Family business an empirical analysis of their performance and Essay

Family business an empirical analysis of their performance and ownership structure - Essay Example ta connected with this has been presented in this paper along with the analysis to identify how the markets have performed in the United States and elsewhere. Founding Family Controlled Firm (FFCF) was expected to be down and the general conception is that they might not grow beyond a specific size2. But with clear targets and achievable ones being laid out, these firms have been consistently producing results3. This has resulted in more investor confidence. Sharon Nelton also points out that the second generations managers of the Family have seen to that the companies have grown manifold and investments from others were solicited. These FFCF businesses have repeatedly achieved rapid growth over a period of time. This has primarily happened because of the smaller decisions making tree which helps in swift and strong decisions. This way the company was able to respond to market situations swiftly resulting in better bottom line. In addition to these, the FFCFs are mostly professionally supported. They do employ professionals to be as consultants resulting in getting the right kind of employees for their growing business. Therefore, it was no surprise that the companies with a dynamic manager at helm could bring about rapid changes in its structure resulting in swift growth4. The same way, there has been consistent performance betterment wherever there has been a committed leadership in these companies. The performance of the companies typically, in the case of young founders was also analyzed and the reasons behind growth of the companies have to be studied. In order to ensure that the companies are appropriately studied data of various companies fitting into the cross section of FFCFs with younger founders and those FFCFs with descendant leaders in the organizations helm were taken up. This would throw a new light on the working of the FFCFs. For the purpose of our study, a business is considered family business if the controlling interest in the firm is held by

The Story of an Hour (short story) Research Paper

The Story of an Hour (short story) - Research Paper Example It is only when she retires to her room that the reader realizes the state of the mixed emotions of Mrs. Millard, as she feels both joy and sorrow at the death of her husband. One can infer that she had not been treated well by her husband because trivial misunderstandings do not cause one to rejoice in someone’s death. For the death of a person to cause someone such bliss the reason must be substantial. Later on when Mrs. Millard finds out that her husband is actually alive, she is unable to endure the news and instantly passes away. The plot of the story is very engaging and resonates with the reader on some level. The mood of the story is not the ordinary way in which the story of someone’s death is told; that is the tone of the story sways from sorrow to joy and back again to sorrow. A particular point of interest in the story is when Mrs. Mallard retires into her room and confides in nature as opposed to her sister (Chopin 40). I feel this shows us the conflict between human beings and the social stigmas that exist in the society due to which even though Mrs. Millard felt plagued by her husband she still could not share her happiness over the much anticipated freedom which she finally could see coming. At that point it is revealed to the reader that Mrs. Millard is actually happy about her husband’s death, which twists the perspective by which the reader perceives the story. Later in the story, Mrs. Millard’s sister tries to get her out of her room thinking that she will fall sick alone. At that point, Chopin makes use of dramatic irony because the fact that Mrs. Millar d is happy is known to the reader but not to the character of Mrs. Millard’s sister (Prentice Hall 47). There has been extensive use of imagery in the story, particularly when Mrs. Millard is sitting by the window and certain elements of nature are described: â€Å"But she felt it, creeping out of the sky, reaching toward her through the

The Current Heritage Conservation Policy In Hong Kong

The Current Heritage Conservation Policy In Hong Kong We can see that some valuable built heritage were destroyed in these few years; however, the public did not acknowledge the impacts of demolishing our precious built heritage and the importance of conserving them. Not only can cultural heritage enhance the uniqueness of the city, it also can contribute to the civic pride and a sense of belongings. Therefore, this study will discuss the effectiveness of the heritage conservation policies in Hong Kong. The current systems are the Three-tier system and Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance. Data were gathered by secondary research, such as governmental reports, academic theses and private sector reports. After reviewing the two policies, we found that the strategies lack statutory power to protect built heritage and the preservation of privately owned historical buildings done by the Hong Kong government is ineffective. To further establishing a comprehensive heritage conservation system, the heritage preservation experiences of Macau can provide some insights and directions to the local government. By referencing its experience, we recommend that Hong Kong can improve the current systems and the scope of protection can be extended to private historical monuments. Background In the past hundreds of year, Hong Kong has grown from a small rural community into one of the most influencing and renowned cosmopolis. By undergoing a long period of history, plenty of valuable heritage legacies can be found in every district in Hong Kong. In fact, cultural heritage can sustain peoples values and allow them to share a collective memory. Therefore, it should be considered as essential and invaluable public assets that are worthy to preserve. In 1976, in a light of protecting historical monuments and promoting the heritage value, Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance was established by the British colonial government. Some related departments have subsequently set up to protect historical buildings, such as Home Affairs Bureau (HAB), Urban Renewal Authority (URA) and so on. Unfortunately, due to prompt economic development and large population growth, there are great demands for intense urban development and some significant historical landmarks have been demolished, such as the Queens Pier and the Star Ferry Pier. As a result, despite historical significance, old buildings occupying potential sites of commercial development are regarded as barriers and cannot be protected properly by legal frameworks. Introduction It is obvious to see that the heritage conservation in Hong Kong is yielded to the economic growth and urban development. The Hong Kong government has neglected the importance of conserving heritage and some monuments cannot be maintained for the future generation under the existing heritage preservation policies. Therefore, I find it essential to look into the efficacy of the current policies. This paper aims at examining the effectiveness of present heritage conservation policies and reviewing the experience of Macau. Procedure Data for the policy paper gathered are mainly secondary data which was obtained by extensive reading of relevant journal articles, theses and reports. Moreover, I accessed some governmental departments websites in order to obtain more official and factual information which are persuasive enough to support my view points. Existing measures and effectiveness Three-Tier Grading System of Historical Buildings The Grading System, which is adapted to record heritage buildings with significant historical and architectural value, is an administrative measure without any statutory power. Therefore, the record is only kept for internal reference for the government. The Grading System comprises three grades, including Grade I, Grade II and Grade III  [1]  . Since the System lacks statuary status and is only regarded as a reference list to keep record of the historical buildings, the graded buildings cannot be protected legally. Under the System, the information provided by the Grading System will just be sent to other relevant government departments such as the Planning Department which can determine whether protect the graded historical buildings or not. We can, therefore, understand that the System is not powerful enough to inhibit the monumental architectures from destroying. For example, the Murray House, which was built in 1846 with classical British style, was classified as Grade I building owing to its valuable Victorian architectural design. This historical landmark was originally located in Central; however, it was dismantled in 1982 and relocated to the Stanley in attempt to make way for the Bank of China Tower. Regrettably, due to the lost of parts of the building, this relocation failed to reflect the remarkable historical development and architectural significance of 18th Century. As a result, the AAB decided to remove the grade of the Murray House after visiting the place. We can clearly see that even the graded buildings which declared as monuments cannot be protected properly under the current system. Thus, it is critical for the government to offer legal authority to the Grade System so that the graded buildings will not be demolished easily. Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance The Antiquities and Monuments Ordinance (AMO) is enacted in 1976 in an attempt to protect Hong Kong historical buildings. The AMO, which is implemented by the Antiquities and Monuments Office (AM Office), provides secretarial services for Antiquities Advisory Board (AAB). In the section three of the Ordinance, after consultation with the AAB and with the approval of the Chief Executive, the Office may declare buildings, places and sites, where the Office considers to be public interest by reason of its historical and archaeological value  [2]  . Therefore, under the Ordinance, the Office is responsible for declaring antiquities and historical buildings into monuments or proposed monuments, which can prohibit them from demolishing. However, the AMO does not possess effective and comprehensive statutory power to protect privately owned historical buildings. In fact, private owners have their own right to reject the monumental buildings declaring as monuments on the grounds that they consider the land market and the profit of selling the buildings more than the value of historical value. Meanwhile, the developmental potential of the buildings and the profit may decrease after declaration, which causes them be reluctant to declare the buildings into monuments. Thus, few privately owned heritage assets can be protected and kept as declared monuments. For instance, Tiger Balm Gardens, which was constructed in 1935 by a wealthy Chinese philanthropist Aw Boon-haw, built in Chinese Renaissance Style with a unique mixture of Chinese and Western styles of artistic decoration. The owners of the Gardens submitted a proposal required the demolition of the whole heritage buildings in 1999; however when the AM Office acknowledged and approached the matter, the real estate developers had bought the land and dismantled part of the buildings for the redevelopment. Therefore, it is important for the AMO to promote private sector participation in heritage conservation and a comprehensive mechanism of compensation can be established. The Macaus experience In order to enhance the effectiveness of the heritage conservation policies in Hong Kong, related experiences of other countries will be studied. In fact, comparing the conservation policies between different places is definitely an effective way to achieve better approach to the preservation of the built cultural heritage in developed countries. In this part, the heritage conservation policies of Macau will be explored; therefore, I hope that their experiences can give Hong Kong an insight into saving heritage. The reason why I take the examples of Macau is that there are lots of similarities between Hong Kong and Macau, including the high population density and rapid economic growth. More importantly, they both colonized by Britain and Portugal, which may result in both countries possessing great historical and cultural value. Thus, it will be easier for Hong Kong to seek advice from Macau. In Macau, Cultural Institute (CI) and Cultural Heritage Department (CHD) are the core statutory departments of heritage conservation. The legal classification system of built heritage, which is under control by these two departments, is consisted of four categories, namely The Monument, The Complex, The Sites and Building of Architectural Interest. Under the classification system, authorization from the government is needed before any repairs, damages and demolition; therefore, most historical buildings in Macau are conserved well. To date, 128 built heritages are preserved and classified as cultural properties in Macau, including 52 are The Monument, 11 are The Complexes, 22 are The Sites and 44 are Building of Architectural Interest. Comparing with Hong Kong, the classification system in Macau is granted with legal force and therefore the classified historical buildings will not be demolished by any parties of society. Apart from the classification system, the Macau Government has set up a Cultural Fund in a bid to cover the cost of repairing and restoring the historical buildings. As a result, owners of privately owned heritage are willing to give consent to declare the historical buildings as monuments. Moreover, the Macau government has tried their best to invest on revitalizing the historical buildings. Ruins of St. Paulo, Sao Domingos Square and Leal Senado Square, for example, are conserved and reused for social and commercial purposes. By combining the ideas of conservation and economic development, the cultural heritage can be reversed properly and have become famous tourist attractions. We can clearly see the determination and sincerity of the Macau government in conserving the heritage. Conclusion The findings clearly indicate that the heritage conservation policies are not extensive and effective enough to protect local historical monuments. Some of the policies cannot protect privately owned heritage while other cannot access their legal force to protect monuments. It can be concluded that to encourage public involvement in heritage preservation, Hong Kong have to consult other countries opinions so that we can develop a clearer heritage conservation system to protect valuable monumental buildings. Recommendation Improvement of the grading system Since some historical buildings may not be preserved appropriately under the existing grading system, I propose that the criteria of grading buildings be more objective and transparent. Therefore, it is important for the government and relevant departments to reform the grading system. Incentives to private owners of historical buildings. Given a lack of incentives and no clear regulations regarding the compensation for conserving privately owned historical buildings, I recommend that a reasonable and comprehensive compensation be provided to encourage private owners repair and maintain the buildings. Besides, tax relief which is a financial tool to help private owners to restore and maintain the privately owned historical buildings can be offered as conservation incentives. As a result, a wide range of Hong Kongs monuments can be protected for future generation. Establishment of funding In view of inadequate support and determination of local government in heritage conservation, it is highly recommend that the government provide funding to support preserving built heritage. It may be useful and effective for the government to cooperate with private organizations and non-profit organizations. Both donations and contributions can be collected as a source of funding so that the maintenance cost of historical buildings can be covered and reduced.

The Pilgrimage to Cathedral of Compostela :: Religion

The Pilgrimage to Cathedral of Compostela In the twelfth century one the most popular destinations for pilgrimages was to the city of Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain. The shrine of St. James the Great is in the Cathedral of Compostela and it is what attracted so many people. The saint's shrine was believed to be a healing shrine for all sorts of problems. The religious relics that the Cathedral contained held a special power for the pilgrims by curing them of their problems. The pilgrims used the road to Santiago as a test of their faith and love for God. At the same time that they were testing their religious devotion they were also contributing to generating massive information. The pilgrims were creating and recycling information and taking that information on the road to more people. Two ways that the pilgrims were putting information out was by visiting the shrines on the way to the cathedral and at the actual Cathedral of Compostela and through the book of Codex Calixtinus. A pilgrimage was essentially a course of movement along a sequence of shrines along a road until one reached a final destination (usually a large cathedral or religious site). Besides the remission of sin, a reason for a person to go on a pilgrimage was to search for the renewal of physical or mental health. In the twelfth century, there was a deeply rooted belief in Christians that plague, leprosy, fever, migraines; even toothaches were all caused by sins. A doctor did not heal the person as well as saint could and thus, pilgrimages were occurring all the time. Not just people who were ill went on the pilgrimage, people seeking religion or adventure also set out on the road of Compostela. The pilgrims that were on the road to Santiago came from a wide variety of backgrounds. The route of Compostela became literally a cultural highway. The pilgrims "founded churches, monasteries, and hospitals; they robbed and killed, composed stories, legends, poems and songs, and slept rough in the hostels provided for them" (Tate, Pg. 1). Most importantly, the pilgrims talked. They talked about St. James, about the church, and about their different ideas and beliefs. By doing so they were exchanging information that otherwise would not be available to them. They talked about the history pertaining to St. James and at the same time learned through the shrines themselves at the Cathedral about the Moors, Charlemagne and other historical figures. The Pilgrimage to Cathedral of Compostela :: Religion The Pilgrimage to Cathedral of Compostela In the twelfth century one the most popular destinations for pilgrimages was to the city of Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain. The shrine of St. James the Great is in the Cathedral of Compostela and it is what attracted so many people. The saint's shrine was believed to be a healing shrine for all sorts of problems. The religious relics that the Cathedral contained held a special power for the pilgrims by curing them of their problems. The pilgrims used the road to Santiago as a test of their faith and love for God. At the same time that they were testing their religious devotion they were also contributing to generating massive information. The pilgrims were creating and recycling information and taking that information on the road to more people. Two ways that the pilgrims were putting information out was by visiting the shrines on the way to the cathedral and at the actual Cathedral of Compostela and through the book of Codex Calixtinus. A pilgrimage was essentially a course of movement along a sequence of shrines along a road until one reached a final destination (usually a large cathedral or religious site). Besides the remission of sin, a reason for a person to go on a pilgrimage was to search for the renewal of physical or mental health. In the twelfth century, there was a deeply rooted belief in Christians that plague, leprosy, fever, migraines; even toothaches were all caused by sins. A doctor did not heal the person as well as saint could and thus, pilgrimages were occurring all the time. Not just people who were ill went on the pilgrimage, people seeking religion or adventure also set out on the road of Compostela. The pilgrims that were on the road to Santiago came from a wide variety of backgrounds. The route of Compostela became literally a cultural highway. The pilgrims "founded churches, monasteries, and hospitals; they robbed and killed, composed stories, legends, poems and songs, and slept rough in the hostels provided for them" (Tate, Pg. 1). Most importantly, the pilgrims talked. They talked about St. James, about the church, and about their different ideas and beliefs. By doing so they were exchanging information that otherwise would not be available to them. They talked about the history pertaining to St. James and at the same time learned through the shrines themselves at the Cathedral about the Moors, Charlemagne and other historical figures.

Deviant Act Project: Visit to a Grocery Store

For my act of deviance I chose to go to a grocery store and attempt to pay for my groceries ignoring the line at the checkout counter. So one day I went to my local grocery store. After filling my shopping cart I headed towards checkout area. The closer I was getting there, the more vulnerable and hesitant felt. I was almost ready to give up this whole Idea when I got to the line, but then I heard: â€Å"Next person In line! † from a cashier on the right who has Just opened her checkout station. I quickly pushed my cart to that register and noticed a person (who was next in line to check UT) also going to that newly-opened register.I got there faster and put my first item on the counter. Nobody said anything to me. Several other people from the line moved to this cash register and formed a new line. I was putting my groceries on the counter. In the middle of me taking the groceries out of the cart I looked at the person standing next in line after me. This was a middle-aged wo man. With a frown on her face she stared straight back at me but did not say anything. I have also noticed that a person behind her was staring too. They both were not Just looking at e, they were staring in disapproval. I just smiled and turned back.I made sure I took my time at the register: I had a lot of groceries in my cart. I paid and left. Waiting line itself has been recognized to be a social system. The leading rule for this social system Is the First In First Out (FIFO) rule and all Intrusions are deviations from the norm. (Allan, Gad and Hanna, Reran. 2010. Cutting in Line: Social Norms in Queues. ) When waiting in line, we expect people also to wait their turn. When someone decides to cut in line: they violate a social norm. All those people In line must have en interested in enforcing conformity to the norm.Nobody likes to wait in lines and I am sure that they all would prefer to check out and leave the store faster. They clearly saw that I have Jumped the line but thos e stares and a frown were the only sanctions I have got for breaking the norm. I did not feel comfortable breaking the norm. It was hard to predict how exactly people would react to me and what kind of sanctions I would have to face. I am not sure what I would do if I got sanctioned in some other way, other than getting those stares and a frown. I don't know If I would Just tell the truth about my school assignment or if I would try to Justify my actions by lying.Now, if somebody would try to behave the same way in a country, where lines etiquette is different or does not exist at all, than this behavior would not be normal for people in a queue to let an old person go and check out first and not wait in line. Also, there was an example in our text book where author told us about his experience at one of the African countries where people would Just push or shove toward the ticket man if they needed to buy a ticket for a bus or train. (Heinlein, James M. 2011. Essentials of Sociolog y. A Down-to-Earth Approach. )

Plato Essay Essay

1. a) Explain how Plato’s epistemological assumptions shape his metaphysics (Why does he think that there must be Forms? Hint: Plato says (in effect): â€Å"Since knowledge is certain, therefore the objects of knowledge must be unchanging. †). b) Define Plato’s Forms and present the theory of Forms by explaining the â€Å"divided line. † (You can use the visual image, but explain it. ) Plato was extremely devoted in answering the sophists’ skepticism about reason and morality. To do so, he spent more time than any philosopher before him studying knowledge, or epistemology. He realized that to answer the sophists’ skepticism he had to first solve the three main problems that earlier philosophers had left behind; the problems of change, the â€Å"one† and the â€Å"many†, and the problem between appearance and reality. Plato started where Heraclitus, who said that everything is changing, and Parmenides, who said that nothing ever changes, left off. He said that both philosophers were correct in their assumptions, for they were talking about different types of objects. Heraclitus is correct in terms of the sensible realm; it obviously exists, and is a flux that conforms to the â€Å"measures† as he suggested. Parmenides was correct in terms of the intelligible realm. Plato thought that beyond the world of physical objects in space and time is another world that is nonphysical, non-spatial, and non-temporal. He called this the world of ideai, or forms. These forms are nonphysical, non-spatial, non-temporal objects of thought that are more real than anything else. Whenever we are thinking, according to Plato, what we are thinking about is a form. For example, a triangle drawn on the board in class, no matter how perfect and real it may appear is merely a copy of the form of triangle; a plane figure enclosed by three straight lines. It is like a triangle and looking at it helps us think of the real triangle, but it only relates, or â€Å"participates† in Plato’s terms, to its’ true form. This theory applies to the entire sensible realm because everything changes and nothing stays exactly what it is. In the world of forms, however, everything is always what it is and never another thing. Plato believed that because the world of forms is Parmenidean, or eternal and unchanging, it is therefore possible for us to know it. To explain his theory of forms in depth, Plato used the image of the â€Å"divided line†. Take a line and divide it into two unequal parts, one part representing the physical world and one representing the world of forms. Then, subdivide these two parts in the same ratio, creating two sub-parts of the physical world (call them A and B) and two of the world of forms (call them C and D). Plato says let the first, or lowest, section of the physical world (A) stand for images, such as shadows or reflections. Let the second section of the physical world (B) stand for the actual objects that cast these shadows, like trees, humans, or desks. In the world of forms, Plato continues, let the first section (C) stand for the lower forms, or the forms of the objects in section B. The second section in the world of forms, the highest section of all, (D) then stands for the higher forms, or the science of first principles; the knowledge that, if possessed, would prove the basic assumptions of the special sciences. Plato believed that the nearer we are to the base of the divided line (A), the more conditioned our knowledge is. We can move up the line through dialectic, a process of questions and answer that utilizes hypothesis, criticism, and revision to move nearer to unconditioned knowledge. The higher we climb via this dialectic, the more we rid ourselves of conditions and the better we grasp the knowledge of the non-material abstract forms (D). According to Plato, these are the forms that possess the highest and most fundamental kind of reality. 2. a) How does the Form Man explain the existence of the many individual men? b) What is the nature of man and how is the individual man analogous to the state? c) What is virtue or justice in man and in the state? Plato’s theory of Forms led him to many assumptions, one of the most important of which is his view on the form of â€Å"man† and his relation to the state. He understood that no one man has ever been perfect and that each man participates in the form â€Å"man† to different degrees. Individual men are adequate copies of the true form of â€Å"man†. Plato believed that the men who participate in the form more fully are going to more real, and therefore  better, then the men who participate less. This is better explained by his philosophy of the nature of man and his analogous relationship to the state. Plato recognized the nature of man as a psyche, or soul, that was grouped into three main parts. Each of these three parts have motions proper to them that he believed, if harmonized, would lead to eudaimonia, a total well-being. The first, and lowest, part of the soul he called the appetites. The highest part Plato called reason. The third part, between appetite and reason, he called spirit. He saw the state as having three main parts as well, each corresponding to one of the three parts of the human psyche. Every state needs a governing body, whether kings or congress, so this will be the first part. The second is reserved for the essential producing class, which includes merchants, industrial workers, agriculturists, and so on. Third, Plato held that every state needs a group, between the governing and producing classes, to maintain the state against enemies; this is the guardian group. The analogy relates the producing class to appetite in the individual, the governing class to reason, and the guardians to spirit. Plato wasn’t just satisfied with this, he wanted to know the virtues of these classes, in other words, he wanted to know what each could contribute best. Like organs in an organism’s body, Plato believed each part of the soul and state have a particular role to play in the whole; they were not discrete and complete in themselves. He thought that the function of the members of the producing class was to provide themselves and the nonproductive classes with the necessities of life, such as food, shelter, and clothing. He realized that if everybody were to be provided for sufficiently, some of the producers would have to put up with having less than others. They would have to be ready to â€Å"restrict one’s own consumption for the sake of achieving some sort of balance in the state as a whole†, thus their virtue is moderation or as Plato called it, temperance (Jones 169). The guardians, who make up the second class, must be courageous when defending the state against its enemies, thus their virtue is courage. The governors make the highest decisions in the state. They determine war or peace, educational and economic policies, and so on. To make correct decisions they require knowledge; this is their virtue. A state in which each class is performing its function is just state. Only when the rulers are making wise decisions that are executed with courage and loyalty by the guardians, and the rest of the population is exercising some restraint in its pursuit of material well being, will the citizens of the state be happy. Since the state’s three classes exactly correspond to the three parts of the soul, we are able to understand what Plato took to be their respective virtues. Just like in the state, every individual has producing part that keeps them â€Å"alive and active, a rational part that is intended to guide and direct the energy produced by the body, and a spirited part that is intended to help keep the body in order† (Jones 169). Just as the functions of the soul correspond to the state, so do its virtues. A virtuous man is temperate in satisfying his various appetites and lives a life of reason that is supported by his spirited elements. 3. a) Use the allegory of the cave to illustrate Plato’s political views. In doing so, you should b) explain how the theory of forms supports Plato’s favored form of Aristocracy (to begin with, recall the relation between individual men and the Form of man) and c) explain how the theory of Forms grounds his criticism and rejection of democracy (where in â€Å"the cave† are the Athenian democrats?where are they on the divided line? ) As we have seen, Plato uses myths and methods such as the divided line to explain his views on certain things; this is the case, too, with his views on politics. To understand these views we must examine his allegory of the cave. He said to imagine there was men in a dark cave that were chained by their necks and ankles in such a fashion that they could not move their legs or necks and could only see what was in front of them. These men had been in this cave since childhood. Higher up behind them is a fire that is separated from the prisoners by a sort of puppet-show screen. This fire and screen were used by people carrying various artificial objects, such as figures of men, animals, and other materials, to project the shadows of these objects onto the stone in front of the chained men. It was so dark that these prisoners had no clue they were not alone and if they spoke to each other, they assumed they were speaking with the projected images. Plato goes on to say, imagine if one of them were set free and forced up the steep ascent into the sunlight. He would realize that what he experienced in the cave was not as real as what actually existed. Nature and the sun would enlighten this man and therefore he would gain true knowledge of the world as it is. Plato reasoned that these men, the ones who make it out of the cave, are the men who should rule the rest. His politics were based on man being a social animal, with desires, not only for sleeping or drinking, but communicating with his fellow men in the community. Therefore, he thought communal life is good and all other human goods depend on it for any sufficient satisfaction; an individual, who is really part of the larger state, is neither complete nor himself in isolation. If the good life for the individual is possible only by community, then there must be some sort of government to give direction to the numbers of men and women who live and work together. Plato believed that the few who are wise and good should rule the many. As his theory of Forms suggests, all men participate to the form of man to different degrees. He thought that the few men who participate at the highest levels of the form, the most knowledgeable that have exited the cave and been enlightened, are the ones best for ruling, and doing so rationally; the many are lacking in knowledge and virtue. Plato favored an Aristocracy ruled by these knowledgeable philosopher-kings who would impose the temperance on the producers through selective education and controlled propaganda. Each person, in his view, would find their happiness by playing the part in the state that their degree of participation to the form of man best suited them for. Plato therefore criticized democracy because instead of philosopher-kings who have true knowledge, the rulers are chosen on irrelevant grounds. The art of ruling, which he thought to determine what is best, became in democracy the art of appealing to the masses with flattery. Plato believed that in a democracy it is impossible to exit the cave or rise to the highest section of the divided line because it is powered by rhetoric. Rhetoric works at the level of opinion and only invokes belief by emotional mean, rather than operating at the level of knowledge, where analyzing the forms allows us to discover the truth.

What I learned from the Course Essays

What I learned from the Course Essays What I learned from the Course Essay What I learned from the Course Essay `Diversity Issues in the workplace` is a course that is essential for the study programs in the world today. With cross-continental and cultural barriers vanishing and distances shortening, it is important to know how to operate in a diverse environment. Of course, when the factor of diversity comes in to play in a work environment, it gives rise to its own issues and obstacles. In order to be able to work productively in a modern day organization, a person has to understand the element of diversity so that the issues can be avoided and dealt with in a professional and ethical manner.As I have taken this course, I now understand the different facets of the concept of diversity in a work place. First of all, what this course aims at developing is a sense of keenness towards dealing with situations in a humane and ethical manner, and at the same time, maintains professionalism. Different work places have different environments; the organization may have different attitudes towards diff erent sexes, ethnicities, sexual preferences, races or even age groups. Â  At the same time, people come from all sorts of demographics and cultural backgrounds. When these backgrounds and demographics mix, issues are bound to arise. This course has taught me how to deal with such situations.By first of all defining and clearing up the concept of diversity, the course makes it easy to understand that diversity is not just about races and color; it’s about differences and variations of people around us. Then, the course also highlights the advantages of diversity and how it helps diversify the environment, organization and idea generation. It removes all doubts, resistances or discriminatory thoughts that a person might have against the concept of diversity. Then, the course teaches us an important part of organizational behavior; identifying diversity. This is done through identifying and acknowledging different kinds of diversity factors such as cultural differences, differ ences in personal style and expression, privacy, intimacy and communication. Another aspect of the course that helped me understand the concept was the understanding of diversity barriers. These can come in various forms; stereotypes, discrimination and the wrong ways to deal with these issues. Understanding these barriers and the wrong approaches helped me understand about what not to do and how not to handle issues in a diverse workplace. It is important to consider every aspect of everyone’s feelings and cultural differences in order to not offend anyone around us and be objective and professional about everything we do.One of the most important aspects of a diverse workplace is communication. The course gives a clear understanding of the communication issues and barriers that arise in such an environment, how to overcome those barriers, bridge the communication gap and ensure a healthy relationship among the employees. The key to improving communication is to promote part icipation and take everyone’s input so that people around us, no matter how different, feel comfortable and significant in any team project or task. When this is done, a major diversity barrier is overcome and relationships strengthen.Managing diversity is also an important issue. It is important that the people’s core competencies are identified and people are judged and evaluated on the basis of skills and not any other factor. Workforce diversity comes into play in this representation aspect of a diverse organization. The concept of equal opportunity is important in such situations; the fact that all people living in a geographical area should have equal rights and equal and fair chances to all employment and work opportunities within and outside the organization. Affirmative action is mandatory.It is important to understand, not only the negative impact of diversity in a workplace, but also the positive impact; diversity promotes positive impact of diversity, incre ased creativity, multiple points of view and a multiple skills, wider range of experiences and backgrounds. There are several issues in a diverse workplace including dealing with different sexual orientations and sexual offenses and harassments. The key is to educate the employees and spread awareness about these issues and how people are different and have their own rights and choices. This helps implement a cooperative environment. Also, it gives the people a complete overview on identifying, reporting and dealing with discrimination and offenses.Employee retention through diversity is another important aspect of an organization. It is important to understand the people’s concerns and issues that are linked with organizations and to understand the factors that affect employee turnover. By better understanding these concerns, the organization would be able to reduce turnover rate and ensure that a healthy workplace exists and employee retention is high.Education on governmen t legislations about diversity is also important; it is important to understand federal laws and regulations regarding diversity, affirmative action and discrimination. Lastly, the course sheds light on developing and implementing a healthy and diverse corporate culture and creates an environment that employees from all cultural backgrounds can enjoy working in and be comfortable interacting within so that they can learn and grow personally and collectively. Â  (Class Syllabus: Diversity Training 101, 2009)

What Makes a Compelling Romance Novel

What Makes a Compelling Romance Novel What Makes a Compelling Romance Novel? Ann Leslie Tuttle worked at Harlequin Books - a division of HarperCollins - for over 20 years, most recently as a Senior Editor. During her tenure, she acquired and edited NYT and USA Today bestselling authors in romance, women's fiction, and mystery, including Sylvia Day, Julia London, Lisa Renee Jones, and Hank Phillippi Ryan.If you know how a story will end, why would you want to read the book? That’s the question that romance writers constantly struggle to answer. Readers come to the genre knowing they will (almost) always get a happy ending in which the protagonists find and profess their love.To entice readers, writers must therefore deliver a fresh premise with strong, evocative prose and pacing that gets to the heart of the story - usually beginning with the protagonists meeting in the first chapter. These will be the elements that usually prompt someone to pick up the book and start reading. Most importantly, the writer’s crafting of the two main characters and their emotional journeys is what will keep the reader hooked.Having been an editor working on romance titles for well over 20 years, I’ve seen both debut and experienced authors struggle to create compelling characters whose emotional push-and-pull is strong enough to sustain the length of the story. Over the years, I’ve pulled together my own list of trouble spots - and ways to surmount them - that I’d like to share with you now. See what makes a compelling romance novel here! Trouble Spot #1: CharacterizationThe best lesson I ever received in characterization was at a writers’ conference, where an author who was pitching me told me that she wrote horoscopes for a living. The writer took that skill and developed such detailed horoscopes for the hero and heroine in her story that she knew precisely who they were regarding their tastes and personalities, what obstacles they faced, what had occurred in their past or backstory, etc.While I wouldn’t recommend that every romance writer start building astrological charts, I would encourage you to make sure you really know who your protagonists are. Delve deeply into their stories so that they’re not just one-dimensional stereotypes. Indeed, the more (believable) hardships they’ve endured in the past, the more material you will have to mine.Keep in mind that while stories featuring large families are popular with readers, it can often be a challenge to write about a presumably tortured hero who comes from such a loving, happy home. But if he’s served in the military or lost a close friend in a childhood accident, he may have other emotional reserves upon which you can draw. id=attachment_15175 style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter">"Oh, Mr. Darcy!" (image: BBC)In the end, it’s all about the emotional conflict our romantic leads must surmount that makes their story so compellingThe emotional conflict is not to be confused with the external one. The external conflict usually revolves around an issue of miscommunication, perhaps differing career and money goals - or if you want to kick it up a notch, an external threat. (This is particularly effective when one of the main characters is on the run, or in hiding.)For example, the heroine might have left town eight years ago, believing her high school boyfriend didn’t love her simply because he never got her note or phone call - this is the external conflict they must resolve if they want to patch things up. Or maybe the protagonists believe they can’t be together because one lives on the East Coast and the other on the West Coast. These kinds of conflicts can usually be o vercome by a heartfelt conversation or compromise, but it sometimes involves uncovering the main players in a global threat and taking them down.A strong emotional conflict boils down to either a question of trust or fear. For instance, if your hero lost his first wife to cancer, it’s understandable that he won’t want to run the risk of ever experiencing that all-consuming pain again. Or if the heroine shared her deepest secret with an ex who betrayed her trust, she’s probably reluctant to open up to a new partner.In each of these emotionally fraught cases, the conflict is deep and will require some growth on the part of your hero and heroine to recognize that, despite high stakes involved, love is worth putting oneself on the line.Even if one of your characters first realizes and even confesses their love, the resolution of the conflict should take up most of the book (Elizabeth and Darcy, anyone?). If you’ve created a conflict that is sufficiently compe lling, there should not be an instance where both the protagonists confess their love, only to be driven apart again by some external threat or unsolved thread.Yes, readers may know how your story ends. But with multi-faceted protagonists, emotional appeal, great plotting, and a strong conflict, they will still want to travel with the characters as they overcome each milestone on their journey to finding love.For more help with writing great romance, you can also take inspiration from any of the books on these lists:The 10 Best Historical Romance Novels Like OutlanderThe 25 Best Romance Authors and Their Must-Reads30+ Best Young Adult Romance Books That You Can't Miss Out On40+ Paranormal Romance Books with BiteWhat are some of your experiences writing romances? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Catching Up at a Reunion With English Idioms in Context

Catching Up at a Reunion With English Idioms in Context Here is a dialogue with two friends who meet at their 20th high school reunion. Try reading the dialogue one time to understand the gist without using the idiom definitions. On your second reading, use the definitions to help you understand the text while learning new idioms. Catching Up at a Reunion Doug and Alan are old friends. In fact, they went to high school together twenty years ago. Its been a long time since theyve seen each other. Todays their high school reunion - their twentieth! They meet each other and catch up on what theyve been doing these past twenty years. Doug: ALAN!!!! Its so good to see you again! How long has it been? Twenty years!Alan: Long time no see, buddy. Im so glad I came to the reunion. I had the feeling you would be here. Doug: I wouldnt miss it for the world. Wow, youre dressed to kill.  Alan: Its not every day that we have our twentieth reunion.   Doug: Youve got a point there. Why dont we have a seat and catch up? Im sure youve got plenty of stories.Alan: Im sure you do, too. Lets booze it up a little and exchange stories. Doug: Still drinking, huh?  Alan: Whats thats supposed to mean? Doug: Im just yanking your chain. Of course, were going to drink to celebrate. In fact, I play on having both sheets in the wind by the end of the evening.Alan: Thats my buddy. What are you drinking? Doug: Whisky sour, you?Alan: Im just working on a beer. Doug: So what do you do to bring home the bacon?Alan:   Oh, thats a long story. Its not been so easy, but were getting by. Doug: Really? Im sorry to hear that.Alan: Yeah, well, I, unfortunately, flunked out of college, so I had to take what I could get. Doug: Im sorry to hear that. What happened?  Alan: I just didnt think it was worth the time, so I let my studies slide. Now, I really regret it. Doug: But you look pretty good! Im sure youre doing OK.Alan: Well, I had to find a new goal. I got into sales, and have done quite well. Doug: Im glad to hear everything has worked out for the best.Alan: It hasnt been the best case scenario, but not the worst case scenario either. Doug: Its funny how things go.Alan: Yes, sometimes its best to face the music and make the best of it.   Doug: Yes.Alan: So, enough about me. What about you? Are you among the movers and shakers? Doug: Well, I have to admit, Ive done well.  Alan: Im not surprised. You always had a good head for figures. You went into business, right? Doug: Yes, it was that obvious, wasnt it?Alan: You were kind of a nerd. Doug: Hey, I was not. I was also good in tennis.Alan: I know. Im just pushing your buttons. You were always worried about being called a nerd. Doug: Its been great seeing you again.Alan: You, too Doug. I wish you all the best.   Idioms Used in the Dialogue have a whale of a time to enjoy yourself, have a good timecatch up to see an old friend and discuss lifeboth sheets in the wind very drunkjust what the doctor ordered exactly what someone needs to dodressed to kill wearing very nice clothingbooze it up to drink a lot of alcohol  yank someones chain to joke around with someone, kid someonepush someones buttons to talk about something that you know upsets someonemovers and shakers successful people, the elitebring home the bacon to make money for the familyflunk out to fail classes and have to leave school or collegelong time no see we havent seen each other in a long time!best case scenario the best possible outcome for a situationworst case scenario the worst possible outcome for a situationface the music to accept responsibility for somethinghave a good head for figures to be good at business Its important to learn and use idioms in context. Of course, idioms are not always easy to understand. There are idiom and expression resources that can help with definitions, but reading them in short stories can also provide context that make them come more alive.

Plato's Timaeus Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Plato's Timaeus - Essay Example 8). Moreover, it is â€Å"apprehended by understanding rather than senses. According to Platos cosmology, â€Å"the cosmos is the physical world†. Everything will come and pass away and supported by the opinion and perception of sense. Plato describes Cosmos that it became into being and was created with world of forms model, â€Å"The cosmos itself came into being, created using as its model the world of Forms. â€Å"Plato, in naming the Kosmos generation, he was simply trying to bring the fact that the account has less representation of faith in likeness known as the â€Å"likeness of an eternal model" (Plato & Donald, p 7-p. 8). In general, it means that the account is actually not probabilistic. Plato also describes the Cosmos as a living being simply because the Cosmos is based on a living being. Moreover, it is unique as it has souls and spherical shape due to its perfect and beautiful shape. Various presocratic philosophers also support Plato’s Cosmos nature and composition they include Heraclitus, Parmenides, Anaxagoras as well as Philolaus. The relationship between Plato’s and these dialogues from other philosophers has led to the rise of acrimonious and fruitful debate. Heraclitus also tried to examine the Cosmos and its nature, which made him offer a cosmological account concerning the nature of the physical world. He proceeds deeper than the Plato in inquiring and investigating the physical nature of the world (Plato & Donald, p 6-p. 8 ). Being one of the Presocratic philosophers, he further supports the nature of the world as containing an enormous variety of objects that will be, and have always been present. He claims, â€Å"all things on earth simply came from a common source or any other kind of stuff. The statement â€Å"that which always is, is that which becomes† by Plato is in line with the Parmenides passage (B1.30, B8.32-41). Plato also describes that order in every way is always better

Talent Dry Cleaners Service Operational Challenges Case Study

Talent Dry Cleaners Service Operational Challenges - Case Study Example The business`s capacity utilization is 85.94% with an average turnaround time of 3-4 hours and it is a profitable as per the returns. The study will examine the challenges this business is currently experiencing and the possible solutions that have been drafted to counter such challenges. The understanding of such challenges will lead to appropriate recommendations that would help the company achieve the desired growth, goals, and objectives. Background This case study evaluates and analysis many perceptions in the service operation administration. It shows the business satiation of Patrick Eze who is trying so much to expand his business but he hardly got capital for the expansion and building of an institution to train dry cleaners. Problem Statement During the operation of the business, it took longer to register one client’s clothes. The company did not have a system of doing the registration hence wasting a lot of time in the registration of customers. Talent dry cleaners do not have strict payment tracks methods. The client is the one to decide when to pay either when dropping off or when picking the clothes. This can lead to wastage of resources because other clients can avoid paying their fees if strict laws of payment are not in place. The business has only two collection points. Moreover, it is not well marketed and the owner feels that there are needs to advertise his dry cleaner (Yelowitz, 2011). The dry cleaner has one dry-cleaning machine that takes five kilograms of garments and takes twelve minutes to wash. This is a long time and lead to time wastage. Therefore, the owner should buy a machine with a bigger capacity. The company is usually overwhelmed during peak season when there are many customers. Analysis The most essential solution towards the growth and development of this business is that the owner needs to notice that in small businesses, there need ensure that the level of hard work matches the complexity needed for the intended growth (Takaki, 2008). The owner did not consider this before the establishment of his business. Eze`s previous business had a well experienced manager who made the vital business decision that were essential for the success of his business. Eze has no experience in planning and handling business venture because prior to him starting the business, he did not take his time to study operational challenges he was likely to experience in running the business. Analysing from his background, Eze worked for fifteen years in his the previous employment; however, this did not equip him with strong management and leadership skills for successfully running a personal business. Notably, he only has basic skills for operating business since he no experience in marke ting that could have led to the growth of his small business. Additionally, he had no experience in planning large business ventures; thus, whenever he had a large number of customers, his problems increased (Takaki, 2008). Lack of experience and information are major problems in any business venture. Furthermore, poor planning usually leads to waste of time and this is experienced in the

Supply Chain of Oil Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

Supply Chain of Oil Industry - Essay Example This paper illustrates that the strongest supply chain has been in the past been denoted as indispensable in determining the success of a business or any other undertaking. The defeat of the British army by the American counterparts was linked to the power supplies of weapons and troops to the American side. In the oil industry, a supply chain is considered critical in that it determines the effectiveness of the industry right from transportation to consumption of the oil-related products. Cox argued that supply chain is a wider concept that should be viewed as a complex management that determines competitive advantage of any given organization. Supply chain creates a single plan that denotes the flow of products in a business. The coordination of different actors uses a defined framework designed to achieve the specific goal of linking suppliers to customers and the organization involved in the supply chain management. A well-managed supply chain helps in reducing costs and adding v alue to customers. Stadtler & Kilger pointed out that effective supply chain is used as a major source of competitive advantage. To remain at the top of the competition, customer preferences have to be put into consideration as well as articulate on what the competitors offer so that a better supply chain can be devised. The ability of organizations to differentiate themselves from others is dependent on the competence of their managers to focus on customers and competitors and manage to operate at a lower cost. In fact, Cox argued that successful companies have either cost advantage or have value advantage or even a combination of the two. In this regard, it is indispensable to argue that a well-managed supply chain should be able to have either of the two concepts or a combination of the two. In the oil industry, the prices of crude oil and natural gas are perhaps the closely watched product prices across the global market. The supply chain involved in the oil industry is, however , controlled by the main actor, who in this case is the government. Although many landlords and communities might be the owners of the land where oil is located, the government is the custodian of the oil. This changes the whole supply chain management since the government controls the oil prices.

What you think about tattoos and piercings Essay

What you think about tattoos and piercings - Essay Example There are different reasons why I consider tattoos and piercings as undesirable. First, these are costly. In order to get yourself tattoos and piercings from qualified professionals, it will cost a considerable amount of money. If there are other more important things to do with one’s money, an individual would reconsider spending money on getting a tattoo or body piercing. Tattoos are also undesirable since they are permanent. When one gets the first tattoo or body piercing, they will be motivated to get some more. This has resulted to some people having their bodies covered by tattoos. Since these are permanent, removing them is quite challenging. If one wants them to be removed, he or she will equally spend more money paying specialists to remove the tattoos. Furthermore, tattoos and piercings are painful. This is mainly during the process of tattooing and piercing. No one wants to feel pain. Therefore, I do not consider the pain of getting a tattoo or piercing to be worthwhile. Equally, the process of removing a tattoo is also more painful. Finally, tattoos and piercings might expose an individual to the risk of diseases, such as HIV/AIDS. However, this depends on who performed the tattooing and where it was performed. This is because; needles or sharp instruments are used on an individual during piercing and tattooing. Therefore, failure to clean and sterilize needles, might lead to the infection with diseases such as HIV/AIDS. Nonetheless, each person has their likes and dislikes; and this is to some extent influenced by their culture. Therefore, even though I dislike tattoos and piercings, I understand and appreciate those people that adore them, hence this is not a major issue to

Report leadership Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Report leadership - Coursework Example g to a visible set of leadership differences prevailing between Apple under the guidance of Jobs and Enron, their respective approaches towards performing various operational functions were also been determined thoroughly in the report. Steve Jobs had been quite an influential leader over the years and during his reign, Apple has experienced maximum success in the global business market. However, on the other hand, owing to the inefficiency in the domain of leadership, Enron has seen a major setback in its business, which ultimately resulted in total demise from the global market. Contextually, certain areas of improvement were highlighted in the report that could have enhanced the leadership approaches of both the companies and their respective leaders up to a certain extent. Business patterns have been transformed immensely over the years due to the progression in the domain of technology along with the emergence of various new and developed means of steering business activities. It will be crucial to depict that companies, which fail to move in parallel with the changing business environment will not be capable or less capable in ensuring the conduct of sustainable operations in the global business world. Contextually, it is worth mentioning that companies have the need to develop effective as well as creative strategies that can strengthen their competitive position both in the domestic and the global market. It is quite obvious to the fact that due to the absence of proper plans and policies, any business will suffer adversely and will not able to create a sustainable position for themselves in this competitive business world. In this regard, it is vital that companies plan their objectives and business prospects in an effective and efficient manner, further enhancing the probability of gaining maximum success. However, the other side of the coin depicts that proper execution of the strategies is equally important to attain several significant benefits for

Swot Analysis of Hospital Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Swot Analysis of Hospital - Coursework Example The hospital has a lot of strengths that has seen it expand and weather different harsh times to still be running 100 years after its inception. The fact that it has been around for all those years is a strength. The hospital also has a large capacity for a community hospital. Its other strengths include an experienced and knowledgeable staff, its location in the suburbs, the use by a medical school as its research facility and new management. Unfortunately, some of its strengths are also its weaknesses. These include its old staff, its location in the suburbs and its very old facilities. Other weaknesses experienced by the hospital include very outdated management and operations systems, an emergency department (ED) with loopholes allowing people to exploit the hospital that drain money from the hospital and finally a unionized staff that seems o be keener on finishing their short shifts rather than attending to patients. The hospital has a lot of opportunities to exploit. These inc lude the fact that it is used by a university for its research can attract funds for research and a new management to overhaul things. Other opportunities include change in description and roles of staff, creating programs to cater for less advantaged members of the community, they have capacity to grow and be bigger and increase beds and an opportunity to combine the history of the hospital and modern facilities to attract high end clients. As of now, the hospital has a lot of threats. First is the relationship between the old doctors and members of the board. The hospital’s poor services and bad publicity can also lead to it being shut down, the lack of motivation by staff leading to poor services is also a threat, and so is the mind set of most of the staff. Other threats include minimal education by most staff and the reluctance to accept change by the whole hospital community, leaving the hospital decades back in the provision of health care services. The hospitalâ€℠¢s strengths can actually help get it out of the red. The experienced staff has had lots of practice with several different cases that young physicians have not. Thus they can help the younger physicians by guiding them. The hospital is very old and the fact that it is still standing can be used by the management to gain trust from patients. Furthermore, people of the older generations might have some attachment to the hospital, hence remain loyal to it. The acquisition of the hospital by the university means injection of funds and modern technology to the hospital. The new management brings with it different and modern ideas on how to run the facility to meet the modern day’s health challenges. The fact that the hospital is located in the suburbs means that they can provide services specific to the members of the suburbs and its environs in order to attract more clients. The oldness of the hospital and its current financial woes might mean that the hospital might not have be en maintained well or even at all over the years. If the building is dilapidated, some parts not functioning or its equipment are outdated, then it will not be able to cope with the provision of adequate care to patients. That the staff is also made up of old people who insist on using outdated methods to run the hospital is also a factor that has brought it to its knees. Over the years management

Report leadership Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Report leadership - Coursework Example g to a visible set of leadership differences prevailing between Apple under the guidance of Jobs and Enron, their respective approaches towards performing various operational functions were also been determined thoroughly in the report. Steve Jobs had been quite an influential leader over the years and during his reign, Apple has experienced maximum success in the global business market. However, on the other hand, owing to the inefficiency in the domain of leadership, Enron has seen a major setback in its business, which ultimately resulted in total demise from the global market. Contextually, certain areas of improvement were highlighted in the report that could have enhanced the leadership approaches of both the companies and their respective leaders up to a certain extent. Business patterns have been transformed immensely over the years due to the progression in the domain of technology along with the emergence of various new and developed means of steering business activities. It will be crucial to depict that companies, which fail to move in parallel with the changing business environment will not be capable or less capable in ensuring the conduct of sustainable operations in the global business world. Contextually, it is worth mentioning that companies have the need to develop effective as well as creative strategies that can strengthen their competitive position both in the domestic and the global market. It is quite obvious to the fact that due to the absence of proper plans and policies, any business will suffer adversely and will not able to create a sustainable position for themselves in this competitive business world. In this regard, it is vital that companies plan their objectives and business prospects in an effective and efficient manner, further enhancing the probability of gaining maximum success. However, the other side of the coin depicts that proper execution of the strategies is equally important to attain several significant benefits for

European influence in Africa Essay Example for Free

European influence in Africa Essay The presence of Europeans in African countries had a great influence on the cultural benefits, traditions and norms of Africans. African societies were composed of small ethnic groups bound by deep cultural and traditional benefits. Slave trade in North Africa disintegrated these cultural systems. The entry of Europeans in North Africa led to breaking of those small indigenous units into modular states that could be easily controlled by the colonial rule. They abolished the indigenous legal systems and imposed new legal systems based on European concepts of law. North Africa was integrated into the world capitalist system, where its main function was to provide raw materials and new markets for Western industrial revolution. This led to imposition of taxation forcing Africans into cheap wage labor. Land grabbing and alienation in settler colonies made it impossible for the economy of the colonized countries to grow. This is because the colonial administrations only developed areas they saw fit for their benefit and it led to growth of colonial cities such as Dakar, Lagos and Nairobi. Westernization in North Africa led to the rise of Christianity and reduced the number of Muslims in sub Sahara, which contributed to the destabilization of Africa traditions and cultural benefits. Christianity promoted the assimilation of new ideas and new lifestyles such as monogamy and nuclear family. African societies believed in polygamy and extended families. This is being practiced even to day. Christian missionaries introduced Western education, which involved mastery of European language and literacy. The adoption of new habits and tastes coupled with Christianity and western education, led to the development of a new elite that included teachers, clerks, lawyers and doctors. Slave trade degraded the value of African people because they were used against their will to benefit the European economy. This impacted negatively on African leaders because some still practice slave trade today. Europeans brought about, modernization in Africa in terms of Western education, Christianity and Western lifestyles. European influence in Asia (1650-1815). South East Asia comprised of societies that varied in different aspects. Main societies in south East Asia included China, Thailand and Cambodia, therefore European influence on South East Asia varied extensively depending on indigenous states. Societies in South East Asia had very distinct traditional beliefs and rulers who reigned with a conviction of permanency and stability. Europeans created new economic relationships in South East Asia by establishing new industries like rubber production and improvement of traditional ones such as rice and sugar industries. They were improved and expanded to meet the European needs. Communities in Cambodia protested against economical changes when agribusiness in form of plantation farming was introduced. Europeans aimed to make the traditional cultures modern. This was received positively by some south East Asians who had been trained in Western schools. They believed that Western culture would have positive effects on their cultural and economical backgrounds. The elites adopted the European language and mode of dressing. Adoption of the Western culture led to political, economical and social growth in Asia. However, it was difficult to assimilate the European culture and lifestyles in Asia because of the diversity of Asian cultural customs and traditions. Asia is composed of Muslim, Christianity and Buddhism and therefore impacting Christianity in Asia was difficult. These traditional settings emphasized on unifying of social, economic, political and social spheres, though it is impractical to unify all the spheres. The influence of Europeans in Asia was highly varied and uneven throughout the region. They used superior military technology to achieve conquest and monopoly. The Portuguese invasion of Malacca led to the decline of the trade systems as they tried to dominate the spice trade. The European therefore, caused the detachment of producers form their traditional markets. As a result the powerful trading cultures in southeastern Asia collapsed due to colonial influence. European influence was limited to the coastal ports and the adjoining regions. Peasant life in Asia was not affected by the European influence as they remained inside the confines of their village. (Alagappa 130-138). European influence in Middle East (1825-1941). Middle east societies combined religion with governance of their states. European powers overwhelmed the region and tried to separate governance from religion. They replaced the indigenous educational, social and political systems through modernization. The Kuranic schools were replaced by the Western education. Middle east is an Islamic region that viewed European powers as enemies for creating Christianity in the Muslim dominated region. This created a sense of distrust of the Europeans by the Arabs. Europeans faced great resistance form the Arabs who used national movements to adopt anti-western speeches in order to gain favor from their people.. European powers in the Middle East replaced the Muslim leaders by non-Muslim leaders to create artificial political territories since they did not arise from the societies. They created states that had conflicting ethnicities and divided other ethnic groups into two or three portions. For instance they divided the Kurds into Iran, Iraq, Turkey and Syria. (Kaelble 120-127). Dividing ethnic communities stirred political rivalry and violence in the Middle East. It also created instability among the Arabs, preventing political, social and economical development. The Arabs formulated revenge missions to the Europeans and resisted any form of invasion whether political, economical, educational or social.

Introduction Globalization And Expatriation Management Essay

Introduction Globalization And Expatriation Management Essay Literature review is a summary of past paper that conducted by the previous researchers and explanation about the terms involve during this study. It aims on the critical points of current knowledge on a particular topic. This chapter is important because it can be a guideline on how the study can be done. Simon Reich states that, globalization constitutes a multiplicity of linkages and interconnections that transcend the nation states (and by implication the societies) which make up the modern world system. It defines a process through which events, decisions and activities in one part of the world can come to have a significant consequence for individuals and communities in quite distant parts of the globe. According Laurence E. Rothenberg, globalization is the acceleration and intensification of interaction and integration among the people, companies and governments of different nations. According to Farhad Nezhad Haj Ali Irani globalization typically refers to the process by which different economies and societies become more closely integrated, and concurrent with increasing worldwide globalization, there has been much research into its consequences According to Britannica Concise Encyclopedia, globalization is a process by which the experience of everyday life, marked by the diffusion of commodities and ideas, is becoming standardized around the world. Factors that have contributed to globalization include increasingly sophisticated communications and transportation technologies and services, mass migration and the movement of peoples, a level of economic activity that has outgrown national markets through industrial combinations and commercial groupings that cross national frontiers and international agreements that reduce the cost of doing business in foreign countries. Defined broadly, globalization is the process of integrating nations and peoples-politically, economically, and culturally-into a larger community (Gale Encyclopedia of US Foreign Policy). With business becoming increasingly global, employees with international experience have become an increasing important issue for multinational corporations (Hyder and LÃ ¶ vblad, 2007). We live in a world in which barriers to cross border trade and investment are declining. Transportation and telecommunication technologies are constantly making the world feel smaller. Material culture seems similar the world over; and national economies are merging into an interdependent, integrated and global economic system. Globalization is the reason for this incredible shift (Hills, 2007). It is a process that describes the integration of the world community into a common social or economic community. In laymans terms, globalization means the free flow of goods and services across borders (Joanne Claire Miranda, 2009). Globalization has resulted not just in goods and services travelling across borders. It has also resulted in people moving across borders for better employment opportunities and thus better wages (Joanne Claire Miranda, 2009). Due to that, it gives positive and negative effects. Positively, people move easily to benefit from their skills and experience. Firms are able to enter new market. Negatively, however, as firms enter these new industries or markets, they lack the skills and expertise required for that industry and they face not only the challenge of sourcing for the right candidate but also there is no guarantee that there would be continuity of service by the skilled staff. The right candidate should be able to work in the present environment as well as be able to teach the team members. If this is not managed properly, it may well become firms biggest obstacle. In order for these companies to have the competitive edge in this global marketplace, they need to have the right p erson at the right posting (Hills, 2007). The effects of globalization have resulted in the number of expatriates rising in the developing countries including Malaysia. When Aida and Maimunah did their study on Cross Cultural Challenges and Adjustment among Expatriates in Malaysia, 1999 (Aida and Maimunah, 2007) the number of expatriates they reported was 21,859, a figure they obtained from the Immigration Statistics. In October 2007, the immigration record showed the total number of expatriates in Malaysia is at 35, 583. Expatriation in Malaysia is not a new phenomenon. The country has gone through three waves or phases of incoming expatriates. The first group of expatriates that came to Malaysia is the Britons. They were found in private sector and big organizations such as Shell, ICI, Dunlop, Guthries, Harrison and Crosfield and British Petroleum. Other than that, in the government sector, the expatriates are mainly posted as advisors, diplomats, academics and technical specialists. The second phase of expatriates came from United States of America and other European countries whom were assigned in large multinationals such as, Phillips, Siemens, Volvo, Nestle and Esso. Finally, the third wave of expatriates came to Malaysia which were mainly represented by the Asian group of managers mainly from Japan, Taiwan and Korea along with some other European and American expatriates. This third wave resulted from the Look East policy by the Government in 1980s as well as due to closer relations with Austra lia and the Newly Industrialized Countries in Asia specifically, along with the high growth of electronics industry in Malaysia. (Aida and Maimunah, 2000) 2.2 Expatriation Cycle 2.1.1 Pre-departure The pre-departure phase involved effective selection and preparation of expatriate. Most often expatriates are selected from within the corporation. The rationale is that current managers possess the technical expertise and they are more in sync with the companys culture. (Maali H. Ashamalla, 1998) According to Luftans and Doh, making an effective selection decision for an overseas assignment can prove to be a major problem. Typically, this decision is based on international selection criteria which are factors used to choose international characters. Those criteria are:- a) Adaptability to cultural change Overseas managers must be able to adapt to change. They also need the degree of cultural toughness. Research shows that many managers exhilarated at the beginning of their assignment. After a few months, however, a form of culture shock creeps in. b) Physical and emotional health Most organizations require that their overseas managers have good physical and emotional health. The psychological ability of individuals to with-stand culture shock also would be considered as would the current marital status as it affects the individuals ability to cope in a foreign environment. c) Age, experience and education There is evidence that younger managers are more eager for international assignments because they tend to be more worldly and have a greater appreciation of other cultures than older managers do. On top of that, many companies consider an academic degree, preferably a graduate degree to be of critical importance to an international executive. d) Language training Language can be a very critical factor and international experts have referred to it as a most effective indirect method of learning about a country. e) Motivation for foreign assignment Although individuals being sent overseas should have a desire to work abroad, this is usually is not sufficient motivation. Experts believe that candidate also must believe in the importance of the job. Other than that, applicants who are unhappy with their current situation, desire for adventure or a pioneering spirit, desire to increase ones chance for promotion and the opportunity to improve ones economic status are also viewed as great motivators. f) Spouses and dependents or work-family issues Experts believe that if the family is not happy, the manager often performs poorly and may either be terminated or simply decide to leave the organization. However, according to Maali H, Ashamalia, qualities that are looked for are:- a) Cultural empathy The ability to appreciate and respect beliefs, values, behaviors and business practices of individuals and groups from other culture. b) Awareness of environment constraint In a foreign country, an expatriate is faced with unfamiliar sets of environmental forces that can be very different from those of the home country. Ability to identify forces and function within their constraints becomes instrumental to the expatriates for effective decision making. c) Interpersonal skills These skills involve effective verbal and non-verbal communications, the capacity to build trust and the ability to utilize referent power in managing within a foreign environment. It also involved the understanding of differences in value orientations such as in the power distance orientation identified by Hofstede. d) Managerial and Decision Making abilities It is highly required particularly when a manager is operating under conditions of isolation or physical distances from the centre of decision making in the home office. These competencies are also necessary in situations where expatriates have full autonomy in their foreign positions. e) Other crucial qualities Foreign language proficiency, flexibility, adaptability, entrepreneurship, self-motivation, tolerance for ambiguity, and sensitivity to world events and their impact on long-range perspectives of the business are considered as crucial qualities for expatriates selection. Other than that, Ashamalla also argued that a rigorous selection program should also include the utilization of appropriate selection devices, consideration of the candidates self-evaluation, time devoted for the selection process where it must be adequate and strategic evaluation of the overseas operations on a frequent basis. The selection plan should also include the expatriate family. In addition, intensity of intercultural relation, pre-departure preparation, cultural training, multicultural personality, and technical competent and socio cultural knowledge is vital in order to determine expatriate, spouse and family adjustment effectiveness (Awang-Rozaimie, 2011) 2.1.2 During Assignment Support during the assignment is believed to be essential for moral and psychological sustenance as well as for performance effectiveness of international managers. Superiors and HR professionals in the home office need to give adequate consideration to the importance of keeping in close touch with their expatriates and providing them and their families with the needed support. A major source of concern for the manager while abroad is the loss of visibility to those in the home office. Sense of isolation from the domestic realities of the firm and feelings of being away for the corporate centers of the power are other sources of concern for managers while on overseas assignments. During assignment, support may involve a wide range of formal and informal activities. (Maali H. Ashamalla, 1998) On the other hands, the Brookfields Global Relocation Trends Survey 2010 indicated that, six percent of international assignments fail. Therefore, it is essential for expatriates to understand specific psychological traits of Malaysian that contributed to their business performance. Primarily, cultural competency support expatriates psychological well-being and socio cultural adaptabilities (Awang- Rozaimie, 2011) However, adapting to the new environment takes several months. A model developed by Oberg (1960) describes expatriate adaptation as a four-phases process. These phases are honeymoon, culture shock, recovery and adjustment. Going through these phases in the long run results into successful adaptation in the new environment (Teodora G. Nikolaeva, 2010) Table 1: Obergs phases of adaptation a) Honeymoon The first phase of this process is the so called honeymoon phase (Oberg, 1960). This stage usually lasts from several days to several weeks and is characterized by the positive attitude of the expatriates about the host country, its culture and everything new they are meeting. In this stage the employees feel more like tourists than expatriates. They are excited by the new and are really enthusiastic about their job. The expatriates are intrigued and curious about everything that is different from what they are used to and at the same time amazed by cultural similarities. All of this is a result of the pleasant conditions the expatriates are offered upon their arrival. They stay in luxurious hotels where they communicate with compatriots or natives who speak their language or perhaps they have even been appointed a translator; They are busy with being shown the sights of the town, finding an accommodation, school for the children if they are accompanied by their families, and depending on the significance of the international assignment they can e ven be giving press interviews (Oberg, 1960). b) Culture Shock As previously mentioned the honeymoon stage lasts from several days to several weeks. After this period is over, the expatriates get hit by the new culture and everything they have found amusing until now starts being irritating which results in culture shock (Oberg 1960). Oberg (1960) defines this phenomenon as the occupational disease the expatriates experience because of the constant interaction with the new environment and the different situations the host country offers: Culture shock is precipitated by the anxiety that results from losing all our familiar signs and symbols of social intercourse. These signs or cues include the thousand and one ways in which we orient ourselves to the situations of daily life: when to shake hands and what to say when we meet people, when and how to give tips, how to give orders to servants, how to make purchases, when to accept and when to refuse invitations, when to take statements seriously and when not. Now these cues which may be words, gestures, facial expressions, customs, or norms are acquired by all of us in the course of growing up and are as much a part of our culture as the language we speak or the beliefs we accept. All of us depend for our peace of mind and our efficiency on hundreds of these cues, most of which we do not carry on the level of conscious awareness. All expatriates can be affected by culture shock, but the degree to which they suffer depends from the host country and its specific cultural characteristics, the personality of the employees and how effective they are in doing their job, their attitude towards the people from the host country and vice versa, and the significance of the international assignment Depending on these factors, culture shock can result into confusion about ones actions, anxiety, frustration, exhilaration, actions that do not suit the norms of behavior, inability to do ones job and thus not being able to sign an important deal, isolation and depression (Teodora G. Nikolaeva, 2010). c) Recovery In the recovery stage the individuals start dealing with their emotions and create a positive attitude towards the surrounding people and environment of the host country (Oberg 1960). As previously mentioned, learning the language is a beneficial factor in understanding the foreign culture. If the expatriates have gained some knowledge of the language, they are able to communicate with their colleagues and instead of criticizing them they start making jokes of them and even start being sarcastic about their dire straits. In addition to that, the employees accept that they have some problems and start asking for help from their coworkers and gradually reaching the last phase of their adaptation (Oberg 1960). d) Adjustment The final phase of the adaptation model is adjustment. At this point all the six aspects of the culture shock are gone and the expatriates are able to perform their job in the most effective way. This is due to the fact that they start accepting and adapting to the new environment. The food, the drinks, the people and the customs that used to be perceived as foreign are now seen as delightful and enjoyable; The individuals become so accustomed to the country and the people so when the assignment is over and they return home, they start missing all that which at some point of their stay was irritating and even disgusting (Oberg, 1960). 2.1.3 Repatriation Luftans and Doh defined repatriation as the return to ones home country from an overseas management assignment. The most common reason for expatriation is that the duty is over. However, other reasons might be expatriates want their children educated in a home-country school, they are not happy with their overseas assignment and failure to do a good job. Ashamalla argued that there is evidence that indicate repatriation is not simple and that a repatriate manager may experience professional as well as personal re-entry problems. 2.3 Factors contribute to challenges faced by expatriates There are many factors that could be the reason of the challenges faced by the expatriate. These factors are realized through the flow of expatriation cycle. 2.3.1 Selection does not based on IHRM guidelines. According to Bonache, Brewster and Suutari, decisions on expatriate selection are usually made in a less than organized and coherent manner, and often take by line managers who simply ignore the laid-down criteria espoused by the HR department. They prefer to draw from a restricted pool of candidates about whom they feel confident; often people like themselves or those among that group who are readily available or have shown some interest in an international element to their career. 2.3.2 Accepting international assignment for the wrong reasons. Some expatriates were thinking of moving abroad in an effort to leave behind the accumulation of frustration, misery or boredom in the current life. Others might accept the international assignment due to their own expectation and assumption based on the experience they had when visiting to that country for a holiday. Due to that, they will face difficulties when reality or the situation does not meet their expectation. 2.3.3 Inability to adapt Cultural surprises, shock, discomfort, difficulties, stress and incompetence occurred due to inconsistent expectation and inability to acquire appropriate cultural knowledge and skills of host culture. Incompetence or disability of expatriates to adapt and adjust their cultural mindset caused early return, incomplete assignment goal and put additional cost to organization for replacement of new personnel. 2.3.4 Family issues It is generally the trailing spouse who suffers the greatest culture shock in the new country. The result can be an unhappy spouse who does her best to impair the performance of the expatriate manager. Most expatriate managers are challenged and excited to be in their new postings. They need to spend a lot of time at work since they are under pressure to adapt to the new culture and their overall responsibilities are often larger than they have experienced before. As a result, the wives of expatriates spend a lot of time by themselves and are cut-off from their own family and friends. At the same time, the wife is usually dealing with problems for which she has no previous experience. Therefore, the challenges expatriates faced during expatriation could be precipitate from the pressure from home 2.3.5 The location of the assignment The location of the international assignment can determine the challenges faced by expatriate. Commonly, expatriates come from well developed countries; due to globalization and the demand of global market, developing countries, mostly from South East Asia, have a high demand for expatriate. The differences between the culture of the expatriates home country and expatriation location will present cross cultural challenges to expatriates. 2.4 Challenges Commonly Faced by Expatriates Pre Departure 2.4.1 Preparation for departure doesnt seem enough. Due to the fact that management chose the candidate for expatriation based on their preference with disregard of IHRM guidelines, it does not only affect the staff but the family member as well. Firstly, the spouse usually questions whether the decision to move abroad is really the best decision for them. On Assignment 2.4.2 Communication and language barriers They are expected to master the local language and culture, especially because more and more local workers may have the competitive advantage of local knowledge and connections, as well as strong English skills acquired while studying abroad. Other than that, expatriate faced difficulty in communication within the first few weeks and to some, it took several months to adjust. 2.4.3 Adjusting to the local working culture Every country has different working culture. Therefore, expatriates might find it challenging to understand how things work in the office in a manner where they are trying to understand the administrative and bureaucratic arrangements. Most of the expatriates came from highly industrialized nations whereby people are used to living in the fast lane and having more established and efficient services. Since the previous working trend differs from the working style they are currently in, it posed as a challenge for most expatriates. 2.4.4 High level of bureaucracy People at the high management level of their hierarchical positions acquire strong control over the issues at the workplace. Therefore, it affects the flow of work among the locals and the expatriates. Decision making processes and duration of task completion took longer than expected. This was a challenge that expatriates encountered which required some skills of cross cultural negotiations to adjust and to overcome any related problems arise. Generally, the locals working habit seemed to collide with the expatriates working habits. Since most of expatriates were come from well-developed nation, their working pace is faster and planning becomes more efficient. Thus, when the new environment is working in much slower pace, it could become a conflict between the expatriates and locals. 2.4.5 Adaptability to new environment Expatriates and family often find it challenging to adjust with the routines. Trailing spouse might have problem in term of creating a home in rented accommodation with limited personal belongings and often find herself home alone whilst the partner departs on the business trip in as many weeks. This will cause the exhaustion the working partner as they try to balance work and home demands. The challenge of creating a meaningful life for the non-working partner which often involves overcoming a sense of having lost all personal identity which comes with losing the normal social, familial and work based cues. This will lead to homesickness and loneliness where they may long for the familiar and comfortable. Other than that, the children might have problem adjusting with school environment and new education system. Beside individual struggle, parental challenge such as providing a stable home environment for children, finding appropriate healthcare when it is needed and finding the app ropriate and suitable school for children are occurring as well. Repatriation 2.4.6 Lack of value placed on their international experiences. It appears that many global firms do not assign much value to the international experience. Therefore, expatriates expectation to career advancement are not usually realized. Many Western countries are placing increasing emphasis on standards and qualifications, credentials, and professionalization of careers. Individuals who have been working abroad may find themselves left behind and no longer even qualified for the level of work they had done prior to departure. 2.4.7 Re-establishing a professional network can also be challenging. Due to inadequate communication during the overseas assignment, an expatriate loses touch with changes that take place in the corporation. An expatriate might return to find that the company has changed beyond recognition and this will lead to career disaster. Even those professional colleagues who stayed in touch through an expatriates years abroad, may not feel comfortable speaking to the repatriates level of qualifications, especially if they havent formed a clear picture of the day- to-day responsibilities handled in the international workplace. 2.4.8 The expatriate and family members may also experience reverse culture shock. Many repatriates are not prepared for the culture shock that they experience upon returning home. Although culture shock is a challenge anticipated by most immigrants and expatriates as they prepare to move abroad, it can catch repatriates off guard. Many have struggled with adjusting to the weather, food, lifestyle, and even basic domestic chores and driving; especially if returning from a country where the norm was to hire domestic help. Repatriates may also find local biases offensive, particularly if targeted at a culture or group with which they have become quite familiar and which they have grown to appreciate.

An Argument for Vegetarianism Essay -- Eating Food Vegetarian Vegetari

An Argument for Vegetarianism ABSTRACT: In this paper I propose to answer the age-old reductio against vegetarianism, which is usually presented in the form of a sarcastic question ( e.g., "How do you justify killing and eating plants?"). Addressing the question takes on special significance in the light of arguments which seem to show that even nonsentient life is intrinsically valuable. Thus, I suggest that we rephrase the question in the following manner: When beings (who are biological and thus dependent on the destruction of other forms of life in order to sustain their own) evolve into societies of moral agents are they entitled merely to assume that they retain their license to destroy other life in order to sustain their own? I answer in the negative. I argue that such societies must continually earn that right by engaging in activity that makes up for and augments the values that they destroy. Unlike other biological beings, humans have complete control over what they eat, whether they eat, and whether t hey reproduce. Hence, the appeals to necessity that are ubiquitous in justifications of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian diets are inauthentic and must be accordingly forsaken. We will have to appeal instead to the value of particular human activities that are fueled by our consumption of other lives. 'So you don't eat animals, but you do eat plants. Plants, like animals, are living things how do you justify killing and eating them?' The mock indignation and air of self-congratulation which invariably accompany this question make it plain that the speaker does not expect the requested information but rather believes that he or she has delivered an original and decisive reductio ad absurdum against vegetariani... ...sort of axiology that last-person arguments are meant to establish. All creatures imaginable are valued and are attributed with at least one sense, from human beings (five-sensed) to leeches (two-sensed) to clods of earth (one-sensed). Any intentional act of violence against any of these is considered sinful, even an act done for a good cause (e.g., to feed human beings). It is odd, then, that Jainism is merely dismissed in environmentalist literature (Nash 1989, 70; Kalupahana 1989, 248; Curtin 1992, 141 n. 12). (3) My complaint here is against the deliberate ascetic. When people lead meager lives on the edge of physical exhaustion and starvation because of the inequities of economic distribution, it is not they but their oppressors who do an injustice to the environment, using the latter to fill their bellies and their wallets through acts of social injustice.