The Relationships Among the Four Functions Essay Example for Free

The Relationships Among the Four Functions Essay The four functions of management are planning, organizing, influencing, and controlling. These functions are interrelated because the performance of one depends on the performance of its predecessor. While each is equally important on its own, I believe that the functions are a part of a process that must be viewed and implemented as a whole. First, planning involves choosing the tasks that are to be performed to meet the organization’s goals. Next is organizing, which is the process of assigning the tasks to the people responsible for getting the job done. Then there is influencing which is the guiding of the activities of the people assigned toward a desired end. And finally, there is controlling the process of gathering and comparing information to determine whether a project, or organization, is on track or needs improvement. Once you have done the planning, and organized the players to complete the tasks, you must influence the players by getting them to buy-in your plan. In this function you are being more of a â€Å"coach† than anything. A manager’s influence over the personnel assigned and how they approach the organizations goals is key. How to motivate, lead, or direct them toward the goals is the primary goal. In a sense, influencing is a way you can obtain the fourth and final function, controlling. The fourth function, controlling, involves possible modification to existing plans, organizational structure, or the motivation system used to develop a more successful effort. Being able to measure the performance of the personnel who have responsibility for the assigned tasks, will enable one to compare this to expected standards, then either influence them towards more positive gains, plan additional tasks, or continue to monitor progress towards goals. As you can see, each of the functions, while separate, are inextricably intertwined and necessary for the effective management of a project, or the organization as a whole.

Analysis of The Maltese Falcon Essay example -- Movie Film Maltese Fal

Analysis of The Maltese Falcon The Maltese Falcon, was not only a detective film, but a film that displayed many different aspects of the female and the male character in the movie. The film was more than a story, but a story that explored the ideas of the detective genre and the different characteristics of femininity and masculinity. It also brought forth subjects of sexual desires and the greediness of money. The characters and the visual motifs in the film contributed to the developing of the plot and assisted in creating a more detective and gender oriented film. In the film, The Maltese Falcon, the role of men and women are portrayed in different ways in the film to show the distinct functions of masculinity and femininity between the characters. Sam said to Effie, ?Your a nice rattle brain angel.? Sam Spade?s assistant, Effie is a conservative and a practical woman. As the detective?s assistant, she possesses more of masculine qualities than feminine qualities. Since she works in an environment around men, she has a tendency to be more influenced by their activities and their ideas. Sam said to Effie, ?Your a detective darling.? Her voice seems to be monotone which shows her as a strong and an independent person. Although she may act this way, she is still a woman who is somewhat ladylike and very polite. In some ways, women are used to bring forth the ideas of sex and lust, but in this case, Effie?s role was necessary in helping the story to develop and to present how the role of woman could be played and perceived. Sam said to Effie, ?Your a good man, sister.? Effie possessed many masculine qualities and this quote helped to reinforce the idea of it all. Another female role that was a part of the film was Iva, who was the wife of Miles. She was very lady-like and beautiful which helped her to use her image and personality in a way to receive certain things. Miles was Sam Spade?s partner in the detective business. Her character as a woman is somewhat different from Effie?s. Iva and Sam Spade once had a history together even though she was married to Miles. Iva said to Sam, ?You killed my husband, Sam, be kind to me.? She sets up a different role for woman because of her actions and of the characteristics that she possesses. In a way, she thinks that Sam Spade is in love with her and for that reason, she thought that he had killed her hus... ...ch character. Although Effie took on a female role, she possessed many masculine characteristics which allowed it possible for her to get along with the men in the film. The other women in the film took on the classic role of the female characters as helpless, seductive, or conniving. The male characters took on the customary roles as the ones who were strict and cautious, while others sought only for lust and money. Some of the male characters were able to control their feelings and did not allow their emotions to come in the way of their moral decisions while some couldn?t restrain themselves from the lustful feelings they had inside. Sam said to Brigid, ?If they hang you, I will always remember you...you never played square with me for the half hour to the stretch that I?ve known you.? Even though Sam had feelings for Brigid, he was still going to turn her in for the murder she had committed. He was not going to allow his desires for her come between his morals and his profess ion. Through this many things were accomplished such as portraying the genre of detectives, the genre of female and male figures, and the roles that the characters which led up to the ending of the story.

Influence of Music vs. Books Essay

Music and books are active ingredients in our lives. They possess so much influential power which we use those influences everyday of our lives without even realizing it. We all have a favorite book that we read in elementary school or high school that taught us a lesson or that we related to. With that comes this influence that stays with us throughout our lives, we are able to take that influence and turn it into the reason we are the way we are or why we tend to make the decisions that we make. Most of us also have a favorite song or artist that sings a song that can take us to a certain place in our lives that was a happy time or even a sad time. We relate words and melody in a song to those influences we let take hold of us and frame our mind set in similar situations that make us so fond of the song or a particular type of music. Whether it be books or music, we are influenced by these two things, but which is the most beneficial? Books will challenge us and force an influence that is more positive than what music can bring to the table. Not all is bad in the music and books world. Let’s face it, we can learn tons from both of these forms of art. When it comes to music, just like books, there is a wide variety to choose from. The scope of books The different styles of books and music vary from person to person and not one style is better that the other. Music has many genres; rap, hip hop, r&b, country, sould, classical, jazz, blue grass, alternative and more. Books has many genres as well; mystery, western, teen, childrens and more. They both possess the power to bring out many emotions. Books have been developing over the years and the stories have gotten more intense and diverse. Music has also come a long way throughout time and so much has developed with the music scene. Certain types of music, as well as books, can reach people of all different ages and bring something out in them that nothing else can. Music today, that is most popular, has all sorts of curse words and disgusting messages in the song lyrics. Books can only convey so much. A book that a child would read in high school would have less of an influence for the simple fact that I don’t think many kinds like to read anyways. There is so much going on with the popular music scene, as far as it shaping the way that our kids dress nowadays to the decisions that they choose to  make. A child can tell you what the latest gossip is about their favorite musical artist is, rather than the title of the last book they read. If they were given an assignment to read in school, most would probably tell you that they have never really read a book completely that they were assigned to read in school. Most of the time it is the work of SparkNotes, a website most kids trust to tell them the summary of chapters of a particular book, that does the reading for them. So the influence of music has such a greater effect than a book would on a child. In conclusion books force an influence that is more positive that what music can bring to the table, but how does any of it mean anything if we have no control over those influences? Music can be a lovely thing for us to learn from but where does it end and where does it begin? Books contain so many lessons to be had and adventures to be made, but how can we take hold of them and all of the influence there? It is up to the reader and the love of music to decide what will influence them today, and the difference it will make tomorrow.

The Hills Like White Elephants - 1143 Words

After reading â€Å"The Hills like White Elephants,† I discovered that there are a lot of interpretations that could be made to accompany this story. The story takes place at a bar across from a Spanish railroad crossing. The story states that there is no shade or trees, and that the hills are white. The story does not provide a plethora of information on the characters, it rather just jumps right into the story, leaving a lot to the imagination on how they got there. I do believe that this is done on purpose, to give the reader some wiggle room to interpret the story any way they might like to. The story opens with two people ordering drinks at the bar while waiting for the train. There is an American man and a girl. Hemingway does not specify the race or ethnicity of this girl, I am going to assume that this girl is not American, but rather of Hispanic descent. The story is told in third person, as to leave emotions and thoughts a mystery yet to be solved. Hemingway does not reveal any details on the characters such as what they look like, the way they are dressed, what their history may be together. He leaves all of that entirely open for interpretation. The dialogue and the scenery is really all a person can grasp on to in order to understand or even create an opinion on what this story is actually about. Hemmingway uses the Spanish railroad crossing as a significant metaphor to imply that the American man and the girl are also at a crossroads. Hemmingway never gives detailsShow MoreRelatedHills Like White Elephants By Ernest Hemingway859 Words   |  4 PagesHills Like White Elephants, short story by Ernest Hemingway, published in 1927 in the periodical transition and later that year in the collection Men Without Women. The themes of this sparsely written vignette about an American couple waiting for a train in Spain are almost entirely implicit. The story is largely devoid of plot and is notable for its use of irony, symbolism, and repetition. (Encyclopedia Britannica). The Short Story brings the read into a discussion, between a man and a girl. TheyRead MoreHills Like White Elephants1354 Words   |  5 PagesSymbolism in â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants† Ernest Hemingway’s â€Å"The Hills Like White Elephants† is a short story published in 1927 about an American man and a woman named Jig. The setting of this story takes place at a train station located in Spain surrounded by hills, trees, and fields. Other devices used by Hemingway throughout this story include imagery, simile, excellent syntax, and a very tense and emotional tone. In the beginning of the story, the American and Jig sit outside of the trainRead MoreHills Like White Elephants911 Words   |  4 Pages Every day people make decisions that affect their future lives. What makes a right decision? What may be right to some may be wrong to others. Right and wrong decisions are objective and vary among each individual. â€Å"Hills Like White Elephants,† by Ernest Hemingway, portrays the idea of decision making between two characters in a valley in Spain as they wait for a train to arrive. Jig, the protagonist, attempts to make a crucial change in her life by making the right decision, although her flawsRead MoreHills Like White Elephants996 Words   |  4 PagesErnest Hemingway’s short story â€Å"Hills like White Elephants† discusses the decision one girl must make and the consequences which accompany her choice. A â€Å"white elephant† is a valuable possession which its owner cannot dispose of but whose cost (particularly cost of upkeep) exceeds its usefulness. The â€Å"white elephant† in Hemingway’s story is the unnamed situation and the choice which Jig, the protagonist, must make. This drama takes place in Spain in the 1920’s, during which time the majority ofRead MoreHills like white elephant5316 Words   |  22 PagesHills Like White Elephants: The Jilting of Jig Hashmi, Nilofer. The Hemingway Review, Volume 23, Number 1, Fall 2003, pp. 72-83 (Article) Published by University of Idaho Department of English DOI: 10.1353/hem.2004.0009 For additional information about this article http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/hem/summary/v023/23.1hashmi.html Access Provided by Chulalongkorn University at 11/21/11 7:26AM GMT â€Å"hills like white elephants†: T h e j i lt i n g of j i g nilofer hashmi Georgia SouthernRead MoreHills Like White Elephants1015 Words   |  5 PagesHills Like White Elephants, written by Ernest Hemingway, is a story that takes place in Spain while a man and woman wait for a train. The story is set up as a dialogue between the two, in which the man is trying to convince the woman to do something she is hesitant in doing. Through out the story, Hemingway uses metaphors to express the characters opinions and feelings. Hills Like White Elephants displays the differences in the way a man and a woman view pregnancy and abortion. The woman looksRead MoreHills Like White Elephants838 Words   |  4 PagesHills Like White Elephants Ernest Hemingway’s Hills Like White Elephants presents a fictional example of the modern day prevalence of miscommunication among others, namely men and women. Depicted through the couple and the present issue at hand, Hemingway strives to allude to the unfortunate truth that despite constant speaking among beings, genuine communication continues to fall short and is nearly nonexistent. Existing is the lack of productivity when the true feelings of both parties are notRead MoreHills Like White Elephants1715 Words   |  7 PagesHills Like White Elephants shows a seemingly simple discussion between Jig and an American man about the possibility of an operation. Yet, when the story is dissected it becomes apparent that they are discussing the possibility of an abortion. Nothing in the short story is mentioned or said without signaling a greater or different meaning. Hemingway used the surroundings of the train station to impact the story and designed the characters to properly show two varying personalities. Even though thisRead MoreHills Like White Elephants1266 Words   |  6 Pagesanalysis, I shall attempt to examine some aspects of the core issue of abortion through a short story, and observe the climax, tension, and heart felt emotions people endure because of their differently held cultural views. The short story â€Å"Hills like White Elephants† was written by Ernest Hemingway in 1927. He brought the characters to life with his vivid imagery and strong dialogue. The short story is about a young couple in the country of Spain, awaiting the arrival of a commuter train outside a restaurantRead MoreHills Like White Elephants Lessons968 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Hills Like White Elephants† by Ernest Hemingway is a short story every student studying English Composition should read. The narrative explores the difficult topic of abortion which college students should read about. Not only did the story explore the couples dynamic it also d elved into the feelings each partner had about the pregnancy. In â€Å"On Reading Fiction†, the author explains that readers enjoy fiction for three reasons, because it is an escape from reality, a possible answer to problems