Sunday, January 26, 2020

Example Essay on Organization Management in Construction Industry

Example Essay on Organization Management in Construction Industry INTRODUCTION The aim and objective of this essay is to emphasize the basic understanding of people and organization management principles as it relates to construction industries of the 21st century. People and organization management is a fundamental factor in achieving a realistic and efficient use of resources, especially human resources. A heavy responsibility is placed on managers and the activities of management on the processes, systems and styles of management Laurie J Mullins (1996)13 Construction companies are faced with difficulties of how to organize and manage resources due to complexity of project and as such have a greater effect on the projects in terms of time, cost and quality. Every company has its own ideas about how to organize itself and its work, an effective organization will ensure that clear line of authority exist, and that every member of the project knows what he or she must do to make the project a success Dennis Lock (1996)11. Management is a description of a variety of activities carried out by those members of organizations whose role is that of a manager ie someone who has a formal responsibility for the work of one or more persons in the organization or who is accountable for specialist advisory duties in support of key management activities. This essay will address people and organization management principles by considering various definitions of management, main approaches to organization, structure and management theories and also relationship between an individual and the organization and advantages of management theories to 21st century construction industries. However, if action is to be effective, the theory must be adequate and appropriate to the task and to improved organization performance. It must be a good theory Laurie J Mullins (1996)39 DEFINITION OF MANAGEMENT Management can be define as the process of planning, organizing, controlling efforts of organization members and using all organization resources to achieve stated organization goals. According to G.A Cole (2004)7 , management is a collection of activities involving planning, organizing, motivating and controlling. Other writers also indicate their view about the definition of management as shown below: To manage is to forecast and plan, to organize, to command, to coordiate and to control H.Fayol (1916)1 Management is a social processà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ the process consists of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.planning, control, coordination and motivation E.F.L Brech (1957)2 Managing is an operational process initially best dissected by analyzing the managerial functionsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦The five essential managerial functions are : planning, organizing, staffing, directing and leading, and controlling Knoontz and O Donnell (1984)3 Five area of management constitute the essence of proactive performance in our chaotic words: (1) an obsession with responsiveness to customers, (2) constant innovation in all area of the firm, (3) partnership the wholesale participation of and gain sharing with all people connected with the organization, (4) leadership that loves change ( instead of fighting it) and instills and shares an inspiring vision, and (5) control by means of simple support systems aimed at measuring the right stuff for todays environment T. Peters(1988)4 Basically, in a broad understanding considering all the above options, management is process that enables organization to set and achieve their objective by planning, organizing and controlling their resources, including gaining the commitment of their employees (motivation). ORGANIZATION According to H. Kerzner (2006)89, organization can be define as group of people who must coordinate their activities in other to meet organization objectives. Organization can also be defined according to the following school of thought: Organizations are intricate human strategies designed to achieve certain objectives Argyris(1960)8 Since organizations are systems of behaviour designed to enable humans and their machines to accomplish goals, organizational form must be a joint function of human characteristics and the nature of the task environment. Simon(1976)9 Organizations are systems of inter-dependent human beings. Pugh(1990)10 Organization are set up to achieve purposes that individuals cannot achieve on their own. Organizations then provide a means of working with others to achieve goalsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Likely to be determined by whoever is in the best position to influence themà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦A key characteristic of organization is their complexity. Stewart(1994)11 PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATION MANAGEMENT In Construction company setup, managers are expected to have adequate knowledge and skill to manage people and their characteristic behaviours, works to be done and technology involved and all external environmental factors as it affects construction industry. The effects of the operation of the organization within its environment are reflected in terms of the management of opportunities and risk and the successful achievement of its aims and objectives. Laurie J Mullins (1996)6 People and organization management can therefore be treated using understanding of management theories, approaches in terms of classical, human relation and systems perspectives, all of which will be critically examined in the course of this essay. The Construction industries depend heavily on its workforce, they sometimes face several challenges if its recruitment to deliver expected project at estimated cost, expected or planned time and quality. The industry can improve its performance by attracting the right people(organization to look strongly at recruitment pool and think on how people can do different job in different way), keeping the right people (acknowledging a change their culture) and satisfying customer (develop focused strategy). PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATION MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES AND MANAGEMENT THEORIES, APPROACHES There Are between six to eleven management theories and school of thought but for the purpose of this essay we will adopt the approach as explained by Laurie J Mullins (1996)39, that is analysis revolving around a framework based on four main approaches of: Classical, Human resources, Systems and Contigencies. The figure 1.0 below indicate simply the main approaches to organization, structure and management: Classical Human Relations Systems Contingency Emphasis on purpose, Attention to social The integration of the No one best design of formal structure, factors at work, classical and human organizations. Form of heirarchy of management, group, leadership, relations approaches. structure, management, technical requirements, the informal Importance of the and success of the and common principles organization, and socio- technical system. organization dependent of organisation behaviour of people The organization within upon a range of its external environment. situation variables. Fig 1.0 the main approaches to organization, structure and management. Laurie J Mullins (1996)39 The Classical Theories Classical theories focuses on improving the organization structure as a means of increasing efficiency, it emphasizes on the importance of the principles for the design of a logical structure of organization. The classical approach to management was primarily concerned with the structure and activities of formal, or official, organization. Issues such as the division of works, the establishment of a hierarchy of authority, and the span of control were seen to be of the utmost importance in the achievement of an effective organization G.A Cole(2004)4 Managers role in classical theory is that of planner and trainer.They are responsible to know what is expected of individual and develop a structure that works for the organization to achieve the main goal. The Human RelationTheories The fundamental idea behind the human relation approach to management is motivation based on a hierarchy of human needs, ranging from basic physiological needs(food, sleep) to higher psychological needs, such as self- fulfillment. This serves as a means of achieving organizational effectiveness. The human relations approach recognized the importance of the informal organization which will always be present within the formal structure. This informal organization will influence the motivation of employees who will view the organization for which they work through the values and attitudes of their colleagues. Their view of the organization determines their approach to work and the extent of their motivation to work well or otherwise. . Laurie J Mullins (1996)53 Construction managers are expected to have mind of motivating workers, understand the method, basic needs of the employees so that he can have maximum use of their support to enhance production. The System Theories According to Laurie J Mullins (1996)55 , the system approach attempts to reconcile the two earlier approaches and the work of the formal and the informal writers. Attention is focused on the total work organization and the interrelationships of the structure and behaviour, and the range of variables within the organization. This approach can be contrasted with a view of the organization as separate parts. The system approach encourages managers to view the organization both as a whole and as part of a larger environment. The idea is that any part of an organizations activities affects all other parts. The system approach is a complex social systems, responsive to a number of interdependent and important variables. The major variables in adopting system approach to organizations are; people (as individual and in group), technology (in terms of the technical requirements of work, organization structures and environment (the external conditions affecting the organization). Construction managers should therefore focus on interrelationships, both with subsystems and between the system and the external environment. He should be able to explain the trend and articulate the vision of the organization. The Contigency Theories The contingency approach can be seen as an extension of the system approach, it highlights possible means of differentiating among alternative forms of organization structures and systems of the management. The contingency approach implies that organization theory should not seek to suggest one best way to structure or manage organizations but should provide insights into the situational and contextual factors which influences management decisions. Laurie J Mullins (1996)57 Also according to G.A Cole(2004)82, a contingency approach build on the diagnostic qualities of the systems approach in order to determine the most appropriate organizational design and management style for a given set of circumstances. Essentially the contingency approach suggests that issue of design and the style depend on choosing what is the best combination, in the light of prevailing conditions of the following variables; the external environment, technological factors and human skill and motivation. BENEFIT OF MANAGEMENT THEORIES TO 21ST CENTURY CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY Critical appraisal and thorough understanding of people and organizational management theoretical concepts will enable the construction managers to be fully aware and knowledgeable about different organizational management approaches in dealing with different situations and to adopt those approaches that best suit the particular requirement of the job. A problem relating to structure, the ideas of the classical writers or contingency theory may be adopted. When there is problem relating to personnel management, ideas from the human relations theorists might be valuable. If the problem is environmental, the systems approach might prove most useful. Generally, the knowledge and understanding of management theory will help the construction manager in tackling the complexities of people and organizational management of the 21st century. However, no single approach to organization and management that can provide all the answers but the comparative study of different theoretical approaches will yield benefits and strategically position the manager in facing the people and organizational management challenges of the industry. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AN INDIVIDUAL AND THE ORGANISATION Since any organization is comprised of individuals, individuals then become the unit of analysis in organizations principles and theories. Individuals behave in different ways according to their background, knowledge, education and psychosocial factors. The knowledge and understanding of the individual behaviors, the behavioral patterns and personal development is therefore crucial to the construction manager amidst the complexities of construction organizations. Construction managers need to be aware of factors that govern individual behavior, recognize individual potential and harness it to achieve the organizational goals and to understand how the individual behaviors affects the general organizations culture. Part 2 PERSONAL REFLECTION OF MANAGEMENT COMPETENCIES I have discovered through reading series of management textbooks and journals, past work experience and academic teachings that the practice and application of management skills and competencies is the panacea to management and organizational problems facing the construction industry given the complexities and the dynamic environment. Due to my technical training and work experience in a construction company, I have developed some of these management skills and competencies. Some were acquired by management training, some inculcated through organizational culture and some merely by intuition. Some of this competencies are, teamwork, leadership skill, organizational ability, interpersonal skills, decision making, managing change, drive for achievement, creative problem solving and analysis, negotiating skills, managing conflicts and listening skills. However, there are management skills and values that I still need to acquire or develop further during the course of my studies as a project manager. These include organizational ability, strategic planning, self management and prioritizing, information collection and analysis, good communication skills and resource management. Before now, I have always taken organizational values, adequate planning and self management, and prioritizing for granted due to management ignorance, but having learnt and discovered that they are very important for a successful project manager, I have begun to imbibe the values of effective planning, organizing and prioritizing my academic works, personal activities as scheduled and always seek a way of developing them further and further. During my studies, I have discovered that all these skills and values are very important for any construction manager to be able to adequately plan, organize, motivate workers, make good and timely decisions, manages constant changes, manage limited resources, conflicts e.t.c., and communicate effectively within and outside the organization in order to meet the enormous challenges of the complex construction industry. Also based on my background, all the management theories has been experienced as day to day references in attending to issues, improving output, getting result out of human resources and achieving company goal at a profitable margin and make the shareholders happy. CONCLUSION It is very important for a construction manager to develop good management skills and organizational competencies in order to effectively and efficiently meet the challenges of complex 21st century construction industry within the dynamic environment. Implementation and understanding of all management theories is very important for construction manager to be able to deliver project at estimated time, within the budgeted cost and specified quality.

Friday, January 17, 2020

Asian History: Review Essay

A. Describe the influence of Chinese culture on Heian Japan. In the Taika and Nara, Japanese peaked in their selective borrowing from Chinese culture. In 646, the Japanese tried to introduce the Taika Reforms, to change the imperial administration to resemble the Chinese(thought it had little effect in Heian Period).Previously, Japanese scholars tried mastering Chinese characters and wrote dynastic histories like those used by emperors in China. In the Heian period, Japanese consciousness grew and Chinese influence was reduced to a minimum. B. Describe Court Life during the Heian period Court Life during the Heian period is like the life of elites in America. Social status was most important, love affairs were common, and gossip was abundant. The members of imperial households and leading aristocratic families lived in a complex of palaces and gardens which the Japanese saw as most appealing. There were artificial lakes and fine gardens in every courtiers living quarters. Writing verse and poems were valued art types and were full of Japanese Classics and Chinese allusions. C. What led to the decline of imperial power within Japan? While the emperor was goofing off, aristocratic families were trying to run the imperial bureaucracy and create the most influence. One of them, the Fujiwara held quite a bit of influence over the imperial affairs, with many members of their family in the upper administration as well as increased marriage of Fujiwaras into the imperial family. All these aristocratic families whittled down imperial control and replaced it with their control. Buddhist monasteries tried to do rise in power as well, creating secret texts and ceremonies to bring cooperation between them and the court aristocrats. D. How did the rise of provincial warrior elites change Japanese Institutions? The rise of provincial warrior elites drastically changed Japanese institutions. As the imperial government gradually lost control, elite families created small fortresses where the Bushi, warrior leaders created a mini state inside. This created much crime and conflict, which in turn created a new warrior class, the samurai. The samurai lived by a code of family honor and death rather than defeat. All these factors created a feudal type order that replaced the weakened imperial administration. E. Describe social, political, and economical institutions during the Bafuku Age. The Bafuku Age was a military government that was established by the Minamoto after they defeated the Taira house. The leader of Minamoto after the victory was an unfit leader who weakened the Minamoto power. After a few equally bad successors, the Minamoto was dominated by the Hojo family who was content with allowing the Minamoto to be the face of the formal rulers. This created a three tiered system where the Hojo had real power, and manipulated the Minamoto who claimed to rule in the name of the emperor at Kyoto. In early 14th century the Minamoto tried to replace the Kamukura regime with their own regime, resulting in conflicts with the exiled emperor and the Minamoto. After this, civil and political strife was rampant and the collapse of centralized authority led to more conflict which ended with a division of Japan into many little kingdoms. F. To what extent did Vietnam and Korea accept and reject Chinese influences? The Koreans were able to resist Chinese control in the beginning, but after the fall of the Han and Koguryo, a wave of sinification began. Buddhism was the link between China and Korea and the Koreans adored the Buddhist art and buildings. Chinese writing and a unified law code like that of Han China was introduced. Universities were established so Korean youths could try learning the Confucian classics. The ruler tried to establish a Chinese style bureaucracy not unlike the Taika Reforms, but was rejected by the noble families and thus never happened. The Vietnamese put up more resistance than the Koreans because of their desire to hold onto their own identity and the fear of becoming part of China. They did trade with the Chinese but kept much of their own language and culture distinct. When Han China began to take over Vietnam, the elite of Vietnam allowed the agents of the Chinese regime to integrate Chinese culture into Vietnam. The usual sinification began that was not unlike Korea’s. There were sporadic revolts by Vietnamese aristocracy and ultimately frustrated the Chinese hope to assimilate their culture into the Vietnamese. G. Which classes and institutions were largely sinified in Korea and Vietnam? In Korea, the scholars and elites were mostly sinified. Although the peasantry did incorporate some parts of Buddhism into their lives, the elites and educated were mostly sinified; they made Chinese type bureaucracies and assimilating both the language and culture of Buddhism into their lives. In Vietnam, the lower class and higher class were more equally sinified than in Korea. The lower class adopted agricultural techniques to make Vietnam a heavy producer of agriculture. The Upper class took in political and military organization to help improve their fight against the neighboring countries. Schools were also built to educate the youth in Chinese scripts and made exams to qualify administration posts. H. How did Korea and Vietnam maintain political independence from China? Korea maintained political independence from China by the Koguryo resisting the invasion than seizing control when the Chinese control weakened. The warriors of Koguryo were heavily resistant to the Chinese conquerors at first, but were routed when the Tang allied with the Silla and demolished the Paekche and finally ended the Koguryo. The Silla however began to have conflicts with the Chinese that ended with the Chinese leaving peninsula and the Silla being a vassal of China. Vietnam had always been resistant to the Chinese even thought they were constantly attacked and finally conquered by them. Their struggle for independence was fierce and many uprisings occurred throughout the country. When political turmoil and nomadic attacks occurred in China, the Vietnamese tried to assert their independence. This didn’t fully work and in the end, a massive rebellion when the Tang fell made the Vietnamese fully independent. Vocabulary: A. Taika Reforms: Reforms instituted in 646 that aimed to completely change the imperial administration to resemble the Chinese absolutist style emperor B. Heian Period: A period where Buddhist monks became increasingly bold and powerful that a clever prelate almost married the empress. After this ordeal, the emperor fled to Heian, a new capital city and forbade any monasteries to be built in the city (Though the monasteries found a way around it). The Taika reforms were later abandoned and the aristocratic families were reinstated. Time when Chinese influence was reduced C. Kami: Nature spirits, Japanese word for divinity D. Bushi: Warrior leaders who controlled mini fortresses and built up their own army of samurai E. Samurai: Mounted troops loyal to the local lords and not to the court or aristocracy F. Seppuku: Ritual disembowelment, part of the death rather than defeat/capture G. Bakufu: Military government, literally meaning tent in Japanese H. Shogun: military leaders, like a mini emperor but not entirely I. Daimyos: Another way of saying Bushi but this was when Japan was divided into 300 small kingdoms J. â€Å"Gatekeepers†: Scholar gentry of Chinese civlization K. Sinification: Adoption of Chinese culture L. Tribute states: Separate states that recognize and give tribute to another state had conquered them M. Kowtow: Showing respect by bowing down to someone, originated in China Document Analysis: A. What ideas in the documents are: 1. Chinese?-The Chinese poetry mentioned that was exchanged in the first paragraph. The mention of a (most likely) Chinese tale of an emperor who had a wizard bring him a comb from his lost love. The painting of the Chinese Lady and the instrumentalist Chung Tzu-Chi are also Chinese ideas. The battle scene has Han and Chu type swords in them, both likely were swords from a period in China. The last paragraph has mention of one’s â€Å"filial† duty, something that most likely originated from the filial piety of China. 2. Buddhist (Indian)?-The Karma and debt mention in the first paragraph are Buddhist ideas. The abbot mentioned in the second to last paragraph is implied to be one of a Buddhist monastery. 3. Japanese?- The emperor concluded that the boy should be named either Minamoto or Genji, both Japanese clans. 4. Vietnamese?- The thought in the first document that the girl should not shirk her debt of grief to fate hints that she should remain strong, a Vietnam type development B. How are the documents similar? Different? The documents are similar in that they mention similar things. They show the influence of another country and of Buddhism. The changes brought by these influences are also shown. The documents are different in that the Tale of Genji has a female character which can suggest that females had more privileges in Japan. The Tale of Kieu shows more influence from many different states then in the Tale of Genji, which shows just one. C. What would account for the differences? The proximity with which the origin of the documents could have something to do with the influence it receives from neighboring states. Vietnam and Korea would show more influence from each other and China whereas Japan would have less because it is separated by ocean. D. How would you summarize the degree of Sinification of neighboring cultures? Korea received and kept a good amount of the culture of China. To this very day they have a similar culture and characters in writing. Vietnam did get some culture/technology from China but mostly rejected the idea. Japan received Chinese culture very well at first, but during the Heian Period, they rejected it. E. How have the Vietnamese and Japanese maintained their cultural identities? They resisted heavily against the Chinese and were able to keep their culture relatively untainted. After independence, they were able to nurture it with only a little bit of Chinese influence that was left over. Photo Essays: A. Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese cultures are syncretic blends of foreign and indigenous cultural elements. Identify these elements in the above photos: 1. Chinese- The first photo in pg 286 shows the influence of Buddhism, which, though Indian, was transferred by China. The photo in pg 290 shows a painting in a Chinese style with buildings with ceiling most likely made with tiles, a Chinese development. In pg 291, the art style, like in pg 290, is a Chinese type style. The landscape painting in pg 298 is a Chinese style with a little excerpt in Chinese in the top left corner. The photo on the right shows a Chinese building type with a curved roof. The photos afterwards show little if not zero Chinese influence/cultural elements. 2. Buddhist- The photo in pg 286 shows a Buddhist temple and garden. In pg 290 there is evidence of a garden in the background, which is a Buddhist development. In pg 291 there is also evidence of a garden. In pg 298, the Golden Pavilion is built with a curved tile roof, showing a stress of the simplicity in Zen Buddhism. The photos afterward show no Buddhist cultural elements. 3. Indigenous elements-The many open hallways in pg 286 show a Japanese touch to a construction that is both Chinese and Buddhist. The painting in 290 and 291 show a Japanese element in the trees (indigenous to Japan) and the highly decorated style of dress. The pitcher in pg 301, shows a nearly uniform Korean culture, since neither Chinese nor Buddhist pottery looks like this. In pg 304, there is a painting of the samurai, something only found in Japan. B. Compare and contrast western European and Japanese feudal military societies. Japan and European feudalism had a set of values that embraced most of the people in the system. They also had highly militaristic and many times went through long centuries of warfare from the feudal loyalties and rivalries. Both had virtues or codes that their warriors lived by. Feudalism also left both with a lasting effect, where the warrior class would outlast feudalism and run rampant throughout the country. In Europe however, the feudal system was based on contracts with each other whereas in Japan they relied more heavily on group loyalties. Europe also had parliamentary institutions unlike Japan, who had less institutionalized group thought. C. Compare and contrast the religious architectures of the Christians, Shinto, Buddhists, and Muslims. What elements are universal and transcendental, and which are local, ethnic, or particular to an individual society? Shrines and temples were common in all of these religions. They were all used by worshippers and were uniformly sacred. Buddhists had more gardens and aesthetic qualities. Shinto stressed that there should be simplicity and had curved roofs made by tiles. Christians had large stone churches that were huge in comparison to the other type of architectures. Muslim architecture was huge but not as much as Christians.

Thursday, January 9, 2020

Essay Maintain an Environment to Empower People with...

MAINTAIN AN ENVIRONMENT TO EMPOWER PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES Assessment 21382/01 Task 1 Answer the following questions and exercises: 1. Detail five (5) ways that you can support and encourage the independence and self determination of a person with a disability. * Assist people to maintain their dignity by maintaining existing valued social roles and by finding ways for them to gain more valued roles. * Respect the individual’s right to self-esteem and self-determination. It’s not just the right of able-bodied people, say something positive; catch them doing something positive. * Assist people in developing new skills and competencies by providing emotional and practical support. * Ensure they actively†¦show more content†¦5. How could you support a person to make more choices/decisions within their current environment? * By giving them more information and the experience of the range of choices and options that are available to them. Do not pressure the person being supported about what is their decision and give them time to think and decide. 6. Explain how the Federal Disability Services Act (1986) looks at the rights of people with a disability and assists them to achieve positive outcomes. * Federal Disability Services Act (1986) explains the right of the people with disabilities to be treated as equal, respect for their human worth no matter what culture, race, sex, whatever the origin, type and degree of disability have the same fundamental rights as other members of Australian society. People with disabilities have the same right as other members of Australian society to services which will support their attaining an acceptable quality of life. * In assisting them to achieve positive outcome the services focus on the achievement of the positive outcomes for people with disabilities, such as increased independence, employment opportunities and integration into the community. 7. What would happen in an organisation to a worker when there has been a seriousShow MoreRelatedEducation For All Handicapped Children Act1063 Words   |  5 Pagesand blatant discrimination disabled people were faced with. While these laws are a blessing to many, the fact that they had to be put in place reflect terribly, but truthfully on how many people see people with disabilities. My only hope is that one day these laws will be unnecessary, because people will start to treat those with disabilities according to their needs. IDEA; Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 1990 1. IDEA or Individuals with Disabilities Education, formerly known as the EducationRead MoreCorporate Health Case Study1454 Words   |  6 Pagesadvantage of a solid and fit representative. There are specific laws put in place to protect employees who smoke, who are plagued by obesity, and who are chronically ill. There is a loophole, and some companies. 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Wednesday, January 1, 2020

Essay on Racism in American History X - 936 Words

American History X is clearly a film dealing with racism. The interesting thing about this film is the way in which the subject is treated. First of all, it is obvious that, though racism is always a difficult subject to deal with, American History X presents it without any reservations or dumming down. Second, the films figurehead for racism, Derek Vinyard (Edward Norton), is not an unintelligent redneck racist as films often portray them, but is in fact well-spoken, charismatic and intelligent, although he clearly holds ideals that are terribly wrong. Finally, the film shows that it is not just the white, neo-nazi racists who are fools to be involved in this, but all racism is foolish. Through these methods, the film shows the viewer,†¦show more content†¦Derek’s time in prison shows the results of this terrible way of life, and from the moment he takes off his shirt in the outdoor workout area, revealing his huge swastika tattoo to the other neo-nazi inmates, he be comes involved in another horrible situation, resulting in his being raped in the showers when things go wrong. Perhaps the most tragic scene of the film is also its most effective in delivering to the audience, the emotional destruction that racism can cause. When Danny at the end of the film is shot repeatedly by a black student he had previously pissed off, Derek runs into the school, finds his brother dead, and his life and the lives of his family are changed forever. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;What makes Derek such a powerful and frightening character is not the fact that he is racist, it is the fact that instead of choosing a somewhat regular, backwoods, unintelligent racist as the films central character, Derek is well-spoken and bright. It is these qualities that allow him to recruit the youths of Venice Beach and form, with the help of his mentor Cameron Alexander, the entire white supremacist culture permeating the area. Instead of just telling them to hate black, hispanic, asian people because they are of that race, he makes speeches, telling them charismatically and passionately how these people are stealing their jobs, causing Americans to suffer a poor standard of living. 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