Relevance of Skills in Services

Introduction In the contemporary business environment, it is vital for people to possess skills that would enable them perform their activities efficiently. Academic knowledge may help in gaining some of these skills. However, some skills are outside the realm of academia (Rao, Tang Wang, 2002, p. 15).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Relevance of Skills in Services specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More When organisations are conducting interviews for prospective employees, they usually determine whether the candidates possess skills that would enable them perform their work efficiently. Technical jobs require people to possess various professional skills to perform their work effectively (Rao, Tang Wang, 2002, p. 16). The service industry requires people to possess a different set of skills to work effectively. However, certain skills are necessary for people to perform their work in different industries. Determinin g the set of skills that are necessary in performing various services is a complex undertaking. Most managers make several assumptions when determining the skills that their employees should possess (Gruqulis, Warhurst Keep, 2004, p. 1). Social skills enable service workers to provide their services efficiently. Social skills involve emotional labour. Service workers have to make various complex decisions that determine the efficiency of their services. Making the wrong decisions may reduce the efficiency of their services. Therefore, skills have meaning in services. Relevance of Skills in the Service Industry Service work refers to work that involves continuous interaction with clients. Therefore, service work has a tangible and intangible element (Jones Taylor, 2007, p. 40). Information processing is one of the major tangible elements of service work (Jones Taylor, 2007, p. 39). On the other hand, the interaction with clients is one of the major intangible elements of service w ork (Mithas Whitaker, 2007 p. 238). Service based organisations usually compete using both the tangible and intangible element. Managers and policy makers usually use a certain set of skills to determine people who should fill various vacant positions. Determining the right set of skills that an individual should possess is a complex undertaking (Mithas Whitaker, 2007 p. 239). Job complexity and task discretion are the major factors that determine the set of skills that employees of service-based organisations should possess.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Job Complexity The tangible elements of a job determine its complexity. Customisation is one of the major aspects of service work. It helps in improving the quality of service that organisations offer their clients Organisations usually engage in mass customisation of data. Mass customisation may increase the complexity of the work. Usually, employees in service-based organisations concentrate on assimilating the information. In so doing, they overlook the complex task of analysing the information. Analysing the information may provide insights that may help the service workers to improve their efficiency (Gruqulis Lloyd, 2010, p. 94). The intangible elements of a service-based work also determine the job complexity. The intangible elements refer to the emotional or aesthetic aspect of the job of service workers. Social skills are vital in improving the efficiency of work. However, various scholars argue that social skills are not real skills (Korczynski, 2005, p. 3). This is because social skills are simply personality traits of the individuals who perform the duties. Therefore, it is would be wrong to refer to them as ‘skills.’ These scholars argue that real skills are technical (Korczynski, 2005, p. 4). However, it is a fact that social skills are vital in performing various dutie s in service-based organisations. Social skills involve emotional labour. Emotional labour is a skilled form of labour (Korczynski, 2005, p. 5). This is because it requires employees to use various complex social skills. Most organisations value technical skills than social skills (Korczynski, 2005, p. 5). Employees who possess higher technical skills usually receive better remuneration packages (Korczynski, 2005, p. 5). On the other hand, most organisations offer lower wages to employees who use their social skills to perform their duties. It is a fact that emotional labour is skilled labour (Korczynski, 2005, p. 4). Service workers usually make various complex decisions that determine the efficiency of their activities. The service workers may use the body language and or tone of the customer to determine the most efficient emotional response (Balnave et al., 2007, p. 321). One of the major characteristics of service work is that women dominate it (Balnave et al., 2007, p. 322). M ost organisations have the perception that women are better suited to perform these duties due to the emotional labour that it requires. Therefore, labelling the complex social skills of service workers as inborn attributes of the women instead of skills may be gender discrimination (Bolton, 2004, p. 29).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Relevance of Skills in Services specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More People who perform skilled emotional labour usually receive less pay than their colleagues who perform various technical duties (Balnave et al., 2007, p. 321). Emotional labour usually attracts higher wages when it is necessary in performing various technical duties (Lindsay McQuaid, 2004, p. 310). Therefore, it is vital for organisations to appreciate the importance of service workers by offering them better pay. Task Discretion Task discretion determines the skills that service workers should employ. Bureaucratis ation, cost-minimisation, and customer-orientation are some of the major factors that determine the structure of service-based organisations (Korczynski, 2005, p. 6). These factors enable the organisations to appeal to their customers using both price and quality of their services. Organisations may have several rigid procedures that service workers should follow while performing their duties. This reduces the task discretion of these workers. One of the major benefits of this method is that it makes it easier for the organisation to supervise the employees (Korczynski, 2005, p. 6). However, increased bureaucracy reduces the quality of services that the organisation offers its customers (Korczynski, 2005, p. 7). On the other hand, organisations may allow service workers to alter various procedures. Empowering employees usually leads to a significant improvement in the quality of services that the organisation offers. Most contemporary organisations use this model (Korczynski, 2005, p. 7). These organisations increase the task discretion of service workers. This enables service workers to choose and apply the right emotional response, which the management would approve (Korczynski, 2005, p. 8). Increased task discretion necessitates the management to recruit employees who possess skills that would enable them perform their duties effectively. The attitude of the employees determines the decisions that they would make when they face various situations (Varca, 2004, p. 457). One of the major developments in contemporary business practices is the managerial control of the emotional displays of service workers. The emotional displays help in improving the competitiveness of the organisations (Kim, 2007, p. 152). Managerial control of emotional displays usually reduces the task discretion of the employees. This has a negative effect on the intangible aspect of the work of the service workers. Conclusion Skills that are necessary in the service sector have various im plications on the practices of organisations. They determine how organisations recruit their employees. Organisations require their employees to be emotionally intelligent.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In addition, the skills determine the training that the organisation should offer its employees (Lloyd Payne, 2009, p. 619). Most organisations in the hospitality industry strive to control the emotional displays of their employees. The importance of service workers necessitates organisations to offer them good wages. References Balnave, N, Brown, J, Maconachie, G Stone, R 2007, Employment relations in Australia, Wiley Sons, Hoboken, NJ. Bolton, S 2004, ‘Conceptual confusions: Emotion work as skilled work’, in C Warhurst (ed.), The skills that matter, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke, pp. 19-37. Gruqulis, I, Warhurst, C Keep, E 2004, What’s happening to ‘skill’, SAGE Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA. Gruqulis, I Lloyd, C 2010, Skill and the labour process: The conditions and consequences of change, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke. Jones, T Taylor, SF 2007, ‘The conceptual domain of service loyalty: How many dimensions?’, Journal of S ervices Marketing, vol. 21 no. 1, pp. 36-51. Kim, HJ 2007, ‘Hotel service providers’ emotional labour: The antecedents and effects on burnout’, International Journal of Hospitality Management, vol. 27 no. 2, pp. 151-161. Korczynski, M 2005, ‘Skills in service work: An overview’, Human Resource Management Journal, vol. 15 no. 2, pp. 3-14. Lindsay, C McQuaid, RW 2004, ‘Avoiding the â€Å"McJobs†: Unemployed job seekers and attitudes to service work’, Work, Employment and Society, vol. 18 no. 2, pp. 297-319. Lloyd, C Payne, J 2009, ‘Full of sound and fury, signifying nothing’, Work, Employment Society, vol. 23 no. 4, pp. 617-634. Mithas, S Whitaker, J 2007, ‘Is the world flat or spiky? Information intensity, skills, and global service disaggregation’, Information Systems Research, vol. 18 no. 3, pp. 237-259. Rao, S, Tang, J Wang, W 2002, ‘The importance of skills for innovation and productivityâ⠂¬â„¢, International Productivity Monitor, vol. 4 no. 1, pp. 15-26. Varca, PE 2004, ‘Service skills for service workers: Emotional intelligence and beyond’, Managing Quality Service, vol. 14 no. 6, pp. 457-467. This essay on Relevance of Skills in Services was written and submitted by user Harvey Cole to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Environmental Costs of Cotton

The Environmental Costs of Cotton Chances are that on any given day we wear some clothing items made of cotton, or sleep in cotton sheets, yet few of us know how it is grown, or what are  the environmental impacts of cotton cultivation. Where Is Cotton Grown? Cotton is a fiber grown on a plant of the Gossypium genus, which once harvested can be cleaned and spun into fabrics used most commonly for linens and clothing. Needing sunshine, abundant water, and relatively frost-free winters, cotton is grown in a surprising variety of location with diverse climates, including  Australia, Argentina, West Africa, and Uzbekistan. However, the largest producers of cotton are China, India, and the United States. Both Asian countries produce the most, mostly for their domestic markets, and the US is the largest exporter of cotton with about 10 million bales a year. In the United States cotton production is mostly concentrated in an area called the Cotton Belt, stretching from the lower Mississippi River through an arc spanning the lowlands of Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. Irrigation allows additional acreage in the Texas Panhandle, in southern Arizona, and in California’s San Joaquin Valley. Chemical Warfare Globally, 35 million hectares of cotton are under cultivation. To control the numerous pests feeding on the cotton plant  farmers have long relied on heavy application of insecticides, which leads to the pollution of surface and groundwater. In developing countries cotton growers use a full half of the pesticides used in agriculture. Recent advancements in technology, including the ability to modify the cotton plant’s genetic material, have made cotton toxic to some of its pest. This reduced but did not eliminate the need for insecticides. Farm workers, particularly where the labor is less mechanized, continue to be exposed to harmful chemicals. Competing weeds are another threat to cotton production; generally tilling practices and herbicides are used to knock back weeds. A large number of farmers have adopted genetically modified cotton seeds that include a gene protecting it from the herbicide glyphosate (the active ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup). That way, the fields can be sprayed with the herbicide when the plant is young, easily eliminating competition from weeds.   Naturally, glyphosate ends up in the environment, and our knowledge of its effects on soil health, aquatic life, and wildlife is far from complete. Another issue is the emergence of glyphosate resistant weeds. This is an especially important concern for those farmers interested in following no-till practices, which normally help preserve the soil structure and reduce erosion. Reliance on glyphosate resistance makes it more difficult to control weeds without turning the soil. Especially problematic in the southeast US is Palmer’s amaranth pigweed, a fast growing glyphosate resistant weed. Synthetic Fertilizers Conventionally grown cotton requires the heavy use of synthetic fertilizers. Such concentrated application means much of it ends up in waterways, creating one of the worst nutrient pollution problems globally, upending aquatic communities and leading to dead zones starved of oxygen and devoid of aquatic life. In addition, synthetic fertilizers contribute an important quantity of greenhouse gases during their production and use. Heavy Irrigation In many regions rainfall is insufficient to grow cotton but the deficit can be made up by irrigating the fields with water from nearby rivers or from wells. Wherever it comes from, the water withdrawals can be so massive that they diminish river flows significantly and deplete groundwater. Two thirds of India’s cotton production is irrigated with groundwater. In the United States, western cotton farmers too rely on irrigation. Obviously, one could question the appropriateness of growing a non-food crop in arid portions of California and Arizona during the current multi-year drought. In the Texas Panhandle, cotton fields are irrigated by pumping water from the Ogallala Aquifer. Spanning eight states from South Dakota to Texas, this vast underground sea of ancient water is being drained for agriculture far faster than it can recharge. In northwest Texas, Ogallala groundwater levels have dropped over 8 feet between 2004 and 2014. Perhaps the most dramatic overuse of irrigation water is visible in Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, where the Aral Sea declined in surface area by 85%. Livelihoods, wildlife habitats, and fish populations have been decimated. To make matters worse the now dry salt and pesticide residues are blown away from the former fields and lake bed, increasing the frequency of miscarriages and malformations among the 4 million people who live downwind. Another negative consequence of heavy irrigation is soil salination. When fields are repeatedly flooded with irrigation water, salt becomes concentrated near the surface. Plants can no longer grow on these soils and agriculture has to be abandoned. Salination has happened on a large scale in much of the former cotton fields of Uzbekistan. Are There Environmentally Friendly Alternatives? To grow environmentally friendlier cotton, a first step must be to reduce the use of dangerous  pesticides. This can be achieved through different means. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an established, effective method of fighting pests which results in a net reduction in pesticides used. According to the World Wildlife Fund, using IPM saved some of India’s cotton farmers 60 to 80% in pesticide use.  Genetically-modified cotton can also help reduce pesticide application, but with many caveats.   In its simplest form growing cotton in a  sustainable manner  means planting it where rainfall is sufficient, avoiding irrigation altogether. In areas with marginal irrigation needs, drip irrigation offers important water savings. Organic farming takes into consideration all aspects of cotton production, leading to much reduced environmental impacts and better health outcomes for the farm workers and the surrounding community.  A well-recognized organic certification program helps consumers making smart choices, and protects them from greenwashing. One such third-party certification organization is  the Global Organic Textile Standards. Sources World Wildlife Fund. 2013. Cleaner, Greener Cotton: Impacts and Better Management Practices.

Major General Robert E. Rodes - American Civil War

Major General Robert E. Rodes - American Civil War Robert E. Rodes - Early Life Career: Born March 29, 1829 in Lynchburg, VA, Robert Emmett Rodes was the son of David and Martha Rodes.   Raised in the area, he elected to attend the Virginia Military Institute with an eye towards a military career.   Graduating in 1848, ranked tenth in a class of twenty-four, Rodes was asked to remain at VMI as an assistant professor.   Over the next two years he taught a variety of subjects including physical science, chemistry, and tactics.   In 1850, Rodes departed the school after failing to secure a promotion to professor.   This instead went to his future commander, Thomas J. Jackson. Traveling south, Rodes found employment with a series of railroads in Alabama.   In September 1857, he married Virginia Hortense Woodruff of Tuscaloosa.   The couple would ultimately have two children.   Serving as the chief engineer of the Alabama Chattanooga Railroad, Rodes held the post until 1861.   With the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter and beginning of the Civil War that April, he offered his services to the state of Alabama.   Appointed colonel of the 5th Alabama Infantry, Rodes organized the regiment at Camp Jeff Davis in Montgomery that May. Robert E. Rodes - Early Campaigns: Ordered north, Rodes regiment served in Brigadier General Richard S. Ewells brigade at the First Battle of Bull Run on July 21.   Recognized by General P.G.T. Beauregard as an excellent officer, Rodes received a promotion to brigadier general on October 21.   Assigned to Major General Daniel H. Hills division, Rodes brigade joined General Joseph E. Johnstons army in early 1862 for the defense of Richmond.   Operating against Major General George B. McClellans Peninsula Campaign, Rodes first led his new command in combat at the Battle of Seven Pines on May 31.   Mounting a series of attacks, he sustained a wound in his arm and was forced from the field.    Ordered to Richmond to recover, Rodes rejoined his brigade early and led it at the Battle of Gaines Mill on June 27.   Not fully healed, he was force to leave his command a few days later prior to the fighting at Malvern Hill.   Out action until late that summer, Rodes returned to the Army of Northern Virginia as General Robert E. Lee commenced his invasion of Maryland. On September 14, his brigade mounted a stiff defense at Turners Gap during the Battle of South Mountain.   Three days later, Rodes men turned back Union assaults against the Sunken Road at the Battle of Antietam.   Wounded by shell fragments during the fighting, he remained at his post.   Later that fall, Rodes was present at the Battle of Fredericksburg, but his men were not engaged. Robert E. Rodes - Chancellorsville Gettysburg: In January 1863, Hill was transferred to North Carolina.   Though the corps commander, Jackson, desired to give command of the division to Edward Allegheny Johnson, this officer could not accept due to wounds sustained at McDowell.   As a result, the position fell to Rodes as the senior brigade commander in the division.   The first division commander in Lees army to not have attended West Point, Rodes repaid Jacksons confidence at the Battle of Chancellorsville in early May.   Spearheading Jacksons audacious flank attack against Major General Joseph Hookers Army of the Potomac, his division shattered Major General Oliver O. Howards XI Corps.   Severely wounded in the fighting, Jackson requested that Rodes be promoted to major general before dying on May 10. With the loss of Jackson, Lee reorganized the army and Rodes division moved into Ewells newly-formed Second Corps.   Advancing into Pennsylvania in June, Lee ordered his army to concentrate around Cashtown in early July.   Obeying this order, Rodes Division was moving south from Carlisle on July 1 when word was received of fighting at Gettysburg.   Arriving north of the town, he deployed his men on Oak Hill facing the right flank of Major General Abner Doubledays I Corps.   Through the day, he launched a series of disjointed attacks which suffered heavy losses before finally dislodging Brigadier General John C. Robinsons division and elements of XI Corps.   Pursuing the enemy south through the town, he halted his men before they could assault Cemetery Hill.   Though tasked with supporting attacks on Cemetery Hill the next day, Rodes and his men played little role in the rest of the battle. Robert E. Rodes - Overland Campaign: Active in the Bristoe and Mine Run Campaigns that fall, Rodes continued to lead his division in 1864.   In May, he helped opposed Lieutenant General Ulysses S. Grants Overland Campaign at the Battle of the Wilderness where the division attacked Major General Gouverneur K. Warren V Corps.   A few days later, Rodes division took part in the savage fighting at the Mule Shoe Salient at the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House.   The remainder of May saw the division participate in the fighting at North Anna and Cold Harbor.   After reaching Petersburg in early June, Second Corps, now led by Lieutenant General Jubal A. Early, received orders to depart for the Shenandoah Valley. Robert E. Rodes - In the Shenandoah:         Tasked with defending the Shenandoah and drawing troops away from the siege lines at Petersburg, Early moved down (north) the valley sweeping aside Union forces.   Crossing the Potomac, he then sought to menace Washington, DC.   Marching east, he engaged Major General Lew Wallace at Monocacy on July 9.   In the fighting, Rodes men moved along the Baltimore Pike and demonstrated against Jug Bridge.   Overwhelming Wallaces command, Early then reached Washington and skirmished against Fort Stevens before withdrawing back into Virginia.   The efforts of Earlys troops had the desired effect as Grant dispatched sizable forces north with orders to eliminate the Confederate threat in the Valley. In September, Early found himself opposed by Major General Philip H. Sheridans Army of the Shenandoah.   Concentrating his forces at Winchester, he tasked Rodes with holding the Confederate center.   On September 19, Sheridan opened the Third Battle of Winchester and commenced a large-scale attack against the Confederate lines.   With Union troops driving back both of Earlys flanks, Rodes was cut down by an exploding shell as he worked to organize a counterattack.   Following the battle, his remains were taken back to Lynchburg where he was buried at the  Presbyterian Cemetery.         Ã‚   Selected Sources VMIs Civil War Generals: Robert E. RodesGettysburg Generals: Robert E. RodesNPS: Robert E. Rodes

EUROPEAN LAW Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

EUROPEAN LAW - Essay Example idity and the legal basis of the said directives.2 The manufacturers invoked the principles of subsidiarity, proportionality, right to property and the right to conduct economic activity under Articles 28 and 30 EC and the European Convention Human Rights Protocol, which specify provisions on basic right to property and the right to conduct economic activity freely. The claimants also invoked infraction of Article 253 EC also referred to as the duty to give reasons. Furthermore, the manufacturers of food supplement also challenged Articles 3, 4(1) and 15 (b) of the EC rulings, which state that only food supplements which comply with aforesaid directives may be sold within the European Community and the vitamins and minerals specified under the directives may be utilised. The directive further stated that effective August 1, 2005, products which did not comply with the directives should be prohibited.3 The court has dealt with these issues in the past as for instance in the case of Sw edish Match and Arnold Andre4 and has made its decisions based on the judgments brought forth on that particular case. The EC Directives define ‘food supplements’ as products or items whose purpose is to supplement the daily diet, foodstuffs which contain concentrated nutrients or materials having nutritional or physiological results. These supplements are either marketed in isolation or come in dosage forms, which include capsules, tablets or pills. One of the disputed directives state that only ‘vitamins and minerals’ specified ‘in the forms listed in Annex I and in the forms listed in Annex II maybe used for the manufacture of food supplement5. The court riling and the EC directives likewise invoked treaties signed by the member states of the EC. The Directive provided in Article 15 also affirmed that ‘Member States shall bring into the force of laws’ and other aforesaid stipulations needed to abide by the Directive6. The manufacturers of health foods asked the courts

Formal analytical report on employment in thehealtcare field Research Paper

Formal analytical report on employment in thehealtcare field - Research Paper Example The report contains five parts. The first part can educate individuals who would like their children to develop a career in healthcare management. This is because the part contains recommendation on steps that could be made to enhance professional development among this group of individuals. Part 2 could educate both parents and teachers on the most recommendable steps to take in encouraging students to develop a career in healthcare management. Part 3 and 4 would be of very great assistance to individual learners who want to develop career in healthcare management. This is because it contains the recommendable steps that they could undertake to enhance their acquisition of necessary knowledge and skills. Thank you in advance for reading the report. I know that the knowledge and skills you have obtained would assist you in developing competency in healthcare management or help someone else become a better healthcare manager in future. Regards (Insert names here) Table of Contents Let ter of transmittal 2 Table of Contents 2 Background 4 Purpose, scope, and limitations 4 Sources and methods 5 Report organization 6 Career development during pre-elementary and elementary education 6 Career development during high school and undergraduate education 7 Career development during postgraduate and work 8 Conclusion 9 Introduction Background Healthcare management is a very luxurious field to pursue a career. According to Buchbinder & Shunks (2011), healthcare management is a fast growing profession with increasing opportunities in different settings. This is because of the growing population that results to a greater demand for effective and high quality healthcare services. However, healthcare management has become very demanding as the healthcare institution continue to adapt complicated organizational structures to improve service delivery. Like other managements, interaction between academic and experiential learning plays a very great role in developing competency in healthcare management (Walshe & Smith, 2011). This makes individuals pursuing a career in this field to be required to advance their education to supplement their experience. Challenges encountered in healthcare management are different from challenges encountered in other management fields. According to Goldsmith (2005), healthcare management involves allocation of scarce resources among competing factions and maintaining something akin to equilibrium in the organization. Achieving this has not been easy because of interdisciplinary activities that are required to be undertaken. Multidisciplinary activities require teamwork activities. Therefore, professional in healthcare management need to understand how to achieve group cohesiveness and teamwork in the team they manage (Burn et al., 2011). This is actually among the most conspicuous challenges that distinguish healthcare management from the one taken in other management fields. Purpose, scope, and limitations This report explai ns how individuals can develop a career in the healthcare field. The purpose of the report is to inform young people who have ambitions of becoming healthcare professional about the necessary steps that they require to undertake to achieve their ambitions. Moreover,

Critical Discourse Analysis Essay -- Social Discourse

Critical Discourse Analysis Jan blommaert and Chris Bulcaen makes a brief introduction to the study of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). CDA intends to use social-theoretical method in discourse analysis and is primarily linguistically based (Blommaet & Bulcaen, 2000, p.447). It intends to analyze the structural relationships of dominance, discrimination, power and control through a textual study (Blommaet & Bulcaen, 2000, p.448). Based on the assumption that social discourse is constructed and socially conditioned, CDA explores the power dynamics in this process. According to Fairclough, CDA analysis can be divided into three-dimensions: first, discours-as-text which analyzes the textual linguistic elements as concrete instances of discourse; second, discourse-as-discursive-practice, especially focusing on discourse processes like speech act, coherence and intertexuality; third, discourse-as-social-practice which examines the effects and the hegemonic process in the discourse (Blommaet & Bulcaen, 2000, p.448-9). While both the second and the third dimension consider the arrangement of text elements or quotes as intertexuality, the second dimension makes the interaction between text and context visible and the third dimension makes the discursive power dynamic visible as well. Moreover, they point out that CDA aims to undertake a social responsibility to correct particular discourses for â€Å"change, empowerment, and practice-orientedness† (Blommaet & Bulcaen, 2000, p.449). Because of this, CDA pay large attention to social topics and works on two main directions: power and ideology, and change of the structuralist determinism (Blommaet & Bulcaen, 2000, p.452). Although it ambitiously put such great emphasis on social phenomena o... ...te in the 1960s which reflected two opposite public opinions on Television and radio respectively. More current example could be the different experience of a same news text people read on a mainstream newspaper and on a facebook sharing page. As Blommaert and Bulcaen suggest the incorporation of linguistic and nonlinguistic dimensions, this could be taken into consideration in further studies. Reference: Blommaert, J., & Bulcaen, C. (2000). Critical discourse analysis. Annual Review of Anthropology,29, 447-66. Schroder, K.C. (2007). Media discourse analysis: researching cultural meaning from inception to reception. Texual Cultures: Texts, Contexts, Interpretation 2, 2, 77-99. Steensland, B. (2008). Why do policy frames change? actor-idea coevolution in debates on welfare reform. Social Forces, 86(3), 1027-54.

Analysis of Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare Essay

Much Ado About Nothing is a play set in c1598 in England. The author of this play, William Shakespeare has used various literary techniques to construct and develop its characters. This essay will analyse some of the techniques including tone, character-specific dialogue, dramatic irony, soliloquy, and symbolism that has been used by the author to construct the characters of the play including Benedick, Beatrice, and Don John. Tone is one of the major techniques used by Shakespeare in this play, to show audience the type and behaviour of characters. In the introduction of the play, Beatrice asks the messenger who had come to deliver a message that stated that prince Pedro is coming to Messina, if â€Å"Signior Montanto† (1. 1. 25) (mocking â€Å"Signior Benedick†) had returned from the battle. The tone of Beatrice used in this introductory scene, gives audience an idea that she might be a witty character. Beatrice, like in this scene, has a witty attitude in most of the scenes. An example of this is where Leonato is talking to Beatrice about her future husband, where she states that a one who has a beard is â€Å"more than a youth† (2.1. 27) and he is not for her, whereas one who has none is â€Å"less than a man† (2. 1. 38) and she is not for him, concluding that there is no man that is able to become her husband. This shows that Beatrice is a very hard-hearted character and cannot be changed or pleased so easily. The tone of Beatrice is usually specific in most of the parts of the play. However, this is also true for the other characters in the play. This shows how tone can be used to specifically recognise a character. Therefore, it can be concluded that the author has used Tone as one of the early techniques in constructing and developing the characters, to let the audience know about the characters’ personality and behaviour. A technique that is used for most of the characters of the play is character-specific dialogue. Character-specific dialogue relates to tone; it makes audience familiar with the way a specific character speaks and expresses his thoughts. Don John is the character in the play that never changes his way of speech. In the scene where Don John speaks for the first time, he has a very villainy dialogue where he states how â€Å"That young  start-up† (Don Pedro) â€Å"hath all the glory† of Don John’s â€Å"overthrow†, and if Don John can â€Å"cross him anyway†, he blesses himself â€Å"every way† (1. 3. 48). This way of speech stays the same at all the parts of the play; â€Å"I am sick in displeasure to him, and whatsoever comes athwart his affection ranges evenly with mine† (2. 2. 5). This technique similar to tone, contrasts the dialogue of characters to differentiate between the ways different characters think and behave. It is used to make characters seem different or similar to other characters; otherwise known as stereotyping. Thus, character specific dialogue makes audience familiar to the behaviour and thoughts of a character, and is therefore used for constructing characters. Dramatic irony is another technique used in this play that gives audience an overview of the way characters think in certain situations. Dramatic irony, is a technique that aids in developing characters mostly by showing the characters’ feelings (that are not usually visible) towards something that they think is real, but only the audience know if it is true (i. e. where at least one character doesn’t know what the audience know). An example of this is in a scene where Don Pedro, Leonato and the other men were discussing how Lady Beatrice â€Å"was in love with Signior Benedick† (2. 3. 82). The dramatic irony here is that Signior Benedick in this scene was hiding and overhearing the conversation, but doesn’t know that he was being deceived into believing that Lady Beatrice is madly in love with him. Since benedick gets deceived into believing that Beatrice really loves him, he then expresses his deeper feelings much more to the audience as he says to himself that if Beatrice does love him, â€Å"it must be requited† (2.3. 183) and otherwise he will not be. This shows that dramatic irony leads into constructing and developing characters, as dramatic irony in a way allows audience to overview and understand a character’s deeper thoughts/feelings. Soliloquy is also a technique that has been used similar to dramatic irony by putting forward the emotions of a character and having an overview of his/her personality/thoughts to aid in building the character. Dramatic irony is where ‘there is something that a character doesn’t know, but the audience are aware of it’, whereas a soliloquy is where ‘the audience know what a character is feeling but other characters are not addressed’. A good example of a soliloquy is in the scene where benedick is speaking to himself about how a man changes himself after falling in love. In the scene, benedick says how â€Å"One woman is fair, yet I am well; another is wise, yet I am well; another virtuous, yet I am well† (2. 3. 21) but unless there is a woman who has all three qualities, he shall not fall in love with any woman. From this scene, it is observed that benedick has certain values that a woman should have, and that she is the woman he will fall in love with. As seen, soliloquy opens the door to a character’s deeper feelings. These are feelings that a character is not likely to state when other characters are present and addressed. This shows how soliloquy, similar to dramatic irony, lets the audience know about a character’s deep thoughts/emotions. Another technique that had been used was Symbolism. This technique is present in many scenes throughout the play. It has been used to make the audience visualise and understand certain aspects of the play. An example of this is in the scene where Beatrice gets deceived by her cousin into believing that â€Å"Benedick loves Beatrice so entirely† (3. 1. 37). In the scene Hero tells Margaret how it is good for Benedick to forget Beatrice as â€Å"Disdain and scorn ride sparkling† (3. 1. 51) in Beatrice’s eyes and â€Å"Mispricing† (3. 1. 52) everything they see. This was being said so to make Beatrice realise that her behaviour was full of scorn and pride. At this time when the play was written, women generally had to be polite when men are around. However, it is seen that Beatrice’s character does not obey this rule, and her behaviour is contrasted with other women. In the introduction of the play, as seen in the paragraph that analysed â€Å"tone† as a technique, Beatrice was a witty character. Though at the introduction tone was used to develop the character of Beatrice to be witty, it has also been repeated throughout the play. The repetition of this fact has led to symbolise Beatrice with the character of wit and wit itself. This shows how symbolism has been used along with tone and repetition to construct characters of the play. The literary techniques analysed above show how they were used to construct characters and position audience to let the characters be constructed within their thoughts. Shakespeare has used various literary techniques including tone, character-specific dialogue, dramatic irony, soliloquy, and symbolism to directly and indirectly construct and develop the characters of the play Much Ado about Nothing. All of these techniques relate to each other within the context of constructing characters by various means like giving characters an insight of character’s thoughts, letting audience know more about the personality of characters etc. Thus these techniques have been used in the play to create and develop the characters of the play. Bibliography * Shakespeare, William. Mares, F. H. ed. The New Cambridge Shakespeare – Much Ado About Nothing. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2007. Print * n. p. â€Å"Glossary of Literary Terms† uncp. com. UNCP, n. d. Web. 22 Aug, 2010.