How do external definitions of good and bad mothers and fathers impact Essay

How do external definitions of good and bad mothers and fathers impact on the actual experience of parenthood - Essay Example Also, good and bad have been defined by the respective culture and identity of mother and father rests in the context of their society. However, actual experience moves beyond these stereotypes. Kath Woodward (2002) in her book on Understanding Identity brings up the conflict between self identity and the society created images of the self and the ideal. Though identity is a matter of the individual, it is never free of social stigma and external definitions. She redefines ‘identity’ to encapsulate â€Å"the way of thinking about the links between the personal and the social† (2002). This psycho-social definition of identity offers another perspective of the stereotyping of mothers and fathers Vs actual experience of parenting. She discusses on the relative nature of the reality of parenting. The latter might be the identity they create for themselves, but however hard they strive, the identity cannot be free of the social context and definitions. Kath’s sociological definition of identity is not new, but could be traced back to Adam Smith’s Wealth of the Nations. The concept of individualized self is a modern invention, though. Kath, in th e modern context, reinvents the older concept. Kath also analyses the identity of motherhood with respect to the bodies and selves. She says that the first thing a woman could relate to in her role as a mother is her body. This could be symbols and evidence of patriarchal control of female body. However, the child evokes tenderness in her as against the anger toward the male body. This conflict is discussed by Rich. Any role is not subjective and is always relative to the others involved. For example, parent is relative to the child and the vice versa; the role of the teacher is relative to the role of the student. So roles are modified and moulded according to their relative positions and the feedback from the related roles. In addition, it is dependent on the expectations

Sterling Financial Study Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sterling Financial Study - Essay Example Bill Border's managerial experience has gotten off to a rocky start. Having only three months previous work as an area manager for Sterling was not really enough experience to the thrust in a position without time for adjustment, and with his closest help, Mary Gross-district manager, being 100 kilometers away. Bill has also come into the position at a time when a depressed economy was limiting productivity. Bill is focused on employee performance than job satisfaction, but given the circumstances of the economy's effect, and not researching previous performance levels, he cannot formulate an accurate perception of the work environment. Bill's lack of networking time, communication, and misconceptions on employee performance, led to the firing of a potentially valuable employee, and has led to other, larger problems such as higher anxiety, lack of positive motivating forces, and even less communication than before. The most pressing problem in Bill's situation is the lack of communication on his part. When Bill Border arrived to the position, he held an introductory meeting and individual reviews to discuss employee goals and the firm's expectations. Although the meeting and reviews were good ideas as ways to get acquainted with the staff, Bill's method failed because it was too generalized. Bill offered the employees the opportunity to discuss concerns with him, but he never did anything to address and resolve the issues presented. Harper (2006) stated, "Managers often believe that lack of employee ability and motivation are reaons for declining performance but other factors directly within the manager's influence may, in fact, be the real reaon for the decline (pag. 68). A lack of knowledge regarding his subordinates gave Bill a false perception about the real issues, and effected his decision making skills. Aside from effective communication, it is important for managers to have an accurate perception of the issues at hand. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary (n.d.) defined perception as, "A capacity for comprehension" (perception, n. pag.). Bill lacked this because he did not consider any external forces that were affecting worker productivity, believing they were just not motivated enough. Bill did not see the bigger picture of how the economy was stunting business, or any external problems that were affecting his subordinates. This distorted perception led Bill a decision that would hinder his progress as a manager further when he dismissed Keith Taylor, a 23-year-old management trainee. Keith had been with the Sterling Financial Company for 18 months and was considered by peers to be a well-liked, intelligent employee that gave satisfactory performance. Bill was concerned with Keith's increased absenteeism, but never considered the external factors affecting Keith's attendance. Bill did not communicate these concerns directly to Keith, but made a general and vague reference to the attendance issue during a meeting. Although Keith deserved a reprimand for his act of no call/no show, termination of his employment was unnecessary. When Bill tacked on the announcement of Keith's departure to the end of an office meeting without giving explanation, job stress skyrocketed with employees. His lack of effectively communicating the reasons