Od vs Hr

We are witnessing and participating in an unprecedented dissolution of the boundaries of the field of organization development. In organizations around the world, the HRS function Is monopolizing the ODD function at an unprecedented pace, which is limiting our reach, blunting our effectiveness, and compromising our role. † ODD and HRS Do We Want the Lady or the Tiger? By Matt Mailman Ding. Ding. Ding. K, time's up. Time to decide. Will it be door number one, or door number two? The lady or the tiger? In Frank Stockpot's allegory (1882), a prisoner is ordered to choose between two closed doors.Behind one is a woman whom he must marry sight unseen and live with for the rest of his life; behind the other is the tiger which would surely eat him alive. Without knowing exactly what is behind which door, how Is one to choose? And, which does one really prefer? Like the mythical prisoner, the field of ODD has been standing In front of two doors for too long, putting off the choice betw een them. One door would leave the ODD function embedded within HRS; the other would get ODD out to stand independently on its own two feet in the organization.The field of ODD has been putting off this decision for too long? nice its inception, in fact?and it is time for us to make the decision. Well into our mid-ass as a field, we can't really blame all of this mess on our forebears, because frankly we're dealing with these choices Just as badly as they did when the field was first founded. We're still standing looking at the same two doors between which our ODD forebears could not decide. Long History, Deep Roots This question about whether ODD should be part of HRS or should stand on its own goes back to the founding of our field.What became organization development had its roots in the training and placement function, where the T group was the primary Intervention. At a panel of the founders of ODD at the 2009 Academy of Management conference in Chicago, almost every one of the m, to a man, said that they were trained as writers or sociologists or engineers, but attended an ANT Institute T group where their lives changed. (Several also lamented that they were all white men in the field at that time, and on that panel at MOM. Following their ANT experiences, they tried to bring these insights they had obtained Into their organizations via the training function. By the ate sass, Just a few years after the field was founded by about a dozen Internal training and development people at Ant's summer home in Bethel, Maine, the theory was, â€Å"let's transform the way managers think about themselves and the ways they relate to people and solve problems, and once we've done that, we can send them back home to transform their own organizations† (Operas & Bradford, 2004).Evidently, there were some who said that the ODD function should stand on its own and be independent to other intelligence (Burke, 2 ). Others, however, were concerned t the field of ODD was too new and unknown and should reside in the personnel or raining function, as advocated by Shell Davis of TRW Systems, Sys Levy from Pillsbury, Herb Sheppard formerly of Sees, Dick Backyard, and others. Their belief was that â€Å"ODD at the time was too new, too ephemeral, and too suspect to survive on its own in the organization †¦Early on, then, two models or scenarios ODD and HRS: Do We Want the Lady or the Tiger? 17 about the place of ODD within the organization were debated regarding the wisdom of such a placement† (Burke, 2004). Theory Versus Fact The vast majority of the central thinkers, writers, and scholars in our field today (Cummings & Worldly, 2005; Marshal, 2009; Ferrymen & Worldly, 2009; Retell, et al. , 2009) write as if ODD is a separate and distinct field of practice, but the facts on the ground tell a different story.We are witnessing and participating in an unprecedented dissolution of the world, the HRS function is monopolizing the ODD function at an unprecedented pace, which is limiting our reach, blunting our effectiveness, and compromising our role. As a field, we are behaving as if there is nothing we can do about it; it is as if we are watching ourselves in an automobile crash in slow motion, worried and concerned at hat we see, and yet unable to find the brakes or grab the steering wheel to avert the collision and all of the collateral damage.Maybe the founders of the field were right that ODD was too new and too fragile to stand on its own. But they didn't count on what's happening now in the field of HRS. The Ascendancy of HRS Over the past 15 years, we have seen better and better leadership of the HRS function, with several universities now offering Masters' degrees in HARM and HARD and several MBA degrees with an HRS concentration. The result has been a generation of stronger, more tragic HRS managers who have achieved a seat at the table and are trusted advisors at the top of organizations.Many managers at the top of the HRS function are getting better by the year about understanding the dynamics of the organizations in which they serve. Increasingly, they can speak the language of the board room, and are not afraid to undertake even major organization change projects. This new generation of HRS leaders clearly understands that people and money are the powers that run organizations; and when the system can provide enough of the latter, their Job is to get Just enough f it into the hands of the former to get the Job done. And then return the rest to stakeholders. And to keep the organization out of court.In these regards, they are notably different from the generation of HRS managers and VSP that preceded them, when there was no professional training for HRS managers and when these posts often went to the UP who was due to retire next. The evolution of the training function also has had an impact. Ever increasing pressures to reduce costs nave torched the training diminution to get smart about impact evaluation. Kirkpatrick (1998) four levels have forced the training function to kook beyond end-of-session â€Å"smile sheets† to defend their budgets and make the case that training is a valuable investment.The result has been that training functions are now requiring training managers who have the skills to collect data, analyze it, and think systemically about what to do with it. Sounds familiar, doesn't it? If you needed The days of HRS staff being hired principally because they were people persons with DOD listening skills are gone. The trend toward activity based costing (BBC) is now showing the true cost of overhead functions such as HRS, and HRS is responding by asking itself more relevant to the business of the organization.Many HRS staff are now called business partners, often reflecting an aspiration goal, but quite distant from the actual reality of their skills on the ground. With this smarter, more strategic generation of HRS managers comes the instinct and desire to have at hand one of the most powerful levers for organizational change and renewal, the ODD function. Thus the trend of ODD roles and functions being acquired by HRS. And, to be clear, in merger and acquisition terms, these are not mergers of equals; they are straight up acquisitions of the ODD function by HRS.Another factor has been the pressure on HRS functions to be relevant to the business of the organization. The days of HRS staff being hired principally because they were people persons with good listening skills are gone. The trend toward activity based costing (BBC) is now showing the true cost of overhead functions such as HRS, and HRS is responding by making itself more relevant to the business of the organization. Many HRS staff are now called business partners, often reflecting an aspiration goal, but quite distant from the actual reality of their skills on the ground. Money to do that, wouldn't you be looking for a DOD ODD person?Often desperate to meet the ir utilization goals, the training function is very happy to let managers continue to believe that training is the answer to every problem, a kind of panacea for whatever ails. Leaders and employees alike seem to rely on training as the answer, believing perhaps that with the right education they can deliver what the business needs. That is certainly an easier solution to accept than facing ODD issues related to how people, teams, and departments relate and connect with one another, how business processes work, and how all connect with ND work toward the strategic direction of the organization.So, it is no wonder that smart HRS leaders are looking to candidates trained and educated in ODD to take on these business partner and training leadership roles, resulting in even more blurring of the lines between ODD and HRS. 18 ODD PRACTITIONER Volvo. 42 NO. 4 2010 Differences Are Real, and Important By now, this author's biases are probably clear: there are important differences between th e ODD and HRS functions; and as these roles collapse and the differences disappear, the field of ODD is losing its unique position in the organization and its effectiveness overall.We're behaving as a field as if we uncoil be living in a both/and world around this, when the truth is exactly the opposite. Many in ODD struggle to find and hold boundaries that separate people and things. We spend our entire time helping our clients make better connections between each other at all levels?individuals and pairs, cross unit collaboration, organizations working toward better partnerships, etc. But when it comes to ODD and our HRS cousins, we should be sharpening and better defining our boundaries, not blurring them, because the differences in our functions are real and important.The HRS function has a legally mandated, regulatory role: to provide people to fill Jobs, to reduce costs (for payroll, health care insurance, benefits, etc. ), and to keep the organization out of the courts and th e press by ensuring compliance and avoiding claims of discrimination or harassment. People view HRS as the people you go to with a problem that you want to make official. People feel that going to HRS puts things in the record. They see HRS as the enforcers or policemen.The ODD function has a developmental mandate; in fact, our Job is to increase the effectiveness of the organization and to maximize the potential of the human beings in the work force. We have theories, concepts, beliefs, and values through which we help our clients assure that there is alignment among strategy, structure, business process, and culture, while at the same time embedding human values such as honesty, respect, diversity, and voice.One model (Marshal, 2006) outlines three domains of knowledge for ODD practitioners: Ð’Â » understanding social systems, drawing on theories and ideas from the social sciences, including psychology, social psychology, sociology, anthropology, political science, and others, consistent with ODD aloes; understanding the wows and whys of change, including the bodies of knowledge that help explain how all levels of the system?individual, group, organizational, community, and even societies change; and understanding the role of the third party change agent, especially aiding the person in charge as well as the system itself to bring about the desired changes, requiring an understanding of the issues, politics, psychological processes related to being a third party in a change process. That doesn't sound much like the recruit, retain, train, and develop mandate of the HRS function, does it? It is hard to imagine even the highest functioning HRS departments being knowledgeable and skilled in all these areas. There are many in HRS who look at the list of ODD functions and say, â€Å"Oh, we can do that! † And, on occasion, they may be right.But the philosophies of the two disciplines are starkly different, as are the theory bases, the world views, the c ore skills sets, and their roles within the organization. There is a built-in conflict between the role of ODD consultant, coach or adviser with a developmental mandate working toward organizational effectiveness, versus the role to the R practitioner whose core mandate is regulatory and endorsement. Can a good HRS person advise on selected developmental matters, such as training strategies and needs assessments? Yes, as can a good ODD person. But the conflict of interest for the HRS staff shows up when the Action Research process of retreat planning and design requires them to interview staff about a manager's effectiveness.What staff member in her right mind would say something critical of their manager to someone from HRS, who is likely also to be involved in decisions about that manager's promotion, pay, and even succession planning? Or their own? HRS has its hands on too many of the organizational levers and has too many mandates centering around enforcement and control to ever be effective at drawing out of managers the truth about their insecurities, anxieties, and the shadow sides, that is so necessary to doing good work and being effective in doing ODD. Troubling Examples These concerns aren't Just theoretical, either. Quick conversations with a handful of colleagues, both ODD and HRS, turn up some troubling examples.In a large multinational organization, The Different Functions Organization Development Ђ Improve the effectiveness of the organization Maximize the potential of human beings and their contributions to the organization Align strategy, structure, business processes, and behavior into an effective corporate culture Model and foster humanistic values into the workplace Human Resources Manage employee attraction, retention, development, and performance management Develop and manage programs for employee relations, staff wellbeing, workforce planning, and workload management Ensure equity and diversity Reduce labor costs Avoid litigation E nforce corporate policies 9 the ODD staff and external consultants were forced to follow the rules that govern the rest of the HRS function around meeting with VSP and senior managers. The HRS UP insisted that he attend every meeting that the HRS?and ODD! ?staff had with other VSP in the organization. Not Just marketing or contracting meetings, but actual project meetings as well. He was unwilling to make an exception for the ODD staff lest the HRS staff get upset.Within weeks, his it was in Corporate Strategy along with the strategy and budget functions, where it had free reign of the organization and was in constant contact with the top dervish on strategy, structure, and corporate culture. It was later merged into the HRS function. The results: the best organization design people in town left (with all of their embedded knowledge) rather than be reassigned to deliver management training programs. Then a succession to HRS managers grade- practitioner is, then anybody can hang out a shingle claiming he or she is an ODD consultant. In fact, some years ago, there was an informal study of the members of the ODD Network that found that almost one third of them had taken on the label or the role of ODD consultant, with no previous education or training in the field.Not All Bad News To be clear, the field has shifted largely positively, over the past few decades, responding to some of the â€Å"red flags† that Larry Greener (1972) identified for ODD, including: Ð’Â » Putting individual behavior ahead of strategy, structure, process, and controls; Ð’Â » Overemphasized the informal at the expense of the formal organization, driving more for openness and trust to change the culture, often at the expense of efficiency, hierarchy, and accountability; Ð’Â » Driving open and trusting relationships as a normative model for change, without questioning the context or applicability in a even situation, and assuming that team building was always the preferre d intervention; Ð’Â » Putting process before task, enamored with the human dynamics of working together over getting the work done; and Ð’Â » Treating the manager as Just another stakeholder, relatively uninvolved in the planning and conduct of consultant programs rather than the key stakeholder. Historically, the field has addressed many, if not all, of these red flags among strong and well-grounded practitioners. However, many of them are still quite evident in HRS people who are trying to do ODD today.The Right Answer Reflecting on the various options for organizing and structuring the ODD function and constructing its relationship with HRS, the optimum solution is to establish In a large financial institution, the ODD function thrived when it was part of the IT function where it designed and facilitated large business process simplification projects. It had its best years when it was in Corporate Strategy along with the strategy and budget functions, where it had free re ign of the organization and was in constant contact with the top leadership on strategy, structure, and corporate culture. It was later merged into the HRS function. The results: the best organization design people in town left (with all of their embedded knowledge) rather than be reassigned to deliver management training programs. Schedule became a huge constraint on the work of the ODD function because consultants (internal and external) could not get into his calendar to meet with their clients. In a science-based organization the ODD function was fully financially self-sufficient, recovering the costs and a bit of an â€Å"upgrade† from its internal clients. Other HRS managers got resentful of this chargeable mechanism. They forced the manager of the ODD program to stop cupping her costs, which effectively killed the ODD function because it had no free- standing budget of its own. In a university, a very strong and capable ODD function has been merged and renamed Learning and ODD, resulting in the organization's best ODD talent being diverted into managing the training program for the university.In a large financial institution, the ODD function thrived when it was part of the IT function where it designed and facilitated large business process simplification projects. It had its best years when ally reduced the ODD function to delivering two day team alluding retreats, and a cadre of dozens of internal and external consultants has been whittled down to less than 10. In one knowledge -based organization we know, the ODD person is required to have the HRS person present during all contracting and data collection meetings. Clients are now creatively working around the requirement by calling the ODD staff directly on their cell phones after hours to discuss matters that they can't or won't say in front of the HRS people, who are not trusted in that system.No Boundaries, No Standards What Bradford and Burke (2004) said about the jack of standards in the field of ODD applies equally well to the lack of boundaries with the HRS function. â€Å"When there is lack of clarity as to the boundaries of the field and corresponding confusion about what the appropriate role of an ODD 20 the ODD function independently. Ideally, it would have a blended mandate and funding, charging back for local unit-specific work, and centrally funded for organization-wide efforts. There are instances when ODD should be working in partnership with the HRS function, specialists on one discipline speaking with and working closely with specialists of the other discipline.There are instances when the HRS function would be the ODD function's client; and there are instances when the ODD and HRS functions ought not to be working together at all, such as when there are conflicts of interest or large scale organization strategy or design projects not ready for implementation. There are disadvantages to being freestanding and independent within the organization. The O DD function may become vulnerable to exposure, scrutiny, and politics. Some ODD people can't play in the C-suite (Burke, 2004). The function would have to earn its stripes and compete for money and mandate with there functions in strategic planning, financial management, budget, and yes, even HRS.But the upsides of organizational independence are quite significant, and are evident now where strong ODD departments are standing on their own. The ODD function becomes central to the business of the organization, influencing strategy, mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, restructuring, etc. It works upstream, providing early input on the development of plans and processes, able to bring a systemic perspective and ODD values to actions that previously had been made primarily on financial grounds alone. It is present and able to influence the setting of the agenda, not Just the implementation of it. But How to Get There? It is no longer enough Just to be good at process.To be able to st and independently in organizations, free of the cover and support of the HRS function, ODD practitioners need to: Ð’Â » Know the major environmental, regulatory, and financial drivers of the organization; Know, be known by, and trusted by the top leadership to the organization; Know what's involved in evaluating, deciding, and implementing mergers and acquisitions, especially around blending corporate cultures and business processes; Be effective n working across cultures, in global environments, and especially today, virtually; and Be attuned to the organizational politics within the organization and within its governance structures. (Greener ; Cummings, 2004) Integrating sustainability and globalization into the world of ODD brings another set of challenges.To play effectively as a free standing function, free of support from HRS, ODD practitioners need: Ð’Â » New and better ideas for progress, guided by diversity, development, and sustainability; Ð’Â » To understand a nd be effective at intervening in economic systems, balancing productivity with innovation, sustainability, and perversity; socially constructed and negotiated (Bushes ; Marshal, 2008). As the boundaries of the field have expanded over the past 15 years to include more systemic perspectives, there are new challenges for how to educate new ODD professionals (Minoan ; Farther, 2008). That's a tall order for a field that has prided itself historically on being apolitical, focusing on the individual, following the lead of the client, ambivalent about asserting ourselves in leadership roles within our client systems, and seeing ourselves as a bit subversive in being countercultures. There is some good news here, however.

Edward de Vere is the Real Shakespeare Essay

Edward de Vere was an Earl of Oxford. There is an ongoing debate whether William Shakespeare’s plays were his or these were the creations of Edward de Vere. This debate continues because literary scholars and historians reject this theory but was supported by theater practitioners and researchers. De Vere, also known as Oxford, was called a playwright and poet but his works did not survive. Some of his poetry was anonymously published in â€Å"Arte of English Poesie† in 1589. This was confirmed by the author George Puttenham. Very many noble gentlemen in the Court that have written commendably and suppressed it again, or else suffered it to be published without their own names to it, as it were a discredit for a gentleman, to seem learned, and to show himself amorous of any good art. † (Nelson, 165) Oxford as a dramatist is given proof through the testimony of Francis Meres in â€Å"Palladis Tamia. † He describes his works as â€Å"the best for comedy. † (Whalen, 361). Nonetheless, few of Oxford’s poems and songs are credited to his own name. The dates of these works are uncertain. Most of which are signed â€Å"Earle of Oxenforde† or â€Å"E. O. † When he was alive, Oxford was always in the company of English poets. In 1920, J Thomas Looney presented facts that Oxford was the real author of Shakespeare’s plays. The facts he presented were: a. ) Oxford’s advanced education and first-hand knowledge of an aristocrat’s life b. ) the law c. ) the military c. ) theater background d. ) high praise of Oxford’s works by his peers and e. ) the countless similarities between Oxford’s life and the setting of the plays. Looney’s hypothesis was that Oxford published his works under a pseudonym since it was disgraceful for an aristocrat like him to be writing plays for public theater. (Nelson, 158). This claim was confirmed by Renaissance scholars. Members of the Tudor aristocracy were recognized as reputable poets but none of them published their works. None of Sir Walter Raleigh, Sir Fulke Greville, Sir Edward Dyer and Sir Philip Sidney published their creations despite their recognition in the aristocratic society. (Whalen, 248). Through the ideas presented by Looney, other writers became notable Oxfordians. Sigmund Freud, Mark Twain, columnist Joseph Sobran, biographer and historian David McCullough and actors Orson Welles, Sir Derek Jacobi, Sir John Gielgud and Jeremy Irons all believe that it was Oxford who wrote these plays. (Lindquist, 23) However, there are gaps on Looney’s theory. One is the evidentiary gap such as Oxford’s death in 1604. If he were in fact the real author of Shakespeare’s plays, the he wouldn’t have witnessed the wreck of the Sea Venture in Bermuda and the Gunpowder Plot† which were said to be the allusions to Shakespeare’s dramas â€Å"The Tempest† and â€Å"Macbeth. Then there are writers like Leonard Digges and Ben Jonson who provide concrete evidence that Shakespeare is a reputed poet. (Lindquist, 24) Oxfordians provide proof through the use of modern research that Shakespeare no longer published his plays after 1604. Also, Oxfordian biographers Mark Anderson and William Farina showed research which indicate that the publication of Shakespeare’s plays actually ended in 1604. (Simpson, 34) Aside from Oxford, there are other candidates who are considered to have been the real author of Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets. These are Christopher Marlowe, Francis Bacon and the Earl of Derby. These theories were rejected by academic establishments. Through the ideas and hypothesis of Looney and the Oxfordians, Oxford as the real author of Shakespeare’s works still stands true. (Nelson, 102) A crucial reasoning of why Oxford is the actual author of Shakespeare’s works come in the political topography of â€Å"Hamlet. † (Propson, 13) The Denmark in the play is identical with the biography Oxford has been accustomed in. The play is an imaginative presentation of what Oxford would have done, based on his other works that were published under a pseudonym. Oxfordians continue to present other arguments with such depth and accurate research to back up their hypothesis and their theories. Oxford mastered the understanding and experience that is evident in Shakespeare’s plays. Oxford’s poems also have the same flow as those of Shakespeare’s. He explored and developed the stanzaic and metric forms when writing poetry, just like Shakespeare and his sonnets. (Propson, 15) And just like any aristocrat, he was status-conscious and he needed recognition for his success. He was determined to have his way and would have made it sure to have received credit for his plays or his poetry. So why then would he have allowed this to happen if he actually wrote the plays? Scholars who studied Oxford as a man and the possible Shakespeare describe him as â€Å"a puzzle to his generation. † Oxford was eccentric and creative and he showed varying moods, subtle movements and fierce passions. His words as seen in his poetry are inexplicable and extraordinary. The knowledge and insight of these works cannot be discussed easily, as confirmed by Looney. â€Å"The poetic genius has more or less always been a man apart. † (Whalen, 183) However, those who believe that Shakespeare was the real author of his works scrutinized Oxford’s works as lacking the depth and the conscious knowledge that Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets are known for. (Lindquist, 28). His poetry did not have the level of knowledge or the comprehension of philosophies and advance consciousness of the characters as evident in Shakespeare’s plays. But these facts do not stop Oxfordians from seeing De Vere as the candidate for Shakespeare’s actual authorship. They strongly believe that his capability as a dramatist and poet â€Å"conforms to the mind and capacity and character of Shakespeare. (Simpson, 23) Oxford was generous and often funded patronage to projects that benefited literacy, religion, medicine, philosophy, science and music. Not only was he a poet and playwright, he was also a patron. This proves that Oxford made sure he was recognized. Another question mark is that ten other Shakespearean plays were published after 1604, which was the year Oxford died. (Lindquist) The strongest claim that Oxford is in fact the real Shakespeare is the cumulative parallels of the earl’s life to the works and the specificity of his personal references and concerns as seen in the plays and the poems. Oxford was a pure-bred aristocrat and he has been educated along with other noble families. He had profound literary tastes and through this, has become a lyrical poet. He was a traveler and is quite fashionable. He loved music. This is set alongside the fact that Shakespeare was illiterate. Oxfordians say that Shakespeare would have had a hard time writing his own signature, what more composing plays and sonnets. They also reasoned that in Shakespeare’s will, he never mentioned anything about his plays. The same can be said to Oxford. If he in fact wrote the plays, then why did he not state this in his will? The date and the circumstances of Oxford is the dispute among scholars. The historical records and his way of life are concrete proof that he is aware of the aristocrat’s way of life, compared to Shakespeare, who did not lead a life of luxury. Oxford’s uncle, The Earl of Surrey, originated the sonnet form today which has been used in Shakespeare’s sonnets. (Propson, 46). The question on who wrote this becomes more and more difficult to answer because of this. Oxford received his BA from Cambridge University and his masters from Oxford University. He was also sent to study law at Gray’s Inn. This only comes to show that he is absolutely knowledgeable of the topics that have been discussed in Shakespeare’s 37 plays. Like most of the characters in Shakespeare’s plays, Oxford was not domesticated by marriage. He was famous for getting in trouble which initiated the wrath of his father-in-law. As a young man, Oxford accidentally killed another man. A lot of Shakespeare’s plays show one character killing another. Historical records show that Oxford and his companions traveled on the road from Gravesend to Rochester. This is similar to â€Å"Henry the Fourth, Part One. † For some reason, the account in the play also provides the full detail of the assault that is similar to Oxford and his men. Once Oxfordians dug this information up, they used it as another important bullet point in their hypothesis. Oxford was also notorious for his martial prowess. He excelled in sports. He was also good with words. He knew how to provide a vast content of narrative using vocabulary, metaphor and imagery. This is evident in Shakespeare’s plays. Another factor that adds up to the confirmation of the Oxfordian’s claim is that Oxford conceived theatrical entertainment for the Queen of Whitehall. He was given a lease to the Blackfriars Theater. He was the patron of other writers and he was known by members of various acting companies. He was one of the first recipients of the literary dedications written by writers Edmund Spenser and John Lyly. He was regarded to be one of England’s most excellent writers. To give more proof on the thesis statement of this paper is the fact that Oxford traveled extensively. He visited France and Italy. Sicily provided the backdrop for Shakespeare’s plays set in Italy. Oxford had a home in Venice. His ship was once attacked by pirates during one voyage. Again, this is another scene from one of Shakespeare’s plays – â€Å"Twelfth Night. † Another historical account of Oxford as Shakespeare is when his brother-in-law Peregrin Bertrie reports upon his return that while having a banquet at Elsinore, â€Å"a whole volley of all the great shot of the castle discharged. † This very account is the line of Shakespeare’s Cluadius in â€Å"Hamlet. † (Propson, 42) However, there are still gaps, especially toward the later years of his life. In 1958, there had been anonymous publications and performances of Shakespearean plays like Titus Andronicus, Richard the second and Romeo and Juliet. That time, the first quarto bore the name William Shakespeare as the author. That very year, Francis Meres published his works â€Å"Palladis Tamia† and credits â€Å"Shakespeare. † At the same time, he identifies the playwright Edward de Vere as â€Å"the best for comedy amongst us. † The 1604 problem will always prevent Oxfordian scholars to completely conclude that Oxford is the real Shakespeare but that does not stop them from presenting concrete facts in what they believe in. They reach a point wherein they count the number of plays Shakespeare release in a year. They wondered about the inconsistency. They say that in 1593 to 1603, Shakespeare published two plays in a year. Then he stopped writing in 1604 and started publishing five years later. (Propson, 45) Other Oxfordian claims is the fact that Shakespeare was not mourned for in his death. Upon Mark Twain’s observation, â€Å"When Shakespeare died in Stratford, it was not an event. It made no stir in England than the death of any other forgotten theater-actor would have made. Nobody came down from London; there were no lamenting poems, no eulogies, no national tears – there was merely silence, and nothing more. A striking contrast with what happened when Ben Jonson, and Francis Bacon, and Spencer, and Raleigh and the other literary folk of Shakespeare’s time passed from life! No praiseful voice was lifted for the lost Bard of Avon. † (Simpson, 138) Until now, the Oxfordian theory is popular amongst writers, scholars, researchers and actors. The debate between the Oxfordians and the Stratfordians (those who believe that Shakespeare is the real author of his works) continue.

Analysis at the operational level the the presecution of the Allies' Essay

Analysis at the operational level the the presecution of the Allies' defence of Crete in 1941 and identify the enduring lessons - Essay Example Moreover, the leadership, going into the battle already defeated, did not bother to put together a coherent strategy for battle, but, rather, seemed to make it up as they went along. These are all reasons for the defeat, and lessons that were learned. Nevertheless, as the Allies did delay Hitler’s forces for a few weeks, which, in turn, delayed Hitler’s invasion of the Soviet Union, which was the turning point of the war, one could say that the battle of Crete set into motion a chain of events that led to Hitler’s destruction. This paper will examine the reasons why Crete was fought? and how the British tried to defend it? coupled with an analysis of the mistakes made and an analysis of why the battle might not have been so bad after all, as it delayed Operation Barbarossa, the invasion of the Soviet Union. Why Germany Wanted Crete and How Germany Got Involved in Greece The Battle for Crete had its roots in a demand by Benito Mussolini, Italy’s fascist dic tator, to Greece to allow an Italian occupation of Greece in October of 1940. When the premier of Greece, John Metaxas, defied this request, the Italians began the invasion of Greece (Woodhouse, 1976, p. 16), a move that would prove to be a â€Å"disaster† for Mussolini (Heckstall-Smith, A. & Baillie-Grohman, H.T., 1961, p. 15), and would make Mussolini a â€Å"laughingstock† in Greece (Hart, 1996, p. 87). This move by Mussolini was precipitated by Germany sending soldiers into the Ploesti oilfields, which enraged Mussolini enough for him to launch this invasion (Mazower, 1993, p. 15). The reason that the German action of sending soldiers to Greece so piqued Mussolini was because Mussolini was jealous of Hitler, and felt that he stood in Hitler’s shadow while Hitler rampaged Europe. While Hitler added Austria, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Hungary, France, Yugoslavia, Bulgaria and Romania to the Third Reich, Mussolini fantasi zed about adding the Mediterranean to the Italian column, while Hitler insulted him by not allowing him access to the fruits of victory. The final insult was Hitler’s occupation of Romania, a move that was done behind Mussolini’s back (Kiriakopoulos, 1995, p. xv). This insult to Mussolini was what initially caused the Italian dictator to invade Greece in 1940, as Mussolini stated that, about Hitler invading Rumania without consulting him that he â€Å"shall pay [Hitler] back with his own coin; he shall learn from the newspapers that I have occupied Greece. Thus equilibrium would be restored† (Cervi, 1971, p. 60). However, this move was unsuccessful, as Mussolini’s troops were defeated and pushed back into Albania (Mazower, 1993, p. 15). Hitler was incensed by the Italians failure (Van Creveld, 1973, p. 57), regarding it as â€Å"definitely a regrettable blunder† (Hinsley, 1951, p. 102), however, as Hitler could not allow his ally to be totally defe ated, he had to launch his own invasion of Greece, which began April 6, 1941 (Kiriakopoulos, 1995, p. xvi). Greece was also important to Germany, as it was seen as a prelude to the Russian campaign (Von der Porten, 1969, p. 109). This campaign proved to be successful (von Mellenthin, 1977, p. 228), as the Middle East,

Ward of Arles Hospital by Vincent van Gogh Essay

Ward of Arles Hospital by Vincent van Gogh - Essay Example In order to understand this image, it is imperative that a multidimensional analysis be undertaken which includes formal, content and iconographic. Figure 1: Ward of Arles Hospital Source: http://www.vangoghgallery.com/catalog/Painting/722/Ward-in-the-Hospital-in-Arles.html 1889. Formal analysis The Ward of Ales is a painting done in application of numerous paints. This painting has been accomplished by use of short paint brushes and the oil on canvas technique. The painting contains a hospital ward scene with waiting bay outside. Some people are seen outside sited, others are standing while women dressed in nun clothes are moving and one man in a hat is leaving through the corridor. The central part of the image is a wide corridor that leads to the entrance, which is still the exit, of the hospital. On the sides, there are curtains- closing wardrooms with beds. The beds do not have any occupants. The front part contains a cylindrical object with tapped connection to the roof of the corridor with men sited in wooden table chairs around it. The wards and the corridor fit very well into the frame of the painting while the front part is slightly cut off by the frame. Its axis is vertical with a bird’s eye view of the objects. ... The colors employed in the painting are largely brown, on the floor and wooden table chairs, and blue varying from faint to deep, on the walls and the ceiling or roof. Curtains contain a light green finishing. The texture of the painting is almost smooth as depicted by Van Gogh in April 1889. The painting presents scenery of people in the hospital ward outside. The â€Å"most distinct feature of the painting† (Feldman 30) involves the central cylindrical object where men are sited around. The application of different colors on the fore ground, painting objects and the back ground produce a good balance within the painting. Image contrast is also achieved through the employment of many features which guide a viewer excellently into understanding the scene. By application of swirling paint motions especially at the front and central parts, Van Gogh creates a dynamic feeling in the painting; especially by using big lines that swirl around parts of the image. The texture appears a little rougher on the foreground while ending up smoother at the background. The combination of the hospital wards and the people in the corridors of the hospital with ceiling objects bring a harmonious existence of the objects. The painting brings forward a great sense of unity and brings a friendly feeling. Iconographic analysis Iconographic description of an image is entails imager-viewer interaction abilities. The Ward of Arles is a beautiful and one of the most important paintings on the nineteenth century. It uses complex techniques that lead to accomplishment of marvelous effects that do not seem to lose value with time. Van Gogh relies on the people and the ward in the hospital to tell a story of being hospitalized in the Ales hospital in France. Upon first

Epidemiology Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Epidemiology - Article Example Various studies have been performed in order to determine the risk involved in the sector of occupational cancer in falling ill with cancer for those working in this sector. The purpose of the study was to determine the risk of lung cancer as a result of occupational exposure to wood dust. For this research, there were two population-based case-control studies in Montreal, Canada. There was different study populations used in this research. The first study was conducted from the year 1979 to the year 1986. It included men of the age of 35-70 years. These men were diagnosed with cancer at any of the 19 sites. The second study was conducted between the years 1996 and 2001. This population study included both men and women who were aged between 35-75 years. This group of men and women were diagnosed with lung malignancy. In both of these studies, the patients included all had incident histological confirmed cancers identified across all major Montreal area hospitals and restricted to Canadian citizens. Both of the studies also included a series of population controls. These population controls were randomly selected from electoral lists. The first study was to explore the possible associations between hundreds of occupational substances and multiple cancer sites that included lung cancer. This study was conducted in the early 1980s and was a population-based case-control study that was done in Montreal in Canada. A similar study was then later performed in the same region in the late 1990s. This was the second study and it focused more on lung cancer. Both of these studies examined the risk of lung cancer associated with occupational exposure to wood dust while controlling for the major confounders that include smoking and other occupational exposures. The exposure in the study was to the wood dust in occupations such as construction and timber making industries. It was to analyze the first and second study in

Disorders and Diseases of the Thyroid Research Paper

Disorders and Diseases of the Thyroid - Research Paper Example Introduction In evidence-based practice, only after the problem is understood and researched can medical professionals state a current best method of treatment. In this type of medical practice, medical professionals rely on cutting-edge research results to make treatment decisions, rather than on the older method of assuming that tradition and authority always held the right answers for a patient. The best patient care is recognized to be a combination of the current valid medical research, a practitioner's own experience and education, and the situation of an individual patient (Fineout-Overholt, Stillwell, Williamson, Cox, & Robbins, 2010). Applied to the area of thyroid dysfunction, evidence-based and best practice guidelines could mean recognizing the effect of a specific patient's lifestyle on their body's health in order to tell the difference between simple obesity and a depressed thyroid, for example, and keeping up with the most current literature on which types of thyroid hormones are considered to be most effective (Maas, 2007). Since by some estimates, as much as five percent of the general female population and more than twenty-five percent of the entire population over the age of seventy-five suffers from some form of thyroid disease, it is vitally important that the medical community understand these issues as they relate to thyroid dysfunction (Maas, 2007; Mulryan, 2010). Some types of thyroid dysfunction result in the over-production of metabolic hormones. This over-production results in a condition known as hyperthyroidism (Mulryan, 2010). Hyperthyroidism is most commonly seen in women until the age of sixty-five or seventy-five, at which point, as in seen in thyroid disease across the board, the incidence greatly increases and becomes equally likely between the sexes (Gutierrez, 2008). As would be expected from a gland whose purpose is to regulate the body's metabolism, hyperthyroidism leads to a severely increased basal metabolic rate. The overactive thyroid can produce as much as five to fifteen times the normal amount of thyroid hormones and can result in a myriad of detrimental effects on the rest of the body. This increase in secretion is achieved through an increase in the size and an available cellular matrix of the thyroid gland, so that many more cells can live within the gland, as well as through an increase in the secretion of the hormone by the individual thyroid cells (Hall, 2011). Generally, this condition is induced by a direct infection within or damage to the thyroid gland itself, though it can also occur rarely as a secondary disorder when there is a dysfunction in the pituitary or hypothalamus glands (McCance, Huether, Brashers, & Rore, 2010). The most common diseases that lead to either the primary or secondary dysfunction of the glands are auto-immune diseases, while some causes of reversible primary damage to the thyroid itself are an iodine deficiency in the diet or viral infection of the thyroid (Mulryan, 2010).  

Relationship between Direct Marketing and Branding Essay

Relationship between Direct Marketing and Branding - Essay Example This paper illustrates that the primary objective of branding application is to develop and reinforce central messages of a company along with the product brands. It aims at a high quality of service, environment-friendly attributes, longevity, durability, and cost-saving objectives in order to enhance brand image and ensure sustainability. Branding and direct marketing are two distinct approaches to marketing. Direct marketing is intended to drive immediate customer responses; however, branding is a delayed response advertising technique. Direct marketing activity is the process through which various advertising media interact directly with consumers and obtain responses about a brand. The responses that are obtained with the help of direct marketing can be tracked, analyzed and stored in a database, which can be used further for development of long lasting customer relationships. With the help of direct marketing application, most of the companies try to record the trial, purchase or inquiry related issues of Customers. These issues are analyzed by the companies and significant changes are incorporated if required. The changes or developments in an existing product of a brand are made after studying the demand of the customer market thoroughly. Direct marketing is generally controlled with the help of electronic or digital marketing strategy in the contemporary era. Most of the advertisements are sent via e-mails and phone messaging systems. In some cases, companies post their advertisements along with survey rating ability in social networking websites, such as Facebook and Twitter. The enhancement of direct marketing strategy sampling can be clearly observed in the fast food business operations. The advertisements provided by the Fox’s Crinkle Crunch biscuits illustrate the importance of customer responses for brand promotions.