Hamlet Soliloquies Essay - 1204 Words

Hamlet: Soliloquies Hamlet, one of Shakespeare’s tragic plays, portrays the story of a young man’s quest to avenge his murdered father and his quest to find his true identity. In his soliloquies, Prince Hamlet reveals to the readers his personal perceptions of the events that take place in his homeland, Denmark, and of which are either indirectly or directly tied to his father’s murder. Many critics and scholars agree that while Hamlet’s soliloquies reveal the search of his identity and true character, his soliloquies universally illustrate man’s search for his true identity. The first soliloquy of Hamlet takes place early in the play, and Hamlet expresses his lachrymose feelings to the reader and how he wishes that God â€Å"had not†¦show more content†¦In his mature, adult mind, he knows that he must avenge his father, but there lives an innocent child in his conscience who does not want to commit murder; and Hamlet perceives this as cowardice. It seems as though Hamlet is struggling with what he knows he must do, and actually doing it. While instead of pursuing his father’s revenge, he lets his emotions dictate his actions (in this case, his lack of action). So, in self-justification, he tucks away his apprehension and decides to seek proof of Claudius’s murder of Hamlet’s father. Furthermore, Hamlet is beginning to question his identity as a â€Å"pigeon-livered coward.† What is more noteworthy, however, is that both soliloquies exhibit Hamlet to be an immature boy, as he speaks on impulses of emotion, rather than logic itself. Next, in one of the most famous soliloquies in the English language, Hamlet again contemplates the subject of suicide, but he does not do so on impulses of emotion. Instead, his contemplation is based on reason. â€Å"To be or not to be, that is the question: whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer outrageous fortune†¦or end them. To die, to sleep- no more- and by a sleep to say we end the heartache†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢Tis a consummation devoutly to be wished. For who would bear the whips and scorns of time†¦who would fardels bear, to grunt and sweat under a weary life, but that the dread of something after death, the undiscovered country from whose bourn no travelerShow MoreRelatedHamlet Soliloquies 1832 Words   |  8 PagesHamlet was written in the early 1600s.The tragedy of Hamlet is one of William Shakespeares most famous plays. It is popular because of the way Shakespeare uses Hamlet to show the complexity of the human mind is. Shakespeare uses soliloquies to re veal Hamlet’s innermost thoughts. Through the soliloquies, the audience learns of Hamlets struggle to face his internal conflicts, deciding when to avenge his father and his disgusted feelings about his mother’s lustful marriage. Also the soliloquies, whichRead MoreHamlet Soliloquy Analysis Essay626 Words   |  3 PagesHamlet, the main character of William Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, is one of the most complex characters ever created. His intricacy can be seen in the amount of soliloquies he speaks throughout the play. Each one of Hamlet’s soliloquies reveals his innermost thoughts and gives the reader or audience insight as to what he is feeling at that time. Hamlet’s quartet of soliloquies illustrates how Hamlet is initially indecisive, but eventually makes a decision to take revenge against his uncle. In Hamlet’sRead MoreHamlet Soliloquy Speech1816 Words   |  8 PagesBeethoven’s â€Å"Ode to Joy†, Shakespeare’s ponderous soliloquy seems to be more famous for its fame than for its merits, though it has many. How do directors and actors convince their audiences to engage with Hamlet’s words, when the audience is more inclined to be pulled into their own thoughts and ideas about the soliloquy as soon as they hear the signifier of â€Å"To be†? I will be examining approaches taken by directors and actors across the history of filmed Hamlets to create Hamlet’s famous speech, focusingRead MoreEssay Hamlets soliloquy841 Words   |  4 Pages William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is a complex play regarding the kingdom of Denmark, and the unusual stage it is going through. The main focus of the play concerns Hamlet, prince of Denmark, and his feeling of ambiguity toward his recently lost father and his remarried mother. Hamlet is a complicated character who plays assorted roles in order to manipulate people. These various roles make it problematic to develop a sense of the real Hamlet. Only during the soliloquies is the reader given a chanceRead MoreSoliloquies in Hamlet by William Shakespeare Essay1042 Words   |  5 PagesA soliloquy is a literacy device that is used to reveal the innermost thoughts of a character. Shakespeare uses soliloquies to expose fascinating insights into the thoughts and actions of Hamlet and in doing so: the readers can grasp his character. The first soliloquy of the play, introduces the main theme for the rest of hamlet’s thoughts and actions, this soliloquy allows the audience to understand hamlets inner thoughts that are repetitive throughout the play. Secondly, Hamlet’s famous soliloquyRead MoreEssay on The Use of Soliloquy in Shakespeares Hamlet1175 Words   |  5 Pages A Soliloquy is a dramatic convention, in which the character stands alone on stage, speaking. Originally it was a plot device, to enable a character to tell the audience what he planned to do next, for example, in the course of revenge. But the device is heightened in Shakespeare as it enables a character to reveal the amp;#8216;inner soulamp;#8217; to the audience without telling the other characters. It is usual that one discovers more of a character from a soliloquy than from the action ofRead MoreHamlet - Soliloquies Essay1481 Words   |  6 PagesHamlet In Shakespeares Hamlet, the tragic hero reveals his inner conflicts and introspective attitude in each of the lengthy soliloquies in the play. Hamlet is a static character whose thoughts never dramatically change. Each soliloquy delves further into Hamlets motivations, or lack thereof, and psyche. Each soliloquy, each slightly different, is all united by vivid imagery, introspective language, and discussion of Hamlets delay of a ction. The first soliloquy serves to set the stage for theRead MoreUnderstanding the Mind of Hamlet with His Soliloquies Essay678 Words   |  3 PagesUnderstanding the Mind of Hamlet with His Soliloquies The term soliloquy is a literary or dramatic form of discourse, within which a character talks to himself and reveals his inner thoughts without addressing a listener. Hamlet uses soliloquies to express his feelings towards his dead father and self loathing to the reader of the play but to none of the characters within it. Hamlet has a complex character and it is important for the audience to be able to understandRead More Soliloquy and Revenge in Hamlet Essay662 Words   |  3 PagesSoliloquy and Revenge in Hamlet      Ã‚  Ã‚   The soliloquy is a literary device that is employed to unconsciously reveal an actors thoughts to the audience. In William Shakespeares, Hamlet, Hamlets soliloquy in Act II, ii, (576-634) depicts his arrival at a state of vengeful behaviour through an internal process. Hamlet moves through states of depression and procrastination as he is caught up in the aftermath of the murder of his father and the marriage of his mother to his uncle. The soliloquyRead MoreUse of Soliloquies in Hamlet Essay941 Words   |  4 PagesA soliloquy is a speech in a play that is meant to be heard by the audience but not the other characters on the stage. In the play Hamlet by William Shakespeare, the use of soliloquies allows the audience to know what the characters are feeling and what their pure motives are. They are also able to hear the characters’ thoughts directly. The character’s secrets are revealed only to the audience which gives way for irony to take a part in the play. Shakespeare uses soliloquies throughout the play

Corporate Social Responsibility of Biedronka in Poland - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 19 Words: 5628 Downloads: 9 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Marketing Essay Type Analytical essay Did you like this example? PART A Introduction This report is concerned with the ethical practices of Biedronka (Ladybird in Polish), the largest supermarket chain in Poland. The report carries out a critical evaluation of the companys current engagement with Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) agenda and identifies key ethical issues for the organisation. In particular this report looks at the record of employee grievances regarding forced overtime under threat of dismissal, falsifying of records to deny overtime payments and various instances of employee poor treatment across the supermarkets chain of stores. The Company In Poland, supermarkets started to appear in the mid 1990s. After decades of Communist rule these stores represented the Western ideal with their bright colours and wide choice of products at reasonable prices. The largest supermarket chain in Poland is Biedronka, based in Ruda Slaska it is a subsidiary of the Portuguese company Jerà ³nimo Martins (JMD). Biedronka has more than 1,400 stores, over 28,000 employees and over 500 private label products (Jerà ³nimo Martins, 2010). The Board of Directors of Jerà ³nimo Martins consists of five Executive Members and six Non-Executive members. Mr. Pedro Manuel De Castro Soares Dos Santos (Chef Executive Officer of the Board of Directors and Director of Food Distribution Operations of Jerà ³nimo Martins SGPS SA since 1995) is responsible for Operations in Poland (Reuters, 2010). See Appendix 1 for details of the companys corporate structure. Biedronka is regarded as a discount chain with many own branded products; it is proba bly most similar to Lidl in the UK. Corporate Governance Structure The current Code of Best Practice for WSE Listed Companies, as drawn up by the Warsaw Stock Exchange Supervisory Board (May 2010), provides the guidelines for good governance for all companies listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange (Rancewicz, 2010). The Code of Best Practice for WSE Listed Companies aims at enhancing transparency of listed companies, improving quality of communication between companies and investors, and strengthening protection of shareholders rights, including those not regulated by legislation, while refraining from imposing a burden on listed companies that may outweigh the benefits resulting from market needs. There are three areas that the main principles of the Code of Best Practice deal with: A Management Boards B Supervisory Board Members C Shareholders These codes advisory only and rely on the self-regulation of companies to abide by them. Companies are asked to com ply or, in the case of any non-conformance, explain why they have not applied the code to their governance practices. The means of providing good governance for a corporate company include the appointment of two distinct types of directors of the company: executive (Management) directors who are involved in the operational and strategic aspects of the business and non-executive (Supervisory) directors. The non-executive directors do not involve themselves in the daily running of the business, theres is more a role for monitoring the behaviour of the executive management thereby adding a form of protection for shareholders and stakeholders interests. Stakeholders can be defined as an individual or a group which either: is harmed by, or benefits from, the corporation; or whose rights can be violated, or have to be respected, by the corporation. (Crane and Matten, 2007, p58). Biedronka has, through its parent company Jerà ³nimo Martins, a strong structure of Governance with f ive Executive Members and six Non-Executive members. Operations for the Polish arm of the company are headed by Mr. Pedro Manuel De Castro Soares Dos Santos (Chef Executive Officer of the Board of Directors and Director of Food Distribution Operations). He also sits on the following committees: Financial Matters Committee, Corporate Responsibility Committee and the Evaluation and Nomination Committee (see Appendix 1 for further details). The difficulty with this structure is that it is based upon its Portuguese parent company and that the operational activities of Biedronka itself, within Poland, are very much in the hands of local and regional mangers. While the structure for Governance in the parent company is strong the effectiveness of its application may be diluted in the running of its subsidiary company, Biedronka. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Corporate Social Responsibility of Biedronka in Poland" essay for you Create order Corporate Social Responsibility Agenda Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is the acknowledgement by companies that they should be accountable not only for their financial performance, but for the impact of their activities on society and/or the environment (CBI, 2010). While there is legislation that regulates human resource issues, environmental issues, waste management, sustainability and health and safety matters there is a difference between actions that are driven by these legal requirements and others that go beyond this. Companies are often taking actions not because they have a legal requirement but because they are following an ethical policy of behaviour. This is often done at the expense of the company without seeking any financial reward. In Biedronka case, as shall be discussed later, this includes employee health care programmes, free summer holidays for employees families in greatest need and Christmas presents for all employees. This kind of social behaviour by corporations has not always bee n welcome and even considered unethical by some. Milton Friedman (1970) said social activity was the responsibility of individuals and not of someone whose responsibility is to their company or shareholders. Using company assets for social benefit was, in Friedmans view, no different than stealing from the company and as such was unethical behaviour itself. Crane and Matten (2007) argue that corporations do have moral responsibilities and that the ethical position of a corporation is determined by groups of individuals within the company, rather than any single individual acting on their own. This gives the company an identity and therefore a responsibility in its corporate behaviour. How far a company acts in its own self interest and when an activity become purely an act of social good is represented in Archie Carrolls Four Part Model of Corporate Social Responsibility (Crane and Matten, 2007, p.49). This model (Fig.1.) describes the components of CSR that are between fun damental economic responsibilities and more philanthropic activities. The base of the pyramid represents the most required activities of the company which includes the need to make a profit. In other words a company must act in such a way as to ensure the profitability of the company, if this is not done a company will most probably fail. The next step up the pyramid is complying with legal requirements. All companies are required to follow the laws governing company behaviour. There can be difficulties at times, especially with multi-national companies trading in countries with different regulations, but it is still the responsibility of the company to ensure it is acting legally in whichever country it is operating in. Fig.1. Carrolls CSR Pyramid The third step concerns Ethical Responsibilities, this is where CSR issues are raised. Here activities go beyond what is required into what should be required, it is where a company takes an ethical stance and promotes certain aspects of behaviour of all its activities guided by an ethical and moral viewpoint. The final step of the pyramid deals with philanthropic activities. These are actions that could be seen to promote human welfare or goodwill. The can include financial contributions or executive time in such areas as contributions to the arts, education, or the community (Carroll, 1991). Such actions are not generally required but often desired and contribute to the overall sense of Corporate Citizenship. Biedronka and the CSR Agenda While owned by the Portuguese holding company, with the Polish stores being under the charge of a Portuguese director, Biedronka stores are run by local managers with a certain amount of independence regarding administration and staff management. However, companies do have certain social responsibilities and this ideally has been pushed further and further into prominence because of Polands entry into the EU and her wish to follow the western European countries and adhere to EU employment rules. Biedronka is quite clear about its position on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), it promotes five areas of social responsibility for the company: Trustworthy Employer Trustworthy Member of Society Trustworthy Member of Environment Trustworthy Quality Food Retailer Trustworthy Business Partner (See Appendix 3 for further details) The companys activities would certainly appear to follow Carrolls CSR pyramid model quite well. The company is making a good pr ofit (see Appendix 2), and it could be expected that they operate within the legal requirements of Poland and also the EU regulations now applying to Poland as a full member of the European Community. The company promotes itself as an ethical company with regards to treatment and working conditions of employees, environmental issues and wider social responsibilities. The company runs employee health care programmes, contributes to free summer holidays for employees families in greatest need and Christmas presents for all employees (see Appendix 3). Much of what the company does under CSR can be considered to be philanthropic activities and it would seem they have high ethical values and a strong sense of corporate responsibility. However, there are many question marks about their treatment of workers and suppliers. Primarily amongst these is the case of Bozena Lopacka (KARAT Coalition, 2008). Bozena Lopacka was a manager in one of the Biedronka supermarkets. She su ed her employer for 35000zÃÆ'†¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡ (zloty, about  £6900) for failing to remunerate her for overtime. In 2004 the court accepted the claim and ordered the amount to be paid to her. JMD then appealed the ruling. At this time a non-governmental organisation stepped in the Helsinki Foundation of Human Rights, which presented its independent opinion. Finally in 2007 BoÃÆ'†¦Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ ¼ena ÃÆ'†¦Ãƒâ€šÃ‚ opacka was granted 26000zÃÆ'†¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡ as remuneration for the overtime hours (instead of 35000zÃÆ'†¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¡) because claims related to work relations are a subject to expiration after 3 years. Several issues were identified in this case: The hours worked were not reported properly. As a store manager Lopacka was forced by her employer to forge the time sheets so women for whom she was a supervisor would not be paid for overtime. Female employees had to transfer and pull loads exceeding the norms on hand-pulled carts i nstead of electric ones. Deliveries to stores were poorly organised and late, causing work overload for employees Since that time over 120 other similar cases against Biedronka supermarkets were brought to the court. So far, all of them have been won (Internal Commission of Jurists, 2010). The situation was so bad that an organisation was formed, the Association of the Harmed by Large Commercial Chains Biedronka (Stowarzyszenie Osà ³b Poszkodowanych Przez Wielkie Scieci Handlowe Biedronka), which represented employees (and former employees) in their legal disputes with the chain (Czarzasty, 2009). It can be seen that the public face of the company has been in conflict with its actual activities at some stores. While on the whole this has been down to the action of individuals working at these stores there has to be association and blame on the directors of the company, specifically Mr. Pedro Soares Dos Santos. However, amongst the 112 persons fined by the State Labour Inspectorate only six were managers and two regional managers. No upper managers within the company were held to be responsible by the courts (Internal Commission of Jurists, 2010). It is clear than in many instances the company failed its basic legal requirements and despite its high profile CSR stance actually failed to provide proper employee care and working conditions. While there are legal issues that have been identified concerning Biedronkas treatment of staff there are also the ethical concerns associated with this. To establish whether the conduct of Biedronka has been ethically acceptable or not it is necessary to apply certain theories to the situation and use such theories to support the conclusion. For this report the issue of forced overtime shall be discussed. The staff at Biedronkas supermarkets were forced to take overtime (often unpaid) which has a direct affect on the individuals concerned but also a wider effect on families and friends of the employe es concerned. This shows that it is not simply a case of employee versus employer in these situations but the effect on all those associated with or who have an interest in the situation. These stakeholders are an individual or group which either: is harmed by, or benefits from, the corporation; or whose rights can be violated, or have to be respected by the corporation (Crane and Matten, 2007. p.58). Such stakeholders include employees, suppliers, customers, competitors, shareholders and employees families, amongst others. A report by Allard  E.  Dembe (2008), entitled Ethical Issues Relating to the Health Effects of Long Working Hours investigated ethical considerations involve mandatory or unpaid overtime and the possibility of employer coercion. The report stated: Considerable research evidence has accumulated indicating that there is an increased likelihood for illness and injury among employees working in long-hour schedules and schedules involving unconven tional shift work (e.g., night and evening shifts). In addition, studies show that fatigue-related errors made by employees working in these kind of demanding schedules can have serious and adverse repercussions for public safety. The Triple Bottom Line The Triple Bottom Line (3BL) was a phrase coined by John Elkington in 1994 and specifically in his 1998 book Cannibals with Forks: The Triple Bottom Line of 21st Century Business. Elkington states: In the simplest terms, the TBL agenda focuses corporations not just on the economic value that they add, but also on the environmental and social value that they add or destroy. Fig. 2. The Triple Bottom Line The main principle behind 3BL is that corporations should not only take into account the economic factors of business but should incorporate social and environmental factors as well. The bottom line refers to the accounting term for the actual, real cost to the business. Elkington argues that a cost benefit can be measured for environmental and social activities that a company ought to engage in. 3BL also involves the promotion of sustainability; that is meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (Crane a nd Matten, 2007. p.22). While the emphasis of corporations has generally been on the economic factors the Triple Bottom Line attempts to create a balance between people, planet and profit (Elkington, 1994). Biedronka promote the ideas behind 3BL but in practice have failed to implement social value, specifically amongst its staff, as a goal. Social Justice does not just refer to concerns such as the impacts of business activities on indigenous communities in less developed countries and regions (Crane and Matten, 2007. p.27) but anywhere where there are stakeholders affected by the actions of corporations. Ethical Issues and Application of Normative Theories It is worth mentioning here the difference between Morals and Ethics: Morality is concerned with the norms, values, and beliefs embedded in social pro ­cesses which define right and wrong for an individual or a community. Ethics is concerned with the study of morality and the application of reason to elu cidate specific rules and principles that determine right and wrong for a given situation. These rules and principles are called ethical theories (Crane and Matten, 2007). It can be seen that ethics is open to interpretation and different people will have different opinions on what exactly is right and wrong, is it reasonable to apply some rules in certain situations but not in others? Can a white lie be acceptable in certain situations where the truth may cause distress? The following discusses various ethical theories and applies them to the activities of Biedronka. Utilitarianism If we apply the moral principle of Utilitarianism that it should be the greatest good for the greatest number of people (Bradburn, 2001) to the example of the forced overtime mentioned before then it could be argued that this business decision was morally acceptable. A handful of people (per store) might experience some level of discomfort but they would remain employed and the customers of t he supermarket would be able to buy their products with ease as staff would be on the shop floor rather than finished for the day. The company could employ more staff but this would increase overheads and affect profit. The following table identifies various stakeholders and the cost ( or pain) and benefit (or pleasure) of the activities to those involved: Stakeholder Cost Benefit Employer Bad publicity from legal action. Loss or reputation. Financial cost of legal action. High staff turnover. Cost savings, no need to employ more staff. Employee Poor morale. Adverse effects of working long hours. Retain job in the face of high unemployment. Customer Poor service through unhappy employees. Not wanting to be associated with a company following such practices. Long opening hours. Supplier Concerns about being associated with a company following such practices. Continued profits of company reduce risk of losing supply contracts Employee Family Family life disrupted due to long working hours. Continued income. Employees have stated that the local managers seem to delight in creating an atmosphere of intimidation which leads to unhappy workers and a high turnover of staff. Because Polish unemployment is high there will always be replacements but a low turnover of staff is good for business as it removes the time needed to find and train new employees. Therefore one might question the action of the company which provoke such a negative effect with comparatively small benefits. If we look at the basic principle of Utilitarianism that the few have to make sacrifices for the many then there are potentially far more customers satisfied with continuing cheap products than those worried about employee issues. Egoism From an egoism point of view one can understand this style of management culture. The egoist argues that the true test of a man is not what he has done for others but rather what he has made of himself (Nielsen, 1959) The managers primary concern when making decisions would be company profits and placing the company in a better position than before, regardless of the employees wellbeing. The directors of the company want their supermarket chain to be the top supermarket in Poland. Therefore, it is acceptable to do what needs to be done to maintain an edge over competitors. On the oth er hand, from the employees point of view and taking the same egoism stance, in the short-term it might be necessary to follow orders in order to get their wage but their longer term needs should be to find alternative employment and seek legal action through the courts if they feel the need. The fact that the turnover of staff in Biedronka is significantly high because of the poor working conditions seems to have been ignored by management. They continue to pressurise staff to work longer and longer hours with the stick of unemployment being waved in their faces on a regular basis. Whether this is in the long-term interests of the business is questionable and if the workers were more highly skilled one would say that it is not a good business decision to treat them in this way, but as the staff are not highly skilled and there are a sufficient number of candidates willing to take their places (at least temporarily) then one can understand the managements policy of making the worker s work hard for longer. Ethics of Duty Immanuel Kant in Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals (1785) declared three maxims that should be to determine the ethical correctness of a situation. For the actions to be considered ethically correct they must pass all three maxims: Consistency Act only according to that maxim by which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law. It is unlikely that Biedronka would consider that forced overtime as a universal law, applied to everyone would be acceptable. This does not discount agreed overtime with pay and even time off in lieu with perhaps an agreed threshold for the maximum of hours overtime contractually required, over which additional hours should be on a voluntary basis. Human Dignity Act so that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in that of another, always as an end and never as a means only. It is clear that the Biedronka management are indeed using its employees as a means to an end and they are not being treated equally in such a way as to benefit all. Universality Act as though the maxim of your action were by your will to become a universal law of nature. This maxim asks if you would like to have your actions universally known, the New York Times test (Trevino and Nelson, 2007). In other word would you be happy with your actions appearing on the front page of the New York Times (Fakt, Polands largest selling newspaper, in this case)? Clearly Biedronka would not, and indeed did not, like the publicity from the court cases in Poland and it is assumed that their treatment of staff on these occasions is something they would not wish to occur again or be made public. Overall is would seem that Biedronka fails all tests, let alone pass all three. However, it is difficult to apply Kants theories to real world situations and inevitably any conclusion is a subjective one with a natural bias on the side of the person judging the activities. The Rights Theory (Natural Law) The Ethics of Rights maintain that everyone has certain natural rights that they are entitled to (Locke, 1689). Those rights cover things such as justice, liberty, a right to life, etc. Its author, John Locke, believed that human nature was characterised by tolerance and reason. However, Locke also stated that humans had a right to self interest they have the right to life and liberty therefore shouldnt a manager who wishes to progress in the company will do whatever it takes to be noticed by his superiors in order to enhance his career? And if what needs to be done requires hurting a few people along the way then let it be done. But I would strongly argue that Locke would consider Biedronkas policies to go against his idea of most peoples natural rights and if the goal of this theory is fairness and there is such a wide division between the winners (management) and the losers (the employees) then the only way to resolve this situation can only be to seek to narrow the division b etween the two parties. With the enforced overtime, this ethical theory suggests that it is against a persons rights to be forced to involuntarily work long hours. Such an action should be on a voluntary basis and should involve payment for extra hours worked. There should certainly be no punishment for refusing unreasonable overtime work. Therefore, this policy would be considered unethical. Virtue Ethics Virtue ethics looks entirely at the character of the person making a decision rather than the decision itself (Mellahi and Wood, 2003). Would a person of virtue come to the same decision? To apply this to Biedronka, we would need to look at their whole philosophy rather than these isolated incidents. On their website, they clearly state that they place heavy emphasis on ethical behaviour. To a visitor with no knowledge of the supermarket chains reputation, they seem to be a pioneer in terms of ethics in business but there is consistent evidence in the courts (Internal Commission of Jurists, 2010), from individuals and in the media that the company has serious failures in implementing its ethical stance. One could argue that these decisions are made on the basis of growing the business and opening more stores in order to provide increased employment not only in its stores but also for its suppliers and for improving customer choice; but surely there should be a limit on how far a company can go in terms of its decisions. If the paramount question when considering a companys ethical standpoint is: What would a decent, honest person do in this situation? then I believe that Biedronka and its senior and junior management failed to ask themselves this question because of their wish for the company to improve financially and have entirely focused on profit to the detriment of their staff. Feminist Ethics Crane and Matten (2007) indicated that feminist theory emphasises harmony and empathy with ones fellow human; particularly with those who might be vulnerable to the decisions that we make. In Poland, where unemployment is high and years of Communism led to great hardship, the culture is different to the US and the UK and so it could be argued that Poles have a different level of empathy arguably they are twenty years behind Western Europe in terms of law and business (Lewicka-Strzalecka, 2006). To the managers most employees have a good job and are paid reasonably well, but I would say that the argument against this is much stronger forcing staff to work unpaid overtime (or to not be compensated enough for it) was in direct conflict with the employees emotions and would inevitably lead to disenchantment and poor morale, not to mention fatigue. The reason for this forced overtime would appear to be mostly financial and did not seek to promote harmonious and healthy relationship amongst the workforce. Discourse Ethics Discourse ethics requires all parties in a conflict to reflect on the situation and come to a rational settlement that is suitable for all parties. If all parties were to include the customers of the supermarket, who have an indirect interest in this situation then there would be some difficulty in reaching a good decision. However, if by all parties we were to mean management and employees then this becomes more possible. The lack of trade unions within the Polish supermarket system would be an obstacle and obviously it would be difficult to include all employees in the meeting but discourse theory does seem the most sensible option to resolve this situation; although the management in the past has shown reluctance to listen to employees needs. There is also the risk that with the more powerful and articulate management in the room with a group of less powerful and inarticulate employees in fear of their jobs there is a strong likelihood that any decisions made will still be heavi ly in favour of those who run the organisation Postmodern Ethics Postmodern theory argues that those theories mentioned above are outdated in a world of complex human characters and businesses that cater to more and more specific needs (Crane and Matten, 2007). There cannot be one theory that fits for all eventualities and asks individuals to question practices such as those mentioned here and to go with their emotions and their gut feelings in these situations. My gut feeling in this case is in favour of the staff at the supermarket but it would be preferable to interview all those actors involved and spend some time there- indeed the only real way to could come to a conclusion would be to spend time working in the supermarket, both as a manager and a cashier. This option is unlikely to be open to anyone proposing such a study and so some time spent as a customer watching how staff acts in the supermarket might help more than being sat in an office trying to come to a conclus ion. My initial instinct is that I would side with the supermarket staff, but as it would be unlikely to be able to see the management in action without arousing suspicion such a decision may be considered to be a little biased. Its a question that should also have been raised by the individual shop managers why didnt they ask themselves why they were so slavishly following the senior management rather than making their conclusions on what was morally right? With the forced overtime, I suspect the policy would not have been followed if the postmodern theory was followed. Conclusion Poland was for many years under the rule of a communist regime and workers did not have the legal protection or the accepted rights to working conditions and benefits seen in the west. It is likely that it will still take time and a significant shift in attitudes for the country to fully adopt a western view of how to treat its workers and for this attitude to be accepted at all levels of society. As in the west and elsewhere there are many ethical questions regarding the rights of workers which can be answered in many different ways: an egoist may ask why should one person owe any sort of duty to another? But even here there are differences of opinion with Psychological (descriptive) egoism, Ethical egoism and Rational egoism all giving a different position on egoism itself (Shaver, 2002). However, the majority of normative theories would seem to allow us to come to roughly the same conclusions, that is that actions taken by the various managers of these supermarkets were unethical and the majority of people would consider that the decisions they made lacked empathy with their fellow human beings. PART B A Critical Appraisal of Traditional Ethical Theories Traditional ethical theories have powerful influence on our understanding of the relevance of business ethics but are often criticised for their limitation in business practices and lack of attention to human emotions. Crane and Matten (2007) separate traditional ethical theories into two types: Consequentialist if the outcome of a situation is that that which is required then the method is ethically sound. If the outcome is one that was not desired then the method is ethically wrong. Egoism and Utilitarianism are examples of consequentialist theories. Non-consequentialist based upon the method used and the underlying principles of the actor. In these cases it is the actual ethical value of the method used rather than the actual outcome (Crane and Matten, 2007. p.90). Ethics of Duty and Rights Theory are examples of non-consequentialist theories. Consequentialist theories tend to dismiss the damaging effects on p eople and the environment if the required outcome is achieved. The problem with this end justifies the means approach is that in many cases people are harmed and the environment is damaged. Where a large proportion of people would seem to benefit from a particular action it must still be determined the acceptable degree of suffering that any minority would expect to take. The difficulty is decided the unacceptable degree of suffering which even the needs of the many cannot justify. Non-consequentialist theories tend to be more focused on the moral philosophy behind an action and are often difficult to apply to real world situations. However, in a more enlightened age, certainly a more informed one, it is hoped that, even in the high-powered world of corporate business, the power of Rights Theories, for example, would be preferable to the more self-interest based ones of Egoism and Utilitarianism. An Evaluation of Contemporary Developments in Ethical Theories Because of the inherent problems of the traditional theories Contemporary Ethical Theories remove themselves from the more philosophical and rule based theories. Contemporary Ethical Theories include Virtue ethics, Feminist ethics, Discourse ethics and Postmodern ethics. Virtue ethics is concerned with the decision maker themselves and their intellectual and moral virtues (Nielson, 2006). The emphasis is on the characteristics of the decision maker such as wisdom, honesty, courage loyalty, patience, etc. (Crane and Matten, 2007. p.110). The underlying principle is that a virtuous person would be, by inclination, more likely to make ethical decisions in general and only in specific cases. Even if that was the case, it is still difficult to apply virtue ethics in modern society because one rule does not fit everybody and one persons virtues might be different to another persons. Feminist ethics are based more on social behaviour and cooperation between groups where differenc es of opinion can be settled by reasonable compromises. Maintaining a healthy relationship between groups is more important than what may be regarded as maintaining the rights of the individual. The thinking here is that rights are often a perceived value that is different in one country than another, for example. Crane and Matten (2007) give an example of child labour being wrong for feminine ethics not because it violated perceived (western) principles but because of the likely distress and suffering of the children (Crane and Matten, 2007. p.113). Discourse ethics attempt to solve ethical issues by reasonable, rational discussion of all parties. While based upon providing a practical solution to wide ranging problems there is in itself the practical problem of all involved parties being able to communicate with each other. Postmodern ethics are similar to virtue ethics in that it looks at view of the individuals particular sense of what is right and wrong. It deliberately r emoves itself from the rules of other theories which tell someone what is right or wrong rather than what are actually a persons own beliefs. It relies on a persons experience and their gut feeling on what is right and what is wrong. While this is the theories strength it is also a weakness as it depends upon a persons experience and therefore any lack of experience, especially in a multicultural environment, may weaken that persons ability to make an informed judgement. An Opinion on the Value and Use of Descriptive Ethical Theories Descriptive ethics is the study of what people believe is morally acceptable. In other words, what do they think is right and how do they come to that conclusion? Different people have different beliefs and understanding, often based on such things as upbringing, ethnic and cultural background, religion and personal experiences. Studying the different morals and standards of groups and societies helps to understand such differences and by understanding leads to better ways of solving ethical issues between such groups. Conclusion While it is useful to have specific theories that can be applied to particular problems they all seem to have their own strengths and weaknesses, and failings. Using one particular theory to resolve a situation can prove unsatisfactory. Using a pluralistic approach (Crane and Matten, 2007) where different aspects of the various theories are used to give a balanced outcome would seem to be the best approach.

Can the Problem of Monarchy Be Considered Old-Fashioned Free Essays

Can the problem of monarchy be considered old-fashioned? A monarchy is a governmental system that has one person as the permanent head of state until he or she dies or gives up his or her position. Typically, the position of monarch is hereditary, as is the case with famous monarchies like that of the United Kingdom. The term is often used to refer to a system of government in which the monarch — such as a king or queen — has absolute authority, but many monarchies are limited or constitutional monarchies in which the monarch has restricted power and might even be mostly a figurehead rather than a ruler. We will write a custom essay sample on Can the Problem of Monarchy Be Considered Old-Fashioned? or any similar topic only for you Order Now So ,the question is whether the problem of monarchy can be considered old-fashioned or not? One aspect of a monarchy that is considered to be an advantage is that it can reduce or eliminate the struggle for ultimate power within the government. When the head of state must be elected, members of different political parties or factions will compete for the position. This often creates division and conflict within the government. If the head of state serves for life and his or her successor is already known, it might increase the unity within the government. Still, the monarchy system represents a cultural tradition for a country. In many places, even after the actual operation of the government has changed to a different system, a monarchy will be retained because it is an important aspect of the cultural and political history of the nation. The monarchs in these cases are living representatives of generations of rulers. They often are treated as figures of reverence. Moreover, the system of monarchy means stability even prosperity . As an example, our country was doing well during monarchy system until the Russian communist took it and stole the land from the legal owners (peasants, rich people or business men). Everyone needs a place where his or her family would be safe and a stable working place. This stability in society is definitely attracting more and more people on the monarchy’s side. Another argument, which may sound odd, is that people are more reluctant to trust a king or a queen as the ‘boss’ of the country rather than a president. Believe it or not people still have the idea of a king as a person who is standing on a big throne with a golden crown on his head, having a luxurious life and with an outstanding intelligence as well (image that was took from fairy tales I guess) while a president is just a simple tailored-suited person. In conclusion I think that most people do not regard monarchy as an old-fashioned system. Moreover I think that this system is gaining more and more popularity as we have been experiencing many other systems which did not bring us prosperity at all. How to cite Can the Problem of Monarchy Be Considered Old-Fashioned?, Essay examples

Can Technology Solve the Education Problem

Question: Discuss that can technology solve the education problem? Answer: Introduction Educationis the imparting and acquiring of knowledge through teaching and learning, especially at a school or similar institution. The earliest educational processes involved sharing information about gathering food and providing shelter; making weapons and other tools; learning language; and acquiring the values, behavior, and religious rites or practices of a given culture. Before the invention of reading and writing, people lived in an environment in which they struggled to survive against natural forces, animals, and other humans. To survive, preliterate people developed skills that grew into cultural and educational patterns Education developed from the human struggle for survival and enlightenment. It may be formal or informal. Informal education refers to the general social process by which human beings acquire the knowledge and skills needed to function in their culture. Formal education refers to the process by which teachers instruct students in courses of study within institutions. Talking of the modern day education, one feels proud; of saying yes I am an educated person. Formally or informally all of us are educated. Education is the equipping with knowledge. The overall development of mind, body and soul is the real education. 1. Comparison and Contrast Accessibility to education is one of the main advantages to present day education. In the past education was only for the wealthy. The poor were not given an opportunity to improve their lot in life. Females were also denied an education by virtue of the "fact" they would get married and so an education would be "wasted" on females. As North America was settled children were pulled from schools during the harvesting season or as needed, to work the farm. Summers off were no vacation period for students, it was a time to help with farm work instead of hiring farm hands. Children in most, if not all developing countries have mandatory education for all children, regardless of their abilities .In the past children with special needs were hidden away and forgotten. Society, in general tries to encourage developing nations to provide even basic education for its people. Modern society recognizes the importance of education. Today we realize that an education translates into opportunity an d hope for the future. The ability to get an education, to foster creativity and curiosity, to seek answers will allow mankind to continue to grow. Today we try to encourage all children to reach for their fullest potential. Teachers are better qualified. No longer can a child, barely in their teens, become a teacher. The one room classroom is fortunately a thing of the past. The computer, libraries and ready access to information have all contributed to the ability to learn outside of the traditional classroom. On line and distance education have changed the face of what a classroom is. Im glad that I was born when I was and am thankful my children and grandchildren will have more opportunities in life due to the fact they are able to get a good education. In olden days there was no race towards attaining a high profile life and the education was so simple and even an average child could do well with his or her studies. No cumbersome exercise! Whatever is taught in the school is sufficient enough and the school days were quite pleasant even though for committing mistakes, tolerable punishment was being imposed. There were no bulky sack (bag) full of books and only the books as per syllabus were to be taken with. After leaving the school, you are free, though a small quantity of home work will be there which could be finished within no time and the kids have sufficient time to engage in to various types of natural or ancient plays and games. But, now-a-days, the entire system has been changed. It starts from the first day of entering into the Nursery. A fully pregnant size bag with various books. The kids are becoming averse to even open the book, but because of fear, they are bound to be accustomed with it. There is only minimal time for outside activities, for games etc. One is supposed to be a book work. In addition to that, the programmes in the new era technologies, like TV, VCD etc. prevent the kids from going out. Of course, they are providing knowledge, but at the same time, some unwanted programmes also make the kids to be in front of the Idiot box. Not to say anything about the home work. It seems that major portion is sent along with the kids as home work to be finished. Several subjects make the kids quite confusing. Ultimately, some of the kids ask as to what they are going to be in future!? A difficult question to answer and somewhat difficult to digest. But, what to do? The education has also become a busi ness. Very little committed teachers to promptly guide the kids. The kids are unable to grasp and complete the home work in its true sense. Why so much drop-outs? In its entirety, the present day education system is really a horrible experience compared to the olden days. If this trend goes on, what will be the future of coming generation 2. Technology in education system Filling education gap For many years, educators and policymakers looking for strategies to close the achievement gap and improve student learning have sought solutions involving new uses of technology, especially for students placed at-risk. Unfortunately, the results of technology initiatives have been mixed. Often, the introduction of technology into classrooms has failed to meet the grand expectations proponents anticipated. The educational landscape is replete with stories and studies about how at-risk students were unable to benefit from particular innovations seeking to use computers for teaching. There are, however, successes among these efforts, and they reveal some common approaches to technology use. Based on a review of more than seventy recent studies, this brief describes these approaches, particularly as they apply to high school students who have been at risk of failing courses and exit examinations or dropping out due to a range of personal factors (such as pregnancy, necessary employment, mobility, and homelessness) and academic factors (special education needs, credit deficiencies, and lack of supports for learning English). The brief then outlines policy strategies that could expand the uses of technology for at-risk high school youth "Educational technology is the incorporation of Internet and other information technologies into the learning experience." Computers in Education This section looks at the effects computers have on student performance in the classroom. Since the number of computers in schools has increased greatly Teachers have begun to assign homework that requires a computer or other resources, such as encyclopedias, that used to be only found at school. In return students are producing better work, especially in their writing assignments, as well as receiving better grades. The ability to use word -processing has allowed students to use the computer as a tutor. Lack of Access to computers Children benefit from computer educational programs, but they still depend deeply on their mentors, parents, and teachers to guide learning. While students become independent learners when they use computers, there are those that lack access to computers and even if they did have access they would not benefit like others.. Computers have made it possible for students, parents and teachers to communicate during after school hours. Although a good communication between parents, students, and teachers have to exist before the use of computers, new technology has allowed parents to take a more active role in childrens education. As mentioned before, computers correlate with better grades, but they also correlate with higher math and reading scores. Computers in schools The third approach considers computers to provide resources to teaching that no other form of technology can offer. This approach assumes that computers are capable of providing various kinds of information in abundant amounts. In return, learning is sure to occur and the child to benefit. On the other hand, developmental psychologists argue that these resources are unlikely to be used if the school does not have a social system that encourages and supports childrens initiatives (Cole, Cole, Lightfoot, 449). As explained at the beginning of this section, if a school lacks the social capital computers will not have the same advantages for the children attending as they will in a healthier setting where their education is supported by all involved. Of course, disadvantaged schools have the potential for change to a healthier and supportive educational system that will allow any kind of technology to benefit their children. Although, many argue that technology has the potential to clos e performance gaps we will argue that educational performance is culturally bias and computers can only do so much to erase social inequalities. Overall effect Computers have also transformed classroom dynamics, especially in their relationships with each and their teachers. The use of interactive technology allows schools as well as regions to work together and exchange ideas. These interactions are supposed to promote small working groups. Teachers have also found that students are genuinely interested in working together when technology is involved. Student self-esteem has been shown to increase in students that are exposed to computers, especially if students find teacher support when working and learning with educational software. 3. Learning in a Technology-Enhanced Environment When we think about learners using technology, there are many different factors to consider. Whether we are talking about retirees using Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) or ninth graders using simulations to learn algebra I, many characteristics of the environment affect what we call a digital learning ecosystem, as shown in Figure 3 below. First, different learning outcomes are possible, ranging from affective (for example, student interest and motivation) and behavioral (for example, engagement with learning) to specific objectives that are skills based, cognitive, or both. Important aspects of the technology make a difference for these outcomes, including the technology infrastructure, such as bandwidth, servers, storage, and data hosting. Technology to Explore and Create Other research finds that students learn more when they use technology to create new content themselves, rather than just being the recipients of content designed by others. A number of studies have found that students demonstrate stronger engagement, self efficacy, attitudes toward school, and skill development when they are engaged in content creation projects. Among other examples, this can include engaging in multimedia content creation to communicate ideas about the material they are studying by creating reports, graphic representations of data they have researched or developed, websites, PowerPoint presentations, video production, digital storytelling, and other means. In one of the many studies illustrating the effective use of technology as an interactive tool for both practicing skills and creating new content, several ninth-grade English classrooms with large numbers of at-risk studentsincluding many who had previously failed English and were predicted to fail the state ninth-grade reading testultimately outperformed other higher-tracked classes in their school on the state tests. These other classes included both on-level and Advanced Placement sections that studied the same material without technology supports. In the technology-rich classroom developed for the classes of at-risk students, the teacher used one-to-one availability of computers with wireless connections to the internet to engage students in word processing, spreadsheet, database, and web page production and presentation software in a variety of contexts. According to the researchers, Better Simulations and Models While a tuning fork is a perfectly acceptable way to demonstrate how vibrations make sound, its harder to show students what evolution is, how molecules behave in different situations, or exactly why mixing two particular chemicals is dangerous. Digital simulations and models can help teachers explain concepts that are too big or too small, or processes that happen too quickly or too slowly to demonstrate in a physical classroom. More Efficient Assessment Models and simulations, beyond being a powerful tool for teaching concepts, can also give teachers a much richer picture of how students understand them. "You can ask students questions, and multiple choice questions do a good job of assessing how well students have picked up vocabulary," Dorsey explains. "But the fact that you can describe the definition [of] a chromosome ... doesnt mean that you understand genetics any better ... it might mean that you know how to learn a definition. But how do we understand how well you know a concept?" The organization is also developing aprogramthat will help teachers collect real-time assessment data from their students. When the teacher gives out an assignment, she can watch how far along students are, how much time each a spends on each question, and whether their answers are correct. With this information, she can decide what concepts students are struggling with and can pull up examples of students' work on a projector for discussion. 4. Advantages Modern day education is aided with a variety of technology, computers, projectors, internet, and many more. Diverse knowledge is being spread among the people. Everything that can be simplified has been made simpler. Science has explored every aspect of life. There is much to learn and more to assimilate. Internet provides abysmal knowledge. There is no end to it. One can learn everything he wishes to. Every topic has developed into a subject. New inventions and discoveries have revealed the unknown world to us more variedly. Once a new aspect is discovered, hundreds of heads start babbling over it, and you get a dogma from hearsay. Not only our planet but the whole universe has become accessible. Now we have good and learned teachers to impart us with knowledge of what they know. Every one is a master in his field. We and our children are getting taught by professionals of their field. Presently our education is based on making us the best in our area of interest, to help us reach our goals more easily. More of the fact based knowledge is being grasped by us. What we learn helps us in our career and in our profession. Professionalism is deep-rooted in our society now and this education makes us so. Skill-development and vocational education has added a new feather to the modern system of education. There is something to learn for everyone. Even an infant these days goes to a kindergarten. And a little grown, mentally and physically is promoted to a Montessori. Everything is being categorized, be it a primary, middle, a higher secondary or graduate school. We have temples of education known by a familiar word the university. Whatsoever we are getting educated day by day and whats good about is that its a never-ending process. Rightly said byAristotle, Education is an ornament in prosperity and a refugee in adversity. is what everybody feels now. 5. Disadvantages Well, that was the positive side, but every story has two telling. Of all the virtue, our education system has developed into mere schooling now. New trends are being developed which are far more a baloney that boon. Firstly our education is confined to schools and colleges. It has become a process of spoon feeding. Spoon feeding in the long run teaches us nothing but the shape of the spoon were the words ofE.M.Forster. We are being fed with facts and knowledge. Not art, not books, but life itself is the true basis of teaching and learning. Cramming of facts and dates, hi-fi mathematical formulas, theories and doctrines should be at college levels when one has chosen his area of interest. What will the history pay a doctor or a mathematician, or medical terms to a historian? Secondly, an art can only be learned from a workshop of those who are earning their bread from it. Modern education has spread more ignorance than knowledge. Most of the women even dont know, where, the fabric they are wearing, came from. The word How is missing in our world which causes ignorance. Thirdly all education is bad which not self-education is. Presently, children after school are sent to tuitions. This is a clear question mark on the ability of school teacher. Homework tutorials are mushrooming up in our society. Students are thought of like they cant do anything on their own and so are sent even to do the homework. Our schoolings got a lot of loop-holes. They guide us through a well catered pathway which finally leads to professionalism. Homework is a waste of time, if it is to repeat class work done today or to be repeated as class work to be done tomorrow. Our schooling does not leave us with time to get educated.Mark Twainonce said that I have never let my schooling interfere with my education. Our childs normal routine has become to wake up early, brush up their minds with light reading, go to school, then go to tuition and finally come home and do the homework. Finally our education is producing machines out of pupil. They read books, they speak books and they do books. Discussing in class lead to complications, which remains as confusions for a life time if left untreated.Vladimir Nabokov,a U.S critic, poet and novelist says Discussion in class, which means letting twenty young blockheads and two cocky neurotics discuss something that neither their teacher nor they know. So, its a matter of debate that our education system is fallacious or fair. Conclusion Gifted, skilled, experienced public and private school teachers who are passionate about their subject still determine educational outcomes. That will never change. Technology merely enhances a teacher's ability to inspire and stimulate young minds. The responses to the effects of computers in the classroom are mixed, because while some students benefit from computers in the classroom others do not fair well. Social inequalities interfere with the positive effects that educational computer programs are capable of providing. In this respect, the possible computer approaches in the classroom will always need human to shape the way in which students will learn. References 1. Attewell P, Battle J. Home computers and school performance. Information Society, vol.15, no.1, Jan.-March 1999, pp. 1-10. Publisher: Taylor Francis, USA. 2. Cole M., Cole S., Lightfoot C. The Development of Children. New York, NY : Worth Publishers, 2005. 3. Anderson, R. E., Ronnkvist, A. (1999). The Presence of Computers in American Schools (https://www.crito.uci.edu/tlc/findings/computers_in_american_schools/). Irvine, CA: Center for Research on Information Technology and Organizations (CRITO) University of California, Irvine. 4. Bromley, H. (1998). Introduction: Data-driven Democracy? Social assessment of educational computing. In H. Bromley M. Apple (Eds.), Education, Technology, Power (pp. 1-28). Albany, NY: SUNY Press. 5. Cattagni, A., Farris, E. (2001). Internet Access in U.S. Public Schools and Classrooms: 1994 2000. Washington DC: National Center for Educational Statistics. 6. Cohen, D. K. (1987). Educational technology, policy, and practice. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 9(2), 153-170. 7. Collins, A. (1996). Whither Technology and Schools? Collected Thoughts on the Last and Next Quarter Centuries. In C. Fisher D. C. Dwyer K. Yocam (Eds.), Education and Technology: Reflections on Computing in Classrooms (pp. 51-66). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. 8. Bransford et al., How People Learn(Washington, DC: National Research Council, 1999); F. Dochy et al., Effects of Problem-Based Learning: A Meta-analysis, Learning and Instruction 13, no. 5 (2003); D. Gijbels et al., Effects of Problem-Based Learning: A Meta-analysis from the Angle of Assessment, Review of Educational Research 75, no. 1 (2005); C. E. Hmelo-Silver, Problem-Based Learning: What and How Do Students Learn?, Educational Psychology Review16, no. 3 (2004) 9. J. Callow and K. Zammit, Where Lies Your Text? (Twelfth Night, Act I, Scene V): Engaging High School Students from Low Socioeconomic Backgrounds in Reading Multimodal Texts, English in Australia47, no. 2 (2012); Dynarski et al., Effectiveness of Reading and Mathematics Software Products. 10. E. F. Anderson, L. McLoughlin, F. Liarokapis, C. Peters, P. Petridis, and S. de Freitas, "Serious games in cultural heritage," in VAST 2009: 10th International Symposium on Virtual Reality, Archaeology and Cultural Heritage - VAST-STAR, Short and Project Proceedings. Faculty of ICT, University of Malta, 2009, pp. 29-48, state-of-the-Art-Report. 11. A. Gaitatzes, D. Christopoulos, and M. Roussou, "Reviving the past: cultural heritage meets virtual reality," in VAST '01: Proceedings of the 2001 conference on Virtual reality, archeology, and cultural heritage. New York, NY, USA: ACM, 2001, pp. 103-110. 12. A. Johnson, J. Leigh, B. Carter, J. Sosnoski, and S. Jones, "Virtual harlem," IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications, vol. 22, pp. 61-67, 2002. (Pubitemid 35242603) 13. S.-C. Yeh, B. Newman, M. Liewer, J. Pair, A. Treskunov, G. Reger, B. O. Rothbaum, J. Difede, J. Spitalnick, R. McLay, T. D. Parsons, and A. A. Rizzo, "A virtual iraq system for the treatment of combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder," in VR, 2009, pp. 163-170. 14. S. Brown, I. Ladeira, C. Winterbottom, and E. Blake, "The effects of mediation in a storytelling virtual environment," in In Virtual Storytelling: Using Virtual Reality Technologies for Storytelling (2003), Springer-Verlag. Proc. 2nd International Conference ICVS, 2003, pp. 102-111.