Liyuan Stanford 19970 5-6 days services Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Liyuan Stanford 19970 5-6 days services - Essay Example My determination kept inspiring me to get across the challenge and thus I identified a new trend in folk dance featuring a leader who was taller than others in which I could easily fit in. When it came to my passion in modeling, height turned to be a limiting factor once again, but this time in the reverse order. I identified my role as a coach and a team builder which helped others also to chase their dreams as I established university’s first modeling association. These experiences made me understand the necessity to search for higher values in each and everything you do in life. The endless competition in the job market has frozen the ethics behind the professional endeavors as many people experience a lifelong tug-of-war between professional success and these ethics. But for me career has higher purpose than mere money and reputation. I have always looked on to my mother who for ever stood for her values. .While she created profit-making enterprises during the open policy in the late 1970s, her prime aim was to help many middle aged Chinese women gain independence. It was the search for the higher values and morals which persuaded her to close her companies to rejoin the state-owned enterprise to help it survive a major transformation in the Chinese national economy. As being an early-driver of venture capital in China, I too believe that capital can be successfully combined with the search for social transformation .I have proved this by helping socially beneficial initiatives to have a higher growth by utilizing the possibilities of venture capital. More than money and economic sharing, charity should have a higher purpose. Since 2003, I assisted Net 263 CEO with his 10-year project, which had built 100 Hope Schools to ensure support and education to children who are deprived of the basic rights of schooling and other facilities. Rather than the capital involved in the charity, what

English Dominance Essay Example for Free

English Dominance Essay English is one of the most spoken languages in the world. Globally around 380 million people speak English as their first language, 250 million use it as their second language, and 1 billion are in the process of learning it and about one third of the global population are affected by it one way or the other. By the year 2050 it is forecasted that around a half of the world will be able to communicate properly in English. (Pennycook A. 1994) English is on its way to become a dominant global language. The language has developed to become the language of use in international trade, international science conferences, and global politics. The predominant usage of English has gone further to affect international and regional organizations such as World Bank, European Union, and other multinational companies. (Brutt-Griffler, J. 2002) English dominance originated from political suppression and economical manipulation by Britain and United States. Some policies of international organization such as World Bank have served to propagate the dominance of English in developing countries (Keal, P 1983). However, the most important factor that has led English to become such a globally spoken language is the emergence of United States of America as a ‘world super power’ a nation that uses English as its major language of communication. (Brutt-Griffler, J. 2002). Since the United States and Britain dominate in the international organizations such as World Bank, World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations (UN), World Trade Organization (WTO) and so on, this has influenced such worldwide entities to use English as a major language of communication. ((Brutt-Griffler, J. 2002) The use of English as the dominant language in these organizations has generated enormous benefits especially in the ease of operation. However it has not been smooth sailing has a myriad of controversies have continued to emerge because of the same dominance. (Keal, P 1983). â€Å"Linguistic dominance has its origins in conquest, military and political subjugation, and economic exploitation. The role of language in imperial expansion has been a central element of the europeanisation of the world† (Robert P) This view has continued to emerge in many forums where most nations (especially the non-English speaking) have constantly objected to the dominance of English because it has been seen as a way of â€Å"Europeanizing† others. (Robert P) The purpose of this paper is to critically analyze both the benefits and costs with the purpose of establishing the direction the organizations are likely to take in this thorny and controversial issue. Benefits of English language in International organizations Communication This is perhaps the greatest benefit that the domination of English has brought to almost all world bodies. Having one language as a â€Å"lingua franca† facilitates or breaks down the communication barriers. (Gary C) Members of such bodies like the United Nation, the World Bank are able to communicate easily despite the fact that they come from different countries and cultural backgrounds. In fact most delegates of European Union and common wealth are able to speak English as their second language. What this means is that a Chinese is able to communicate effectively with a German national despite their cultural differences. (Edwards, J 1985). Because of globalization, there has come a need for faster communication tools and processes. Internet has played a significant role in speeding up the globalization phenomena because it is very fast and inexpensive. (UNESCO) The language that has dominated most of the Internet use is English slated at approximately 80% usage on the websites. This has enabled most of the international organization’s develop communication channels via the Internet that eases the mode and the cost of communication. The organizations have been able to implement most of their programs within specified period across the globe. (UNESCO) Up to 700,000,000 people speak English language across the globe, what this means is that almost all countries of the world have a sizeable number of people who are able to communicate in English. This makes it easier for the International organizations to operate and find employees in the respective countries, thereby lowering their payroll budgets because they do not have to employ expatriates who are normally very expensive to retain. A good example is the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) that is located in Kenya, Africa. The local citizens here speak English as the second language, and are competent in its use. (Martinez Cobo 1984). The organization has not had any problem in recruiting locally thereby saving a lot in the payroll budget. Fostering global peace The ability of many United Nations mediators to communicate in English coupled with the increased usage of English in many states of the world has enabled conflicts that arise between various states to be solved efficiently. In addition, many English speaking nations especially the members of the Common Wealth are able to establish strong diplomatic relationships with ease since language has not been a barrier. (Maurais J. Morris, M. A. 2003) Facilitating international business English as an international business language has facilitated commercial transactions among the member states of European Union, Common Wealth, and Association Of South East Asian Countries. This is more evident in the software market whereby many soft wares have been produced in English language. (Rudby, R. Saraceni, M. 2006) A good example of a country that can attest to the advantages of knowing how to speak in English is India. It has reaped enormous benefits in the global market from its citizen’s competence on spoken English. According to Rudby and Saraceni this has prompted nations like China to encourage its citizens to learn English language. Currently China has the largest number of people studying English and has made English compulsory from third grade. (Rudby, R. Saraceni, M. 2006) Sharing of information and ideas It is a requirement for scientists from different parts of the world to publish their findings in English language and thereby enabling any English speakers to be able to access a wide range of information from various experts and from different part of then world. Some scientists are also able to use these published reports as valuable inputs to their researches. Empowers the United Nations to address various problems in the world Enhanced communication resulting from the common usage of English by many countries of united nation has enabled such countries to put across their valuable contribution in solving current global issues like terrorism, famine and diseases. (Rudby R. Saraceni, M. 2006) Pre- dominance of English in Common Wealth countries enable the member countries to adopt policies geared towards ensuring efficient delivery of aid and other humanitarian services across the globe. (Rudby R. Saraceni, M. 2006) Negative effects of English dominance It has contributed to conflicts in the European Union Having a single language seems to be the most ideal and efficient solutions for the European Union but many members who do not come from Anglophone communities find such arrangement unacceptable. Current the language policy in the European Union grants every language an equal status whereby any language can be used to conduct meetings and translations are provided for other language speakers. (Robert P) However there is a provision to the extent that â€Å"the institution especially the preparatory committee of European Union may stipulate in their own rules of procedure which of the language to be used in each specific cases. † (Robert P) This has served to encourage some languages to become more dominant than others especially English which is frequently chosen in such situations. This has led members of major language speakers like French and German to fiercely protest fearing that their international status of their languages may be lowered. (Martinez Cobo 1984). There is also a growing concern among the non -English members of the European Union that English dominance is crossing over the boundaries of international organization to entrench itself to education and other sectors of the other countries. (Mary K. Flynn). Germany has been the most affected whereby English has became a general subject in primary schools of many states and has grown into official language of many companies and firms together with Germany. This has consequently resulted to a diminished status of the German language and criticism that imposing English as the first language to all pupils is against the concept of promoting cultural diversity in them. (Mary K. Flynn).

Women Of Ancient Greece Essay -- essays research papers

The Women of Greece: A Transition from Ancient Power to Classical Subservience   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For the most part, women in today's society hold a position equal to that of a man; however, this has not always been the case. Women?s conquest for political and social freedom is a battle that has gone on for centuries. Perhaps the breaking point in women?s liberation was the Women's Movement of the 1900's, which encouraged women all over America to join in the fight for their right to vote. Because of this struggle for equality, women are now able to vote, receive a standard of fairness in the workplace, hold political positions, and play professional sports, as well as a wide array of other privileges enjoyed by men. Unfortunately, these civil rights have not been made available to women worldwide. In some cultures, especially those of the Middle East, women have gained little if any rights at all since the societies of the past. In Greece, an almost opposite effect can be seen in its history in which women in their country went from being recognized as equals and above, to becoming a much weaker sex. This odd transition of status of Greek women is evident through the art, mythology, and philosophy of a much older Greece. Thus dominant role of women portrayed in Ancient Greek mythology and artwork is in direct contrast to the more subservient role of women during the classical era in Greece.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ancient Greece, otherwise known as the Archaic period (650-450 B.C.), was a time of great development for Greece. The first major developments in Greece were cities or towns and their surrounding villages called city-states(Greece 366). Much rivalry consisted between city-state residents which resulted in a great deal of patriotism for one?s city-state. Some of the best known city-states are Athens and Sparta (Greece 366).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During this time of growth, numerous tyrants came into control of the city-states. These tyrants caused the people to become bitterly rebellious, which later ended in revolt and the birth of the first known democratic government (Greece 372).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  City-states were once again threatened by takeover in the 500?s B.C., when Persian kings tried to overrun the city-states; however, the city-states revolted against the Persian kings. These uprisings did nothing more ... ...n of the Classical period, which is illustrated throughout the artwork. Amazon women (refer to Plate 5), who were depicted as being able to fight with men, were greatly symbolic of women?s power in ancient Greece. In a painting from the House of Dioscurides (see Plate 12), Perseus slays the dragon to free Andromeda, which reveals the woman?s dependency on a man. When comparing artwork of the Classical and Archaic period, one can see the transition that these Grecian women went through.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The struggle that some women have had to face for common rights that are enjoyed by women today is incredible. Many owe thanks, to those that have fought for civil rights so that equality can be enjoyed by everyone. Unfortunately, there are still many countries who suffer from a lack of true freedom. The transition that Greece went through in their attitude towards women is much different than any other cultures, in which women usually gain rights and respect not lose them. The woman portrayed in Archaic art, mythology and philosophy is one of power and grace, while the woman portrayed in Classical art, law and philosophy is one of subservience and weakness.

Mythology: Edith Hamilton Archetypes Essay

In the myth of Dionysus there isn’t exactly a conflict between two sides of people battling for good or evil, its more as a battle between the two sides of Dionysus’ inner self. Unlike most examples of good versus evil, there isn’t a triumphant side. Just the personality switches between Dionysus being the joy-god or the heartless, savage, brutal-god. The reason for this change is due to the fact that he is the vine god; Wine is bad as well as good. He’d bring up peoples hopes and make them believe that they were capable of anything, but once they were sober again or they became drunk, you could see his dark side begin to arise. The hopefulness would fade and then you could see the people transition into darkness. Symbolic Archetype: Water versus Desert In the story of Dionysus, there’s a part where he comes across a crew from a pirate ship in Greece by the sea. The sailors tried to capture him and saw him as a mortal, rather than the son of a god. In the end, Dionysus turned into a lion and turned all but one of the sailors into dolphins and sent them into the ocean. At this point in the story it shows the first glimpse at Dionysus’ ruthless side, almost as if they’re using this scene in the book at the birth of his â€Å"second side†, setting up the second view point of Dionysus’ personality for future conflicts. Character Archetype: The Outcast In the myth, Dionysus was born in Thebes, he was the son of Zeus and Theban princess Semele- he was the only god whose parents were not both immortal. Before Dionysus’ birth he was snatched from his mother and hidden by Zeus’ side, almost as if he was ashamed by Dionysus. Dionysus was passed from person to person, his mother, Zeus, Hermes, and then to the nymphs of Nysa to be raised. As he became a man, Dionysus became a wanderer, wandering far to weird and strange places. Throughout his life he was often shunned  because many didn’t see him to be as he was- a god. They treated him as a lesser being and in the majority of the myth he is set on proving that he is mighty and punishing those who face him with disbelief. Part Two: Stories of Love and Adventure Chosen Myth: Cupid and Psyche Situational Archetype: The Task Psyche was repeatedly put through seemingly impossible tests by Venus, such as sorting seeds, fetching golden wool, and going to the underworld to ask Proserpine for a box of her beauty. Venus put her through these unruly tasks in hopes to keep Psyche away from her son. But on the other hand, Psyche only completed these tasks due to the fact that she thought it would bring her to her love, Cupid. In the end, Cupid and Psyches love prevailed and Psyches ultimate goal of being with her husband was completed. Symbolic Archetype: Light versus Darkness The battle between light versus darkness can be seen when Psyche and Cupid are together in the cave with each other. Although to Cupid the darkness represented trust and faithfulness in his and Psyches relationship, to Psyche the darkness represented the unknown and fear of her husband being a serpent rather than the son of Venus. When Psyche was about to attack Cupid in the cave, she brought the factor of light into their relationship with the use of the candle. To Psyche, this use of light â€Å"confirmed her love† in the relationship, but also brought along the realization that she had upset Cupid with her lack of trust in the relationship. So all in all the battle of light versus darkness was really a battle of trust. Character Archetype: The Star-Crossed Lovers Unlike the play, Romeo and Juliet, Psyche and Cupid’s love affair didn’t end in tragedy, like the beginning of the myth would lead you to believe. In the myth, Venus’ followers began to shrink and more of the attention from her followers were focused upon Psyche because she was more beautiful than Venus. Venus ordered her son Cupid to make Psyche fall in love with pretty much a scumbag, but instead Cupid fell in love it Psyche. When they were  together Cupid hid himself from Psyche because he knew the repercussions that their love could have. They were two people destined to not be together with every obstacle in their way, but in the end they made it work. Part Three: The Great Heroes before the Trojan War Chosen Myth: Perseus Situational Archetype: Supernatural Intervention On Perseus’ journey for Medusa’s head it was very much expected that he would fail and die, which was Polydectes goal. But in the end he prevailed and completed the mission, due to the fact that he had the luck and support of the Gods on his side. Throughout his voyage he was aided by the support of Hermes and Athena. This can be seen in Perseus’ use of Athena’s shield and Hermes’ sword that he used to attack Medusa. Also, without the help of Hermes, Perseus wouldn’t have been able to find the nymphs of the North, whose gifts (winged sandals, magic wallet, and an invisible cap) also aided him in the defeat of Medusa. Symbolic Archetype: The Whirlpool In the beginning of the myth, Perseus’ grandfather, King Acrisius, was told by a priestess that his daughter would have a son and that her son would kill him. So Acrisius goes out of his way to rid himself of his daughter. He locks her in a castle in hopes that she won’t come across other people and become pregnant. Once he finds out that his daughter does have a son, Perseus, he locks them both into a chest and throws them into the sea. And even though King Acrisius goes through all of this to avoid his death, he learns that fate is unavoidable. In the end Perseus still kills him but rather on accident, not like Acrisius had imagined. So no matter what you do to avoid fate, it’ll happen. Character Archetype: The hero/heroine Throughout Perseus’ journey for Medusa’s head he experienced fluctuations in his motives for the head. He didn’t set himself onto the path of killing Medusa to be a hero, he did it in hopes of making Polydectes happy and giving his mother a nice engagement gift. But when he came back to the  island after the mission and realized that it was in shambles, he used the gifts he got from the gods and Medusa’s head to bring happiness to the island. By turning Polydectes and his followers into stone he freed the people and rid them of their tyrant leader. Thus becoming the hero to the islanders. Part Four: The Heroes of the Trojan War Chosen Myth: The Trojan war Situational Archetype: The Unhealable Wound In the Trojan War the unhelable wound represents both physical and psychological wounds. The first was the start of all of the rest, the kidnapping of Helen from Menelaus, her father, by Aphrodite and Paris. The loss of his daughter brought an unbelievable amount of pain onto the King, driving him to drastic measures, such as war. Also, this archetype can be seen in the sacrificing of Iphigenia, the eldest daughter of the Commander in Chief, Agamemnon. By having to kill his own beloved daughter it brought grief upon him that would linger throughout the war. When the Greek ships reached the rivers of Troy there was a man named Protesilaus, he was the first man to leap ashore, and also the first man to die. His wife, Laodamia, was so sickened with sadness at the loss of her husband that she killed herself just so she could go to the underworld with him; Showing that she felt that she could never be happy without her husband. Another example is when the quarrel between Achilles and Agamemnon sparked over Agamemnon’s prize of honor, Chryseis. Agamemnon’s prize of honor had to be returned and then he ordered his men to steal Briseis, Achilles’ prize of honor. Achilles became so upset over the turning of his own men that he spent his days in his tent wrapped in sorrow. Throughout this myth there were countless of other examples of unhelable wounds like the loss of Hector, the relationships between the gods, the loss of Patroclus, and the abuse of Hectors dead body. Symbolic Archetype: Haven versus Wilderness This archetype can be seen in the comparison of the war versus taking refuge in the tents. You’d think after Achilles’ prize of honor taken away from him and he stayed back at camp rather than fighting in the war that his  haven would be the tents and the wilderness would be the war. But it was just the opposite of that. When Achilles was in the tents he was consumed with despair. When he finally got vengeance for Patroclus death, he was himself once again. Bringing him back into battle made him whole again and brought balance back to the war. Character Archetype: The Damsel in Distress The Trojan War was centered around two sides, the Greeks and the Trojans, fighting over one person- Helen. Helen was the fairest woman in the world, and Paris was promised her as his wife by Aphrodite. The problem with that being that the role of Helen’s husband was already being championed off by her father, Menelaus, to powerful families in the area. Paris was then responsible for kidnapping Helen, thus causing Menelaus to call the Greeks together and start a war with the Trojans to save the damsel in distress, his daughter. In the view of Menelaus, the heroes were the Greeks fighting to save his daughter and the villains were the Trojans. Part Five: The Great Families of Mythology Chosen Myth: The Royal House of Thebes Situational Archetype: The Fall In the start of the city of Thebes, it was blessed with prosperity and wisdom by the gods, but by its â€Å"end† it had experienced some of the worst hardships known to man. When Cadmus and Harmonia, the founders of Thebes, fled from the city to Illyria, the couple was turned into serpents by the gods. They were turned due to their fate, not because of punishment. Their fate was proof of that the innocent suffered as much as the guilty. They turned from the rulers of a great city into serpents. This archetype is also seen in the sub story of Oedipus. In the beginning Oedipus kills the Sphinx and is then made the King of Thebes. In the end, after the truth is revealed about his life, he begins a transition from light to darkness. He becomes blind and then his uncle/brother in law and his sons expel him from the city and he lives the rest of his life in penalty for crimes he wasn’t aware he was committing. Symbolic Archetype: Numbers In the House of Thebes you repeatedly see the use of numbers in the work, such as the numbers five and seven. The number seven is seen in the amount of champions that attack the gates and the seven champions that protect it. The number seven represents the completion of the cycle, and throughout the myth the importance of the seven is burying the seven dead warrior’s bodies. By burying their bodies it brings peace to the community and restores the balance. Character Archetype: Young person from the provinces The hero, Oedipus, was separated from his family as an infant because an oracle had told his father that someday his son would kill him. He was raised away from Thebes, by King Polybus in Corinth. As an adult Oedipus returned to Thebes and overnight became their hero. In Thebes there was an issue with a Sphinx, and for the Sphinx to surrender and kill herself a riddle had to be solved. Seeing the riddle in a new light, Oedipus solved the riddle and freed the people of Thebes from the Sphinx. They made Oedipus their king and for quite some time he ruled the area peacefully. Part Six: The Less Important Myths Chosen Myth: Midas- And Others Situational Archetype: The Initiation In the myth about Pomona, all she cares about are her fruits and orchids. Rather than her coming to a realization about her problems, she came to a realization about love. No matter the man, she was never interested in them because she felt that her plants were enough. She encountered the epiphany when Vertumnus finally revealed his true identity after kissing her and telling her how much he loved her. Once she saw him in the light of who he really was she saw her calling, to be with him and garden together. Symbolic Archetype: The Crossroads The Danaids were the daughters of Danaus, and in the myth his fifty daughters were being forced to marry their 50 cousins, Danaus’ brother, Aegyptus’, fifty sons. Throughout the myth they sisters were trying to avoid  marrying their cousins, but at some point the wedding between them arrived. The crossroads, symbolizes their fathers decision to tell the girls to kill their husbands after they got married. Because of this decision all but one of his daughters were sentenced to life in hell. And Danaus punished the one daughter who didn’t follow his orders. Because of this one choice the daughters fate was changed forever. Character Archetype: The Temptress Usually when you think of a temptress you imagine a hero falling for a girl, and then the girl is the source of his wrong doings, almost as if she urged him to do it. But in this case, it was a little different. Glaucus was a fisherman who was then turned intoa sea-god. Glaucus was in love with a nymph, Scylla. He did everything in his power to try and make her love him. But one day, he went to Circe for a love potion in hopes that it’d make the wonderful Scylla fall for him. But instead, Circe fell in love with him and used a vile of potion to turn Scylla into a monster. So because of Scylla’s beauty and Glaucus’ love for her, his downfall was the jealousy of others centered around love. It’s almost as if you combined Circe and Scylla’s characters into one and it’d form the perfect temptress. Part Seven: The Mythology of Norsemen Chosen Myth: The Stories of Signy and Sigurd Situational Archetype: The Quest Brynhild was a Valkyrie that was punished and put to sleep until some man shall crawl through the flaming fire and awake her. Brynhild wanted a man that was brave to rescue her and the man responsible for that was Sigurd, the son of Sigmund. He completes the journey of having to make his way through the flames with his horse. Once he reaches his end goal, awakening Brynhild, she gives herself to him because he had proved his worthiness and bravery through awakening her. Symbolic Archetype: Fire versus ice In the myth, fire is a reoccurring element. It first shows up when Signy’s children and husband are being burned and she allows herself to burn to  death. It pops up again Brinhild’s couch is surrounded with fire, a task for Sigurd to save her from. And again when Gudrun kills herself and prays to be laid on her husbands funeral pyre. So as you can see, fire is very much linked to life, rebirth, and death. Rebirth and death in the first scenario, birth of opportunities and love in the second, and death in the third. Character Archetype: Hunting Group of Companions Signy made such an effort to make sure she remained close to her family†¦.extremely close. She had a child with her brother, Sinfiotli. The three of them were most often very close together, a close knit family. Through their plans of revenge to avenge the dead they completed the deeds with one another. They were very support of one another and loving.

Deontological Vs Utilitarian Ethics Essay

Kant believed that morality is dependent upon reason, that to act rationally was the same as acting morally. He placed a high value upon duty in determining the moral worth of an action. Kant’s deontological ethics is essentially an ethics of duty or obligation. As such, he claims that the moral worth of an action depends solely on whether or not it was done exclusively from a sense of duty. If an act is done simply because one is so inclined, the act has no moral value. This principle holds true even if inclination happens to be in agreement with duty. To illustrate this point, he uses the example of a truly beneficent person. He says that while kindness to all man is a duty, there are some who are naturally inclined to be kind. He asserts â€Å"But I maintain that in such a case an action of this kind, however proper, however amiable it may be, has nevertheless no true moral worth, but is on a level with other inclinations†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Gregory and Giancola, 82). When these spread kindness while motivated by their own inclination to be kind, their kind acts have no moral value, because in his view in order for an act to be moral, it must be done for the sake of duty alone. Essentially, deontological ethics says the less inclined one is to perform an act that duty calls one to, the more moral worth the act has. While deontological ethics is completely independent of inclination, utilitarian ethics is in many was based upon it. Utilitarianism is built on hedonism, which is the claim that pleasure is the supreme good for man. The main idea of utilitarianism is that man is naturally inclined to seek pleasure and avoid pain and this natural inclination is to be embraced as it will lead man to the supreme end, which is happiness. Utilitarian ethics says that moral acts are those that promote pleasure and avoid pain while immoral acts do the opposite. In is definition of utilitarianism, John Mills says that as far as possible, pleasure in its highest quantity and quality should be promoted and this for the greatest number of people possible. He says, â€Å"†¦that standard is not the agent’s own greatest happiness, but the greatest amount of happiness altogether†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Gregory and Giancola, 92). In my view this means that according to utilitarian ethics, the moral act is the o ne that brings pleasure to the greatest amount of people.

Infinint Love essays

Infinint Love essays Love has been present throughout the history of mankind. Its not a surprise that it has been the topic of countless poems, novels, lyrics, and many other forms of writing. The original love story is Tristan and Iseult. Tristan and Iseult are second only to Lancelot and Guinevere as the great lovers of the Arthurian legends. The story of their tragic love has been the subject of numerous medieval and modern retellings. The medieval versions of the story are sometimes divided into two branches, called the courtly and the common versions. The former is represented by the Tristan of the Anglo-Norman poet Thomas, which was written in the latter part of the twelfth century. His version in turn influenced Gottfried von Strassburg, whose Tristan, written in the first decade of the thirteenth century, is one of the great romances of the Middle Ages, and the Old Norse Tristrams saga (1226). This story is a mirror image of value of courtly love during the Middle Ages. The story of Tristan and Isuelt relates the culture in which it was written in. Tristan and Isuelt demonstrates love versus social convention. The story is comparable to the era (Middle Ages) in which it was written in. Epics were the focus of many literary workings during this time period. There was the concept of ideal love which last forever even beyond death. During the Middle Ages the culture was influenced its economic system. Feodalism or vassal system was the predominate economic system. Kings ruled the land and knights served the King. This is a very strong influential factor in Tristan and Iseult. Isuelt was portrayed as a perfect lady with no flaws. Another theme that was popular during the time was the idea of servitude to the lady. An honorable mans job was to serve his lady. The Crusades where probably the most prominent element during the Middle Ages and thus the Knight became known. Kn ...

rabies essays

rabies essays Rabies, its name comes from a Latin word meaning to rage has struck fear in people for centuries. An Italian physician, Girolama Fracastoro, discovered that rabies was a disease fatal to humans as well as animals in the 16th century, calling it an incurable wound. Louis Pasteur created the first rabies vaccine in 1885 using live rabies virus (Hennessen, 17). Pasteurs early vaccine could cause serious, even fatal, reactions, but it was a start on the road to todays effective vaccines. Rabies has a long history in medicine, and now is well known. Rabies is a preventable viral disease of mammals most often transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal, including humans. The vast majority of rabies cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) each year occur in wild animals like raccoons, skunks, bats, and foxes. Domestic animals account for less than 10% of the reported rabies cases, with cats, cattle, and dogs most often reported rabid (Finley, 34). Rabies virus infects the central nervous system, causing encephalopathy and ultimately death Early symptoms of rabies in humans are nonspecific, consisting of fever, headache, and general malaise. As the disease progresses, neurological symptoms appear and may include insomnia, anxiety, confusion, slight or partial paralysis, excitation, hallucinations, agitation, hyper salivation, difficulty swallowing, hydrophobia, and an unusual sensitivity to sound, light, and changes in temperature. Death usually occurs within days of the onset of symptoms (Hennessen, 98). There are two forms of rabies. Furious rabies largely affects the brain and causes and infected animal to be aggressive or excitable. Paralytic or dumb rabies, mainly affects the spinal cord, causing the animal to be weak-limbed, lazy, and unable to raise its head or make sounds because neck and throat muscles are paralyzed. I...

Ikrandraco - Facts and Figures

Ikrandraco - Facts and Figures Name Ikdrandraco (Ikran dragon, after the flying creatures from Avatar); pronounced EE-krahn-DRAY-coe Habitat Rivers and lakes of Asia Historical Period Early Cretaceous (120 million years ago) Size and Weight About 30 inches long and a few pounds Diet Fish Distinguishing Characteristics Moderate size; distinctive bill structure; possible throat patch for holding fish About Ikrandraco Ikrandraco is an odd choice to honor the Ikran, or mountain banshees, of Avatar: this early Cretaceous pterosaur was only about two and a half feet long and a few pounds, whereas the Ikran from the hit movie are majestic, horse-sized, flying creatures that the Navi ride into battle against their human antagonists. Once you get past its name, though, Ikrandraco avatar may have been a truly unique pterosaur: some paleontologists claim that it had a pouch on the underside of its distinctively shaped bill in which it stored recently caught fish, which would make it similar to the modern pelican. However, not everyone is convinced by this putative anatomical feature of Ikrandraco (made of soft tissue, a throat pouch would have no chance of surviving in the fossil record), nor by the hypothesis that this pterosaur skimmed over the surface of lakes and trapped wiggling prey in its submerged lower jaw. The fact is that it can be difficult to infer the everyday behavior of a 120-million-year-old reptile by analogy with modern birds, and the possibility remains that Ikrandraco fed in more conventional fashion, like other pterosaurs of the early Cretaceous period, simply diving into the water and swallowing its fill of fish.

Story Pitch assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Story Pitch assignment - Essay Example Only one artist will be representing the entire State of Indiana in the show. This artist is Indiana University’s art professor, Jawshing Arthur Liou. His masterwork, â€Å"Kora,† is unique in so many ways that it made it to this highly competitive show as the sole representative of Indiana. ‘State of the Art’ Show at Crystal Bridges Museum comprehensively surveys contemporary art. Here, only the best, unique, and competitive artworks make it to the museum. The selecting process was highly competitive. This process encompassed the participation of regional curators and art insiders. The idea was to identify fresh talent and compelling art that would feature in this year’s show. Liou was selected for his work that features the sacred Mount Kailash from an artist’s point of view. Professor Liou’s story, and more so his artwork, is captivating as far as ‘State of the Art’ Show at Crystal Bridges Museum is concerned. Understanding Liou’s inspiration and motivation to do the â€Å"Kora† is fundamental. On the same note, it is critical to connect this work to his career as a University professor. Given that not all details could be captured in this brief, I would like to offer Indianapolis Monthly Magazine exclusive access to professor Liou’s story. The story will highlight events leading to Liou’s selection, and most importantly vivid details about the â€Å"Kora.† A number of reasons inform the choice to offer exclusive access to Indianapolis Monthly Magazine. To start with, Indianapolis Monthly Magazine is central to contemporary developments in Indiana. The Magazine reaches different audiences in the State, who in turn share the Magazine’s story with other people. Secondly, the magazine offers an exclusive segment that deals with art and culture. New art developments constitute a priority story in Indiana, especially when only a select group is at the top of

Private Companies and Correctional Institutions Essay

Private Companies and Correctional Institutions - Essay Example This is not the case if things are handled in a proper manner when there is an all-out understanding that the private companies would follow the state’s dictum. The correctional institutions if set up under the realms of a private company, should be closely watched over by the state because this could mean problems of a magnanimous nature if the private companies prison individuals with which they have their own respective enmities and rifts. Having such jails would be tantamount to bringing in anarchic situations within the private companies and indeed the society at large, as there are problems that need to be understood before drafting in the correctional institutions (Cecil, 2010). What is even more significant is the fact that these correctional institutions should always be monitored regularly because this is the need of the hour. As far as the role of the private companies is concerned, the correctional institutions would always have to be bringing in the value for the sake of the society because the governmental believes in the same philosophy and it is only natural to think of it as such within the private companies. The private companies must comprehend that having correctional institutions is indeed a sensitive issue, and one that demands a great deal of vigilance and responsibility. The consequences of any weaknesses on the part of these private companies could have far reaching ramifications and the role of the top management within such private companies is one of essence. Administering such sensitive functions should only be carried about if the private companies believe in their strengths, and then only undertake such efforts to have correctional institutions within their fore. ... If these private companies believe that they can set up such correctional institutions and take care of the administration affairs at a later stage, this is asking for trouble. The state must not allow such private companies to undertake measures of correcting individuals who have committed a crime or have been labeled as offenders. The need is to carry out all the actions and tasks in a very honest way because the greater good of the society is at stake, and thus the private companies should always be certain that they will be at their best under such situations. What is even more interesting is the fact that the dangerous functions are understood properly by the private companies before these think of venturing into such domains. If they do not have any idea of the gravity of the tasks that they are getting into, it is in their best interest to keep away from the same, and concentrate on their core business areas. Works Cited Cecil, Dawn. Televised Images of Jail: Lessons in Contro lling the Unruly. Sociology of Crime Law and Deviance, 14,

JVA Corporation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

JVA Corporation - Assignment Example Organizations that lack proper PMS are unable to fulfill their commitments and even compromise on quality of their goods and services which can significantly impact their relationship with their customers (Performance Appraisal, 2011). Likewise, ineffective PMS will not be able to give confidence to employees as they will see that they are not being rewarded for their contributions and they will be unable to develop important skills required for performing their job with zeal and enthusiasm (Armstrong & Baron, 2005). Since economic recession has impacted working of all organizations, it has become important for them to take appropriate measures that will help them in enhancing their performance and cut back costs (Performance Management, 2012). Organizations have to make choices among various options such as close down their operations, cut down salaries of employees, lay off workers and many more; JVA Corporation will have to review its PMS so that it can make the right decision for its business operations and ensure that it is able to generate enough profit for its ongoing survival in the market. Considering the scenario of JVA Corporation, the most ideal strategy is the second one as it will allow it to ensure that people are secured about their jobs that they will not be made redundant. The strategy suggested for implementation by Human Resource Director is that every six months, performance and revenue will be reviewed so that decision about cutting or increasing pay can be effectively made. During these reviewing periods bottom line will be revisited as well. Employees will be motivated that they can get raises in their pay twice a year if they perform well. Implementation plan for PMS Since JVA Corporation has been losing money in the last couple of years due to economic recession, it will have to cut back perks and amenities that are offered to the employees. Before making any adjustments in compensation packages, heads of respective departments will ha ve meeting with their departmental employees so that they convey the changes being made in PMS. Along with modifications in their pay packages, JVA Corporation will be able to save 2-3% of their net income; in order to raise salaries and wages, employees will have to meet demands of enhancing their performance so that they are eligible for pay increases. With this strategy, employees will be affected to a greater extent as they will be suffering from incentives such as pay raises, auto insurance, transportation cost and many more. However, workers’ morale will get boosted as they will realize that the company will not lay off the workers and they will not lose their jobs. JVA Corporation can be affected by implementation of the strategy because some employees might be reluctant to such impositions which will affect their motivation level and they will be discouraged to enhance their productivity; as a result of this, employees might get de-motivated. In order to boost the mor ale of such employees, HR staff will arrange counseling sessions with them so that they can tell them the reasons of making such changes and help them in developing their potential skills. One point needs to be clarified that strategy implementation is temporary and

Decartes argument on the existence of God Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Decartes argument on the existence of God - Essay Example Descartes thought the only way to attain true knowledge was to depend only on human reasoning while disregarding the role of the senses, if any. â€Å"His philosophy refused to accept the Aristotelian and Scholastic traditions that had dominated philosophical thought throughout the Medieval period; it attempted to fully integrate philosophy with the ‘new sciences’; and Descartes changed the relationship between philosophy and theology. Such new directions of philosophy made Descartes into a revolutionary figure† (Baillet 1693). For this revelation, he is now universally celebrated as the father of modern philosophy. Through this works regarding the development in thought, he was also known as the founder of modern day mathematics and scientific method. In forming his ideas, Descartes wrote many books, including his most well-known, â€Å"Discourse on Method†, first published in 1637, concerning the nature of knowledge and human existence. â€Å"Discourse o n Method† is divided into three sections Descartes described and named ‘meditations.’ It is in the third of these meditations that Descartes reflected upon the true nature of God and determined that He is indeed real and exists more than just in people’s minds. ... â€Å"In this item of first knowledge, there is simply a clear and distinct perception of what I am asserting; this would not be enough to make me certain of the truth of the matter if it could ever turn out that something which I perceived with such clarity and distinctness was false. So I now seem to be able to lay it down as a general rule that whatever I perceived very clearly and distinctly is true† (Descartes, 1637). One of the first notions that he professed in this line of thinking was that he had a fundamental idea that God exists. Descartes’ reasoning that God did indeed exist outside just the mind of man he had to have had a causation of some type because he had previously proven that nothing comes from nothing. Descartes rationalized that this cause must be based at least as much in reality as the idea. However, since he did not think himself infinitely perfect, of course, Descartes rationalized he could not have thought of this idea all on his own therefore there must be an remote cause that is infinitely perfect. Only God is infinitely perfect so God must indeed exist. â€Å"Descartes assumes that we have an idea of God as an actually infinite being, not just a being that is as great as we can imagine by extending the finite perfections of a human being. For this reason, it is impossible for us to have constructed our idea of God through an extension of the idea we have of ourselves or any other finite creature† (Rutherford, 2006). The second argument Descartes’ used to prove God’s existence emanates from his own ability to envision something perfect despite himself being imperfect. This second argument starts with the understanding that he exists – again, â€Å"I

Describing the box fight Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Describing the box fight - Essay Example Describing the box fight These are a few of the reasons why sometimes, watching at home is better than being there myself. The replays definitely ensured that my need for visual gratification will be satisfied with their well-chosen replays of the highlights of the game. I did not even need to guess which punch hit what place. The media gave all of that to me. I want to relay the commentators’ views verbatim, but I am at a loss. No matter how I probe my brain to remember how they said things, all I can remember were the feelings those words had on me. Still, in this narrative, I will try to relay the details by interpreting and paraphrasing what was retained in my memory. Additionally, in this account, I will also try as much as possible to refer to scenes as I have personally experienced and seen them, to provide the most detailed account of the event I want to narrate. In reference to the title I chose, I am not saying that people are asking for blood, but boxing, as we know it, sort of makes one expect that the more bloody the event is, the more exhilarating the winning is. This was what I felt during the hours of watching a spectacular boxing match a couple of months ago. I was at home cozily sitting on the plush brown sofa I chose to sit on for the event.the mahogany center table, I placed a large bowl of yellow buttered popcorn that I just got out from the microwave. The flavorful scent that permeated the air made me smile as I placed a tall glass of iced tea beside the glass bowl. I was preparing myself to be as excited as the crowd because it is a very much talked about match. Curious to see what this titleholder has to offer, I began to immerse myself in the game. I was trying to listen to what the commentators were saying, and the crowd’s piercing screams caused me a frown or two occasionally. By the middle part of the match, my hand s were already clammy with cold sweat. I did not realize I was so much taken by the events inside the ring. I clutched my white handkerchief, gripping it

Decartes argument on the existence of God Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Decartes argument on the existence of God - Essay Example Descartes thought the only way to attain true knowledge was to depend only on human reasoning while disregarding the role of the senses, if any. â€Å"His philosophy refused to accept the Aristotelian and Scholastic traditions that had dominated philosophical thought throughout the Medieval period; it attempted to fully integrate philosophy with the ‘new sciences’; and Descartes changed the relationship between philosophy and theology. Such new directions of philosophy made Descartes into a revolutionary figure† (Baillet 1693). For this revelation, he is now universally celebrated as the father of modern philosophy. Through this works regarding the development in thought, he was also known as the founder of modern day mathematics and scientific method. In forming his ideas, Descartes wrote many books, including his most well-known, â€Å"Discourse on Method†, first published in 1637, concerning the nature of knowledge and human existence. â€Å"Discourse o n Method† is divided into three sections Descartes described and named ‘meditations.’ It is in the third of these meditations that Descartes reflected upon the true nature of God and determined that He is indeed real and exists more than just in people’s minds. ... â€Å"In this item of first knowledge, there is simply a clear and distinct perception of what I am asserting; this would not be enough to make me certain of the truth of the matter if it could ever turn out that something which I perceived with such clarity and distinctness was false. So I now seem to be able to lay it down as a general rule that whatever I perceived very clearly and distinctly is true† (Descartes, 1637). One of the first notions that he professed in this line of thinking was that he had a fundamental idea that God exists. Descartes’ reasoning that God did indeed exist outside just the mind of man he had to have had a causation of some type because he had previously proven that nothing comes from nothing. Descartes rationalized that this cause must be based at least as much in reality as the idea. However, since he did not think himself infinitely perfect, of course, Descartes rationalized he could not have thought of this idea all on his own therefore there must be an remote cause that is infinitely perfect. Only God is infinitely perfect so God must indeed exist. â€Å"Descartes assumes that we have an idea of God as an actually infinite being, not just a being that is as great as we can imagine by extending the finite perfections of a human being. For this reason, it is impossible for us to have constructed our idea of God through an extension of the idea we have of ourselves or any other finite creature† (Rutherford, 2006). The second argument Descartes’ used to prove God’s existence emanates from his own ability to envision something perfect despite himself being imperfect. This second argument starts with the understanding that he exists – again, â€Å"I

Research methods (surveys of work on exit strategies for business Essay

Research methods (surveys of work on exit strategies for business tenants) - Essay Example Different set of questionnaire were sent to tenants, landlords, solicitors and letting agents. The survey of the landlords, letting agents and solicitors were framed as representing an investigation into their overall activity rather than transaction specific questions. In the case of property research a mixed method of analysis of secondary data and survey and questionnaire method is often employed to conduct the research. Through the analysis of the secondary data the research would be able to get the numerical data for the completion of the empirical studies relating to the study, while the interviews and surveys bring out the qualitative aspects of the subject under study. In property researches meaningful results can be obtained only when the researcher combines quantitative data and qualitative information in his studies. In order to achieve the research objectives of ascertaining the impact of quantitative variations and to identify the salient features of different market mechanisms on the impact of the subject under study the adoption of mixed research methods is the appropriate suggestion. For instance in the study Corsby et al (2006) the interviews and surveys combined with the data provided by IPD made the research meaningful and gave precise answers to the research questions. Property Research Studies are not only used for Instrumental purposes to Underpin policy, but should also have a Normative Purpose Basically a clear and concise knowledge of the ontological and epistemological assumptions that explain the research studies and the process of research is necessary to (i) understand the interrelationship of research methodology and methods, (ii) avoid the resulting confusion on discussions relating to theoretical debates and approaches to social phenomena and (iii) be able to have a complete recognition of one's own and also others' position with respect to the issues related to the study (Jonathan Grix). The achieving of the above objectives along with the other objective of fully grasping the directional relationship of key components of the research process logically substantiates the view that the research studies are to have a normative purpose in addition to the instrumental purpose. It is important that the research studies encompass a normative approach so that the logical, directional relationship between the key components of research is clearly understood. Unless the normative purpose is taken into account, the quantitative data may not show the impact and influence of the questions the researcher is asking and also the type of project the research has undertaken to study. It is also not possible that a research may begin with the inference on any of the quantitative data at any stage. The researcher cannot first choose the research method and work backwards through the methodology to achieve his/her research objectives. By taking into account the normative purpose the researcher is allowed to follow a method-led approach to the research study than a question-led research. This makes the research questions point towards the most fitting research method. Unless a normative approach is followed the logic of interconnectedness between the key

Health and social care Essay Example for Free

Health and social care Essay We are now living in an ageing society and so health and social care will play a part throughout our life course in one way or another. I shall start the main body of my assignment by providing an explanation of what is meant by the life course. I will then move onto my experiences of adulthood and of using health and social care services, showing as I go how block 1 has helped me to critically reflect upon these and the outcome. Critically reflection means that I will analyse, challenge and question within this assignment. I will also show the different methods of reflection to explore my life course and show how important reflection can be in health and social care setting. After reflecting I will discuss other aspects from within the learning guides. I then will come to the end of the assignment with a brief conclusion. The term life course is made up of expected age related events throughout life, that are traditions within a society. These life courses can change in different cultures. These events within a life course can affect how people live which is called life course perspective, by understanding a person’s life course, we can use it to provide appropriate support and provision. In learning guide three, open university, five principles by Bengston et al (2005), occur within the life course perspective; by discussing these we have a better understanding of the life course, ‘It establishes a common field of inquiry by defining a framework that guides research in terms of problem identification and formulation ’, (Bengston et al, 2005, Chapter 1). The first is called linked lives, which is how our lives are affected by others, they have are very influential, especially family. The second is time and place, it discusses how things such as historical events, living in a time of economic decline for example, The Great Depression, can restrict certain opportunities and shape who people are and become. The third is timing, this consists of the timing of specific events within a person’s life that may or may not fit in within society’s norm of when the event should happen such as education and having children. The fourth is make hoices about what to do and have plans, it is about agency, how they plan their life, have influence over it and can continually assess if it is going to plan. However I feel that this can be critiqued as still there are arranged marriages, controlling relationships, forced prostitution, all of these have little agency over their life as well as many other cases. The fifth and final one is life-long, this shows that ageing is not just an older stage of life but is happening to all of us, it is a life-long process and events can determine the outcome of later life. Applying these to health and social care settings can help complete a picture of an individual’s life, I will also apply some of the five aspects to my experience. To critically reflect on my own experiences I had to figure out which parts of my life would be relevant. At the end of my reflection I will show how these examples changed my values and ethics and also now what I expect from health and social care professionals. The three types of reflection by Barker (2010, p. 122) cites (William 2001) within learning guide one, open university, are probably the best method to help reflect on my first experience. The first type of reflection by Barker is content reflection this consists of what happened. What happened is that I had a swift transition from childhood to adulthood as I became a mother at sixteen. The second part of reflection is process reflection which is why it happened. It happened because at the time I felt older than my years and to show my parents and friends how grown up I was, I got pregnant. The third part is called premise or critical reflection which shows why it happened and the judgement for it. As a teenager all I cared about was my feelings and nobody else mattered it was what I wanted and so I made sure it did. I was treated as a social outcast by certain family and was also treated in a very patronising manner by the GP and other health care professionals such as midwives, throughout my pregnancy and early motherhood. By drawing on this as an experience I wanted to show that my values back then were selfish and all about me and becoming a mother this changed my outlook by making my child my priority and I used this as a strength to prove the professionals wrong and that I would make a good mother regardless of my age. I realise now that a lot of judgements were made because this was not classed as society’s norm also shows the second principal of time and place as I was classed as the modern youth culture. I also feel that if the professionals had taken the time to understand my life course as discussed within learning guide three, open university, they would have understood why I had taken this course of action. ‘When people don’t do what seems to be the obvious, sensible, rational thing to promote their own health and wellbeing, it can be tempting to characterise them as ‘awkward’, ‘irrational’, ‘their own worst enemy’ .. (Open University, LG 3. 2). I feel that this sentence sums up how I was treated, and the assumption of me by the health professionals. I chose this to show that I still had the rights to be treated as any other mother to be and not as a social outcast from a modern culture. I wanted also to bring in that this may also be classed as an ethical dilemma for certain members of staff as they may feel uneasy dealing with a teenage mother to be. Ethical dilemmas often arise in health and social care as mentioned in learning guide five. I will be using the three suggested methods of reflection by Rolfe et al (2001), (LG1, open university), for my next experience. The first method is what the situation is, looking into any problems and any feelings about it. This situation is that I was diagnosed with Sero-negative arthritis at 25, I was devastated, I had two children by this point to look after and an abusive partner who was no help. The second method consists of so what, I took this to mean, what was learnt and any thoughts about the situation. At the time I was understandably upset but I had very good family and friends to help, shows the importance of linked lives. I had to very nervous of going back to the judgemental professionals that I’d dealt with earlier, they were not very informative and I was placed on a waiting list to see a specialist. The attitudes of the professionals was that I had been diagnosed, deal with it basically. The third method is now what, what needed to be done, improve my understanding. I researched as much as I could, realised it usually affected people between 40 – 50 so learning this I felt old showing the fifth principle by Bengston et al, that ageing happens to us all, I was suffering from what I thought was an older persons illness. I kept going back to the GP time after time pushing my way up the waiting list, showing them research of what can happen without early treatment to ensure I was seen to as quickly as possible, this caused a little conflict between myself and the GP as I felt I knew more than they did and they did not like that fact. I feel that reflecting back on this again the health professionals and the care I received was poor. I eventually had care by rheumatology staff who looked at my age and would assume that I was not suffering as bad as the others, I was let down by the health service as a whole. I also wanted to show that they were not taking into account my quality of life was going to suffer if I wasn’t treated effectively. Chronic illness is discussed also as a biographical disruption. Biographical disruption is an event outside your expectation of your life course that is unwanted or not expected. Being diagnosed with Sero-negative arthritis definitely fits in with this analogy, in fact a paper was written discussing how chronic illness as biographical disruption, ‘My contention is that illness, and especially chronic illness, is precisely that kind of experience where the structures of everyday life and the forms of knowledge which underpin them are disrupted. , (Bury, Chapter 5, Reader). Using another method of reflection by Schon (1983), (LG1, Open University), I will explore my third and last chosen experience. The first is reflection in action which is how it sounds by using past experience, knowledge to guide you. Although I am now in a happy relationship, I was once in an aggressive and violent relationship for ten years and it affected my every aspect of my life from my confidence to new relationships. By using this type of reflection, although until reading this type of reflection I had not even realised I had done it, I used my previous relationship to ensure that I would be treated like a woman in my new relationship. The second is called reflection on action this is basically thinking back on what actions we took after the event. I had left after an incident which had needed a police visit and so social services had been notified because of the violence to ensure the children had not been involved and I found them very judgemental of the fact I had stayed for so long in an abusive relationship. I showed social services that I had asked for support for me and children by an external organisation as soon as I left and that I was aware we would need it. Social services told me that we would need to work together to ensure that the action I had taken was sufficient and that all the steps necessary to ensure that we were all supported were taken. At first Social Services were quite rude and intrusive by I realised that it was their job to be intrusive and once I let my guard down with them, I actually found that they were there to help. I anted to show this as an experience because I was brought up with strong family values and ethics so I stayed in the relationship because I did not want a broken family for my children even though looking back now I know that it was the wrong thing to do. I also feel it must be hard for social care providers to sometimes understand my reasoning for staying as my family values when their values may have been different causing the initial tension. I realise now that sometimes even though you were raised with certain values and ethics sometimes yours and your families’ welfare takes priority. I also wanted to show that that the fourth principle by Bengston et al is not always possible, throughout this relationship I had no autonomy, in a controlling environment you can only do what you are allowed to do and not everybody has the chance of breaking free. The quality of life, for me and my children was also affected, I have taken an extract to show my point that, ‘There are objective qualities too, and some of these, such as sufficient nutrition, a non-hazardous environment, and a long and healthy life are universally, or virtually universally uncontroversial as components of quality of life. (Phillips, chapter 3, Reader). Within the quote it mentions a non hazardous environment which is the opposite of what we were living in. By reflecting about the above experiences, and others not mentioned, I feel that I have had a difficult life course but because of them I feel I have built up resilience. My experience of adulthood started a lot earlier than was planned, it was not an easy option but I adapted well. Adulthood did not really get easier for me until recently where I found my independence and was safe away from harm. With my experiences of adulthood not being so great, I would say that I feel a lot older than I am, if I bring in positive ageing or successful ageing which was discussed in learning guide two then I would say I definitely do not fit that description the next quote helps explain why. ‘Successful aging is more than the absence of disease, important though that is, and more than the maintenance of functional capacities, important as it is. Both are important components of successful aging, but it is their combination with active engagement with life that represents the concept of successful aging most fully ’, ( Rowe and Kahn, 1997, Open University). I am more aware of my ageing process since being diagnosed at such a young age of sero-negative arthritis but as it is not life threatening I feel I have a long time left yet until the end of my life. I also think that because I made the decision to leave my abusive partner that my quality of life has dramatically improved if I had stayed in that environment I feel that I would not be here now to talk about it. My values and ethics have been influenced by a lot of my experiences over the years and have definitely altered. My values and ethics consist of what is good for me and the children, if I am happy and content then they will benefit it means that I can also now offer a more open, respectful and secure upbringing. I am now going to bring my assignment to an end by summing up my conclusion. With the experiences that I have mentioned within my assignment you can see that my interaction with the world of health and social care has been quite eventful. I have been faced with professionals who have judged me and made assumptions and also who have made me feel inadequate but I was also helped by social services and feel stronger because of that so I am unsure of how to sum up the field of health and social care as it covers such a wide aspect within our life courses. If there was more training provided in understanding life courses and offering person centred care then I feel things would improve but in a time of economic decline I cannot imagine that the funding for this would be available. I do feel that there will always be prejudices within the health and social care profession and that their personal values and ethics may also always play a part in the way they offer support. (

Strategic Management Analysis: Nike

Strategic Management Analysis: Nike Nike Inc Strategic Plan Analysis Introduction Nike is the leading corporation in the world, which deals in equipment supply sportswear. It is a US based company and established in 1962 by Bill Boverman Philip Knight in the name of Blue Ribbon Sports. Later it was changed to Nike Inc in 1978. Headquarter of the company are located in Oregon, which is near Beaverton, the USA. It is the major manufacturer and supplier of apparel and athlete shoes. The business practices and manufacturing methods of Nike Inc are based on innovation. Mission statement Mission of the company is to become the best shoe provider, which delivers best services to its customers. Vision statement The vision statement of the company is to assist every athlete in developing motivation and creativity throughout the world. Goals and objective Goal of the company is to utilize the innovative ideas in order to manufacture quality athlete shoes and attire for the world. There are various objectives of the company, but the most significant one is to become the leader through different activities, which exhibit concern for those who are associated with Nike, such as customers, employees and suppliers throughout the world. Management style at Nike Former CEO, Philip Knight played a vital role in the establishment of strategic management. His style of management is described as the idiosyncratic, which is very personal and distinctive. The mode of management in Nike is described by strategic planning. CEO of Nike reflects broad mindedness as the management style at Nike is based on different aspects, such as the conservative decisions and planned risks. Implementation of management style is based on a thorough analysis of internal as well as external environment. Decision making style of Philip Knight reflects participative method. Knight is a daring person and able to make independent decisions, but before going to consider any decision, he invites the management team to give their views and suggestion on a particular subject. Management style of Nike differs greatly with the management style of Toyota, as it employs the concept of quality across all the levels of management. Basically, Nike is a home region company; 99 percent of its production is outsourced to south East Asia. The products of Nike are being supplied by the employees from independent contract companies, which do not form the part of ownership but are component of supply chain network. From these independent firms, the management at Nike is indirectly accountable for the working conditions of employees. Nike gives immense focus on the sales. On the other hand, Toyota focuses on cutting down the number of human labor by adopting the system of Just in Time (Rugman, 2005). This system helps to maintain appropriate inventory level and ensures correctness in every step of assembly process. Nike’s management style is characterized by the approach towards team management. Top management is composed of the dedicated executive groups having huge knowledge and skill. The group is highly oriented towards the team. This management style has led to the development of faith and esteem (Heller, 2008). This culture of company extends throughout organization. On the other hand, Management style at Toyota is also very effective, as it implements the philosophy of production system into manufacturing procedures. The policy enhances honesty and innovation among the employees, which further assists them to produce quality goods and services. The production system at Toyota is formulated on a strong channel of suppliers and equipment manufacturers. Management team applies those policies, which perform in an interactive manner throughout the distribution networks. Apart from this, similarity lies in their focus of developing the global brand in terms of the quality and style (Kno wledge Management Practices at Toyota Motors, 2005). Total Quality Management Style in Toyota Toyota successfully adopted the system of total quality management. Earlier, the company adopted the American method, which says that machines should be operated until they are broken. The engineer should be called only after this situation. This approach resulted in a decrease in the productivity. But Toyota has always adopted a learning attitude and as a result, it underwent transformation. In the first step, workers were assigned with the responsibility of handling individual machines. In the next step, workers were supposed to keep the documentation of the machine in the special notebooks. In this notebook, they were supposed to document the operation of machine along with the maintenance history. In the further step, they concentrated on the cleaning of dirt, for which they designed particular guards and covers. In the last step, they went for the practices of systematic maintenance. All these procedures helped Toyota in redesigning and making modifications in the parts and above all, these processes led to the building of highest quality cars and as a result, it became the most profitable car manufacturer. Considering Nike, its strategy always focused on encouraging customers to buy the products and the investors to purchase the stock. In spite of this, the production of Nike suffered because of its poor labor law and less focus on the workers conditions (Nike Dispute, 2008). Therefore, in order to implement the Total quality Management, Nike should give emphasis over the overall aspects of the organization. Integration of TQM in Nike TQM implies Total Quality Management; it is a management function and implemented in each business practices through different activities, such as customer feedback and research on their needs and demands. TQM practices of Toyota are based on the quality measures and focus on active participation of every employee in the quality based practices to achieve long term success. TQM practices of Toyota can be incorporated into Nike by shifting its focus on quality measures. The methods involve assessment in a rigorous manner and designing all features of Nike. Management team of Nike should consider each and every aspects of organization and must initiate the TQM practices from the top position (Heller, 2008). In order to implement TQM system, there is a requirement of increasing the level of accountability among the employees, which in turn can assist them to achieve the goals successfully, so Nike should also consider this aspect in the implementation of TQM practices. To ensure quality in the products and goods, Nike should involve practices to enhance customer satisfaction, which were also used by Toyota. Apart from this, Nike should also give emphasis on establishing achievable goals and objectives, so as to ensure quality practices as a means of TQM methodology (Heller, 2008). Conclusion From the above discussion, it can be concluded that the participative style of management, which is followed in the Nike serves as strength. Nike’s continue focus on the market of high end, increase of market share in the middle and focus on the small price ranges have broaden the product spectrum of Nike. In order to implement the Total quality Management, eight important aspects must be given due consideration, which includes: Principles, Integrity, Trust, Training, Recognition, Teamwork, Leadership and Communication. Nike should focus on improving labor relation and conditions of factory at the production system. To make TQM successful, supervisor must show his full commitment in leading his employees and must try to develop faith and promise by implementing practices of TQM. There is a huge requirement of dedication and personal involvement from top management. Last but not the least, clarity in the goals and objective can help in making the employee satisfied and would as sist in gaining their corporation. References Heller, R. (2008). Management styles. Retrieved August 30, 2008 from http://www.thinkingmanagers.com/companies/nike.php Knowledge Management Practices at Toyota Motors (2005). Retrieved August 30, 2008 from http://www.icmrindia.org/casestudies/catalogue/IT%20and%20Systems/ITSY048.htm Kotler, P. (2002). Marketing Management (11th Edition). New Delhi: Prentice Hall of India Private Ltd. Nike Dispute (2008). Retrieved August 30, 2008 from http://ivythesis.typepad.com/term_paper_topics/2008/08/nikes-dispute-w.html Rugman, M.A. (2005). The Regional Multinationals. Cambridge University Press.

The Lottery :: essays research papers

â€Å"The Lottery† Shirley Jackson wrote â€Å"The Lottery† in 1948, not long after the second World War. The horror of the Holocaust was still fresh in everyone’s mind’s. Jackson wrote this story to remind everyone that we are not so far from this world of sadistic human sacrifice. She created a town, very much like any American town, with the gathering of the towns people to celebrate some annual event. She wanted to shine a mirror on contemporary society, a reflection of humanity, or rather, inhumanity. One would think that she was protesting against the shallow hypocrites that rule the world. The town sets up this lottery in a very practical way, there were several things that were a part of the ritual that the town allowed to fade from practice. But the town still saw it necessary to stone a citizen to death once a year just because that was the way it was always done. Shirley Jackson wanted the world to try and find another way, to break away from traditions and be more humane human beings. Once the heads of household have drawn, everyone looks at the slip of paper in their hands and at the same time everyone is praying that it is not their family. Once again the family members draw and each one is praying it is not them, at the same time they know that they are about to lose a loved one. Everyone has felt these same feelings. A friend loses her husband or child and we say a little prayer of thanks to what ever power each of us believes in , thank goodness it was not me. When Tessie Hutchinson realizes that her family has been chosen she says, ‘ I tell you it wasn ’t fair. You didn’t give him time enough to choose. Everybody saw that.†(233) â€Å"The Lottery† makes one feel guilty for desiring one’s own survival.

Information Speech Outline

Brooke Miller Information Speech Outline Specific Purpose: I want my audience to learn about child abuse and how it is different from corporal punishment. Thesis Statement: Physical child abuse and corporal punishment are two different things. It is important to know the difference between the two because all children deserve to be safe. Introduction I. In 2005, 3. 6 million children were investigated by Child Protective Services as victims of maltreatment, 899,000 children were found to be abused or neglected, and 1,460 children died from abuse. 76. 6% of those children who died were 4 years old or younger.II. These are some pictures of child abuse victims. These are some of the things that each of us should be aware of in order to protect our children, or the children in our families. III. I have done research through books, as well as online articles. I will be able to inform you what child abuse actually is, and be able to answer any questions that you might have about this topic as well. IV. Physical child abuse is an issue that deserves everyone’s attention. Everyone who has a child in their family needs to know the difference between abuse and punishment, because all children deserve to be safe.Transition: First, I will start by informing you of the definition of physical child abuse. Body I. Physical abuse is defined as acts of commission that result in physical harm, including death of a child. A. Examples of physical abuse and injuries B. Examples of sexual abuse C. Examples of neglect II. The definition of corporal punishment is inflicting bodily pain on a child as a response to misbehaving and preventing a repetition of the behavior in the future. A. Examples of corporal punishment B. Hawaii Case C. North Dakota Case III.There are signs that each of us need to be aware of in order to protect our children, and/or the children in our families A. Signs of physical abuse B. Signs of sexual abuse C. Signs of neglect IV. It is important to be able to get the abused child to talk to you about the abuse; hopefully you are able to save the child before the abuse leads to death. A. How to get the child to talk to you B. Ways the abuse can lead to death Transition: Now that you know abuse is definitely different from corporal punishment, I’m just going to review the information I have given you today.Conclusion I. You all now know what physical abuse is, and what corporal punishment is. You know the signs to look so you know whether or not the child is actually being abused. You know some ways to help you get the abused child to talk to you so you are able to help them before the abuse continues, or possibly leads to death. II. So, remember there are nearly one million children abused every year, and there is something that each one of us can do to save a child from being continually abused.

Can Money Buy Happiness? Essay

â€Å"When you have money in hand, only you forget who you are, When you don’t have any money in your hand, the whole world forgets who you are† -Bill Gates Good Morning respected teachers and dear friends. Can Money Guarantee Happiness? It is one of the most heavily disputed questions of all time. However if we look at it practically, we will find an immediate answer, that, YES, Money in all its splendour, is the key to happiness. Imagine being able to buy whatever you wish for- cars, palatial houses, helicopters, jet planes, a journey to space, a walk on the moon-wouldn’t it give you joy & happiness, not to mention an envious social status? Definitely it would and what do you think would allow you to buy these things? The answer is, of course, MONEY! Money, thus, definitely guarantees happiness! To argue on this point, we must observe that the very invention of money was to bring happiness and balance to human life. What with the barter system and its many setbacks, the idea of money instituted a sense of equilibrium, so that everyone could follow a definite routine and a similar pattern of things. Without money, man would be a barbarian with no sense of stability! Money is something that distinguishes man from an animal. How, then, can my worthy opponents say that money does not guarantee happiness and that people would be happier without it? I do think anybody who says that money is everything but happiness would agree that donating brings joy. What will you give to others when you yourself don’t have anything? And how would have anything without buying it using money? Poverty is the greatest curse. It is the lack of money that compels people to cheat or even murder. If one has money, one can buy all things that he or she wants. A torn jeans worn by the rich becomes a fashion statement, whatever the rich do becomes customs & what they say becomes law! Money can buy you authority, power, obedience and whatnot! By appointing domestic servants, you aren’t only saving your time so that you can enjoy with your family, but are also taking an uneducated person out of unemployment. Coins & Notes bring you closer to people. Social interactions lead to happiness and self satisfaction. And how can you host a party for your long-lost friends or go out for a movie with your family if you don’t have money? Money helps you to travel to exotic places, meet new people at luxurious events & thus give a treasure trove of happy memories & a bountiful of acquaintances!

Ethics in Public Administration Essay

â€Å"The aim of every political constitution is, or ought to be, first to obtain for rulers men who possess most wisdom to discern, and most virtue to pursue, the common good of the society; and in the next place, to take the most effectual precautions for keeping them virtuous whilst they continue to hold their public trust. The elective mode of obtaining rulers is the characteristic policy of republican government. The means relied on in this form of government for preventing their degeneracy are numerous and various. The most effectual one, is such a limitation of the term of appointments as will maintain a proper responsibility to the people.1† How does one maintain proper responsibility to the people? Public Administration is a major contributor to democratic life. Its success advances to the building and maintaining of public trust built in democracy2. One of the greatest obstacles a public administrator is faced with are political and personal responsibilities. Friedrich believes that political and personal responsibilities are acquired through reasoned communication based on scientific knowledge3, while Finer argues that strict obedience to political administration superiors are ones political and personal responsibilities4. Finer also questions if there is such thing as being overly educated, and if those that are highly educated being scared away from governmental positions, thus leaving sub par people to take those roles5. The thought is that if there were better personnel in government positions than there would be a better political system; therefore a more ethically inclined system. Eric Raile agrees with Friedrich’s approach of reasoned communication; being  educated on ethics through training, personal interactions, and perceived knowledge will influence perceptions of ethical climate6. An interesting discovery though was that work tenure actually lessened the perception. This thought process of education is considered to be public ethics. Public ethics is the belief that results are gained from experience from care-oriented tasks7. Experience compared with a person’s age to how long he/she has been in office. The government has two types of approaches to determine ethics through efficiency and performance versus legal and democratic values. These two approaches are the legalistic approach and the managerialistic approach. The legalistic approach is just that, based on law. It relies on law-based priorities and processes to balance discretionary innovation and accountability. The managerialistic approach relies on innovation and efficiency to balance discretionary innovation and accountability. Whistle-blowing is an area of ethics that is often the most intimidating. While an employee is supposed to be protected it is not often guaranteed. There is a huge risk for not only the employee who reports perceived unethical behavior, but also to the company involved. Since there is always a question of whether one should report unethical behavior it is also interesting to examine what makes a person choose whether or not to report those behaviors. One study revolved around auditors, but its conclusion shows how the findings can be applied to public administration: to determine the likelihood of a person to report unethical behavior one must examine that person’s professional commitment and the organizations commitment versus colleague commitment and moral intensity of the unethical behavior9. The findings in the study of the auditors showed that moral intensity relates to both; higher level of professional identity increases as the commitment to the organization provides mo tivation. Another study showed results for where an employee is likely to report these incidences to: executives of larger organizations showed a higher level of employees voicing concerns to Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and external  whistle-blowing. Executives with union workers showed a higher level of employees voicing concerns to EEOC, the media, and external whistle-blowing. Executives in the manufacturing industry showed a higher level of employees voicing concerns to OSHA10. While the results are not one hundred percent, and further investigation needs to be done, this study showed that employees are more likely to voice concerns to outside parties, rather than internally. Bibliography: Barnett, Tim. (1992). â€Å"A Preliminary Investigation of the Relationship between Selected Organizational Characteristics and External Whistleblowing by Employees.† Journal of Business Ethics. 11. Brady, F. Neil. (2003). â€Å"’Publics’ Administration and the Ethics of Particularity.† Public Administration Review. 63. Christensen, Robert K., Holly T. Goerdel, and Sean Nicholson-Crotty. (2011). â€Å"Management, Law, and the Pursuit of the Public Good in Public Administration.† Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory. 21. Finer, Herman. (1936) â€Å"Better Government Personnel.† Political Science Quarterly. 51. Finer, Herman (1941). â€Å"Administrative Responsibility in Democratic Government.† Public Administration Review 1. Fredericksen, Patricia J. and Daniel Levin. (2004). â€Å"Accountability and the Use of Volunteer Officers in Public Safety Organizations.† Public Performance and Management Review. 27. Gobert , James and Maurice Punch. (2000). â€Å"Whistleblowers, the Pulic Interest, and the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998.† The Modern Law Review. 63. Goodsell, Charles T. (2006). â€Å"A New Vision for Public Administration.† Public Administration Review. 66. Grant, Ruth W. and Robert O. Keohane. (2005). â€Å"Accountability and Abuses of Power in World Politics.† The American Political Science Review. 99. Huang, Yi-Hui (2001). â€Å"Should a Public Relations Code of Ethics be Enforced?† Journal of Business Ethics. 31. Huddleston, Mark W. and Joseph C. Sands. (1995). â€Å"Enforcing Administrative Ethics.† Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science. 537. Jos, Philip H., Mark E. Tompkins, and Steven W. Hays. (1989). â€Å"In Praise of Difficult People: A Portrait of the Committed Whistleblower.† Public Administration Review. 49. Kettl, Donald F. (2009). â€Å"Administrative Accountability and the Rule of Law.† PS: P olitical Science and Politics. 42. Kim, Seok-Eun. (2005). â€Å"Balancing Competing Accountability Requirements: Challenges in Performance Improvement of the Nonprofit Human Services Agency.† Public Performance and Management Review. 29. Luo, Yadong. (2006). â€Å"Political Behavior, Social Responsibility, and Perceived Corruption: A Structuration Perspective.† Journal of International Business Studies. 37. Madison, James. (1788) â€Å"The Alleged Tendency of the New Plan to Elevate the Few at the Expense of the Many Considered in Connection with Representation.† New York Packet. The Federalist. McNamee, Michael John and Scott Fleming. (2007). â€Å"Ethics Audits and Corporate Governance: The Case of Public Sector Sports Organizations.† Journal of Business Ethics. 73. Plant, Jeremy F. (2011). â€Å"Carl J. Friedrich on Responsibility and Authority.† Public Administration Review. 71 Raile, Eric D. (2013). â€Å"Building Ethical Capital: Perceptions of Ethical Climate in the Public Sector.† Public Administration Review. 73. Rodgers, Robert and Nanette Rodg ers. (2000) â€Å"Defining the Boundaries of Public Administration: Undisciplined Mongrels versus Disciplined Purists.† Public Administration Review. 60. Sayre, Wallace S. (1948). â€Å"The Triumph of Techniques over Purpose.† Public Administration Review. 8. Shanahan, Kevin J. and Michael R. Hyman. (2003). â€Å"The Development of a Virtue Ethics Scale.† Journal of Business Ethics. 42. Smith, Robert W. (2003). â€Å" Enforcement or Ethical Capacity: Considering the Role of State Ethics Commissions at the Millennium.† Public Administration Review. 63. Smith, Rogers M. (2008).â€Å"Religious Rhetoric and the Ethics of Public Discourse: The Case of George W. Bush.† Political Theory. 36. Stensota, Helena Olofsdotter. (2010). â€Å"The Conditions of Care: Reframing the Debate about Public Sector Ethics.† Public Administration Review. 70. Taylor, Eileen Z. and Mary B. Curtis. (2010). â€Å"An Examination of the Layers of Workplace Influences in Ethical Judgments: Whistleblowing Likelihood and Perseverance in Public Accounting.† Journal of Business Ethics. 93. Thompson, Dennis F. (1985). â€Å"The Possibility of Administrative Ethics.† Public Administration Review. 45.

Human Resource Systems Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Human Resource Systems - Assignment Example Empowering employees and organizing around teams are aimed by BMW for facilitating communication and making it easier for decisions to be made. It helps the company to respond quickly to customer's needs and it's competitor's challenges. It helps them learn to prioritize tasks and reduce job stress. A workforce that is knowledgeable and skilled at doing complex things keeps a company competitive and attracts investments. Improved productivity means fewer people, less money, less time, less space and fewer resources. Bonuses are given to workers on giving superb ideas related to cutting cost savings, as they are directly involved in production. BMW prefers increased participation from the worker's side. They must give at least three ideas with eight hundred pound for each idea and to qualify for full annual bonus up to two hundred and sixty six pounds. This is done to save 3.6 M annually. The company has also increased workers pay from 2,500 pounds to 4,500 pounds. Many of the workers are hired on temporary basis and working days are fixed to seven-day operation. Working time account was introduced in the company and workers were paid even when the plant remained shut for retooling. The hours missed were made up later. The company provided ease to the workers by giving them the opportunity to take off over time later as holidays. The company saved more than six ... The main goal of the company is to cut cost and improve productivity. BMW consider people as a source of competitive advantage. There is quality of work life at the company that is; employee participation, career development, conflict resolution, communication, wellness, job security, safe environment and pride. Staffing, retention, development, adjustment and change management are the activities, which are successfully implemented at BMW. It maximizes the corporate profits through the better management and use of people as a result of which the company has achieved high profits. As workers are directly involved in production and they have more knowledge about the technical aspects so they are involved in decision making by telling them to give ideas related to cutting costs. Incentives are provided on each idea and the implementation of these ideas gives pride and satisfaction to the workers. BMW believes that happy and satisfied workers are more productive. The workers enjoy social security as fair compensation plans are used by the company to reward workers. The company facilitates and encourages performance by providing sufficient rewards that employees really value. Employees are not over burdened by making them to work for long hours. The environment facilitates their work. Thus competency-based pay is provided to them based upon their skills, depth of knowledge and the work accomplished by them. Performance incentives are provided to them and they get reasonable chance to gain high salary. The link between performance and rewards is high. Workload standards have been set in the company and the work is assigned equitably. There is a philosophy of co-operation and involvement. By successful implementation of HR Systems and practices BMW has achieved enhanced