Intercultural Communications: Japan Essay

Cultural diversity is what people seek to embrace in an effort to get on well with people of different backgrounds. Tolerance is expected while in foreign countries though at times culture shocks are inevitable. Japan is a rich country in terms of culture and technology and it is important to fully comprehend their way of life to be able to mingle with them. What is acceptable in one country maybe considered disrespectful in others and it is therefore important to learn about the customs, practices and the general lifestyle of the Japanese people. This case study seeks to highlight the lifestyle of the Japanese people in terms of social interactions, etiquette, and style of doing business, customer preferences as well as sensitive matters that must be approached with caution. Japanese etiquette According to Mishima (2010), the Japanese are very respectful people and one custom they observe is bowing their heads down. This bowing culture is known as Ojigi and it applies as a form of greeting and also as a sign of respect. It has taken root in Japanese greetings, something which almost replaces the handshake. Foreigners are however pardoned for this and they will receive a rather weak handshake as Japanese stay away from close body contact. While in Japan, it will be considered impolite if people do not return the bow and it is therefore epitome to learn how to do so as it may cost business. Another important fact to note about the Japanese people is that they do not like physical contact with others since it seems to make them uncomfortable. With changing times however and them playing host to many visitors, the Japanese people may shake hands with foreigners. Bowing is taken seriously in Japan and the Japanese people view it as respectful, as a way of showing gratitude as well as a way to apologise. When dealing with older people, the bow is normally deeper and longer and this shows total respect. Casual greetings take a shorter bow while a business bow is done at an angle of 30 degrees. To show gratitude or give a formal apology, the bow angle changes to 45 degrees and this may also be used to express respect to senior people. When executing the bow, men must have their hands on their sides while women are supposed to place their hands on their thighs. What to avoid while in Japan  According to Williams (2010), the Japanese people are very direct when it comes to foreigners and people must pardon them if they ask personal questions such as how much money they make or how big their houses are. The Japanese people expect loyalty in business relationships and failure to this may mean no business at all. They love people who are good dressers and so if people are to make a point over that business meeting they must dress to impress. The Japanese business scene requires businessmen to dress up in conservative suits in a dark shade. Dressing casually to a business meeting is not welcome and this may cost people a contract. Removing shoes is second nature in many Japanese settings and it is therefore advisable to wear those that are easy to remove. Businesswomen must wear minimal accessories and dress conservatively. Women must never wear trousers to a business meeting as the Japanese men will take offence. The Japanese people also believe that women must wear low shoes as they do not like the idea of being towered over. When it comes to wearing the kimono, the left must always be over the right since wearing it otherwise signifies death and it is forms a basis of being misunderstood. The Japanese are conservative and the use of large gestures by the hands considered. People must steer clear from funny facial expressions or any move that attracts unnecessary attention (Williams, 2010). During a business meeting, it is important to stay away from the â€Å"ok† sign since the Japanese always translate it to mean money, according to Williams (2010). Pointing at people as well as blowing the nose publicly is not acceptable in a Japanese territory. Business cards are very important to the Japanese in business and they are given and received with both hands. It is important to print it in Japanese on one side and in your home language on the other. When presenting it, the part printed in Japanese must always face up. After receiving this card, people must not write on it or slip it into their wallets. The Japanese consider all these actions disrespectful and they would be pleased if the person took time to read the card and examine it carefully. This phase is so important that no business transactions will take place until business cards have been exchanged. The Japanese refrain from using the word ‘no’ and in many circumstances may give a â€Å"yes† answer to mean â€Å"no†. It is therefore of essence to understand this since failure to do so may lead to several disagreements during business negotiations (Williams, 2010). Social interactions According to the U. S. Library Congress (2010), the Japanese are harmonious people who have great value for self development and order. Among the values they hold close to their hearts is living peacefully with others be they spiritual or human beings. They believe strongly in everyone fulfilling the social obligations set for them by the society. The Japanese believe in gods and they extend the belief to what befalls people. The gods are believed to have a huge influence in the Japanese lives and they are believed to have the power to control human emotions. The Japanese believe that they are rewarded by the gods if they do good things to others and that is why they highly condemn antisocial behaviour. The Japanese are highly social animals and this culture is developed from an early age. Interdependence is the core of the Japanese people survival and it is encouraged right from the home to the community. The Japanese disregard open competition and in the same breath do not work well with competition. They practice high self-control but at the same time work hard in cooperation with others in an effort to meet their personal obligations. Decision-making is not a one person thing and this brings them together to chart the way forward and they value group work and association with others. They value strong business relationships and work hard to maintain them though hierarchy occurs naturally. In business meetings, the Japanese are keen to exchange business cards as they value it as a tool for interaction. The Japanese style of doing business According to Lafayette (2003), the Japanese often view other people as dishonest especially those from the western countries. The major reason behind this assumption is a disparity in the understanding of what is right and what is wrong. Their perceptions are varied and this makes other people look bad before them. As evidenced by Lafayette, the Japanese are very wary of their business interactions with other people and in their speeches always urge them to be sincere in the transactions. By emphasizing on sincerity, the Japanese have harmony in mind which will include each person contributing fully to meet his or her obligations to make the dealing successful. They also emphasize on the correct choice of words to avoid confrontations and unwanted excitement which may lead to loss of business. It is typical of the Japanese people to be more concerned with the manner and form in which the business is being transacted. On the other hand, westerners are more result-oriented and this could cause friction between both parties. Japanese people in business tend to care more about personal relationships and these calls for a deeper understanding which prompts deep discussions of every minute detail (Lafayette, 2003). Root binding must be done in an effort to nurture the business ties formed since over the years, distance may grow between the two parties as each side tends to interpret the agreement differently. According to Lafayette (2003), this is caused by differences in perception rather than deviousness. The Japanese business people also belief that naturally the business ties will change just as circumstances change over a period of time. The trick here is therefore being flexible enough to adjust as the business relationship may prompt if business ties with any Japanese are to be maintained. Japanese customer preferences According to Cordell (2010), foreign products are subject to intense customer evaluations and they better be good. Other than the resources used in production of the commodity as well as the cost benefits, a foreign product must gain an edge in the market if it is to compete with other local products. The common notion is that products from industrialised nations of the world are valued higher than those from developing countries. The product will therefore be perceived either positively or negatively depending on the country of origin. A brand name is what sells and in most cases, Japanese consumers will go for a product that comes from a reputable company. Marketing of a new product in a foreign land therefore needs be strategic if it is to sell and the company has to aim at maximising its profits. This therefore calls for intensive knowledge of the product as well as assuring the consumers of high quality judging from the fact that Japan is very advanced in industrial and technological matters. Conclusion Japan ranks second in the world’s superpowers’ list and being able to penetrate her territories for a business venture is the best that could happen to any business. It is therefore important to understand their cultural value as it is a step towards understanding how business flows on the other end. Being a foreigner in Japan can be a great experience while at other times it can be stressful. This will happen if people do not take time to study the lifestyle of the Japanese and this may lead to collisions with them. When it comes to the product, it must be well researched and well packaged if it is to survive the stiff competition that Japan offers. It must have an edge on the products already in the market and the marketing-process must also be well researched to address the market needs. The product must be well presented by its marketers in an attractive and practical package and it must have the potential of competing fully with its predecessors in the market. However, a blissful business relationship is bound to develop if people respect their lifestyle and make adjustments to suit in their midst.

Billy Beane: Changing the Game Essay

1. Based on the â€Å"Billy Beane: Changing the Game† case, explain how and why the Oakland A’s economic situation after 1995 shaped its: a) Compensation Strategies In the world of major league baseball, Oaklands A’s defied the laws of baseball economics. The team spent only $34 million (the 2nd lowest payroll) had won 102 games and lost only 60 in 2001. On top of this, they finished first in their division and made the playoffs. Major baseball teams would hire high school players than college players. This made high school players costly. Oaklands A’s strategy is to hire College players to save on resources. They argued that college players have already gained substantial exposure and competition. Beane would recruit new drafts and sign them for less than the going rate. Because of budget constraints, Oaklands A’s had to trade its top pitchers in exchange with the younger, much less expensive pitchers to try to remain within budget. Another interesting case for Oaklands A’s is the recruitment of Scott Hatteberg. Hatteberg played six years with the Boston Red Sox. He got injured and lacked the prowess in throwing the ball effectively. He was, according to Boston Red Sox, a lame player and did not sign him up again. With this, Hattenberg’s monetary value diminished and that is why Oaklands A’s recruited him at a much lower salary (because there are no other takers). Unknown to the other baseball teams, Hattenberg is the missing puzzle in A’s team. Oaklands A’s noted that Hattenberg has an uncanny knack for getting on-base. b) Staffing (recruiting, selection, and retention strategies) strategies Oaklands A’s staffing strategies was based on sabermetrics. Sabermetrics is a systematic, statistical approach in evaluating teams and players. Based on this science it was found out that the basis for judging the performance of the player should on-base percentage. A’s recruitment would prioritize college players than high school players. This is due to the fact that college players have already played more games against better competition. Bean is convince with the fact that â€Å"a young player is not what he looks like, or what he might become, but what he has done. The bottomline is what the player has produced in college. Bean and DePodesta believed that they could forecast future performance of college players more effectively than high school ones.  Another staffing strategy is the case of Scott Hatteberg. Hatteberg plays with the Boston Rex Sox. He was injured and was never signed up by Sox. Oaklands A’s did not waste time and hired Hatteberged. A’s has done this because Hatterberg’s has an on-base scoring record. According to A’s, Hatteberg filled up what is missing in the team. c) Training and development strategies Batting average was the norm adopted by other baseball teams. But training for Oakland was focused on the player’s ability to obtain on-base scoring. The team relied more on selecting players by their on-base percentages. According to Sabermetrics model, teams always win with players having attained high on-base percentages. Oakland’s Training and development strategies embraced on-base percentage as a philosophy for the entire Oakland organization. This system was the star. Each minor league team in the Oakland system began to lead it league in walks, and resulted to higher on-base percentage. 2. Explain how the compensation, staffing, and training strategies were aligned or integrated with each other to create an overall HR strategy for the Oakland A’s organization. Compensation was based on the value of the player. Since most baseball teams would recruit high school players, Oakland A’s would seek out college players. The higher demand for high school players lead to lower compensation rates for college players. Oakland would then hire college players to minimize cost. Training was based on the on-base performance. These requisites are fully integrated by Oakland A’s to match meager budget with the objectives of the team. 3. Are there potential problems with the HR strategies adopted by the Oakland A’s? One potential problem is that team players get older as baseball seasons come and go. This is due to the fact that Oakland A’s strategy is to hire college player. They are much older than the high school players hire by other baseball teams. This will affect their performance in future baseball games. On-base sabermetrics technology was developed by Oakland A’s to counter the cost of hiring players and to correct the market value of players. Replicating this strategy by other teams would create another imbalance in the demand for players. Everybody would be replicating what A’s had done and the repercussion is that college players would be costly to hire. Players with low batting average but possess substantial on-base average would be in  demand and therefore hike their hiring costs. Oakland A’s could have prevented this had the idea been patented for their exclusive use.

Radical Feminist View on Porn

Radical feminists overall would have a very negative view towards pornography as a whole. They would frown upon child pornography and the kind of pornography that places the male gender in the driving seat and where men are under control.The reason that Radical feminists would have a negative outlook on pornography that places men under control is because this school of thoughts view is that the only way to achieve gender equality is through eliminating the assumption that women are only good for sex and reproduction. They feel that there is a subordination of women through sexuality and reproduction. Therefore they would view pornography of the above nature as supportive of the exact kind of thinking that they are trying to eliminate.Radical feminists also feel that the family system plays a very large role in either encouraging the objectification of women or in eliminating it and thus due to their high regard for family functionality they would also have an extremely negative outl ook towards child pornography as well as the fact that Radical feminists celebrate their roles as mothers, and no mother would like to see their child fall victim to child pornography or take part in the viewing thereof, not only for the child’s mental safety but also to avoid them growing up and falling victim to the view that woman are only good for sex and reproduction by the exposure of this kind of pornography.My criticism however of this school of thoughts view point is that Radical feminists have an extremely negative outlook towards men and their passion to eliminate heterosexual parenting and male sexuality is in some ways seeing men as the problem and painting all men under the same brush which is unfair towards the male gender as a whole because not all men objectify women in demeaning way.I also feel that through their efforts to try and abolish male sexuality and separate the link between their bodies and sex is only shooting themselves in the foot for through th e viewing of heterosexual porn these woman may find that they might just discover their sexuality and could come to feel empowered by their beauty and could then see their bodies as a beautiful thing instead of seeing their bodies as the problem. Some Radical feminists feel that reproduction can occur through a test tube rather than their womb and feel this way as an effort to remove the link between their bodies and reproduction but this would mean that sperm donators would be need and this would be objectifying men’s sperm so to speak. However due to their negative view towards men Radical feminists might just be supportive of lesbian porn and might see it as empowering towards women.

Vietnam War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Vietnam War - Essay Example For American soldiers it was very difficult even to move in jungle. They had to use special instruments like machete to move from one place to another. In order to survive in jungle Americans had to capture the whole settlements. As a result Americans lost much in this war. The interests of the both American and Vietnamese soldiers were not taken into account by the Vietnam War initiators. The problem lied in the fact that many Americans were against the war as well as Vietnamese. They organized strikes and meetings devoted to the question. Other countries of the world also were not pleased with what was happening as the war, which started due to the political interests, led to the death of hundreds of peaceful citizens. Moreover, many of these citizens provided American soldiers with help. The United States did not take into account the political consequences of their military actions on the territory of Vietnam. Actually, the goals of the war are still vague. Soldiers themselves could not understand what they were fighting for. Vietnamese were weaker in terms of military forces, but they were stronger mentally because they knew that they just had to defend. Today everybody knows about the huge military potential of the USA: even a little child every day can see modern American military techniques and bold soldiers on TV, in magazines, movies, computer games. It seems that military forces of the United States can do everything: help other peoples in their struggle with suppressors, neutralize dangerous terrorists, bring peace to dangerous regions and provide them with stability. The American military forces were not less powerful in 1970, but they still managed to fail the war with small undeveloped state – Vietnam. In this failure prejudices played not the last role. American soldiers were considered to be heroes, the mission of which is to defend poor and deprived. However, War in Vietnam destroyed these

Compare and contrast paper Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Compare and contrast paper - Movie Review Example the similarities, it is evident that the two movies depict great differences making the 2013 version of Carrie an improved version with regards to additional characters, scenes, and modernization. In this effect, the paper focuses on a comparison and contrast between the two films generated at different times in history. In terms of plot, the two films have a frantically similar layout; however, Carrie 1976 starts with Carrie white as a naà ¯ve, friendless and shy 17 year girl facing child abuse from her religious fanatic mother, Margaret. In the 2013, film a historic layout introduces the film, making viewers know the background of Margaret white as well as the birth of Carrie white. The scene does not appear in the 1976 version, which jumps directly to the play hence denying viewers the privilege of having background information about Carrie and her mother. Evidently, both have Carrie and Margaret as dormant characters although acted by different people motivated by different factors. An aspect of modernism remains clear in the two plots as the 1976 version majors in traditional beliefs and religious ratification. Although the 2013 version of Carrie gives providence to religious and traditional doctrines, it also makes use of other modern aspects as YouTube. For example, when Carrie experiences h er first menstrual period, a longtime bully Chris Hargensen records this and upload into the social site. No modern movie plays without the use of modern technology creating a difference between the 1976 film and the 2013 version. During the prom sequence, Carrie 2013 receives a 21st century twist, which generates a shaky camera that offers a good perspective to viewers. Arguably, the 1976 version of Carrie has terms that do not readily appease viewers. For example, â€Å"dirty pillows† detaches contemporary audience from the original version contrary to the 2013 film which has a modern spin of the classic tale accosted with orchestral tones. Conceivably, the 2013 version

Media and Politics. Picking a local topic, national, and world topic Essay

Media and Politics. Picking a local topic, national, and world topic. Present topic - Essay Example This is because one source will have either some strength or weaknesses, therefore advantaging or disadvantaging the rival source, resulting in the differences. The media, for being such an influential part of society, requires regulations and ethics to govern what qualifies to broadcast or not, for instance in the case of politics, it is important for sources to remain neutral and not influence society in any way. Introduction The general media is a valuable source of information and a powerful medium of information that largely influences the understanding of daily events and occurrences of the people who access its releases. As a watchdog, the media has the potential to either be faithful or not, as it enjoys unlimited freedom in choosing and deciding what is worth publicizing or not, and what perception to create around a certain event or occurrence. The media is a wide fraternity of society comprising of numerous sources at different levels and has similarities, differences, str engths, weaknesses, and much influence on all aspects of society. This essay will conduct an analysis of media sources at three levels; local, national, and international, and bring out the mentioned qualities by comparing the uniqueness of two different media sources at each level in their mode of relaying similar political events. Local media level Local media coverage defines broadcasting of information concerned with a specific context such as a state, whose news would not be of much relevance to other states or to the larger national and international communities. In this case, this study will compare and contrast the relay of news concerning the 2012 accusation of (former) 18th Lieutenant Governor of Florida, Jennifer Carroll, of having a lesbian relationship with an aide in which we shall feature the Miami Herald and Sun-Sentinel as our news sources. The Sun-Sentinel The article with Carroll’s story as appearing on this media source on 12 July 2012 had the headline â⠂¬Å"Sex scandal becomes the talk of Florida’s capital.† The story is introduced with catchy words such as â€Å"titillating sex scandal† and goes on to describe Carroll as one who does not feature much in the news headlines but is this time in the limelight due to criminal charges. However, after this, there is not much mention of her accusations. Rather, the stories focus on one Carletha Cole who is Carroll’s former spokesperson and who is accused of conducting illegal recording. The story does not seem to directly attack Carroll, and all her accusations arise from second parties such as Cole’s attorney bringing up the sexual accusations, but not the source itself. The source does not reveal what the results of a polygraph test carried out on Cole were. At the conclusion of the story, there is much positive information about Carroll, such as the women representatives describing her as a role model. She is also linked to Christianity, and her histor y is depicted as never tainted before (Haughney and Bureau 1). The Miami Herald The Miami Herald’s headline of the topic is â€Å"Is Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll’s Former aide seeking vengeance or injustice?† In this source, Cole’s attorney introduces the sexual accusations against Carroll, this after we learn that Cole is facing criminal charges of illegally taping audio around the Florida State offices. In this article, they

Research Question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Research Question - Essay Example Contacting the facilities will also enable easy reach to counselors who employ the target treatment models to treat clients with conduct disorders. Selection of the participant samples will rely on the volition of every individual (Bordens & Abbott, 2014). There will be no compulsion or enticement of any person to participate. This statement is to mean that there will be payments or promise of any gains to induce the samples into participating in the research. To select the clients or victims of conduct disorders, counselors working in the correctional and counseling resource centers will have to disclose or allow access to the individuals. Since doing so without consent of the clients under treatment is unethical, the researcher will have to rely on two options. One of the options is for the counselors to consult with the clients to know who is willing to participate in the research. The clients who express their willingness to participate will have consented for disclosure of name and details to the researcher before the actual contact. Another option is for the counselors to share details of clients treated in the past and expressed willingness to sensitize communities and conduct campaigns to encourage children and adolescents to respect rules set at homes and school (Bordens & Abbott, 2014). Undoubtedly, a person who involves in sensitization of communities about conduct disorders after having recovered from similar conditions have l ittle or no problem being disclosed. This view is due to the fact the past clients involving in sensitization will have to present selves as examples to give first-hand information to the audiences to believe the facts presented about the conditions. Prior to beginning the actual study, it is important to obtain informed consent from the target samples. The researcher will consider written and

Investment Risk Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Investment Risk Management - Essay Example Laura and Rubia (2012) says that in a practical setting, typical risks faced by financial institutions include defaults on loans provided by the firm, losses on investment securities and failure of business undertakings on a supplementary party owing certain obligations to the affected party. In this case, it is acknowledgeable that financial companies face numerous risks in operations. Therefore, risk management involves developing appropriate measures to curb and minimize effects of these typical circumstances. Laura and Rubia (2012) says that after developing appropriate measures, risk management moves into implementing and procedures meant to facilitate the realization of pre-determined risk management goals. In contemporary business environments, the financial industry faces substantial effects from volatility in micro-economic elements. This means that, economic trends play a significant role in either boosting or inflating portfolio, and investment securities held by a given c ompany. This type of risk is largely inevitable, as micro-economic elements of a business environment depend on the specific region that a business organization operates. In an event that America undergoes high inflation rates and a negative economic growth, then the financial industries operating within the US will feel the pinch of inflation. In this regard, financial institutions experience unprecedented risks during turbulent economic times. According to Allen (2012), it is inherent to acknowledge the fact that turbulence within an economic environment causes financial uncertainty; which requires intervention from risk management practices. Financial volatility and associated risks became pronounced with adoption of electronic trading in security markets. In modern automated markets, threats from data and information theft features as one insecurity element facing the financial industry. Trends suggest that there is a potential risk of exposure to data breaches coupled with iden tity theft experienced by financial institutions. Allen (2012) agrees that despite risk trends suggesting an increase in security breaches, financial companies do not put enough measures to counteract data theft. In a practical sense, failure to address these risks presents huge risks and challenges to the financial industry. In order to evaluate the effect of negligence in financial risk management, we will appraise the case of Lehman Brothers. In September 2008, Lehman Brothers, which is one of the most prestigious participants in the Wall Street market, admitted having filed for bankrupts amid negotiations with potential buyers. According to Teather, Treanor, & Wearden (2008), Lehman Brothers postulated that the protection move aimed at safeguarding its assets. However, the collapse of the huge financial company was a result of the credit crunch coupled with profound effects from sub-prime crisis. Lehman was a victim of the credit crunch, which refers to a situation where lenders provided limited on no money to borrowers. In 2008, there was a significant economic recession across the world. As a result, lending financial institutions froze their money in order to minimize risks associated with the uncertain economy. According to Teather et al. (2008), Lehman Brothers could not borrow enough money to sustain its business operations; hence opted for a bankruptcy protection. Apart from

Time Value of Money Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Time Value of Money - Research Paper Example Calculation regarding future values of present values is extremely important when making important investment decisions (Andrew, 1997). A manager who would be uncertain of what would be the future value of his investment today, he would be uncertain whether to take on the investment or not. Suppose, a manager takes on an investment to invest in a bond that will pay him $ 1000 at maturity at 5% interest. How would he value the investment in terms of today? What is explicitly of importance to the manager is that how much the investor should pay today in order to get that $ 1000 principal at maturity (Brealey, 2005). The investor should use the application of time value of money in order to determine whether the amount that the borrower is asking is appropriate or not. Similarly, an investor might want to know that if he deposits a certain sum of money in the bank, then what would be the future value of the payment that he would receive at the relevant interest rate few years from now ( Andrew, 1997). The basic concept I have learnt from this assignment is how to apply the application of time value of money in different situations. Sometimes, we have been given the future value and all information and we had to find the present value, while sometimes we had been given present value and we had to calculate the future value. In summation, I have learnt the practical application and usefulness of time value of

Performance appraisal Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Performance appraisal - Research Paper Example Performance Appraisals should be able to minimize the gap between the evaluation that an employee receives on a particular performance and the actual results the individual has achieved. However, this is seldom achieved. Studies have been conducted on the efficacy of performance appraisal as social and the emotional factors or the cognitive process on performance appraisal has been assessed. While it is vehemently believed that performance appraisal can have positive implications and help improve organizational effectiveness, these studies suggest that organizations have not been able to achieve the intended objectives in conducting performance appraisal. This paper reviews the perceived benefits of performance appraisal and the constraints that have hindered the development of an effective performance appraisal system. Literature Review Performance Appraisal has been defined as the "formal evaluation of an employee's job performance in order to determine the degree to which the empl oyee is performing effectively" (Griffin & Ebert, 2002 cited by Schraeder, Becton & Portis, 2007). Performance management is about improving performance but is often forgotten (Hendry et al, 2006). Aligning with corporate objectives and goals The PA system should be strategically aligned with corporate objectives and goals to achieve the intended results. This requires careful thinking and serious planning as the administrative, developmental, and strategic needs have to be integrated (Caruth & Humphreys, 2008). Therefore, an effective PA system should reflect formalization, job relatedness, standards and measurements, validity, reliability, open communication, trained appraisers, ease of use, employee accessibility to results, review procedures, and appeal procedures. Through written employee handbook the employees should be made aware of the formal procedures and policies. The appraisal factors should account for success or lack of success in performing a job. These should be well understood and uniformly interpreted by all appraisers. For meaningful appraisal standards should be thoughtfully set so that it ensures integration of information into the overall strategic process of the organization. Benefits of PA Performance appraisals are used to determine employee compensation, merit pay, while also facilitating human resource management functions. PA can also provide information about the effectiveness of the firm’s selection and placement programs, in addition to identifying training needs (Pettijohn et al, 2008). The most important function is to provide information and direction to employees which would lead to enhanced performance. PA is meant to gather information for personnel decisions such as rewards, promotion, transfers or termination (Kennedy & Dresser, 2001). It is also used as a tool to identify weaknesses which helps identify training and development needs. However, seldom is there focus on personality traits and behavior. According to Schraeder, Becton and Portis (2007) performance appraisals have definite benefits such as enhanced communication, enhanced employee focus by promoting trust; it leads to goal setting and enhanced performance. Facilitating communication reduces employee uncertainty, according to Schraeder et al while inhibiting or hindering communication is an organizational weakness (Caruth & Humphre

Growth and Potential of International Luxury Fashion Brands Essay Example for Free

Growth and Potential of International Luxury Fashion Brands Essay

Pornography and Sexual Violence Essay Example for Free

Pornography and Sexual Violence Essay The class is social psychology. Please use proper headings, double spacing, 12 pt font, one-inch margins, page numbering, and logical flow from topic to topic. Citations may be from the Web, texts, books or scientific journals. Magazine and newspaper citations are generally unacceptable. Please be original with your own views. Being with a strong, creative, original thesis clearly stating what you are trying to show.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Pornography is a term utilized to depict the various sexual practices and desires to arouse the viewer sexually. It should also be clearly distinguished from the term ‘obscenity’.   Obscenity is frequently utilized legally to suggest pornographic material.   This material may be deemed as illegal if it crosses all the social barriers of decency and is liable for criminal punishment.   Sexual images of women can create a positive influence or a negative influence on man.   Women can be portrayed as objects of sex, pleasure, abuse and violence.   This has resulted in degradation of the status of women in the current world. Feminists throughout the world are objecting at the problems pornography has created for women.   During the early 1980’s, pornography became a huge feminist issue.   The political situation in the West was also changing during that period.   People began to feel the need for greater amount of freedom.   Several of the moral issues such as abortion, reproductive rights, sexuality, etc, began to be questioned.   Abortion began to be accepted giving the women greater amount of control over their body.   Today, women should be pure before the marriage and need to be loyal to their husbands during their married life. Marriage is a relationship in which sex is performed only for reproductive purposes and not for pleasure.   If a woman indulged in sex outside their marriage, it was considered to be a form of prostitution.   Frequently, women are forced into getting them photographed for creating pornographic material.   The pornographic industry throughout the world has turned out into a multibillion-dollar industry (about $ %6 billion), providing material in various forms including movies, internet, books, videos, etc (Malamuth et al, 2005, Utah State University, 2007 Webb, 2007). Recently, there has been an increase in the number of cases of child abuse throughout the world.   The exact cause for this has not been understood clearly.   A study conducted by Knudsen does not show a direct relationship between sexual violence against children and pornography.   A thorough assessment was created using laboratory findings and case studies of those who had suffered from child sexual abuse.   It was found that child sexual abuse was only affected to a slight and indirect extent by pornography (Knudsen, 2005).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Frequently, people associate pornography with erotica.   However, there is a lot of difference between these two aspects.   Erotica is a situation of an intimate relationship between humans such that closeness, communication, intimacy and sexual arousal are felt.   Erotica utilize various symbols for communication and the feeling of interaction.   It could be considered to be one system of language or dialect.   Hence, erotica is usually shared between people belonging to close group, culture, religion, sect, ethnic community, etc. People belonging to other communities, sects, group, etc, would be unable to share and communicate with their partner.   Hence, the erotic appeal may not be present in such circumstances.   Erotica cannot mix with brutality.   To some extent erotica can vary from one taste to another.   Many people use the term erotica in order to demonstrate and applaud pornography.   However, both these terms need to be completely differentiated from one another.   Pornography is the misuse of women and children in the name of erotica. This misuse can be considered in two ways.   Firstly, a woman may be abused and forced into pornography through the erotica.   Besides, many of the female pornography material depict man dominating and abusing women and treating them as mere objects.   I do feel that pornography directly and indirectly creates a situation in which the woman is victimized.   This may further the chances of women getting sexually offended (Utah State University, 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Many of the material available today on the internet and the print media has been generated by threatening women into certain acts that have not been expected.   For example, Linda Marchiano was threatened with a gun to perform several sexual acts in the film Deep Throat.   Today graphic material is available on the Internet of women being tortured, raped and victimized for the sake of sexual arousal.   I do feel that this may not create a sense of erotica but instead encourage violence and crime against women (Utah State University, 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Pornography has changed the entire concept of masculinity and femininity.   Earlier, these two genders were considered as complimentary to one another.   A woman was basically made to supplement the needs of man.   However, pornography has spoilt this relationship between man and woman.   Indirectly man is victimizing women in the name of pornography.   Men dominate women and children using pornographic material.   Man would try to conquer other sexually, and women would have to submit to the sexual needs of man.   In a husband-wife relationship, the wife would become the weaker party and the husband would become the stronger one. Once this domination is created, every chance exists for the man to abuse and ill-treat the woman.   Today pornography has been closely associated with male supremacy.   As pornography is becoming more and more common in today’s world, it is having a negative influence on the people.   Pornography touches upon male dominance, sexual inequality and sexual subordination.   Hence, people consider and use violence, force and domination as a part of sex.   This helps to spread terrorism and hatred amongst the population.   Today, people are unable to identify the thin line present between pornography and erotica (Utah State University, 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Pornography may influence the individual to various extents depending on the individual factors, the type of pornographic material, the extent to which the material causes sexual arousal, etc.   Studies have demonstrated that when children and adolescents are exposed to pornographic material, there are chances that these children on becoming adults would have perverted sexual tendencies. They may also perform violent acts in order to gain sexual gratification.   However, some studies have demonstrated that expose of the child or adolescent to a minimal amount of pornographic material during early age would help them to benefit later, as they would be aware of the sexual processes that occur in adults.   However, this area needs to be thoroughly researched further to determine the type of pornographic material and the extent to which they would benefit (Malamuth et al, 2005).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The World needs to change its attitude toward pornography.   To some extent individuals possessing certain characteristics may be exposed to a greater extent than others to pornographic material.   A study conducted by Malamuth et al (2005) demonstrated that men, who were exposed to material containing sexuality and violence against women, accepted these attacks secretly.   The acceptance was much greater in men who were exposed to pornographic material than those who were not.   Men who were exposed to media presentations of material, which glorified sexual attacks on women, developed aggressive attitudes towards women (Malamuth et al, 2005).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thus it can be seen that pornographic material is harmful to the development of cordial relationships throughout the world between man and woman.   The effect of pornographic material varies depending on the culture, region of the world, sect, religion, etc.   Scientists should try to develop a method of determining the direct relationship that exists between pornography and sexual violence against women. The Internet may be a very useful resource for teenagers and students.   However, this resource could also be misused, as activity may be difficult to monitor.   It is high time for the law-enforcement agencies and parents to help control the activity of teenagers and students over the Internet.   The manner in which the child or teenagers utilizes the Internet plays a major role in the development of the personality and behavior later in life (Paul et al, 2005 Bremer, 2005). References: Bremer, J. (2005). â€Å"The Internet and children: advantages and disadvantages.† Psychiatr Clin N Am, 14(3), 405-428. http://www.springerlink.com/content/g074414vx721x677/ Knudsen, D. D. (2005). â€Å"Child sexual abuse and pornography: Is there a relationship?† Journal of Family Violence, 3(4), 253-267. Malamuth, N., Huppin, M. (2005). â€Å"Pornography and Teenagers: The Importance of Individual Differences.† Adol Med Clin, 16(2). Paul, B. Bryant, J. A. (2005). â€Å"Adolescents and the Internet.† Adol Med Clin, 16(2). Utah State University (2007). â€Å"Lesson 10. Pornography, Violence, and the Law.† Retrieved on December 7, 2007, from Utah State University Web site: http://cc.usu.edu/~fath6/Gen5.htm Villani, V. S. (2005). â€Å"Media literacy for clinicians and parents.† Child Adolesc Psychiatr Clin N Am, 14(3), 523-553. Webb, E. (2007). â€Å"Pornography or Censorship-Silence or Choice?† Retrieved on December 7, 2007, from DSP Web site: http://www.dsp.org.au/dsp/porno.htm

The Sales Force Compensation Business Essay

The Sales Force Compensation Business Essay For most of the organizations, compensation plan is the main driving force for motivating the entire sales force as they are the key people interacting with the customers on regular basis. According to Skiera and Albers (2008), the total rewards approach comprises of all the tools available with the employer for attracting, motivating and rewarding the employees appropriately. The main aim of this approach is to accelerate desired behaviors in the entire workforce along with reinforcement of overall business strategy that will boost the firms performance (Mia Evans, 2007). Unilever ensures that is total rewards program is supportive to achieve the desired targets of the company and the Human Resource (HR) professionals of the company have ensured that it possesses six features that are vital for the effectiveness of this program (WorldatWork, 2007). The main features of the total rewards approach are as follows: Compensation It is the most important part of the entire program as it is the basic pay structure that comprises of both fixed and variable pays along with long-term and short-term incentives. The fixed amount is the base salary which remains constant for every salesperson and the variable pay is dependent on the method used i.e. commission, pay-for-performance, piece-rate pay, time-rate pay and others. The other incentives comprise of bonuses, profit-sharing, ownership share and etc. Enhanced flexibility The employees are looking for flexible working hours that allow them to utilize their skills appropriately while working on the job. Benefits These are the factors that the employees are looking for in their jobs in addition to the monetary payment that they receive such as medical benefits, life insurance benefits, social security, unemployment and etc. Rewards and Recognition When employees achieve something highly desirable or challenging, they need to be shown the appreciation either by giving them rewards in the form of bonuses, profit sharing, share ownership or announcing the success within the organization to declare the persons valuable contribution in the company. Work-life balance The employees have to provided support in maintaining adequate balance between the work, personal life and community responsibilities. They can be provided financial support, paid and unpaid vacations, caring for dependents and community involvement opportunities. Opportunities for development and career progression In order to retain the employees for long-term, the program should outline the career progression path that is vital for the enhanced motivation level of the complete sales force. Question 2 Describe the behaviors of the sales force that are targeted with the compensation plan. Answer 2 With the help of an effective and well-integrated compensation plan, Unilever tries to boost the productivity of its sales force so that they can help it in meeting the long-term objectives. The key behaviors that are targeted in sales force with a highly effective compensation plan are bringing new ideas and concepts in the company, suggesting innovative products that are desired by the customers for enhancing their satisfaction level, creating competition among salespeople so that they strive to make increasing sales and promoting proper and ethical course of business activities for meeting the organizational objectives effectively (Zoltners, Sinha Lorimer, 2006). When employees will be satisfied with the compensation plan and will believe that they are being compensated for their efforts adequately, they will become loyal to the company and the employee turnover rate will reduce drastically. The entire employee cost will go down and the organization will be able to maintain a proper balance between the employees value and organizations goals. Question 3 Assess how a value proposition is achieved for current and future employees in the plan you have outlined. Answer 3 According to Cichelli (2010), the compensation plan designed by Unilever comprises of the following factors: Base Pay Commission (Depending on the sales made by each salesperson) Bonuses (10% of the base pay) Benefits Health care, Life insurance, Retirement, Social security, community support programs, paid holidays and financial support. Rewards and recognition Merit based increase at the year end after performance appraisal and profit sharing for exceeding the target level. Career advancement opportunities Each sales person will be given specific targets to provide chances for moving ahead in their careers and try to get promoted to more additional levels. The basic philosophy underlying the total rewards approach is that the employees should be provided complete value from the entire compensation plan. The key elements required for creating the most effective value proposition for all current and potential employees are colleagues, work responsibilities, organization culture, values and total rewards. Most of the employees make their final decision on the basis of the rewards that are visible to them and they give less importance to the non-monetary rewards that are given during the job tenure (How, Sundram Tack, 2011). From the compensation plan outlined, it is evident that the company highly values its sales people and has taken every important measure to provide a conducive, encouraging and accommodating working environment to them that will elicit desired working behavior along with enhanced motivation level. In order to create the effective value proposition, the compensation plan of each employee is aligned with the organizations objectives and they are provided the right tools and opportunities that can help them in attaining their yearly goals successfully. Question 4 Based upon the type of plan you have created, indicate how attracted you think future salespeople may be to this plan. Answer 4 Since the compensation plan is one of the vital methods used by organizations to attract, retain and motivate the employees, it is important for them to keep on incorporating the changes within the plan so that it is up-to-date. Although the designed compensation plan is a general one but the most effective one is that which takes account of each employees needs and develop the plan in accordance to their expectations. Sometimes the employers overlook the individual requirements of every sales person and design a plan that is beneficial for the organization. In order to attract more sales people, there are various features that will have to be added in the compensation plan such as employee engagement activities, off-the-job training programs, promoting the concepts of vacations for boosting the productivity level and including attractive rewards that will keep the sales person glued to the job and will find the work interesting and captivating. Hence, it is important to upgrade the compensation plan on an ongoing basis so that there are no loopholes in them and the sales force is satisfied with the rewards strategy. However, the key to keeping the employees motivated and enhancing their retention desire is to offer them the compensation and rewards in accordance to their requirements so that they feel valued and are willing to go an extra mile to support the company in fulfillment of its mission and objectives.

The Themes of William Faulkners As I Lay Dying Essay -- As I Lay Dyin

William Faulkner in his book "As I Lay Dying" portrays a Mississippi family which goes through many hardships and struggles. Faulkner uses imagery to illustrate an array of central themes such as the conscious being or existence and poverty among many others. From the first monologue, you will find and indulgence of sensual appeal, they are a strong aspect through out the novel. Each character develops stronger and stronger by their passages. One of the themes in As I Lay Dying is a Human's relations to nature, Faulkner uses imagery in the sense that he relates some the character to animals. One of the central themes in As I lay dying is the attachment to nature. Darl in this passage relates "the still surface of the water a round orifice in nothingness, where before I stirred it awake with the dipper I could see maybe a star or tow in the bucket, and maybe in the dipper a star or two before I drank."(p.455) His physical necessities are being met, this is a central theme in As I lay Dying, meeting your needs, survival, through out all the tragedies that occur. But here Faulkner shows that there is some progress, due to Darl finding a way to enhance the experience of drinking plain old water by drinking it out of a wooden bucket. The wooden bucket enriches the flavor of water, and connects you to nature through taste. Darl has found a better way to satisfy his needs. William Faulkner overwhelms his audience with the visual perceptions that the characters experience, making the reader feel utterly attached to nature and using imagery how a human out of despair can make accusations. "If I jump off the porch I will be where... ... Imagery alone can be sufficient to give the reader a rich sense of emotion, but when it symbolizes the themes of the Story and reflects on the characteristics of the narrator it is truly a master piece. Imagery has been used by William Faulkner to create parallels that strengthen the themes of the story. The imagery is used a tool to appeal to the reader to convey the authors purpose. It distinguishes literature and helps us appreciate the arts. Imagery in As I Lay Dying is like painting a picture with only thoughts and observations, add to the equation alternate views and biased views, and we have ourselves a great piece of literature. Work Cited Faulkner, William. "As I Lay Dying." The Norton Introduction to the Short Novel. 3rd Ed. Jerome Beaty. New York: W.W Norton & Company, Inc. 455, 468, 466, 456.

Advancement of Civic Engagement by Community Foundations in Low Income

The role of civic engagement in neighborhood revitalization, particularly in low income African American communities, has gained increased awareness and in recent years. Community, nonprofit, and government leaders now view civic engagement as a critical component of effective solutions as they seek to address crime, unemployment, low graduation rates and numerous other neighborhood challenges. Several successful initiatives have come to fruition and provide strong evidence of the benefits that increased civic engagement provides. Experts commonly define civic engagement as individual and group actions that collectively address general issues of concern that are public in nature. Civic engagement takes many forms such volunteerism, community organizing, and involvement in public policy and political issues. Individuals and community residents can express civic engagement through a variety of activities including participating in neighborhood associations, communicating with elected officials, and volunteering for local nonprofits. Golod (2008) analyzed the Southside Family Charter School located in Minneapolis, MN which serves as a prime example of early civic engagement. Students enrolled in the school reside in a low income community that is close to 50% African American. To improve civic engagement of students and parents, school administrators have developed lesson plans with a focus on civil rights. As a result, the community is preparing a new generation of residents focused on improving their community who follow in the footsteps of parents serving in volunteer capacities and as strong neighborhood activists. The McCormick Foundation recently demonstrated a commitment to civic engagement here in Chicago by ... ...are: Pushing the boundaries of civic engagement for african american youth. Liberal Education, 97(2), 34-39. Golod, F. (2008). Civil rights and social justice: A path to engagement and transformation. Horace, 24(3), 6. Grillo, M.,C., Teixeira, M. A., & Wilson, D. C. (2010). Residential satisfaction and civic engagement: Understanding the causes of community participation. Social Indicators Research, 97(3), 451-466. Kimball, K., & Kopell, M. (2011). Letting GO. Stanford Innovation Review, 9(2), 37- 41. Maton, K. I. (2008). Empowering community settings: Agents of individual development, community betterment, and positive social change. American Journal of Community Psychology, 41(1-2), 4-21. Tester, G., Ruel, E., Anderson, A., Reitzes, D. C., & Oakley, D. (2011). Sense of place among atlanta public housing residents. Journal of Urban Health, 88(3), 436-53.

Essay --

Phase 2 Botanical Healing DB 2 How new are herbs for you? Well a confession is in order. Over the years, many people talked about herbs of one type or another, but it seems like a waste of time and money. Well, here at CTU for the first time confronted with finding out what was thought as senseless now, makes a lot of sense. To learn about herbals, visiting 2 Herbal stores, checking the price, researching herbs to educate the patient of the need to inform the physician of all medicine and herbs they are taking. Therefore, the patient will be knowledgeable of their names, what they use for, the contraindications/side effects and interactions that may affect any conventional medications they may use. Aloe Vera is the name of the herbal supplement is a â€Å"type of dietary supplement that contains herbs, either singly or in mixtures.† (Herbal Supplements: Consider, n.d.) The common name of Aloe vera consists of aloe, burn plant, lily of the desert, and elephant’s gall. Aloe Vera is a plant that yields a gelatinous substance. Also, Aloe vera is bought in the form of capsules, tablets, juice, gel ointment, and creams. The dose for liquids is 1ml to 20ml, because Aloe vera comes in many different forms and doses that are dependent on what their use. â€Å"Foster, Hunter, & Samman, in (2011) states, that there are no serious adverse reactions reported following Aloe vera administration. In case reports, use of aloe vera produces hypersensitivity and allergic responses.† Also, â€Å"topical use results in contact dermatitis and oral use may cause diarrhea or vomiting (Foster, Hunter, & Samman, 2011).† In rare cases, severe â€Å"adverse effects with oral use of Aloe vera can be induced acute hepatiti... ...tp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92765 National Institute of health,(2013). Evening primrose oil Retrieved February 2013 from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/1006.html National Institute of Health,(n.d.). Green tea and green tea extracts contain caffeine Garlic Retrieved from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/naturGreen tea and green tea extracts contain caffeine.al/300.html National Institute of Health,(2011). Green Tea Retrieved October 2011 from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/960.html#Drug Segal, R., & Pilote, L.,(2006). Warfarin interaction with Matricaria chamomile, CMAJ: 174(9), 1281-1282. Doi.101503/cmaj.051191 PMCID: PMC1535958 Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih,gov/pmc/articles/PMC â€Å"What is Echinacea†-WebMD answers-Get answers Retrieved from http://www.answers.webmd.com/answers/118248/what

Huck Finn: Oh, the Irony of Society!

Satire is a subtle literary technique involving the criticism of human idiocy through scorn and biting irony. With a faà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½ade of crude bias and prejudice, satire's influence lies in the reader's capability of interpretation. Due to Mark Twain's constant application of racial aspersions, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn contains strong implications of an archetypal racist novel. However, with satirical insight and the shrewd application of realism and irony, the novel reveals itself to hold an opposing stance through its harsh ridicule of white society. Utilizing a sense of realism for the setting for his novel, Twain correctly portrays historical accuracy in the perspective of white society through the prejudice he presents. Twain attempts to instill a sense of authenticity in his readers while indistinctly instilling novel concepts that grow stronger and undeniable by the novel's conclusion. For example, when Aunt Sally hears of a steamboat explosion: â€Å"Good gracious! anybody hurt?† â€Å"No'm. Killed a nigger.† â€Å"Well, that's lucky, because sometimes people get hurt, â€Å"(167). Almost laughable in its absurdity, this quote portrays whites in a callous light, revealing their disdain for black lives. Aunt Sally is a respected figure in white society, not an outcast like Pap or the King and the Duke. Yet her judgment is no better than Pap's comments on his contempt of educated blacks; she simply does not consider them â€Å"people.† Twain's motivation was to exhibit the horrors of the south at that time, how highly regarded people in society were so heartless, not feeling any remorse for the loss of a life simply because it was black. Jim is another excellent example of Twain's usage of realism. Jim characterizes the stereotypical black slave, with terrible grammar, a nearly indiscernible accent and superstitious to the point of idiocy. Twain's agenda in typecasting Jim is not to deride blacks, but to make Jim a realistic, believable character by setting him up as a conventional black slave. Jim requires such establishment because he represented an individual with moral standards far above those of most whites, such as Pap and the Duke and the King. He is the moral center of the novel, sacrificing his freedom out of loyalty to Huck. Twain's message through Jim is clear: Even the average black slave has a more honorable soul than the majority of the white population. A notion profoundly difficult for Twain's intended audience to grasp, Huck becomes a liaison between his audiences, helping to bridge the difficulty of comprehension through his own confusion. One particularly monumental instance was after the separation in the fog, Huck tries to lie to Jim. However, when Jim realizes that Huck is trying to trick him, he voices his regret and disappointment of the broken trust. It is at this moment that Huck realizes Jim's keen sense of morality, and almost instantly feels apologetic. â€Å"It was fifteen minutes before I could work myself up to go and humble myself to a nigger-but I done it, and I wrn't every sorry for it afterwards neither. I didn't do him no more mean tricks, and I wouldn't done that one if I'd ‘a' knowed it would make him feel that way,† ( ). The mere fact that Huck is regretful for hurting Jim, a black slave, shows Jim's impact on him, the â€Å"pinch of conscience† (Poirier 6) that the sheer morality of the man created in him. Irony was another strong factor in Twain's method of persuading his audiences. He effectively uses petty, seemly insignificant instances such as Tom Sawyer's boyish delusions of grandeur as metaphors of greater connotation. When questioned about his intricate plans, Tom replies, â€Å"Do you want to go doing different from what's in the books, and get things all muddled up?† (7). Tom is clearly a portrayal of white society, and his actions reflect his environment. On a larger scale, Huck's confusion about society's notions on respectability is similar to the questions presented toward Tom, and the answers given in return are analogous as well. â€Å"We have before us the creation in words of a whole society built on games, tricks, and illusions, and the adult version is only superficially different from the children's† (Poirier 2) There is hardly any common sense involved with decisions, only a common law established by unknown authorities and blindly upheld by the conformity of the masses. Due to his role as an outcast of white society, â€Å"Huckleberry Finn took the first journey back. He was the first to look back at the republic from the perspective of the west. His eyes were the first eyes that ever look at us objectively that were not eyes from overseas†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Fitzgerald 1) Twain challenges his readers by such mockery, inviting them to join Huck's rational judgment, one unclouded by the shackles of the populace. Through subtle application, Mark Twain used realism and irony to contribute to Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, his satirical masterpiece. He uses white society's degrading of blacks and their unconscious actions to illustrate his obvious scorn of white society's hypocrisy and conformity, allowing for the gradual realization of the bleakness of white society.

Hitler Rose to Power Because of the Wall Street Crash in 1929. Do You Agree

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Rudolf diesel

Rudolf Diesel was born on March 18, 1858 in Paris France the second of three children of Elise and Theodor diesel. Diesel spent is early childhood in France but because of the Franco-Prussian war in 1870 his family was forced to leave and moved to London. At 12 years old his parents sent him to live with his aunt and uncle because they wanted him to attend royal country trade school where his uncle was a math teacher and to become fluent in German. At age 14 he wrote a letter to his parents saying how he wanted to be an engineer after finishing his education at top f his class, and then he enrolled at the new industrial school of Augsburg.Two years later he received a merit scholarship to attend the Royal Bavarian Polytechnic of Munich which he accepted instead of listening to his parents and starting work. Diesel could not graduate in July 1879 because he fell ill to typhoid (a bacterial disease resulting from ingestion of food or water exposed to feces). While he was waiting to tak e his exam he got engineering experience at sluzer bros machine works. After graduating in 1880 diesel went to work for his college professor Carl Von Linde o develop a refrigeration and ice factory, and became the director of the plant one year later.In 1890 he moved to Berlin where he started working toward better fuel economy for steam engines, he tried using ammonia vapor to gain his desired fuel economy but the engine blew up during testing. Later he tried to increase fuel economy by using the Carnot cycle which led him to his own theory of compression ignition engines, in these engines the fuel was not put into the cylinder until the end of the compression stroke and the fuel was ignited by the high temperatures from ompression.He obtained multiple patents for his design in the United States and Europe. After boarding a boat in 1913 to attend a meeting he was missing when the boat docked. A couple days later they found his body in the ocean but let the body back to sea after g etting his id card and other things he was carrying. I think he was murdered because Hubert akroyd Stuart had put out a patent a couple years before diesel for a compression ignition engine but was told that diesels was slightly different so it was 0k. This is a clear motive for revenge!!

Entertainment and Communication Essay

As an avenue of entertainment and communication, and as a research and reference tool, the internet has had a huge impact on the modern societies of developed nations. At the same time, there is concern that the disadvantages and negative influences may outweigh the benefits to the society. This essay argues that, in the last decade, the advantages of the internet far outweigh the disadvantages. This claim is addressed with the support of current authoritative sources which provide the framework for making such a claim. This essay first explores the effect of the internet on the social structures of family life, and religious and spiritual practice. Subsequently, this essay examines the repercussions of the internet on national cultural identity and multiculturalism. Firstly, in the last ten years, modern family life has been enhanced by developments in technology, and the internet is no exception. The advent of the internet affords parents the opportunity to use the World Wide Web to work from home, removing the need to place pre-school age children in day care centres in the care of strangers and so reinforcing the family unit (Jenkins 2010). However, the benefits of the internet not only have implications for immediate family; members of the extended family can overcome the barriers of time or distance to remain close through such channels as email or social networking sites, for example Facebook. Despite this, Fenech (2007) asserts that the internet has eroded some aspects of family life. Where previous generations may have forsaken dinner conversation in order to watch television together, the practical dimensions of a laptop screen now preclude this act of â€Å"togetherness† (p342). Nevertheless, any avenue that generally allows more opportunity for contact between members of an immediate or extended family has to be seen as advantageous. Moreover, the internet allows a sense of inclusion that goes beyond the family sphere. Secondly, due to the increasing accessibility of the internet in the last ten years, participating in a religion no longer necessarily depends on a person’s ability to attend a place of worship. The virtual ‘congregation’ may offer a person more opportunities of interaction with both the spiritual leader and other devotees by providing facilities such as blogs, chat rooms and video links. Moreover, this creates a sense of belonging to a religious or spiritual community where one may have not existed before, as more and more people commute, work longer hours and, indeed, are required to work on public holidays, which often coincide with religious festivals (Wong 2009). Though Goldstein (2008) ascertains that the flagrant consumerism promoted through such mass media outlets as the internet is responsible for a turn away from religious practices and a rapid decline in religious service attendance, her research focuses solely on, Christianity, Judaism and Islam and is not inclusive of growing sects such as Jews For Jesus and alternative religions such as The Baha’i Faith. Groups such as these use the internet to unite their followers globally (Wong 2009).What is more, the internet is uniting people on a more personal and intimate level. Thirdly, the internet offers the opportunity to maintain cultural ties with one’s country even when living abroad for work purposes. Expatriates can view electronic versions of newspapers, stream and download news, current affairs programmes and local dramas from their country of origin, so keeping in contact with the culture. It could be argued, as Azhad (2008) does, that this process could be facilitated just as easily by print media and DVD recordings being sent through the mail, as would have been the norm a decade ago. Nonetheless, it is the ‘live’ experience of being able to access news from home â€Å"as it happens† that reinforces a national’s ties to the home culture, and simulates a feeling of â€Å"being there† (Olsten 2008 p.6). This connectedness to home alleviates feelings an expatriate might have of dislocation or alienation from their countrymen, as ‘real time’ exposure to the home vernacular creates common reference points, making communication a much smoother process (Wong 2009). Equally, other facilities afforded by the internet, such as Skype, enable someone away from home to still have a presence in the home country as they participate in the celebration of cultural festivals and national holidays, thus reinforcing their commitment  to nationalism in the eyes of their compatriots and tightening the ties that bind. Alternatively, just as the internet serves to strengthen national identity, it can also provide a point of reference for those who live in a multicultural context. Finally, in a globalised world, the last ten years have seen the internet augment a multicultural society by creating a venue to air diverse cultural opinions and to construct diverse cultural identities. Mainstream newspapers, radio and current affairs programmes are representative of a perceived norm and do not reflect the complexity of a multicultural society. In turn, ethnocentric or non-mainstream media reach a narrowly targeted audience and serve to further ghettoize â€Å"the other† (Zadrow 2010 p.11). The internet thus provides the opportunity for any voice to be heard alongside and equally with all other voices in the country, community, or indeed, the world. In this way the internet equips the global citizen with a fluidity they can use to exist and interact both globally and locally, rather than being confined to a fixed and marginalised identity. Notwithstanding the fact that the internet is English based and broadly advocates a western lifestyle, this does not necessarily mean it must lead to a homogenized world. Citing the research of Kennard, Zadrow (2010) maintains that the internet acts as an interactive archive from which an individual can draw all the elements to both create and, more importantly, preserve cultural identity. In conclusion, this essay explored the effect of the internet on people’s lives in the last decade and found that the advantages of the internet far overshadow the disadvantages. It found the internet has had positive effects on family life, allowing the hands on parenting of pre-school children by those parents who are able to use the internet to work from home. In addition, it has reinforced the extended family by harnessing email and social networking sites as a means to stay in direct contact. Furthermore, blogs, chat rooms and video links have offered an alternative to attendance at religious services, which have suffered such rapid decline in recent times. Another positive effect of the internet is its ability to re-assert national identity, particularly for those living abroad, as they retain  remote access to the home culture by being able to download or stream current affairs or local drama. Finally, the internet enhances multiculturalism by offering an alternative to mainstream media representations of the norm to those who identify as ‘the other’. Arguments which support the negative impact of the internet on people’s lives in the 21st century focus on very narrow aspects and fail to acknowledge the broad range of benefits the internet has borne on contemporary society. References Azhad, S 2008, ‘Is digital dumbing us down?’, Journal of Australian Initiative, vol. 20, no.1, pp.5-7, viewed 30 October 2011, via JSTOR. Fenech, P 2007, Western culture: its psyche and the internet, Hobson Press, New York. Goldstein, R 2008, ‘The last person to leave heaven: a study of the impact of new millennium consumerism on traditional religious practices’, Journal of Critical and Cultural Research, vol.2, no.3, pp. 9-18, viewed 30 October 2011. http://www.prb.australasia.com/content/documents/JCCR%23.pdf Jenkins, M 2010, ‘Earn $$$ from your home: the domestic revolution in e-com industry’, Women’s Business Today, vol.8, no.2, pp.120-127, viewed 28 September, via Sage. Olsten, H 2008, ‘Broadsheets online good news for expats’, The Weekend Australian, viewed 2 September 2011, via Newsbank. Wong, Z 2009, ‘Why kneel when you can click!’ paper presented to the 7th International Conference on Digital Religion, Southern Cross University. Lismore, NSW, 28 to 31 July. Zadrow, K 2010, The well in the mirror: theories of subjectivity in the digital age, Elliott McGill Ltd, viewed 28 July 2011, via Ovid eBooks.

Women Rights in Islam

Women rights in Islam Outline Introduction Background Equal rights of men and women in Islam Social rights .right to get education .right to accept or reject marriage proposal .right to get divers .right to secrecy .right to just treatment in case of polygamy .right to entertain and dine out .right to demand separate house .right to deny doing all the chores of home .right to dress Economic rights .right to Inheritance .right to ownership .right to dowry .right to maintenance (Iddah, child upbringing) .right to seek employment .right to do business Legal and political rights right to be equal before law .right to witness .right to vote .right to work on legal and political positions Conclusion Women rights in Islam Holy prophet (S. A. W) said, â€Å"Among you the most respectable is the one who respects women and the most disrespectable is the one who disrespect the women. † The above instruction of holy prophet (S. A. W) declared the ground of honor and respect for a person i n Deen-e-Islam . Islam gave women an honorable life and ignite the light of rights in her life. Before Islam women were extremely deteriorated by the society.Arabs used to bury their daughters alive, wives were harshly beaten, step mother became legacy of eldest son and the sisters were given as a compensation for any sin of her family. Islam abolished all these dark practices and made the paradise under the feet of mother, guaranteed paradise to a father who brought up her daughters with love, assured paradise to the husband who care her wife and made sisters partners in the inheritance. Today Muslim woman is facing problems not because of lack of her rights in Islam but due to the male driven and illiterate society.Islam promised women respect, honor and safety before and more than any other religion, civilization and moderation. Islam gave women all rights to women before 15 centuries which any one can expect in today’s highly modern world. The sad pages of history only pr esent crying voices and tears of women that break the heart the reader. All the big civilization of their time including Hubsha, Byzantine, Room, Greece, Egypt, China, Hindustan and Arabian Penusiuala ruined the women under the feet of brutality.Those who are claiming themselves the leaders and providers of women rights in today’s world were in fact the real usurper of women rights from centuries. Women In these civilizations struggled so hard and fight for her rights centuries and centuries even than their male dominant leadership never gave them rights until they need them. After the two world wars when men strength became insufficient in forces and in the other fields of life then they brought women out of house and used her for their different purposes on the name of women rights.Let’s have a look on the dates of rights givers as a prove US in 1920,British in 1918,France in 1944,Norway in 1907,Sweden in 1921,Belgium in 1919,Japan in 1945,Netherland in 1919 and so o n. Whereas Islam gave all social, economical, political and legal rights to the women long before fifteen (15) centuries. Everyone knows Islam claim that it is a complete code of life. Therefore Islam is not only complete code of life for men it is also complete code of life for women. It gives equal rights to men and women. It is very important for everyone that there is big difference of meaning between the words â€Å"equal† and â€Å"same†.As women and man cannot same physically so there rights can also not same due to their duties but they have equal rights on or the other way. This equal terminology can also be explain by taking a very simple example. There are two students in class one called Saeed scored 4 in economics,3 in political studies and 3 in social studies and another called Sadia scored 2 in economics, 4 in political studies and 4 in social studies. Saeed got (4+3+3)=10 and Sadia got (2+4+4)=10,that shows both Saeed and Sadia scored equal marks that i s total 10 but they score different marks in different areas.It illustrates the real meanings of equal and its similar to the meaning of equal rights of men and women in Islam. If father has more rights and responsibilities economically than women then mother has more rights and responsibilities that balance their rights in all circumstances. For further classifications of women rights in Islam, let’s discuss them under different heads such as social, economic, legal and political. Starting from the social, holy prophet (S A W) said â€Å"Education is mandatory for men and women. † The above hadith does not discriminating gender that means it is not only mandatory for men but also for women.Therefore no body restricts her from getting education. Its her right to get same education as her brother gets. Holy prophet (S A W) said â€Å"You have to get education even its available in China. † Again there is no discrimination of gender in above hadith. If a boy can g et education by traveling long distance then girl can also. She has right to go to school and mosque. If women had right to go to mosque for getting education and offer prayers during the period of holy prophet (S A W) and Caliphate than why not she has this right in today’s modern world. Hazat Ayasha(R.A) was the teacher of 8000 companions and she was expert of history, medicine, hadith, literature and law. Once a lady came to Holy prophet (S A W) and said that she was forcefully married   by her father and she is not happy with her husband, the Holy prophet (S A W)   dissolved her marriage then and there and emphasizes for marrying couples by their consent. Above hadith validating the consent of females before marriage and made it compulsory for all Muslim parents. She can also demand to see the person before her marriage and she can also talk to him in the presence of her legal blood relative.Once hazrat Aysha (R. A) showed desire to see the ongoing circus in the stree t. Holy prophet (S A W) happily replied to her that she can hide herself at the back of holy prophet (S. A. W) and then watch the circus. Aysha(R. A) did this and enjoyed the circus as long as she can stand there when became tired she went back to home. The Holy prophets (S A W) stand there more than an hour for her entertainment. This hadith is highlighting very kind treatment of Holy prophet (S A W) to his wife. It also emphasizes the right of entertainment to women.Some people having wrong perception that Islam binds women in the walls of house and she has no right to come out for any purpose. In fact this is opposite of Islamic teachings. It is also her right that she should be treated with love by her husband. Al-Quran â€Å"You and your wives are dresses of each other. † Therefore it is women right that she should be entertained by her husband. Once Holy prophet (S A W) said to one of his companion â€Å"Why not you get marry so that you can play with your wife and she can play with you. †It is making clear that it’s not matter of disrespect or against the sobriety of men or matter of hummer if he entertains his wife. Dinning out or going out for outing with wife is also encouraged in Islam. It is also women right that she should be taken out by her husband for outing or for dinning. Once an Iranian companion of Holy prophet (S A W) who was a very good cook cooked some food and came to Holy prophet (S A W) house for inviting him. Holy prophet (S A W) asked â€Å"can Aysha (R. A) also come with me. † Because of any reason companion replied† no she can’t. † Holy prophet (S A W) also replied â€Å"then I also cannot†.Companion invited Holy prophet (S A W) three times and got same answer from the Holy prophet (S A W) . At last companion said â€Å"yes she can also come with you† then Holy prophet (S A W) accepted invitation and brought her for dinner along him. Therefore bringing wife to dine out i s not only encouraged but also SUNNA of Holy prophet (S A W). In addition, to demand separate house for living is also right of wife from his husband. If she does not like to live with the family of her husband then she has complete right to live with her husband in a separate place. Many cruel of our male driven society are considering this right against their ago.So often instead of fulfilling this true right of wife they give diverse or beat their wives for forcefully living with their family like a servant which is completely against Islamic teachings. Furthermore, Islam is not binding women to cook food to do crockery or to wash clothes of her husband. If she refuses to do all this then its not making her guilty in the eyes of almighty ALLAH. But yes, she might be very guilty in the eyes of her husband who brings her for doing all these services for him. Many of Muslim women love to do all these services for their husbands, so their husbands must be thankful for their wives.Sub sequently, human being is used to make mistakes. So if there is any conflict arises between husband and wife then husband needs to resolve it first only by consulting her wife. In case matter could not solved by both of them then they need to bring any other family member for consultation. Secrecy is also immensely important for the matrimonial relation of couple. It is duty of husband to keep all secrets of bed relation with her wife. Holy prophet (S A W) said, â€Å"The person who shared his wife bed relations with anybody, he is the worst man and he cannot get even the smell of paradise. Similarly, when conflict between husband and wife became bone of contentions and seems unsolvable. In this case if wife no more wants to live with her husband then she has right to get diverse. In case husband is not willing to give diverse she can consult court for getting diverse. Further, in case of polygamy Islam teaches full justice, equal and fair treatment to all waives. Practically this is very hard for a men to keep completely fair balance between all wives therefore it is highly recommended if he is not strong enough financially, physically and morally then he should not gets married even with a single woman.If anyone has more than on wife and he could not maintained just and fair treatment among all wives then he is severely treated by almighty Allah at the Day of Judgment. Adding to it, growing age of fashion makes many minds ultra modern. Now husband wants to look his wife as a model and he forced her to wear dresses according to fashion. In this case Muslim women has right to wear all these dresses which are according to Islamic dress code while going out of house. If her husband forced her to do so she can refuse to her husband to wear any vulgar dress which is against the teachings of Islam.Allah almighty knows all strength and weaknesses of his creatures. He made women physically very sensitive and weak than man. Therefore he shifted all the financial burd en of women on men’s shoulder. When she is daughter she is duty of her father. If father died she becomes duty of her brother. When she is wife she is duty of her husband and when she is mother she is duty of her son. In this way she can live her life very comfortably and can take care of house easily. God assigned all the financial requirements of women as a duty of men but even then he does not make women empty hand in economical rights.Before Islam there was no concept of inheritance for women. Islam gave right to women in the inheritance. Women have half of the part as men have in parent’s properties. This does not mean she has half right than man. But as it is mentioned above she does not have any financial responsibility to fulfill as the men have. Therefore she can save or invest her part of the property for her future and making profit. It is also very clear in Islam that her husband can demand a single penny from her wife and she not bound to give anything to anybody. In addition to she can buy property on her own name as a legal person.She can possess property without anybody’s interference. She has complete right on her property as she can sale it, rent out it and can give it to anyone as a gift. Furthermore, wife has right to get dowry from her husband before establishing matrimonial relations. Husband is bound to give her wife dowry at the time of marriage. When Allah almighty created Eve (R. A) for Adam (R. A) . Adam (R. A) was attracted towards Eve (R. A) and wanted to touch her. At that time Allah almighty said to Adam (R. A) that He should not touch her without paying her dowry. One more thing needs attention here that Islam did not fix any maximum limit of dowry.Husband can give whatever maximum he can give to his wife. In region of Hazrat Ummer(R. A) he forward a bill in the parliament for fixing the maximum limit of dowry. That bill was challenged by a female parliamentarian and she said nobody can fix the maximum limit of dowry if Allah himself did fix it. Hazrat ummer(R. A) asked her that why it couldn’t be fixed. She quoted the holy Quran â€Å"If husband gave her wife bundles and bundles of wealth as dowry even then he cannot demand anything after diverse. † Hazrat ummer (R. A) said that she is right and today men made a mistake and women corrected him.Subsequently, maintenance is also on the shoulder of men at her stages of life. Father, brother, husband and son has to give her food clothes and other needs of life respectively. Holy prophet (S A W) said, â€Å"Anyone who brought her daughters with full care and then merry them. He is as close to me as my two fingers. † Maintenance of x-wife is also husband responsibility during the period of Iddah. Some of Islamic scholars agreed that husband has to fulfill his x-wife’s maintenance until her second marriage. In case if any childe from her x-husband then it is also responsibility of child’s father.Moreover, s he has right to seek employment. If she wants to do a job and if society needs her then Islam give her full right to seek employment. But if she doesn’t want to do the job then nobody can force her to seek employment. Similarly she has the right to do business and to trade things in order to earn finance. Hazrat Khadija(R. A), Wife of Holy prophet (S A W) said, was the famous business lady at that time. Apart from social and economic securities in Islam, women have also legal and political securities. In the eyes of law she is as legal person as a man. she can be witness but her witness is half of man.It is not because she has half right as an human but due to her sensitive and shy nature. In fact God made her half responsible than man in all legal witnesses. Similarly she has right to vote from first election of Islam. After the election result of hazrat usman(R. A). Hazrat usman(R. A) and hazrat Ali (R. A) got equal votes. Therefore Hazrat abur Rahman bin Auf was appointed as a chief polling agent and assigned the task to get votes of men and women. He did this work three days and ultimately hazrat usman (R. A) elected. Above event proved that women were having the right to vote from the beginning of Islam.Adding to it, women used to work at different legal positions from the start of Islam. During the period of Holy prophet (S A W) women worked in different sectors such as in wars and in hospital. Hazrat Ummer (R. A) appointed hazrat Shifa(R. A)as an administrator and account officer for the market. Hazrat Usman(R. A) made hazrat umm-e-kulsoom an ambassador and sent her to Room. Women has right to be consulted as other family members have right to be consulted. Many people believe that it is folly to act or listen women advise in fact they themselves are disbelievers and unaware to the sunna of Holy prophet (S A W).At the event of Hudabiya Holy prophet (S A W) have consulted hazrat umm-e-Salma and acted on her advice to move on. By summing up the who le discussing it can be said that Islam is the first sun that embrace women with light of all social, economical, legal and political rights before 15 centuries. It is very unjust if anybody is blaming Islam for the present state of suppresses women. In fact it is not Islam to be blamed it is because of forgetting the teachings of Islam. In khutaba hijtul Weda, the Holy prophet (S A W) said, â€Å"O, people fear from Allah in the matter of women, treats them carefully and fairly as Islam teaches you. †