African-American Musical Pioneers

Contemporary Rhetorical Analysis Of The Telos

Contemporary Rhetorical Theory- Fall 2015 Rui Zhang Submission Date: 2015/12/02 *All the works below for the exam are done independently. No cooperation or discussion with anybody else. 1. Williamson is an example of genus deliberativum. Deliberative genre is used in forum or speech to persuade the audience to do something or believe in something in future. Williamson’s speech is a typical deliberative genre. He makes the speech on a public forum to persuade voters to agree the marriage bill amendment, and his telos is to take advantage of this—to persuade more people support his policy. The content is an uncertain decision about future. He provides several reasons to support his idea so his activity is basically exhortation and persuasion. 2. The telos in Williamson is the advantages that he gets more voters supporting his policy after his speech. The telos in SAIH is about the honorable. SAIH clip is a genus demonstrativum. It makes a sarcastic retort to reflect the present situation that some western people who called themselves â€Å"volunteer† are not really helping Africa. Thus the clip is to blame this situation. 3. He violates Commandment 4 the relevance rule that standpoints may not be defended by non-argumentation or argumentation that is not relevant to the standpoint. In his speech, he argues the fire burning eternity sentence on a letter he received. However, this is not relevant to the marriage bill. There no relevance to his argumentation that support the marriageShow MoreRelatedTheories of Organizational Behavior10512 Words   |  43 Pagesmethods, and levels of analysis. Some of the major ways of division are into modern, symbolic, and postmodern or micro organizational behavior—which refers to individual and group dynamics in an organizational setting and macro strategic management and organizational theory which studies whole organizations and industries. Concepts of meso - primarily interested in power, culture, and the networks of individuals and units in organizations and field level analysis which study how whole populationsRead MoreTrobriand Islanders-Malinowski and Weiner10855 Words   |  44 Pages(1976, 20). This distinction, she later observed, was an attempt to escape the connotations of two separate spheres constituted by terms like private/public or nature/culture (1986, 97). Rather than eschewing such invidious Western dichotomies her analysis ultimately reinforces them, by articulating them with another—eternal/historical. Such Eurocentric dichotomies typically presume that the private or domestic sphere is outside history (see Jolly and Macintyre 1989) and that womens nature is notRead MoreOrganisational Theory230255 Words   |  922 Pagesin this respect you will find this book timely, interesting and valuable. Peter Holdt Christensen, Associate Professor, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark McAuley et al.’s book is thought-provoking, witty and highly relevant for understanding contemporary organizational dilemmas. The book engages in an imaginative way with a wealth of organizational concepts and theories as well as provides insightful examples from the practical world of organizations. The authors’ sound scholarship and transparent

Forward the Foundation Chapter 29 Free Essays

string(90) " the crystal sphere back on its table and, with a swish of robes, moved back to his desk\." 32 â€Å"Professor Seldon come in,† said Chief Librarian Tryma Acarnio in an icy tone of voice. Hari Seldon accompanied by Wanda and Palver, entered the Chief Librarian’s imposing office. â€Å"Thank you, Chief Librarian,† said Seldon as he settled into a chair and faced Acarnio across the vast desk. We will write a custom essay sample on Forward the Foundation Chapter 29 or any similar topic only for you Order Now â€Å"May I introduce my granddaughter Wanda and my friend Stettin Palver. Wanda is a most valuable member of the Psychohistory Project, her specialty being in the field of mathematics. And Stettin, well, Stettin is turning into a first-rate general psychohistorian-when he’s not performing his duties as my bodyguard, that is.† Seldon chuckled amiably. â€Å"Yes, well, that’s all well and good, Professor,† said Acarnio, baffled by Seldon’s good humor. He had expected the professor to come in groveling, begging for another chance at special Library privileges. â€Å"But I don’t understand what it is you wanted to see me about. I assume you realize that our position is firm: We cannot allow a Library association with someone so extremely unpopular with the general population. We are, after all, a public library and we must keep the public’s sentiments in mind.† Acarnio settled back-perhaps now the groveling would begin. â€Å"I realize that I have not been able to sway you. However, I thought that if you heard from a couple of the Project’s younger members-the psychohistorians of tomorrow, as it were-that perhaps you’d get a better feel about what a vital role the Project-and the Encyclopedia, in particular-will play in our future. Please hear Wanda and Stettin out.† Acarnio cast a cold eye toward the two young people flanking Seldon. â€Å"Very well, then,† he said, pointedly eyeing the timestrip on the wall. â€Å"Five minutes and no more. I have a Library to run.† â€Å"Chief Librarian,† began Wanda, â€Å"as my grandfather has undoubtedly explained to you, psychohistory is a most valuable tool to be used for the preservation of our culture. Yes, preservation, † she repeated, upon seeing Acarnio’s eyes widen at the word. â€Å"Undue emphasis has been placed on the destruction of the Empire. By doing so, the true value of psychohistory has been overlooked. For, with psychohistory, as we are able to predict the inevitable decline of our civilization, so are we able to take steps toward its preservation. That is what the Encyclopedia Galactica is all about. And that is why we need your help, and the help of your great Library.† Acarnio could not resist smiling. The young lady had an undeniable charm. She was so earnest, so well spoken. He gazed at her sitting in front of him, her blond hair pulled back in a rather severe scholarly style, one which could not hide her attractive features but, rather, showed them off. What she was saying was starting to make sense. Maybe Wanda Seldon was right-maybe he had been looking at this problem from the wrong angle. If it were actually a matter of preservation, rather than destruction†¦ â€Å"Chief Librarian,† began Stettin Palver, â€Å"this great Library has stood for millennia. It, perhaps even more than the Imperial Palace, represents the vast power of the Empire. For, the Palace houses only the Empire’s leader, while the Library is home to the sum total of Imperial knowledge, culture, and history. Its value is incalculable. â€Å"Does it not make sense to prepare a tribute to this great repository? The Encyclopedia Galactica will be just that-a giant summary of all the knowledge contained within these very walls. Think of it!† All of a sudden it seemed so very clear to Acarnio. How could he have let the Board (especially that sourpuss Gennaro Mummery) convince him to rescind Seldon’s privileges? Las Zenow, a person whose judgment he greatly esteemed, had been a wholehearted supporter of Seldon’s Encyclopedia. He glanced again at the three in front of him, waiting for his decision. The Board would be hard-pressed to find anything to complain about with the Project members-if the young people now in his office were a representative sample of the kind of persons involved with Seldon. Acarnio rose and walked across his office, his brow furrowed, as if framing his thoughts. He picked up a milky crystal sphere from a table and hefted it in his palm. â€Å"Trantor,† Acarnio began thoughtfully, â€Å"seat of the Empire, center of all the Galaxy. Quite amazing, when you think of it. We have, perhaps, been too quick to judge Professor Seldon. Now that your Project, this Encyclopedia Galactica, has been presented to me in such a light†-he gave a brief nod to Wanda and Palver-â€Å"I realize how important it would be to allow you to continue your work here. And, of course, to grant access to a number of your colleagues.† Seldon smiled gratefully and squeezed Wanda’s hand. â€Å"It is not only for the greater glory of the Empire that I am recommending this,† continued Acarnio, apparently warming to the idea (and the sound of his own voice). â€Å"You are famous, Professor Seldon. Whether people think of you as a crackpot or a genius, everyone seems to have an opinion. If an academic of your stature is allied with the Galactic Library, it can only increase our prestige as a bastion of intellectual pursuit of the highest order. Why, the luster of your presence can be used to raise much-needed funds to update our collections, increase our staff, keep our doors open to the public longer†¦ â€Å"And the prospect of the Encyclopedia Galactica itself-what a monumental project! Imagine the reaction when the public learns that the Galactic Library is involved with such an undertaking designed to highlight the splendor of our civilization-our glorious history, our brilliant achievements, our magnificent cultures. And to think that I, Chief Librarian Tryma Acarnio, is responsible for making sure that this great Project gets its start-† Acarnio gazed intently into the crystal sphere, lost in reverie. â€Å"Yes, Professor Seldon,† Acarnio pulled himself back to the here and now. â€Å"You and your colleagues will be granted full insiders’ privileges-and a suite of offices in which to work.† He placed the crystal sphere back on its table and, with a swish of robes, moved back to his desk. You read "Forward the Foundation Chapter 29" in category "Essay examples" â€Å"It might take a little doing, of course, to persuade the Board-but I am confident that I can handle them. Just leave it to me.† Seldon, Wanda, and Palver looked at each other in triumph, with small smiles playing at the corner of their mouths. Tryma Acarnio gestured that they could go and so they did, leaving the Chief Librarian settled in his chair, dreaming of the glory and honor that would come to the Library under his aegis. â€Å"Amazing,† said Seldon when the three were safely ensconced in their ground-car. â€Å"If you could have seen him at our last meeting. He said I was ‘threatening the essential fabric of our Empire’ or some such rot. And today, after just a few minutes with you two-â€Å" â€Å"It wasn’t too hard, Grandpa,† Wanda said as she pressed a contact, moving the ground-car out into traffic. She sat back as the auto-propel took over; Wanda had punched their destination coordinates into the control panel. â€Å"He is a man with a strong sense of self-importance. All we had to do was play up the positive aspects of the Encyclopedia and his ego took over from there.† â€Å"He was a goner the minute Wanda and I walked in,† Palver said from the back. â€Å"With both of us pushing him, it was a piece of cake.† Palver reached forward and squeezed Wanda’s shoulder affectionately. She smiled, reached up, and patted his hand. â€Å"I must alert the Encyclopedists as soon as possible,† Seldon said. â€Å"Although there are only thirty-two left, they are good and dedicated workers. I’ll get them installed at the Library and then I’ll tackle the next hurdle-credits. Perhaps this alliance with the Library is what I need to convince people to give us funding. Let’s see-I’ll call upon Terep Bindris again and I’ll take you two with me. He was kindly disposed toward me, at least at first. But how will he be able to resist us now?† The ground-car eventually came to a halt outside the Psychohistory Building at Streeling. The side panels slid open, but Seldon did not immediately move to disembark. He turned to face Wanda. â€Å"Wanda, you know what you and Stettin were able to accomplish with Acarnio; I’m sure you both can push some credits out of a few financial benefactors as well. â€Å"I know how you hate to leave your beloved Prime Radiant, but these visits will give you two a chance to practice, to hone your skills, to get an idea of just what you can do.† â€Å"All right, Grandpa, although I’m sure that, now that you have the Library’s imprimatur, you will find that resistance to your requests has lessened.† â€Å"There’s another reason I think it’s important for the two of you to get out and around together. Stettin, I believe you said that on certain occasions you’ve ‘felt’ another mind like yours but haven’t been able to identify it.† â€Å"Yes,† answered Palver, â€Å"I’ve had flashes, but each time I was in a crowd. And, in my twenty-four years, I can remember feeling such a flash just four or five times.† â€Å"But, Stettin,† said Seldon, his voice low with intensity, â€Å"each flash was, potentially, the mind of another person like you and Wanda-another mentalic. Wanda’s never felt these flashes because, frankly, she’s been sheltered all her life. The few times she’s been out in a crowd there must not have been any other mentalics around. â€Å"That’s one reason-perhaps the most important reason-for you two to get out-with me or without me. We must find other mentalics. The two of you alone are strong enough to push a single person. A large group of you, all pushing together, will have the power to move an Empire!† With that. Hari Seldon swung his legs around and hoisted himself out of the ground-car. As Wanda and Palver watched him limp up the pathway to the Psychohistory Building, they were only dimly aware of the enormous responsibility Seldon had just placed on their young shoulders. 33 It was midafternoon and the Trantorian sun glinted on the metal skin covering the great planet. Hari Seldon stood at the edge of the Streeling University observation deck, attempting to shield his eyes from the harsh glare with his hand. It had been years since he’d been out from under the dome, save for his few visits to the Palace, and somehow those didn’t count; one was still very much enclosed on the Imperial grounds. Seldon no longer traveled around only if accompanied. In the first place, Palver spent the majority of his time with Wanda, either working on the Prime Radiant, absorbed in mentalic research, or searching for others like them. But if he had wanted, Seldon could have found another young man-a University student or a Project member-to act as his bodyguard. However, Seldon knew that a bodyguard was no longer necessary. Since the much publicized hearing and the reestablishment of ties with the Galactic Library, the Commission for Public Safety had taken a keen interest in Seldon. Seldon knew that he was being followed; he had caught sight of his â€Å"shadow† on a number of occasions in the past few months. He also had no doubt that his home and office had been infiltrated by listening devices, but he himself activated a static shield whenever he engaged in sensitive communications. Seldon was not sure what the Commission thought of him-perhaps they were not yet sure themselves. Regardless of whether they believed him to be a prophet or a crackpot, they made it their business to know where he was at all times-and that meant that, until the Commission deemed otherwise, at all times Seldon was safe. A light breeze billowed the deep blue cloak Seldon had draped over his unisuit and ruffed the few wispy white hairs remaining on his head. He glanced down over the railing, taking in the seamless steel blanket below. Beneath that blanket, Seldon knew, rumbled the machinery of a vastly complicated world. If the dome were transparent, one would see ground-cars racing, gravicabs swooshing through an intricate network of interconnecting tunnels, space hyperships being loaded and unloaded with grain and chemicals and jewels bound for and from practically every world of the Empire. Below the gleaming metal cover, the lives of forty billion people were being conducted, with all the attendant pain, joy, and drama of human life. It was an image he loved dearly-this panorama of human achievement-and it pierced his heart to know that, in just a few centuries, all that now lay before him would be in ruins. The great dome would be ripped and scarred, torn away to reveal the desolate wasteland of what was once the seat of a thriving civilization. He shook his head in sadness, for he knew there was nothing he could do to prevent that tragedy. But, as Seldon foresaw the ruined dome, he also knew that from the ground laid bare by the last battles of the Empire living shoots would spring and somehow Trantor would reemerge as a vital member of the new Empire. The Plan saw to that. Seldon lowered himself onto one of the benches ringing the deck’s perimeter. His leg was throbbing painfully; the exertion of the trip had been a bit much. But it had been worth it to gaze once again at Trantor, to feel the open air around him and see the vast sky above. Seldon thought wistfully of Wanda. He rarely saw his granddaughter at all anymore and invariably Stettin Palver was present when he did. In the three months since Wanda and Palver had met, they seemed to be inseparable. Wanda assured Seldon that the constant involvement was necessary for the Project, but Seldon suspected it went deeper than mere devotion to one’s job. He remembered the telltale signs from his early days with Dors. It was there in the way the two young people looked at each other, with an intensity born not only of intellectual stimulation but emotional motivation as well. Further, by their very natures, Wanda and Palver seemed to be more comfortable with each other than with other people. In fact, Seldon had discovered that when no one else was around, Wanda and Palver didn’t even talk to each other; their mentalic abilities were sufficiently advanced that they had no need of words to communicate. The other Project members were not aware of Wanda’s and Palver’s unique talents. Seldon had felt it best to keep the mentalics’ work quiet, at least until their role in the Plan was firmly defined. Actually the Plan itself was firmly defined-but solely in Seldon’s mind. As a few more pieces fell into place, he would reveal his Plan to Wanda and Palver and someday, of necessity, to one or two others. Seldon stood slowly, stiffly. He was due back at Streeling in an hour to meet Wanda and Palver. They had left word for him that they were bringing a great surprise. Another piece for the puzzle, Seldon hoped. He looked out one last time over Trantor and, before turning to make his way back to the gravitic repulsion elevator, smiled and softly said, â€Å"Foundation.† 34 Hari Seldon entered his office to find that Wanda and Palver had already arrived and were seated around the conference table at the far end of the room. As was usual with those two, the room was completely silent. Then Seldon stopped short, noticing that a new fellow was sitting with them. How strange-out of politeness, Wanda and Palver usually reverted to standard speech when in the company of other people, yet none of the three was speaking. Seldon studied the stranger-an odd-looking man, about thirty-five years old, with the myopic look of one caught up for too long in his studies. If it weren’t for a certain determined set to the stranger’s jaw, Seldon thought he might be dismissed as ineffectual, but that would obviously be a mistake. There was both strength and kindness in the man’s face. A trustworthy face, Seldon decided. â€Å"Grandfather,† Wanda said, rising gracefully from her chair. Seldon’s heart ached as he looked at his granddaughter. She’d changed so much in the past few months, since the loss of her family. Whereas before she had always called him Grandpa, now it was the more formal Grandfather. In the past it seemed she could barely refrain from grins and giggles; lately her serene gaze was lightened only occasionally by a beatific smile. But-now as always-she was beautiful and that beauty was surpassed only by her stunning intellect. â€Å"Wanda, Palver,† Seldon said, kissing the former on the cheek and slapping the latter on the shoulder. â€Å"Hello,† Seldon said, turning to the stranger, who had also stood. â€Å"I am Hari Seldon.† â€Å"I am most honored to meet you, Professor,† the man replied. â€Å"I am Bor Alurin.† Alurin offered a hand to Seldon in the archaic and, hence, most formal mode of greeting. â€Å"Bor is a psychologist, Hari,† said Palver, â€Å"and a great fan of your work.† â€Å"More important, Grandfather,† said Wanda, â€Å"Bor is one of us.† â€Å"One of you?† Seldon looked searchingly from one to the other. â€Å"Do you mean†¦?† Seldon’s eyes sparkled. â€Å"Yes, Grandfather. Yesterday Stettin and I were walking through Ery Sector, getting out and around, as you’d suggested, probing for others. All of a sudden-wham!-there it was.† â€Å"We recognized the thought patterns immediately and began to look around, trying to establish a link,† Palver said, taking up the story. â€Å"We were in a commercial area, near the spaceport, so the walkways were clogged with shoppers and tourists and Outworld traders. It seemed hopeless, but then Wanda simply stopped and signaled Come here and out of the crowd Bor appeared. He just walked up to us and signaled Yes?† â€Å"Amazing,† Seldon said, beaming at his granddaughter. â€Å"And Dr.-it is Doctor, isn’t it?-Alurin, what do you make of all this?† â€Å"Well,† began the psychologist thoughtfully, â€Å"I am pleased. I’ve always felt different somehow and now I know why. And if I can be of any help to you, why-† The psychologist looked down at his feet, as if all of a sudden he realized he was being presumptuous. â€Å"What I mean is, Wanda and Stettin said I may be able to contribute in some way to your Psychohistory Project. Professor, nothing would please me more.† â€Å"Yes yes. That’s quite true, Dr. Alurin. In fact, I think you may make a great contribution to the Project-if you’ll join me. Of course, you’ll have to give up whatever it is you do now, whether it is teaching or private practice. Can you manage that?† â€Å"Why, yes, Professor, of course. I may need a little help convincing my wife-† At this he chuckled slightly, glancing shyly at each of his three companions in turn. â€Å"But I seem to have a way with that.† â€Å"So it’s set, then,† said Seldon briskly. â€Å"You will join the Psychohistory Project. I promise you, Dr. Alurin, this is a decision you will not regret.† â€Å"Wanda, Stettin,† Seldon said later, after Bor Alurin had left. â€Å"This is a most welcome breakthrough. How quickly do you think you can find more mentalics?† â€Å"Grandfather, it took us over a month to locate Bor-we cannot predict with what frequency others will be found. â€Å"To tell you the truth, all this ‘out and around’ takes us away from our work on the Prime Radiant and it is distracting as well. Now that I have Stettin to ‘talk’ to, verbal communication is somewhat too harsh, too loud. â€Å" Seldon’s smile faded. He had been afraid of this. As Wanda and Palver had been honing their mentalic skills, so their tolerance for â€Å"ordinary† life had diminished. It only made sense; their mentalic manipulations set them apart. â€Å"Wanda, Stettin, I think it may be time for me to tell you more about the idea Yugo Amaryl had years ago and about the Plan I’ve devised as a result of that idea. I haven’t been ready to elaborate upon it until now, because until this moment, all the pieces have not been in place. â€Å"As you know, Yugo felt we must establish two Foundations-each as a fail-safe measure for the other. It was a brilliant idea, one which I wish Yugo could have lived long enough to see realized.† Here Seldon paused, heaving a regretful sigh. â€Å"But I digress. Six years ago, when I was certain that Wanda had mentalic, or mind-touching, capabilities, it came to me that not only should there be two Foundations but that they should be distinct in nature, as well. One would be made up of physical scientists-the Encyclopedists will be their pioneer group on Terminus. The second would be made up of true psychohistorians; mentalists-you. That is why I’ve been so eager for you to find others like you. â€Å"Finally, though, is this: The Second Foundation must be secret. Its strength will lie in its seclusion, in its telepathic omnipresence and omnipotence. â€Å"You see, a few years ago, when it became apparent that I would require the services of a bodyguard, I realized that the Second Foundation must be the strong, silent, secret bodyguard of the primary Foundation. â€Å"Psychohistory is not infallible-its predictions are, however, highly probable. The Foundation, especially in its infancy, will have many enemies, as do I today. â€Å"Wanda, you and Palver are the pioneers of the Second Foundation, the guardians of the Terminus Foundation.† â€Å"But how, Grandfather?† demanded Wanda. â€Å"We are just two-well, three, if you count Bor. To guard the entire Foundation, we would need-â€Å" â€Å"Hundreds? Thousands? Find however many it takes, Granddaughter. You can do it. And you know how. â€Å"Earlier, when relating the story of finding Dr. Alurin, Stettin said you simply stopped and communicated out to the mentalic presence you felt and he came to you. Don’t you see? All along I’ve been urging you to go out and find others like you. But this is difficult, almost painful for you. I realize now that you and Stettin must seclude yourselves, in order to form the nucleus of the Second Foundation. From there you will cast your nets into the ocean of humanity.† â€Å"Grandfather, what are you saying?† Wanda asked in a whisper. She had left her seat and was kneeling next to Seldon’s chair. â€Å"Do you want me to leave?† â€Å"No, Wanda,† Seldon replied, his voice choked with emotion. â€Å"I don’t want you to leave, but it is the only way. You and Stettin must isolate yourselves from the crude physicality of Trantor. As your mentalic abilities grow stronger, you will attract others to you-the silent and secret Foundation will grow. â€Å"We will be in touch-occasionally, of course. And each of us has a Prime Radiant. You see, don’t you, the truth-and the absolute necessity-of what I am saying, don’t you?† â€Å"Yes, I do, Grandfather,† said Wanda. â€Å"More important, I feel the brilliance of it as well. Rest assured; we won’t let you down.† â€Å"I know you won’t, dear,† Seldon said wearily. How could he do this-how could he send his darling granddaughter away? She was his last link to his happiest days, to Dors, Yugo, and Raych. She was the only other Seldon in the Galaxy. â€Å"I shall miss you terribly, Wanda,† Seldon said as a tear worked its way down his finely creased cheek. â€Å"But, Grandfather,† Wanda said as she stood with Palver, preparing to leave. â€Å"Where shall we go? Where is the Second Foundation?† Seldon looked up and said, â€Å"The Prime Radiant has already told you, Wanda.† Wanda looked at Seldon blankly, searching her memory. Seldon reached out and clutched at his granddaughter’s hand. â€Å"Touch my mind, Wanda. It is there.† Wanda’s eyes widened as she reached into Seldon’s mind. â€Å"I see,† Wanda whispered to Seldon. Section 33A2D17. Star’s End. Part V Epilogue I am Hari Seldon. Former First Minister to Emperor Cleon I. Professor Emeritus of Psychohistory at Streeling University on Trantor. Director of the Psychohistory Research Project. Executive Editor of the Encyclopedia Galactica. Creator of the Foundation. It all sounds quite impressive, I know. I have done a great deal in my eighty-one years and I am tired. Looking back over my life, I wonder if I could have-should have-done certain things differently. For instance: Was I so concerned with the grand sweep of psychohistory that the people and events that intersected my life sometimes seemed inconsequential by comparison? Perhaps I neglected to make some small incidental adjustments here or there that would have in no way compromised the future of humanity but might have dramatically improved the life of an individual dear to me. Yugo, Raych†¦ I can’t help but wonder†¦ Was there something I could have done to save my beloved Dors? Last month I finished recording the Crisis holograms. My assistant, Gaal Dornick, has taken them to Terminus to oversee their installation in the Seldon Vault. He will make sure that the Vault is sealed and that the proper instructions are left for the eventual openings of the Vault, during the Crises. I’ll be dead by then, of course. What will they think, those future Foundationers, when they see me (or, more accurately, my hologram) during the First Crisis, almost fifty years from now? Will they comment on how old I look or how weak my voice is or how small I seem, bundled in this wheelchair? Will they understand-appreciate-the message I’ve left for them? Ah well, there’s really no point in speculating. As the ancients would say: The die is cast. I heard from Gaal yesterday. All is going well on Terminus. Bor Alurin and the Project members are flourishing in â€Å"exile.† I shouldn’t gloat, but I can’t help but chuckle when I recall the self-satisfied look on the face of that pompous idiot Linge Chen when he banished the Project to Terminus two years ago. Although ultimately the exile was couched in terms of an Imperial Charter (â€Å"A state-supported scientific institution and part of the personal domain of His August Majesty, the Emperor†-the Chief Commissioner wanted us off Trantor and out of his hair, but he could not bear the thought of giving up complete control), it is still a source of secret delight to know that it was Las Zenow and I who chose Terminus as Foundation’s home. My one regret where Linge Chen is concerned is that we were not able to save Agis. That Emperor was a good man and a noble leader, even if he was Imperial in name only. His mistake was to believe in his title and the Commission of Public Safety would not tolerate the burgeoning Imperial independence. I often wonder what they did to Agis-was he exiled to some remote Outer World or assassinated like Cleon? The boy-child who sits on the throne today is the perfect puppet Emperor. He obeys every word Linge Chen whispers in his ear and fancies himself a budding statesman. The Palace and trappings of Imperial life are but toys to him in some vast fantastical game. What will I do now? With Gaal finally gone to join the Terminus group, I am utterly alone. I hear from Wanda occasionally. The work at Star’s End continues on course; in the past decade she and Stettin have added dozens of mentalics to their number. They increasingly grow in power. It was the Star’s End contingent-my secret Foundation-who pushed Linge Chen into sending the Encyclopedists to Terminus. I miss Wanda. It has been many years since I’ve seen her, sat with her quietly, holding her hand. When Wanda left, even though I had asked her to go, I thought I would die of heartbreak. That was, perhaps, the most difficult decision I ever had to make and, although I never told her, I almost decided against it. But for the Foundation to succeed, it was necessary for Wanda and Stettin to go to Star’s End. Psychohistory decreed it, so perhaps it wasn’t really my decision, after all. I still come here every day, to my office in the Psychohistory Building. I remember when this structure was filled with people, day and night. Sometimes I feel as if it’s filled with voices, those of my long-departed family, students, colleagues-but the offices are empty and silent. The hallways echo with the whirr of my wheelchair motor. I suppose I should vacate the building, return it to the University to allocate to another department. But somehow it’s hard to let go of this place. There are so many memories†¦ All I have now is this, my Prime Radiant. This is the means by which psychohistory can be computed, through which every equation in my Plan may be analyzed, all here in this amazing, small black cube. As I sit here, this deceptively simple-looking tool in the palm of my hand, I wish I could show it to R. Daneel Olivaw†¦ But I am alone, and need only to close a contact for the office lights to dim. As I settle back in my wheelchair, the Prime Radiant activates, its equations spreading around me in three-dimensional splendor. To the untrained eye, this multicolored swirl would be merely a jumble of shapes and numbers, but for me-and Yugo, Wanda, Gaal-this is psychohistory, come to life. What I see before me, around me, is the future of humanity. Thirty thousand years of potential chaos, compressed into a single millennium†¦ That patch, glowing more strongly day by day, is the Terminus equation. And there-skewed beyond repair-are the Trantor figures. But I can see†¦ yes, softly beaming, a steady light of hope†¦ Star’s End! This-this-was my life’s work. My past-humanity’s future. Foundation. So beautiful, so alive. And nothing can†¦ Dors! SELDON, HARI-†¦ found dead, slumped over his desk in his office at Streeling University in 12,069 G.E. (1 F.E.). Apparently Seldon had been working up to his last moments on psychohistorical equations; his activated Prime Radiant was discovered clutched in his hand†¦ According to Seldon’s instructions, the instrument was shipped to his colleague Gaal Dornick who had recently emigrated to Terminus†¦ Seldon’s body was jettisoned into space, also in accordance with instructions he’d left. The official memorial service on Trantor was simple, though well attended. It is worth noting that Seldon’s old friend former First Minister Eto Demerzel attended the event. Demerzel had not been seen since his mysterious disappearance immediately following the Joranumite Conspiracy during the reign of Emperor Cleon I. Attempts by the Commission of Public Safety to locate Demerzel in the days following the Seldon memorial proved to be unsuccessful†¦ Wanda Seldon, Hari Seldon’s granddaughter, did not attend the ceremony. It was rumored that she was grief-stricken and had refused all public appearances. To this day, her whereabouts from then on remain unknown†¦ It has been said that Hari Seldon left this life as he lived it, for he died with the future he created unfolding all around him†¦ Encyclopedia Galactica [1] All quotations from the Encyclopedia Galactica here reproduced are taken from the 116th Edition, published 1,020 F.E. by the Encyclopedia Galactica Publishing Co., Terminus, with permission of the publishers. How to cite Forward the Foundation Chapter 29, Essay examples

The Knowledge Management

Question: Write an essay onThe knowledge management. Answer: 1. Introduction The knowledge management is the ability to capture, develop, store and share the information in the company repository and using to gain strategic and tactical advantage in the total process (Richter and Niewiem, 2009). The KM is an important system which can integrate all major and minor functions in a firm which enables the power of the decision making at right time (Luo and Liberatore, 2009). In this case study we take a look at the actors, the situation and circumstances, with redefining new solutions in KM (knowledge management) perspective. 2. The knowledge environment The Manic Marketers market image for the outsiders was high on branding that attracted the job seekers. The sixty team members exemplified their calibre in the business circuit which helped to grow rapidly. The Manic Marketers presented a well drafted interview job description that seemed compelling for the prospective job seekers who wanted to be a part of their bandwagon. The key words of open and collaborative are the builders of expectations in the job seekers, while projecting the self image as world class knowledge environment led to substantiate their secret to early success in the business world (Ko, 2014). The last line in the advertisement stated explicitly the work is fun, as if party time for all. The short and crisp message of the vacancy position explained that was needed in the nutshell was catchy. The interview was very smooth, where Manic Marketers projected the KM (knowledge management) factor, collaboration within teams, feedback process was explained that helped t o set the expectations of the KM framework existing in Manic Marketers. The induction post interview was good as the technology platforms, organisational culture which enabled the KM showed the minimalist approach to work and even the offer letter emailed. The orientation had managers from Manic Marketers stating the documentation happens by default while there are many KM systems and structure in Manic Marketers which was not shown to the candidate. The hands on approach to records management system, financial system, library with the detailed process of knowledge objects collection that went into records and HR process was shown (Sturdy and Wright, 2011). The first instance of the distorted reality of Manic Marketers that was entirely different was visible with the week 2. This becomes evident when the freshly inducted Damon was not able to comprehend the task at hand and the Manic Marketers departments, processes that were not explained. The first barrier in decoding the actors in the project titled GB: Garabaldon Brothers with seven people to head the project were all coded. This was a major obstacle as there is no phone intimation, coordination from the other team members, and clients were listed in coded form. It took considerable effort to understand the file papers and understand the process of the transactions that has happened in the past. The KM factor failed in Manic Marketers as documentation process did not follow a rule while the rule book was not explicit in the file inner cover. The management of Manic Marketers assumed it is easily comprehendible for others showed the myopia in thinking process. Taking coding is univer sal in Manic Marketers there was no system where coordination of the team (seven members) which should have been a briefing email to all the participants about Damon heading. The KM factor here is very rudimentary where corporate knowledge dissemination did not happen which defined the work smarter tenets projected by Manic Marketers. Learning in training did not correspond to the actual work process, neither on the job hands on experience existed in Manic Marketers for the first task. 3. The role of a mentor The mentor in a company is essentially a friend irrespective of the organisational hierarchy and lends a hand to the less experienced person for product, process, service knowledge inputs enabling to build a trust and foster the positive behaviour (Chen, 2011). The mentor hence, needs focussed determination of the knowledge transfer from one to other and help to resolve the problem. The mentor in the case of Manic Marketers is the key to understand the gaps in the KM framework which Damon was having difficulty. The mentor could visibly see the different training and the job challenges which Damon is facing. The initial support is induction training related, while the hands on experience, to apply that training knowledge in Manic Marketers had gaps that led Damon to figure out the coded information. The mentor in Manic Marketers was not organised and the support Damon received post orientation training was negligible. The mentor referred to some other people who were not helpful at al l showed that work load was too much and mentors could not contribute to come to Damons assistance. Effective mentoring however needs constant engagement process, that showed extended support to the mentee, dependable and authentic to the needs and problems of mentee (Swart and Harvey, 2011). The above case in Manic Marketers presented a unique opportunity for the mentor to understand the Damons inability to link the dots, and be a part of the mainstream employee. The mentor could have done the following roles to help Damon be equipped for the first task in Manic Marketers. The work process mentor is the ideal one as the product, process and service is closely hinged to it. It also allows relating to different clients, delivery systems, negotiation patterns that are critical for dealing with them. There is also technology mentor who can be of help to aid systems to reach out through intranet and internet, KM framework, accessibility rules and codes, BCP (business continuity planning) management for IT (information technology) systems, methods, backup and the use of tools to aid KM delivery (Nikolova et al. 2009). The mentor aiding the second week would have helped the training period and golive phase to join as a continued process, would have helped the new employee to adjust to the work procedures faster. The consequence would have been a better KM managed firm that helped to stick to the expectations projected in the job vacancy advertisement. 4. Forms of organisational knowledge The Manic Marketers did have extensive client base and segregation of the clients information in one file, the actors who have dealt in past, records of the transactions by value and date. However, it had coded the company knowledge in such a manner that is not easily comprehendible by the new comer Damon. There should have been information segregation in the Manic Marketers that could have streamlined the operations. Manic Marketers faltered in knowledge sharing and coding extensively which is evident from the case study. Before the technological support began, in Manic Marketers, Damon faced challenged in decoding the files for the first task. The files are the company knowledge properties and there are many departments as well so codification of classified files of a select group of clients is necessary. Based on this tenet, Manic Marketers scored high while it did not have file de-codification KM system. It has a well documented process to maintain transactions, contacts, billing and orders in one single file that is not coded. To maintain the corporate information secrecy within teams and in the company as well, Manic Marketers should have devised a separate coding list for the GB project which should have access to the current project members. For all the members who have left Manic Marketers and to save guard the coding analogy, it should be changed the moment one member of the project team leaves or resigns. The data security should be stored in the intranet and accessible remotely from any computer around the world by members of the project team (Napier et al. 2009). There intelligent KM system in Manic Marketers could have been a integrated framework for the project GB where the automatic update of the information to all members would help to align the team composition, its creation, meeting date, agenda and dates. The codifiable knowledge of the Manic Marketers would help old staff to connect through IT based communication and keep updated the new employees about what has happened and what to discuss. An effective KM system could have helped the project to be allocated electronically without face to face meeting where the agenda and meetings could have been electronically scheduled. Availing the records online would have helped to do information to be shared online at real time basis, which would have helped all the members of project to be prepared and focus on the key deliverable actions needed (Napier et al. 2009). All of these would have helped Manic Marketers to streamline the legacy information to be updated, for real time access and also to be better prepared for due course of future action. 5. Key weaknesses in the social capital The case of Manic Marketers showed that the issue of organisational culture is hyped towards newly inducted employees, while the old staff had their own ways of working. The management of Manic Marketers was not aware about the inability of Damon who was not able to comprehend project file codes neither there was any attempt by the mentor to do so. The absence of systems in KM, the heavily coded file and knowledge not being disseminated without mentor aiding it gave Manic Marketers to be more of a closed KM framework. This indicates that the social capital level is very low, and each of the projects with the individual team members is busy to help each other. Knowledge as information therefore is static, not aided by humans neither IT has made the KM system static. It did set the expectations of the KM systems in the orientation however failed in the execution as sharing of the business coding was not done to Damon a new comer. The file that was shared did have documentation which wa s implicitly coded by the previous owner that supports the codification in knowledge repository principle (Napier et al. 2009). However the new staff not at easy to access the information is a indication of the absence of codes in internal core knowledge repository. The Manic Marketers KM system had weaknesses that showed the physically unavailability of the members to aid each other. This shows the necessity to create a intranet group pertaining to the project members and setting up communication support and accessibility support to drive forward. The Manic Marketers management foresightedness to visualise project driven approach to task and segregating the team distinctly on the intranet KM is a weak point. The records management not linked to a centralised coded corporate knowledge repository which was absent is a major weakness. The security of the data in the GB project is at stake with members already leaving Manic Marketers needed differential coding that was not done. The ma nagement is not explicit about the work procedures, while they assumed the new comer will find it themselves. This attitude towards managing records, zero knowledge dissemination and projection of the Manic Marketers brand image will get a bad press. Manic Marketers did not acknowledge that they needed to revive and align the KM systems neither the management encouraging creating systems to share the knowledge. 6. Knowledge sharing strategies Assuming that the brand Manic Marketers is successful in the business circle however, its KM needs an overhaul which is evident from the above case study. There are many ways to develop a framework but the ideal one will be a customer centric model which is demand driven and aligns functions in one integrated platform (Nikolova et al. 2009). This main KM framework can be then customized into client specific KM systems that connect the intranet, communication and KM repository. Each of these will allows capturing data, store, retrieve, access on a web based platform which will require the security passwords. This revamped system will help the Manic Marketers to segregate client or project based approach to task and align the resource allocation virtually. It also allows any single staff to be a part of multiple projects designed in the Manic Marketers new KM system. The central access of these inclusion of the members in the Manic Marketers client based team will require IT head, Mani c Marketers CEO head and project head authorisation. This strategy will automate tasks, help to align and schedule the tasks, meetings using KM system aided through IT (Chen, 2011). Manic Marketers thus can manage multiple clients and multiple projects in each of the clients that from user (staff) point of view can be prioritised as per upcoming events or activities. This will help the project tollgates as activity based events which will require each of the members attention. The task creation and delivery involving one or more can be amended and it is this customisable feature which will help the Manic Marketers management to align physical presence, strategies into desired outcomes effectively. The designing of KM system in Manic Marketers will also have access protocols and time stamps of who accessed what, on real time. This will keep the CIA (confidentiality, integrity and accountability) of any action, inside Manic Marketers which will be for an official purpose and disintegr ate the coded files that Manic Marketers has currently. The KM strategy will be backwards as all action created will be customer oriented that will set off series of actions in the Manic Marketers KM system and set relevant alerts in the departments and key staff(s). Sharing is an important feature in KM and it will be limited to the members only with protocol driven strategy in safeguarding client integrity (Chen, 2011). The cases of information or past projects, that adds value to the Manic Marketers work procedures can be segregated into a central repository which will help the staff to update knowledge level and in subsequent application process (Swart and Harvey, 2011). 6. Conclusion The above case is a classic example of KM in ideology and not in action as much of it needed a well designed IT system, in Manic Marketers. The issue however was much deeper as the culture to share was not there, so it made KM redundant. The implied knowledge was closely held and not shared explicitly that neither had protocols to be shared to relevant people. Manic Marketers KM system needs a thorough redesign which will enable old data to merge with future projects. The above new system proposed with allows the idealistic picture of the Manic Marketers staff to perform and aid strategic and tactical decisions in real time. References Chen, C.Y. (2011). Managing projects from a client perspective: The concept of the meetings-flow approach. International Journal of Project Management, 29(6), pp.671686. Ko, D.G. (2014). The mediating role of knowledge transfer and the effects of client-consultant mutual trust on the performance of enterprise implementation projects. Information and Management, 51(5), pp.541550. Luo, W. and Liberatore, M.J. (2009). Achieving it consultant objectives through client project success. Information and Management, 46(5), pp.259266. Napier, N.P., Keil, M. and Tan, F.B. (2009). IT project managers construction of successful project management practice: A repertory grid investigation. Information Systems Journal, 19(3), pp.255282. Nikolova, N., Reihlen, M. and Schlapfner, J.F. (2009). Client-consultant interaction: Capturing social practices of professional service production. Scandinavian Journal of Management, 25(3), pp.289298. Richter, A. and Niewiem, S., 2009. Knowledge transfer across permeable boundaries: An empirical study of clients decisions to involve management consultants. Scandinavian Journal of Management, 25(3), pp.275288. Sturdy, a. and Wright, C. (2011). The active client: The boundary-spanning roles of internal consultants as gatekeepers, brokers and partners of their external counterparts. Management Learning, 42(5), pp.485503. Swart, J. and Harvey, P. (2011). Identifying knowledge boundaries: the case of networked projects. Journal of Knowledge Management, 15(5), pp.703721.