Two Great Gothic Cathedrals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Two Great Gothic Cathedrals - Essay Example In history, everyday buildings have always been made of materials that are readily to hand. This is the principal characteristic of all vernacular architecture. In an area where stone is widely available, that becomes the usual building material; where it is not, or is too difficult to work, brick or timber buildings will be found. Where good clay exists tiled floors will be common elsewhere they will be made of stone flags. Where timber is widely available joinery sections will be lavish; where it is scarce and costly to import they will be mean. Comparing the two cathedrals, we see that they are made of the same materials: stone, mixed with brightly colored stained glass, each depicting a religious story or a time-line of Jesus' life in great detail. Moreover, the floor-plans are almost the same. Both the Chartres Cathedral and Saint Patrick's Cathedral are centrally planned, entered through a narthex, followed by a long nave, with side aisles, leading to the transept crossing, and then culminating into the apse, reminiscent of the shape of a cross.

Vendoline Company Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Vendoline Company - Case Study Example The management of the organization has invested in excellent service delivery and innovation in meeting the consumer demands. The company is located in Turkey and has a national and international presence in sections of Middle East and Europe. The company is valued at $393, 338. It has a traffic rank of over 500,000 in Europe. As a service provider, Vendoline Company has determined what the consumers expect. The top level management has been investing in real-time access of customers to information like prices and terms of delivery. My role was to ensure that web hosting management systems were functional and effective. I was coordinating a team of IT experts who were had direct contacts with customers. This enabled me to assess the effectiveness of the organizational management practices and systems in the company. Problem statement How can organizational performance in technology-based organizations be enhanced? Technological companies are faced by the challenge of rapidly changing external environments. The management has focused on external competition and environment and failed to invest in the internal competencies of the organization. This has compromised excellence in service delivery. There is a need to research on the factors that affect quality and organizational performance in technology based organizations.... Modern organizations are directly connected to technological systems that affect their performance and appeal to the clients (Andres, 2001). The company has strategic plans to increase reliance on technological innovations in future. Organizations face resistance to change from employees. Technological organizations must be flexible while implementing models. Globalization is forcing many technological organizations to keep reviewing their strategies (Gouge, 2003). This aims at enhancing the capacity of innovations in a bid to remain relevant and competitive in a technologically driven market (Cameron & Green, 2004). The field of technology is advancing as more efficient and powerful discoveries enter the market. Organizations dealing with technological matters are faced with bigger pressure than the rest (Rapp, 2002). The reason is occasioned by the need to upgrade the technological capabilities and remain competitive. On the converse, the technological companies are faced by the th reat to become obsolete (Lennick & Kiel, 2005). The technological innovations are known to have a profound effect on the market. Organizational leadership must be professional, pro-active and visionary in order to keep the technological momentum and remain market leaders (Gouge, 2003). Technological organizations need strategic leadership and management. The management of technological organizations like Vendoline Company needs to either innovate internal technology that can alter the trends in the market. They can also procure external knowledge or expertise. This can happen through outsources or partnerships of strategic nature (Lennick & Kiel, 2005). Internal innovation for technological companies is preferable

Italian Renaissance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Italian Renaissance - Essay Example The refined and educated thinkers of the Renaissance spoke and read Greek and Latin which helped the transformation of several fields of learning including those which were the dominions of the church and the impact was visible even in the aspects of Christian learning such as theology and spirituality. The Renaissance which nourished itself on antiquity, the rediscovery of Greek and Roman ways, resulted in new ways of thinking in theology and spirituality, and restructured the essence of Christian learning. "The Renaissance was a revival of learning and art. The Europeans were always aware of antiquity since they lived with it, but they now saw everything in a different light. They ceased to see the world through ecclesiastical glasses... Great interest in Greek and Roman art, language, and philosophy developed... Thus, the Renaissance had its intellectual impact. It would, in effect, replace the church's dominance in the area of thought... To this extent, the Renaissance was anti-c lerical but not anti- religious." (Bausch, Cannon, and Obach 1989, P. 225). Significantly, Renaissance was most influential in theology and spirituality of Christianity which were no longer exclusively served by art and science which began to be studied for their own sakes. Theology and spirituality are the two essential domains of Christian learning which were most influenced by the Renaissance thought and thinkers. It is of great importance to analyse the influence of Italian Renaissance on the theology and spirituality as it can help one comprehend the role played by the Renaissance in bringing out drastic change in these areas of Christian thinking. Therefore, this paper undertakes a profound analysis of the Italian Renaissance in relation to the role it played in the transformation of two of the most important spheres of Christianity, i.e. theology and spirituality. In other words, it looks into the Italian Renaissance from a historical point of view and a theological point of view, comparing the theology and spirituality of the period before Renaissance with that of the period after Renaissance. In such a comparative analysis of the theology and spirituality in relation to Renaissance, it becomes lucid that this great event of revival in learning and art was central to ultimate transformation in these areas, which was corresponding to the spirit of humanism. Notwithstanding the attempts to limit the great role of Renaissance in making vital revival in theology and spirituality, it becomes obvious that the Renaissance played a seminal role in transforming these spheres of Christian knowledge. The Influence of Italian Renaissance on the Theology and Spirituality From the historical point of view, the Renaissance is one of the essential factors which caused the revival of Christian ideology and it resulted in the Reformation. There were several central elements in the early phase of the Renaissance which could very well pave the way for a complete change or reformation in the Christian thought and ideology. In an analysis of the situation before and after the Renaissance,

Low Carbon Building - Proposed_layout_of_New_Community_Centre_Hong Essay

Low Carbon Building - Proposed_layout_of_New_Community_Centre_Hong Kong - Essay Example ctional and structural design for the various alternative energy sources available for the operation(s), demonstrate the workability and economics of the energy source(s) described and Recommend the appropriate energy source(s) to be used for the various operation(s). Light transfer between highly glazed internal spaces such as atria or light wellswhere these features are found Energy Assessors can expect the need to pay moreattention to manipulating input dataand recording any assumptions made and their justification Regulation requires that new buildings must achieve or better this target. The TER is based on the performance of theNotionalbuilding and the following procedure must be followed in order to establish the TER. The procedure converts calculated building loads intoenergy (and hence CO2emissions) using seasonal efficiency parameters The following adjustments must be made, If the calculated value is greater than 0.22W/m ²K, the value of 0.22W/m ²K must be used in the Notional building. If the calculated value is less than 0.22W/m ²K with no added insulation, this lower value must be used in the Notionalbuilding The calculation procedure must always control the space temperature to the set-point defined for the relevant activity area in the NCM database, irrespective of the control temperature prevailing in the building as it operates in practice. The control set point will only vary according to the level of servicing provided. Using the table of the 2010 notional building data, the range of values, the CO2 improvement can be carried out by reduce carbon emissions and atmospheric pollution by encouraging local energy generation from renewable sources to supply much better tolerable ratio of the energy

Employees Resistance to Organizational Change Research Paper

Employees Resistance to Organizational Change - Research Paper Example of change studied in the paper are Lewin’s model, the Action Research Plan model and Kotter’s eight stages of organizational change.The paper will attempt to integrate the models with the concept of resistance and come up with meaningful conclusions. The above statement effectively summarises the context of this research interest, which deals with the concept of organizational change, with specific focus on employee resistance towards such a change in a given organization. A typical organization, according to research, goes through different forms of change, of which the most common are cost reduction, redundancies, culture change and performance improvement (Mullins 822; also see Brooks 98). The CIPD, Britain’s Chartered Institute of Personnel Development, in their own research, have given a more detailed set of circumstances which impose organizational change: challenges of growth; challenge of economic downturns and tougher trading conditions; changes in strategy; technological changes; competitive pressures including mergers and acquisitions; customer pressure; and government legislations (CIPD Change Management). Research suggests that previously, change was a planned phenomenon, and it was implemented on periodic bases by the organization as part of a strategic plan. In other words, an organization may strategically plan to implement changes every few years. But the volatile environments where modern businesses operate have changed the way this process is carried out, due to more rapid developments either inside or outside the organizations, which eventually force the organizations to implement changes (Hussey 9). Such developments have been referred to as ‘trigger events’, and Hussey argues that these events occur too fast for comfort in modern organizations (10). The author also explains that these events may be either opportunities or threats, and that the subsequent changes are the organizations’ way of reacting to these events, in order to

Changing of International Order in the Last Century Essay

Changing of International Order in the Last Century - Essay Example This paper argues that changes in international order were in a way that people attained more rights and powers over their day to day life, and states improved their international relations. In the first section, the paper will address various concepts of international order. Subsequent sections will discuss factors contributed to the international order change over the last century. International order changes Historically, it is observed that global countries depend on each other for trading activities, technological and education progress, and infrastructure development. The emergence of globalisation greatly contributed to increased interaction between global countries. Scholars opine that the concept of international order creates a link between economic and political dimensions as political stability significantly influences a country’s economic landscape. Generally, concepts of international order give specific focus to states and consider war as a vital evil to be exor cised. Evidently, wars can make notable changes to the international order. â€Å"One widespread notion of international order equates order with international stability, that is, stable, predictable and controlled relations between states, in which turbulence, chaos and violence are largely (though not necessarily completely) absent† (Maull, 2005, p.94). ... To illustrate, the constructivism theory connected the evolution of international order to international relations. As discussed earlier, wars can have a great influence on the international order. Evidently, the World Wars I & II notably changed the international order. Although the World War I was considered the ‘War to End All Wars’, it directly led to World War II. These two World Wars significantly fuelled the international order changes over the last century. Many authors opine that the interwar period was characterised with radical changes in the international order and it observed notable changes in the balance of power approach that had existed in the pre-World War I Europe. According to Ikenberry (2008), the World Wars led to the advent of the American era which in turn contributed to the formation of post-World War II international order. Throughout the post-World War II international order, an American dominance has been evident. Significant changes in the in ternational order over the last century can be attributed to many structural changes in the global context and other global developments. Evidently, changes in the Soviet Union and Europe were a prime cause for international order changes occurred during the last century. The changes in East-West relations emerged over the last century could be directly ascribed to Soviet Union, specifically the presidency exercised by Gorbachev. Sociologists point out that domestic reforms including ‘perestroika and glasnost’ executed by Gorbachev and Soviet foreign policy ‘new thinking’ markedly contributed to the development of a new international order. It is an undisputed fact that

Glmaorizing Teen Pregnancy Essay Example for Free

Glmaorizing Teen Pregnancy Essay Media, specifically television has taken the issue of teen pregnancy to a whole other level. The shows 16 and Pregnant, Teen Mom, and The Secret Life of the American Teenager document the lives of young teenage girls facing the issue of being a pregnant teenager. Originally created to show the controversial subject of teen pregnancy, all of these shows soon began to change. As the seasons continued in all three of these shows, the controversial subject of teen pregnancy soon became a glorifying concept. What was first viewed as just a fantasy is now becoming a reality for many teenagers. Viewers of these shows are now seeing that teen pregnancy isn’t all that bad; it may even be considered normal according to MTV and ABC Family. The â€Å"teenage celebrities† on these shows are making it through life just fine; portraying that anyone else can too. Yes, these teenagers may have faced hard times in the beginning, but at the end of the day, their lives are unrealistically viewed as ordinary. Both MTV and ABC Family depict the lifestyle of being a pregnant teenager to be somewhat glamorizing. The reality television show 16 and Pregnant was first aired on MTV on June 11, 2009. This show follows the stories of four pregnant teenage girls [Farrah, Maci, Amber and Catelynn] that are in high school dealing with the hardships of teenage pregnancy. â€Å"Each episode follows a five to seven month period in the life of a teenager as she navigates the bumpy terrain of adolescence, growing pains, rebellion, and coming of age; all while dealing with being pregnant† (MTV. com). During the first few episodes of season one, the struggles of dealing with teenage pregnancy seemed difficult and nearly impossible. MTV portrayed each girl as if they were not going to make it through this crisis they were about to face, and their lives were soon coming to an end because being a pregnant teen was not acceptable. As the show continued and episodes passed, these so called â€Å"hardships†, no longer seemed to be that difficult. With all the support from their families and/or boyfriends that they received, these teenage girls were able to get through this bump in the road pretty well. Not only did they get support from people they knew, they received the most of their support from MTV. While teenage pregnancy might have started out rough, becoming an MTV celebrity could not have been too bad. According to Arienne Thompson, author of â€Å"16, Pregnant †¦ and Famous: Teem Moms Are TV’s New Stars†, â€Å"All four women are mainstays on USA TODAYs Celebrity Heat Index, which measures media exposure; Portwood [Amber] topped the list for October, beating out Angelina Jolie and Prince William. The moms are regularly on the covers of People and Us Weekly and have Facebook fan pages dedicated to them† (USA Today). Putting the stars of these reality shows on a magazine cover puts them in the same place as any other famous person. The message that is being sent out to girls is that if they get pregnant as a result of being sexually active, then they too can end up on TV or on a magazine cover. Being sixteen and pregnant may not be the most ideal lifestyle, but becoming more popular than an experienced, well-known actress at the age of sixteen is another story. Viewers of 16 and Pregnant now see that if they become pregnant at a young age, they also can have the chance to become famous alike Farrah, Maci, Amber and Catelynn did. MTV did not decide to stop there though. As if these girls were not famous enough, as a continuation of 16 and Pregnant, MTV aired Teen Mom on December 8, 2009, only six short months after the broadcast of 16 and Pregnant took place. This show takes the four teenagers from 16 and Pregnant, and documents their first few years of motherhood. Receiving more attention than before, MTV has millions of viewers watching Teen Mom each week, making these â€Å"teenage celebrities† even more famous. Teen Mom executive producer Morgan J. Freeman says, â€Å"The concern for teens, however, is what else they may see in the show. While the Teen Mom stars have their share of struggles on the small screen each week, paparazzi shots and tabloid covers manage to rip them out of the context of MTV and place them in the realm of celebrity† (USA Today). Even celebrities agree that the characters on these shows are becoming too idolized. â€Å"Kim Kardashian boldly states that â€Å"It seems like shows like ‘Teen Mom’ are all of a sudden making teen pregnancy look cool in the eyes of young girls. She even goes a step farther and says that the girls from the shows â€Å"have become almost like celebrities, but girls these are not people you should idolize! †Ã¢â‚¬  (Jadebt13). Along with MTV, ABC Family decided to air a show following the life of a pregnant teenager. On, July 1, 2008, ABC Family aired the show, The Secret Life of the American Teenager, which became the network’s most watched series in the 12-34 demographic (McKay 1). This show follows the character Amy Jergen through her pregnant life, and also through her life of being a mother. In the first season, Amy realizes that she has become pregnant, and does not know how to tell her friends or family. This season shows the struggles that Amy faces while being pregnant, but as the season comes to an end, life become simpler to Amy. The Secret Life of the American Teenagers glamorizes her teen pregnancy by having the schools marching band play their instruments as Amy first returns back to school after finding out that she has become pregnant [which is a little unrealistic]. Not only does this event take place, but also Amy’s boyfriend, which is not the father of her soon to be son, proposes the idea of getting married and helping her take care of the baby. At the start of the second season, Amy has her baby boy, named John. With the birth of John everything soon turned into a fairytale ending, and her life completely turned around; her boyfriend problems fall into place, and she started to receive support from her family, friends and community. This season sent out the message to its viewers that if you become pregnant as a teenager, you will have support from surrounding people, when that is not always the case. In conclusion, television is glamorizing the lifestyle of pregnant teenagers. The shows 16 and Pregnant, Teen Mom, and The Secret Life of the American Teenager all have different story lines to them, but in the end, they all show that some good can come out of being a pregnant teen. 6 and Pregnant and Teen Mom are both reality television shows that idolize the glamour of being pregnant by the publicizing these girls not only on MTV, but also in outside sources such as magazines. The Secret Life of the American Teenager on the other hand, is a scripted television show that depicts teen pregnancy as being a joy, fun, and simple by showing how great life can be having a baby at such a young age. Both MTV and ABC Family chose to air similar concept shows around the same time period that glamorized teen pregnancy when r ealistic having a baby in your teen years is not ideal, nor a pleasure.