Industrial Relations Workplace Change (subject) Essay

Industrial Relations Workplace Change (subject) Essay Industrial Relations Workplace Change (subject) â€" Essay Example > Change modelsIntroductionEvery organization will occasionally experience the need for change in the management or organizational structures of the company. Proven application procedures need to be applied in the management of the changes that are likely to be implemented as such. Using a relevant approach to management of the same will ensure its successful management. According to Anderson (2009), change management entails a clear thought plan of methodologies and approaches, which are implemented sensitively. It further emphasizes the need for a clear approach and consultation with all the stakeholders involved in change or those who are affected by change. Palmer et al (2006) points out the fact that clear goal setting need to be exercised in any change management process. Each organizational management need to clearly identify changes that need to be done and define the limits of the change. In this paper, a discussion has been given focusing on the change management models th at are in existence today. The paper puts its focus in one model based on top/down approach, which has been identified as the key model that is best for analysis. SWOT (strengths weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis of this mode is also done in the paper. It aims at giving clearer understanding of this select model. As one reads along a case study of a selected company that has employed this change model in the past is also analyses in depth. The last section of this paper tries to justify the selected model as the appropriate models. Discussion is also given in this part focusing on the presented arguments as well providing a summary of potential limitations that this model might present in practice. Top-Down/Systematic ModelJohn Storey was the founder of the top down systematic model (Burke 2007). He identified this model as type one under which changes can happen in an environment or organizational scenario. The other models developed and advanced together with this model are the piecemeal, bargaining for change, systematic jointism and mixed models (Burke 2007). The Top-Down approach describes a well-organized model that is based on systematic approach to change. The model focuses on identification of procedures and application of the same procedures in a systematic manner using appropriate tools that would see to it that a desired change is realized. Systematic change model begins with the setting of goals or vision identification for the process of change. The need for change should be clearly described and defined. The model is a proponent of a well defined target of change that emanates from an organized group of management. It has few people involved in the decision making of change process and as such, this can be a cause for conflict. It, however, counteracts this setback by allowing constant reviewing and monitoring of the activities involved in the change process. A next stage is systematically entered after the achievement of the d esired results in the current stage of change execution (Hellriegel, Slocum, 2010). The other forms of change model also describe change procedures but put their focus in different perceptions. Type two models also referred to as the piecemeal describe a change in an organization in which different forms of communication practices are applied. Some of these communications forms include team briefings and open communication. Piecemeal approach describes the need in which the implementations and applications that are coordinated in a transparent manner. Bargaining for change or type three models is a proponent of accessions that describe working practices and conditions that are secured from different groups, which in turn are compensated well. As the name describe, it involves a lot of bargaining and use of negotiation techniques with opposing numbers. The aim is to arrive at an offer that is agreeable to both parties. There is no much difference between bargaining model and system atic jointism. In systematic jointism, bargaining is also done but differs in the form that a total package is put together after negotiations. The last model which is described as type-five describe a model in which no discrete initiatives or total packages are negotiated upon as in the case of type three and four models. This model proposes the continuous incremental and change of organizations structures and cultural elements until the desired change is arrived at (Hellriegel, Slocum, 2010).

Goya and Daumier Comparison - 1282 Words

I have found the realism arts to be very fascinating. The three pieces of art that I will be discussing are Francisco Goyas The Third of May, 1808 oil on canvas 8ft 9 in. x 13ft 4in, Eugene Delacroixs Liberty Leading the People, 1830 oil on canvas 8 ft 6 3/8 in. x 10ft. 8 in. and Honore Daumier, Fight between Schools, Idealism and Realism, 1855 Caricature The painting The Third of May, by Francisco de Goya, was done to commemorate the events of that took place during the Napoleonic Wars in Madrid, Spain on May 2 and 3 1808. The painting sets the scene of a man about to be killed by a firing squad. The bodies of those who have already been killed are scattered around him, and those that wait to be killed stand in line behind him. The†¦show more content†¦His art represented the reaction against previous conceptions of art and the desire for a new form of expression. In order to understand the scope of Goyas art, and to appreciate the principles which governed his development and tremendous versatility, it is essential to realize that his work extended over a period of more than 60 years. The importance of this factor is evident between his attitude towards life in his youth, when he accepted the world as it was quite happily, in his manhood when he began to criticize it, and in his old age when he became embittered and disillusioned with people and society. The world changed completely during his lifetime and the society, in which he had achieved a great success, disappeared during the Napoleonic war. Long before the end of the 18th century Goya had already turned towards his new ideals and expressed them in his graphic art and in his paintings. Daumiers made paintings and drawings of morals and manners that are highly original both in style and subject. He added contemporary Parisian types, lawyers, politicians, businessmen, professors, doctors and the petit-bourgeois to his list of subjects. He also continued to attack the government regime and any form of society that he found pompous or hypocritical. Daumier is among the outstanding draughtsman of the past two centuries. His skill in drawing links him to the Old Masters, but he was also much admired for his ability to use

Coca Cola - 1381 Words

Bill Jones, President Pamela Smith, Vice President Florida State College at Jacksonville Management Theory and Practices Abstract Jacksonville Consulting LLC is a small firm in Jacksonville Fl. In this paper we are using several techniques to do research on the Coca Cola bottling Company. The research is to be used to evaluate the environmental issues and work force diversity of Coca Cola, also strategies and recommendations on these issues will be explored. Introduction: Jacksonville Consulting LLC is a small firm located in Jacksonville Florida. The President of the firm is Bill Jones and the Vice President is Pamela Smith, At Jacksonville Consulting we specialize in helping companies with†¦show more content†¦(Essentials, 193) Coca-Cola needs to look at their role in addressing global challenges, in this case the purification and replenishment of the ground water in India. The Coca-Cola Company can use their influence to play a part in solving their issues and rebuild their relationship with the people of India. The Coca-Cola Company has put goals into place: Goal Progress Assess the vulnerabilities of the quality and quantity of water sources for each of our bottling plants and implement a locally relevant water resource sustainability program by the end of 2012. By the end of 2011, 612 of the 863 bottling plants in our system had complete source vulnerability assessments. 582 had completed source water protection plans, and 251 plans were scheduled to begin source vulnerability assessments in 2012. By the end of 2010, return the environment – at a level that supports aquatic life-the water we use in our system operations through comprehensive wastewater treatment. We aspire to treat all wastewater from our manufacturing processes. As of the end of 2011, we had achieved 96 percent alignment with our wastewater standards. By 2020, safely return to communities and nature an amount of water equal to what we use in our finished beverages and their production. We estimate we have balanced 35 percent of the water used in our finished beverages As managers take a leading role in bettering theShow MoreRelatedCoca cola1196 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Introduction Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants and vending machines internationally. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company in Atlanta, Georgia, and is often  referred to simply as Coke or (in European and American countries) as cola, pop, or  in some parts of the U.S., soda. Originally intended as a patent medicine when it was invented in the late 19th century by John Pemberton, Coca-Cola was bought out by businessman whose marketing tactics led Coke to its dominanceRead MoreThe Coca Of Coca Cola Company1674 Words   |  7 PagesThe Coca-Cola Company The Coca-Cola Company is one of the most famous industries throughout the world. It is known for its main product, Coca-Cola, which was invented in 1886 by John Smith Pemberton. The company has grown tremendously since 1892 when it was bought by Asa Griggs Candler. It has become the world s largest manufacturer, distributer, and marketer of nonalcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups. The Coca-Cola Company has been involved with popular music, movies, and commercials forRead MoreCoca Cola1534 Words   |  7 PagesCoca Cola Kalvin Williams MGT/445 August 23, 2010 Mr. Dennis Stroud Coca Cola The Coca Cola Company begins in Jacob’s Pharmacy selling for five cents. Many years have past and the Coca Cola Company remains the leader in beverages, syrups, and non-alcoholic drinks. The following paragraphs will discuss how a complete performance management system and annual performance appraisals at Coca Cola are different and how effective various performance appraisals methods and relevant problems affectRead Morecoca cola969 Words   |  4 PagesThe Coca Cola company is a long standing producer of flavored drinks. They are considered by many to be the original cola drink. The drink was created in 1886 by a pharmacist named John Pemberton. Coca-cola is sold today in over 200 countries and has over 500 brands. The company has sustainability measures in place and believes in philanthropic endeavors. The company offers internships to up-and-coming business students looking for an opportunity to work with one of the largest and most storied companiesRead MoreCoca Cola148 6 Words   |  6 PagesAn Effective Organisational Structure - Coca-Cola Company background The Coca-Cola Company is the world’s largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with nearly 500 sparkling and still brands. Coca-Cola is recognised as the world’s most valuable brand. The company’s portfolio includes 12 other billion dollar brands, including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, Vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid and Georgie coffee. Globally, Coca-Cola is the number one provider of sparkling beveragesRead MoreCOCA COLA1422 Words   |  6 Pagesindustry was Coca-Cola. They brought a new revolution in the history of the world. Coca-Cola is the most popular and biggest-selling soft drink in history, as well as the best-known product in the world. Coca-Cola invented in May 1886 by Dr. John S. Pemberton in Atlanta, Georgia. The name Coca-Cola was suggested by Dr. Pemberton s bookkeeper, Frank Robinson. He kept the name Coca-Cola in the flowing script that is famous today. Coca-Cola was first sold at a soda fountain by mixing Coca-Cola syru p withRead MoreCoca Cola And Pepsi Cola Essay1024 Words   |  5 PagesCoca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola are two companies who are control the industry of the soft drink. They are the companies who they have the biggest part in the soft drink market. Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola have four different components of the soft drinks industry value chain. They are concentrate producers, Bottlers, retail chains and suppliers (The Coca-Cola Company V. A. G. Barr Company Ltd,1961) Coca-Cola overview The one of the main company control in the soft drink industry market is Coca-Cola companyRead MoreThe Pepsi Of Coca Cola1476 Words   |  6 PagesHistory Coca-Cola was founded in 1886 by Dr. John S. Pemberton. After creating flavored syrup, he took it to his neighborhood pharmacy where it got mixed with carbonated water. Frank M. Robinson, Dr. Pemberton’s partner and bookkeeper, is credited with naming the beverage Coca-Cola. After a couple years, Dr. Pemberton began selling portions of his business. The majority was sold to Asa G. Candler who decided to expand the product to soda fountains outside of Atlanta, Georgia. From here, he noticedRead MoreThe Advertisement Of Coca Cola Essay1541 Words   |  7 Pagespopular way for advertisement. In this essay, I am going to analyze the advertisement of Coca-Cola in visual art perspective. Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink and it was created by a pharmacist named Dr. John Pemberton in Atlanta, Georgia in 1886. Originally, it is intended to be a patent medicine. According to the study of inter-brand’s best global in 2015, Coca-Cola was the world s third most valuable brand. Coca-Cola’s advertising has significantly affected American culture, and it is frequentlyRead MoreThe Pepsi Of Coca Cola1491 Words   |  6 Pagespop, for most people the brand that comes to mind is Coca-Cola. The bright red logo and classic bottle design are recognized not only throughout the United States, but also around the globe. As a large company that carries much influence, it is imperative that Coca-Cola is aware of the impact that they are having not only on their shareholders, but also all of their stakeholders and the world as a whole. The drink that is now known as Coca-Cola was invented in 1886 by a pharmacist in Atlanta. Dr

How Japanese Religion is Depicted in “Spirited Away” Free Essays

This can be seen as foreshadowing of what will happen further in the movie, when Choir is somewhat arced, or challenged, to leave behind her naivety and fear for courage and bravery to be able to handle what is to come in her future. The movie begins with a scene very similar to The Wizard of Oz – a turbulent trip followed by a strange Journey through spiritual and emotional growth, where the main character is in limitability. Choir and her parents take a wrong turn and follow a very rough secondary road to what they thought would be their home in the distance. We will write a custom essay sample on How Japanese Religion is Depicted in â€Å"Spirited Away† or any similar topic only for you Order Now This is what I believe to be the beginning of the display of Japanese religion, here statues, idols, and religious structures are seen. They end up at what appears to be an old abandoned shrine. This shrine is surrounded by tiny house-like structures, which the mother states are â€Å"spirit houses† for the spirits to live in. Everyone exits the car and decides to explore this abandoned area, which the father states might be an old theme park no longer in business. The family begins to enter a tunnel leading into the abandoned building. The travel portrayed by the family walking through a physical structure could be seen as the pathway between two orals, old and new. As the family goes through the shrine and emerge on the other side, they begin looking for food that they have smelled. When they find it, the mother and father sit down and begin eating, encouraging Choir to also try it. She feels something is not right, so while her parents are gorging on food, Choir explores the rest of the area. This is very symbolic individuals need to make the journey of spiritual growth on their own. She comes up on a huge bathhouse where she meets Master Haiku. The bathhouse is symbolic in Shinto religion, which refers jack to rural Shinto tradition of villagers and rural people to call upon the Kim (or spirits) to come out and bathe in their village baths. There is also symbolism in meeting Master Haiku, as he states â€Å"has known Choir since she was very little† – similar to what we see in the relationship displayed in Christianity or Hinduism between God(s) and the individual. It is after meeting Haiku that Choir begins her journey through this spirit world. Shortly after meeting Haiku, darkness falls and Choir sees that she is becoming transparent. Haiku finds her and tells her to eat food of this world† so she doesn’t disappear. This â€Å"food† was displayed in the movie as only a small berry. This berry is extremely symbolic, showing that one must take in (even Just small) pieces of the spiritual world to remain whole, or present, and to prevent from becoming transparent within the spiritual world. This could also suggest that without taking in â€Å"food† from the spiritual world, one simply becomes transparent and without substance within the real world. Haiku gives instructions to Choir as to how to survive this lamina Journey and leaves her. Choir is quite frightened but Haiku tells her that she will be reunited with her parents soon. This is another example of foreshadowing, as we do not know for certain at this point that Choir will be reunited with them, but it is clear to Haiku that she will definitely be reunited. Choir continues her Journey, begging for a Job in the bathhouse to prevent being turned into an animal or vegetable. This references the Shinto belief that everything in life is gift giving – human, animals, and vegetation. But in order to experience the Kim in all vegetation and animals, one has to be pure of heart and mind in such a way that is difficult to attain. This is present in our everyday lives, as we are aware and involved with animals and vegetation, but it is possible that we do not experience the Kim of these things because our hearts and minds are too engrossed and polluted by worldly events, possessions, and unnecessary things. To be able to experience this Kim, we must cleanse our spirits and minds, Just as Choir moved through the various parts of the bathhouse beginning in the very dirty AOL area, and moving through various cleaner parts of the bathhouse. During her time in the bathhouse, Choir meets many new characters. The black ghost-like creatures are the souls of the dead of those who had regrets or worries. This is symbolic, showing that the person must be present-focused in their lives to avoid this punishment. â€Å"No Face† is another character met within the movie. This character initially shows selfishness and behaves like a tyrant; growth of this character is seen very parallel with Choir and toward the end of the movie, No Face learns to be kind ND genuine and helps Granny to knit a harridan to keep Choir safe. Through the various tests that Yuba (the Witch of the bathhouse) puts Choir through, Choir is able to purify and cleanse her heart and mind in such a way that she grows spiritually and emotionally as a person. Through this growth, she is able to help Haiku remember his true identity. Although Choir was given an alternate identity (â€Å"Seen†) during her time at the bathhouse, she is also able to remember her own name, and is ultimately reunited with her parents. Once they have all returned to the car, Choir is the only one who remembers the Journey, though physical traces of dust and leaves on the car show that they have been gone for quite some time. Another Japanese cultural and religious perspective is seen in the fact that this is a very family-oriented movie. Everyone starts out together as a family, separates for some time while Choir learns to make selfless choices for the good of reunifying her family, then reunites at the end with Choir having gained the attitude that she will try to adjust to the new life for her family. How to cite How Japanese Religion is Depicted in â€Å"Spirited Away†, Papers

Things They Carried Essays (506 words) - Tim OBrien,

Things They Carried annon For young people, the Vietnam War is a thing of the past and they can only learn about it from second hand sources. In Tim O'brien's The Things They Carried, it becomes very apparent that the Vietnam conflict has proved to be one that many of the participants have not been able move away from, while getting on with their lives. O?brien shows that the conflict takes on a parasitic form that eats away on its victims for the rest of their lives. A parasite is defined as an organism that grows, feeds, and is sheltered on or in a different organism while harming its host. The war in this case takes the place of the organism, and the host becomes the soldiers. There are several examples of the parasitic nature of war through out the book. In one particular section, Tim O'Brien returns to Vietnam with his daughter. Twenty years had gone by, but it seems as though all of his thoughts are geared back to the time he had spent in the jungle so long before. The two of them travel all over the country, but before their departure, he returns to the field where he feels he lost everything. On this list he includes his honor, his best friend, and all faith in himself. For O'Brien, evidence of the parasite is not solely in his return Vietnam, but rather a constant personal preoccupation that seems to flow through the collection of stories. O'Brien shows how the memories of the war take on a parasitic form, and uses himself as an example. In the chapter ?Speaking of Courage?, O'Brien introduces a character by the name of Norman Bowker. In the story Norman finds him self home after serving his time in Vietnam. Even though he is back in his home town, things do not seem the same to him. The was seems to have put a new spin on his life. Most of the story he spends driving in circles while thinking about the war and his lack of place in his old society. The war becomes his whole life, and he feels as though he is to far distant from the town people for them to understand. The reader then finds out that Bowker commits suicide because the parasitic affect of his memories became to much for him to handle. There is another section in the book where a man named Jimmy Cross comes to visit O'Brien after the war. They talk of experiences and hardships, then it becomes apparent Cross has also been unable to totally move on with his life. There are still secrets, and they still weigh heavy on his mind even during his his every day civilian life. O'Brien never complains about these problems, but it is clear the they bother him a great deal. There are countless themes in this book, but one of the major ones is the after effects the war had and still has on the men that were there. It is clear from O'Brien's writing on Cross, Bowker, and himself is more than just story telling. In using these people he attempts to show what the war has done to the population of soldiers that participated in the conflict.

Ciscos Building of Brand

Ciscos Building of Brand Building a brand in a business-to-business context is different from doing so in a consumer market. The case study given about Cisco demonstrates this fact. When Cisco started its operations, its main target market was corporate bodies. It was selling its products to firms, which needed systems that could help them run more efficiently.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Ciscos Building of Brand specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The firm has however, grew exponentially over the last decade and it has come to appreciate the fact that consumer market can no longer be ignored. The approach taken by Cisco to build its brand when it was targeting other business units has changed following its decision to include consumer markets as part of its target markets. The approach taken to attract organizational consumers is different from the strategy taken to attract consumer markets. One of the difference comes in the way building the brand is concerned. When dealing with business-to-business market, the focus will be on the decision makers within the targeted firm. This can be the chief executive. In such cases, a firm will make an effort to ensure that the decision maker understands the brand and its superiority over other existing brands. This is because the decision maker is known (McNally Speak, 2011). It is very different from the case where the target market is a consumer market. In consumer market, the target audience is undefined. A firm will always try to build its brand by trying to communicate to everyone in the consumer market. This is evident from the case study given about Cisco. When Cisco was targeting other corporate bodies as its target market, it would focus on the main decision makers in the companies and sell its brand to them. This changed when it focused on the consumer market. The management realized that the only way of making its brand strong in the consumer market is to ensure tha t the public knows it. It is also apparent from the case that when targeting consumer market with the brand, more advertising would be necessary than when dealing with business-to-business market. When Cisco targeted organizational consumers, it found it easy to visit the companies and explain to the decision makers the importance of using their system. This changed when the firm expanded its market to include consumer markets. It had to use social and mass media to popularize the brand. Cisco’s plan to reach out to consumers is viable. For a long time, Cisco had been a popular brand in the United States and other regions around the world. However, it was very unfortunate that this brand was popular but most people did not know its specific products. This was understandable because the main target market for this firm initially was organizational consumers. The management would advertise this brand in the market, with their target being the decision makers in various organiza tion.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, this has to change given that it has decided to target consumer markets. The management must devise ways through which it can make its products known in the market. The plan to reach out to consumers is viable and very timely. In the past few years, the firm has been popular with its brand, and not its products. The management must make an effort to ensure that the popularity that the brand has generated is translated into popularity in all its products. According to Pride and Ferrell (2011), a firm can only benefit from its strong brand if its consumers are able to relate the brand with the products. This is the only way that a firm will be able to make its products gain a competitive edge over other firms in the market. Cisco has been keen on expanding its products line through acquisitions and takeovers. The firm ha s acquired many other firms that have helped it increase its market share and the products it offers in the market. It is therefore, prudent to ensure that whenever such acquisitions are made, the customers are informed about the new product that have been introduced into the market (McNally Speak, 2011). Cisco had depended on mass media to reach out to the customers. The television commercials were used to attract customers and inform them of any changes that could have taken place and the new products that the firm could have recently introduced. Currently, the firm has decided to use social media to reach out to the customers. The decision is very timely. This is because when targeting the consumer market, it is important to know the attractive market segments. The youth make the most attractive market segment for electronic product or any technology-oriented products. They get fascinated by the power of technology, and can easily make purchase of a product if they get convinced that it has what they need. This target market is easily found in social media such as Facebook, Tweeter and other blogs that Cisco has decided to use. This is a strong indication that this plan is very viable. References McNally, D., Speak, K. D. (2011). Be your own brand: Achieve more of what you want by being more of who you are. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers. Pride, W. M., Ferrell, O. C. (2011). Marketing express. Mason: South-Western Cengage Learning.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Ciscos Building of Brand specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More

Practice Speaking French Every Day

Practice Speaking French Every Day Daily French practice is a must since its only by practicing and using your French that youll be able to develop fluency, which occurs slowly over time. Aside from talking in French class and reading French books, there are a number of other ways you can incorporate French into your daily life. The basic premise is to use French whenever and wherever you can. Some of these ideas might sound silly, but the point is to demonstrate how you can easily introduce French into everyday situations. Thinking about French every day will help you learn how to think in French, which is a key element of fluency. You want your brain to go straight from seeing something to a French image, instead of going from object to English thought to French thought. Your brain will eventually process French faster, which facilitates fluency.   Fill your home and office with French Things Surround yourself with French things.  Make French labels for your furniture, appliances, and walls; buy or create French posters, and use a French calendar. French first Make French the first thing you see when you connect to the Internet. Set a high-quality French entity, such as  easy French news on Radio France Internationale, as your browsers default  homepage. Practice Your French If you know other people who speak French, practice with them whenever you can. Dont let speaking anxiety hold you back. For example, you and your roommate can declare Mondays and Fridays French day and communicate only in French all day. When you go out to a restaurant with your spouse, pretend youre in Paris and speak French to each other.   French Lists Need to make a shopping list or a to-do list? Do them in French. If the other people you live with speak French, write notes to them in French. Shopping in French When you go shopping, practice French with yourself.  For instance, count out your apples or your cans of tuna fish in French, look at prices and imagine how to say them in French. Routine French Think in French while performing routine actions. When walking to the refrigerator, think Jai soif or Quest-ce que je vais manger  ? Consider the conjugations of se brosser while brushing your teeth and hair. State the French name of each item of clothing as you put it on or take it off. Vocabulary Building Keep a notebook handy so that you can write down new words and keep track of ones you need to look up. This can also be part of a French journal or language scrapbook. French Internet If you use Windows, you can set your computer to display menus and dialogs in French. Mots flchs (Crosswords) Print out free mots flà ©chà ©s  and see how well you do. How Students Themselves Practice Speaking French Lets look at some of the great ideas students themselves have  for practicing spoken French. The following comments were taken from a French learning forum:   I challenge myself by picking a few objects around me and playing I spy with myself or others around me who also speak French. For example, I see an umbrella. Using circumlocution, I describe the item without using any of the words, such as pluie (rain), to give it away.  Because Im so self-conscious about speaking French, I find myself speaking it to my mother, who speaks no French. A live person allows me to put myself out there and I can practice my pronunciation without feeling so uncomfortable. Speaking to someone live forces me to form the word order in my mind along with the pronunciation. Ill say it out loud in her presence, then switch over to English so that she can understand me.I make sure to find things in French that really interest me so that it doesnt feel like school. The Internet is a great source because there are so many avenues to explore. I read reviews of things Im interested in, like books and movies. I go to French language message boards that deal with sub jects Im interested in. Ive also started a journal which is slow going but fun because I get to write about whatever Im interested in. I have books on tape in French and I listen to them while driving. I also have a teddy bear that a French friend gave me. When you press his jaws, paws or stomach he says things like Je mendors...Bonne nuit, or Aà ¯e  ! Ça fait mal; his left paw says Bonjour. Every morning, I touch his paw, he says Bonjour and I proceed to tell him, in French, my plans for the day. It gets me in the mood for French for the remainder of the day.  I try to skim the French newspaper Le Monde on the Web several times a week. If I have time, Ill read one of the articles out loud, which is difficult because the stories are written in fairly sophisticated written French, not in the style of a newscast. Occasionally, I play their aural stories. And I get daily and weekly horoscopes in French from Yahoo. They usually have a lot current French expressions in them.I listen to a series of Hachette pronunciation tapes, Phonà ©tique, in the background. I try to do the exercises, but they sometimes are ve ry difficult even when I can give them my full attention, and its easy to get frustrated. If the International Film Channel or the Sundance Channel is showing a movie Ive already seen, Ill try to keep that on in the background to see if I can pick up the French.  I often try to think of the French equivalent of something and articulate it, but Im often worried about speaking in phony French and  making mistakes, which would be easy to do since I havent studied French in quite some time. Were these ideas promising? If any seemed useful, try them yourself. The more you practice, the more youll train your brain to think in French. And over time, that leads to fluency.  Bonne chance.