy emblems appear first as cadets begin to see themselves as a real part of the academy system. Individual units identified by color, red, blue, yellow, etc, begin to work together. They build their bodies and their skills in these groups and as groups. They struggle, survive and triumph as a unit. Those who choose or are chosen to leave do so quietly without contact with the group as they depart... ... This symbol of individual recognition, honor, and respect will continue with them throughout their careers. It is probably not incidental that cadets, even in basic training, retain names rather than, say, numbers. As long as he has his name, the cadet remains an individual. This is essential to the military structure for "good name", honor, integrity can exist only when the individual exists. The military officer, despite this temporary subjugation to the group, is always personally responsible for his actions, and responsible to each individual under his command. The symbolic structure of the uniform which unites, the insignia which are indexes of achievements and relationships, the name tag and salute which signify recognition of the individual are in combination symbolic of the tension between group and individual identity which is vital to the military.

Kfc’s Explosive Growth in China Essay

Kentucky fried Chicken (KFC) has achieved another milestone in delivery. The explosive growth in Asian region most particularly in their current trends in China that KFC fried chicken, burger and fries is gaining its way to superstardom. In China, Yum! Brands is opening a KFC store every day. But this is not the KFC you know in America. A recent case study written by professor David Bell and Agribusiness Program director Mary Shelman reveals how the chicken giant adapted its famous fast-food formula for the local market. Key concepts include: – In China, KFC’s strategy was to be part of the local community, not be seen as a foreign presence. (Su, 2011) – China division chairman and CEO Sam Su combined the best ideas from the US fast-food model and adapted them to serve the needs of the Chinese consumer. – Only a small number of menu items would be familiar to Western visitors—the Chinese KFC offerings include fried dough sticks, egg tarts, and foods tailored to the tastes of specific regions within the country. – To counter concerns about fast food and obesity, Su offered a healthier menu and supports exercise and youth events. The traditional strategy is the involvement of their culture has largely influence the family ties to consider their food. According to Bell (2011) one key issue the case examines is â€Å"how to implement the rollout of a fast-food chain involving so many stores across such a vast—and regionally different—country.† (Stravish, 2011) When their customers walked into their restaurant they see Chinese customer service. Chinese food and Chinese employees welcome customers and that’s why it becomes easy for them to initiate interaction. Su’s strategy was that KFC â€Å"would not be seen as a foreign presence but as part of the local community â€Å"There is no room for ego,† (Su, 2011) â€Å"China doesn’t have the same culture of individualism that is present in the United States.† (Su, 2011) Along with being smart, driven and great entrepreneur, Su hired the right people. For Su, this meant employees who read and spoke the language , who understood the restaurant business and Chinese consumer, and also experience on doing business in the Western way. Trained labor is a very valuable asset even in a land of 1.3 billion-plus people. (Stravish, 2011) The large conflicting crowd should have one idea about the taste and preference as much as possible they have outperformed the number one fast food chain, which is McDonald. Sam Su also consider diversification of food items so that they can cater to a wider customer range especially those  people who are healthy conscious about their body, they offer fat free food and vegetables menu to their customers that attract and re-invent even more heterogeneous customer demand. The wide variety of choices can help the customers to make healthy options and balance diet, their strategy also involve presenting their choices. They have also practice sponsorship and promotion about healthy living in 2010 that has become another successful endeavor on their part that various exercises has been promoted inside the stores and customers are free to join, they have gathered at least 260,000 customer participants in 438 key cities. Their promotion has been very successful that makes their store even more popular. (Starvish, 2011) KFC and China has become a Yum Republic. It is certain that globalization not only helps KFC profits, but it’s international, which benefits China and the consumers. Additionally some of their popular food sisters company includes Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Long John Silver and A&W All American Food. I believe globalization happens to be great for the country and the overall market economy because it promotes prosperity to participating countries. All that we need to do is educate people on multiculturalism and diversity within the work place, as well as the sensitivity of culture within participating countries. Opportunity costs, trade terms, balance trades, comparative advantages, changes in consumption and production, and how much cheaper it is to purchase than to produce are some benefits to globalization. The greater interdependence that globalization is causing means an increasingly freer flow of goods, services, money, people, and idea across national borders. (Wild&Wild, 6th ed, pg 6) Su has done a great job on hiring employees that know the language, understand the business and Chinese customers, and also having experience on doing business the Western way. Because of technological changes, continuous development and research, the market economy remains to be dynamic. Reference: Starvish. (2011). KFC’s Explosive Growth in China. HBS Cases. Retrieved from http://hbswk.hbs.edu/item/6704.html Wild&Wild. International business: the challenges of globalization/ John J. Wild, Kenneth L. Wild- 6th ed.

Outline: Assessing The Potential For Using Motivational Strategies Within The Military: Theory And Practical

Introduction Numerous studies have been conducted analysing the role of motivation in enhancing performance of an individual, organization, or a practice (Outgunned, 2012; Zbylut et al., 2007; Dadabhay, 2011). The term motivation is in most cases used when suggesting that failure or success in any event is as a direct result of an individual’s endeavour, involvement and enthusiasm (Wong et al., 2003; Chizek, 2003). Most issues that are related to motivation have a foundation of the aspects of the human mind. These issues are also the driving force in a person or a group of persons (Morrison et al., 2007). Simply put, if the reason for taking a certain action is relevant and strong, it merits making an effort or a sacrifice regardless of a person’s capability. Therefore, the concept of motivation and its application in the military is central to the success of an individual in effectively conducting the duties of military personnel. It is imperative for a military leader to be able to motivate the followers to accomplish hazardous and physically challenging task that is life threatening and dangerous, which is a common working environment of the military. This study intends to conduct an analysis on existing literatures on performance motivation and its application as a form of leadership strategy used for motivating soldiers. To be able to fully explore on this issue, it will be necessary to analyse the current theories of motivations and the actual motivation practice in the military environment. This is important in developing a foundation for expounding on the research issue exhaustively. Aims and objectives of the research This research aims to analyse the probability of adopting theoretical motivational strategies in the military. To be able to meet this aim, the following objectives will guide this study: To identify and describe the current motivational theories and techniques that have the greatest potential of increasing a soldier’s performance. To identify those principles, practices, and techniques from various motivational theories which could have potential use in a military unit environment To review the effectiveness of existing theoretical models and approaches of leadership and motivation in improving the learning and training capability of soldiers To identify the conditions and requirements for applying various performance motivation techniques in military environment To identify the practices that need reinforcement and also identify the processes and policies that require improvement in the process of fostering motivational levels of the military Research questions To be able to fully meet the above objectives, this study will attempt to provide response to the following research questions: What leadership tools and motivational strategies do military commanders use to motivate soldiers How effective are the methods and models used and are there areas identified for improvement What were the common areas that are deficient Literature review summary The concept of leadership and motivation as viewed from a military perspective has been analysed by various authors (Outgunned, 2012; Dadabhay, 2011). Various forms of leadership approaches for military have been suggested by different authors including Gardener-leadership (Wong et al., 2003), collaborative leadership (Zbylut et al., 2007; Chizek, 2003), servant leadership (Cook, 1999), strategic leadership (Morrison et al., 2007) among many other forms of leadership. All these forms of leadership will be scrutinised in this study in an attempt to addressing the research issue. Furthermore, other theoretical forms of leadership that are not applied in the military will also be reviewed to gather deeper insights into leadership approaches and their link to motivation of followers. The information gathered in the analysis of the theories and approaches will be central in developing a response to the problem statement identified above. Proposed methodology The fact that this study analyses a specific phenomenon in the current environment, collection of primary data was deemed the most appropriate for conducting the study. In this case, quantitative research methodology will be used to collect and analyse data. Specifically, an online case study will be used for gathering data from the participants in an attempt to address the research questions. The questionnaire will be designed with reference to the information that will be gathered from the review of the literature and the research questions of this study. These questions will then be posted to participants via their mail for collection of the responses. The collected data will be analysed using a statistical package of social sciences to be able to derive a social meaning in the data collected. Conclusion This study aims to provide updated information about motivation among the military and go ahead and develop the most appropriate method for promoting motivation among soldiers. This research is very important because its concepts will be important in developing pragmatic policies for leadership aimed at sustaining higher levels of motivation among soldiers especially the new recruits. References Cook, M. L., 1999. Moral Reasoning as a Strategic Leader Competency. Undated, . Chizek, J. G., 2003. Military transformation: Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS WASHINGTON DC CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE. Dadabhay, M., 2011. The Mediating Role of Workplace Spirituality on Perceptions of Transformational Leadership, Organisational Commitment and Employee Job Satisfaction within a sample of South African Muslim School teachers (Doctoral dissertation, University of the Witwatersrand). Morrison, J. E., Fletcher, J. D., Moses, F. L., & Roberts, E. J., 2007. The Army science of learning workshop. US Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences. Outgunned, A. A., 2012. The Missed Opportunity p46. Military Review. Wong, L., Kolditz, T. A., Millen, R. A., & Potter, T. M., 2003. Why they fight: combat motivation in the Iraq war. ARMY WAR COLL STRATEGIC STUDIES INST CARLISLE BARRACKS PA. Zbylut, M. L., Metcalf, K. A., Kim, J. M., Hill Jr, R. W., Rocher, S., & Vowels, C., 2007. Army excellence in leadership (AXL): A multimedia approach to building tacit knowledge and cultural reasoning. ARMY RESEARCH INST FOR THE BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES FORT LEAVENWORTH KS.

Free Essays on Abc Costing

In order to adapt to new standards and practices, which are constantly occurring in business activity? The demand for effective methods and systems of accounting for activity within an organization is always growing, therefore, it makes sense that companies would want to implement practices which will benefit the structure and performance of their organization. This was the case in regards to the evolution of the concept known as activity based costing, or ABC. In order for management to know the basis behind this costing system, which appeared on the scene during the 1980’s, they must first become familiarized with the general concept of ABC compared to a traditional costing system. Once a solid base has been established, it allows the opportunity for management to go beyond the surface of the topic and explore into the added value of what it has to offer. The topics, which are of interest to this particular costing system, may not be available to many firms, let alone u niversity students. For this reason, light will be shed upon how ABC is actually implemented and just what is important for its success will be highlighted as well. Also, common myths and misconceptions about the topic must be addressed in order to clear up any ambiguity one may have about the subject. These are vital for the reasoning behind firms deciding for or against implement this system in their operations. It is essential that the necessary qualities, as well as obstacles, which are to be required or overcome in order to establish the ABC system, be clearly known to management before they implement a system which may make or break their operations. It should provide an in depth interpretation to any individual, student or manager, as to what ABC actually entails beyond a trivial extent. In the past, companies were dependent upon traditional cost accounting methods in order to predict and allocate manufacturing costs amongst units in production. ... Free Essays on Abc Costing Free Essays on Abc Costing In order to adapt to new standards and practices, which are constantly occurring in business activity? The demand for effective methods and systems of accounting for activity within an organization is always growing, therefore, it makes sense that companies would want to implement practices which will benefit the structure and performance of their organization. This was the case in regards to the evolution of the concept known as activity based costing, or ABC. In order for management to know the basis behind this costing system, which appeared on the scene during the 1980’s, they must first become familiarized with the general concept of ABC compared to a traditional costing system. Once a solid base has been established, it allows the opportunity for management to go beyond the surface of the topic and explore into the added value of what it has to offer. The topics, which are of interest to this particular costing system, may not be available to many firms, let alone u niversity students. For this reason, light will be shed upon how ABC is actually implemented and just what is important for its success will be highlighted as well. Also, common myths and misconceptions about the topic must be addressed in order to clear up any ambiguity one may have about the subject. These are vital for the reasoning behind firms deciding for or against implement this system in their operations. It is essential that the necessary qualities, as well as obstacles, which are to be required or overcome in order to establish the ABC system, be clearly known to management before they implement a system which may make or break their operations. It should provide an in depth interpretation to any individual, student or manager, as to what ABC actually entails beyond a trivial extent. In the past, companies were dependent upon traditional cost accounting methods in order to predict and allocate manufacturing costs amongst units in production. ...

Meddling with Mettle

Meddling with Mettle Meddling with Mettle Meddling with Mettle By Maeve Maddox Another of Daniel’s great words of the day, mettle, provoked readers’ comments that have in turn prompted me to get into the act. Reader’s Comment 1 Mettle can also mean the â€Å"stuff of which a person is made.† So if I say I’m made of mettle, people won’t think I’m a robot (or, more likely, delusional)? I know that Peter was joking, but I just wanted to point out that although the word means â€Å"the stuff of which a person is made,† to say â€Å"I’m made of mettle† wouldn’t make sense. Most commonly the word mettle is used with a verb like show, test, or prove: Miami proves its mettle in win over Oklahoma Bilo rugby boys show their mettle NCC cadets test their mettle Other idioms with mettle: to be on your mettle:  to be determined to prove that you are good at something, especially in a difficult situation Nancy coach Paul Fischer knows his team must be on their mettle as they seek Study puts stents on their mettle. (in this case an inanimate object is being put on its mettle. Probably not an apt use of the expression.) Here’s a headline that plays on the same pronunciation (and same original meaning) of mettle and metal: Scrap thefts: Cops on their mettle The adjective mettlesome means â€Å"lively, high-spirited, courageous.† . . . M. Epailza, one of our most mettlesome adversaries The word seems to have some specialized meaning for gamers: Copy this simulator to the mettlesome directory†¨Run the Trainer. Start the mettlesome with this trainer.†¨ I certainly can’t figure out what â€Å"mettlesome† is supposed to mean in this paragraph on a gaming site: Buy wow characters, you are ensuring you can freely mettlesome without the hornlike slog. Theres no requirement to intend on the mettlesome an distance early than customary so you can conjoin for eve accounts you can go on at your connatural instance and savor the mettlesome to its flooded possible ness the aforementioned way thousands of others do. INWOWGOLD.COM Reader’s Comment 2 How about one who mettles in someone else’s business to the detriment of the relationship or the business? One meddles in someone else’s business. The usual sense of meddle these days is â€Å"to interfere,† as in these headlines: Building chief tells politicians not to meddle in Olympics Avoid the Temptation to Meddle in Haiti How insurers meddle in your medical care The word meddle comes from French and Latin words meaning â€Å"to mix.† The meaning â€Å"to concern oneself,† usually in a negative sense, dates from 1415. From 1340-1700 it was used as a euphemism for â€Å"to have sexual intercourse.† Shakespeare draws on this meaning in this exchange: Third Servingman: How, sir! do you meddle with my master? Coriolanus: Ay; ‘tis an honester service than to meddle with thy mistress. Coriolanus: IV, 5 Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:"Because Of" and "Due To" The Possessive ApostropheApostrophe with Plural Possessive Nouns

Zaha Hadid Starcitect a 20th century phenomenon Dissertation

Zaha Hadid Starcitect a 20th century phenomenon - Dissertation Example In a technological world that is global in nature, most civic heads are now aiming to create global villages that are uniform in nature, without overtly portraying any of the local culture and traditions. It is here the ‘starchitects’ have gained prominence by creating structures that have no link to history or traditions, and are more futuristic in colour , and thus can fit almost anywhere in this world. In this article, I will examine the works of the famous ‘starchitect’ Zara Hadid’s works, to comprehend the uniqueness in this form of architecture. Name Instructor’s name Date ‘Star architect’ and Zaha Hadid– a 20th century phenomenon 1 Introduction Starchitecture culture is â€Å"characterised by the premature coronation of designers based on flashy forms and blowout press coverage, the infection of schools with the idea of fame as a career objective and...a certain enabling complicity by the leading lights of our critic al establishment† – Phillip Nobel, 1 ‘Starchitect’  is a recent  phenomena or ‘neologism’ that is a relatively new doctrine within the field of art of architecture.  The term is used to distinguish architects  (and also artists/ sculptors), who have used their works in a manner that have turned them into a celebrity of sorts, and after receiving a certain degree of critical acclaim they have managed to transform themselves into idols of the architecture world, and in the process even earning fame amongst the general public. It has been observed that worldwide developers are quite enthusiastic to bring in the "top talent" or (starchitects), in order to attract the local governments into approving projects for large developments, or when requiring more financial help, and also for adding more star quality into their projects in order to raise the building value. The chief characteristic of a starchitect's design is that it is always so di fferent from the surrounding architecture, that it forcibly stands out and is highly visible within a particular locality, thus often turning into an icon, by its mere power of being starkly different. Since this entire process is completely dependent on the media publicity and the subsequent degree of current visibility, there are also instances of architects losing the ‘starchitect’ status (hence turning into former ‘starchitects’) owing to fading visibility in the media, thus forcing these icons to always try and remain within the range of media visibility. The latest development in this field is the hiring of famous ‘starchitects’ by various civic heads, in order to produce structures that turn into a landmark feature, an iconic representation of a city, thus elevating its international status or profile. Having maverick architects like Zaha Hadid, Renzo Piano, or Norman Foster designing an opera house or a museum, are instances of ‘s tarchitecture,’ when architectures or buildings are produced for more of a shock value, which would help to create a landmark or an icon. According to a recent economic theory followed by the civic heads, claims that a city tends to thrive and flourish if it possesses some amount of an  international fame.2 This was most evident in the case of Bilbao, where we find the ‘starchitect’ Frank Gehry designed an art museum, and this allowed the

Provide Information about Shadowing Experience of a Nurse Practitioner Essay

Provide Information about Shadowing Experience of a Nurse Practitioner in a Primary Care Physician Office - Essay Example This paper will explain the shadowing experience of a nurse practitioner in a primary care physician’s office. The care provided by nurse practitioners significantly varies from one country to another. The Pearson Report contains all the duties that are supposed to be performed by nurse practitioners. Further analysis also proves that nurse practitioners can perform several duties in different institutions including health centers, nursing homes, unique clinics and learning institutions (Buppert, 2003). Furthermore, nurse practitioners are licensed after completing the practitioner’s program. Advancements in the discipline of nursing began in the mid-20th century. Research asserts that most of the changes in the field of nursing were implemented in this era. The office of primary care was set up in order to improve the accessibility, availability and value of care to individuals of a certain area. The primary care offices are liable for supplying primary care providers in various countries. In most states, the primary care unit has established a work plan that is designed to augment the supply of primary care physicians in order to meet the health care requirements. This work plan also entails the training programs which are employed in primary care, the primary care shadowing program and elective chances in primary care. The work plan also deals with the development of incentives for primary care. Such incentives include increasing the salaries of the primary care specialists and loan repayment factors (Buppert, 2003). Most health care companies prefer nurse practitioners who have significant physician assistant shadowing. Most health care experts usually undergo a shadowing experience which involves primary care. According to statistics in different countries, majority of patients originate from low and middle income populations. For example, in South Africa, most of the patients originate from the middle-class individuals; therefore, the primar y care centers in such regions employ many health care professionals (Buppert, 2003). In the past, health care students mostly participated in various projects, which were considered as voluntary actions (Buppert, 2003). These projects were executed because the profession of nursing practitioners is regulated by the country. In the recent past, it was reported that there is a shortage of primary care physicians in most of the health centers globally. In fact, most individuals developed the idea of substituting the primary care providers with nurse practitioners. To some extent, the nurses are able to act as substitutes for primary care providers since, they are quite learned. The primary care givers are responsible for the provision of several functions in health care. Some of the tasks performed by the primary care givers include; accessing the medical needs of the patients and comprehensive care of patients. Primary care physicians account to around 50% of the annual office visits that are made by physicians (Wexler, 2010). In fact, the primary care physicians are the only individuals who are able to provide proper health care that addresses a majority of the patients. This form of care has substantially yielded sustained partnership within community members and patients. Utilization of the primary care services has also reduced mortality and morbidity rates. These factors prove that primary care serv