Paper writing music
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
5 Categories of Unnecessary Scare Quotes
5 Categories of Unnecessary Scare Quotes 5 Categories of Unnecessary Scare Quotes 5 Categories of Unnecessary Scare Quotes By Mark Nichol Each of the sentences in this post demonstrates a distinct example of superfluous use of quotation marks to call attention to a word or phrase. The discussion following each example explains why the scare quotes are extraneous. 1. Companies need to reevaluate, and perhaps ââ¬Å"retrofit,â⬠their existing programs. Retrofit is not being used in its literal sense of ââ¬Å"renovating to enhance structural resistance to earthquake damage,â⬠but analogous use of the word does not require scare quotes, which are helpful only when the analogy is obscure: ââ¬Å"Companies need to reevaluate, and perhaps retrofit, their existing programs.â⬠2. Such a strategy must include thinking ââ¬Å"outside the box.â⬠Idiomatic phrases, like single words used as nonliteral analogies, are generally understood as such and do not require special emphasis: ââ¬Å"Such a strategy must include thinking outside the box.â⬠3. So-called ââ¬Å"softerâ⬠impediments often require as much attention as technical hurdles. So-called signals that a word or phrase is not being used in a literal or customary sense. Scare quotes signal that a word or phrase is not being used in a literal or customary sense. Redundancy is not necessary, nor is it required: ââ¬Å"So-called softer impediments often require as much attention as technical hurdles.â⬠4. Information should be restricted to those individuals designated as having a ââ¬Å"need to know.â⬠Words and phrases adopted from specialized contexts- otherwise known as jargon (such an introduction of a concept as this doesnââ¬â¢t merit quotation marks, either)- are either sufficiently transparent in meaning that they donââ¬â¢t need emphasis or definition or should be omitted in favor of clear wording; in this case, a phrase originating in the milieu of classified government documents is self-evident: ââ¬Å"Information should be restricted to those individuals designated as having a need to know.â⬠5. It is imperative to understand ââ¬Å"what to doâ⬠as well as ââ¬Å"what not to do.â⬠Here, the writer invites the reader to glean the key phrases in the sentence, but the gist of the statement is obvious, and the scare quotes are distracting and not at all helpful: ââ¬Å"It is imperative to understand what to do as well as what not to do.â⬠Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:100 Idioms About NumbersWork of Art TitlesWood vs. Wooden
Saturday, November 2, 2019
Research paper about Korean Art ( Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
About Korean Art ( - Research Paper Example The post war Korean has been presented by the tansaekhwa artists in a beautiful manner. The past legacies before and after the war have been presented to portray the differences between the two times. The empire legacies, colonisation and nationalism have been presented and explained. According to Kim (2005, p.4), ââ¬Å"it was not surprising that the Korean contemporary art only became conscious of its identity after the war.â⬠Many artists have contributed to the evolution of culture in Korea. This evolution has been demonstrated through works of art such as drawings, paintings in abstract colours. Generally, this has been particularly achieved by the cotemporary Korean artists through the use of different pictures and portraits have been used to bring life back to the ancient dynasties and kingdoms as well as empires The contemporary Korean art styles particularly emerged in 1945 following the end of the Japanese occupation. However, the history of Korean art dates back to 3000 BCE when the first known Korean art consisting of votive sculptures and other stone age works were made. These early forms of art were then followed by various art styles from different Korean dynasties and kingdoms. During the Goryeo dynasty of 918-1392, many Korean artists began to base their artistry on modified Chinese traditions but with native preferences. The introduction of western art styles to Korea came through China in the 18th century and was subsequently followed by the Japanese occupation at the beginning of 1880s. Between the nineteenth and the twentieth century, Korean culture has undergone a vital transformation in the social, cultural and the political scene. In the 1960s, a famous 20th century Korean artistic movement known as Tansaekhwa (monochromatic painting) increasingly gained popularity among many artists in Korea before it eventually became the international representation of the
Thursday, October 31, 2019
Theories of women's relationship to public space in all their Research Paper
Theories of women's relationship to public space in all their complexity - Research Paper Example When we look at large scale events in global history like major exploration, war and colonization, it is the male ambition to conquer, control and exploit which characterizes them. Traditionally, males are active and operate in the public arena, while females are passive and are confined largely to private and domestic spaces. These stereotypes are evident in the system that we know as patriarchy, and they operate at the level of individuals within families, in different social and cultural groups, and in the way that nations and states relate to each other. Journeying out to capture and control a physical location is a classically patriarchal activity. We can detect this kind of influence when we look at the narratives of history that have been drawn up to make sense of human behaviour. The age of empire building, somewhat ironically under the leadership of a British Queen, as well as various kings and prime ministers across the globe was one of expansion for the conquerors and cult ural demolition for those who were colonized. Just as women in Victorian England were nominally revered and respected, but at the same time dominated and repressed by their husbands, so narratives of the ââ¬Å"exoticâ⬠and the ââ¬Å"primitiveâ⬠were used to give a positive spin to the systematic exploitation of vast areas of Africa, India and Asia. Hierarchical Western systems were introduced to replace overlapping tribal and national structures and women found themselves on the bottom rung of all these new hierarchies. The position of former colonies was for many years to be trapped into an opposition to this dominance, rather than to develop freely in whichever direction they would themselves have chosen. It was only in the mid to late twentieth century that authors in former colonies began to theorize this bitter experience and emerge from the imposed binary opposition of colonialism into a more nuanced appreciation of power relations in the modern world. One such aut hor, Tayeb Salih, reflects on these matters in his novel Season of Migration to the North (Salih, 2009) and draws complex parallels between the subjugation of Sudan under colonialism and the subjugation of women under patriarchal systems. The novel revolves around themes of colonialization, a term which in feminist theory ââ¬Å"almost invariably implies a relation of structural domination, and a discursive or political suppression of the heterogeneity of the subject(s) in questionâ⬠(Mohanty, 1988, p. 61) and exploration of the complex and various types of male and female relations that exist in the post-colonial world. This makes the book at times complex, even ambiguous, but this quality ensures that it is true to situation, Unresolved issues that were paramount in the period immediately after independence was gained in the Sudan are presented as they were experienced, not least the evolving role of women and their gradual emergence into public life. The plot revolves around , as the title suggests, what happens when some of the residents of Sudan migrate back to where the colonial masters came from, before returning to their homeland having gained new and shocking knowledge which then contributes to the way that the
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Cultural Artifacts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
Cultural Artifacts - Essay Example All these and many other aspects altogether represent our culture and its evolution over time. To prove my point I will concentrate on architecture how it is reflective of the culture. It not only represents the present but also has traces of the past. By observing architecture of any society over the years you can observe the evolution of their culture. It shows our values and beliefs. Architecture actually encompasses all three eras, traces of our past, needs of our present and aspirations of our future. Archeology In order to fully understand evolutionary process of architecture we need to develop sound understanding of archeology and dating methods. Crucially understanding of the past depends on the efficiency of the chronological dating methods employed. Indus civilization As we all know Indus civilization is one the oldest civilizations of the world. Some of the things found in excavations dates back to as early as 2800 BCE (McIntosh). A good understanding of their culture was developed through the literature found in some of the writings, pottery and remains of the buildings. The Indus civilization is distinctive in its indigenous development from the cotemporary civilizations. Its architecture does not bear any sign of warfare of that time. They had elaborate drainage system and well planned urban layout. Although scarcity of any building was observed, which could be identified as temple or monument? Architecture and Sculpture History According to historians large wooden houses, palaces and barns were being built in India from around 1700 BC. Although it does not have much creativity and durability was also questionable. (Subcontinent) Some stone architecture and sculpture started in India in 300 BC under the influence of Greeks and Persians. Artifacts are a good source of studying the economic and cultural conditions of any time. It was well reflected in the buildings of that era also. In fact the understanding we have developed about the older civiliz ations and their evolution and growth was achieved by studying the artifacts of those times. Indians moved from traditional wooden architecture to stone architecture and fine masonry work under the influence of foreigners. But the artifacts they produced had the Indian touch and were reflective of their culture. Rock Architecture History of Rock architecture in India dates back to eighth century. There are remains of a temple in Ellora in central Asia. (William J. Duiker) It was named after the holy mountains and it is beautifully carved out of a hill side. Traces of this form of architecture were also found in Africa. It is reflective of the technological advancement of that time because carving a mountain needed a lot of skill and equipment. It is also reflective of the religious beliefs of the time. Most of the religious architecture of that time consisted of Buddhist cave temples and monasteries. The next millennium witnessed impressive sculptures and paintings. Religious archit ecture evolved from caves to monumental structures. They were even decorated with ceilings, door frames, relevant paintings and other accessories which marked the welfare of the civilization. Islamic Architecture When India was conquered by Mughals Indian architecture took a large leap forward. Mughals were found of architecture. Magnificent buildings all over India are a proof of their taste and love for
Sunday, October 27, 2019
Importance Of Financial Inclusion In The Indian Scenario
Importance Of Financial Inclusion In The Indian Scenario Gandhi had once had once remarked, Our cities are not India. India lives in her seven and a half lakh of villageà ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¦.. (Gandhi 1966:288-89). Thus to build a strong India it becomes very necessary to strengthen and build its villages. The banking and financial services in our country had been limited to a section of elite population. Despite huge demand for these services the financial structure of such services has forever been very weak. The population in these regions have to depend on the informal sector like the local money-lenders for availing finance. Thus there arises the need for Financial Inclusion. By Financial Inclusion we mean the easy delivery of financial services to large sections of the unprivileged society. It also means availing loans to the disadvantaged society at affordable cost. HISTORY AND EMERGENCE IN INDIA The concept of Financial Inclusion can be traced back to the year 1904 when Co-operative Movement took place in India. It gained momentum when 14 major commercial banks of the country were nationalized in 1969 and bank scheme was introduced thereafter. Branches were opened in large numbers across the country and even in the areas which were previously being neglected and those which needed quick recovery to escape the viscous cycle of poverty. Even after all these measures even till date a sizable portion of the population of the country could not be brought under the fold of banking system. In India the credit structure is crumbling and the availability of funds to the needy and disadvantaged is very poor. There are only a meagre number of such banks which are actually functional and really fulfilling the aim of bringing about financial equality and stability in the system. There is an immediate need for increased interaction and greater participation from state, banks and SHGs. The enactment of the Regional Rural Banks Act in the mid 1970s was the first step toward Financial Inclusion. It had lead to the geographical expansion of the credits and has made financial services accessible to the rural poor. In India the financial coverage of the rural communities by the commercial banks and the regional rural banks is only 29% and only about 17 % by the long-term and short-term rural credit cooperative societies. It is rather more saddening to see the result of these financial institutions individually servicing the villages. Presently each branch office of the Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs) services only 20 villages and the Primary Agricultural Credit Societies up to 6.4 villages. These figures itself portray the disheartening condition of the financial structure in rural India and achieving Financial Inclusion seems like a distant dream. In fact, there is a severe gap in financial access which needs special attention. IMPORTANCE OF FINANCIAL INCLUSION IN THE INDIAN SCENARIO India ranks second in the world in terms of Financially Excluded Households. In India even today loans are not available to about 135 million households. According to a report in The Hindu dated 8th December, 2012 the Deputy Governor of The Reserve Bank of India Dr K. C. Chakrabarty had remarked, India needs strong measures for the financial inclusion of the poor and the marginalized. The main reasons for financial exclusion in India, from the demand side are lack of awareness, low income, poverty and illiteracy while from the supply side is distance from branch, branch timings, cumbersome documentation and procedures, unsuitable products, language, staff attitudes etc. Thus there is an immediate need to improve on the status of Financial Inclusion in our country and this has to start from the base levels. Financial Inclusion contributes to an all round development of the society. We can show that with help of a systematic diagram:- P.T.O Financial Inclusion fulfils some economics objectives and also some social and political objectives. The economic objectives includes equitable growth of the society which implies integrating everyone in the development process mobilization of savings towards the needy larger markets for financial systems so that loans are available to the unprivileged class easily While the Social and Political objectives comprised of poverty elevation for the welfare of the general people sustainable development programs to be implemented channelizing governments programs in the right direction Thus to bring about an all round development in the society we need to have a strong financial structure. It is only possible with both government interventions and also community participation. There has to be community indulgence at a very great extent. They have to come together and collaborate with the banks and take part in their initiatives to promote financial inclusion. There are innumerable loopholes which have to focus on and dealt with to bring about equitable growth. We now concentrate on two case studies which throw light on some of the issues discussed above. CASE STUDIES We now narrow down our study and concentrate on two case studies which will help us analyse the problems of Financial Inclusion in India: Case Study 1: The Economically Backward region of Jharkhand Case Study 2: The Progressive Ras village of Gujarat Case study 1: JHARKHAND The Reserve Bank of India being the apex bank in India had given guidelines to all the commercial banks to promote financial inclusion in rural India. We take up the case study highlighting the economically backward region of Jharkhand. Poverty in Jharkhand had had a prolonged chain and this could be escaped only through financial inclusion. The main reasons for it being A very dense population A very low rate of literacy- about 53.6% Extremely poor state with the National Average of people below the poverty line being 40.2% The senior level executives in RBI were worried about the extremely low performance of the state in rural areas in Jharkhand and thus a branch of RBI was setup in Ranchi. The commercial banks were given direction to promote financial inclusion. The commercial banks tried to promote financial inclusion in this region by taking into account some other channels as involving the Self-Help Groups (SHGs), Micro-finance Institutions (MFIs), Non-Commercial Banks as National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development (NABARD), various Non- Governmental organizations, some Non- Banking Finance Companies (NBFCs), Co-operatives and Co-operative banks. Although a large chunk of the population in Jharkhand lives in rural areas the private banks have only 13% of the total number of branches in the rural areas. The commercial banks were very reluctant to open branches here as due to poverty, less demand for financial inclusion, insufficient manpower and inappropriate technology there were high chances of incurring losses. But it was thought to be the responsibility of the banks to induce into the people a sense of financial inclusiveness. It was Bank of India who was the first to come forward and served as a backbone of the public sector banks in the light of financial inclusion in Jharkhand. Bank of India set up 385 branches in Jharkhand. Bank of India had done a commendable job in Jharkhand in terms of number of branches it had opened keeping in view the highly dispersed and dense population of the country. The products offered were Kisan Credit Card, General Credit Card, loans to run micro-finance and micro-insurance. Also a workin g group was setup by RBI to internalise NGOs and SHGs as a potential intervention tool for doing banking business with the marginalised and poor. The NABARD too came up with a massive program called the SHG Bank Linkage Programme (SBLP). According to a report there were about 5265 new savings account which were opened through SHG interventions. Though the initiative seems to be a success at a glance, but the real picture differs. The SHGs and NGOs themselves were not financially and technically sound. For successful community participation it was required to train the individuals, give them basic financial education and acquaint them with modern technologies. Thus technical empowerment could have been enabled by the commercial banks by training and development practices of banking and financial risk management. They also needed financial support. Jharkhand being largely dependent on agricultural and related occupations led to high irregularity of income. This made situations worse as in the years when agricultural and related business did not perform well all steps taken to promote financial inclusion failed. Farmers in Jharkhand do not have access to formal finance for growing crops because of the high risk associated with it. Thus there was need for creating avenues of insurance trade for the farmer to participate in the process of financial inclusion. Development of mobile banking services can be a great way in improving the condition of financial inclusion in the state. Jharkhand having very poor rate of literacy most of the masses know no other language than their vernacular language and in such situations technology based devises like ATM machines do not serve the purpose and becomes a hurdle in the way of financial inclusiveness. Thus there was a need for the RBI and the commercial banks to take up the issue with more intensive research and proper handling. Improving and better monitoring of the commercial banks by reporting at specifies intervals, it should be made mandatory for banks have to undergo a statutory audit every year apart from the internal audit system that they posses and also assessing them on their achievements in the process of promoting financial inclusion. Thus a better planning and better approach towards things were required to achieve the aimed goal. Case Study 2: RAS VILLAGE IN GUJRAT The next study concerns the Ras Village in Gujarat. This village unlike that of villages in Jharkhand is a much more developed and progressive village. The Ras Village contributes much to the revolutionary Amul Co-operative movement in Gujarat. The village had a well-functional Government Community Health Centre and branches of public sector banks. According to a report the total deposit base was 250 million dollars on 31 March 2007 where Non- Resident Indians constituted 50 % of the banks deposit base. The above village was a pretty well off and a progressive village according to the Indian standards, where the dairy activity has helped to improve the living standards of the people. Ras village more or less had some kind of financial structure and was not totally absent as in the case of villages in Jharkhand. We now focus on the data regarding presence of bank accounts and availing credit facilities in these areas: Economic Research (NCAER) The above study shows that 75.2 per cent of the villagers have bank accounts and 26.7 per cent have availed credit. According to a report by the World Bank Rural Finance Access Survey (RFAS) of 2003 which indicated that on an average only 41 per cent of rural households have bank accounts and among that only 21 per cent have some access to formal credit avenues (Bapat, 2010). Keeping that as a benchmark we can say that the Ras Village is an Ideal village as the number of people availing loans is 26.7 per cent and 75.2 per cent villagers having a bank account is a striking number in itself. The customers had a high rate of satisfaction in holding the bank accounts. The customers perceptions were based on efficiency in the functioning of the banks, adequacy, timeliness, cost, security, convenience, staff and transactions Almost 66 per cent of the villagers were inclined towards future credit facilities. The villagers were urged upon taking cattle loans, business loans and also housing loans. There was clear indication of the villagers wanting to participate in rural credit and avail loans. There has been financial penetration up to a very extent and there was ample scope for further penetration. But there is another very important aspect which existed in the Ras village which lead to these the well-developed cooperative milk collection system. They were already at a stable condition as the community had come forward and formed the milk cooperative. The banks had collaborated with them which lead to the upliftment of the village. It was profitable for the banks to enter into an agreement with the clients and the village cooperative milk-collection centre. Not only the village concerned but the whole of Gujarat has developed very rapidly on all economics terms including banking. And to achieve this goal the community and the cooperatives banks have played a crucial role. There was a significant correlation between holding bank account and their income, education, asset holding status and living conditions. The villagers in this village were economically more or less stable with moderate asset holding and thus they could easily avail loans. COMPARISONS After having an extensive view into the case studies we get a contrasting picture of the two villages in India. On one hand we have Jharkhand which is one of the poorest states in India and we see a crumbling financial structure. While on the other hand we have Gujarat, which at one point of time had aimed at 100 per cent financial inclusion, though that remains unattained but it has been is financially stable and has achieved been called a progressive state. The case studies give us an in-sight into the reasons for such glaring disparity in the same country. We now try and systematically try to analyse it in a tabular form. JHARKHAND RAS VILLAGE, GUJRAT ECONOMIC CONDITIONS Extremely poor state with the National Average of people below the poverty line being 40.2% Mostly dependent on agriculture or related activities Banks unwilling to collaborate Farmers do not have access to formal finance because of the high risk associated with it Being a rich state with a stable financial structure Economically stable and well-off The well-developed milk cooperative which made the economy flourishing The total deposit base was 250 million dollars COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION The SHGs and NGOs had tried to bring about the community together People were economically viable and no access to formal finance They had no formal training or technical knowhow to participate in the interventions Community participation more or less absent There was already existing community participation in the form of milk cooperatives The people wanted to participate based on efficiency in the functioning of the banks, adequacy, timeliness, cost, security, convenience, staff and transactions. Almost 66 per cent of the villagers were inclined towards future credit facilities. ROLE OF BANKS Banks were not willing to open up branches due to the poor economic conditions Commercial banks came forward and started working with the SHGs, MFIs and NGOs. Bank of India was the first to take such initiatives It was profitable for the banks to enter into an agreement with the clients and the village cooperative milk-collection centre Already public banks had existing branches Most people were economically aware and active EDUCATION AND TRAINING People were illiterate No economic sense No technical knowledge Insufficient manpower and inappropriate technology due to lack of educated masses Unable to reap the benefits of Kisan Credit Card and General Credit Card People were already aware of the advantages of banks and formal credit and had some amount of economic sense Already existing communities and some amount technical knowhow INFERENCE Lead to financial exclusion and failure of the government initiatives Lead to Financial Inclusion and all-round development of the village CONCLUSION Empirical evidence shows that Financial Inclusion leads to Economic Growth. To have an inclusive growth we need to bring the under-developed regions of the country at par with the developed regions. The above case studies of Jharkhand and Gujarat are an example of glaring disparity in our country which can only be bridged through initiatives from the banks and the community as well. Banks should move beyond traditional products as deposits and credits and rather introduce insurance, mutual funds and introduce better schemes for financially secluded people and have better risk managements. Also establishment of a rural infrastructure is a prerequisite for financial inclusion. There should be programs to initiate more of community participation by starting vocational training for the rural youth and have an improved workforce. Commercial banks have to draw a clear line between sound and unsound practices and chalk out a financial inclusion strategy so that it does not give rise to subp rime crisis like situation. But we know that commercial banks always work with a profit motive. Thus the aim should be to enable the poor to get out of impoverished situations and in the process simultaneously enhance their own profitability. The dream of Inclusive Growth will not be complete until millions of micro-entrepreneurs are created across the country. All budding entrepreneurs have to face these challenges and find solutions. People working in the social sector should work for filling up the deficit existing in the economic and social arena. To sum up, Financial Inclusion is the road that India needs to travel toward becoming a global player. Financial access will attract global market players in India and that will result in increasing employment and business opportunities. Inclusive growth will act as a source of empowerment and allow people to participate more effectively in the economic and social process. ******************************
Friday, October 25, 2019
Impact of the Technological Advancements of Preserving Food :: Expository Essays
Impact of the Technological Advancements of Preserving Food The consequences of the technological advancements of preserving food in the early days of America are quite profound. In the scope of just 100 years, agricultural business went from being locally owned and operated where goods were produced and sold within the parameters of small towns, to an intricate network of business that spanned the entire continent. Most rural dwellers at the time were self sufficient forn the food that their land provided. This greatly affected the diets, outlook, and consumption patterns of individuals. With an expanded array of foods to choose from, Americans could have a more fine tailored diet according to their nutritional wants and needs. Abundance was the key term, and when there is abundance, there is bound to be creative forces working with it. Now that more food was available to the average person, cooking shifted from being a remedial chore of survival into an art, or hobby. In the late 1800's cookbooks became increasingly popular amongst housewiv es and cooks, which had an impact on what the family ate on a day-to-day basis. Gone were the times of eating bread, salt pork, and corn pone day in and day out, and in came meals tailored to creative tastes. Things like Texas raised roast beef cooked with apples from Washington and sugar from the West Indies was becoming more of a comman and appealing thing. Growing food markets also led to the decline of locally owned and operated farms. Families abandoned their backyard gardening in lieu of the quick and efficient market system. Local farms could no compete with the big-scale farmers outside of the city, who at this time began to seed the future for monoculture food where a plot of land is used primarily for growing one particular crop. With a declining number of people actually working the land, our internal biorhythm clock has been altered and re-adapted to the market economy. Instead of a crop being harvested a certain time of the year, people focused on the time in which the meat man or egg man was going to be in town. With refrigeration also came an increased knowledge in the field of food nutrition. People were becoming more conscious with what they put into their body and the farmers were there to supply. Studies by the American Food Administration began to come out more and more, informing citizens of the nutritional value of foods that influenced their buying.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
NCOs in the American Army
Our work aims to research the role of NCOs in the American army in 1775-1865. NCO à means non-commissioned officer in United States Army, itââ¬â¢s the same as sergeant (Allen 118). Within the context of the Army rank system, however, there were often mitigating circumstances and a maze of variables that altered the hierarchy and the privileges associated with rank. Although the rank structure was essentially rigid, occasionally a ââ¬Å"billetâ⬠or specific job could be of greater importance for the actual display of power. For example, a commander of any rank was shown more respect and admiration than a staff officer of the same rank.Commanders were often given special privileges because of their positions rather than their rank. Additionally, officers of lower rank and some enlisted soldiers sometimes had responsibilities that provided them with more respect, or at least more power. For example, an enlisted soldier who was post quartermaster wielded unusual power due to h is ability to determine who received coveted government supplies and equipment. However, regardless of the billet or display of power, the enlisted soldier who temporarily held the reins of power within a certain area never ascended to the higher social class of the officers. Social standingââ¬âor class associationââ¬âwas never altered by mere power or position. The enlisted soldier who was the quartermaster was still regarded as a member of the enlisted ranks and thus part of the lower class.On the Western frontier the Army's rank system remained unremittingly intact because it was the only structure there was. The post commander was the supreme authority in all matters, and every form of official military etiquette was respected and enforced. This disparity between officers and NCOs disappeared only very slowly as one moved up the rank structure, and it was a very foolish battalion commander who angers his own or a higher commander's sergeant major.At battalion level the s ergeant major served a useful unifying function, assisted the commander in dealing with troops and serving as a trainer for the unit's first sergeants. Above battalion, command sergeants major interfered with subordinate units, contradict local command guidance, and provided a disruptive back-channel for political maneuvering by NCOs dissatisfied with their commanders or their positions in life.So officer could place himself under the tutelage of his senior NCOs and act, in effect, as his platoon sergeant's subordinate and as the unit's mascot.The main task of NCOs was trainà soldiers. Ideally, all cadets should be prior-service enlisted personnel, and those who are not should go through a regular-style basic training course, with regular drill sergeants, among normal trainees. At least in the past, trainees have often been terrified of the Army, particularly in the early weeks.They are also physically tired during basic training and only want to relax or perhaps explore their ne w environment during their off-duty time. Recruits do not know each other well enough at this period to develop the relations of trust and affection that are necessary for organizing a resistance movement. The Army appears to watch the trainees most closely during basic training, and it seems to give noncommissioned officers ( NCOs) and officers more license to use their power and authority than at nearly any other time during a soldier's experience in the Army.The NCOs keep a close watch for possible chargeable offenses, and there are many extra, stiffer inspections and vague threats of violence. In marches, the resisting soldier is continually called for being out of step, even if he is marching perfectly. Physical exercise is also used as a punishment. Officer couldnââ¬â¢t holler at nobody.à And if he didn't get the job done, the man who didn't do the job, they didn't say nothing to the private over there. They ask the NCO why the job didn't get done.Many times there is a c onflict between loyal service to one's immediate commander and improving one's image with his boss. The senior rater is rarely directly aware of a junior officer's work. This leads to another baneful effect, perhaps as crippling as any already discussed. Although the senior rater may have his own opinion of the junior officer, and will take the immediate rater's assessment into account, there is another source of input. That is the information fed to him by other members of the unit, including the rated officer's subordinates or, if he is a staff officer, people who are subject to his inspection. Many ââ¬Å"subordinates,â⬠such as senior NCOs, actually have far more prestige and credibility than the rated captain or lieutenant. Many times the senior rating amounts to nothing less than a peer or subordinate rating.A lieutenant or a company commander who has a bright idea is seen as trying to override his NCOs or to step on what they conceive to be their territory. While the rat ed officer's immediate boss may appreciate his innovations or unusual accomplishments, the senior rater will hear a lot more from the many wounded parties involved. The senior rating becomes a means of social control. Battles are not won by leaders who have adjusted to this kind of groupthink. This is probably why 49 percent of army officers felt that ââ¬Å"the bold, creative officer could not surviveâ⬠in the army.In the American army NCOs à allowed to take some responsibility in organizing the men, such as during recreation. This technique has the advantages of giving subordinates the experience in leadership they will need should the officer be missing and creates for them a more extensive sense of commitment to the unit. NCOs who take an interest in their squads have had an enormous effect in boosting morale and in creating a link to the officer. à NCOs are always to be backed up and never criticized in front of the men. Officers are less subject to the normative pull of enlisted men and hence do not suffer the conflicts between enlisted men's expectations and military expectations to the extent that NCOs do. Good relations with NCOs is a mark of a professionalized officer.When American soldiers went in combat action, they listen to their NCOs. Sergeants à are the ones who know what's going on and they could give officers a lot of help. In combat the officer in charge of the company, the company commander, is a commissioned officer who is likely to have little close contact with the men. He is concerned with logistics, but he is not primarily concerned with assessing morale. That information he gets from his senior NCOs, who are in close contact with the soldiers and are enlisted men themselves.Thus an NCO must have a great deal of experience in combat, whereas the officer need not have so much field experience. This is why the Army can function with a man in a higher command position. The Army places great importance on these morale indicators . They are easily observed and thought to be valid measures of leadership abilities and are therefore important in the evaluation of officers and NCOs for promotion.Many officers and NCOs respond to their accountability by trying to boost the indicators while paying little attention to the proper leadership techniques. Morale is the cornerstone of professional paternalist control, and paternalists have ways to assess morale; the NCO's function and the use of indicators come to mind.à American officers consistently proposed less severe corrective action than NCOs.à NCOs became more severe as they grew older and as their length of service increased. Interestingly, officers gave their highest effectiveness ratings to those NCOs who were most punitive and least like themselves.Inspector Generalââ¬â¢s report, Sergeant Major Robert D. Easterling was scathing about Guard noncommissioned officers in the three roundout brigades called up, including the 48th:à As a whole, the NCO cor ps within the National Guard Roundout brigades fail to meet the traditional standards expected of NCOsâ⬠¦. Most of the NCOs do not demonstrate an understanding or use of leadership principles. Although the NCO may know his strengths and weaknesses, countless interviews with NCOs reveal no real desire to seek self-improvement.The NCOs see no incentive to put forth additional effort for self-improvementâ⬠¦. Most immediate supervisors do not understand the need to care for their subordinatesââ¬â¢ physical and safety needs, as well as the need to discipline and reward them fairlyâ⬠¦. There is little evidence NCOs in the brigades strive to develop a sense of responsibility in their subordinates (Appendix D 64).Those not in units will perform meaningful staff work and a decision will be made regarding a ââ¬Å"command trackâ⬠for those who are gifted with soldier leadership skills. When a combat arms officer or NCO scrambles to get back in a unit, then we will know tha t the culture is correct. Officers and NCOs who have relied for years on coercive techniques may experience a great deal of stress as the Army limits their techniques. They feel discipline is eroding and that new soldiers will be ineffective and vulnerable to great losses in combat.Works Cited PageAllen,à Edward Frank. Allen's Dictionary of Abbreviations and Symbols. New York: Coward-McCann, 1946.Mackesy, Piers. The War for America: 1775-1783. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press, 1992.ââ¬Å"Special Assessment Dept. of the Army,â⬠Appendix D,1965.Volo, Dorothy Denneen. Daily Life during the American Revolution. Westport: Greenwood Press, 2003.Werner , Herman O. Men in Arms: A History of Warfare and Its Interrelationships with Western Society. New York: Frederick A. Praeger, 1956.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)