Nationalized Models and Country Comparison Essay

Comparing health care system can be a beneficial tool when making changes to an existing system. When two countries use different fundamentals in their health care systems, looking at the similarities and differences allows for comparison and change in a current system. Collecting this data and comparing it gives countries the opportunity to make changes and implement new strategies to better their existing health care systems. The United States health care is predominantly comprised of private health care providers which are paid for by citizens paying for private medical insurance. There is some supplemented insurance available for poor and disabled citizens who are subsidized by the federal government but available through the different states. The senior citizens have a federally funded health care referred to as Medicare, which is funded by money collected from workers throughout their careers. Germany has one the oldest national health plans in Europe. The plan is for all citizen of Germany to have health insurance. It is required for the workers to pay a percentage of their income into the national plan. The rate of premiums is then based on a person’s level of income. The national plan then allows higher wage earners to opt out of this plan and pay for private insurance. The United States struggles with the high cost of health care and having the ability to continue to provide basic coverage through Medicare and Medicaid. The German plan has created health insurance for its entire citizen with a surplus of over 5 billion dollars (Miriam Widman, 2011). The plan is cost effective for the German system. The United States is trying to explain how they will pay for the health care plan they have and the part they want to add. The problem starts with almost 45 million uninsured Americans (Arthur Garson Jr, MD, MPH, 2012). The health system in place for the German system has all citizen insured. This is costly for Americans and the health care budget. Implementation of a new health care system in the United States is and has been a problem. The private sector is primarily the main source of insurance coverage for Americans. It has been proposed many different times or the US to go to a National program, and generally not supported. The main argument is this would create socialism in the United States and take away our freedoms. The Germans do not see it this way, â€Å"You (in the U. S. ) have risks but you also have opportunities†¦. but for us it’s clear. Health is a risk that cannot be placed on the shoulders of the individual. † (Ann Marini). The Obama Health Care Act seems to address many of the issues that face Americans, but it seems to have a lot of opposition. The German National Health Care plan has support from both parties (Miriam Widman, 2011). It is possible the new plans for the US will continue to move forward in 2014, and make a difference for the uninsured Americans. The German plan seems to work with a surplus of funds to back it up. Both of these systems have good and bad parts to them. It seems that Americans are afraid that choices will be limited with change from the mainly private system that is in place now. Comparing other system does make sense to make changes on the system in place. The goal is to have the best health care at affordable prices for all the citizens of both countries.

Mitsubishi Marketing

The article entitled ‘Mitsubishi cuts prices’ was written by Peter Roberts, and was found in The Australian Financial Review website, dated April 28, 2006 (which can be accessed at www.afr.com). The marketing concept used in the article is that of the pricing-cutting employed by Mitsubishi in its attempt to increase sales for their new products launch. PRICE-CUTTING Price-cutting is rampant in the car manufacturing industry where the only established price in the channel is the one at which the manufacturer sells. Specifically, Yadin stated that price-cutting ‘is a marketing technique involving temporary reductions in the price of a product or service, aimed at increasing market share’ (2000:300) The concept of price-cutting as a strategy means to lower prices as compared to the original price set mainly in order to increase sales (Wilmshurst and Mackay 2002:279). Alternatively, price-cutting may be used as a deliberate pull strategy in order to achieve lower costs by expanding sales. A company’s attitude to price-cutting, according to Baker (2000:63), should be influenced by its relative position in a particular market. In Roberts’ article, this marketing concept is depicted when the Australian car maker made massive price cuts across its range, as a direct response to its blunder in the company’s launch pricing strategy, particularly in the locally made 380 model. The introductory paragraph immediately pointed this out, and in the later part of the article showed how the firm was able to do this, which is by shaving dealer margins and negotiating better supply prices from Mitsubishi in Japan. In relation to the article and the way the price-cutting concept has been discussed in the lectures and in the text book, the two are comparatively alike because of the latter’s discussion of using the price-cutting strategy in already established companies, which is reflective of Mitsubishi’s position in the automobile manufacturing industry. In the same way, Mitsubishi used the price cutting concept in order to respond to excess capacity, falling market share, and dominate market through lower costs, just what the discussions in the initiating price changes similarly pointed out. The lecture notes also implied that customers are responsive to price cutting as long as the perception of brand and product value remains unchanged, which is what the article points out as the expectations of Mitsubishi regarding its increase in sales. In the automobile industry where the market dictates the selling price, this price cut is imperative of Mitsubishi. WORKS CITED Baker, M 2000, Marketing Theory: A Student Text, Thomson Learning, London. Wilmshurst, J & Mackay, A 2002, The Fundamentals and Practice of Marketing, Butterworth-Heinemann, Jordan Hill, Oxford. Yadin, D. (2002). The International Dictionary of Marketing, Kogan Page Limited, London. Â  

The book Breakout Nations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The book Breakout Nations - Essay Example To recognize the countries that will emerge as economic winner in the future, it is important that one should abandon the habit of making assessments from past events and putting diverse countries in one bracket. It is required that emerging markets be treated separately and one should remember that economic success is not an everyday issue. The new â€Å"breakout nations† may jump from the darkness and Sharma identifies the nations they probably will be and attempts to explain the reason behind his speculation. Through this book, Sharma looks at the world from the glasses of a veteran market player. His book is based on his experiences and studies on developing countries that he gained after twenty years of travelling around the world. This book defines a breakout nation as the one that exceeds expectations or that develops faster than other countries having the same per capita income. Sharma has explained the reason behind this definition. He says that there is a circulating myth that if China’s economic growth gets reduced from its previous rate then it will make no difference as China will still be progressing faster than many western nations. Sharma, however has two views on this. According to him if China’s growth rate declines, then it will be considered as recession within the nation, and also for the rest of the world because people are accustomed to the previous growth rate of China. Sharma explains that other than growth rate, it is also important from where the growth starts. With two nations having same growth rates, it is the country with more per capital income that will be making a huge achievement. He said â€Å"per capita income is the critical measure because a growing pie doesnâ⠂¬â„¢t change a nation’s circumstances if the number of mouths it needs to feed is growing just as fast.† (Sharma, 19) Sharma attempts to speculate as to what factors contribute towards some nations that can

Democratization and Egyptian Revolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Democratization and Egyptian Revolution - Essay Example Democratization refers to a process, which promotes or upholds democracy in the society. Historians believe that quest for civil freedom played a great role in institutionalizing democratic societies (Brown 45). The power of the people defines the system that is suitable at each instant in any democratic society. Civil rights movements usually advocates for governmental systems, which would promote the greater interest of the common person. A focus into the Arab nations would create a different picture in ones mind because it seems as if the government of the day does not respect the basic freedom of the people. It is probable that failed governments are likely to face an internal revolt. Bodies advocating for rights of humanity play a vital role in influencing the thinking of the people. For example, Muslim Brotherhood has played a protracted role in influencing the beliefs of many Muslims in Egypt (The Future of Egypt’s Democracy). There presence and influence has a stake in the current situation of Egypt. In order to understand the role of Muslim Brotherhood, it is important to explore the root of Muslim Brotherhood. Hassan al-Banna formed Muslim Brotherhood in 1928 (The Muslim Brotherhood). ... However, the movement has endured the test of time to remain viable for very many decades. Muslim Brotherhood met its first rejection by the Egyptian government after the Israel-Arab war. Muslim Brother has participated actively in political activities in Egypt. For instance, in 2005 the movement was able to clinch 88 of seats in the parliament through its â€Å"illegal† members (The Muslim Brotherhood). It became apparent that Muslim Brotherhood was a party that had influence on the lives of the Egyptians. The activities of Muslim Brothers in the last six months include active involvement political system of the country and sensitizing people to take an active role in uprising. The move by Muslim Brotherhood to take an active role in Egypt uprising aimed at changing autocratic system of governance that characterized Egypt system of governance. Arguable, political freedom occurs when the public have a stake in forming and participating in political deliberation that influence social life of the people. It is not surprising, that despite calls by human right activists in Egypt and the world, the previous regime did not acknowledge respect to human rights. History records atrocities and execution of activists that fought for democracy. The Egyptian society has embraced the teaching and objectives of Muslim Brotherhood, which have influenced the lives of Muslims across the Arab world. Currently, Muslim Brotherhood has issued threats to other Arab nations about the revolt that is eminent when democracy does not find an opportunity in the society (Brown 49). Muslim Brotherhood has a lot of influence to the politics in Palestine. Largely, the movement believes that it would influence the termination of peace treaty between Israel and Egypt if the Israelites do

Analyse some of the consequences that mobile phones have for everyday Essay

Analyse some of the consequences that mobile phones have for everyday life - Essay Example The social consequences of such an amazing technology have yet to be felt, and it is likely that we will be coping for decades. One of the most obvious impacts that mobile phones have on everyday life is the extreme temptation to talk on the phone while driving. Even when this doesn't reduce the hands someone has available for driving, it tends to distract. Many jurisdictions in America and the UK have created or are debating the drafting of laws that ban the usage of mobile phones in cars except for the usage of hands-free headsets. The fact that this would even be a problem was impossible to anticipate until recently: Mobile phones were once known as car phones, and in the UK they still often are. But mobile phones also have had more subtle effects. The ability to be contacted at any time has increased time pressures on people. In one Calvin and Hobbes comic, a comic from two decades go, Calvin's father complains that fax machines and other electronic devices don't increase leisure time by making work more efficient but decrease it by making people have expectations for faster service: Something that used to take a week and be considered a rush job would be considered unbelievably tardy. Mobile phones amplify this pressure. If they have GPS features, they can be used by the government or by parents to monitor someone's location, which can have wide-reaching privacy implications, as well as implications for criminals and police. But it might be possible, if an employee doesn't monitor auto-updating features that tell a server where someone is, to be caught lying to a boss about being sick, raising further privacy implications. Employers can call employees or text them constantly. This can cause employees to have even less time that they can perceive as their own. A mobile phone becomes an imposition sometimes, and people seeking out vacation or time off often try to turn off the phone so as not to worry about harassment. Another problem can be cyber-stalking o r, less intrusively, bothering by friends, family, spouses or loved ones. Being constantly available allows people to monitor people, or to exert relationship control, or to nag. Mobile phones have also transformed the ways we've communicated with each other. This is a step in a longer process of world-shrinking. When the only way to communicate with someone even a few hundred miles is a letter, one carefully considers what one has to say, knowing that the nearest response might be days, weeks or months away. But now that people can communicate not only through the mail but also on the phone, mobile phone, texts, e-mails, and instant messaging, communication can become trite or irrelevant. People can use Twitter to update each other on where they're going, what they're doing or how a sandwich at a local pub tastes. It often seems deplorable how communication is degraded and people speak to each other about trite, trivial, unimportant things. It has also degraded grammar and spelling : People use text speak in e-mails, instant messaging and texting, with acronyms and misspellings being ubiquitous. Ironically, however, the complaint that this is

Globalization Across The World Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Globalization Across The World - Dissertation Example The concept of globalization is referred to the process of greater economic interdependence and mutual awareness regarding economic, political and social factors across different nations. The phenomenon of globalization comprises of various micro and macro factors. The micro factors emphasize on personal and global relations where people, ideas, and culture are moved across national borders. On the other hand, the macro factors focus on cross-border investment and trading, movement of resources and globally integrated supply chain. Both micro and macro factors bear equal importance as their combination is significantly critical as the impact of globalization is not uniform with respect to different organizations, countries, regions, and individuals (Ndhlovu, 2012). Globalization is extensively related to gleaming sports vehicles, smartphones, tablets, the digital revolution, economic networking and trade opportunities associated with economic integration. The proponents of this kind of viewpoints frequently claim that open markets inculcate competitive organizational culture resulting in economic prosperity and liberty. In the context of globalization, the credit of minimizing national borders and lower product cost is often attributed to technological advancement in information flow and communication systems, dynamic expansion of the global financial system and financial deregulation. Additionally, it has also been advocated by many authors that, quick adjustments to various changes have the potential to initiate economic growth where the consumer will have greater choices and high living standards. However, globalization has been significantly criticized by numerous individuals as a creator of the financial crisis and for  declining employm ent opportunities. Globalization is also condemned for increased poverty, inequalities, worsening working environment, extended work hours and decrease in overall earnings (Ndhlovu, 2012; Gupta, 2011).

Death Penalty Should be Banned Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Death Penalty Should be Banned - Essay Example It aims at deterring others from committing similar crimes. Death penalty has been in existence for a long time and it is surprising that such a barbaric and inhumane act is still enduring in the apparently civilized world we live in today. This paper discusses why death penalty should be banned and whether it has been successful in reducing the rates of crimes that it is meant to deter. Since life is extremely valuable, no crime is significant enough to demand a deliberate and â€Å"lawful† murder of any individual. Death penalty should thus be banned and all laws that permit it should be exterminated. Several studies have proved that death penalty is unsuccessful in reducing crime rates. The main goal of capital punishment is to set an example for prospective criminals and to instill the fear that they will meet the same end for their crimes. Capital punishment thus aims at deterring any future crimes. However, it seems to have failed in achieving its objectives. According to statistics published by the Death Penalty Information Center, murder rates in death penalty states are higher than in non-death penalty states. The murder rate in death penalty states in 1990 was 9.5 while it was 9.16 in the non-death penalty states. By 2009, the murder rates in death penalty states came down to 5.26 and to 3.90 in non-death penalty states.

Microsoft Company Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6250 words

Microsoft Company Analysis - Assignment Example The Company also designs and sells hardware, and delivers online advertising to the customers. The Company operates in five segments: Windows & Windows Live Division (Windows Division), Server and Tools, Online Services Division (OSD), Microsoft Business Division (MBD), and Entertainment and Devices Division (EDD). The Company’s products include operating systems for personal computers (PCs), servers, phones, and other intelligent devices; server applications for distributed computing environments; productivity applications; business solution applications; desktop and server management tools; software development tools; video games, and online advertising. It also designs and sells hardware, including the Xbox 360 gaming and entertainment console, Kinect for Xbox 360, Xbox 360 accessories, and Microsoft PC hardware products. In July 2012, the Company purchased Edgewater Fullscopes Process Industries 2 (PI2) software and intellectual property. In July 2012, Comcast Corp. acquir ed the Companys 50% stake in MSNBC.com. In October 2012, it acquired PhoneFactor Inc. On July 18, 2012, it acquired Yammer, Inc. (Reuters). Another key acquisition made in 2011 is Skype, Ciao, and Videosurf. On the other hand, apart from these, the company is also very active in the emerging cloud computing business, with cloud-based software and services being the core components of the cloud solution. Usage payments together with advertising are the key sources of revenues for its cloud business. These cloud offerings include Bing, Xbox Live, Windows Live, Microsoft Office 365, Microsoft Dynamics CRM, and Azure. These services are offered either individually or as part of solution suites. In all the company is present in more than 100 countries and basically has a planet-wide business, in concert with its key competitors.  

The Changing of American Workplace Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Changing of American Workplace - Assignment Example The Changing of American Workplace There are various factors which may affect the workplace and working environment in a radical manner. One of the important factors is balancing family and work life. Balancing family and work life signifies that an individual should be engaged as well as satisfied with his or her responsibilities in relation to work life and family life. Employees are required to develop a balance amid work life and their personal life so that they are able to perform their activities in a relaxed way with zeal and dedication. Furthermore, the instability in personal and professional life has been affecting the working environment as well as personal life. It has been ascertained that there lays numerous factors such as workload pressure, demographic changes in relation to dual-income family and the sandwich generation and changes in workforce composition which dramatically influence both personal as well as professional life. This paper intends to discuss the various factors in relation to work-life balance which are accountable for affecting environment and workplace environment. Additionally, the discussion will also emphasize on asserting certain recommendations towards facilitating social as well as economic benefits. Work-life balance plays an important role in the life of every individual. Moreover, this aspect is also seemed to be adversely affecting the workplace and working environment. There are few major components on which the balances for work and life are dependent. These components are as follows: Time Balance An individual is required to devote equal time for personal and professional life. In this respect, time should be managed in an effective manner with the objective of creating a better balance amid work and life so that an individual is able to play his or her role proficiently. Time is to be managed in a flexible way so that individuals are capable to co-ordinate their activities efficiently (European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, 2013). Involvement Balance Individuals are required to be involved psychologically in both family life as well as work life. In this regard, individuals should be mentally involved with activities in order to accomplish the required objectives successfully. Subsequently, employees with better psychological involvement are likely to deliver or execute their activities in accordance with the objectives and goals of an organization (European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, 2013). Satisfaction Balance Individuals are required to have a balance in their satisfaction level both in their roles as well as activities which are performed in their professional and personal life. The appropriate balance in their professional as well as personal life, employees will attain increased level of satisfaction from their work and personal life accomplishments (European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, 2013). These are the three major components which are essential for employees in order to manage and balance their work as well as personal life. On the basis of these three elements a work-life balance can be ascertained. The working environment and workplace are significantly influenced with certain social changes. The social chan ges are the major factors which are accountable for an increased concern in relation to balancing professional and personal life in an effective manner. The ultimate factor which is primarily accountable for the social changes in the working environ

Aristotles Conception of Happiness Essay Example for Free

Aristotles Conception of Happiness Essay According to Aristotle, only a virtuous person can be truly happy. He doesn’t say we should aim at happiness, but rather that we do aim at happiness. Everyone wants to be happy and have happiness in his or her life, but people do not know how to go about this. If one lives in accordance with appropriate virtues then he or she will achieve this happiness. However, what is happiness? Most people think happiness as a physical pleasure or honor, so they do things they think is good. They think things like money, pleasure, and honor will bring them closer to happiness, but these things do not equal happiness. People think that theses things will bring them happiness, but that is because they do not know what happiness really is. These things are a mean towards obtaining happiness. Happiness is the fulfilling of human function, or the activity of the soul according to virtue. Happiness comes from the Greek word â€Å"eudaimonia,† which is fulfillment and success to the highest form of happiness. It is the central purpose of human life and a goal in itself. Aristotle says that every action seeks some good and every action seeks an end. Everyone is seeking the highest end, or the complete end, which is ultimately happiness. If someone wants to achieve happiness, they must first be a virtues person, or a â€Å"good† person. A virtue is achieved by maintaining the mean, or balance between two excesses. But it is not enough to think about doing the right thing or even intending to do it; one must actually have to do it. In order to understand what is good, we must know that there are three types of life: (1) Pleasure, according to the ignorant and vulgar; (2) Honor, according to the people who think happiness is doing well or living well; and (3) Study. The men who choose pleasure put pursuing a life of enjoyment above all else. And the men who choose honor wanted to be praised for the things they have done, so they are really only doing these acts for selfish reasons. And finally the men who choose study do it for their own sake of being to gain knowledge for themselves. Aristotle explains these three types of lives because we can now dismiss them as not being considered â€Å"good. † These views contradict the idea of good and thus support the idea of happiness being the â€Å"universal good. † Yet, happiness is not instantaneous. It must be achieved over time. Aristotle argues â€Å"Are we, then, to call no man happy as long as he lives, but to wait for end, as Solon said? And supposing we have to allow this, do we mean that he actually is happy after he is dead? † (Aristotle 23) In other words, can a man be called happy during his life? Or do we have to wait until he has passed to determine whether or not he had lived a happy life? Aristotle believes that happiness consists of achieving though the course of a lifetime in all goods, such as health, wealth, knowledge, friends, etc. These goods are also known as external goods and one needs these externals goods to be happy. Aristotle states, â€Å"For a man is not very likely to be happy if he is very ugly in person, or of low birth, or alone in the world, or childless, and perhaps still less if he has worthless children or friends, or has lost goods ones that he had. † (Aristotle 21) Aristotle’s conception of happiness supports the view of only the virtuous person can be said to be truly happy. â€Å"Happiness is believed to be the most desirable thing in the world† (Aristotle 14).

Impacts Of Globalisation On The Economy Politics Essay

Impacts Of Globalisation On The Economy Politics Essay Globalization is driven by a combination of economic, technological, socio-cultural, political, and biological factors, integrating worldwide government policies and financial markets through trade and exchange of ideas. Several Factors has fuelled the pace of globalisation; technology, especially communications technology, transportation, deregulation and liberalisation of economic policies, free trade, removal of capital exchange controls, change in consumer awareness and wants and emerging markets in developing countries (MOHAMMED). The world is undergoing a continual transitional process as numerous people, societies, institutions and organisations of varying interests across the globe partake in this expansion. (Mohammed R). Also, whilst economic, social, political and cultural systems across societies become increasingly interdependent and complex, the old world order of managing economies and international relations is being rendered inadequate (Mohamed R). In this transitional flux, the future of the world society appears far from stable (Wallerstein). (i)Economy The ever growing dependence between global economies resulting from international trade of goods, services, finances and technological development paved the way for a global economy. Economic globalisation refers to the continual growth and reciprocated integration of world markets and is an unalterable trend which has been developing at an unprecedented rate since the turn of the twentieth century. Rapid technological development, particularly in areas of information and communication, are the two main forces that have fuelled economic globalisation (Gao). Further the expansion of science and technology has substantially reduced the cost of transportation and communication, making economic globalisation a smoother process (Gao). Centralised economies shifted focus to market economies and market oriented reform through world bodies like GATT, WTO, IMF and World Bank galvanised this process. Many countries have steadily reduced their tariff and other blockades whilst implement flexibl e financial policies (Gao). The development of the financial sector to serve the needs of international trade and investment actions has come to be the most influential aspect of economic globalisation. As the main ambassadors of globalisation, Multinational Corporations (MNC), like McDonald, Coca Cola and Levi amongst others are organising production and allocating resources worldwide with a view to maximising profit. Their global developments are altering and restructuring macro-economic systems across global economies.(Gao) The expansion of economic globalisation also resulted in the reshaping and restructuring of global industrial structures and activities. In recent years, developed western countries and the US, whilst taking advantage of the knowledge economy, have shifted many of their labour intensive industries with poor global competitiveness, to developing countries. Conversely, due to the existence of productivity surplus since the dismantling of the Soviet Union, international competition has intensified amongst enterprises from different countries. In order to leverage their international competitiveness, enterprises are resorting to swift mergers and acquisitions, resulting in a wave of industrial reorganization. Similarly, developed countries, taking advantage of the low wage structure in developing nations, set up factories there. However, if the labour laws are altered or stricter rules introduced to govern the manufacturing process, then these factories are closed down and relocated to o ther countries with more favourable policies.(shanta Sharma). With better access to technology and liberalising of policies, developed countries are capable of producing higher quality goods at lower prices. This gives them the advantage of favourable balance of trade and thus a greater control over global financial resources and wider markets. As the biggest benefactors of economic globalisation, the United States and other Western countries have wielded considerable economic and cultural power by taking advantage of their control over international economic and financial organisations to encourage and determine the development of globalisation.(Wallerstein) Developing countries have been playing a central role in the process of economic globalisation and this is mirrored in the fact that they establish the regulations for international economic exchanges. Whilst the globalisation process has enabled developing economies to strengthen their market position by, initiating better technologies, introducing foreign capital and management experience, they also face enormous risks. Several reports indicate that globalisation has increased rather than reduced the gap between the developed and developing countries. Secondly, these countries also face the threat of being unfavourably impacted by external factors. Under open market situations, the difference between the realisation of outside economic stability and internal economic stability puts a substantial limit on their macro-economies, weakening their control and regulation.(Gao) According to a recent United Nations Development Report (1996), whilst globalisation has been a catalyst in reducing poverty and enhancing the quality of life worldwide, for e.g. since the 1970s significant developments in China and India have played a major role in reduction of world poverty, the fact remains that economic growth is not balanced across the globe.(Shanta Sharma) The world today is so interconnected that the collapse of the subprime mortgage market in the U.S. has led to a global financial crisis and recession on a scale not seen since the Great Depression. Government deregulation and failed regulation of Wall Streets investment banks were important contributors to the crises.(Shanta Sharma) Globalisation in itself cannot bring about an equitable and rational new international economic order and an expansion in which developing countries are unable to evade the boomerang effects of globalisation or fully enjoy its benefits. (Wallerstein). (ii) Social As a consequence of the continual process of globalisation a diverse world in transition is surfacing, with significant de-localisation in social and economic changes (Mohamed R). Its one where change in socio-economic conditions is rendered by impersonal, non-institutional and non-ideological forces. Whilst the last quarter of the twentieth century has seen significant increase in communications, there is considerable decrease in person to person contact (Mohamed R). Many of the activities that involved face to face dealings are now conducted over larger distances. Activities and dealings have been displaced from local origins and cultures increasingly causing people to deal with distant systems. Banking and retailing for instance have implemented new technologies that entail less person to person interaction..(infed globalization) As a social and cultural process, globalization is increasingly exposing people to different ways of thinking, cultural values and family norms. (Jorg Grahm). Globalization is a phenomenon created through human activity and that in turn constantly changes human behavior and activity and has helped shape online communities. This has led to the evolution of new identities for people and a new phase of acculturation; new ideas, new methods of work, life and governance are being shared worldwide. Now more than ever, not only societal, but intra-familial issues are also being influenced by globalization (Jorg Graham). Globalizations most profound effect is on changing gender roles and the empowerment of women. Global proliferation of communication carries ideas and currents across continents, sensitizing people in remote areas to similar agendas and promoting mutual programs, promoting greater social justice and equality. One such example is the global campaign against brand names that exploit child labor. Whilst universal equality was the fundamental social and cultural value of traditional internationalism, contemporary globalizations only commitment is in perfecting the market it turns, including all cultural products into commodities. Whilst selling is universal, production is always local. In a social context, the basic ideology of globalization is not equality, but difference. Globalization unites the markets and divides individuals, as humans can be best used for purposes of global marketing if they act as individual consumers (shanta Sharma). Religion, region, language, caste, nationality and ethnicity are used to dismantle working class solidarities or to prevent them from emerging at the work place or residential communities. (Shanta Sharma). Whilst the current social order pretends to be an active one, increasingly headed towards a growing similarity of living conditions in all countries, it cannot counteract the fact that several thousands are still deprived of the basic ne cessities of a decent life. Racial unrest in Europe today is also a direct result of unrestricted legal and illegal immigration of people of different values, particularly those from North Africa and Asia. Whilst immigration has caused a sense of loss of their identity, they refuse to integrate into the host society to hold on to their allegiances. (Maddock) (iii) Cultural Cultural globalization refers to an increase in the exchange of cultural practices between countries and peoples involving the movement of ideas, information, images and people. Although practiced for thousands of years, economic and political globalization has contributed to a spurt in cultural globalization in recent decades. Giant strides in technology and communications, particularly the internet has been the single most important factor in breaking cultural boundaries across the globe facilitating immediate communication between people of varying lifestyles and cultures.(infed) . Additionally, new technologies and their utilization like commercial air travel, satellite television and mass communications and the internet have created a world where billions now consume and share identical cultural products sports, music, lifestyles, languages, entertainment as not evidenced before, determining a new global culture(Fabian global forum global know- gloablisation). In recent decades, there is a growing shift in power away from the nation state toward multinational corporations with the rise and globalization of brands like Coca Cola and McDonald. Employing a market strategy to establish their brands as an essential part of the way people see themselves they have captured a large global market, particularly the younger generation.(infed). With rapid strides in technology and communication, a new modern wave is emerging from the West and America; something that is defined as a popular culture. This new cultural globalization has easily transcended borders, reaching poor and rich countries alike, making no distinction. In developing countries it can be witnessed in a western style of dressing, use of cellular phones and popular usage of the English language among other things, bring about deep-seated changes in conventional local cultures, values and traditions (Louis de Lamare) Rising as a tributary to economic globalization, cultural globalization is slowly replacing the traditional nation-state and homogenizing cultures and conversely a loss of individual, national and ethnic cultural identities. Whilst cultural globalization can be a profoundly enriching process, opening minds to new ideas, experiences and strengthening the finest universal values of humanity, it also brings intrusions into the local norms, cultures and traditions of individual countries. Many cultures, particularly indigenous people, treasure their culture as their richest heritage, without which they have no roots or soul. Their culture cannot be quantified. (Levin). Many believe that such rampant exposure to foreign culture is undermining their own cultural identity. Whilst capitalism favors a fast paced environment and consumer culture, its a matter of conflict for other socialist societies are used to a different lifestyle and want to preserve their traditions.(lous Lamare) . Violen t reactions against the West by elements within Islamic society can be seen in this light.(Levin). Asian values are described as those embodying the ideals of respect, hard word, thrift and the belief of the importance of the community over the individual. These are coupled with preferences for economic, social and cultural rights, rather than political ones..(Mohamed R) In doing so, they have been able to protect and nurture their traditions in the face of utilitarian modernity, slack morals and globalization (Mohamed R) Another dimension to the negative aspects of cultural globalization is the imposing of one nations culture on another. The early 1990s attempts by the United States to dolphin ban sanctions against Mexico lead to heated governmental confrontations between the two countries. The issue was not that dolphins were endangered or even threatened species, but simply American cultural mores against the killing of these animals. The Japanese whaling issue has also come under a similar cultural scanner.(Levin) Conversely, many researchers also believe that globalization has a positive impact on the homogenizing effect of national cultures. Large television networks in India have given people a wider exposure and understanding of cultures in their own nation, reaffirming their own local traditions. (iv) Political Political globalization refers to an increasing trend toward multilateralism, in which the United Nations plays a key role, toward an emerging transnational state, and toward the emergence of national and international nongovernmental organizations that act as guardians over governments. Far reaching political changes have arisen from increased economic and social globalization, with developing or newly developed economics becoming even more dependent on the activities of developed economies such as the US where there is a centralization of capital and technical expertise.(Mohamed R) . The policies of national governments in capitalist countries are mainly determined by two important dynamics: the first is the state of the national process of capital accumulation and its relative international strength; the second is the balance of class forces both nationally and internationally.(Mohamed R) As a result, globalization has reduced of power of national governments to direct and influence their economies. Shift in economic activities in Japan or US are impacted all over the globe. The internationalization of financial markets, of technology and of some manufacturing and services bring with them a new set of limitations upon the freedom of action of nation states.(Mohamed R). To survive this market drive political globalization, it is deemed necessary for governments to handle the pressures of trans-national market forces as well as domestic economies. Whilst the influence of the nation states may have diminished as a part of the globalization process, it has not all together disappeared. The nation state remains as pivotal institution in creating conditions for effective national governance (Mohamed R). On a political map, whilst national boundaries are well demarcated, those indicating financial and industrial activity have largely overlapped or disappeared. Globalization has undermined the nation state, not only by shrinking resources under the national control for shaping economic and social outcomes, but it has reduced government legitimacy and control in the eyes of the public. (Mohamed R). The decline in national power and sovereignty in globalization is attributable to two important factors. One reflects the magnitude and velocity of international economic exchanges eroding the states capabilities and the other is the extent to which market relations across borders is diminishing the citizens attachment to national authority, reducing the states legitimacy. Citizens increasingly understand the relative economic strengths and weakness of their countries as products of specific national political arrangements and of different national cultures and not as the result of diverse national advantages. Contemporary politics in developed nations shows an increasing distrust of elected representatives. Unregulated flow of capital, labor, information from outside their country, resulting in unemployment delocalization of industry, immigrants, infiltration of undesirable material through the net are all attributed to poor government policies in allowing such lapses. Paradoxically , this one outcome of globalization is assisting governments to refocus political attention on the role of the state on the boundaries of national territory. In many advanced countries a new political camp has emerged to reinforce national control at the frontiers. (Mohamed R). Conclusion Globalisation involves the diffusion of ideas, practices and technologies and the increase of worldwide social relations which link distant localities, significantly impacting on the economic, social, cultural and political dimensions of nations and its peoples. Globalization, however, is not a new phenomenon. It has existed in at various levels since the development of agriculture (Mohamed R). While it saw a spurt in the late nineteenth century, it slowed down during the period from the First World War until the third quarter of the twentieth century (Shanta Sharma). This slowdown can be attributed to the inward-looking policies pursued by a number of countries in order to protect their respective industries. However, it was with the dismantling of the Soviet Union and destruction of the Berlin Wall that contemporary globalisation commenced, giving rise to a transitional world society. The recent recession has seen corporations and institutions from developed nations moving their focus to developing countries, particularly in the East. Cheap labour, relaxed industrial norms and the capacity to shift base at short notice to countries with more favourable policies have all significantly impacted on economic globalisation. The import of raw materials from developing nations is another advantage. Multinational corporations have shifted power away from the nation state with their brand globalization. However, whilst research does indicate that globalisation has been able to alleviate global poverty, it has in many respects deepened the gap between the rich and poor nations. Economic globalisation has brought in its wake significant and far reaching changes in socio-cultural activities as well as politics. With an increase in the exchange of cultural practices, attributable largely to the internet, there is on one hand a homogenization of cultures and the transgression and loss of national ethnicity and cultures. Further, globalization has undermined the nation state, not only by shrinking resources under the national control for shaping economic and social outcomes, but it by reducing governmental legitimacy. There is an increasing trend toward multilateralism, in which the United Nations plays a main part, toward an emerging transnational state. In this constant state of flux, it is difficult to say whether an equilibrium state of world society can be achieved.

Bhagavad Gita is the Ultimate Science of Yoga :: Yoga India Indian Spirituality Sprit Spiritual

The Meaning of Yoga It is common to associate the word Yoga with a system of physical postures and meditation. But Yoga in its original form has a deep spiritual significance which is lost in today’s body-centered world. The Sanskrit word Yoga comes from the verb root Yuj, which means to link or to connect. When we talk about linking or connection, an obvious question arises: to connect what with what? The very word â€Å"connection† implies that there must be two different entities separated from one another, and they need to be connected. The ancient Vedic text Bhagavad Gita explains that these entities are the individual consciousness and the universal Supreme consciousness. Some may call this universal consciousness an all-pervading energy, whereas most theists consider this Supreme consciousness to be God. The Vedic philosophy combines these two apparently contradictory concepts very beautifully. It explains that there is definitely an all-pervading universal energy. But the very existence of energy implies that there also exists a possessor and controller of the energy – the energetic – who is an intelligent being. Our individual consciousness or energy is a manifestation of the spirit soul inside our body, and this soul is a part of the Supreme Soul or the Supreme Energetic or God. The purpose of Yoga is to connect the individual energy with the universal energy, or put another way, to connect the individual being to its source – the Supreme Being. Yoga or divine union with the Supreme does not mean that we merge into the Supreme and become one with Him. Bhagavad Gita explains that we do become one, but in quality and not in quantity. This oneness is spiritual, not physical. For example, the perfect realization of sugar is not becoming sugar, rather tasting its sweetness. Similarly, the perfect divine union means that we do not lose our individuality, but we become united with the Supreme * An ancient language in which most of the Eastern philosophy texts have been written. †  Vedas are the most ancient recorded scriptures of knowledge of the Self. in a deep, eternal, sweet, personal, loving relationship, and taste the nectar of its mellows. What is Bhagavad Gita? Bhagavad Gita literally means Song of the Absolute. It is a conversation between Arjuna and Krishna, which took place around 3000 B.C. in a battlefield. Krishna represents the Supreme Being and Arjuna represents an ordinary living being like us. Through Arjuna’s questions and Krishna’s answers, the complete science of Yoga is revealed. It is considered a science because it describes the concept of Yoga in a systematic step-by-step way. It tells us exactly how to follow the Yoga processes and also what will be the results of different practices. In modern days, Yoga is often misunderstood just Bhagavad Gita is the Ultimate Science of Yoga :: Yoga India Indian Spirituality Sprit Spiritual The Meaning of Yoga It is common to associate the word Yoga with a system of physical postures and meditation. But Yoga in its original form has a deep spiritual significance which is lost in today’s body-centered world. The Sanskrit word Yoga comes from the verb root Yuj, which means to link or to connect. When we talk about linking or connection, an obvious question arises: to connect what with what? The very word â€Å"connection† implies that there must be two different entities separated from one another, and they need to be connected. The ancient Vedic text Bhagavad Gita explains that these entities are the individual consciousness and the universal Supreme consciousness. Some may call this universal consciousness an all-pervading energy, whereas most theists consider this Supreme consciousness to be God. The Vedic philosophy combines these two apparently contradictory concepts very beautifully. It explains that there is definitely an all-pervading universal energy. But the very existence of energy implies that there also exists a possessor and controller of the energy – the energetic – who is an intelligent being. Our individual consciousness or energy is a manifestation of the spirit soul inside our body, and this soul is a part of the Supreme Soul or the Supreme Energetic or God. The purpose of Yoga is to connect the individual energy with the universal energy, or put another way, to connect the individual being to its source – the Supreme Being. Yoga or divine union with the Supreme does not mean that we merge into the Supreme and become one with Him. Bhagavad Gita explains that we do become one, but in quality and not in quantity. This oneness is spiritual, not physical. For example, the perfect realization of sugar is not becoming sugar, rather tasting its sweetness. Similarly, the perfect divine union means that we do not lose our individuality, but we become united with the Supreme * An ancient language in which most of the Eastern philosophy texts have been written. †  Vedas are the most ancient recorded scriptures of knowledge of the Self. in a deep, eternal, sweet, personal, loving relationship, and taste the nectar of its mellows. What is Bhagavad Gita? Bhagavad Gita literally means Song of the Absolute. It is a conversation between Arjuna and Krishna, which took place around 3000 B.C. in a battlefield. Krishna represents the Supreme Being and Arjuna represents an ordinary living being like us. Through Arjuna’s questions and Krishna’s answers, the complete science of Yoga is revealed. It is considered a science because it describes the concept of Yoga in a systematic step-by-step way. It tells us exactly how to follow the Yoga processes and also what will be the results of different practices. In modern days, Yoga is often misunderstood just Bhagavad Gita is the Ultimate Science of Yoga :: Yoga India Indian Spirituality Sprit Spiritual The Meaning of Yoga It is common to associate the word Yoga with a system of physical postures and meditation. But Yoga in its original form has a deep spiritual significance which is lost in today’s body-centered world. The Sanskrit word Yoga comes from the verb root Yuj, which means to link or to connect. When we talk about linking or connection, an obvious question arises: to connect what with what? The very word â€Å"connection† implies that there must be two different entities separated from one another, and they need to be connected. The ancient Vedic text Bhagavad Gita explains that these entities are the individual consciousness and the universal Supreme consciousness. Some may call this universal consciousness an all-pervading energy, whereas most theists consider this Supreme consciousness to be God. The Vedic philosophy combines these two apparently contradictory concepts very beautifully. It explains that there is definitely an all-pervading universal energy. But the very existence of energy implies that there also exists a possessor and controller of the energy – the energetic – who is an intelligent being. Our individual consciousness or energy is a manifestation of the spirit soul inside our body, and this soul is a part of the Supreme Soul or the Supreme Energetic or God. The purpose of Yoga is to connect the individual energy with the universal energy, or put another way, to connect the individual being to its source – the Supreme Being. Yoga or divine union with the Supreme does not mean that we merge into the Supreme and become one with Him. Bhagavad Gita explains that we do become one, but in quality and not in quantity. This oneness is spiritual, not physical. For example, the perfect realization of sugar is not becoming sugar, rather tasting its sweetness. Similarly, the perfect divine union means that we do not lose our individuality, but we become united with the Supreme * An ancient language in which most of the Eastern philosophy texts have been written. †  Vedas are the most ancient recorded scriptures of knowledge of the Self. in a deep, eternal, sweet, personal, loving relationship, and taste the nectar of its mellows. What is Bhagavad Gita? Bhagavad Gita literally means Song of the Absolute. It is a conversation between Arjuna and Krishna, which took place around 3000 B.C. in a battlefield. Krishna represents the Supreme Being and Arjuna represents an ordinary living being like us. Through Arjuna’s questions and Krishna’s answers, the complete science of Yoga is revealed. It is considered a science because it describes the concept of Yoga in a systematic step-by-step way. It tells us exactly how to follow the Yoga processes and also what will be the results of different practices. In modern days, Yoga is often misunderstood just

Barnabas :: essays research papers

Barnabas I. Who was Barnabas? II. Where is he first mentioned in the Bible? III. Barnabas' introduction of Saul to the apostles IV. His mission work with Paul V. His departure from Paul VI. Barnabas as a writer VII. His Death Barnabas was a native of the island of Cyprus. His birthplace makes him a Jew of the Diaspora, the dispersion of Jews outside Palestine or modern Israel. He was originally named Joseph but the apostles called him Barnabas, he probably acquired this name because of his ability as a preacher. The name Barnabas was understood by Luke to mean "Son of Encouragement" (Acts 4:36). Barnabas was an apostle of the secondary group, companion of Paul on his mission to Cyprus and the Pisidian mainland. Barnabas first appears in Luke's account of communal living in the Jerusalem church, as a man of some means who gave to the church the proceeds from the sale of a piece land, "Barnabas sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles' feet" (Acts 4:36-37). After the stoning of Stephen in Acts 7:54-8:1, the church was persecuted and scattered, "On that day a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. Godly men buried Stephen and mourned deeply for him. But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison" Acts 8:1-3. In Acts 9:26-27, "Saul tries to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus." Barnabas thus belongs to the company of first converts in Jerusalem who were won by the apostolic preaching, if not by Jesus himself. Though not a native, Barnabas had the confidence of the apostles. Later he was sent to join the company of workers at Antioch, to preach to Jews, Hellenists, and Greeks (Acts 11:19-22). As the work of the Antioch church expanded and more workers were needed, Barnabas went over to Tarsus and brought back with him Saul. It seems that Barnabas was the leader of the Antioch church, and the order which Luke gives, "Barnabas and Saul," indicates the pre-eminence. It was "Barnabas and Saul" who carried relief funds from Antioch to the famine- stricken Jerusalem (Acts 11:30).

Gullivers Travels †Comparing the Yahoos to Humans :: comparison compare contrast essays

Gulliver's Travels – Comparison of Yahoos to Humans The comparison of Yahoos to humans in Book Four of Jonathon Swift's Gulliver's Travels is entirely inappropriate. The Yahoos are shown as base creatures of barbaric nature and with little or no aptitude for learning. Swift's use of these lowly creatures to symbolize man is harsh, however, it does serve to enhance his satire to a certain degree. Nonetheless, his comparison is inaccurate and degrading to Mankind. In his novel, Jonathon Swift uses the Yahoo, a creature with a great likeness to humans except in the amount of hair and the colors of their skin, to represent the nature of Man. He implies that we are all "...strong and hardy, but of a cowardly Spirit, and by consequence, insolent, abject, and cruel."(p. ). Perhaps he is right about some people, but this is not true of all Mankind. Most people are not insolent or cruel, and many have truly courageous Spirits. Any man or woman who joins the army in the time of the "War on Terrorism" can not be a coward. In the World Wars, millions of people died for the love of their country, can you call that cowardice? As well, millions of institutions of higher learning have been established across the world. The Yahoos are shown to be ignorant and without any ability to learn. Human beings are constantly in the pursuit of knowledge, going to extreme lengths to satiate their boundless curiosity for the way things work within their world, and even without. Without a doubt, many human beings possess similar qualities to those of the Yahoos. We are capable of great cruelty, but also of great compassion. We can be insolent and rude, or we can be respectful and polite. We can be cowardly, but we are also capable of great feats of bravery. Mankind is not limited to the aspects of his nature that are unpleasant; he is constantly striving to surpass those negative characteristics. Swift's comparison may be inaccurate, but it is also quite effective. In one's mind's eye, one can almost see the lowly creatures. Picking out only those negative aspects of our natures and magnifying them allows us to see them clearly, without making excuses for ourselves.

Creative Thinking and Critical Thinking Essay

Throughout history, people with creative minds have created original ideas which have been useful in the fields of music, art, technology, medicine, and science. Most of these ideas were once branded as impossible and ridiculous, but as of today, their thinkers are considered to as individuals who achieved enormous breakthroughs which helped the world advance (Coon, 2006). Usually, problem-solving is done through mechanical and insightful means which are based on understanding; this kind of problem solving involves either deductive or inductive thinking in order to achieve solutions. Apart from these, problem-solving may also be done logically (based on previous information or rules) or illogically (based on intuition or personal associations and perceptions). However, such is not the way of creative thinking—creative thinking involves all of these different thinking styles, â€Å"plus fluency, flexibility, and originality† (Coon, 2006, p. 360). Fluency can be defined as the number of ideas or suggestions that an individual is able to make for a particular problem. Flexibility, on the other hand can be defined as the number of times an individual shifts from one class or type of possible ideas to another. As for originality, it is pertains to â€Å"how novel or unusual [the] ideas are† (Coon, 2006, p. 360). These can determine an individual’s creativity or his capacity for divergent thinking. Creative thinking or divergent thinking means thinking out of the box and developing possibilities. Usually, people tend to solve problems with tried solutions, but with creative thinking, individuals produce new and different ideas or answers in order to solve problems (Coon, 2006). Creative thinking is often seen in poems, essays, constructed objects, and drawings (Coon, 2006)—however, it can also be seen in everyday life. In fact, creative thinking can come in various forms, one example of creative thinking would be the ever-changing ideas when it comes to the automobile industry. Manufacturers are always developing new features and improving them based on the old ideas, thus, achieving innovation (Harris, 1998). Another example of creative thinking could involve combining two different ideas in order to come up with a new one which is more effective than the separate ideas, like introducing a dinner theater. Since a lot of people usually go on dates by going to dinner, then watching a film, perhaps, it would be creative to fuse these two concepts together to create a much more efficient one where people can eat dinner and attain entertainment at the same time (Harris, 1998). Critical thinking, on the other hand, is an entirely different concept from creative thinking. According to Austin Cline (2010), critical thinking involves developing a form of intellectual and emotional distance between one’s self and one’s ideas in order to be able to evaluate the validity, reasonableness, and truth of such ideas. If an individual engages in critical thinking, he should develop rational and reliable evaluations as to what is rational and logical. This simply means that if one engages in critical thinking, one must value skepticism, and engage in a search for the appropriate solution to problems. Critical thinking also involves open-mindedness, differentiating emotion from reason, arguing with the use of knowledge, being skeptical about probabilities, avoiding linguistic misunderstandings, avoid common fallacies, and most important, avoiding the temptation to jump to conclusions. An example of critical thinking would be carefully assessing situations in order to find the appropriate actions required; a critical thinker, if perhaps stuck in a situation wherein he is faced with numerous tasks at work, plus the obligation to attend his child’s softball game, would carefully evaluate the tasks at hand, produce a schedule by prioritizing and weighing risks and advantages in order to achieve all goals (Jackson, Ignatavivius, Case, ). Another example would be if an individual is part of a jury, and is listening to the witnesses and the defendant’s accounts of a murder; if the individual engages in critical thinking, then it follows that he should not readily believe either accounts just by taking their word for it. Perhaps the lawyer might call a witness which happens to be the child of the murdered person, and if the individual engages in critical thinking, he must not be swayed by the emotions which are shown by those in the stand, and should be critical in analyzing the facts which are presented in the case. Creative and Critical Thinking Using a Common Example Take for example the phrase speed kills; a lot of people have a general idea about this phrase, that which consists of the fact that it is related to motorists, stating that if they over-speed, they could get into an accident and be killed. If one is to use creative thinking in this particular phrase, the result would often involve creating new means to improve the campaign against over-speeding. Creative thinkers are often finding new means to look at things, as well as different means to present such things; therefore, these ideas would then be utilized into the development of a new, effective means to strengthen the campaign against over-speeding. Since creative thinking is all about finding new and different ideas in order to find solutions for different problems,which, in this case, is the supposed problem regarding over-speeding, which, presumably, can kill an individual if he gets in an accident, the creative thinker would perhaps develop innovative means of educating people about this particular statement, such as developing an integration off billboard advertising and traffic warnings. However, if one is to use critical thinking in this phrase, the result would be different. To a critical thinker, it is not possible to just agree with what the phrase implies and just accept it as it is. It is necessary to analyze what it means and analyze as to whether this assumption is valid. A critical thinker would then look into the scientific proof stating that speed, indeed, kills. Apart from this, the critical thinker would look into statistics, and derive from those statistics as to how reliable this particular statement is. While the critical thinker is not aiming to disprove the phrase which states speed kills, what he would be doing involves strengthen it with reliable sources in order to achieve a conclusion that the phrase speed kills is indeed valid and motorists everywhere should heed its implied advice. It is, of course, necessary to state that if the critical thinker does not find the phrase as valid and reliable, the phrase would then be rendered illogical and irrelevant. Summary As seen in the previous discussion, creative and critical thinking differ in many ways. However, while it cannot be denied that both have their differences when it comes to approaching problems, it must be understand that both have their merits and advantages. It is necessary to understand that neither can be considered better when it comes to finding solutions for life’s everyday problems. Instead, an integration of these thinking styles would be far more beneficial, for not all situations call for either creative or critical thinking only. There are those which call for creative thinking, and there are those which call for critical thinking. It is, therefore, necessary to familiarize one’s self with both styles, for being able to adapt one’s thinking style is essential to effective decision-making processes.

Frankenstein Ch 1-10 Quote Analysis Essay

Chapter 1 â€Å"I was their plaything and their idol, and something better- their child, the innocent and helpless creature bestowed on them by Heaven, whom to bring up to good, and whose future lot it was in their hands to direct to happiness or misery, according as they fulfilled their duties towards me. With this deep consciousness of what they owed towards the being to which they had given life.† This quote expresses Victor Frankenstein’s beliefs that it was up to this parents to make him happy and to succeed in life. The last line expresses a belief that any parent owed it to their child happiness and love by bringing them to life. Frankenstein is being hypocritical, putting so much responsibility and pressure on his parents when he, himself will not take on the same responsibilities when it is laid out in front of him. â€Å"They consulted their village priest, and the result was that Elizabeth Lavenza became the inmate of my parents’ house–my more than siste r–the beautiful and adored companion of all my occupations and my pleasures.† Elizabeth’s beauty is a sign of her inner goodness. (Halo Effect in Psych) â€Å"Everyone loved Elizabeth. The passionate and almost reverential attachment with which all regarded her became, while I shared it, my pride and my delight. On the evening previous to her being brought to my home, my mother had said playfully, ‘I have a pretty present for my Victor–tomorrow he shall have it.’ And when, on the morrow, she presented Elizabeth to me as her promised gift, I, with childish seriousness, interpreted her words literally and looked upon Elizabeth as mine–mine to protect, love, and cherish. All praises bestowed on her I received as made to a possession of my own. We called each other familiarly by the name of cousin. No word, no expression could body forth the kind of relation in which she stood to me–my more than sister, since till death she was to be mine only.† Victor sees that Elizabeth’s beauty is the reason people love her. Yet this seems to be the reason he loves her himself. â€Å"When my father returned from Milan, he found playing with me in the hall of our villa a child fairer than pictured cherub†¦ They were fond of the sweet orphan. Her presence had seemed a blessing to them†¦ the result was that Elizabeth Lavenza became the inmate of my parents’ house–my more than sister–the beautiful and adored companion of all my occupations and my pleasures.† Although Elizabeth is welcomed into Victor’s family, her being an orphan reminds us that family that can be destroyed at any moment. Chapter 2 â€Å"Destiny was too potent, and her immutable law had decreed my utter and terrible destruction.† Dr. Frankenstein cannot take blame for his immoral actions in life. First he gives his parents the sole responsibility for how he turns out and if he is happy or not, now he is blaming destiny for the actions that are out of his parents control. â€Å"Wealth was an inferior object; but what glory would attend the discovery, if I could banish disease from the human frame and render man invulnerable to any but a violent death!† Dr. Frankenstein says that he did not start this for the money but for the pure purpose of the glory for being the first man to discover something. Similar to Walton in the beginning of the book, he wants to make a mark in the world for himself. â€Å"Natural philosophy is the genius that has regulated my fate†¦ A new light seemed to dawn upon my mind, and bounding with joy, I communicated my discovery to my father. My father looked carelessly at the title page of my book and said, ‘Ah! Cornelius Agrippa! My dear Victor, do not waste your time upon this; it is sad trash.’† Victor learns that his interest in alchemy is useless and that such a field is outdated. Instead, science and natural philosophy are the accepted forms of thought. â€Å"As I stood at the door, on a sudden I beheld a stream of fire issue from an old and beautiful oak which stood about twenty yards from our house; and so soon as the dazzling light vanished, the oak had disappeared, and nothing remained but a blasted stump. When we visited it the next morning, we found the tree shattered in a singular manner. It was not splintered by the shock, but entirely reduced to thin ribbons of wood. I never beheld anything so utterly destroyed.† The natural world is beautiful and also capable of destruction. â€Å"No human being could have passed a happier childhood than myself. My parents were possessed by the very spirit of kindness and indulgence. We felt that they were not the tyrants to rule our lot according to their caprice, but the agents and creators of all the many delights which we enjoyed. When I mingled with other families I distinctly discerned how peculiarly fortunate my lot was, and gratitude assisted the development of filial love.† Victor says his family is happy, and his parents as the bringers of â€Å"many delights.† Victor knows how great it is to have your creators care about you, but this knowledge does not convince him to do the same for the creature that he has brought to life. Chapter 3 â€Å"After having made a few preparatory experiments, he concluded with a panegyric upon modern chemistry, the terms of which I shall never forget: ‘The ancient teachers of this science,’ said he, ‘promised impossibilities and performed nothing. The modern masters promise very little; they know that metals cannot be transmuted and that the elixir of life is a chimera but these philosophers, whose hands seem only made to dabble in dirt, and their eyes to pore over the microscope or crucible, have indeed performed miracles. They penetrate into the recesses of nature and show how she works in her hiding-places. They ascend into the heavens; they have discovered how the blood circulates, and the nature of the air we breathe. They have acquired new and almost unlimited powers; they can command the thunders of heaven, mimic the earthquake, and even mock the invisible world with its own shadows.’† This professor gives Victor a way to see scientific questions as coming from older traditions. This respect for the old combined with the new is what allows Victor to go forward in his scientific explorations. â€Å"My departure was therefore fixed at an early date, but before the day resolved upon could arrive, the first misfortune of my life occurred–an omen, as it were, of my future misery. Elizabeth had caught the scarlet fever†¦Elizabeth was saved, but the consequences of this imprudence were fatal to her preserver. On the third day my mother sickened†¦On her deathbed the fortitude and benignity of this best of women did not desert her. She joined the hands of Elizabeth and myself. ‘My children,’ she said, ‘my firmest hopes of future happiness were placed on the prospect of your union. This expectation will now be the consolation of your father. Elizabeth, my love, you must supply my place to my younger children. Alas! I regret that I am taken from you; and, happy and beloved as I have been, is it not hard to quit you all? But these are not thoughts befitting me; I will endeavour to resign myself cheerfully to death and will indulge a hope of meeting you in another world.’† The loss of Victor’s mother is a foreshadowing of the loss he is going to encounter again. At the same time, her death shows that family is what is most important to Victor. Chapter 4 â€Å"The summer months passed while I was thus engaged, heart and soul, in one pursuit. It was a most beautiful season; never did the fields bestow a more plentiful harvest or the vines yield a more luxuriant vintage, but my eyes were insensible to the charms of nature. And the same feelings which made me neglect the scenes around me caused me also to forget those friends who were so many miles absent, and whom I had not seen for so long a time. I knew my silence disquieted them, and I well-remembered the words of my father: ‘I know that while you are pleased with yourself you will think of us with affection, and we shall hear regularly from you. You must pardon me if I regard any interruption in your correspondence as a proof that your other duties are equally neglected.’† The beauty of nature distracts Victor from his other worries. Nature’s beauty can affect human feelings. â€Å"Darkness had no effect upon my fancy, and a churchyard was to me merely the receptacle of bodies deprived of life, which, from being the seat of beauty and strength, had become food for the worm. Now I was led to examine the cause and progress of this decay and forced to spend days and nights in vaults and charnel-houses. My attention was fixed upon every object the most insupportable to the delicacy of the human feelings.† The beauty of the church is a juxtaposition with the ugliness and decay of death. Chapter 5 â€Å"How can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe, or how delineate the wretch whom with such infinite pains and care I had endeavoured to form? His limbs were in proportion, and I had selected his features as beautiful. Beautiful! Great God! His yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath; his hair was of a lustrous black, and flowing; his teeth of a pearly whiteness; but these luxuriances only formed a more horrid contrast with his watery eyes, that seemed almost of the same colour as the dun-white sockets in which they were set, his shrivelled complexion and straight black lips.† Victor’s attempt to create a beautiful creature is a failure. â€Å"I had desired it with an ardour that far exceeded moderation; but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart.† The beauty of Elizabeth and the goodness that comes with it is threatened by Victor’s scientific findings and the ugly thing he has created. â€Å"Oh! No mortal could support the horror of that countenance. A mummy again endued with animation could not be so hideous as that wretch. I had gazed on him while unfinished; he was ugly then, but when those muscles and joints were rendered capable of motion, it became a thing such as even Dante could not have conceived.† The ugliness of the monster is compared to something worse than something in Dante’s Inferno. This further states the halo effect that prevents the monster from functioning in society. â€Å"I stepped fearfully in: the apartment was empty, and my bedroom was also freed from its hideous guest. I could hardly believe that so great a good fortune could have befallen me, but when I became assured that my enemy had indeed fled, I clapped my hands for joy and ran down to Clerval.† Victor assumes that because his creature is ugly, he must be evil. Chapter 6 â€Å"Justine, you may remember, was a great favourite of yours; and I recollect you once remarked that if you were in an ill humour, one glance from Justine could dissipate it, for the same reason that Ariosto gives concerning the beauty of Angelica–she looked so frank-hearted and happy.† Justine’s beauty represents her happy, good nature. â€Å"Justine has just returned to us; and I assure you I love her tenderly. She is very clever and gentle, and extremely pretty; as I mentioned before, her mein and her expression continually remind me of my dear aunt.† Justine’s beauty makes her an object worth loving. â€Å"I must say also a few words to you, my dear cousin, of little darling William. I wish you could see him; he is very tall of his age, with sweet laughing blue eyes, dark eyelashes, and curling hair. When he smiles, two little dimples appear on each cheek, which are rosy with health. He has already had one or two little WIVES, but Louisa Biron is his favourite, a pretty little girl of five years of age.† William’s attractiveness is equal to the affection people feel for him. â€Å"The pretty Miss Mansfield has already received the congratulatory visits on her approaching marriage with a young Englishman, John Melbourne, Esq. Her ugly sister, Manon, married M. Duvillard, the rich banker, last autumn. Your favourite schoolfellow, Louis Manoir, has suffered several misfortunes since the departure of Clerval from Geneva. But he has already recovered his spirits, and is reported to be on the point of marrying a lively pretty Frenchwoman, Madame Tavernier. She is a widow, and much older than Manoir; but she is very much admired, and a favourite with everybody.† People like Madame Tavernier because she is good looking. Chapter 7 â€Å"I wept like a child. ‘Dear mountains! my own beautiful lake! how do you welcome your wanderer? Your summits are clear; the sky and lake are blue and placid. Is this to prognosticate peace, or to mock at my unhappiness?’† Nature has the power to strongly affect emotions because of its beauty. â€Å"During this short voyage I saw the lightning playing on the summit of Mont Blanc in the most beautiful figures. The storm appeared to approach rapidly, and, on landing, I ascended a low hill, that I might observe its progress. It advanced; the heavens were clouded, and I soon felt the rain coming slowly in large drops, but its violence quickly increased.† Beauty and violence coexist in nature. â€Å"A flash of lightning illuminated the object, and discovered its shape plainly to me; its gigantic stature, and the deformity of its aspect more hideous than belongs to humanity, instantly informed me that it was the wretch, the filthy daemon, to whom I had given life. What did he there? Could he be (I shuddered at the conception) the murderer of my brother?† The ugliness of the monster’s crime is reflected by the awful weather. â€Å"During our walk, Clerval endeavoured to say a few words of consolation; he could only express his heartfelt sympathy. ‘Poor William!† said he, dear lovely child, he now sleeps with his angel mother! Who that had seen him bright and joyous in his young beauty, but must weep over his untimely loss! To die so miserably; to feel the murderer’s grasp! How much more a murdered that could destroy radiant innocence! Poor little fellow! one only consolation have we; his friends mourn and weep, but he is at rest. The pang is over, his sufferings are at an end for ever. A sod covers his gentle form, and he knows no pain. He can no longer be a subject for pity; we must reserve that for his miserable survivors.’† Henry expresses affection for William by describing his physical features. Chapter 8 â€Å"The appearance of Justine was calm. She was dressed in mourning, and her countenance, always engaging, was rendered, by the solemnity of her feelings, exquisitely beautiful. Yet she appeared confident in innocence and did not tremble, although gazed on and execrated by thousands, for all the kindness which her beauty might otherwise have excited was obliterated in the minds of the spectators by the imagination of the enormity she was supposed to have committed. She was tranquil, yet her tranquillity was evidently constrained; and as her confusion had before been adduced as a proof of her guilt, she worked up her mind to an appearance of courage. When she entered the court she threw her eyes round it and quickly discovered where we were seated. A tear seemed to dim her eye when she saw us, but she quickly recovered herself, and a look of sorrowful affection seemed to attest her utter guiltlessness.† Justine’s innocence is seen in her beauty. Unlike the monster, her looks reveal her true nature. Chapter 9 â€Å"When I reflected on his crimes and malice, my hatred and revenge burst all bounds of moderation†¦ Elizabeth was sad and desponding; she no longer took delight in her ordinary occupations; all pleasure seemed to her sacrilege toward the dead; eternal woe and tears she then thought was the just tribute she should pay to innocence so blasted and destroyed.† Because he cannot let go of a grudge, Victor seeks revenge on the monster in hopes of curing his guilty conscience. â€Å"I, not in deed, but in effect, was the true murderer. Elizabeth read my anguish in my countenance, and kindly taking my hand, said, ‘My dearest friend, you must calm yourself. These events have affected me, God knows how deeply; but I am not so wretched as you are. There is an expression of despair, and sometimes of revenge, in your countenance that makes me tremble. Dear Victor, banish these dark passions. Remember the friends around you, who centre all their hopes in you. Have we lost the power of rendering you happy? Ah! While we love, while we are true to each other, here in this land of peace and beauty, your native country, we may reap every tranquil blessing–what can disturb our peace?’† Victor’s guilt due to the deaths of William and Justine causes him to seek revenge against the monster. Chapter 10

Operations management case study Essay

Introduction Some of the most essential factors that can be used in the management of customers include order winning and order qualifying factors. Notably, these factors are very essential in ensuring that businesses carry out their activities in the most efficient ways. It is quite imperative for various organisations to understand the distinct aspects related to order winning and order qualifying factors in order to ascertain progress in meeting organisational goals and objectives. Admittedly, order winning aspects are the things that can directly be attributed to the success of a business. On the other hand, order qualifying factors are those that are considered as factors responsible for average level of highly competitive performance that can be accepted among customers. This section seeks to discuss the order winning factors and how they can be applied in small car business. Order winning factors include strategies that are used by companies in enabling internal operational aspects in orde r to create competitive advantage and achieve market success. In fact, order winning factors have to involve a combination and co-ordination of marketing and operation based activities. In fact, operation managers are the ones who are often responsible for ensuring that order winning and order qualifying aspects are introduced in order to enable orders win and acquire a larger market share in a specific market. For the case of small cars, it is quite important for marketers to ensure that they identify the demands by customers and work towards meeting their demands. An order winning factor would give the customers the reasons why they should purchase the cars and ensure that they get the value for their money. For a small car, the order winning factors would be elements such as performance, effectiveness of the design, availability, attractiveness, price, among other factors. In order to ensure that the customers purchase a product such as a small car, the marketers have to ensure that the factors are in line with the customer’s needs and wants. As  a matter of fact, the small cars have to be designed in a manner that would give customer value attributes to the customer and satisfy their needs. For instance, a small expensive car might be bought as a result of the prestige that comes with owning such a car. As a result, the customer’s social class might also be a great factor that makes a small car to be the winning order for them. The design process qualifying factors products have to meet the minimum standards in order to make the customers purchase the product. Process design diagram In the company Action Response, there are a number of wastes that have been identifies to be affecting the operations of the charity firm. Notably, there are a number of protocols that have to be followed in the company hence making the process of activities in the organisation to be longer than usual. One of the major factors that lead to wastage with ARAPU processes include wait time. In as much as the company receives overwhelming number of applications per day, it is quite critical for the company to ensure that wait time is reduced so as to provide adequate time for other activities such as processing of funds and creation of more opportunities to the company’s clients. The time spent waiting for the company’s response should be significantly reduced so as to ensure that the company works within the available time frame to take care of all its operations. Another factor that wastes time in a number of organisations is the processes. The use of a standard form in application of aid by either the potential aid recipients or their intermediary charities has made the application process take much longer than expected. As a result, there is wastage of resources in printing of forms that could rather be filled online using log in details given to every potential recipient and their intermediaries. With an IT system that is well-equipped, the company can work towards ensuring that it achieves its goals faster than normal through its IT experts. Sending applications through posts and fax takes longer time and makes the company handle bulky papers that could otherwise be turned into other uses. By employing several staff members with different roles, the company is overspending on labour. Alternatively, the company could employ qualified technology experts so that all the activities such as coding, filling, and data entry are done at a central place. In order to save time and avoid wastage of resources, the  company should ensure it works towards using the Deming process improvement cycle in order to achieve its goals. Evidently, using the cycle would involve the process of: Plan-under this section, the company should come up with the best plans that it can use to meet the demands of its potential aid recipients. This could be done by seeking more funds and ensuring that it carries out effective planning that would see the use of the funds done in an organised manner. The planning process would also involve coming up with goals and objectives that would be very crucial in creating efficiency within the organisation. Do- This stage involves implementation of all the ideas that ARAPU had noted in the planning stage. In fact, this is where much work lies as the company would process a number of aid applications as per the case study. Study- Under this stage, the organisation would ensure that it monitors the various outcomes that it got from the last two processes. It will also help in identification of problems and evaluation of the organisational success. Act- This step closes the cycle and mainly involves integrating any factor noticed in the entire process. The step also involves coming up with actions that could be used in ensuring adjustments are made to the goals. It might also involve reformulation of the organisational strategies so as to bring more donors on board. In order to gain the best results, the process should be repeated over and over again.

Building and Managing Systems Essay

JetBlue and WestJet: A Tale of Two IS Projects The time had come for both JetBlue and WestJet to upgrade their reservation systems. Each carrier had started out using a system designed for smaller start-up airlines, and both needed more processing power to deal with a far greater volume of customers. They also needed features like the ability to link prices and seat inventories to other airlines with whom they cooperated. Both JetBlue and WestJet contracted with Sabre Holdings, one of the most widely used airline IT providers, to upgrade their airline reservation systems, The difference between WestJet and JetBlue’s implementation of Sabre’s SabreSonic CSS reservation system illustrates the dangers inherent in any large-scale IT overhaul. It also serves as yet another reminder of how successfully planning for and implementing new technology is just as valuable as the technology itself. Sabre’s newest system, SabreSonic CSS, performs a broad array of services for any airline. It sells seats, collects payments, allows customers to shop for flights on the airline’s Web site, and provides an interface for communication with reservation agents. Customers can  use it to access airport kiosks, select specific seats, check their bags, board, rebook, and receive refunds for flight cancellations. All of the data generated by these transactions are stored centrally within the system. JetBlue selected SabreSonic CSS over its legacy system developed by Sabre rival Navitaire, and WestJet was upgrading from an older Sabre reservation sy stem of its own. The first of the two airlines to implement SabreSonic CSS was WestJet. When WestJet went live with the new system in October 2009, customers struggled to place reservations, and the WestJet Web site crashed repeatedly. WestJet’s call centers were also overwhelmed, and customers experienced slowdowns at airports. For a company that built its business on the strength of good customer service, this was a nightmare. How did WestJet allow this to happen? The critical issue was the transfer of WestJet’s 840,000 files containing data on transactions for past WestJet customers who had already purchased flights, from WestJet’s old reservation system servers in Calgary to Sabre servers in Oklahoma. The migration required WestJet agents to go through complex steps to process the data. WestJet had not anticipated the transfer time  required to move the files and failed to reduce its passenger loads on flights operating immediately after the changeover. Hundreds of thousands of bookings for future flights that were made before the changeover were Essentials of Management Information Systems, Tenth Edition, by Kenneth C. Laudon and Jane P. Laudon. Published by Prentice Hall. Copyright  © 2013 by Pearson Education, Inc. ISBN 1-269-41688-X In recent years, the airline industry has seen several low-cost, high-efficiency carriers rise to prominence using a recipe of extremely competitive fares and outstanding customer service. Two examples of this business model in action are JetBlue and WestJet. Both companies were founded within the past two decades and have quickly grown into industry powerhouses. But when these companies need to make sweeping IT upgrades, their relationships with customers and their brands can be tarnished if things go awry. In 2009, both airlines upgraded their airline reservation systems, and one of the two learned this lesson the hard way. JetBlue was incorporated in 1998 and founded in 1999 by David Neeleman. The company is headquartered in Queens, New York and flies to 63 destinations in 21  states and eleven countries in the Caribbean, South America and Latin America. JetBlue’s goal has been to provide low-cost travel along with unique amenities like TV in every seat, and its heavy reliance on information technology throughout the business was a critical factor in achieving that goal. JetBlue met with early success and continued to grow at a rapid pace, consistently rank ing at the top of customer satisfaction surveys for U. S. airlines. Headquartered in Calgary, Canada, WestJet was founded by a group of airline industry veterans in 1996, including Neeleman, who left to start JetBlue shortly thereafter. The company began with approximately 40 employees and three aircraft. Today, the company has 7,800 employees and operates 420 flights per day to 71 destinations in Canada, the United States, the Caribbean, and Mexico. Earlier in this decade, WestJet underwent rapid expansion spurred by its early success and began adding more Canadian destinations and then U. S. cities for its flights. By 2010, WestJet held nearly 40 percent of the Canadian airline market, with Air Canada dropping to 55 percent. JetBlue is slightly bigger, with 167 aircraft in use compared to WestJet’s 88, but both have used the same  low-cost, good-service formula that brought profitability in the notoriously treacherous airline marketplace. The rapid growth of each airline rendered their existing information systems obsolete, including their airline reservation systems. Upgrading reservations systems carries special risks. From a customer perspective, only one of two things can happen: Either th e airline successfully completes its overhaul and the customer notices no difference in the ability to book flights, or the implementation is botched, angering customers and damaging the airline’s brand. Chapter 11: Building Information Systems and Managing Projects handle these problems. JetBlue ended up using its backup site several times. JetBlue had the advantage of seeing WestJet begin its implementation months before, so it was able to avoid many of the pitfalls that WestJet endured. But JetBlue had also experienced similar customer service debacles in the past. In February 2007, JetBlue tried to operate flights during a blizzard when all other major airlines had already canceled their flights. This turned out to be a poor decision, as the weather conditions prevented the  flights from taking off and passengers were stranded for as long as ten hours. JetBlue had to continue canceling flights for days afterwards, reaching a total of 1,100 flights canceled and a loss of $30 million. JetBlue management realized in the wake of the crisis that the airline’s IT infrastructure, although sufficient to deal with normal day-to-day conditions, was not robust enough to handle a cr isis of this magnitude. This experience, coupled with the observation of WestJet’s struggles when implementing its new system, motivated JetBlue’s cautious approach to its own IT implementation. Sabre had to adjust the flights using the new system. This delay provoked a deluge of customer dissatisfaction, a rarity for WestJet. In addition to the increase in customer complaint calls, customers also took to the Internet to express their displeasure. Angry flyers expressed outrage on Facebook and flooded WestJet’s site, causing the repeated crashes. WestJet quickly offered an apology to customers on its site once it came back up, explaining why the errors had occurred. WestJet employees had trained with the new system for acombined 150,000 hours prior to the upgrade, but WestJet spokesman Robert Palmer explained that the company â€Å"encounter(ed) some problems in the live environment that simply did not appear in the test environment,† foremost among them the issues surrounding the massive file transfer. WestJet’s latest earnings reports show that the company weathered the storm successfully, remained profitable, and ranks just below JetBlue and Southwest in airline customer satisfaction. Neverthless, the incident forced the airline to slow down its rollout of a frequent flyer program, as well as code-sharing planswith other airlines, such as American Airlines and Cathay Pacific. These plans allow one airline to sell flights under its own name on aircraft operated by other airlines. In contrast, JetBlue learned from WestJet’s mistakes, and built a backup Web site to prepare for the worst case scenario. The company also hired 500 temporary call center workers to manage potential spikes in customer service calls. WestJet also ended up hiring temporary offshore call center workers, but only after the problem had gotten out of hand. JetBlue made sure to switch its files over to Sabre’s servers on a Friday night, because Saturday flight traffic is typically very low. JetBlue also sold smaller numbers of seats on the flights that did take off that day. JetBlue experienced a few glitches—call wait times increased and not all airport kiosks and ticket printers came online right away. In addition, JetBlue needs to add some booking functions. But compared to what WestJet endured, the company was extremely well prepared to 403 Essentials of Management Information Systems, Tenth Edition, by Kenneth C. Laudon and Jane P. Laudon. Published by Prentice Hall. Copyright  © 2013 by Pearson Education, Inc.