Managing Activities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Managing Activities - Essay Example The Chairman, Stuart Rose, has the responsibility for the monitoring of all business activities; however, executive directors have placed at each organizational department ensuring the close control over the firm’s activities. Apart from the directors of each department there are also directors that are not related with a particular organizational sectors – non - executive directors. Although their role in the development of business activities is not made clear it can be assumed that they can intervene in all firm’s sectors – in accordance with the CEO’s guidelines or the relevant suggestions of each department’s executive director. It is assumed that cooperation and coordination are strongly promoted in the workplace. The development of divisions within the organization increases the effectiveness of the firm’s control over its activities. As for the firm’s organizational culture, there are some points that need to be highligh ted. All business activities are developed in accordance with the Corporate Governance Framework and the Code of Ethics – as presented in the firm’s website. In accordance with the corporate website, the corporate governance is based on the following principles: ‘quality, value, service, innovation and trust’ (corporate website, governance framework, 2009). A characteristic element of the firm’s governance is the use of the so-called ‘plan – A’ which aims to align all corporate activities with the environmental needs – promotion of sustainability through the business operations. In other words, corporate culture is based on the following values: application of corporate and social ethics and protection of the environment. 1b. The development of Marks and Spencer in the market – both the British and the international – has been achieved through the promotion of a series of values and the active support to the principles of

Hrm case study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Hrm case study - Essay Example Conclusion 9 1.1 Purpose of Report The purpose of this report is to critically analyze the business operations of ‘High Street Heaven’ which is a high street retail store chain that has proved to be quite successful. Owing to the global economic scenario however, the retailer has been experiencing difficulties and facing problems in meeting its strategic goals. 1.2 Introduction The first part of the paper will discuss the problems being faced by High Street Heaven in meeting its strategic objectives, this discussion will be followed by recognizing the areas of strength for the retailer as well its opportunities. In conclusion, the report will put forward applicable plans of action and recommendations that are backed by extensive research and literature to suggest what the business can do in order to address its organizational issues. These recommendations and suggestions will specifically be in the context of how the Human Resources division of the business can contribut e in tackling the challenges being faced by the organization. 1.3 Strategic Objectives of the Business Before the problems and challenges being faced by High Street Heaven are identified it is important to establish the strategic objectives of the business, according to Bartol and Martin (2005) objectives and goals that are said to be strategic are extensive aims that are developed by the top management. Shrivastava (1987) suggests that the importance of these objectives is such that they include fundamental aspects related to the survival of even the most prolific businesses; therefore, the setting of strategic objectives is not only limited to small and medium enterprises but each and every organization, regardless of its size and scale of operations. From a market standing High Street Heaven seeks to focus on growth and expansion by stepping into the markets of 8 major cities in the United Kingdom by 2017. In analyzing the problems and challenges that the achievement of this stra tegic objective faces, it is imperative that the organizational and environmental factors of the retailer that are posing probable challenges should be analyzed. 2. Discussion of findings from SWOT and PESTLE analysis – Problems and Challenges A SWOT helps managers to understand the threats and weaknesses of a business along with its strengths and opportunities (Bartol and Martin, 2006). Anthony (2008) adds that another important tool in the overall assessment of the general environment is that of the PESTLE analysis, which focuses on political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental factors that have a significant impact not only on the operations of a business but in the achievement of its strategic objectives. As this part of the report focuses mainly on the challenges being faced by the High Street Heaven, the threats and weaknesses of the organization would be assessed first along with an understanding of the shape of its general environment. 2.1 Proble m/Challenge A – The Global Economic Downturn From an external perspective, the business faces the global economic downturn which poses a grave threat to the prosperity of the retailer and its plans for expansion. Sloman (2005) reports that an economy in recession sees minimal growth or no growth and in turbulent scenarios the prevailing economic situation can even cause the overall output to diminish. This certainly is an alarming situation for the high street retailer owing to its primary

Designing an Daptive Mobile Learning Using Multiple Intelligence (MI) Dissertation

Designing an Daptive Mobile Learning Using Multiple Intelligence (MI) Theory - Dissertation Example Ubiquitous learning is highly contextual and involves multiple technologies like mobile, wireless, sensing, etc. Context-aware ubiquitous learning platform (CULP) is one such platform that is found to enhance the efficiency of learning (Gu et al., n.d.; Hwang et al., 2011; Hwang et al., 2010). Howard Gardner’s multiple intelligence theory is â€Å"a classical model by which to understand and teach many aspects of human intelligence, learning style, personality and behaviour - in education and industry† (Chapman, 2009). Earlier tools were limited in providing real-time support through mutual collaboration; however, most recent tools for adaptive learning through multiple intelligences have state-of-the-art technologies enabling a real-world adaptive learning environment for CULP. Multiple Intelligences, Artificial Intelligence, Fuzzy Logic and Neural Networks are also used in developing ubiquitous learning tools (Cabada et al., 2008). The models for such tools will be studied in this paper to help design a new model that can address the short-comings in the present models. The proposed model for ubiquitous learning will be a comprehensive and highly adaptive model based on the use of multiple intelligences. ... FRAME) (Figure 1) addressed the issue of information overload, navigation of content and collaboration for gaining the relevant knowledge by focusing on the integration of mobile technology, human learning capacity and social interactions. Figure 1: FRAME model for mobile learning. Source: (Koole, 2011). Context-sensitive learning schedule framework, mCALS, uses context-aware location and time information to schedule learning. Verification for the strict adherence of schedule for learning is also incorporated in this framework (Yau et al., 2010). Sung’s (2009) Ubiquitous Learning Environment (ULE) model uses MI theory and effectively combines the advantages that an adaptive learning environment and ubiquitous computing have to offer along with the flexibility of mobile devices. This combination enables learning collaborators, content and services to be available in a context-aware framework. While the models discussed have been able to allow interaction based on context-awaren ess, Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS), similar to Artificial Intelligence (AI), has a low-end model called TenseITS which offers the flexibility of learning English tenses and does not take into consideration the individual needs of the learner in terms of location. C-POLMILE is another standard model of ITS that offers synchronised learning capability over PC and a mobile environment, and is used for C programming. MoreMATHS is another extension of ITS, used for mobile revision for Maths as it offers a Math learning environment that is mainly on the PC with revision enabled on a mobile device. Similarly, SQL ITS is another customized ITS for MS SQL database administration that can be synchronised with the mobile device (Bull et al., 2004). Cui and Bull (2005) note that TenseITS adapts to the

Far from the madding crowd Essay Example for Free

Far from the madding crowd Essay Although this may portray him as being practical, he does not wear any clothes that are flamboyant. He is also foolishly and naively presumptuous, expecting Bathsheba to say yes the instant he asks her to marry him. He thinks that the pursuit of love is a simple and straightforward affair; but in this novel he discovers the opposite is true. However, Oak is a young man of sound judgement, being honest and hard working. For example, he immediately discerns Bathshebas character that of being vain. He even knows about Troys character, warning Bathsheba of this, but she takes no notice. He is very practical and trustworthy, being able help out in a crisis like that of Bathshebas where there her hayricks were on fire. Unfortunately, she does not realise that Troy is tricking her and that Oak is the right one for her through his ways. She is too vain to realise this and that is why she falls into Troys trap. She refuses to marry Oak because she wants excitement and, therefore, she marries Troy who is just tricking her. Otherwise, Oak is the right one overall out of the three men. Oak has a high social status and receives respect because he is a farmer. If we look at Oaks history we will find that he has never experienced love or a sort of relationship similar to that of Bathshebas and Troys. However, he is in a way wise in this case because he advises Bathsheba not to marry Troy. We, as the readers, know that what Oak is saying is right because we have seen what Troy was like with Fanny. However, because Oak has never had a relationship like this before, Bathsheba feels that it would be foolish listening to Oak. Therefore, she refuses to listen to Oak in chapter 29 and continues to marry Troy. Oak does warn her that he is not good enough for her and tells her not to trust Troy due to her not knowing Troy very well. She knows what he says is right, but she does not want to hear it. Bathsheba also likes the fact that he is very well educated and that he is a soldier where she likes his looks I must say that Sergeant Troy is an educated man and quite worthy of any women. We can see from this that Bathsheba is deluding herself. Troy is extremely wealthy and as a consequence he enjoys throwing money around. This is another factor that Bathsheba likes. However, little does she realise is that Troy has had relationships with many other women, including Fanny, and upholds a bad reputation. When having the conversation with Oak she mentions that she likes the fact that Troy goes to church He is very particular, too, about going to church yes he is! However, Oak mentions that nobody has ever seen Troy at church before, but Bathsheba says that Troy told her that he goes in privately and sits at the back. This shows that Troy lies to her a lot, but because he had lured her into his trap she will believe anything that she tells her. When Bathsheba tells Oak this, she tells him eagerly, showing that because she loves Troy so much she is really trying to back up Troy. So we can see that there is no way where Oak would be able to persuade Bathsheba that Troy is not the right one until she sees for herself. Due to Bathshebas fondness for Troy the relationship between her and Troy deepens into romance where they both marry. The relationship is deepened by some of the things that Troy does as discussed earlier such as the time when he shows off his sword skill to Bathsheba, when he kisses her and when she helps him put on the veil. Her relationship declines with Oak, however, thus leaving him out of the picture. Her relationship with Boldwood is quite weak too. We notice this through various ways, one of them being their actions. The actions that actually do occur between Boldwood and Bathsheba are out of mere duty when she moves into Weatherbury Farm. It his duty to welcome new comers just like Bathsheba, not because he is interested in her. This shows that they do not have any physical attraction between each other. However, the relationship between her and Troy declines rapidly once they marry. There are several factors that cause this rapid decline in the relationship. One of the factors is that he often borrowed money from her to spend at racehorse tracks and almost always lost. Another was his drinking problem, which led to his irresponsibility. On return to the farm as its new owner, he organised a wedding celebration at which he got himself and all the workers drunk. He had a love of women. As Liddy has told Bathsheba, he was a womaniser who had countless women under his thumb and didnt care a bit about how they felt, as long as he got what he wanted, especially when it came to leaving them. It became apparent later in the novel that his one true love was indeed Fanny Robin, the girl he had left for dead. When he tried to pay back the debt he felt he owed her by buying a gravestone for her, as well as laying flowers by her graveside, the weather destroyed what he had done, leaving him to believe that because of his abandonment of her he had been damned forever, and even worse he now abandoned a second woman, his wife Bathsheba. When he disappeared after he had been presumed dead, he did not return for at least seven months and this shows his lack of concern for Bathsheba. At one point before this, he had become bored with her, and even said this to her face: You are nothing to me nothing, showing that he was not serious enough about their marriage. Her relationship with Oak, however, increases because he helps her whenever there is a crisis, thus allowing Bathsheba to trust him even more. This also helps her to realise that she made an unwise decision in marrying Troy, especially because he abandons her. Oak sees the weakness of Bathshebas relationship with Troy and realises how incompetent at running the farm Troy is. Troy ends up controlling most aspects of the farm and ignoring Bathshebas wishes even though he is uncertain of what he is doing. Bathsheba married Troy between jealously and distraction and it is clear that she is discontent with him as a husband. With a storm brewing and the men drunk Oak covers the hayricks with Bathsheba helping him but when lightning strikes they are in the barn, together as they should be. She knows that Gabriel Oak will always love her, be there for her, and she thanks him for his devotion. Bathsheba is now able to see that Oak is the right one to marry and so she does when he is the only one left as discussed at the beginning. She also married him because she doesnt want to be left alone until she dies. This shows that she has matured now because she makes a right decision of marrying Oak, realising that she should have married him in the first place instead of marrying Troy. At first we see Bathshebas immaturity, which is seen when she sends a valentine to Boldwood as a joke. She is also seen as being capricious where she goes from one man to another: hearts were imagined as lost and won. She gives the impression of not being wise enough to discern Troys character. However, Bathsheba soon becomes mature and wise towards the end of the novel where she eventually realises that Oak is the man she should marry. From all the above we can see who of these three male suitors was right for Bathsheba and why he was. That man is Gabriel Oak, who loved her genuinely, tenderly and patiently from the moment he first saw her to the very last line of the book. He had never given up on her, had never let her be harmed in anyway and always gave her advice which was sound and right, even if she refused to accept it. In the end, Bathsheba admitted to him that if he had only been more forward then he would have been the first choice if it had even come to that. Troy was obviously the worst possible husband for her because of his gambling, drinking and womanising vices, but mainly because he still loved Fanny Robin. Bathsheba had just been a passing fancy whom he quickly got tired of. Boldwoods relationship with Bathsheba was much more genuine and acceptable at the start but tragically it became a fatal obsession for poor desperate Boldwood. Gabriels relationship with her was a lengthy one, tried and tested, totally unselfish. Bathsheba was indeed very fortunate that Gabriel was patient enough to wait until she matured enough to recognise his good qualities. As in most good stories, the best man wins in the end.

Structures And Functions Of Cells In Nervous System Biology Essay

Structures And Functions Of Cells In Nervous System Biology Essay Neurons are the nerve cells; they contain a cell body, an axon, and dendrites. The cell body is the part that contains the nucleus and cytoplasm. The axon is a piece that extends from the cell body; its job is to send impulses away from the cell body. Most are covered with myelin sheath. This sheath helps protect the axon and speeds the impulse. The dendrites branch off from the cell body also, their job is to send impulses to the cell body. Neuralgia is a connective tissue that supports the neurons. Their job is to protect the nervous system. Astrocytes look like star-shaped cells; they are the biggest of the neuroglial cells in the central nervous system. Astrocytes surround the brains blood capillaries to form blood-brain barriers which protect the brain from harmful substances. Microglia are smaller cells that eat cellular debris, waste, and pathogens in nerve tissue. Oligodendrocytes are in the interstitial nervous system, smaller than astrocytes. They wrap around axons to form myelin sheaths. As stated above, the sheaths protect the axons and speed the nerve impulses. Describe the structures and functions of the  peripheral nervous system (PNS). Be sure to include the nerves associated with the PNS, and contrast the functions of the somatic and autonomic nervous systems. The peripheral nervous system consists of nerves, which transmit impulses from the brain to other parts of the body; and ganglion, which are masses of nerve cell bodies that connect structures. There are two main groups of nerves: the afferent nerves and the efferent nerves. The afferent nerves send information from the body to the brain. The efferent nerves send information from the brain to the muscles. The system is then broken into the somatic and autonomic nervous systems. The somatic nervous system regulates the voluntary controlled parts of the skeletal muscles, while the autonomic nervous system regulates involuntary controlled parts like smooth muscle, cardiac muscle, the glands, and secretions. The autonomic nervous system is also broken into two parts: the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions. The sympathetic division responds when the body is in danger, increases heart rate, blood pressure, etc. The parasympathetic division is when the body is relaxed and resting. It is responsible for things like constriction of pupil, slowing of heart, and digestive systems. Name the two primary components of the  central nervous system (CNS).   Describe the protective membranes associated with the CNS. Differentiate between afferent and efferent nerve structure and function. The central nervous system consists of the brain and the spinal cord. The brain is protected by the skull and the spinal cord is, obviously, protected by the vertebrae. They are also surrounded by meninges and by cerebrospinal fluid. The meninges are three protective layers of tissue. The outermost layer is the dura mater, the middle is the arachnoid membrane, and then the pia mater is the innermost layer. The cerebrospinal fluid flows all around the brain and spinal cord. It provides nutrients to the central nervous system. The spinal cord consists of afferent and efferent nerves. The afferent nerves send information from the body to the brain. The efferent nerves send information from the brain to the muscles. Name and give a brief description of the structures of the brain. Include the functions of these structures. The four major divisions of the brain are the cerebrum, the cerebellum, the diencephalon, and the brain stem. The cerebrum is the largest part of the brain. It is the whole top portion of the brain; it controls the memory, sensations, and voluntary movements. The cerebellum is attached to the brain stem and its main function is to coordinate body movements and balance. The diencephalon is in between the cerebrum and the midbrain. It consists of the thalamus, which is in charge of the sensory stimuli; the hypothalamus, which is in charge of sensory functions (i.e.: sleep, appetite, etc.); and the pineal body, which is in charge of regulating the bodys biological clock. The brain stem is between the spinal cord and the diencephalon and consists of the medulla oblongata, the pons, and the upper part of the midbrain. The brain stem is the path for impulses between the brain and the body. Choose 10 pathological conditions affecting the nervous system; describe each including diagnosis and treatment, if applicable. Alzheimers disease is a progressively fatal disease. It destroys brain cells and causes memory loss. Gradually over time the person will no longer be able to write or perform tasks, and then it gets to the point that the person cannot even control bodily functions such as bowel and bladder movements. There is not really a diagnostic test yet that has identified Alzheimers. There is no cure for AD, but the use of tacrine hydrochloride is used in mild cases to improve memory. Bells palsy is generally a temporary paralysis of the muscles on one side of the face following trauma. Diagnosis is simply the inability to close eye or drooling because of no control of facial muscle on one side of the face after a trauma has occurred. There is really no treatment needed, however, facial massage, heat, prednisone for swelling, or analgesia for pain all help. Anencephaly is when there is no brain or spinal cord at birth. The only diagnosis is through an amniocentesis during pregnancy, and there is nothing they can do. Carpal tunnel syndrome is pressure on the median nerve caused by swelling of the tendons. Doctors diagnose carpal tunnel based on the symptoms of tingling in the fingers or palms of hands, pain in the wrists, or weakness in hands. Treatment uses splints, anti-inflammatory drugs, and sometimes surgery. Cerebral contusion occurs when the brain hits the inner skull and causes a bruise of the brain, happens most often in car accidents. If doctors suspect a cerebral contusion they can have an MRI or CT scan run. Treatment consists of close observation, if there is a lot of intracranial pressure then surgery may be needed. Huntingtons chorea is an inherited, degenerative disorder. The characteristics are spontaneous involuntary motor movements, speech problems, and restlessness. Since the disease is inherited, genetic testing could be done to diagnose the disease even before it begins. There is unfortunately no cure for this disease. There are many support groups for families affected by the disease. Narcolepsy is a sleeping disorder where the person can fall asleep randomly for minutes or even hours at a time. A polysomnogram can be performed to evaluate the persons sleep patterns. There is no cure, but medications are used to control the symptoms. Shingles (herpes zoster) is a viral infection that causes a rash on the body; occurs mostly in adults over 50. Flu-like symptoms, GI disturbances, tiredness, and rash are all symptoms that help to diagnose the disease. Treatments are used to help ease pain and get you better faster (analgesics or antiviral medications). Paraplegia is caused when there is severe injury to the spinal cord, results in paralysis of the lower half of the body. There is no treatment for paraplegia. However I did see online that there are many support groups for anyone who knows or falls victim to paraplegia. Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. MS destructs the myelin surrounding nerves of the CNS. There are many symptoms that indicate someone could have MS: Unsteady balance, numbness of multiple extremities, facial numbness, and even impotence in males. When a doctor suspects MS an MRI may be performed, complete blood count, and spinal fluid evaluation. As with many of the diseases of the nervous system, there is no cure for MS. There are some medications that have helped prolong remissions, and as always there are support systems to help the family and persons affected by the disease.

Human Life And Fire :: essays research papers

Human Life and Fire The world is full of powerful forces. There are forces that effect the entire society and there are forces that only effect a select part of it. One of the most powerful forces of nature is fire. Fire is constantly present in today's society. Whether it be by staying warm or the destruction of private memories and property, fire is an ongoing influence in society. Due to this fact, it is possible to compare fire and life in general. Fire begins with an idea of a spark. Then the spark is made and with the help of kindling, the flame begins to grow. Once a flame begins to grow it can take many paths because of the influences of external forces. If a wind blows, the flames change their direction and velocity and can engulf many other things. On the other hand, if there is no wind, the fire may burn itself to the ground and never reach its full potential. If rain begins, the fire is slowed and may even be stopped for good. Oxygen is necessary for a fire to flourish; without it a fire will whittle and die. Some objects allow fire to burn for years while others burn out very quickly or are not able to be burned at all. No two fires are alike, in what they do. Some roam free while others are confined to an area. A fire is beautiful to some, while to others it is dangerous and hellish. These phrases can be used to illustrate life, as well. Life begins as a type of spark. Some believe that life begins at conception, thus showing that life does begin with a very small, yet significant "spark." Others believe that life begins at birth. This could be related to the beginning "spark" of life through the way a baby enters the world, in material form. Humans begin to grow through their experiences and how they are raised. Each person lives their own life because of the impact these external factors have on them. As times change, people and attitudes change. This is a fact of life. Due to certain outside influences, a person may make the best of themselves or just diminish in the general mass of society. Humans survive and flourish because of their environment. It is general scientific knowledge that humans survive because of the oxygen in the air. Without good oxygen content, humankind could not survive. If a certain part of the country has better air quality, then usually the general public has less health problems, i.

Human Morality Essay

A common question throughout history has always been about human morality. Because of our higher thinking capacity, we are hardwired to adapt and refine our basic instincts to survive; therefore, it is obvious this question would be disputed throughout time. Are humans innately good, bad, or plainly neutral? The position that any one person takes may be derived from any number of ideas, be them philosophical thoughts or scientific inquiries. This essay asserts that morality is innate, and uses both scientific studies and ideas from philosophers to support this argument. Man is essentially good, and the different ways people are nurtured—from societal influences to parental influences—creates the large spectrum and variety of behavior that may not be deemed â€Å"good† or â€Å"moral.† The magazine Smithsonian published an article named â€Å"Born to Be Mild† in January of 2013 on morality in young children. This article wrote about a few different studies done on children by three different experimenters. In one of the studies titled â€Å"Spontaneous Altruism by Chimpanzees and Young Children,† Felix Warneken tested the morality of humans through young babies (because they have had little to no socialization) and also tested morality of chimpanzees, the closest relative to humans. In this study, 18-month-old toddlers were tested to see if they would help others in need by retrieving a dropped item that an adult struggled for. In almost all instances, the child returned the item. Warneken stated, â€Å"[Helping at that age] is not something that’s been trained, and [the children] come to help without prompting or without being rewarded† (Tucker 39). Not only did the toddlers help people in need, they also helped without social cues (such as the distress someone in need has). Many toddlers in the experiment Warneken created helped retrieve a can that had fallen off a table next to an adult and the adult failed to realize something was amiss. When Warneken tested the chimpanzees to see if they would return the same answers, he tested chimpanzees that were nursery-raised and semi-wild chimps. Both tests displayed the same results as the tests on the toddlers—chimpanzees were willing to help both humans and other chimps in need with no reward for themselves (Tucker 39-41). The fact that most of the toddlers and human relatives, the chimpanzees, helped others in need both with and without social cues strongly points to the idea that human morality is innate. A second study highlighted in the Smithsonian article was a reproduction of a previous study from the mid-2000s. The original study was an animated presentation shown to six to ten month old babies in one group and three month old babies in a second. The animated presentation consisted of a red circle attempted to climb a hill. In one instance, a triangle helped the circle climb, and in another, a square knocked the circle down. When the square and triangle were presented to the older group of babies, almost all babies chose the helping triangle over the hindering square. For the younger group, the researchers tracked the eye movement of the babies to either the triangle or square, because the babies could not physically grab the object. In the reproduction, done by another experimenter, the results were the same. Once again, evidence suggests that because babies seem so morally good, humans are innately good, and it is the nurture we receive as we are socialized into this culture th at may cause some people to seem morally corrupt (Tucker 38-39). It should be noted that because the reproduction provided the same results as the original study, an even stronger case was created for the idea of innate human morality. The messages that Machiavelli gives in â€Å"The Qualities of the Prince† may cause one to believe that humans are innately evil because through â€Å"The Qualities of the Prince,† Machiavelli details how to be cunning, take control, and maintain control as a ruler of a province. His teachings seem to create humans as greedy people, hungry for more. This is actually very incorrect. Machiavelli clearly states, â€Å"it is necessary for a prince†¦to learn how to not be good† (42). I emphasize that Machiavelli wrote a man must learn to not be good. One can assume from this that Machiavelli is saying man is at least in some degree, wholesome and moral. After all, humans were never meant to civilize and evolve. We are, in true form, animals that have an instinct to survive. Ruling and gaining power is a man-made idea. Opponents to the idea that humans are moral might suggest that if ruling is man-made, evil is already within us because we created the concept of ruling others; however, if man were truly evil, he would not take murder as a heavy offense, and would kill others in his way to get what he wants instead of just gaining control. The examples of rulers that Machiavelli writes help to reiterate this point. These men were not born thinking of war and control. They were raised and socialized to lead and gain power. Steinbeck and the messages he delivers in The Grapes of Wrath also point to the idea that human morality is innate. The author often writes of the distinct line of those with, and those without—in other words, the owners and the migrants or farmers. Steinbeck makes a point to write about how close-knit the migrants are in many instances. Steinbeck writes â€Å"‘I lost my land’ is changed†¦[to] ‘We lost our land.’,† ‘I have a little food’ plus ‘I have none’†¦.is ‘We have a little food’† (151); â€Å"the twenty families became one family† (193); and â€Å"when a baby dies a pile of silver coins grew at the door flap† (195). All of these quotes show the goodness in others, to do something for someone in need. This is all in contrast to the owners, which on multiple different pages Steinbeck writes how disconnected they are from the land, and â€Å"the quality of owning freezes you forever into ‘I’† (Steinbeck 152). These owners are so encompassed by the material culture around them, by the greed and the blanketed reality that they cannot see with a moral compass anymore. Of course they have one, for at one point they might have been like the farmers, caring for others and instituted into the â€Å"we† group. Proponents for human neutrality might argue that the owners were never at any point good, that they were neutral and socialized into the owning culture, unlike the farming culture. This is not the case, however, through a passage that Steinbeck wrote very early in The Grapes of Wrath, which said, â€Å"Some of the owner men were kind because they hated what they had to do, and some of them were angry because they hated to be cruel, and some of them were cold because they had long ago found that one could not be an owner unless one were cold† (31). This insinuates that in all types of owners, there is a moral compass. Even in the coldest owners, deep within them, they acknowledge the idea that the work they do is wrong. Because the owners know what is wrong, they know the opposite as well—what is right. If the owners were not innately good, their views on what is right or wrong would be skewed by their societal influences. While people will never give up the argument of human morality, it is a safe bet to argue that humans are innately good. We possess the ability to help spontaneously and without reward, as shown in the scientific studies, and we understand what is right and wrong. Our societal influences and the way we were raised affects if we will channel our morality or go against it, as shown by Machiavelli in â€Å"The Qualities of the Prince† and by Steinbeck in The Grapes of Wrath. Works Cited Machiavelli, Niccolo. â€Å"The Qualities of the Prince.† A World of Ideas. Ed. Lee Jacobus. 8th e. Boston: Bedford, 2010. Print. Steinbeck, John. The Grapes of Wrath. New York: Penguin, 1939. Print. Tucker, Abigail. â€Å"Born to Be Mild.† Smithsonian Jan. 2013: 35-41, 76-77. Print.