Business Environment Reinventing Performance Management†Free Samples

Question: Discuss about the Reinventing Performance Management. Answer: Introduction The performance of any given organization is the key to its success or failure. An organization that does very little in making sure that performance of the employees is of benefit to the whole organization finds itself in a disadvantageous position. Employees are different. Even though there are employees who have the interest of their organizations at heart, there are employees who do not care at times and might not perform well in the workplace until they are pushed or forced to do so. Different organizations have different strategies that they employ when it comes to promoting the performance of the employees. Deloitte is a good example of organizations that have realized that performance in an organization is a major aspect that should not be ignored. The paper will be looking at the four core questions that reveal themselves after going through the case study of Deloitte and its ways of managing performance. Article summary Deloitte has seen the need to make sure that performance at the organization is taken to a higher level. The organization has seen that one of the best ways is to reinvent the way the management of performance is conducted within the organization. It is better to realize that when a team of employees comes together, they are likely to produce better results than when an employee works individually (Karatepe 2010). However, when it comes to managing performance, the employees are gauged at an individual level. The current approach used by Deloitte to achieve a high performance has not been effective and it is for this reason that the organization has seen the need to reinvent its strategies as far as performance management is concerned. Deloitte has used one of the unique methods of managing the performance of the employees. According to the management, the strategy is much simpler and looks at the needs of both the organization and the employees. It also accommodates all employees (Hancock, J; Allen, D; Bosco, F; McDaniel, K Pierce, C, 2013). The strategy does not only look at the interest of the organization, it also makes sure that despite the employees being pushed to performing better, there is a continuous learning process that makes the employees benefit as well. The system that Deloitte has been using in managing performance is one of the strategies that are used by many organizations from different parts of the world. Many organizations rate the performance of their employees at a yearly period. However, Deloitte has been doing it in a different way (Metcalfe, A; Margaret, B; Mariathasan, J Chiara, S, 2012). Besides rating the employees at the end of a year, each employee is allocated a counselor who helps the employee in knowing the best way to improve on the areas that were performed poorly. However, the organization has realized that managing performance once in a year is outdated. The modern business world is changing and competitiveness has been taken to a higher level (Hanan, 2010) To make sure that Deloitte gets to know about what motivates the employees to perform better, a research was conducted. The research showed that people are inspired differently to performing better. For example, the three groups of employees that were surveyed gave different reasons why they perform better. There are employees who believed that the mission of the company is an inspiration to them and motivates them in their daily activities. There are those who were motivated by the commitment of their co-workers at the workplace and there are those who associated their high performance with the freedom that is in the workplace. Deloitte realized that the only way that it would have managed the performance of its employees is by knowing the performance of each employee at an individual level (Goetsch, D Davis, S, 2014). At the workplace, there are different types of employees. Some employees are not good when it comes to accomplishing tasks. Such employees might hide behind the success of others and expect to be rewarded when others are being rewarded. It is for this reason that it is important to know how each and every employee performs. With such knowledge, it becomes easy to only reward those who deserve it rather than generally rewarding all employees (Mone, M London, M, 2014). Transparency is a virtue that should be held dearly by any employee. However, the study realized that transparency does not only come with the introduction of a working environment that is absent of physical walls. The study shows that the performance of the employees cannot be dictated by privacy. A research that was done in a hospital identified that the caregivers who attended to patients in the open were less productive compared to the caregivers who attended to their patients in enclosed areas. Such was an indication that performance is not all about transparency but about an individuals will (Evans, J Lindsay, J, 2013). The management would have thought that eliminating physical barriers would have led to employees performing better but that was not the case. One theory behind the study is that the physical protection of a working environment has its advantages. First, the employee is given time to research. A research gives one a blueprint that is useful in the process of solving the problem. The second advantage is the focus. When there are no interruptions, one tends to focus on the task ahead more than if there were interruptions. When people work together and are expected to handle individual tasks, it is important to give them enough time for themselves so as to make sure that they focus hence produce results that are beneficial. Digital transformation has also been named as one of the ways that can be used to improve and manage performance (Carter, M, Armenakis, A, Feild, H and Mossholder, K, 2013). Technology can be utilized to supervise and measure that physical performance of the employees. At the same time, it can be used in measuring the output and that might have an impact on performance management. Looking at the study, there are a lot of questions that emerge. However, only four core questions will be drawn from the text. The four questions are as follows; What is the relationship between leadership and performance management? What is the best way to manage performance? What are some of the factors that affect the performance of an organization? Does the leadership of an organization have effects on the performance of the employees? The impact of engaging leadership on performance, attitudes to work and wellbeing at work: A longitudinal study Summary The leadership of any institution has a lot to do with the performance of the institution. For many years, different leaders have employed different leadership styles and that has had effects on the performance of the employees in different ways. The well-being of the staff and their attitude is dictated by the leadership style that is employed in an organization (Metcalfe, A; Margaret, B; Mariathasan, J Chiara, S, 2012). To prove the theory that relates leadership and performance, a research was conducted. The study was aimed at looking at different types of leaderships and the effects they have on the employees performances. Some of the fields of leadership that were given much attention were leadership culture and leaderships capabilities. They were to be used to see how effective they are when it comes to organizational performance. The results were that leadership quality has a lot of effects on the staff (Atmojo, 2015). Though not directly, the leadership of an organization has an effect on the employees performances. Quality leadership motivated the employees, made them feel as part and parcel of the organization and gave them a positive attitude towards the organization and leadership hence motivating them to perform better. The topic of the article is relevant to the main article because they both tackle the same issue; performance management. Managing Performance: A Practical Perspective on Managing Employee Performance Summary At times, it can be challenging to manage employees with the aim of benefiting them and the organization that they work for. The responsibility is most of the times seen as a task of the manager. It is important for any organization to see its employees as just not laborers but as also an investment. With that in mind, the organization gets to appreciate the employees hence treating them with dignity and respect. Just the way an organization drafts a strategy and allocates funds to make sure that the strategy is effective, that is the same way that an organization should set aside money so as to make sure that different methods are used in order to motivate the employees to perform effectively (Mike, J Mark, S, 2011). There are different tools and methods that are used by organizations to manage performance. This article looks at the most practical methods since some methods are better when written down but too hard to implement. Some of the methods focused on are of benefit to the organizations and also employees. Appraisals, rewards, training, access to resources, goal setting, coaching, and feedbacks are some of the methods used (Mike, J Mark, S, 2011). It is important to note that all the methods are associated with leadership in any given organization since the absence of leadership would mean that there is no one to implement them. The article is related to the main article because it answers an important question from the main article. Factors affecting performance of hospital nurses in Riyadh Region, Saudi Arabia Summary Just the way there are methods to motivate the employees to perform better, the case is the same when it comes to limitations (Hanan, 2010). There are factors that affect the performance of the employees in an organization. One of the factors that are more common in many organizations is the working environment. The working environment in any organization must be conducive for the employees to be effective. Failure to that, an organization is likely to lose due to low performance. Personal factors also have an effect on how an employee performs. Some of other factors are marital status, years of experience, nationality, and gender. It is well known that one cannot exclude the personal lives of the employees from the workplace, therefore, the challenges that employees face at a personal level might have an effect on the performance of the employees. The article is related to the main article because it addresses the issue of performance. How do leadership practices influence nursing facility employee satisfaction? A multi-level structural equation model analysis of long -term care quality leadership practices Summary For employees in any given organization or institution to be effective, they must be motivated. In most cases, the people who are obligated to motivating the employees are the leaders. Therefore, if the leaders do not play their part, it is most likely for the employees to suffer (Mark, 2000). The healthcare industry is sensitive; this is because the employees are expected to save the lives of the patients. Therefore, there is a need for the leadership to make sure that the working environment is suitable for all employees. The practices of the leaders in place are of great concern as far as influencing the performance of the employees is concerned. For example, autocratic leaders are most likely to affect the performance of employees. This is because due to the fear instilled to the employees, they might end up cheating just for them to be on the safe side with the leadership. A leadership that listens to the employees and gives them a leveled ground is likely to benefit from their performance because such kind of leadership motivates the employees to work hard. The article is related to the main article because it addresses the matters addressed by the main article in depth. Bibliography Atmojo, M., 2015. The Influence of Transformational Leadership on Job Satisfaction, Organizational Commitment, and Employee Performance. International Research Journal of Business Studies, p.5(2). Carter, M, Armenakis, A, Feild, H and Mossholder, K, 2013. Transformational Leadership, Relationship quality and Employee Performance During Continuous Incremental Organizational Change. Journal of Organizational Behavior, pp.34,(7), pp. 942-958. Carter, M; Armenakis, A; Feild, H Mossholder, K, 2014. Corporate Social Responsibility, Customer Orientation, and Job Performance of Frontline Employees. Journal of Marketing, pp.78(3), pp. 20-37. Evans, J Lindsay, J, 2013. Managing for Quality and Performance Excellence. Boston: Cencage Learning. Goetsch, D Davis, S, 2014. Quality Management for Organizational Excellence. New Jersey: Pearson. Hanan, A., 2010. Factors Affecting Performance of Hospital Nurses in Riyadh Region, Saudi Arabia. [Online] Available at: HYPERLINK "https://search.proquest.com/docview/229702584/4130C8DED7FE4E70PQ/2?accountid=30552"https://search.proquest.com/docview/229702584/4130C8DED7FE4E70PQ/2?accountid=30552 [Accessed 19 April 2017]. Hancock, J; Allen, D; Bosco, F; McDaniel, K Pierce, C, 2013. Meta-Analytic Review of Employee Turnover as a Predictor of Firm Performance. Journal of Management, pp.39(3), pp. 573-603. Karatepe, O. (2015) High-Performance Practices and Hotel Employee Performance: The Mediation of Work Engagement. International Journal of Hospitality Management. 32, pp. 132-140. Korschun, D; Bhattacharya, C Swain, (2015) Corporate Social Responsibility, Customer Orientation, and the Job Performance of Frontline Employees. Journal of Marketing. S, 78(3), pp. 20-37. Mark, O., 2000. How Do Leadership Practices Influence Nursing Facility Employee Satisfaction? A Multi-Level Structural Equation Model Analysis of Long Term Care Quality Leadership Practices. [Online] Available at: HYPERLINK "https://search.proquest.com/docview/304608937/23B95A61493B4E13PQ/3?accountid=30552" https://search.proquest.com/docview/304608937/23B95A61493B4E13PQ/3?accountid=30552 [Accessed 19 April 2017]. Metcalfe, A; Margaret, B; Mariathasan, J Chiara, S, 2012. The Impact of Engaging Leadership of Performance, Attitudes to Work and Well-being at Work: A Longitudinal Study. [Online] Available at: HYPERLINK "https://search.proquest.com/docview/197378722/EFCFE14B6D3B49E8PQ/1?accountid=30552" https://search.proquest.com/docview/197378722/EFCFE14B6D3B49E8PQ/1?accountid=30552 [Accessed 19 April 2017]. Mike, J Mark, S, 2011. Managing Performance: A Practical Perspective on Managing Employee Performance. [Online] Available at: HYPERLINK "https://search.proquest.com/docview/884214960/189E871F961D4C66PQ/1?accountid=30552" https://search.proquest.com/docview/884214960/189E871F961D4C66PQ/1?accountid=30552 [Accessed 19 April 2017]. Mone, M London, M, 2014. Employee Engagement through Effective Performance Management: A Practical Guide for Managers. London: Routledge. Park, T Shaw, J, n.d. Turnover Rates and Organizational Performance. A Meta-Analysis. Shields, J, Brown, M, Kaine, S, Dolle-Samuel, C, North-Samardzic, A, McLean, P, Johns, R, Robinson, J, O'Leary, P Plummer, G, 2015. Managing Employee Performance Reward: Concepts, Practices, Strategies. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

The Good, the Bad and Descriptive Essay Topics for Grade 7

The Good, the Bad and Descriptive Essay Topics for Grade 7 The Descriptive Essay Topics for Grade 7 Chronicles If you are searching for tips about how to compose a descriptive essay, you've come to the correct place. Customized photo books reviews Some may find it beneficial to support. To develop a very good essay, you must learn the way to create an image of what you're speaking about in the reader's mind. Write a story about a unique day you've had or imagine you may have. In order to obtain admission, you will need to get a goal in mind. In either instance, you must express your thoughts about your admission based on the instructions. For many students, seventh grade is an amazingly significant transitional calendar year. A great grade to start would be to speak about different explanations for why folks want 7th visit a university. Essay writing comes in various forms. In addition, you may also have a look at our Argumentative Essay templates. Descriptive essay always includes creative writing, even when topic appears to be dull and boring at first. You need to be prepared to take care of any topic whenever you have the essay format. Before writing, you've got to understand the subject of your essay! Deciding upon an excellent topic for your essay is crucial. It is hard to select the topics for a descriptive essay. If you pick the right essay topic, you will write a fine research essay with no obstacles. Descriptive essay topics could possibly be either easier or more challenging. Following that, you have to choose the decent descriptive essay topics. Like the other essays, a descriptive essay will need you to produce a particular format to guarantee superior content. It is an essay that is bound to provide some sort of detailed information on a certain subject. It is a short paper which is all about describing or summarizing a topic. A fantastic descriptive essay comes out of a knowledgeable and imaginative mind. The Secret to Descriptive Essay Topics for Grade 7 You may also read your essay to other folks to obtain their feedback. Try out another topic and do the exact same 5-minute writing test till you locate a topic you know it is simple to write on. As soon as you have the topic, answer the question and after that support your answer with three or more explanations for why you believe it. There are a few great topics to look at when selecting topic for your argumentative essay. Possessing several topics in mind is going to be of help since you'll finally pick the ones that you own a lot to write about. Actually, you can describe a subject of any size and nature, but it's almost not possible to prepare an excellent descriptive essay in case you do not really like it. The moment you select the topic which suits you most, remember the reason you write your essay, concentrate on the most crucial details to tell about in your text and don't neglect the value of senses and feelings in your essay. The absolute most important thing here is to select among the most effective descriptive essay topics, as failing to choose a write topic will prevent you from turning in a wonderful essay. There's, naturally, a limit on the range of pages even our finest writers can produce with a pressing deadline, but generally, we figure out how to satisfy all the clients seeking urgent assistance. Our talented writers understand how to pick the best topics and customize to fulfill your teacher's demands. It's better to get exposed to unique topics as a writer as it offers you the experience and prowess in writing. If you don't have free time for picking research paper topics, you can ask our professional writers to aid you.

Research Paper Topics About Women and Sexual Approaches

Research Paper Topics About Women and Sexual ApproachesThe research paper topics about women and sexual approaches are for writers of all types of writing. Writing does not have to be confined to the rigid rules that are usually set up in formal academic works. You do not have to spend a lot of time on the outline or the introduction of your report or paper. You are free to move around as you wish in the final phase of your research paper writing.However, there are small research paper topics about women and sexual approaches that can make the work a little bit easier. So if you are new to writing research papers, or if you want to enhance your skills, the following topics might be of interest to you. Or maybe you might want to expand your knowledge on certain aspects that you have already learnt and researched before. It does not matter whether you are a female, male or even a parent that wants to give a useful viewpoint on child rearing or parenting. With these ideas, you can build up your knowledge and take the paper to the next level.One topic about women and sexual approaches would be child sexual abuse. In other words, your topic might be about how female predators may take the role of a child's father in this case and the need to be sensitive and caring towards the mother. For example, you might add your experiences with women who beat you and your partner and tell how you handled the situation when the perpetrator or the parent is a woman. You might also add details about some books that have been written on the subject and include them in your paper if the author has been able to give you some valuable information.Another topic of research paper topics about women and sexual approaches is how to deal with a mother or a caregiver who does not want to acknowledge the problem that is being faced by the mother. Many times a mother or caregiver will show extreme signs of depression. If you have some experience with dealing with the same, then use it to enha nce your paper. For example, you might write about how you had to confront a woman who repeatedly made threats in the face of your partner.One other topic about women and sexual approaches would be a subject about child sexual abuse. You might even go so far as to include some background about the child sexual abuse laws of your country. Some of the more advanced research papers often include this subject in their titles and outlines. If you have done your homework and your research well, you can include something like: 'An important aspect of the cases where a child is sexually abused is the fact that the offender frequently had a history of sexual offending'.A final topic about women and sexual approaches is pregnancy and sexual assaults. There are cases of female offenders when a mother is not a suspect. Sometimes there are some women who seem like they are not really capable of committing sexual offences, but when it comes to getting pregnant, they are completely different. So i t is important to investigate the past history of any prospective mother.One more topic about women and sexual approaches is how the medical profession deals with these cases. Women sometimes do not show signs of being a sexually active person. So there might be no need to engage the services of a private doctor for some women. You can tackle this on your own.Yes, the topics about women and sexual approaches are important because the reasons for women to commit crimes have a lot to do with their psychological state. They will come up with problems when they get pregnant, and sometimes they are embarrassed by this. The only way that the perpetrator will be caught is to take the psychological aspects into consideration.

What You Dont Know About Writing the Essay in a Given Time Period Struggles Could Be Costing to More Than You Think

What You Don't Know About Writing the Essay in a Given Time Period Struggles Could Be Costing to More Than You Think We try to prevent charging high rates for our services, as we do care about our clients despite their financial opportunities. To decrease the effort, together with time and money, you must to begin with consider a web-based company which is in Australia. Thirdly, evaluate service quality and the sum of money you're likely to spend for the specific project. This amount that's rewarded to the client is always useful as it can be utilized in the future to create payments to the service provider. At the exact same time, one ought to be able to network with men and women in the chosen professional field. There's no need to appear elsewhere! If you want more info about us, feel free to get in touch with our support team in chat, phone or email and we are going to be quite glad to aid you. If you opt to use our essay solutions, you can me 100% sure that nobody could ever know that you're an AnyCustomWriting client unless you opt to tell someone yourself. The 5-Minute Rule for Writing the Essay in a Given Time Period Struggles The initial 3 quarters are the realization that my previous fashion of writing doesn't get the job done here. Many folks stay in the past but never don't forget that there is an entire future to anticipate. A fantastic place to start is the UNC Writing Center. Most of all, don't attempt to do everything at the same time. Alison isn't only his class enemy but in addition his sexual antagonist. Jimmy Porter's anger against the previous generation is among the most important details of the play and it's to be mentioned that such exasperation and frustration was the most frequent characteristic of the post war cohort. A lot of people believe once you hit a present age you've learned everything that is necessary to know to be able to survive life but that's not accurate. Reality may often be a lot like a part of literature, in that a man or woman could possibly be going through exactly the same thing, or something similar, and be feeling the same manner. As an individual you being to develop into a more powerful person and realize however bad the situation it's possible to overcome it. Most men and women find relief for assorted kinds of anxieties by getting support from others. Sooner or later, however, remember that excellent writing doesn't happen by accident. Discover what your writing process resembles and whether there's a specific stage in which you tend to go stuck. You are able to also do a quick exercise routine to assist you truly feel awake. Fortunately, you just found a means to fix all your problems. Though you are not likely to be unsatisfied with the caliber of the paper, you can elect for free revisions in the event of necessity. As soon as your order was made, we'll assign your task to the ideal expert writer. Ask a great deal of questions of the individual who assigned you a bit of writing. In the instance of writing about America, there's no lack of information or topics to select from as will be brought out progressively. If you own a paper, the ideal spot to begin is with the written assignment itself. Your aim should be to compose a great essay, not a perfect one. Inside this essay, the significance of this 1 paragraph's impact to the whole story is going to be proven. Reasons to Choose Essay Services There are lots of reasons to go for essay services. You see, the conventions of English essays are somewhat more formulaic than you may think and, in various ways, it can be as easy as counting to five. 1939 marked the start of the Contemporary PeriodOf American Literature. When you order a paper here, you might be assured that each of the works are distinctive and written personally for you! The truth stays true, that there's a wide selection of similar essay writing services out there. It isn't just critical for providing the writers with a freedom to provide distinctive interpretations but has also provided universality to the characters as well concerning the themes in the area of literature. Search for examples of this type of writing.

Using the Sample Essay for a Successful College Application

Using the Sample Essay for a Successful College ApplicationAny student looking for a good sample essay can find one of these by searching online. This is one of the most used essay formats for high school students, especially those seeking a high level of success in college. Writing this type of essay should be of concern to every high school student as they try to find ways to better their grades and better their chances for entrance into the college of their choice.Nowadays, since more individuals want to enter college, everyone wants to take advantage of all of the great opportunities that await them. So why not use an essay to your advantage? In fact, for any student who is looking for a good starting point, you can probably find a sample in the forms that are available to give your ideas some solid grounding. For students who already have experience in college, they can use this to their advantage to improve their grades and ensure that they get into a good college, regardless o f what they had been going through in high school.One of the things that these forms can help with is the format of the essay. The essay needs to be of a length that is acceptable to your college. It also needs to be quite straightforward and easy to understand. Another thing that you should do is make sure that you get all of the information that you need from your college. This means having the correct deadlines, the right format, the proper format, and the correct length.When writing your own original essay, it is important to avoid some of the mistakes that can be made by other high school students. One of the things that you can do is to avoid writing the article yourself. The best way to do this is to turn in a sample essay to your college. Make sure that you make your essay as accurate as possible and in the correct form so that it will be accepted.You should also include this form of sample essay when you apply for the Gilman Scholarship. When you are writing your essay, mak e sure that you add a few helpful tips that you have learned. Your college should then provide you with advice on how to properly format the essay so that it meets the requirements for acceptance.While there are many different examples of this format, make sure that you do not forget to include your own example essay in your application. It is important that you have one of your own so that your college will be aware of your unique style. Another thing that you should always remember is that your writing must be clear and concise.So, don't forget to get a great example of a sample that is designed for college applications. By having one of these you will be able to write a great article and make sure that your college makes the best decision in your application.

Stoic Philosophy free essay sample

Which philosophy would you use as a guide for living? To look at the world through an emotional perspective is to look at the world in error. After learning the many different philosophies I can truly say that Stoicism made the most sense to me. If I had to choose one specific philosophy as a guide for living, Stoicism would be the one. The amount of past experiences where I can blame emotions for getting in the way of the right decision, or emotions stopping me from doing a certain task are endless, as Im sure it is for the average person. To make it plain and simple, Stoicism is to remove emotions completely. As we learned, emotions are what cause disturbance. I believe going through life and living by the Stoic philosophy, it will only benefit you and the way you handle situations. Without emotion your Judgment and thinking process will completely change. We will write a custom essay sample on Stoic Philosophy or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page You will become a clear thinker, and definitely unbiased. Pleasure nor pain will matter creating a monotone but overall better well being. I tend to agree that the removal of emotions and development of self-control to ife experiences could only benefit myself. From past experiences, I can say that your emotions can get the best of you. When emotions are in play, it can only alter your thinking process, creating confusion and error. For example, when I lost my older cousin at a young age due to a car accident, my emotions got the best of myself and my family. The fear of car accidents and traveling that was put into my head because of that tragic day stayed with me for years. Removing the emotion out of a situation ike that example I could have Just interpreted that death as Just the average Joe you hear about on the news or read in the paper, I wouldnt of had that fear stored in If I had to start living this lifestyle today, there are definitely a few things that you have to remember. Stoics presented their philosophy as a way of life, also a simple one. You have to remember the motivations of stoicism such as the things that have no moral value or the indifferents, virtue and control. A good example of indifferents s things that have physical value such as a house and clothing. Family and relationships have emotional value while your education and knowledge have intellectual value. And while those are things that you can have, virtue is something that must be done and myself must be virtuous while being in control. As I mentioned, we got to learn about multiple different philosophies. Everyone is entitled to their own answer to this test question, but after really getting to know the material, stoicism is the one that really clicked for me. Just from looking at some past xamples, or REALLY thinking about what matters and what is needed, stoicism can show the true purpose and meaning. Removing emotions doesnt mean youre a depressed person who doesnt care about life itself, but to have a different perspective on life and logic. Some might say Stoicism is not normal and that having no emotions isnt possible, but the removal of emotions would make certain things that you would get upset or excited over Just normal and the way life works. Now Im not saying I live by this every minute of my life but if I did have to choose one single

Biography of William Morris, Arts and Crafts Pioneer

Biography of William Morris, Arts and Crafts Pioneer William Morris (March 24, 1834–Oct. 3, 1896) was an artist, designer, poet, craftsman, and political writer who had a major impact on the fashions and ideologies of Victorian Britain and the English Arts and Crafts Movement. He also had a profound influence on building design, but hes better known today for his textile designs, which have been repurposed as wallpaper and wrapping paper. Fast Facts: William Morris Known For: Leader of Arts and Crafts MovementBorn: March 24, 1834 in Walthamstow, EnglandParents: William Morris Sr., Emma Shelton MorrisDied: Oct. 3, 1896 in Hammersmith, EnglandEducation: Marlborough and Exeter collegesPublished Works: The Defence of Guenevere and Other Poems, The Life and Death of Jason, The Earthly ParadiseSpouse: Jane Burden MorrisChildren: Jenny Morris, May MorrisNotable Quote: If you want a golden rule that will fit everything, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful. Early Life William Morris was born on March 24, 1834, in Walthamstow, England. He was the third child of William Morris Sr. and Emma Shelton Morris, though his two older siblings died in infancy, leaving him the eldest. Eight survived into adulthood. William Sr. was a successful senior partner at brokers firm. He enjoyed an idyllic childhood in the countryside, playing with his siblings, reading books, writing, and showing an early interest in nature and storytelling.  His love of the natural world would have a growing influence on his later work. At an early age he was attracted to all the trappings of the medieval period. At 4 he began reading Sir Walter Scotts  Waverley  novels, which he finished by the time he was 9. His father gave him a pony and a miniature suit of armor and, dressed as a tiny knight, he went off on long quests into the nearby forest. College Morris attended Marlborough and Exeter colleges, where he met painter Edward Burne-Jones and poet Dante Gabriel Rossetti, forming a group known as the Brotherhood, or the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. They shared a love of poetry, the Middle Ages, and Gothic architecture, and they read the works of philosopher John Ruskin. They also developed an interest in the Gothic Revival architectural style. This wasnt entirely an academic or social brotherhood; they were inspired by Ruskins writings. The Industrial Revolution that began in Britain had turned the country into something unrecognizable to the young men. Ruskin wrote about societys ills in books such as The Seven Lamps of Architecture and The Stones of Venice. The group discussed Ruskins themes about the impacts of industrialization: how machines dehumanize, how industrialization ruins the environment, and how mass production creates shoddy, unnatural objects. The group believed that the artistry and honesty in handcrafted materials were missing in British machine-made goods. They longed for an earlier time. Painting Visits to the continent spent touring cathedrals and museums solidified Morris love of medieval art. Rossetti persuaded him to give up architecture for painting, and they joined a band of friends decorating the walls of the Oxford Union with scenes from the  Arthurian legend  based on  Le Morte dArthur  by 15th century English writer  Sir Thomas Malory. Morris also wrote much poetry during this time. For a painting of Guinevere, he used as his model Jane Burden, the daughter of an Oxford groom. They married in 1859. Architecture and Design After receiving his degree in 1856, Morris took a job in the Oxford office of G.E. Street, a Gothic Revivalist architect. That year he financed the first 12 monthly issues of  The Oxford and Cambridge Magazine, where a number of his poems were printed. Two years later, many of these poems were reprinted in his first published work  The Defence of Guenevere and Other Poems. Morris commissioned Philip Webb, an architect he had met in Street’s office, to build a home for him and his wife. It was called the  Red House because it was to be built of red brick instead of the more fashionable stucco. They lived there from 1860 to 1865. The house, a grand yet simple structure, exemplified the Arts and Crafts philosophy inside and out, with craftsman-like workmanship and traditional, unornamented design. Other notable interiors by Morris include the 1866 Armoury and Tapestry Room at St. James Palace and the 1867 Green Dining Room at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Fine Art Workmen As Morris and his friends were furnishing and decorating the house, they decided to start an association of â€Å"fine art workmen,† which in April 1861 became the firm of  Morris, Marshall, Faulkner Co. Other members of the firm were painter  Ford Madox Brown, Rossetti, Webb, and Burne-Jones. The group of like-minded artists and craftsmen responding to the shoddy practices of Victorian manufacturing became highly fashionable and much in demand, profoundly influencing interior decoration throughout the Victorian period. At the International Exhibition of 1862, the group exhibited stained glass, furniture, and embroideries, leading to commissions to decorate several new churches. The pinnacle  of the firm’s decorative work was a series of stained-glass windows designed by Burne-Jones for Jesus College Chapel, Cambridge, with the ceiling painted by Morris and Webb. Morris designed many other windows, for domestic and  ecclesiastical  use, as well as tapestries, wallpaper, fabrics, and furniture. Other Pursuits He hadnt given up on poetry. Morris first fame as a poet came with the romantic narrative  The Life and Death of Jason  (1867), followed by  The Earthly Paradise  (1868-1870), a series of narrative poems based on classical and medieval sources. In 1875, Morris assumed total control of the fine art workmen company, which was renamed Morris Co. It remained in business until 1940, its longevity a testament to the success of Morris’ designs. By 1877, Morris and Webb had also established the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB), a historic preservation organization. Morris explained its purposes in the SPAB Manifesto: to put Protection in the place of Restoration...to treat our ancient buildings as monuments of a bygone art. One of the most exquisite tapestries produced by Morris company was The Woodpecker, designed entirely by Morris. The tapestry, woven by William Knight and William Sleath, was shown at the Arts and Crafts Society Exhibition in 1888. Other patterns by Morris include Tulip and Willow Pattern, 1873, and Acanthus Pattern, 1879–81. Later in his life, Morris poured his energies into political writing. He was initially against the aggressive foreign policy of Conservative Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli, supporting Liberal Party leader William Gladstone. However, Morris became disillusioned after the 1880 election. He began writing for the Socialist Party and participated in socialist demonstrations. Death Morris and his wife were happiest together during the first 10 years of their marriage, but since a divorce was inconceivable at the time, they lived together until his death. Exhausted by his many activities, Morris bean to feel his energy waning. A voyage to Norway in the summer of 1896 failed to revive him, and he died shortly after returning home, in Hammersmith, England, on Oct. 3, 1896. He was buried under a simple gravestone designed by Webb. Legacy Morris is now regarded as a modern visionary thinker, though he turned from what he called â€Å"the dull squalor of civilization† to historical romance,  myth, and epic. Following Ruskin, Morris defined beauty in art as the result of man’s pleasure in his work. To Morris, art included the whole man-made  environment. In his own time he  was best known as the author of  The Earthly Paradise  and for his designs for wallpapers, textiles, and carpets. Since the mid-20th century, Morris has been celebrated as a designer and craftsman. Future generations may esteem him more as a social and moral critic, a pioneer of the society of equality. Sources Morris, William. The Collected Works of William Morris: Volume 5. The Earthly Paradise: a Poem (Part 3). Paperback, Adamant Media Corporation, November 28, 2000.Morris, William. The Defence of Guenevere and Other Poems. Kindle Edition, Amazon Digital Services LLC, May 11, 2012.Ruskin, John. The Seven Lamps of Architecture. Kindle Edition, Amazon Digital Services LLC, April 18, 2011.Ruskin, John. The Stones of Venice. J. G. Links, Kindle Edition, Neeland Media LLC, July 1, 2004.William Morris: British Artist and Author. Encyclopedia Britannica.William Morris Biography. Thefamouspeople.com.About William Morris.The William Morris Society.William Morris: A Brief Biography. Victorianweb.org.