The Last Samurai

1) Japan. The end of XIX  century,  Capt. Nathan  Algren(main character), an American  military officer  hired by  the Emperor of Japan  to train  the country's  first army  of the rising sun  to contemporary art  of warfare. The Emperor  is trying to  eradicate the  ancient  Imperial  warrior  class  of samurai, in preparation for  a more  pro-Western  government policies  supporting  foreign trade. Meanwhile,  as a result of  collisions with the  samurai,  Algren  finds himself in the center of  the confrontation  of two worlds and  civilizations,  where  the only way to  survive  is  guided by  its own  concept  of honor. ) Nathan Algren: What do you want? Katsumoto: To know my enemy. Nathan Algren: I've seen what you do to your enemies. Katsumoto: Warriors in your country do not kill? Nathan Algren: They don't cut the heads off defeated, kneeling men. Katsumoto: General Hasegawa asked me to help him e nd his life. A samurai cannot stand the shame of defeat. I was honored to cut off his head. Katsumoto: And who was your general? Nathan Algren: Don't you have a rebellion to lead? Katsumoto: People in your country do not like conversation? Nathan Algren: He was a  lieutenant colonel.His name was  Custer. Katsumoto: I know this name. He killed many warriors. Nathan Algren: Oh, yes. Many warriors. Katsumoto: So he was a good general. Nathan Algren: No. He wasn't a good general. He was arrogant and foolhardy. And he got massacred because he took a single battalion against two thousand angry Indians. Katsumoto: Two thousand Indians? How many men for Custer? Nathan Algren: Two hundred and eleven. Katsumoto: I like this General Custer. Nathan Algren: He was a murderer who fell in love with his own legend. And his troopers died for it.Katsumoto: I think this is a very good death. Nathan Algren: Well, maybe you can have one just like it someday. 3) Differences  between the two culture s  of these countries  are very strong  as we  can see in  the dialogue, Nathan Algren  protagonist  does not understand  what Katsumoto,  the rebel leader  says,  but  only in  the beginning and  at the end of  the film  author  quite  clearly shows  how Englishman understood the ancient culture of  Japan. In this film  the best  scenes  is a  heroic  death,  let's say,  three hundred  Japanese who encountered  by continuous  fire from the  guns and  howitzers.Here  we are talking about  personal  valor and military honor,  above all,  including –  devotion to  their ruler  or  lord. The human  personality, which remains independent and free, even in  the moment of death,  when  made   a conscious choice  between  fame and infamy,  is  the main measure of  value. And this,  director  showed  the viewers by  eyes  of the protagonist,  a foreigner. The fact that he   has mastered the  culture which he didn’t know at all   and  in the end  decided to be  for it. 4) Finally, I want to say that the main principle of survival in the harsh environment of foreign life is adaptation.And I chose this film because there are clearly shown and gradually as the main character throughout the film get used to the Japanese environment. The protagonist, taken prisoner by samurai, gradually turns into a samurai. Contemplation of people indifferent to his own death, talks with rebel leader Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe), stating that the person who saw the perfect shape of a flower, has lived a life not in vain, a clear rhythm and strict rest of life around make from American captain a new man.He understands why his former enemies’ absolute hero – not the one who kept the army and strategic positions, but the one who led a detachment of 211 troops against the two thousandth. And he understands why Katsumoto smiles happily when he hear d that all 300 soldiers were killed Spartan  at Thermopylae; he understands why widow of killed by him Samurai nursed him after being wounded – killed for a fair fight can not be an enemy. And, realizing this, Olgren wears the captain samurai armor, stands in order of their recent opponents and comes with a sword against guns and howitzers.Predetermined outcome of the battle, but it absolutely does not matter: death – only worthy end of life as a single ceremony of honor. Therefore, before the final battle, the protagonist offers a simple truth, which requires a long way to me: fate can not be change or submit- the fate amenable to recognition only. University of International Business and Economics The Last Samurai Intercultural communication Student: Farrukh Khamraev ID: IUP2010070 Date: November 29,2011 Beijing, 2011

Novel and Robinson

Religion: A Trivial Conundrum Religion in fiction, much like religion in politics, has grown to be considered taboo. Religious characters are often expected to be comedic and used only as experimental or secondary. Their only true attribute is that of piety, playing on old stereotypes to drive the characterization. In a world where being politically correct gets in the way of day-to-day talk, approaching controversial topics in any form of writing can be seen as potentially unprofitable, too risque. The competitive market of publishing doesn’t allow room for mistakes anymore and it’s easier to stay on the safe route than to stray on alternative, smaller – often more interesting – roads that may or may not lead to success. This makes literature that deals with the religious on a primary level all the more rare and exciting to read. Marilynne Robinson’s Gilead is one such example. Religion is indisputably in the forefront of this tale and, although it may not be the catalyst of the narrator’s writing, it is, without a doubt, one of Gilead’s main themes. The novel’s very format is even done in such a manner that its sole goal seems to emphasize the holy, the divine – religion, in particular, Christianity. The novel is written from the perspective of John Ames, an old Reverend, on his deathbed, writing his final words to his then seven-year-old son in the form of a letter. A writer his entire life, Ames uses his best tool as a measure to insure that his son know something of his life, even if Ames has passed away years before the son ever gets a chance to read the letter. The novel reads somewhat like a diary, a spiritual one at that. At every corner scriptures are referenced or Ames’ faith somehow fits into the narration. Robinson very easily transmits Ames’ constant remembrance of Christianity by plucking in allusions to God, the Church, or his work, not to mention the almost over-usage of the word â€Å"Christlike†. Religion very early on is dealt with as an important subject and as the book continues, it gains more and more time in the spotlight. While initially one could think that the novel would focus less with the nature of Christianity, since Ames even says that he does not with to persuade his son to follow his footsteps in the Ministry – even if he does point out some of its â€Å"advantages†[1] – as it roles forward, the focus drifts ever closer to God and how the world itself reminds Ames of the sacred. The narrator’s descriptive tendencies, in themselves are also a way Robinson finds to allude to the religious. They are Ames’ way of referencing God’s work, attempting to capture the magnificence that he sees in the world, and transmitting it to his son via words, much like God did to Moses. All that is beautiful, all that is right, it would there seem, is thanks to the Almighty. Robinson uses a very poetic tone in her writing of this novel, which helps connect the secular with the divine and emphasizes even more the novel’s religious nature. As Robinson herself said in an interview, â€Å"both poetry and theology push conventional definitions and explore perceptions that might be ignored or passed off as conventional, but when they are pressed yield much larger meanings, seem to be part of a much larger system of reality. † [2] A poetic diction, therefore, lends to the reader more easily identifying with the holy. It is easier to connect with the abstract when using a language that lends itself more readily to emotions and ideology rather than straightforward storytelling and facts. In this manner, the non sequitur tendencies of the novel also lend to the goal of lifting the reader to a theological level. Robinson also has Ames mention poets such as John Donne and George Hebert, stressing the importance of the lyrical. The poetic quality, additionally, is not presented in an overly romanticized fashion, but more as a part of Ames’ view of life. He speaks of the world as God’s masterpiece and, has small details such as, â€Å"smell[ing] the rain†[3] or â€Å"a bubble float[ing] past [a] window, fat and wobbly and ripening toward that dragonfly blue they turn just before they burst,†[4] take on holy connotations to the reader’s. The mortal and divine worlds seem to mesh in Ames’ head – perhaps the consequence of being so close to death. In fact, at times, Ames seems to speak as though he had already passed on, operating from a dead man’s point of view. For instance he says that â€Å"it is actually hard for [him] to remember how mortal [he] is those days. There are pains†¦but not so frequent or even so severe when they come that [he is] as alarmed by them as [he] should be. †[5] As a Reverend, Ames does not fear death, so he allows himself to be swept away with its beauty perhaps a little sooner than he should. His tone is therefore somewhat omniscient, which leads to his sounding rather obnoxious, although that may be a trait that one reserves the right to in old age. The father-son dynamic is also intrinsically important in Gilead. The whole point of Ames’ writing is to find a medium through which to communicate with his son. He aims, through storytelling and somewhat sporadic advice, to give his son some sort of a guide for life. Basically, Ames writes his son his very own, personal Bible. This may seem like a fairly conceited venture for a Reverend to undertake, and one can see from Ames’ voice that he is, even if he denies it, not the humblest of men. At many points throughout the novel, such as when referring to his wife and his grandfather as people God may like to spend time with,[6] Ames ends up comparing himself, to some extent, with Jesus Christ; essentially calling himself Godlike. Humble, he is not. He even reaches the point of informing the reader that in sheer quantity, he has written as much â€Å"Augustine and Calvin. [7] He does so in the calmest of tones, yet still with an undeniable desire to spark some awe in his son. Confusingly, however, he still believes that his life â€Å"does not compare with [his] grandfather’s. †[8] It would seem that a man of the Church would hold God to the highest of esteems, but his grandfather seems to beat out the old white man in the sky at times. Ames views his grandfather in an almost unrealistic idealized view. Even when he criticizes him, the tone is lighthearted and almost playful. At one point Ames goes as far as relating the thunder and lightning striking in the sky with God â€Å"tipping [His] hat to [John Ames’ grandfather]. As if to say, Glad to see you here in the stands Reverend. †[9] Yet, their relationships are hard to pinpoint and Ames’ reverence and faith in God is indisputable; which lends to a quite confusing reading of the book. All the major conflicts and drives in this book seem to regard the father-son relationship. From the desire that leads John Ames’ to write his letter, to the multiple stories about his own father and grandfather, even to Jack Boughton’s struggled relationship with his own dad. Ultimately, it seems that all the referencing to father-son relationships is Robinson’s way of emphasizing the father-son condition human beings have with God. He is the ultimate parent – the nurturer and the punisher, the constant in one’s life. All the various conflicts, â€Å"daddy issues,† and stories in the novel are therefore metaphors and allusions to the larger, more important questions human beings are faced with and their own tribulations and worries with dealing with the theological. Religion is a family affair in the Ames’ household. As John writes his letter, he is already the third consecutive generation of Reverends in his family. He speaks of religion as his vocation, deems himself to have been lucky to have had the Church in his path. The only â€Å"stray† of the Ames is John’s brother, who was initially raised to follow in his father’s footsteps. However, after the brother’s turn to atheism, John seems to take it upon himself to fill his unworn shoes. And now, years later, when John is close to departing this earth, he once again takes it upon himself to continue his family legacy; eternalize his family’s contributions to Christianity in the form of a letter to his son. To John, his family life is undoubtedly linked inherently with his religious one. For example, Ames says that â€Å"A man can know his father, or his son, and there might still be nothing between them but loyalty and love and mutual incomprehension. †[10] Right before this phrase, he speaks of how there are things that he preaches but nonetheless truly does not understand. He very smoothly transitions from religion to family, almost as if in his mind, there were not a clear distinction. This goes to aid the idea that all the familial conflicts in the novel are there as a tool for Robinson to constantly remind the reader of Christianity and its importance in one’s life. Ames writes his letter to his son as his way of carrying on his existence, eternalizing his memory, emphasizing religion’s importance. Ultimately, it does seem that religion is infused in the story not only as plot device and characterization but also with deeper intents from Robinson’s part to spread her faith. The father/son dynamic therefore serves much more as a subtle way of perpetuating the divine in the mundane world. It is much easier for a reader to relate with human emotions and domestic troubles than directly with the divine and celestial. Gilead’s story therefore, is only a means to an end – the glorification of Christianity. While writing this book, Robinson may have very well set out with the intention of spreading the Protestant or Christian word, diffusing is subtly through fiction into the American subconscious. But even if she does, she manages to do so in a peculiar and original manner. She follows the school of the Iowa’s Writer’s Workshop which goes very much against Post-Modernism and believes that a plain style is preferable to an overly decorated one. Nonetheless, Gilead does not have the sound or feel of an obsolete book. The voice is meant to be that of a man from the 1950’s and the novel could have very well been written in that decade, but there is still something quite refreshing and original about Robinson’s style. The tranquility with which she treats the theme of Religion – like it’s just a fact of life – makes so that the preaching really does just sound like fatherly advice. This novel potentially could get quite overbearing with religious undertones but the human-relationships-factor retains enough vitality and presence to overpower it. The metafictional, first person narrative, also brings about the question of reliability. Ames speaks with a certainty that only age brings, he admits ignorance at many points, but they only seem to emphasize his own self-awareness. At some points in the novel, the first-person voice even seems to mix with that of Robinson’s herself. â€Å"I believe I’ll make an experiment with candor here†[11] says John Ames, yet as a reader, I find that Robinson’s own voice resounds through this phrase. It would thus be logical to conclude that Ames’ view of the world, and his desire to spread Christianity onward would coincide with Robinson’s own desires. Even if with ulterior motives, it takes audacity to take a subject as controversial as religion and place it in the limelight of a novel. In an age of Post-Modernism (or is it Post-Post-Modernism? it is almost uplifting to find a piece of work that isn’t trying to take satire and irony to the next level. By strictly following an old-school agenda and format, Robinson manages to be more innovative that most other modern writers – almost in the way fashion repeats itself every few decades and old styles manage to be more cutting edge and modern than that which used to be the next-new-trend. People may criticize Robinson for infusing too much religion and personal agenda into her novel, but in the end, she is still one of the few that manage to do this without sounding overly or even overtly preachy and patronizing. This in itself is modern and forward thinking. Taboo subjects are usually those that are most interesting and worth discussing, so we can’t let public perceptions and social fears impede us of sharing our opinions – whatever they may be. ———————– [1] Marilynne Robinson. Gilead. New York: Picador, 2004. 23 [2] Interview with Missy Daniel. Marilynne Robinson. Religion and Ethics   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Newsweekly. PBS. 9 Oct. 2006 . [3] Robinson 35 [4] Robinson 9 [5] Robinson 75 [6] Robinson 30 [7] Robinson 19 [8] Robinson 39 [9] Robinson 46 [10] Robinson 7 [11] Robinson 7

Religious and Ethnic Groups

Islam religious groups differ from other religious groups in different ways. Islam is the belief that the purpose of their existence is to love and serve god. They believe that Jesus, Abraham and Moses are prophets and that is what makes them clash with other beliefs. There god is Allah and they believe that they should pray only five times a day at certain times. Islam and Christianity have not had very good experiences. Muslim followers do not get along with Christian followers because of beliefs. Muslims believe that Jesus was only a prophet but Christians believe that he is the son of god and worship him as god not as a prophet. These beliefs have led to many problems in the Middle East where Muslims prosecute Christians because they are Christian and do not share the same beliefs. Islam has contributed to the American culture by showing everyone that it is okay to be different and to believe in different things. Everyone knows that Muslims were responsible for the 9/11 event. I think ever since then Muslims have been looked at in a different way and have been discriminated because of this event. 9/11 was a very tragic event and it caused a lot of pain and suffering for America. I understand how that can leave Muslims to be treated differently and discriminated against but regardless not every Muslim person is bad and deserves to be treated differently because of this event. No one should have to pay for someone else’s mistakes. Also the Boston marathon bombing was another event that Muslim was involved. Not necessarily a Muslim from the Middle East but still a Muslim follower. People associate them with violence and bombing and that they hate America, but not everyone that falls within that group is a bad person and follows this route. Being able to learn more about Islam groups helped me understand more about their people and culture. I understand their beliefs and why they choose to do the things they do. The racial/ethnic group I chose was African Americans. These are people that are of African descent. They differ from others because their ancestors were slaves and they were discriminated against for a very long time because of their skin color. African Americans had to fight for their freedom and break away from slavery. They were treated badly and discriminated against to the point where people became prejudice against them. African Americans have many contributions to the American culture. They have taught us that no matter your skin color we all deserve to be treated the same. They have provided us with great talent such as sport talent , musical talent , leadership etc. some of the greatest people in history were African American such as martin Luther king Jr. , Michael Jordan, Rosa parks, president Obama and the list can go on forever. All of these great icons each contributed something to our society and made it what it is today. The prejudice and discrimination was a part of African Americans lives. They were slaves for many years and treated so horribly by slave owners and people in general. Their ancestors suffered on a daily basis and were treated as if they were not humans and do not deserve to live. Thankfully that has past but I still do believe that because of those events people still to this day don’t always accept African Americans. Some people are still prejudice against them; typically find these people in the south which is where the slavery mainly took place. All that I have learned about this group has helped me to understand them and appreciate them even more. A lot of my close friends are African Americans and to know that I am friends with such great people is an honor. I would never treat anyone differently because they don’t look like me no matter the circumstances everyone should be equal. The prejudice and discrimination that both Islam and African Americans experienced is somewhat similar. I believe that they are both discriminated against because of the idea and stereotypes that society has created for their groups. These two groups also are discriminated against because of the way they look and their skin tone. They are different because Muslims are discriminated against because of certain actions that other group members have decided to take part in. African Americans were discriminated against because their ancestors where slaves and they had no control over that because that’s how it was in the past. Discrimination from what I can see is mostly about skin color and differences in cultures and in origins. These groups are perfect examples of this.

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Agrarian Domains - Essay Example The legal system and police encouraged segregation. However, beyond the legal system, there was often a potential risk by the terrorist aggression. The Ku Klux Klan, Knights of White Camellia, and other fanatics assassinated thousands of blacks and several whites to stop them from voting and taking part in public life (Stonaker & Shepard, 12). Execution was one of the major ways of violence. Between the year 1884 and 1900, white gangs assassinated approximately 2,000 blacks in the south. The gangs also burned them alive, shot them or even beat them to death. The perpetrators also executed blacks for any defilement of the southern rules and regulations (16). The southern states approved laws in the middle of 1800’s that obliged different accommodations for blacks and whites in schools. They also approved laws for different public transportation systems, courts, libraries, and cemeteries. Additionally, they also approved that no black man would be put in a similar insane shelter with the white man in every southern state. Popularly, all the above laws were collectively referred to as Jim Crow laws (Schultz & Tishler, 5). The first step towards the fight for elimination of legal segregation occurred when colored people, factions of African Americans and some European activists collaborated to fight segregation of trains in New Orleans. In 1905, W.E.B. Dubois led a number of Black activists at a meeting convened in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada to plan tactics for elimination racial segregation and advocate for racial equality. In the year 1909, this meeting by black activists became the Niagara Movement, which led to the formation of National Association of the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). This association concerted its efforts to fight for the rights of colored people and challenging racial segregation in courts (Stonaker & Shepard,

Bang and Olufsen Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Bang and Olufsen - Case Study Example The main elements in this understanding were an acknowledgment that simply producing televisions, radios, and other such traditional electronic devices would not suffice in the contemporary cultural and design climate. In this new world companies would increasingly have to adhere to virtual spaces in determining both design and product innovation. Even as Bang and Olufsen has developed a reputation as a modern day innovator in terms of cutting-edge design practices, they also have a long history of production excellence. The company began in 1925 building radios for family friends. The company resisted aiding the Nazi’s in the Second World War and experienced tremendous strife for this decision. They then became regarded as ‘The Danish Quality Brand’. With the upsurge in Asian manufacturing competition, the company recognized that securing a firm market share required significant innovation. It was during this period that they moved towards a design first strategy, bringing on first-rate architects and designers. This business approach persisted until the 1980s when increased Asian competition demanded further innovation. During this period the company overhauled their distribution methods. ... In classifying the type of innovative that Bang and Olufsen had undergone, one must consider their design process in relation to the companies overarching strategic perspective and approach. Bang and Olufsen established themselves early on as committed to quality and sound product development. This trend continued until the later part of the 20th century, as the firm progressively moved towards innovative design processes to establish market differentiation. As noted earlier, with Apple’s innovative product development and the explosion of Internet technology, for Bang and Olufsen to retain s significant market share it was required of them to not only maintain significant design standards, but to increasingly consider the means of innovating software. One telling quote in these regards was made by the company’s CEO Torben Ballegaard who stated, â€Å"It’s like insulin in the human body; too little and you die, too much and you die† (pg. 2). In these regar ds, Ballegaard was referring to the notion that in overcapitulating to the technological development trends established by Apple and to some degree Microsoft, the company could lose the foundation that brought them to market prominence to begin with; of course, the converse of this, is that in neglecting these technological currents the company could be deemed irrelevant and experience ever dwindling profits. The company’s response to these product challenges was through hybrid strategic, design and product innovation. In many regards, the company believed that its process format was conducive to innovation and product development it was just that this process needed to be shifted to reflect the current cultural climate. In these regards, the case analysis notes, â€Å"Sorensen

The Ocean at the end of the lane Research Paper

The Ocean at the end of the lane - Research Paper Example The book begins with a funeral taking place and ends with death. Neil Gaiman uses stories to keep the dark at bay. He also believes that the stories that are most effective are the ones with plenty of darkness within them. He effectively uses this throughout the novel. The narrator in this novel remains unnamed, he returns to Sussex to bury his relative, who is also unidentified. At one time while driving to visit the house he once lived in, he finds a lot of changes that one might only expect to occur after passage of many years. However, one thing that has not changed is a red-brick farmhouse that was once inhabited by Lettie Hempstock, his childhood friend. The book blends children’ and adults’ world and also blends reality and magic. The writer creates a dream universe which is made up of a ghost world characterized by lurking monsters and shadows. This world is seen through the eyes of a seven year old hero, Sussex and the afterlife, monstrous and magical, mundane and supernatural, a father-son conflict later and the clash of gods (Neil, 2013). He introduces another character who commits suicide in a car after been overcome by guilt of gambling away a lot of savings. The narrator then meets Lettie, a strange, self-confident country girl. The writer brings in a theme of association between money with death. Lettie and her family are creatures who only exist outside of time so as to prevent destruction caused by malevolence like the one of the suicide. This theme becomes clearer as Lettie introduces the narrator to duck pond, which she calls an ocean and in it floats a fish that has choked to death. Mystery starts to come in when the narrator one morning wakes up and mysteriously finds a shilling stuck in his throat. He immediately thinks the ghost of the opal miner has attacked him and he runs to the Hempstocks’ for help. Lettie then guides the narrator into another

Academic writing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Academic writing - Essay Example Its crystal that shock to the head from sports like boxing, rugby, American football and ice hockey have caused long term brain injuries to the associated players. The latest game coming into the light about brain injuries sustained from head collisions is soccer. According to the Legendary Pele, Ball heading resulting from play is supposed to be done using the forehead with clenched fists. It can also be done using the tensed neck muscle and failure to that resulted in misdirected play and a greater impact on the brain. This is because a header caused one’s mind to shake in the skull. When it came to children they either failed to follow the necessary steps while heading or are not strong enough. Considering that they are still growing, their neck muscles even though tensed are not adequately strong to protect their skulls from absorption of the elevated G-force. Since their heads are big and wobble in proportion to the whole body than adults, the brain is likely to shake ins ide the skull on impact. In comparison to a 6-year-old non-developmentally ready to pass the ball, 12-year-old should not be allowed to head. Studies have also established that children take longer to heal mental children as compared to adults. They are also more susceptible to injuries because their skull is not well developed to sustain external forces (Cantu and Hayman, 2014). Since children aren’t able to decide and prepare how appropriately to head the ball, they are more susceptible to head injuries. Such injuries may be attributed to the inadequacy in strength to head, awareness in the best heading way or not well-coordinated to head. Furthermore, the neck muscles are not well developed to hold the head steadily and deal with the impact from heading. While watching a children’s game, it won’t take long notice that heading is useless. It’s always a result of guesswork and done randomly with closed eyes and the ball non-directional. The ball in most cases makes contact

Response Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 7

Response - Essay Example However, a society can be racist even if only a very small number (or even none!) of its members hold racist beliefs. Racism in a society gets often influenced by ignorance, legal system, family settings, economic scramble, among other factors. When a society where by a small number of its members exists, there stands a danger of infection of the small group to infect the larger non racist group. The racist group of people may also bring up their children under the racism grounds hence transmitting the social problem to their generations to come. If the racist group practices racism against their no racist counterparts, they may induce or stimulate counter racism in return. This may worsen or amplify the racism situation in the society (Shah). On the other hand, in a situation where no racist individuals exist in a society (which many scholars believe is hard), new emergences may arise due to various reasons. The first and the most obvious are the emergence of new racist members in the society. In his article, Shar argues that social settings are dynamic and liable to continuous change forever (Shah). These changes get influenced by the arrival of new members as one of the factors. The devastating thing is that this ethical society cannot stop people from coming to their society. Social grouping of one or particular group without considering racial participation equality may induce racism. Starting up a social group of a particular race may not even start up racism believes among them toward other races, but also induce the same believes among the other group that stands not included in this racial group (Shah). Therefore, a careful consideration should be taken when making social groups, institutions and employment to make sure that racial equality stands fair. Some government policies may also be effective in curbing racism while others promote it. The old Immigration Law in the US and apartheid system in South Africa, have promoted

Market Research proposal report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Market Research proposal report - Essay Example The industry gives transport services for freight and also passengers. Businesses within the industry aim at making it very interesting to woo customers to desire to use services provided by the industry. The study of the industry reveals that there are political, economic, socio-cultural and legal factors that affect it. The Pest analysis should be used to analyze the environment in which the industry operates in. This simple analysis involves understanding the industry's political, economic, social, and technological environment with references to the various companies within the industry. (Massingham, et al. 1988) Political factors have a direct and indirect effect on the performance of the various companies within the airline industry. There are some decisions which have been made by the federal government of the United Kingdom which has really had a negative effect on the performance of the industry. For instance, in 2001, the federal government brought legal suits and made decisions to minimize the production and marketing of high performance to countries believed to be a threat to the security of U.K. This move impacted negatively to the general operations of companies within the industry. (Michael, 1985) The industry has also been affected by economic factors. These include: Currency exchange rate, interest rate policy, consumer factors, and fiscal policy rates. The industry has to adhere to the fluctuations in the market depending with how a consumer perceives the offered products. In the times of economic recession, less people use air transport because of the low affordability of this kind of transport. Hence the industry has continually suffered for lack of customers. Therefore, the industry makes minimal profits because of the few customers it is able to acquire at such times. (Jan, 2002) The market has also been affected by social factors. Forces within the society such as media, family and friends have affected the operations of companies within the industry. The media has played a role in influencing customers to believe that the services offered by the industry are of high quality. Social factors have affected the opinions, interests, and attitudes of the industry's potential customers. The industry's success can be greatly attributed to social factors. (Scholes, 1993) Technological factors have also played a role in affecting the industry's performance. The internet for example has assisted the industry to extend its global out reach. Most of the marketing mix strategies which the airline has used have kept in touch with changing technology and modernization in the ever changing world. E-commerce and Radio Frequency identification-RFID are some of the modern technological aspects embraced by the industry. The industry has tried to always keep abreast with technology. The modern technology present in the industry has given it a competitive edge over other related industries. The technology has also greatly increased the effectiveness of the services offered by the industry. (Schlesinger, 1991) Some of the services that can be introduced in to the industry include postal services. Here, letters and mails will be transported via planes to where they are needed. This enhances the speed of postal services in the world as a whole. The targeted customers will include rich business people who need to deliver mail to business people based in other parts of the world urgently. The cost of this service will

U.S. energy policy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

U.S. energy policy - Research Paper Example According to Bazerman, climatic changes and diminishing energy resources became a concern and various government offices were supposed to give a detailed explanation which was later termed as â€Å"a predictable surprise, or a failure to act in time.† This explanation is what formed the need for government to have control on future occurrences. In addition, other needs for energy and climatic control developed over the years. To begin with, climate change characterized by long warm periods necessitated implementation of Energy Policy in order to contain the situation. Bazerman notes that scientists and politicians had to come up with solutions to address the climatic changes and â€Å"other energy issues including oil, transportation, and electricity policies† (1). These were the initial concerns when the technological advancements were few and human population was little. Another reason for formulation of U.S Energy Policy was need for energy independence. Grossman (1) acknowledges the U.S government effort under the tenure of President Carter, whereby there was increased government funding to stimulate new technologies for alternative energy. In addition, the country also wanted to reduce the over dependence on fossil fuels such as cove reasons coal and oil whose amounts diminish with time. In addition to the above, other reasons include formation of sustainable energy sources, improving energy efficiency, creation of jobs, reduction of air pollution and energy cost (ACEE E 1). Many benefits are accrued from efficient energy sources and can be spread in various sectors of the economy and even at personal level. For example, efficient energy systems promote investments, which in turn provide employment opportunities to the citizens. For actualization of the above objectives, the government had to setup various institutions to oversee the implementation of various legislations passed through Acts of parliament. To

Road to Independence Notes Essay Example for Free

Road to Independence Notes Essay People are reconsidering the policy of colonialism. 1. After WWII, people questioned whether dictatorship was a good idea. 2. â€Å"All nations should be free from the power of other nations. † 3. Keeping colonies had a high cost. It wasn’t worth it. 4. Colonized people pressed harder for freedom. Ex: British-held India II. A Movement Toward Independence A. The Indian’s strive to freedom intensifies. 1. British had power over India for 2 centuries. 2. Britain drafted Indians into WWII in 1939 without the consent of the the colony’s representatives. . Gandhi launched civil disobedience and many who followed were arrested. 4. To gain favor of the Indians, Britain promised government changes after WWII, but didn’t offer freedom. Besides colonialism, India struggles with internal conflict. 1. They have religious disagreements. 350 million Hindus 100 million Muslims 2. The Congress Party (aka Indian National Congress: India’s national political party) was made up mostly of Hindus, and a few Muslims. C. The Muslim League is created. 1. The Muslim League (1906) is the organization against the mostly Hindu Congress Party, aimed to protect Muslim interest. . (The leader) Muhammad Ali Jinnah asked all Muslims to leave the Congress party. He would not accept independence from Britain if it meant staying under Hindu rule. III. Freedom Brings Turmoil A. The decision of who receives power is being made. 1. The British lost much wealth after WWII, and was ready to turn over their power, since keeping up with colonies was costly. 2. The power will either be given to Hindus or Muslims. B. Muslims resisted Hindu domination. 1. Rioting broke out and in 1946, there were 20,000 casualties in a 4 day clash in Calcutta. C. Pakistan was created. 1. To maintain peace, Britain decided to partition (division of Indian religions into separate nations; idea first brought up by Muslims) India. 2. North western and eastern part of India became Pakistan which was dominated by Muslims. D. Everything in India was being divided. 1. British granted India and Pakistan a month of independence in July 16, 1947. 2. Princes had to decide which nation they’d join. 3. The civil service (courts, military, railways, police) was divided. 4. The differing religions had to decide where to go. E. One million people died during the move to their new nation. 1. Muslims killed Sikhs moving to India. 2. Sikhs and Hindus killed Muslims going to Pakistan. 3. Gandhi went to the Indian capital (Delhi) to ask for mercy, but was killed by a hindu extremist in January 30, 1948. F. Hindus and Muslims fight for Kashmir. 1. Kashmir is at the northern point of India next to Pakistan. 2. It had a Hindu ruler, but the majority of people living there was Muslim. 3. Fighting continued until UN arranged cease-fire in 1949. 4. One-third went to Pakistan (Muslims) and the rest to India (Hindus). IV. Modern India A. India has become the world’s largest democracy. 1. India gained independence in August 15, 1947. 2. Jawaharlal Nehru (the independent nation’s first prime minister) addressed India’s freedom. B. Nehru is the leader. 1. He served the first 17 years of India’s independence as leader. 2. He was a devoted follower of Gandhi. 3. He emphasized democracy, unity, and economic modernization, and became very popular with all Indian groups. C. Nehru pushed India forward. 1. He led newly independent nations into making alliances with other non aligned nations. 2. He reorganized the states by language and pushed for industrialization and social reform. 3. He raised the status of those in lower class (lower castes and women). D. A new leader came. 1. Nehru died in 1964. 2. His daughter, Indira Gandhi, became prime minister in 1966, left office, and was re elected in 1980. E. Challenges set on Indira caused more violent acts and death. 1. Sikh extremists wanted an independent state. 2. The Golden Temple was the Sikh’s religious center. 3. The Sikhs attacked symbols of Indian authority, so Indians troops overran the Golden Temple, killing 500 Sikhs and destroying sacred property. 4. Indira was gunned down by Sikh bodyguards and another murder spree occurred, killing thousands of Sikhs. . Indira’s son, Rajiv, became prime minister, but lost power because of corruption. He was then killed. F. Atal Bihari Vajpayee faced problems. 1. The leader of the nationalist party of India, Vajpayee, faced challenges of overpopulation and strife among religions. 2. The struggle between India and Pakistan was bad, now that they became nuclear powers. India exploded a nuclear device in 1974. For 24 years, India improved nuclear capability in private. In 1998, 5 nuclear tests were conducted. Pakistanis also showed they had nuclear capabilities. The nuclear weapons of both rival groups became an international concern, especially because of Hindus and Muslims continuous struggle over Kashmir. V. Pakistan Copes with Freedom A. Pakistan was already very turbulent and had differences between West Pakistan and East Pakistan. B. The two regions of Pakistan struggled with each other. 1. A tidal wave hit East Pakistan and killed 266,000 residents in 1970, calling for international aid that West Pakistan was not eager in giving. 2. East Pakistan protested and called to end all ties with West Pakistan. C. Pakistan undergoes its own partition. 1. On March 26, 1971, East Pakistan became Bangladesh. 2. Civil war broke out. Indians sided with Bangladesh and Pakistan surrendered. 3. 1 million people died. 4. One-seventh of area and one-half of the population in Pakistan was lost. D. Pakistan is instable. 1. After the death of the first governor general of India, the nation had no strong leader and went through many military coups. First in 1958 by Ali Bhutto Second in 1977 by General Zia Third Benazir Bhutto, Ali’s daughter, became prime minister. Fourth, Sharif in 1997. VI. Bangladesh and Sri Lanka Struggle A. Bangladesh faces many problems. 1. War brought economic and communication issues in Bangladesh. 2. Sheik Mujibur Rahman became the first prime minister of Bangladesh. Interested more in power than making reparations 3. Bangladesh tries to become democratic and fraud and corruption was common. Recently, it has been more stable and Begum Khaleda Zia became prime minister in 2001. 4. Natural disasters were troublesome. Bangladesh (low-lying) is subject to cyclones, tidal waves, massive storms which floods lands, ruins crops, takes lives, and homes. 5. Rapid growth in population put stress on the economy. There is civil strife in Sri Lanka. . Sinhalese Buddhists and Tamil Hindus make up the two main groups in Sri Lanka. 2. Tamils wanted to become a separate Tamil nation and violence occurred in order to do so. Rajiv Gandhi and the president on Sri Lanka made an agreement that called Indian troops to disarm Tamil rebels. A civil war between Tamils and Sri Lankans still exists. New Nations in Africa: Chapter 34 Section 3 I. Setting the Stage A. Africa was also a nation victim to colonization. B. Like India, they were unwilling to return to colonization after WWII, so they also won their independence and went on to creating new African nations. II. Achieving Independence A. A movement is made for Black Heritage. 1. The French-speaking Africans and West Indians grew pride for traditional Africa. 2. The Negritude movement (movement to celebrate African culture, heritage, and values) was formed. B. WWII changed the views of colonies and colonizers, which helped Africa gain independence from 1950s-1960s. 1. The African joined Europeans in WWII to defend freedom, and were unwilling to return to colonization. 2. The European colonizers developed morale and wondered whether it was a good idea to still hold colonies. In addition to morale, maintaining colonies was costly and wasn’t viewed as something worth losing money for. C. Africa achieved independence in a unique way. 1. Unlike other colonized areas that pushed for independence, Africa was colonized indirectly and directly. Those who were ruled indirectly were able to enjoy limited self-rule and were ruled by local officials. They achieved independence more easily. Those ruled directly were governed at all levels by foreigners and did not have any self rule. To get independence, they had to fight wars. D. Africa struggled even after they gained their independence. . They had to start from scratch: creating a new gov. , and establishing postcolonial economy. 2. Internal conflicts made it hard create stable nations. When colonized by Europeans, Africa was separated by random and many tribes who shared the same culture were divided and enclosed with rival groups, causing violence. III. Ghana Leads the Way A. The Gold Coast, a British colony, achieves full independence. 1. The Gold Coast (South of the Sahara) achieved independence, so British allowed for Africans to be nominated for legislative council. 2. However, they wanted full freedom and created a group. . Kwame Nkrumah (leader of the nonviolent group) organized strikes and boycotts, and was also imprisoned many times, (starting in 1947) eventually being able to liberate the Gold Coast from the British government. B. Good intentions called for opposition against Nkrumah. 1. The Gold Coast became Ghana (from the Ghana Kingdom of Africa) after it received its independence in 1957. 2. Nkrumah, th e first prime-minister and president for life, pushed for industrialization by building new roads, schools, and health facilities. 3. His programs were too costly, and people began to oppose him. C. Ghana still continues to struggle. 1. Nkrumah was criticized for neglecting economic issues. 2. When in China (1966) he was replaced by the police and army in Ghana. 3. The power shifts between civilian and military rule, and Ghana struggles economically. 4. 2000 marks the first open election in Ghana. IV. Fighting for Freedom A. The British is forced to allow Kenyan self-government. 1. The British were unwilling to give Kenyans independence because they’ve taken over prized farmland in the northern highlands of Kenya. 2. The Kenyans had 2 developments which forced British to surrender. Jomo Kenyatta’s (Kenyan nationalist) strong leadership. The Mau Mau, a secret society of mostly native Kenyan farmers forced out of the highlands by British people. B. The Mau Mau fight for independence. 1. Guerilla tactics were used to push out the British from the highlands. 2. Kenyatta had no connection to the Mau Mau but did not stop them from fighting for their freedom. 3. Kenyatta was imprisoned for about a decade. 4. Kenya was granted independence in 1963, however, 10,00 Africans and 100 settlers died. C. After gaining independence, Kenya still faced some struggles from poor leadership. 1. Kenyatta became the president and worked to reunite various groups in his nation, but he died in 1978. 2. He was succeeded by a weak leader, Daniel arap Moi. 3. Under Moi’s leadership was opposition to his one-party rule, corruption, and conflicts between ethnicities killing hundreds and making thousands homeless. 4. He left office in 2002, and a new party gained power through elections. D. Algeria wins independence through battle. 1. Algeria had a population of 1 million French and 9 million Arabs and Berber Muslims. 2. French did not want to share political power with the natives even after WWII. . The FLN (Algerian National Liberation Front) would fight for freedom, and upon hearing this, the French sent half a million troops to fight the FLN. 4. The FLN won and gained independence in July 1962. E. Uncertainty within Algeria calls for civil war. 1. The FLN leader, Ahmed Ben Bella, becomes president and attempts to make Algeria follow socialism, but is overthrown. 2. From 19 65-1988, Algeria tried to modernize, but failed. Religious fundamentalists wanted to make Algeria an Islamic state because they were dissatisfied with the current government and high unemployment rates. 3. The Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) won elections in 1990 and 1991, but the government and army refused the results. 4. Civil war broke out between Islamic militants and the government, and goes on and off until this day. V. Civil War in Congo and Angola A. The people of Congo were unprepared for independence, and it led to turmoil. 1. Belgians colonized and plundered Congo taking all its riches and resources such as rubber and copper. 2. They gave no social services to the natives of Congo, and did not prepare them for independence. 3. They granted Congo (aka Zaire from 1971-1997) independence in 1960, which cause upheaval, and civil war. B. Congo goes through two leaders. 1. Years of civil war sprung up, and Mobutu Sese Seko (aka Colonel Joseph Mobutu) seized power in 1965. He renamed Congo to Zaire and ruled it for 32 years. He held control over Zaire with force, one-party rule, and bribing supporters with gifts. He withstood rebellions. 2. In 1997, he was overthrown by Laurent Kabila (rebel leader). Zaire was renamed The Democratic Republic of Congo. C. Kabila wasn’t the leader people hoped for, and a new leader rises. 1. He became president and promised a democracy, but never delivered it. 2. Civil war broke out again, and rebel groups wanted to overthrow Kabila. . He was assassinated by a bodyguard in 2001. 4. Joseph Kabila, his son, took power and pushed for peace. 5. Rebels stopped rebelling in 2002 in hope that the peace may come. D. Angola (South West of Congo) fought for independence. 1. Angola was ruled by the Portuguese who were unwilling to let go of their colony. 2. An independence movement broke out and Portugal sent 50,000 troops to end it, which wiped out half of Portugal’s budget. 3. The cost of war and the war’s opposition in Portugal called for them to withdraw from Angola in 1975. E. Civil war broke out in Angola. 1. Angola became a new nation, and the MPLA (Communist leaning â€Å"Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola†) declared itself as the government. 2. Rebel groups fought against the government for power. 3. 50,000 Cuban troops and Soviet Union supported the MPLA. 4. South Africa and the U. S. supported the UNITA (the major opposition to the MPLA; â€Å"National Union for the Total Independence of Angola†) 5. The MPLA and UNITA abandoned many cease-fire agreements, but in 2002, a peace accord was agreed to and the civil war ended. Conflicts in the Middle East: Chapter 34 Section 4 I. Setting the Stage A. By the end of WWII, Jewish finally gained its own state, which proved to have bad consequences. 1. The Jewish gained a state that was located by the Mediterranean Sea. 2. It consisted of mostly Arabs who rejected the creation of a Jewish state. 3. Palestinians claimed Jewish states to be theirs, therefore opposing Jewish states. 4. Wars were fought between Jews and Arabs, and Jews and Palestinians. II. Israel Becomes a State A. Palestinians, Jews, and Arabs all claim the same lands (Israel, West Bank, and the Gaza Strip in modern day Palestine). 1. Jews’ reason: 3,000 before, Jewish Kings ruled the lands from Jerusalem. . Palestinians’ reason: land was theirs since Jewish exile on A. D. 135. 3. Arabs’ reason: their conquest of the lands in the 7th century (600s). B. The Jews wanted to return to Palestine and gain a Jewish state centuries after their exile. 1. The Jewish were unable to gain their own state after their exile, and dispersed around the world (Diaspor a). 2. Zionists (people who favored a Jewish state in Palestine) started returning to their homeland during the 19th and 20th centuries (1800s-1900s). C. A British idea of creating a Jewish homeland in Palestine cause sparks between the Jews and Palestinians. 1. The British directed Palestine (League of Nations’ commands) as a result of the loss of the Turkish Ottoman Empire in WWI. 2. Many Jews were in Palestine, and pressed for their own nation. 3. Palestinians opposed the idea, so when Secretary Sir Arthur Balfour of Britain proposed creating a Jewish state while keeping the rights of non-Jewish communities (Balfour Declaration) and the plan failed, tensions rose between Palestinians and Jews. D. The U. S. and many European nations felt sympathy towards the Jews, who were targeted in the Holocaust, so they devised a plan that would give Jews what they desired. 1. The UN General Assembly voted for partition in Palestine, one part being a Palestinian state, the other being a Jewish state, and Jerusalem being an international city owned by no one. 2. The Jews made up 34% of the population but gained 55% of the land. E. The partition was set, although Muslims and Palestines rejected it. 1. â€Å"The UN has no right to make such a proposal without first consulting the majority who will be affected by it. †- Muslims and Palestinians. 2. David Ben Gurion (leader of Jews in Palestine) announced that the independent nation of Israel was formed on May 14, 1948. III. Israel and Arab States in Conflict A. War broke out between Israeli and Arab states. 1. The first one (won by Israel) was a day before Israel became a nation, where Islamic states (Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi, Arabia, and Syria invaded Israel. B. The partition wasn’t fully effective because of fighting. 1. Israel seized half of Palestine in 1948-1949. 2. 600,000 Palestinians left to nearby UN sponsored refugee camps. 3. Arabs also seized Palestinian lands. C. War broke out in 1956 during the Suez Crisis. 1. Egypt seized the Suez Canal. 2. Gamal Abdel Nasser (Egyptian president) sent troops to seized the canal controlled by British because he was angry that the U. S. and British stopped financially supporting Egypt’s Aswan Dam. 3. Britain formed an alliance with France and israel to regain the Suez canal. 4. Israel defeated the Egyptians using air support of their European allies. 5. The war ended when the U. S. and Soviets forced Israel and Europeans out of Egypt, ultimately giving Egypt the Suez Canal by the end of the Suez Crisis. D. Another war broke out in 1967, called the Six-Day War. 1. Nasser and Arab allies, equipped with Soviet tanks and aircraft were ready to confront Israel and close off Israel’s outlet to the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aqaba. 2. Israelis knew Arabs would attack, so the struck airfields in Egypt, Iran, Jordan, and Syria, and ground forces defeated Arab states in this Six-Day War. 4. Israelis gained the lands around them (Jerusalem, Sinai Peninsula, The Golden Heights, and the West Bank). 5. They served as buffers for future attacks. 6. Palestinians living in Jerusalem chose Jordanian citizenship, and others not living in Jerusalem went other Jewish control. E. A fourth War broke out in October 1973, called the Yom Kippur War. 1. Anwar Sadat,(Egyptian president who succeeded Nasser) planned an Arab attack on Israel during Yom Kippur. . Sadat was able to reconquer land lost in the Six-Day War. 3. Golda Meir (prime minister of Israel during the Yom Kippur War) counterattacked and regained most the land. 4. After weeks of fighting, a truce was declared. F. Palestinians pushed for recognition and its own state. 1. The UN had given Palestinians its own state during the partition, but the land given was seized by Is raelis during their vast amount of wars. 2. The PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization) was organized by Palestinian officials in 1964, and initially consisted mostly of social workers, like teachers, lawyers.

Historical Development of Continental Philosophy’s Existentialism Essay Example for Free

Historical Development of Continental Philosophy’s Existentialism Essay Absolute Idealism left distinct marks on many facets of Western culture. True, science was indifferent to it, and common sense was perhaps stupefied by it, but the greatest political movement of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries— Marxism—was to a significant degree an outgrowth of Absolute Idealism. (Bertrand Russell remarked someplace that Marx was nothing more than Hegel mixed with British economic theory. ) Nineteenth- and twentieth-century literature, theology, and even art felt an influence. The Romantic composers of the nineteenth century, for example, with their fondness for expanded form, vast orchestras, complex scores and soaring melodies, searched for the all-encompassing musical statement. In doing so, they mirrored the efforts of the metaphysicians; whose vast and imposing systems were sources of inspiration to many artists and composers. As we have said, much of what happened in philosophy after Hegel was in response to Hegel. This response took different forms in English-speaking countries and on the European continent—so different that philosophy in the twentieth century was split into two traditions or, as we might say nowadays, two â€Å"conversations. † So-called analytic philosophy and its offshoots became the predominant tradition of philosophy in England and eventually in the United States. The response to Hegelian idealism on the European continent was quite different however; and is known (at least in English-speaking countries) as Continental philosophy. Mean while, the United States developed its own brand of philosophy—called pragmatism—but ultimately analytic philosophy became firmly entrenched in the United States as well. Within Continental philosophy may be found various identifiable schools of philosophical thought: existentialism, phenomenology, hermeneutics, deconstruction, and critical theory. Two influential schools were existentialism and phenomenology, and we will begin this chapter with them. Both existentialism and phenomenology have their roots in the nineteenth century, and many of their themes can be traced back to Socrates and even to the pre- Socratics. Each school of thought has influenced the other to such an extent that two of the most famous and influential Continental philosophers of this century, Martin Heidegger (1889–1976) and Jean-Paul Sartre (1905 –1980), are important figures in both movements, although Heidegger is primarily a phenomenologist and Sartre primarily an existentialist. Some of the main themes of existentialism are traditional and academic philosophy is sterile and remote from the concerns of real life. Philosophy must focus on the individual in her or his confrontation with the world. The world is irrational (or, in any event, beyond total comprehending or accurate conceptualizing through philosophy). The world is absurd, in the sense that no ultimate explanation can be given for why it is the way it is. Senselessness, emptiness, triviality, separation, and inability to communicate pervade human existence. Giving birth to anxiety, dread, self-doubt, and despair as well as the individual confronts as the most important fact of human existence, the necessity to choose how he or she is to live within this absurd and irrational world. Now, many of these themes had already been introduced by those brooding thinkers of the nineteenth century, Arthur Schopenhauer (see previous chapter), Soren Kierkegaard, and Friedrich Nietzsche. All three had a strong distaste for the optimistic idealism of Hegel—and for metaphysical systems in general. Such philosophy, they thought, ignored the human predicament. For all three the universe, including its human inhabitants, is seldom rational, and philosophical systems that seek to make everything seem rational are just futile attempts to overcome pessimism and despair. This impressive-sounding word denotes the philosophy that grew out of the work of Edmund Husserl (1859–1938). In brief, phenomenology interests itself in the essential structures found within the stream of conscious experience—the stream of phenomena—as these structures manifest themselves independently of the assumptions and presuppositions of science. Phenomenology, much more than existentialism, has been a product of philosophers rather than of artists and writers. But like existentialism, phenomenology has had enormous impact outside philosophical circles. It has been especially influential in theology, the social and political sciences, and psychology and psychoanalysis. Phenomenology is a movement of thinkers who have a variety of interests and points of view; phenomenology itself finds its antecedents in Kant and Hegel (though the movement regarded itself as anything but Hegelian). Kant, in the Critique of Pure Reason, argued that all objective knowledge is based on phenomena, the data received in sensory experience. In Hegel’s Phenomenology of Mind, beings are treated as phenomena or objects for a consciousness. The world beyond experience, the â€Å"real† world assumed by natural science, is a world concerning which much is unknown and doubtful. But the world-in-experience, the world of pure phenomena, can be explored without the same limitations or uncertainties.

Human Resource Management in Health

Human Resource Management in Health Human Resource Management in Health Assessment 1 Managing Bullying and Harassment Background Bullying and harassment is not only unacceptable, it is unlawful under both the Commonwealth of Australia and the state legislations. There are many acts which prohibit bullying and harassment and discrimination like the Affirmative Action (Equal Opportunity for Women) Act 1986, Disability Discrimination Act 1992, Equal Employment Opportunity (Commonwealth Authorities) Act 1987, Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act 1996, Human Rights (Sexual Conduct) Act 1994, Privacy Act 1988, Racial Discrimination Act 1975, Racial Hatred Act 1995 and Sex Discrimination Act 1984 at the federal level (Comcare, 2010) and the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977, Disability Services Act 2006 and Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 at the state (NSW) level. Harassment and bullying is not just unlawful during working hours or in the workplace itself. It is also unlawful in any work-related context, including conferences, business or field trips, work functions and work end of year p arties. Harassing and/or bullying behaviour may be by a supervisor or manager, a co-worker, a contractor, an advisor or others associated with the organisation. Anti-bullying or anti-harassment policies at workplace should provide safe and productive environment where the dignity of every individual should be equally respected. The workplace should ensure to provide fair and equitable treatment to all the employees regardless of their protected characteristics such as sex, age, race, disability, sexual orientation, physical characteristics marital status, religious or political belief, parental or carer status, pregnancy, gender identity, family responsibilities or any other personal attribute under law. Harassment at workplace can include unwanted physical contact, verbal abuse and threat, offensive gestures, unwelcome and offensive remarks, jokes or innuendos, unwanted sexual propositions or demands, practical jokes that cause awkwardness, embarrassment or distress, unwelcome personal contact outside the workplace, unwelcome invitations or requests, intimidation, suggestive behaviour, the display of offensive notices or posters, mocking co mments about a persons appearance or manner of speech etc. Workplace bullying can involve humiliation, domination, intimidation, victimisation and all forms of harassment including that based on sex, race, disability, homosexuality or transgender. Bullying of any form or for any reason can have long-term effects on those involved including bystanders. Bullying behaviour can be verbal (e.g. name calling, teasing, abuse, putdowns, sarcasm, insults, threats), physical (e.g. hitting, punching, kicking, scratching, tripping, spitting), social ( e.g. ignoring, excluding, ostracising, alienating, making inappropriate gestures) or psychological (e.g. spreading rumours, dirty looks, hiding or damaging possessions, malicious SMS and email messages, inappropriate use of camera phones). Literature review of the anti-bullying and anti-harassment measures In Australia, the workplaces identify bullying by the three criteria mentioned in most of the anti-bullying, anti-harassment and anti- discrimination policies (Comcare,2010; NT WorkSafe, 2012; SafeWork South Australia, 2010; WorkCover NSW, 2009; Workplace Health and Safety Queensland, 2004; WorkSafe Victoria, 2009; WorkSafe Western Australia, 2010). The criteria are, they are repeated rather than singular, unreasonable and pose a risk to cause health and safety issues. Bullying and harassment not only have an effect on the health of the individuals being bullied (Einarsen et al, 2011) but also have significant financial implications on the organisations that do not take measures to prevent them (Australian Productivity Commission, 2010; Einarsen et al, 2011). Therefore preventing bullying/harassment by providing safe work environment in order to avoid psychological impact on the worker’s health are the organisation’s responsibility (Lyon Livermore, 2007). There is considerable literature around the causes of the work place aggression/bullying which are placed into three classes ‘internal’ and ‘external’ factors and their ‘interaction’. For example, internal influences are related to the personality or the severity of illness of the patients whereas external influences focus on factors like shortage of staff or noisy stressful work environment. The interactional approach acknowledges the interplay of the internal and external factors in triggering maintaining and exacerbation workplace aggression which is manifested through harassment or bullying of the staff. The workplace should not tolerate harassment, bullying or discriminative behaviour of any kind, whether it is by the managers, staff, contractors, advisors or others associated with the organisation in the course of its operations. All staff should be informed and trained at the time of employment, the organisations stance on harassment, bullying and discrimination. Increased awareness will persuade staff to have ‘zero tolerance’ for bullying and will encourage workers to combat it either by refusing to take part in it or by not keeping silent and reporting the incident on time. Furthermore early intervention is important. Regular workplace surveys and informal and formal discussions with the workers will help secure early intervention (Moore, Lynch Smith, 2006). Workplace bullying and harassment in the health sector affects not only the professional but also the personal lives of the staff. They have an impact on the patients they care for and on the organisations reputations and the fiscal health. For example it was evident from one of the studies that nurses feel less safe at work primarily because of their colleagues bullying and harassment than from the patients or their relatives. Poor staff relations and negative organisational environments were identified as the main reasons for the workplace bullying (Farrell Shafiei, 2012). Hence positive organisational environments including support from the supervisors, managers and colleagues can help buffer the negative influences of the workplace bullying and harassment as well as enhancing the staff’s perception to cope with the situation when it arises (Parzefall Salin, 2010). Moreover where there is support from the colleagues and the managers, and where training and information to deal with the workplace bullying is available to the staff, it is observed that these can help buffer some of the negative health consequences of the bullying and violence (Schat Kelloway, 2003). In order to reduce the incidence of bullying in the public health organisations in Australia, research suggests that the focus should be on four areas of the people management practices which include the quality and frequency of the performance feedback, level of supportive leadership, building an engaging work team environment and establishing managers have accountability for people management (Cotton et al, 2008).These four areas of people management practices can be achieved by taking a proactive approach to bullying through promoting a positive workplace culture, senior management commitment, developing a bullying policy and related procedures, communication and consultation, monitoring of the work climate by surveys and other methods and informing training and instructing the employees (Comcare, 2010) In the health service organisations, management and staff are equally responsible to prevent the bullying and harassment at the workplace. Management has the responsibility to monitor the working environment to ensure that acceptable standards of conduct are observed at all times, model appropriate behaviour themselves, promote organisations anti-harassment policy within their work area, treat all complaints seriously and take immediate action to investigate and resolve the matter. Staff has the responsibility to comply with the organisations anti-harassment policy, offer support to anyone who is harassed and advise them where they can get help and advice, maintain complete confidentiality during the investigation of a harassment complaint, report bullying, harassment and offensive behaviour, even if not involved, to management. Over the past few years Victoria State has strictly implemented a number of anti-harassment and anti-bullying initiatives in their public health system inclu ding workplace redesign, provision of personal duress alarms, employment of specially trained security staff and so forth. However their translation to practice is left to individual health organisations as a result of which they were rarely followed up to know if the above initiatives were successful. This lack of evaluation measures reflects the situation that is prevalent across the Australia in respect to workplace bullying, where there is no agreed national approach and little in the way of the systematic program appraisal (Farrell Cubit, 2005). Conclusion There was some concerns in the past that the anti- bullying preventive measures mentioned in the literature and the polices adopted by the health service organisations were not in tandem with each other as a result of which the services failed to prevent and intervene in bullying. However recent studies has provided evidence that not only the Australian health care organisations are starting to make active efforts to prevent harassment and bullying, but also their efforts agree fairly with the recommendations emanating from the research world. Furthermore the Human Resources departments in the health care organisations seem to recognise the importance of dealing with the bullying and hence go beyond just formulating the policies or training the staff. The active involvement of the Human Resource personnel also negates the popular belief in the past that it is the role of the managers and the immediate supervisors and not the HR department to intervene in preventing the bullying at th e workplace. There is a need to implement the HR practices like attitude and training surveys, formal appraisal discussions and performance based pay etc. in the health care organisations. The other key factor that needs to be changed in the health care organisations is that the anti- bullying action is rather undertaken for the problems reported and not as a preventive measure. In other words many health organisations adopt anti-bullying measures as part of a reactive rather than a proactive strategy. Also there is an urgent need to recognise that the anti-bullying polices in the health services should be framed based on the needs and requirements of the local organisation and not copy pasting from other sources or merely imitating other organisations. Thus, a policy that does not address the local organisation needs is less likely to be adapted, less likely to be implemented and less likely to be applied when the bullying actually occurs. Furthermore, it is observed that there is severe lack of evaluations and surveys to identify the effectiveness of the currently practised anti-bullying measures in the health organisations. As health services are becoming increasingly complex in terms of staff, resources, communications and so forth, they should have clear expectations regarding the transparency of the employer’s interpersonal interactions to avoid the occurrence of the complex or troublesome interpersonal dynamics. The health organisations should take all complaints of harassment, bullying and/or discrimination seriously and deal with them promptly in a spirit of compassion and justice. They should ensure that the privacy is maintained and the complainants and witnesses are not victimised in any way either by the management or the employees. References: Australian Productivity Commission 2010, Performance benchmarking of Australian business regulation: Occupational health and safety, Canberra, viewed 25 March 2014, http://www.pc.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/96163/ohs-report.pdf. Comcare. 2010. Preventing and managing bullying at work – A guide for employers (OHS65), Canberra, viewed 25 March 2014, http://www.comcare.gov.au/forms__and__publications/publications/safety_and_prevention/?a=40108 Cotton P, Hart P, Palmer R, Armstrong K, Schembri C 2008, Working well: An organisational approach to preventing psychological injury, a guide for corporate, HR and OHS managers. Comcare, Viewed 25 March 2014, http://www.comcare.gov.au/forms__and__publications/publications/safety_and_prevention/?a=41369 Einarsen S, Hoel H, Zapf D, Cooper CL 2011, Bullying and harassment in the workplace: Development in theory, research and practice, 2nd edn, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. Farrell G Cubit K 2005, Nurses under threat: a comparison of content of 28 aggression management programs. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing, vol.14 no.1, pp. 44–53. Farrell GA Shafiei T 2012, Workplace aggression, including bullying in nursing and midwifery: A descriptive survey (the SWAB study), International Journal of Nursing Studies, vol. 49, pp.1423–1431. Lyon G Livermore G 2007, ‘The regulation of workplace bullying’, Melbourne: WorkSafe Victoria. Moore MO, Lynch J, Smith M 2006, ‘The way forward’, Proceedings from the 5th international conference on bullying and harassment in the workplace, Trinity College, Dublin, pp. 129–131. NT WorkSafe 2012, Prevention of bullying at work – Employers, Darwin, viewed 26 March 2014, http://www.worksafe.nt.gov.au/Bulletins/Bulletins/15.01.12.pdf. Parzefall MR Salin DM 2010, Perceptions of and reactions to workplace bullying: a social exchange perspective, Human Relations, vol.63, no.6, pp.761–780. SafeWork South Australia 2010, Preventing workplace bullying: A practical guide for employers, (0095), Adelaide, viewed 26 March 2014, http://www.stopbullyingsa.com.au/documents/bullying_employers.pdf. Schat AC Kelloway EK 2003, Reducing the adverse consequences of workplace aggression and violence: the buffering effects of organizational support, Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, vol.8, no.2, pp.110–122. WorkCover NSW 2009, Preventing and responding to bullying at work, (WC02054), Sydney: WorkCover Authority of NSW, viewed 26 March 2014, http://www.workcover.nsw.gov.au/formspublications/publications/Documents/bullying_at_work_2054.pdf. Workplace Health and Safety Queensland 2004, Prevention of workplace harassment – Code of practice 2004, (PN11183), Brisbane, viewed 26 March 2014, http://www.deir.qld.gov.au/workplace/resources/pdfs/prevention-workplace-harassment-cop-2004.pdf. WorkSafe Victoria 2009, Preventing and responding to bullying at work, Melbourne, viewed 26 March 2014, http://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/f61387004071f2b98ca4dee1fb554c40/WSV585_05_04.10WEBsmall.pdf?MOD=AJPERES. WorkSafe Western Australia 2010, Code of practice – Violence, aggression and bullying at work, Perth, viewed 26 March 2014, http://www.commerce.wa.gov.au/WorkSafe/PDF/Codes_of_Practice/Code_violence.pdf.

Hitlers Victory at the 1936 Summer Olympics :: World War II History

Hitler's Victory at the 1936 Summer Olympics Adolf Hitler, the leader of Greater Germany, August 1, 1936, opened the 1936 World 11th Summer Olympic Games in Berlin, Germany. Adolf Hitler was a perfect host; he welcomed the world's athletes to the Berlin Olympic Stadium, which was designed to seat an audience of 110,000. During the 1936 Summer Olympic Games, Hitler applauded both German and American athletes, as well as winning athletes from all other nations. Even though a perfect host at the 1936 Summer Olympics, Adolf Hitler was still the leader of Greater Germany. Yes, one could be a great host, and still support the home team, as other world leaders were demonstrating at that time. Each world leader, at that time, wanted their nation's team to win at the 1936 Summer Olympics. Adolf Hitler felt the same towards the German team. Hitler wanted to demonstrate two concepts at the 1936 Summer Olympics: 1. An all White Nordic Christian Olympic Team could come in first place. 2. Working Class Participants could raise their status in the world through their own efforts. Participants in all situations, could be judged on their individual actions, not on the economic status of their parents or ancestors alone. The German 1936 Summer Olympic Team did not let Hitler down. The German team, consisting completely of White Nordic Christian members, came in first place during the 1936 Summer Olympic Games held in Berlin, Germany. Among the working class German athletes to win a Gold Medal during the 1936 Summer Olympics, Karl Hein, a carpenter, won a Gold Medal for the Olympic event called: THE HAMMER THROW. Karl Hein broke a world record, which was held for 24 years. During the 1936 Summer Olympics, held in Berlin, the German team won 33 Gold Medals, and 89 Medals in total Olympic categories. Adolf Hitler was very proud of the German 1936 Summer Olympic Team. Hitler was able to prove that an all White Nordic Christian Olympic Team could come in first place, and an individual could raise one's status in life through individual efforts, in spite of coming from a humble working class background. The American team came in second place at the 1936 Summer Olympic Games. Hitler was very impressed by all American athletes at the 1936 Summer Olympics and applauded them. The Olympic Team from France, impressed by their host, Adolf Hitler, gave the Nazi solute as they entered the Berlin Olympic Stadium in 1936 the first time.

Rebuttal to Killing Them Softly Essay -- Jacob Sullum Tobacco Essays

Rebuttal to â€Å"Killing Them Softly† â€Å"Killing Them Softly,† an essay by Jacob Sullum, addresses the issue of Senator Judd Gregg’s bill to give the Food and Drug Administration control over tobacco products. This bill would allow the FDA to make such decisions as halting tobacco companies’ marketing of safer tobacco products and reducing the nicotine content in cigarettes. Sullum argues that by giving the FDA the power to make such decisions, individual consumers would be disadvantaged and lives could possibly be lost instead of saved. If given control of such decisions, the FDA would not allow the introduction of safer tobacco products as they feel this will increase the number of smokers. They feel more people will begin using these products that are advertised as less harmful substances, whereas Sullum feels it would be better for people to change their habits to these â€Å"safer alternatives.† Sullum fails to consider benefits of relinquishing control to the FDA, however. By c onsidering some of the positive results, Sullum might develop a different opinion and support the bill as he should. One major point that Sullum tries to emphasize is how people’s health will be disadvantaged once the FDA is given control. When making the decision about marketing safer tobacco products, the FDA is concerned about how the introduction of smokeless tobacco will be interpreted by the â€Å"population as a whole.† Sullum, on the other hand, believes the concern should be with individual consumers. He believes smokers could be doing something healthier for themselves if the FDA promoted smokeless tobacco. However, the FDA believes advertising smokeless tobacco as a less harmful substitute for cigarette smoking misleads people and encourage... ...rth thinking about, it is in the best interest of the â€Å"population as a whole† that the Food and Drug Administration be given the rights to control the image that tobacco receives and exploit its negative aspects. Works Cited 1Up Health. Tobacco Use - Smoking and Smokeless Tobacco. 2003. 9 Oct. 2003. . Just Eliminate Lies. A Division of Tobacco Use Prevention and Control. 9 Dec. 2003. . Kick Butts Day. Campaign For Tobacco-Free Kids. 9 Dec. 2003. . Sullum, Jacob. â€Å"Killing Them Softly.† Reason Online. 19 Sept. 2003. 2 Oct. 2003. . Teens Against Tobacco Use. American Lung Association. 9 Dec. 2003. .

Comparing Browns Goodnight Moon and Krauss’s A Hole is to Dig :: Compare Contrast Comparison

Comparing Margaret Wise Brown's Goodnight Moon and Ruth Krauss’s A Hole is to Dig Margaret Wise Brown is an exceptional author that has written many children’s picture books. She has created a style of writing that children can relate to on each of their own level. Each book has a simple and easy structure of writing accompanied with defining illustrations. Margaret Wise Brown is not the only author that has been able to adjust her writing style to better suite different age levels for children. Another author that could fit into this category would be Ruth Krauss, author of â€Å"A Hole is to Dig,† and many more other great children’s books. Both of these authors’ genres could be categorized as simple and defining. For example, Margaret Wise Brown wrote the famous book, â€Å"Goodnight Moon† and compared to Ruth Krauss’s book, â€Å"A Hole is to dig†, it is easy to see these attributes of writing style. Taking a closer look at the writing styles, it is easy to see why they are perfect reading books for children. Brown uses short sentences with in her writing for each page of the book. This makes it easier for children to focus on the action or story being told. It also helps them to be able to examine sentences one at a time instead of using paragraphs that could confuse them by having so many words present. Brown and Krauss also use small simple words that are taught to children at a young age that helps them work on repetition, for example in â€Å"Goodnight Moon†, each time the bunny is talking he always says â€Å"goodnight† to everything in the room. This helps to identify objects and better define words with the illustrations. Krauss also uses these short simple words and phrases to help children with their learning to read. For example, in the book â€Å"A Hole is to Dig†, the sentence says, â€Å"A face is so you can make faces.† This sentence als o shows the children repetition by restating the word twice. Krauss’ illustrations are very simple with great detail. Each page has open white space between each picture that helps children to focus on the action-taking place within the story that is being told. For example, on the same page as when Krauss is exploring faces, each pair of children is spread apart from one another on the page. This helps to show each expression individually with no distraction of what is being represented.

An analysis of Macbet’s struggle Essay

Violence, blood and death. The quintessential characteristics of war. Shakespeare’s Macbeth is based on a war, but not your typical one. The real war in the play and the underlining factor leading to Macbeth’s death, is not fought on a battlefield, there are no swords, and no soldiers to swing them. The real war is fought in Macbeth’s mind. Macbeth’s conscience and vaulting ambition alternate in controlling his actions throughout the play. Many critics of the play believe that from the first scene to the last, Macbeth’s character is unchanging, and that he is always governed by his greed, selfishness and evil. This is not so. Right from the outset of the story, Macbeth’s indecisiveness is evident. In act I, Macbeth struggles a great deal in deciding whether or not to murder the king and take his throne. When Macbeth is first given the prophecy that he will be king, he dreads the thought of killing a man that has been like a father to him. This shows that Macbeth has a conscience, and that deep down inside, he is a good person. When he arrives home to his kingdom though, he is greeted by Lady Macbeth who reveals her plan to make her husband King when she says: â€Å"I will pour my spirits into thine ear, And chastise with the valor of my tongue All that impedes thee from the golden round.† (Iv, 24 – 26) Macbeth’s conscience tries to fight the constant attacks by his wife who insists that he should kill the king. Finally, Macbeth decides his fate, listens to the poisoned words of his wife and kills Duncan. Immediately after the death of Duncan, Macbeth is completely overcome by guilt. For the moment, he forgets about the now empty throne, and can’t comprehend what or why he has done what he has done. When Lady Macbeth realizes that in a state of confusion he has forgotten to remove the daggers from the King’s room, she tells him to go back and get them. He replies by  saying â€Å"I’ll go no more./ I am afraid to think what I have done. / Look on’t again, I dare not† (II ii, 50 – 52). This passage outlines the fact that once again, his conscience has taken over control of his mind. Macbeth feels horribly about what he has done to his King. When Macbeth tries to wash the blood from his hands he remarks: â€Å"Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather The multitudinous seas incardine, Making the green one red† (II ii, 60 – 63) Macbeth believes that what he has done will never be washed away from his conscience. He will always have the death of King Duncan hanging over his head. Unfortunately, this is the last we see of Macbeth’s conscience. Tormented over the likelihood of being unmasked as Duncan’s murderer, Macbeth continues his evil ways in an attempt to stay on the throne. His vaulting ambition has surfaced once more to overthrow any spot of good left in him and he shows no more remorse for Duncan’s murder. Wanting to become â€Å"safely† king, Macbeth plots out the murder of one of his best friends Banquo, the only other person besides Macbeth and his wife, who is aware of the three witches and their prophecy. Again, this shows that his need to succeed in life is overshadowing his conscience. Macbeth’s last, and most evil deed is the slaying of Macduff’s family. Macbeth puts innocent women and children to death in an attempt lure Macduff back to Scotland so he can have him murdered as well. At this point in the play, it seems as though Macbeth doesn’t have a good bone in his body. The little voice of reason inside his head has been snuffed out, and he decides that the only way to be a good King is to make drastic and rash decisions. Macbeth unravels before our eyes and is finally beheaded by Macduff in revenge for the slaying of his family. The war between Macbeth’s conscience and his vaulting ambition is not fought  on a battle field but still had all the exemplary attributes of one that is. Violent acts were carried out, blood was shed, and people died. The struggle going on In Macbeth’s head was finally over, his ambition the victor, and Macbeth himself the defeated. When the hurly-burly was done, the war in Macbeth’s mind was both lost and won.

French Rev

THE FRENCH REVOLUTION PAST YEAR ESSAY QUESTIONS No. | PAPER| ESSAY QUESTION| 1| O/N 2001| Why did Louis XVI fail to satisfy the demands of the revolutionaries in France during the period 1789-1793? | 2| M/J 2002| Why did the French revolution become increasingly radical during the years 1789-94? | 3| O/N 2003| Which of the grievances of the Third Estate in France in 1789 were the most important? Explain your answer. | 4| O/N 2004| How far and why did the aims of revolutionaries in France change during the period from 1789 to 1793? 5| O/N 2005| Why during the period 1789 to 1793 did Louis XVI fail to satisfy the demands of the French revolutionaries? | 6| M/J 2006| From 1789 to 1799, who posed the more dangerous threats to the French Revolution: its internal or its external enemies? | 7| M/J 2007| Why did Louis XVI’s policies from 1789 fail to prevent his execution in 1793? | 8| O/N 2008| Why did the French ancien regime collapse in 1789? | 9| 0/N 2009/(11)| ‘The economic difficulties of France in 1789 were more serious than the political problems. How far do you agree with this judgement? | 10| O/N 2009/(12)| How far, and why, did the aims of the revolutionaries in France change during the period from 1789 to the execution of Louis XVI in 1793? | 11| M/J 2010/ (13)| ‘The most important problem of the French ancient regime was poor quality leadership. ’ How far do you agree with this judgement? | 12| O/N 2010/ (11)| Why did the rulers of France from 1789 to 1799 fail to hold on power? 13| O/N 2010/ (13)| Why did the summoning of the Estate-General in 1789 not solve the problems of the ancient regime? | 14| M/J 2011/(11)| Why was Louis XVI executed in 1793? | 15| M/J 2011/ (13)| Did Robespierre and the Jacobins do more to save or to endanger the French Revolution? | 16| O/N 2011/ (12)| Explain the rise and fall of the Jacobins in France during the period from 1789 to 1794. | 17| O/N 2011/ (13)| Why were the attempts to reform the ancient regime in France up to 1789 unsuccessful? |

My Success

Neo once said â€Å"It is during out failures that we discover our true desire for In my life, this quote holds a lot of value. I attended High School, success. † graduating in 2003. While in high school, I was not the popular crowd, nor the succeeding student. I was merely getting by. To myself, I was a failure. After high school, I moved to a new town, new college, It was a new start! Wallace State College In Huntsville was going to be my Journey to success. After a year and a half, I was completing my internship for my desired major and It all fell to pieces.I was miserable. This was not what I thought I was getting myself Into. I could not see myself In that line of work every day for the rest of my working life. So what do you do? Failure struck once again, I quit. I moved back home to Alabama. I had no Idea what I was going to do. I thought college was no longer for me. I had no skills to get a decent Job. Then on August 28th 2006, someone saw different. I was accepted for a Job. After 2 short weeks on the job, I was transferred to a location to be the manager. This became my life for the next 6 years.Everything I did revolved around this store. Although I was not the owner of the store, I treated it like it was mine. In my six years there, the store was very successful. The company went through a buy-out in 2010 to a company based out of Ireland, This caused major downfalls in the Job. The owners no longer appreciated their employees; we were merely Just a number to them. When you have a small town store this makes a major difference. Then the financial aspects sat in, not knowing week to week if you were going to get a paycheck.These occurrences ere landing me right back to where I was 6 years ago. Although gaining experience. I am now majoring in Office Administration at West College and hope to graduate Spring 2014. Just eight more classes to go. As for my future, My goal is to obtain a Job at the collage as a program assistant. This may sound crazy, but it is my dream. I believe in the college and I know that if I can succeed others can too. I want to be a part that can help them on their road to success. For once in my life, I feel a sense of success.However, it has taken many allures to get me to where I am today. I know that I will continue to fail on a dally basis; However, I have learned how to pick myself up and move forward. This class has also given me the guidance and confidence that I am going to be able to succeed In getting a Job when I get out of school. By meanings success. † In my life, this quote holds a lot of value. I attended High School, school, I moved too new town, new college, it was a new start! Wallace State College in Huntsville was going to be my Journey to success.After a year and a half, I was implementing my internship for my desired major and it all fell to pieces. I was miserable. This was not what I thought I was getting myself into. I could not see myself in that line of work ever y day for the rest of my working life. So what do you I moved back home to Alabama. I had no idea what I was going to do. I thought the Job, I was transferred too location to be the manager. This became my life for failures to get me to where I am today. I know that I will continue to fail on a daily in getting a Job when I get out of school.

India’s Transformation

Summary India adopted a democratic system of government and a mixed economy after gaining independence in 1947. However, a large part of their economy was still comprised of state-owned entities. Because of this, the private sector was stifled and any growth came only with hard-won government permission. This was especially true in the auto, chemical, and steel industries. Compounding the issue of strict government control was the fact that various laws made it difficult for businesses in the private sector to flourish. If a business grew to over 100 employees, then it was very difficult to fire a worker.In turn, business owners kept the size of their firm under the threshold. Unfortunately, those businesses did not grow to their full potential and could not reach the size necessary to be competitive in the international market. At this time, due to the rules and regulations, India was not taking advantage of foreign direct investments. Thankfully, the lack of progress and growth led the government to reform the economic system. In 1991, many industries once closed to the private sector, including electricity generation, oil industry, steel production, air transport and telecommunications, were opened.Foreign investments were given automatic approval up to a 51 percent stake in an Indian enterprise and, in some cases, 100 percent investment was granted. Tariffs on imports were dramatically reduced as were income tax rates and corporate tax rates. Each of these measures led to an increased rate of economic progress and tremendous growth within India’s private sector. India’s economy is still in a transition phase. While they have seen growth in private sector enterprise and increased foreign investment, they still have to navigate political barriers and help mitigate risks.Some import tariffs are still in place because the government fears a flood of inexpensive Chinese products. In addition, even though the private sector has proven more efficient than state-owned enterprises, there are still barriers to privatization. For instance, the Indian Supreme Court ruled that the government could not privatize two state-owned oil companies without the consent of parliament. India also continues to work towards a market economy to keep the country attractive to potential investors.There are many benefits to investing early in India: the country has a large market population with the potential for continued high growth that can offer first-mover advantages. However, investors do need to take the risks into consideration: adhering to the local laws could be an unwanted cost as well as working within a legal system that may not provide the necessary protection for contract and property rights violations. As India continues to move toward a free market economy, they will continue to see growth in their private sector enterprises and foreign investment.The government will need to support this growth and continue to reform regulations so b usinesses can grow and become competitive on a greater scale. This will also make the country more attractive to foreign direct investment where investors can take advantage of India’s growing economy. Questions 1. From 1947 to 1990, India operated under a mixed economy system. This economic system is a blend of private ownership and free market enterprise with state ownership and government planning. During this time, the mixed economy in India was dominated by state-owned enterprises, centralized planning and subsidies.This prevented the private sector in India from growing, especially in the auto, chemical and steel production industries which were specifically state-owned enterprises. Today, India is moving toward a market economy where productive activities are primarily privately owned. However, state-owned firms still account for 38 percent of national output in the nonfarm sector. There are several impediments to completing a full transformation to a market economy in India. For example, a reduction in import tariffs has stalled due to political pressure.Politicians fear a flood of inexpensive products from China if the barriers are taken away. Also, it is still very difficult for privatization within the oil industry. The Indian Supreme Court ruled that the government could not privatize two state-owned oil companies without explicit approval from parliament. In addition, there is a disincentive for business owners to grow their firms more than 100 employees. Labor laws make it almost impossible for firms to fire an employee if the business is greater than 100 employees.This does not allow the firm to attain the scale necessary to compete internationally. 2. The economic system constrained the growth of the private sector. Private companies needed permission from the government to expand. It could take years to receive permission and several heavy industry products were reserved for state-owned enterprises. Even though private firms are 30 â₠¬â€œ 40 percent more efficient than state-owned firms, the extensive government regulations prevent the growth of private businesses and creation of new businesses.These factors negatively affected the rate of economic growth in India. While other Southeast Asian nations were enjoying economic growth and progress, India was still struggling with a small economy despite having a population of 950 million. The GDP was $310 and only 2. 3 percent of the population had a household income greater than $2,484. At the time, the World Bank estimated that 40 percent of the world’s desperately poor lived in India. Compounding these issues was the fact that less than half the population could read and very few had access to clean sanitation.Without basic necessities, a population will find it difficult to survive much less grow and flourish. 3. Privatization, deregulation and increased foreign direct investment have positively impacted India’s economy during the post-1990 time per iod. For example, the economy has expanded at an annual rate of 6. 3 percent from 1994 to 2004 and increased to 9 percent from 2005 to 2008. Proving that the Indian market is attractive, foreign investment increased from $150 million in 1991 to $36. 7 billion in 2008. 4.India is strengthening in the areas of technology and pharmaceutical products in part of their attractiveness to foreign investments and the fact that the government was now welcoming foreign investment. Foreign equity stakes in an Indian enterprise up to 51 percent are automatic; 100 percent ownership is allowable under certain circumstances. Industry goods are seeing a freedom of importation and the maximum tariffs have fallen to 35 percent as of 1997. India’s success in these industries will continue to prove the efficiency and growth potential of privatizing business. 5.I believe that India represents an attractive market for foreign multinationals selling consumer products. International firms have the op portunity to engage early in India’s economy. In turn, this will lead to building brand loyalty and gaining experience navigating the country’s business practices. Of course, the international firms must be aware of the risks surrounding unprotected property rights and other political and legal matters. With due diligence, investment into India’s economy could provide high dividends to foreign multinationals as the economy continues to grow.