Favorite Norse Myths :: essays research papers

Favorite Norse Myths Published by: Scholastic Inc.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  2.) The Types of stories found in this book are based on Norse Mythology. They contain information on the creation of the Earth, (Midgard), and some of the trials that the gods and goddesses had gone through.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  3.) One of the myths that I enjoyed was the first one on creation, entitled: Creation: The Nine Words. This story tells us how in the beginning there was nothing other than fire, ice, and mist. The land with all the ice was called Niflheim, and the land of fire was Muspell. As time went on, Muspell melted Niflheim, and from that came two giant creatures. One of them was named Ymir, and he was an evil frost-giant, and the other was a cow named Audumla. Ymir drank Audumla milk to get stronger, and one night, while sleeping, a troll with six heads grew from his feet, and a male and female frost-giant came from his armpit. Audumla also brought something to life, as he licked the salt blocks for food, he recovered another giant. This giant was a good giant, and his name was Buri. His sons and grandsons became gods, because they were very honorable. The greatest of Buri’s grandsons was Odin. Odin was the greatest of all the gods, and he was the god of war and death. Odin and his wife Frigg, goddess of knowledge, and also knew what happened in the worlds, had many children. Odin was a lso the one who led his brothers to overthrow Ymir, and they eventually killed him. After killing him, different parts of his body became different parts of nature. His flesh became the world, his blood became the seas, his bones became the mountains, and his hair and teeth became the trees and stones. Now his blood, that made the seas, drowned all but two of the frost-giants, and they repopulated the frost-giants, witches, warlocks, enchanters, and ogres, and taught them to hate Odin. They lived in Jotunheim. The worms in the Earth, Ymirs flesh, were turned onto dwarves, and the dark elves. The dwarves lived in Nidavellir, and the dark elves lived in Svartalfheim. There were also some nice creatures, and they were the elves, who lived in Alfheim. Odin took Ymirs skull and made it the sky, and places four dwarves in each corner of the sky. Nordri, Sudri, Austri, and Vestri; North, South, East, and West.

High Performing Teams

Introduction This paper will cover several topics related to high-performing teams and work groups. It will discuss how these two kinds of workplace people sets and how they differ in their pursuit of organizational strategy and compare these differences to virtual teams. It will identify the characteristics of successful leaders of high-performing teams and finally discuss why high-performing teams are important to organizations. High-Performing Teams and Work Groups Before we can define high-performing teams or work groups, we will need to define the term team first. A team can be defined as a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, set of performance goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable. â€Å"That definition lays down the discipline that teams must share to be effective (Katzenbach, 2005). Organizations utilize teams to perform operational and project based tasks. People working in teams have the capacity to solve complex problems that cannot be solved by individuals working alone. People working in teams bring more resources to a task, including a variety of perspectives, knowledge, skills, and experience (Capella University, 2008). This diversity of perspectives, knowledge, skills, and experience allows a team to outperform the sum of its parts and is a critical component of a team being labeled as a high-performing team. Teams come in many forms, they can be permanent or temporary, they can be leader-led or self-managed, and they can be co-located or virtual. Regardless of their purpose and form, all teams are made up of individuals interacting interdependently to achieve common organizational goal. Furthermore, all teams share the following: clear boundaries, common tasks, differentiated member roles, autonomy, dependence on others, and collective responsibility (Capella University, 2008). Teams definitely are forms of work groups, but not all work groups are teams (Brounstein, 2011). A work group is also a collection of individuals however; they may not have complementary skills, a common purpose or a set of shared goals. In a work group, each member is responsible for only their own individual contributions. He or she achieves outcomes or makes their contribution to the organization in (relative) isolation. Individuals need not have any concern about what other members of the group achieve. Within a work group, there is not the interconnectedness and shared responsibility you see between team members. Each member of a group can say ‘I did my best; it is not my fault that others did not pull their weight (www. leadership-development-coaching. com, 2011). ’ To add more context to the difference between work groups and teams refer to Table 1 (Brounstein, 2011). Work Groups| Teams| Individual accountability| Individual and mutual accountability| Come together to share information and perspectives| Frequently come together for discussion, decision-making, problem solving and planning. | Focus on individual goals| Focus on team goals| Produce individual work products| Produce collective work products| Define individual roles, responsibilities, and tasks| Define individual roles, responsibilities, and tasks to help team do its work; often share and rotate them| Concern with one's own outcome and challenges| Concern with outcomes of everyone and challenges the team faces| Purpose, goals, approach to work shaped by manager| Purpose, goals, approach to work shaped by team leader with team members| Table 1: Difference between Work Groups and Teams High-Performing teams have deeper characteristics that separate them from any team with the ‘team’ characteristics mentioned previously. Members of high-performing teams tend to develop a collective purpose that goes beyond that which the organization has established for them (Capella University, 2008). According to Harvard researcher Richard Hickman, high-performing teams must meet three effectiveness criteria (Capella University, 2008): * The team must consistently produce high-quality output. * The team must promote the personal growth needs and well-being of team members. The team must grow and learn as a unit. The Pursuit of Organizational Strategy It is not too much of a stretch to see which scenario is preferable when it comes to pursuing alignment with your organization’s strategy. Those in a workgroup, although maybe tied in roles and responsibilities to the organization’s strategic imperatives, is not concerned about others in his group or departm ent, and therefore has no vested interest in another succeeding. High performing teams, on the other hand, consider their team as equally or more important than themselves. A recent study of Fortune 1000 companies conducted by the Center for Effective Organizations at the University of Southern California concluded that 68 percent of the organizations in the study use self –managed or high-performing teams†¦but the study also shows only 10 percent of workers were in such teams (Capella University, 2008). Therefore, as much as we can agree there is a benefit from moving those in work groups into high-performing team environments, these environments are difficult to create, lead and maintain. A failed attempt to create a high-performing team could be more detrimental than keeping a group of individuals in the work group mode, and thus making each individual accountable for driving alignment with the organization’s strategy. Virtual teams can play an interesting twist on this strategic alignment anomaly. This author suggests that virtual teams are no different in driving alignment with organizational strategy than co-located teams, with one exception. In the role of operational support, where, for example a help-desk or call-center can take advantage of the â€Å"follow-the-sun† support methodology, you can find significant benefit by tying a virtual team’s performance as a team to an SLA, where individuals are working together to answer phones within a certain amount of rings, meet a certain first call resolution statistic etc. This type of virtual team, if lead properly can be a very high-performing team, as their bonuses and overall performance can be tied to these SLA results of the team. Successful Leadership Characteristics of High-Performing Teams Leadership of high-performing teams have been mentioned twice in this paper; once to summarize how difficult it is to maintain high-performing teams, the second to note how to lead a high-performing virtual team. Managing any team is not an easy task. Managing and maintaining high-performing teams is increasingly difficult. Creating and managing high-performing teams is as much an art as it is a science. There is no magic formula that will uarantee team success, nor is there one best way to lead a team (Capella University, 2008). We can define four team leadership skills that will help drive work groups and teams into high-performing teams: 1. Invest in ongoing personal development 2. Provide team direction, structure and resources 3. Help the team manage boundaries 4. Manage the type and timing of interventions The Importance of High-Performing Teams We have shown the significant benefit of creating and maintaining high- performing teams concerning an organization’s strategy and team accomplishment. High-performing teams tend to require less management since the team assumes a purpose as a whole and not individuals. These teams tend to be self-managed, or slightly managed by a leader, more so in a facilitation role than what we know as a daily manager. The most important task of the team leader is to create a work context that inspires and enables the team to do its work rather than directly intervening in the team’s day-to-day work (Capella University, 2008). This is increasingly important to organizations as the economic outlook continues to force reductions in departmental personnel. References Brounstein, M. (2011). Differences between Work Groups and Teams. Retrieved December 5, 2011, from Dummies. com; Making Everything Easier: http://www. dummies. com/how-to/content/differences-between-work-groups-and-teams. html Capella University. (2008). TS5160: Business Foundations (2nd Custom ed. ). Boston: Pearson Custom Publishing. Katzenbach, J. (2005, July 1). The Discipline of Teams. Retrieved December 5, 2011, from Capella University: http://web. ebscohost. com. library. capella. edu/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer? vid=3;hid=119;sid=0579d6ae-2d3d-4908-9971-cea2472130f6%40sessionmgr112 www. leadership-development-coaching. com. (2011). Team vs Group: implications for leaders. Retrieved December 5, 2011, from Leadership Development Coaching: http://www. leadership-development-coaching. com/team-vs-group. html

Essay on Romeo and Juliet Tragedy of Character or Tragedy of Fate?

Sierra Davenport Mr. Gingery CP English 1 6 March 2013 Romeo and Juliet Tragedy of Fate or Tragedy of Character Romeo and Juliet is a story of a forbidden love, written by William Shakespeare. Some may say that it is a tragedy of fate. Fate is defined as forces outside of your control that makes things happen. An example of fate is when you miss your bus and meet the person who will turn out to be your spouse while you’re standing on the platform waiting on the next bus. I think Romeo and Juliet is the exact opposite of fate, they undoubtedly took things into their own hands.The tragedy in this story didn’t start until Romeo killed Mercutio, like I said; fate is when the forces outside of your control take action. Romeo was definitely in control of this situation, initially if Romeo didn’t get in between the fight with Tybalt and Mercutio, Mercutio would have never died and as a result Romeo wouldn’t have to feel the need to stab Tybalt for the death of hi s friend. Even if Tybalt did kill Mercutio, Romeo didn’t have to take matters in his own hands and kill Tybalt himself if he just waited, then Prince Escalus would have kept his word and had Tybalt either imprisoned or killed.So this was definitely character. Another component that led to this tragedy that could have been prevented is when Juliet asked Friar Laurence to help her to get out of marrying Count Paris. Now the Friar, knowing that Juliet was desperate enough to do anything, decided that this was his chance to get himself in the clear and have Juliet pose as a dead person so that he wouldn’t have to marry the same person twice, which I’m pretty sure wasn’t allowed back then.He being the Friar would have had to tell people that he already married Juliet to Romeo and that he couldn’t re-marry Juliet while she was still married to Romeo. So he decided on taking the easy way out and gives Juliet a potion that puts her in such a deep sleep tha t she will appear dead. Juliet being desperate, willingly and without hindrance agreed to take the potion the night before the wedding so that it would stay in effect till the day after the wedding was suppose to be arranged.There was a million and one ways to go about getting out of marrying Paris, this was by far the easiest but it resulted into Romeo believing she actually was dead. Lastly, the biggest tragedy of all, Romeo gets word from Balthasar that Juliet is dead and because Friar John wasn’t able to get Friar Laurence’s letter to Romeo explaining the plan and what was going to happen, Romeo, completely naive, goes to the apothecary to get a poison to commit suicide to be with Juliet on the other side.He rides to Verona from Mantua to be beside Juliet when he kills himself and not knowing that Friar Laurence was coming, he says his last words and drinks the poison. When Juliet wakes and sees Romeo lying on the ground dead she is so dumbfounded and speechless th at she was unable to leave, but because the watch was coming the Friar had to leave. So when Juliet was alone she took Romeo’s dagger and out of pure character she stabs herself and she dies. This is Romeo and Juliet, the tale of a forbidden love.But as their inexorable love turned into a tale of adversity their distance began to sunder because of the acts of transgression, and the tyrannous consequences lead these star-crossed lovers aloof. The poison that ended the lives of Romeo and Juliet and ended the feud between the Montague’s and Capulet’s was definitely not fate. So therefore the tale written by William Shakespeare was indeed a terrible tragedy of character. â€Å"Come, bitter conduct, come, unsavoury guide. Thou desperate pilot, now at once run on The dashing rocks thy seasick, weary bark. Here’s to my love! † – Romeo Montague

The Most Effective Characterisation Technique in To Kill a Mockingbird Essay Example

The Most Effective Characterisation Technique in To Kill a Mockingbird Essay Example The Most Effective Characterisation Technique in To Kill a Mockingbird Essay The Most Effective Characterisation Technique in To Kill a Mockingbird Essay The characterisation technique that I feel was most effective in the construction of scouts character is setting. Lee’s choice to associate Scout with the outdoors and conveying her as a tomboy was constructed merely through the characterisation technique of setting. This is evident, â€Å"Thereafter the summer passed in routine contentment. Routine contentment was: improving our treehouse that rested between giant twin chinaberry trees in the backyard, fussing, running through our list of dramas based on the works of Oliver optic, Victor Appleton and Edgar Rice Burroughs†(page 8). This example of the construction of scout’s character affects my impressions, ideas and connotations associated with scout. She is represented with personal traits of assertiveness, bossy and strong willed. The idea that child innocence should be maintained I felt was conveyed in this extract also. The fact that throughout the text scout is associated with the outdoors on various chapters defines what scout is surrounded by and the reactions she has to other locations. Such as earlier on in the text scout describes the Radley house from her perspective, which I as the reader accepted. The house was low, was once white with a deep front porch and green shutters, but had long ago darkened to the colour of the slate-grey yard around it. Rain-rotten shingles drooped over the eaves of the veranda; oak trees kept the sun away† (page 8-9). Scout portrays the Radley house as a sinister and unwelcoming setting which is further explored in the following chapters in the text. Moreover, scouts character was constructed through all of the characterisation techniques; however I feel that the characterisation technique of setting was most effective in the construction of scout’s character.

History of the 2nd Amendment of the Constitution Research Paper

History of the 2nd Amendment of the Constitution - Research Paper Example It is no wonder that different times have seen different interpretations of the statutes of the constitution in accordance with the needs and cognizance of the ruling class, and to a lesser extent, the citizens of the United States. What the founders of the nation meant by those statues, for the most part, has been lost to the numerous changes in the application of the Constitution. The text that is written, and the effects of it on the general public, can be so different from each other sometimes that leaves one wondering if indeed the Constitution itself had been followed. This is not only true for the Constitution, but for all forms of Law, be they judiciary, civil, or criminal. To some extent, it is explainable and even expected; given the rate at which the society is developing, and the sophistication and complexity that it is bringing with itself in every field and sector, it is imperative that changes in the context of established laws would take place. It is legal too, as long as such changes do not repeal the said laws in their entirety. Perhaps the article of law from the Constitution that has been the subject of most controversies, and is, paradoxically the most under-researched and less studied is the 2nd Amendment (Subcommittee on the Constitution). And perhaps it deals with the most controversial of the topics; the bearing of arms, as regards to th e current state of unrest and rampant threats of terrorism all over the nation. Hence, one can safely assume that what this amendment stands for today might not have been what it was aimed for when it was drafted, or even why the need to draft such a bill came into existence to begin with. These issues require an in-depth study of the amendment; what is most important in this case is the history of the 2nd amendment rather than its present form or its present context. This is because through the examination and understanding of the history o f this amendment can we hope to unearth its true meaning, context, and need for enactment, which will point the way to its proper application today. This in itself is important because there has been much debate over the meaning of the exact wordings of this amendment, which have caused a great deal of concern and argument in the recent times (U.S. Constitution Online). This has led to discrepancies in the court decisions among the different sta tes and different courts of the country. Maybe by studying the history of the amendment, it can be hoped to draft a unified meaning to this pertinent amendment with the aim of bringing harmony and unity to the court decisions and among the legal bodies, scholars, experts, and critics dealing with this amendment. This paper aims at discussing the history o f the 2nd amendment of the U.S. Constitution, bringing to light the many aspects of its blurred history, comparing it with the present day version of the different terms used in this amendment, and trying to established a set meaning to the amendment itself. The basic question to be answered would be: what the writers of the Constitution meant when they wrote the 2nd amendment. As will be seen from the study in the subsequent pages, there are quite a number of shades to its history, many of them quite controversial. We will begin by stating the 2nd amendment in its current form: â€Å"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to t he security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.† (U.S. Constitution Online). It is beneficial for the study to break the statement of the amendment into its three constituent parts, and to study the history of each phrase in order to understand the true meaning of the amendment as a whole. Let us begin by

Decision making for business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Decision making for business - Essay Example These activities are equally impossible to achieve in-house and therefore the outsourcing proposal would be very efficient in consideration of this argument. In this company, anything that is not buying and selling is a potential candidate for outsourcing. The intended services to be outsourced include distribution, quality control, packaging, design, security and cleaning activities. Fleet also wants to abolish its information technology (IT) department and outsource the services for the same. The question which then arises is whether the outsourced activities would result in significant improvements for the company or not. If outsourcing is to be carried out, it should be to enhance the profitability of Fleet Ltd so as for it to make the same gains that it used to make in 1980s and 1990s or even much better. Any likelihood of the occurrence of a loss as a result of outsourcing should render the whole idea obsolete and other options put into considerations in order to avoid the financial crisis awaiting Fleet Ltd. Outsourcing of distribution would reflect in the reduction of the size of the distribution staff from 250 to 3. The financial effect of this is that Fleet Ltd will reduce the amount of money that it uses to pay the current distribution staff. This means that there will be enough money available after the retrenchment of the 247 employees. This money can be channeled towards investment for the company, something that will definitely result in profits for the company. The outsourcing of distribution will therefore give Fleet Ltd a financial gain rather than a financial loss. On this understanding, it is clear that outsourcing of distribution is an effective idea and it is for the profitability advantage of Fleet Ltd. However, the non-financial impact will be the creation of job insecurity for the distribution staff that is likely to be retrenched. Fleet Ltd intends to outsource its IT needs

Presentation Essentials IP Week 5 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Presentation Essentials IP Week 5 - Essay Example The examples listed in the topic discussion give real evidence on some of the successful entrepreneurs that have managed to apply interesting business ideas. For instance, it mentions Magic Johnson who used his savings from the property he got from the repairs he made after buying a house. The intended audiences for the topic discussions include; business personnel and entrepreneurs who are aiming at making huge profits from their savings and money meant for business (Howell-Carey & Carey, 2004). Research sources My research sources on the topic include; ‘Learning About Lakefront Property by United States Environment Protection’ ‘The New Path To Real Estate Wealth by Chantal Howell Carey and Bill Carey’ and ‘Legal Aspects of Owning and Managing Woodlands by Thom Mcevoy’ (United States Environment Protection, 2012). The research resources have been useful in giving noteworthy tips of selling and owing income property through using significant bus iness ideas. For instance ‘learning about lake front property states ways an individual discovers pertinent idea of investing on the properties he/she possess either through buying or selling. Other sources states various ways a person can invest on the properties he/she has to generate maximum profits from them. ... The body section highlights on the importance of dealing with focused renters since they determine whether a business person dealing with the process of buying the property will be successful (United States Environment Protection, 2012). Further, a business entrepreneur ought to focus on incredibly low opportunity when purchasing low cost rental property. The author of the book advises business personnel having 20 to 30 dollars to invest in income property and find a suitable location for the business. On the next part, the section of the discussion states a real life example that states the importance of looking what the future holds; it is important to prepare amicably. The appropriateness and effectiveness of your visual aids The visual aids are important in assisting the audience comprehends the concept of the topic being discussed. Hence, I was forced to use visual aids such as charts; graphs and sign language to express and explain my point out valiantly and easily. For example , the charts had good images that showed the audience the best properties to look for when purchasing them. It is important for them to choose something good that will satisfy them (United States Environment Protection, 2012). The audience were able to see the statistics on the properties discussed easily hence making them aware on the expenditure they apply when purchasing them. The visual aids were attached on a mini billboard that was easy to be shown to the audiences easily. The effectiveness of your presentation The effectiveness of my presentation was that I managed to teach and edify the audience on the topic I was discussing; which was ‘The Positive Points of Owning