Pride and Vanity in Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice Essay -- Jane Au

Pride and Vanity in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice      Ã‚   Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us. In her novel, Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen makes the point that an excess of pride or vanity is indeed a failing. Pride, observed Mary, . . . is a very common failing, I believe. By all that I have ever read, I am convinced that it is very common indeed, that human nature is particularly prone to it, and that there are very few of us who do not cherish a feeling of self-complacency on the score of some quality or another, real or imaginary. Pride and/or vanity is exhibited in different forms by each character. Those characters who can recognize their flaw emerge as the true heroes of the story.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In many minor characters of the novel, pride is a common characteristic. Mrs. Bennet, for instance, is extremely proud when it comes to her daughters marriages of mercenary advantage. She is so concerned that her neighbors have a high opinion of her that her own vanity will not even allow her to think of her daughters love and happiness. This is best shown with the case of Elizabeth Bennet's proposed marriage to the esteemed Mr. Collins, a man she did not love. Mrs. Bennet was so upset when her daughter refused Mr. Collins offer that she would not speak to her for passing up such an opportunity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   We can see an example of pride for imaginary qualities in Mary Bennet who was herself the speaker of this passage. To the embarrassment of her family, Mary would take every chance she could to put on a show whenever in a public sit... ...s a flaw in their respective characters. Darcy realizes that he must check his pride in order to be seen in a good light by others. Elizabeth, the object of his affections, is so turned off by his prideful ways that a touch of vanity enables him to change himself for her. Elizabeth, while observing the transformations of Darcy, realizes that she, too, has been guilty of too much pride. She sees that she was indeed prejudiced and that she must come to terms with the failings of her family. Darcy and Elizabeth are able to overcome their pride which enables them to live happily ever after. Works Cited Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. 1813. Ed. Donald Gray. New York: Norton and Co., 1993. Johnson, Claudia L. "Pride and Prejudice and the Pursuit of Happiness." Pride and Prejudice. By Jane Austen. Ed. Donald Gray. New York: Norton and Co., 1993. pp. 367-376.

Models of Organizational Change Essay

Organizational change is occurring at an intense rate within modern organizations, as demands to stay current with technology and marketplace trends are ever increasing. Although knowledge exists amongst management and leadership regarding the need for change, the ability to deliver the expected results of proposed changes often fails. Recent literature actually suggests that failures are frequently attributed to the level of employee involvement and commitment, and that employees actually â€Å"play a major role in the success or failure of change within organizations† (Shin, Taylor, & Seo, 2012, p. 727). There are various theories of organizational change, many of which have corresponding models that can be applied to change processes. Although such theories have differing strategies, most share common elements, to include a clear vision for the organization, the role of the leader in the initiative, the communication process between key stakeholders and employees, and overcoming opposition to change. That said, it is the intention of this paper to evaluate two specific models of organizational change, and to appraise how each model incorporates those common elements within their framework. Kurt Lewin: Three-Phase Change Theory and Model Kurt Lewin proposed a three- phase change theory in the 1940’s; however, his theory, together with a corresponding change model, has major implications for modern organizational change initiatives. The three phases of the model are as follows: unfreeze-transition-freeze, and are meant as a straight forward approach to organizational change. What is more, Lewin’s model has been utilized by many well-known corporations, and has a proven track record of success. Role of the Leader in Lewin’s Model According to Lewin, the role of the leader in implementing the three-phase process is mutifactoral, as at each phase, leadership is central. For example, during the unfreezing phase, the leader creates a sense of urgency, which is accomplished by generating awareness and understanding of the need for change. It is also during this phase that communication between the leader, key stakeholders, and employees is essential in order to reach the next phase of transition. During the transition phase, the leader is responsible for the development of organizational structure and process changes that will ultimately be shaped by new behaviors, values and attitudes (â€Å"Kurt Lewin 3 phases change theory,† 2012, para. 3). Once the transition phase reaches the point of successful re-structuring, the final freeze stage must occur, and also be maintained. This is the point at which the leader must ensure that adaption to the change has crystallized, as the possibility for the organization to â€Å"revert back to old ways† (â€Å"Kurt Lewin 3 phases change theory,† 2012, para. 3) exists, unless the changes are continually reinforced. Three-Phase Change Model: Overcoming Resistance Although one may expect immediate resistance to change, this is generally not the case. In fact, during the unfreezing stage, â€Å"most staff and management are willing to change† (â€Å"Kurt Lewin 3 phases change theory,† 2012, p. 4); however, there are still others that will require greater provocation. The leader’s role to resistance is in generating motivation. This is done by dismantling the status quo through educational initiatives, and the provision of tangible examples of proven success. Additionally, lines of communication must remain open, allowing for the building of a guiding coalition, and the formation of an unwavering cohesiveness. Overcoming resistance also entails the leader’s personal involvement, attention to empowerment, staying open to negotiation, and use of milestones as a means for illustrating successes. As the freezing stage nears, the leader must remain cognizant of any barriers to maintaining the change. Furthermore, a forward outlook is essential, which will be sustained through effective communication, ongoing observation, training, and even â€Å"performance and reward systems† (â€Å"Kurt Lewin 3 phases change theory,† 2012, p. 5). Three-Phase Change Model and Communication Communication is truly the most central component to Lewin’s model. It is highlighted at each of the three phases, with lack of communication being a barrier to successfully transitioning between phases. That said, it must not be discounted the impact that strong lines of communication have on successful change initiatives, as high percentages of change failures are often attributed to poor communication, thus hindering the transition process (Shin et al., 2012, p. 727). Harris’s Five-Phase Model Ben Harris developed a five-phase organizational change model in the mid 1970’s. According to Harris, the phases are sequential; however, they often overlap one another (Lunenburg, 2010, p. 4). The five-phases are as follows: planning & initiation, momentum, problems, turning point, and termination. Five-Phase Model: Role of the Leader Unlike Lewin’s three-phase model, Harris’s model is less dependent upon concrete leadership initiatives at each phase. For example, per the five-phase model, the role of the leader is accentuated most at phases II-IV; posited by Lunenburg when he acknowledged â€Å"the importance of leadership at various phases of program implementation† (Lunenburg, 2010, p. 5). During planning and initiation, the leader introduces the proposed change, goals, activities, and necessary resources. , and â€Å"mounts interest among individuals† (Lunenburg, 2010, p. 5), which is dissimilar to Lewin’s creation of a sense of urgency at the unfreezing stage. During momentum, strong leadership is emphasized for the development of goal-directed activities, and the organizing of processes meant to serve as the point at which employees experience personal growth through involvement. At the problems phase, leaders must stay focused on imminent issues, including the complexity of plans, differences between involved parties with regard to perceptions and goals, demands of responsibility, conflict, and individuals not fulfilling duties and expectation (Lunenburg, 2010, p. 5). It is up to the leader to direct the actions necessary for the completion of this phase in order to move on to the turning point. During the turning point phase, the leader continues to act as facilitator for the continued growth of problems, or he moves the group forward if problems have been overcome. Solid leadership is crucial here, as the point at which the change coalition should see results of initial planning, and experience the momentum of the change process. Similar to Lewis’s transition phase, emphasis at this phase is placed on â€Å"behaviors, values, and attitudes† (â€Å"Kurt Lewin 3 phases change theory,† 2012, para. 2). At termination, the leader must attempt to break down any barriers to the success of the change. This phase comes with a twofold strategy, which on one hand addresses potential change failure, and on the other hand, the possibility for change success. It is also the point at which resistance to change becomes most evident; therefore, the investment of leadership is vital to this phase. Harris’s Five-Phase Model: Overcoming Resistance There is very little focus within Harris’s five phases on leaders’ overcoming staff resistance to change. In fact, of all five phases, it is not until termination that attention to resistance is even highlighted. Unlike Lewin’s model, which does not allow for transitioning between phases if opposition is met, Harris’s model affords for a five-phase transition, even in the face of potential failure. This is a good example of a five-phase model weakness, and three-phase model strength. Harris’s Five-Phase Model and Communication Harris’s model does not specifically stress the importance of communication as does Lewin’s model; however, it is implied in the description of the leader’s responsibilities at each phase. Noticeably, each of the five phases alludes to the need for leaders to effectively and consistently communicate with staff in order for certain activities and goals to be accomplished. The difference; however, between Lewin and Harris, is that Harris allows for the transitioning between stages even when barriers to success persist. Conclusion As organizations face the ever-increasing demands of technology, together with the challenges of staying current with marketplace trends, the need for change will remain imminent. With various strategies in existence for the execution of change initiatives, leaders must stay abreast of the specific demands of their fields, while also maintaining solid lines of communication and solid leadership within their organizations. It is also important that change models with proven effectiveness be implemented, and that they are well-matched to the situation. Relative strengths and weakness of any change model will always exist, but through solid and effective leadership, the potential to overcome such weakness and the likelihood of change success is altogether probable. References Kurt Lewin 3 phase change theory universally accepted change management. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.change-management-consultant.com/kurt-lewin.html Lunenburg, F. (2010). Approached to managing organizational change. 1, 12, 1-10. Retrieved from http://www.nationalforum.com/Electronic%20Journal%20Volumes/Lunenburg,%20Fred%20C%20Approaches%20to%20Managing%20Organizational%20Change%20IJSAID%20v12%20n1%202010.pdf Shin, J., Taylor, M. S., & Seo, M. (2012, June 1). Resources for change: the relationships of organizational inducements and psychological resilience to employee’s attitudes and behaviors toward organizational change. Academy of Management Journal, 55(3), 727-748. Retrieved from http://ehis.ebscohost.com.library.gcu.edu:2048/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=5a0184b6-033b-45ea-a35a-e84a3a89923d%40sessionmgr110&vid=8&hid=116

Sociology in Everyday Life

Sociology in Every Life One central and important study of sociology is the study of everyday social life. Everyday life and sociology are definitely two distinct terms and situations, but they hold a close relationship. While sociology studies human interaction, everyday life consists of everyday human interaction. Everyday life is filled by human beings interacting with one another, institutions, ideas, and emotions. Sociology studies the interactions with all of these and shows how mere interaction resulted in things like ideas and institutions.Everyday that you wake up and come into contact with what you do and the people you speak to is sociological. You wake up and interact with objects. Some of these objects you see yourself in such as your clothes, and your music, would be called the sociology of identification. If you live with your parents and siblings, you wake up and interact with them, by saying good morning and having breakfast with them. You recognize and participate i n the family institution. When you go to school, or church, or your job, you know what's expected of you and you know how to act in the way that is labeled normal.Therefore, you interact with a set of norms by conforming to them or breaking them which is deviance. The fact that we have an everyday life in which there are patterns in ways of living is what sets a foundation for sociological analysis and for being a witness in what we do, in order to understand ourselves better. You use sociology in many ways everyday. Race and ethnicity are important concepts in the field of sociology and are ones that are studied a great deal.Race plays a large role in everyday human interactions and sociologists want to study how, why, and what the outcomes are of these interactions. There are several sociological theories about why prejudice, discrimination, and racism exist. Current sociological theories focus mainly on explaining the existence of racism. The three major sociological perspectives are, functionalist theory, symbolic interaction theory, and conflict theory they each have their own explanations to the existence of racism. The Structural-Functional theory  argues that in order for race and thnic relations to be functional and contribute to the conduct and stability of society, racial and ethnic minorities must assimilate into that society. Assimilation is a process by which minorities gradually adopt patterns of a dominant culture. It is believed that deviance encourages social change. A good example of this would be how race and ethnicity are strongly linked to crime rates. The amount of African Americans that were involved in crimes was a higher proportion than any other race. African Americans makes up 13 percent of the population but were accounted for 28. percent of the arrest. There are several reasons why arrest for African American could be this high but the main cause would probably be because of social standing. Some disadvantages to the African Ame rican population are that white people have an overall higher occupational standing and they also receive schooling beyond high school. Many people of this race are brought into single parent homes which lead to a huge gap in wealth and these children receive less supervision which puts them in a greater risk of living in poverty.Over 40 percent of African American children grow up in poor families leaving the high crime rates to not be a surprise. Prejudice is also another factor to the high crime rates because white police tend to arrest black people more readily. If crime involved drunk driving, business fraud, embezzlement, and cheating on tax returns the white population rate of crime would rise dramatically. These factors have made many people of this race strive for the best while others are still not trying at all.Although we operate from a class system it seems like many African Americans are stuck between a rock and a hard place. Individual achievement isn’t happeni ng. If more people would aim for individual achievement, social standing wouldn’t be such an issue in today’s time. I believe categorizing people according to their color, sex, or social background is wrong. The only way to overcome these negative stereotypes is to stand above the descriptions that have been applied to your race. I have learned that hardwork is the key to success, whether it is in life, work, or your social standing.Even though social stratification carries over from generation to generation it doesn’t mean you have to have the same life your parents had. Everyone is able to achieve a better life if they work for it. Social stratification is found everywhere and what is equal and unequal is different in all societies. In my society it seems like wealth and power is the key element of difference. People who are poor or have lower position are downed on. While writing this paper, I learned many things. I learned society has a huge impact on my lif e and those around me. Related post: Social Studies SBA on Teenage PregnancyI learned that personal issues can manifest into a social issue that affects the whole society as a whole, just as the major social issues can affect my personal life. Overall, writing this paper has benefited me to look closer at society and see how different issues affect me in my life. References Macionis, J. (2009). Society the basics. (12th ed. ). The sociology of race and ethnicity  . (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://www. trinity. edu/mkearl/race. html Winant, H. (n. d. ). Race and race theory. Retrieved from http://www. soc. ucsb. edu/faculty/winant/Race_and_Race_Theory. html