The 10 commandments of employee discipline and dismissal

Last year alone, hundreds of adverse rulings were slapped upon scores of companies, resulting to millions of liabilities. It is sad to note that many employers today, either abetted by their HR and personnel managers, or against the professional advice of HR and lawyers, do not really adhere to the provisions of the Labor Code, on the rules of dealing with their own workers in the matter of discipline and dismissal. Despite all the seminars, workshops and symposia, that HR personnel attend regularly, management never seems to learn. The result could be very damaging, if not disastrous. An adverse decision by the NLRC and the Supreme Court entails not only an order to reinstate workers and pay them full backwages but also moral and exemplary damages. The greatest damage is upon the good name and corporate image and goodwill of the companies, or an irreparable damage on the harmonious relations between employees and management, resulting to declines in productivity, quality and profits. To help address this problem, this writer is now embarking on an advocacy through the PMAP, the official association of people managers in order to address this problem. Last week, I was in Baguio, then to Iligan. Today, I am in Davao then later this week, to Cagayan de Oro, in July in Tacloban, Bicol and Batangas. By August, I will conduct seminars in Cebu, Mandaue, and Mactan on the critical need to go back to the rule of law in leading and managing people. I have 10 commandments on employee discipline and dismissal. First, management should respect the workers' rights in the exercise of the employers' prerogatives to hire and fire people, to transfer, promote and demote. The Labor Code is explicit and unequivocal. The DOLE, NLRC and the Supreme Courts are strict and uncompromising. The second commandment is that management should adhere to the specific just causes for termination of employment, under Article 282 of the Code, like serious misconduct, insubordination, fraud, breach of trust, gross and habitual negligence and crimes. Third, employers should follow the authorized causes under Article 283, like redundancy and retrenchment, labor-saving devices and closures. Fourth, the strict rules on due process, under Article 277 (b) should never be compromised. Fifth, management should always bear in mind that, in illegal dismissal cases, it is the employers and not the complainants who have the burden of proof. Sixth, the proof must be enough to qualify, under the law, and controlling doctrine, as falling within the quantum of substantial evidence. In Cebu alone, many firms failed to comply with these basic principles. The seventh commandment is that management should master the art and science of proper and adequate documentation, from hiring to retiring. Legal forms should be prepared following the intricate procedures and formalities. The advice of expert lawyers should be sought. Some lawyers may be excellent in criminal and civil laws but are absolutely clueless in the practice of labor laws and labor relations. Any mistake could endanger the viability of the business and the career of CEOs and COOs and some HR executives. Commandment number 8 is the crucial choice of lawyers and consultants and the proper handling of labor cases before the Labor Arbiters and the NLRC, the appellate and the Supreme Court. The ninth commandment is knowing how to respond to summons, adverse decisions, writs of executions and other legal processes. Out of sheer lack of knowledge or worse, lack of respect for law and fundamental workers' rights, many monumental mistakes had been committed. The tenth is for management to proactively train their executives, managers and HR staff how to avoid and prevent cases to be filed against the company. A small investment in these forward-looking, developmental and empowering seminars can go a long way in saving the business from the adverse effects of unfavorable court rulings.

Burroughs Wellcome Company Essay

In 1982, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP) labeled the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and began to warn the public of the disease. In 1983 and 1984, the virus that causes AIDS was isolated and in 1988 it was named the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Burroughs Wellcome Company is a subsidiary of Wellcome PLC. Wellcome PLC is a pharmaceutical firm that employs 20,000 people in 18 countries. Wellcome PLC produces both ethical and over the counter medication. Zovirax, which treats herpes infections, accounted for $492 million in sales in 1989 (Kerin & Peterson, 2013). Retrovir, an AIDS treatment, was the second largest seller with $225 million in sales (Kerin & Peterson, 2013). Wellcome PLC also produces over-the-counter Actifed and Sudafed with $253 million in sales in 1989 (Kerin & Peterson, 2013). In 1981, there were 305 reported cases of AIDS, and by 1989 there were 35,198 reported cases of AIDS with numbers expected to continue to rise, although at a much slower rate (Kerin & Peterson, 2013). The majority of victims, almost 90%, were gay men or intravenous drug users, and almost one half of reported cases were in major metropolitan areas, such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Houston, and New York. Not enough was known about the disease in the early 80’s to create a reliable way to predict its’ rate of growth. Economically, treating AIDS patients was proving to be very expensive, averaging between $70,000 and $141,000 per patient according to a 1987 study by the RAND Corporation (Kerin & Peterson, 2013). Treating some forms of cancer averaged less than half of that cost. Since the income level of many AIDS patients was low, Medicaid covered treatment costs for approximately 40% of the patients, resulting in an Burroughs Wellcome Company,   estimated annual cost to the Medicaid system of between $700 and $750 million in 1988 (Kerin & Peterson, 2013).  Several pharmaceutical companies, including Burroughs Wellcome, were in the  race to produce an effective drug to combat HIV and AIDS. Burroughs Wellcome began research in 1984, developed Retrovir and began clinical trials on humans in 1985 (Kerin & Peterson, 2013). The FDA cleared Burroughs to market Retrovir in 1987, as the first and only authorized treatment for AIDS. Bristol Myers developed a drug called DDI, which appeared to slow the progress of the AIDS virus and lessen the damage it causes (Kerin & Peterson, 2013). Hoffman-LaRoche developed a similar drug called DDC that began clinical trials in 1989 (Kerin & Peterson, 2013). As soon as Burroughs Wellcome was given the authority to market Retrovir in March of 1987, public protests began regarding the perceived high price of the drug. Wholesale price for Retrovir was set at $188 for one hundred 100-mg capsules. The recommended dosage was twelve 100-milligram capsules per day. The average annual treatment for an AIDS patients on Retrovir averaged approximately $8,528-$9,745 (Kerin & Peterson, 2013). The public, media, and advocacy groups compared the price of Retrovir to the cancer drug Interferon. The annual cost to a patient taking Interferon was only $5,000. In December of 1987, due to increased pressure, Burroughs Wellcome, reduced the price of Retrovir by 20%, and again by 20% in September of 1989 (Kerin & Peterson, 2013). The first price reduction was due to a cost savings in the production of synthetically manufactured thymidine while the second was due to an increase in potential patients. By 1989 sales had increased from $24.8 million in 1987 to $2 25.1 million (Kerin & Peterson, 2013). As postulated by industry analysts, the direct cost of research and development (R&D) for Retrovir was estimated at $50 million. Burroughs Wellcome spent an additional $30-50 million in indirect costs to establish a new plant and equipment to produce Retrovir (Kerin & Peterson, 2013). They also donated $10 million worth of Retrovir to 4,500 AIDS patients. Pharmaceutical R&D of a new drug in the US averages around $125 million, so with direct and indirect cost to develop Retrovir was on the low side. Prior to Retrovir, Burroughs Wellcome had spent a reported $726 million for R&D in  the previous five years without producing a single commercial winner (Kerin & Peterson, 2013). Retrovir was designated as an â€Å"orphan drug† in 1985 under the Orphan Drug Act of 1983. This enabled Burroughs Wellcome to gain marketing exclusivity for a sevenyear period after its initial introduction. When Burroughs Wellcome was faced with the task of pricing Retrovir they had to account for many factors. They had to consider the demand for Retrovir. Since they were developing a drug for a fairly new disease, with relatively few patients, they had no way to predict what the demand would be in the next five years. They had to recoup their cost with the known numbers of AIDS in 1987, which were still fairly low. Burroughs Wellcome had to take into account both the direct and indirect cost spent on the R&D of Retrovir that totaled approximately $100 million. With an unknown market and $100 million to recoup they had to price Retrovir fairly high at the beginning. Looming competition was another important aspect for Burroughs Wellcome. They knew other pharmaceutical compan ies were researching drugs to treat AIDS and analysts believed there would be one or more of these drugs on the market by 1991 (Kerin & Peterson, 2013). Burroughs Wellcome still had an ethical obligation to maintain fair pricing while trying to recoup their cost, as well as having an existing obligation to its employees, shareholders, and stakeholders. Most importantly however, is their responsibility to patients that rely on Burroughs Wellcome’s products for their health and well-being With an increasing number of AIDS cases, Burroughs Wellcome had a social and financial responsibility to make the drug Retrovir accessible to those who needed it, while remaining financially viable. It would be socially irresponsible to exploit people with an illness for mass profit gains. Like most other industries, the health care industry is competitive and no business is immune to failure. Because of this, Burroughs Wellcome must remain profitable in order to protect its employees and shareholders as well as to ensure that the company  can continue its research while providing the medical community with effective medicine. As previously mentioned, Burroughs had dropped the price of Retrovir twice: first on December 15, 1987 when a price drop of 20% was justified by synthetically produced thymidine and a second 20% cut due to a further expansion of HIV from 600,000 to one million estimated potential patients, at which point Burroughs’ gross profit margin (70.6%) and return on sales (20%) were comparable to other competitors in the industry (Kerin & Peterson, 2013). When pressured by outside entities about further reducing the price, Sir Alfred Shepard of the Board of Directors said, † There is no plan for another price cut† (Kerin & Peterson, 2013). As a result of this balance between sustainability, profitability, and social responsibility, it was important that Burroughs Wellcome maintained its margins and success, but continued to remain sensitive to price concerns. Furthermore, it would benefit both Burroughs and patients in need of the drug, if  insurance companies provided ade quate coverage on the drug Retrovir, as private insurance companies only covered $250 million annually compared to the $750 million covered by Medicaid (Kerin & Peterson, 2013). In January of 1990, congressional lobbyists began campaigning to reduce excessive profits in the drug industry. This set off a new round of pressure from the U.S. Congress, the media, and AIDS advocacy groups to again reduce the price of Retrovir. In 1987 sales of Retrovir were $24.8 million and net profit before tax was $8 million. Considering the $100 million dollar investment for the development, as well as new plant and equipment, the Return on Investment (ROI) was only 8%; meaning they only recovered about 8% of their initial investment for Retrovir. By fiscal year 1988 the ROI for Retrovir had increased to 52% but the initial investment had still not been recovered. In the five years prior to the sale of Retrovir, Burroughs Wellcome as a whole spent $726 million in R&D with no significant new drug.  The ROI for Retrovir was still less than the company as a whole when considering the investment in R&D. See figure 1 Figure 1 According to Industry analysts it was estimated that the cost of Retrovir was between 30 and 50 cents per capsule (Kerin & Peterson, 2013). Using 40 cents for estimates, it can be determined that in 1987 when the drug first became available for sale the return on sales (ROS) was 28%. Realistically, the cost was probably more towards  the 50 cent per capsule higher end, as producing the AZT required a biological chemical harvested from herring sperm and took months and over 20 chemical reactions to produce (Kerin & Peterson, 2013). Using the high-end estimate the ROS in 1989 was only 23.3%. This is very close to the 23.5% ROS industry average. By 1989 the price of Retrovir had been reduced by 20% twice. Burroughs Wellcome stated the first price reduction in December of 1987 was due to a synthetically manufactured Thymidine becoming available. At this time, ROS was 23.0% using the 40 cent COGS estimate. Due to public pressure for an affordable AIDS treatment Burroughs Wellcome reduced its price again by 20% in September of 1989. At the 40 cent estimated cost this reduced the ROS to16.4%. Even using the low 30 cent estimate the ROA was only 24% which was is still very comparable to the 23.5% industry average. Burroughs Wellcome overall company ROS in 1989, while they were selling Retrovir at the $1.20 price per 100mg, was only 20%, which is over 3% lower than the industry average. Continued pressure to reduce the price again is not warranted. The figures show that to reduce the price another 20% would show at best a low 18% ROS and a possible negative ROS. Comparing Burroughs Wellcome to 1989 industry average shows all their current  ratios are well within what is normal for the industry. They are not the highest or the lowest of Return on Sales, Return on Assets, or Return on Equity. Burroughs Wellcome has two choices at this point. Do not reduce the price or reduce the price. The advantage of not reducing the price is the ability to maintain their current ratios that will allow them to continue their R&D for new drugs. The disadvantage of not reducing price is dealing with the public, media, Congress, and advocacy groups that may continue to increase pressure on Burroughs Wellcome and create further negative publicity. The advantages of reducing the price would be the reduced pressure from the groups mentioned before and the claim of being ethically responsible. The disadvantage of reducing the price would be losing the current ratios. They take the chance to lose profit margin therefore lose some ability to develop new drugs. Although there is public unrest in regards to the price of Retrovir we do not recommend Burroughs Wellcome reduce the price further. Reducing the price of Retrovir without another new drug would further reduce their current ratios, which are all within industry averages. Drug companies need profits as incentive to continue their  research. Especially when there is the very real possibility of going several years without the discovery and approval of a new drug. Although, on the surface, it seems very unfair for a patient to have to spend close to $10,000 per year for treatment, it would be far worse if they didn’t have the treatment as an option at all. Drug companies such as Burroughs Wellcome would avoid trying to develop â€Å"orphan drugs† if they had no chance of recovering cost. This is why government offers subsidies, tax benefits, and grants extending patents for drugs that qualify. In 1989 there were only 35,189 reported cases of AIDS in America and due to prevention awareness and HIV treatments, AID’s numbers were leveling off. Drug companies are taking a  huge risk investing millions of dollars in cures and treatments for rare diseases. In part, the cost for â€Å"orphan drugs† is so high because so few people are consumers of them. While it would be socially conscious for Burroughs Wellcome to drop the price further, they have to remain a viable company. Profits will ensure the financial future of the company as well as all the shareholders and stakeholders of the company. Maintaining the ROI percentages will allow Burroughs to remain viable and competitive allowing them to continue to develop new drugs that may provide further benefit. If they were to drop their prices it would be benefit public relations as they put the needs of the consumers before profits, however in such a competitive environment this could prove to be to a liability in the pharmaceutical industry, therefore, it is advisable that they do not drop their price by another 20%. References Kerin, R.A & Peterson, R.A. (2003) Strategic Marketing Problems: Cases and Comments England: Pearson Education Limited

Essay Assignment 2 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Essay 2 - Assignment Example When parents decide to have a child through surrogacy, they are the ones who benefit since they feel that they are satisfied with the decision they make. If the decision is because of a genetic defect in the parents, then she argues that surrogacy is not a solution because the child would still develop the complication since it is in the genes of the parents. It is also difficult to totally decide the kind of child to bear hence we should learn to incorporate all kinds of children and help them accept their situations. The society at large should also discourage commercial surrogacy for reasons posed by parents that there is improper allocation of jobs for disabled. Since some parents consider surrogacy for fear of delivering disabled children, the governments should create slots for employment of such people in the society. This can help such mothers to know that any child borne has a role to play despite his or physical appearance (Anderson, 1997). In his article, Buchanan argues that most human body alterations through biotechnological means have negative effects on the clients that try them. He says that these alterations may either terminate the human nature or make it almost difficult to differentiate between a good and a bad looking person since such judgements are normally done according to natural appearance. These conclusions are just interrelated in a way with the second supporting the first one which is against human enhancements. Although most biotechnological enhancements techniques have been made available, there is still no clarity as to whether these techniques are best solutions for the public. These scientists only talk about how the procedures are possible, they evade to give further advice n such procedures, maybe for commercial purposes. Therefore the public should take it an obligatory role to weigh the shortcomings by considering whether they will still be attractive in their enhanced looks in the future. It might even be true that

The community paramedic Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

The community paramedic - Essay Example Better known as â€Å"the flu,† influenza is a viral respiratory disease of the upper respiratory system (Lowen, Mubareka, Steel & Palese, 2007). If unchecked, it may develop into pneumonia or other serious conditions, especially in the case of pregnant women, younger children, older adults, and people suffering health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, and asthma, which compromise the immune system. It is seasonal, running from fall to spring and reaching its peak during winter. Influenza A, B, and C viruses cause the seasonal flu, which has virus strains that mutate every year. This necessitates development of a new flu vaccine every year. The symptoms for the seasonal flu include moderate-to-high fever; dry and hacking cough; shaking chills; sore throat; headache; severe body and muscle aches; profound fatigue; and runny/stuffy nose. The common cold is named as such because it infects far more people than the seasonal flu (Singh & Das, 2011). The common cold, however, does not result in respiratory conditions, and its mild symptoms may take up to two weeks to subside. It can result from more than 100 varying viruses. Among the most common of these viruses is the highly contagious rhinovirus that causes sneezing and sniffling. Other viruses include respiratory syncytial viruses and coronaviruses. A majority of common colds occur in low humidity areas, especially during winter and fall months. The symptoms of the common cold include sore throat, stuffy/running nose, mild-to-moderate fever, sneezing, headache or body aches, cough, and mild fatigue. Community paramedics have an overall role of ensuring continual improvement of the healthcare system in a community. They assist in monitoring of influenza vaccination programs through assessment, whereby they ensure regular collection, collation, analysis and distribution of information on influenza vaccination programs

Reflection Paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 8

Reflection Paper - Assignment Example Finally, the instructor was accommodative and ready to explain points that were challenging, and hence, the course was both educative and entertaining. There are several lessons I learned about myself. I learnt the need to set achievable goals and mark major milestones in my life. It is essential to set achievable goals, achieve the goal, and strive to achieve the next goal. I set up the goals because it is easy to succeed when one knows where they are from and where they are heading. I have learned that I am self-conscious health wise and focus on living a healthy life. In addition, I am considerably responsible at a personal level and make service an essential part of everyday life. Responsibility is essential because it enhances positive relationships with others at both a personal and a professional level. Through this, I gained new ideas and modified some of my existing concepts on leadership. I have learned that I am a credible person. There are some basic things I have learnt about leadership that have helped me hone my leadership skills. It is necessary to maintain credibility with people. Credibility ensures that followers believe in a person and believe what they say. Without credibility, it is difficult to attract honesty from other people. Although it is often a challenge to keep promises and maintain credibility, credibility is one of the qualities that confirm great leadership. At a personal level, it makes one a better person, while on a professional level, it enhance trustworthiness and improves interpersonal relationships in a work place. I plan to use the information I have gained in this course in my life. I intend to enhance my quality of life and further sharpen my skills on leadership through practical training. I will do this through working on my talents in various fields, and enhancing an identity that enables me to discover other talents. This personal development is also useful at the professional level because it can enable me

Waging Nonviolent Struggle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Waging Nonviolent Struggle - Essay Example initial protest rally of more than a thousand people before the building of which housed the communist party’s core committee(Sharp, Gene, &Paulson 103). Then this Latvians presented a solid resistance on the conscription by pretending to not speak Russian and by removing or even replacing avenue signs, signposts, house numbers, as well as place name tablets to be able to confuse the army. This generated a move by the Latvian Supreme court on June 20, 1991 to create nonviolent safeguard center to arrange nonviolent resistance so that you can protect Latvia next to a rumored attack from Moscow, the nonviolent mobility encouraged people to set up small centers of amount of resistance in each of their cities (Sharp, Gene, &Paulson 103). With everyone happy to resist employing nonviolence, the pressure on the Baltic Says and in Moscow. In a planned nonviolent strategy, laying the actual groundwork is fundamentally important. Working upon laying groundwork for nonviolent movements is determined by defining ambitions and aims, choosing tactic and practices, making mishap plans in addition to training. The withdrawal of consent, cooperation in addition to submission can challenge the system as this affects the actual opponent’s options for power. How critically the flashbacks does so will vary with the products the types of the action, the amounts of the activists, and their persistent in the face of repression (Sharp, Gene, &Paulson 103). To balance out repression entails using different degrees of pressure for example, control of communication and information, internal pressure, and confiscation in addition to exceptional

Alfred Hitchcock Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Alfred Hitchcock - Essay Example After attending the London County School of Engineering and Navigation, he tried to participate in World War I but was rejected by the military because of his obesity. Undaunted, Hitchcock joined the cadet regimen of the Royal Engineers in 1917. Although he did his part during training, he still did not make it to active military service. Eventually, the man who had previously worked as a draftsman and advertising engineer at Henley's would go on to become one of the most prolific writers of the in-house The Telegraph where he began to dabble in stories rooted in suspense and twist endings. As a writer, he tried his hand at writing various genres including the satirical disquisition â€Å"The History of Pea Eating† and Fedora, which is considered as his shortest and most enigmatic contribution to the literary world (â€Å"Alfred Hitchcock†). Finding work as a title designer led Hitchcock to discover photography, which in turn led to his working as Islington Studios as a silent film title card designer. Hitchcock began a steady 5 years ascent to film director from the moment he began working for Islington Studios. Working steadily in Germany as a collaborator of acclaimed film director Graham Cutts in 1924, the length of time that he spent living and working there influenced his â€Å"seminal† and expressionist film making style. Just like any other film maker just starting out, his career was plagued by budget constrictions, canceled films due to lack of budget, and lackluster ticket sales. Yet Hitchcock soldiered on and became one of the most notable film directors in England for his early films. The most notable of his early work was â€Å"The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog†, which was released in 1929. A majority of film historians believe that this movie in particular set the style for the future films of the director. It was in describing this film that the term â€Å"Hitchockian† was first used as there seemed no bett er or fitting term with which to describe the story he told on film (â€Å"Alfred Hitchcock†). Most of Hitchcock's early films made in Britain are silent films. His tenth film however, titled â€Å"Blackmail† which was shot in 1929, is considered to be an early British â€Å"talkie† considered by many to be the first ever British sound feature film. This film is also notable for having the longest appearance by the director in the movie, as was Hitchcock's signature in all his films. More importantly, this film set the trend by the director of using important landmarks in the country as backdrops for the highlights of his movies. By the 1930's his name was becoming well known far and wide thanks to the success of his films â€Å"The Man Who Knew Too Much† and â€Å"The 39 Steps†. This resulted in the American film producer David O. Selznick actively bidding for his services, winning a 7 year contract with the soon to be highly acclaimed film direct or. Hitchcock left England for a new career in the colonies in March, 1939. (â€Å"Alfred Hitchcock†), believing that he had reached the limits of the British film industry. The golden age of Alfred Hitchcock as a film director occurred during his stint in Hollywood where, unhampered by budget issues, he was able to tell the story that he wanted, regardless of how much film footage it took to do so. The audience lapped up

Formal Analysis of Gao Jianfu (1879-1951)s Buddhist Pagodas in Burma Essay

Formal Analysis of Gao Jianfu (1879-1951)s Buddhist Pagodas in Burma - Essay Example In 1939, Gao Jianfu was one of the Chinese artists who founded the Awakening Art Academy. The main purposes of the academy were to produce skilled artists who could document the war crimes in form of paintings, and to host art exhibitions in the southern cities of Macao and Hong Kong (Hung 148). During his time, Jianfu not only spearheaded establishment of national art academies, but also produced iconic paintings of ruined cities and buildings. Succeeding sections of this paper contains formal analysis of two paintings on the theme of ruins and destruction by Jianfu. In one painting on page 151 of the chapter The Birth of Ruins, Jianfu uses ink and color on paper to depict a Chinese city in ruins. On page 153 of the same chapter, there is a painting by Jianfu depicting the burning of the Afong Palace. With respect to the painting of a city in ruins, Jianfu work shows the architectural remains of two adjacent buildings, clustered debris on the ground, and white and orange smokes soaring up to the skies. The city in ruins painting contains diagonal lines. Edges of the destroyed walls are diagonally aligned with respect to the ground. In addition, debris and smoke streams are tilted with respect to the ground’s horizontal and vertical planes (Hung 151). Similarly, the painting of Afong Palace depicts dust, ashes and smoke rising in a tilted manner. In both paintings, Jianfu employed the use of diagonal lines to convey a feeling of instability. Diagonally represented structures means they are either unstable, or are wobbling from the effect o f instability (Whitney 58). By using diagonal lines, Jianfu wanted to concisely represent the destroying effects of Japanese invasion in the city painting, and the detrimental state of the Afong Palace in the second painting. With respect to the formal analysis concepts of shape and form, Jianfu depicted both paintings in three dimensions. By viewing the city ruins and the Afong Palace painting, one

Wilsons fourteen points Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Wilsons fourteen points - Essay Example erves that the Wilson’s fourteen points were the hallmark of the American democratic intervention in a situation that would have otherwise precipitated more turmoil and suffering to the whole world, should the USA have decide to take up arms and join either side of the war, as opposed to negotiating a peaceful agreement between the warring parties in World War I (Ignatius, n.p.). Therefore, the two authors agree that the Wilson’s fourteen points were a major milestone towards the realization of the end to war faster that it would have otherwise happened, had the Wilson’s fourteen points not intervened to create an avenue for the warring parties to reach an agreeable settlement. The Wilson’s fourteen points gave Germany a leeway to come out of the World War I without much shame of defeat, owing to the fact that after realizing that Germany was facing an eminent defeat, the German leadership quickly convened the German parliament (Reichstag), and rallied it to agree to the proposals of the Wilson’s fourteen points (Henig, n.p.). This move was certainly meant to make Germany appear as if they simply agreed to the peace settlement mechanism offered through proposed Wilson’s fourteen points, rather than appearing to have surrendered to defeat. In agreement, David Ignatius contends that the Wilson’s fourteen points was an inspiration to the warring parties that felt victimized during the World War I to come out as winners too, owing to the fact that Wilson’s fourteen points had been crafted such that the overall effect of the World War I would not create a clear winner or loser (Ignatius, n.p.). The Wilson’s fourteen points seemed attractive to the Central powers side in the war, owing to the fact that the proposal appeared to be a bit more lenient, when compared to the subsequent terms and conditions of punishment that would have been issued to Germany and its supporters by both France and Britain, on th e event that the war was fought to the end and

Leadership and Human Behavior Essay Example for Free

Leadership and Human Behavior Essay As a leader, you need to interact with your followers, peers, seniors, and others; whose support you need in order to accomplish your goals. To gain their support, you must be able to understand and motivate them. To understand and motivate people, you must know human nature. Human nature is the common qualities of all human beings. People behave according to certain principles of human nature. Human needs are an important part of human nature. Values, beliefs, and customs differ from country to country and even within group to group, but in general, all people have a few basic needs. As a leader you must understand these needs because they can be powerful motivators. Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Unlike others researchers in the earlier days of psychology, Abraham Maslows based his theory of human needs on creative people who used all their talents, potential, and capabilities (Bootzin, Loftus, Zajonc, Hall, 1983). His methodology differed from most other psychological researchers at the time in that these researchers mainly observed mentally unhealthy people. Maslow (1970) felt that human needs were arranged in a hierarchical order that could be divided into two major groups: basic needs and metaneeds (higher order needs): * Basic Needs are physiological, such as food, water, and sleep; and psychological, such as affection, security, and self-esteem. These basic needs are also called â€Å"deficiency needs† because if they are not met by an individual, then that person will strive to make up the deficiency. * Metaneeds or being needs (growth needs). These include justice, goodness, beauty, order, unity, etc. Basic needs normally take priority over these meta needs.

History and Features of Baroque Music

History and Features of Baroque Music The main characteristics of Renaissance music (1450-1600) is music based on modes, but gradually more accidentals creep in, richer texture in four or more parts, blending rather than contrasting strands in the musical texture, harmony and church music and   secular music.   Renaissance music is like ancient Greek and Rome. Renaissance means rebirth. Church music in renaissance period was more than one part and had moving chords. They usually had more accidentals and was song a Capella without instruments. A renaissance composer tried to have the music more blended together rather than separated. Secular music was more independent of churches it was non-religious. Lied, frottala, chanson, madrigal and villancico was the main types of songs. German chorales are protestant hymns. A collection of English words and Italian madrigals were published in 1588. English madrigal were performed in rich peoples homes. There are three kinds of madrigal. The madrigal proper, the ballet and the ayre. The madrigal proper is a lot of word painting music. The ballet texture was mainly chordal. The ayre could be performed in a lot of ways. It could be performed with or without instruments. The main characteristic of Baroque music (1600-1750) is the basso continuo, one mood throughout the entire piece, important string sections, modes were replaced by the major/minor key system, many different forms are used, many types of music, energetic rhythms, long melodies, many ornaments and contrast dynamics. Baroque music had monody. Monody is a single voice line that is supported by a bass line. Instrumental music became very important in the baroque period. The Italian overture began with three section quick, slow and quick. Scarlatti designed the arias in his operas. The French overture is slow, quick and slow. The baroque opera in England was composed by Purcell. Oratorio was a type of music that was very similar opera. They had recitatives, arias and choruses. The only thing that was different was that oratorio was based on sacred stories. Passion is an oratorio telling a story about Christs crucifixion. Cantata means song. Bach composed about 200 church cantatas. A fugue is a contrapuntal piece. Its written in three or four parts. The structure of a fugue can be complicated. The chorale prelude is usually for an organ and they were composed in Germany. A suite is dances for one or more instruments. They were written for harpsichord. They contain a German allemande. A German allemande is in 4/4 time and at modern speed. A French courante is in 3/2 time at a moderately fast speed. A Spanish sarabande is in slow triple time. A gigue is in compound time. After a gigue a composer might introduces a dance like the minuet. A suite began with the prelude. The pieces were in the same key. Baroque sonatas were for two violins and continuo. Composers usually called these trio sonatas. Sonata means sounded. The sonata de camera were meant to be played in peoples homes. The sonata de Chiesa were played in churches. They were more serious than chamber sonatas. Purcell, Bach, Corelli, Handel, Scarlatti and Couperin all composed sonatas. The concerto Grosso was the idea of opposition and contrast led to contrasting groups of instrument. A smaller group of soloists called the concertino. The word concerto means together. The solo concerto has a single instrument and a string orchestra. There are solo sections and tutti sections. The orchestra started to take shape during the baroque period. The string section became a self- contained section. There was still a continuo. There was a lot of contrast, especially in the dynamics. The difference between Renaissance and Baroque music is renaissance was constrained and it was the foundation of baroque music. Baroque music include voices and instruments. Renaissance music was smooth and baroque music was metrical. The tone of baroque music was tonal architecture and renaissance music had systematic point. Melody with accompaniment was noted during the baroque period. The melody during renaissance was imitative.   The texture of renaissance is polyphonic and baroque uses bass and shifts from polyphonic to homophonic. The scale of baroque is major and renaissance is modal. The melody of renaissance is smooth and baroque is based on the principle of continuous. The harmony of baroque is based on the major-minor system and renaissance is consonant 3rds and 6ths. The rhythm of the renaissance was simple meters and recurring accents. The rhythm of baroque is vigorous, tireless drive and carried by bass part. The dynamics of the renaissance is subtle changes and baroque music is terraces dynamics. Josquin des Prez was born in henedouwen. He died on august 27, 1521. He died in escaut Josquin studied under the earlier renaissance master Johannes ockeghem.   Josquin was a Flemish French speaking composer of the renaissance. At the beginning of his career he was appointed at the French court. In the beginning of 1480 he moved to Italy. Josquin composed motets, masses and chansons. Martin Luther said Joaquins was the master of notes. He blended traditional forms with innovations. In his motets he gave free reign to his talent. He was expressing sorrow in poignant harmonies. Josquin used cantus firmus style. He learned how to develop motet style. He used the technique of canon and melodic imitation. He didnt do the rondeau or the ballade. He used five or six voices. Maintain a sharp rhythm and clarity texture. Henry Purcell was born in London in 1659 and died on November 21, 1695. Henry Purcell was an English composer of the baroque period. Henry was most remember for the miniature opera dido and anenea. He composed church, stage, court and private entertainment. Henrys father was the chapel royal.

The Fear Of Science :: essays research papers

The Fear of Science To live in the today's world is to be surrounded by the products of science. For it is science that gave our society color television, the bottle of aspirin, and the polyester shirt. Thus, science has greatly enhanced our society; yet, our society are still afraid of the effect of science. This fear of science can be traced back to the nineteenth century where scientist had to be secretative in experimenting with science. Although science did wonders in the nineteenth century, many people feared science and its effects because of the uncertainty results of science. Our thrist for science can be traced back through many decades. However, the nineteenth century society felt that science was a great investment towards a better life. This investment in science gave the nineteenth century society the discovery of light waves and radio waves, the electric motors, the first photograph and telephone, and the first publication of the periodic table. Science also caused an uproar in society when Charles Darwin published The Origin of Species, which became the scientific basis for the study of the evolution of humans. Many people in the nineteenth century detested Darwin's theory of the evolution of man because it went against their religion, which believed that God created the world. Science, soon, developed the big bang theory, which states that earth was created by the attraction of atoms. The nineteenth century society was afraid of science because it contradicted their beliefs, and was afraid that the results of science would lead to the destruction of mankind. Thus, the study of science was limited because of fear of its effects. The fear of the effects of science was expressed in literature. Novels like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the Time Machine, and Frankenstein showed the dangers of science and that science would soon lead to the destruction of mankind. The novel Frankenstein is about a man name Victor Frankenstein who wanted to tamper with life and death by "exploring unknown powers, and unfold to the world the deepest mysteries of creation." (Frankenstein, pg.40) He acquired the knowledge of science when he attended the university of Ingolstadt, and once the knowledge of science was gained, Frankenstein went to his secret laboratory to create a creature with gigantic stature. At first, Frankenstein had doubts about creating a human being; however, with "the improvement which every day takes place in science and mechanics, [he] was encouraged to hope [his] present attempts would at least lay the foundation of future success." (Frankenstein, pg.47) Once Frankenstein created his human being, his dream was vanished because he had accomplished his dream.

Nature of Logic and Perception Essay -- Logic Critical Thinking Philos

Nature or Logic and Perception Outline: 1. Definition of logic and its connection with critical thinking. 2. An everyday example is given when use of logic and critical thinking takes place. 3. Nature of logic defined. 4. Perceptual shortcuts and factors influencing it. 5. How these shortcuts affect our decisions. 6. My personal experience of perceptual shortcut. 7. What I learned from this experience. 8. Importance of logic and critical thinking. 9. Resources This paper is aimed at the relation logic has with perception. It kicks off with the meaning and process of logic and how it then relates to critical thinking. It further gives a very common example of how one makes a decision with the help of his/ her critical thinking. We then find out what perceptual shortcuts are and how they are formed and what influences it. The paper then goes on to explain in detail about an incident in my life where my perception of the situation was far from the actual reality. The paper wraps up with my final thoughts of how nature of logic affects thinking process. Webster?s dictionary defines logic as the science dealing with the principles of reasoning, especially of the method and validity of deductive reasoning. In layman?s terms, the use of logic within our thinking allows us the ability to discern and reason logically that with which we are presented with on a daily basis. It is a process of examining and evaluating any particular idea or thought, in an effort to search for the truths that allows us to better understand or identify why we think the way we do. It enables us to more effectively express our opinions and ideas or even aid in the argument of someone else?s point of view. Hence the term, Critical Thinking! It is a way in which we rationalize any given thought or idea that helps us to come to a conclusion based on the findings that support it. For instance, before heading to work you watch the news and their morning traffic update for possible accidents and road closures because you have an hour commute. On this particular morning you hear the traffic reporter mention that your daily route to work has been closed due to a huge tractor-trailer accident. Logically, and using critical thinking you are able to come up with two alternate routes for getting to work on time. Using further logic and critical... ... she only 2 years old. As I came to know the truth, I immediately apologized. We are still best friends. But since that day onwards, I learnt that ?first investigate and then poke into the matter?. I also began to be more understanding since then. I further changed my tactics and always made sure that I knew both sides of the story. The nature of logic as it relates to critical thinking, and the perceptual process have a great impact on individuals choices and decisions in life. It is important to think before you speak because you never know where miss-understanding may take you. Do not assume, but think about all of your possible choices before making a fair decision. View situations in its entirety for clearer possible outcomes. When you have exhaled all possible choices, make a final decision that makes you feel more comfortable with your decision. In the end not only will you gain knowledge, but you will also enhance your way of thinking to understand and except different people and environments. Bibliography Brewer, Bill. ?Perception and Reason?. Clarendon Press: Oxford, 1999. Pg no 288. Philosophy Lander http://philosophy.lander.edu/logic/nature_log.html

Essay Comparing Candide and Mary Shelleys Frankenstein -- comparison

Comparing Voltaire's Candide and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein  Ã‚   Voltaire's Candide and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein are classics of western literature, in large part, because they both speak about the situation of being human. However, they are also important because they are both representative of the respective cultural movements during which they were written - the Enlightenment and the Romantic Era. As a result of this inheritance, they have different tones and messages, just as the Enlightenment and Romanticism had different tones and messages. But, it is not enough to merely say that they are "different" because they are linked. The intellectual movement from which Frankenstein emerged had its origins in the intellectual movement from which Candide emerged. By examining each of these works from the context of these intellectual movements, the progression in tone from light-hearted optimism in Candide to a heavier brooding doom in Frankenstein can be explained as being an extension of the progression from the Enlightenment to the Era of Roman ticism. The Enlightenment had its roots in the scientific and philosophical movements of the 17th century. It was, in large part, a rejection of the faith-based medieval world view for a way of thought based on structured inquiry and scientific understanding. It stressed individualism, and it rejected the church's control of the secular activities of men. Among the movement's luminaries were Descartes, Newton, and Locke. They, among others, stressed the individual's use of reason to explain and understand the world about himself in all of its aspects. Important principles of the Enlightenment included the use of science to examine all aspects of life (this was labeled "reason"),... ...The need is never satisfied for the reader, for Shelley's perception of society after the Enlightenment is a bleak place where human needs are supplanted by the monolithic focus on reason alone. This stands in sharp contrast to the ending of Candide. While the young man is constantly denied the company of his one true love, Cunegonde, throughout the work, in the end he finds her and finds satisfaction in a life near his friends as a farmer. The Enlightenment found optimistic hope in a dark age through the potential of the progress of human society, but to the Romantics, this improved world was less than optimistic if untouched by human elements such as love and imagination.    Works Cited: Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. New York: Bantam Books, 1991. Voltaire. Candide. In Candide, Zadig and Selected Stories.Trans. Donald Frame, New York: Penguin Group, 1961.

Evolution of Globalization Essay

The term globalization denotes â€Å"globe† as a single market. Product presence in different Markets of the world. Production base across the globe. Human resources from all over the world. International investment Transaction involving IPRs. The advent in ICI(information, communication and technology) Rapid economic liberalization of trade and investment The mobility of people and transactional moves The reach of satellite channels, internet etc. CONCEPT OF GLOBALIZATION IMF defines globalization as â€Å" The growing economical interdependence of countries worldwide through increase in volume and variety of cross border transactions in goods and services and of international capital flows and also through the more rapid and wide spread diffusion of technology† Charles Hill defines globalization â€Å"it is a shift towards more integrated and interdependent world economy† It has two components 1. Globalization of markets 2. Globalization of production Globalization refers to the free cross border movements of goods and services, capital, information and people. It is the process of creating network connections among the actors of multinational distances mediated through a variety of flaws. Westernatization, wallmartization, Americanization, Mcdonalization, disnaffication, coco-colonization FACTORS AFFECTING GLOBALIZATION/ DRIVERS OF GLOBALIZATION establishment of GATT(General Agreement of trade and tariff) and WTO regional integration NAFTA, ASZN, European union, SAARC, OPEZ, European integration declining trade barriers-tarrifs and quotas growth in foreign direct investment advancement in technology emergence of international monetary fund. COMPONENTS OF GLOBALIZATION 1. Globalization of markets 2. Globalization of production 3. Globalization of investment 4. Globalization of technology Globalization of markets: integrating and merging as the world market a s single market. Features: Size of the company Market for non-consumer goods, industrial goods and financial goods. Different strategies required for different markets Reasons for globalization of markets Large scale industrialization and mass production To reduce the risk and to diversify the portfolio. To increase the profit The failure of domestic companies Adverse business environment Globalization of production: Reasons Cheap raw materials, cheap labour and high quality Imposition of restriction on imports Reduce the cost of transportation Globalization of technology: Revolution in telecommunication, information technology and transportation technology ADVANTAGES / DISADVANTAGES OF GLOBALIZATION ADVANTAGES Free flow of capital, tecnology etc Increase in industrialization Spread of production facilities Balance development of world economics Increase in production and consumption Commodities with lower price and high quality Cultural exchange Demand for variety of products Increase in job and income High living standards Balance human development Economic liberalization DISADVANTAGES It kills domestic business Exploit human resources Leads to unemployment and under employment Decline in income Transfer of natural resources National sovereignty at country stake. Leads commercial and political colonization The divide between the rich and the poor The developing and under-developing countries Unemployment and mass layoff Adverse balance of payment Volatile of markets Loss of cultural identity Shift of power to multinationals Effects of globalization The globalization may be defined as the process of integration and convergence of economic, financial, cultural and political system across the world ECONOMIC GLOBALIZATION international trade, investments and capital flaws integration of economics cross border movements of goods and services, technology and capital. FINANCIAL GLOBALIZATION liberalization of capital movement deregulation of financial systems cross border capital flows listing in international changes. CULTURAL GLOBALIZATION It is the convergence ofculure POLITICAL GLOBALIZATION After the world war 2, the convergence of the political system The response strategies to globalization forces for emerging companies DEFENDER The pressure to globalization is low Understands the home market or the strength lies in deep understanding of the market or their competition assets are customized to local market. The company should adopt defensive strategy that focuses on leveraging the local assets in the market segment where internationals are weak eg: Videocon washing machine introduced semi automatic machine EXTENDER where the industrial pressure to globalization is low. They possess competitive skills and assets that can be transferred abroad Companies can focus on expanding to markets similar to home basic using competencies developed at home. Ex: haldiram DODGER where the industry pressure to globalization is very high. To compete in industries with globalization pressure is highly difficult situation for local companies. CONTENDER High pressure to globalize and transferrable abroad and competitive advantage that can be leveraged overseas by upgrading the capabilities and resources.

Animal Farm As Animal Satire

This study aims to determine that George Orwell s Animal Farm is a political satire which was written to criticise totalitarian regimes and particularly Stalin s practices in Russia. In order to provide background information that would reveal causes led Orwell to write Animal Farm, Chapter one is devoted to a brief summary of the progress of author s life and significant events that had impact on his political convictions. Chapter one also presents background information about Animal Farm. Chapter two is devoted to satire. In this chapter, definition of satire is presented and some important characteristics of satire are discussed. In chapter three, the method of this research is described. Under the light of information presented in the previous chapters, Chapter four discusses Animal Farm and focuses on the book as a political satire. The last chapter presents the conclusion of this study. I would first like to express my sincere thanks to my thesis supervisor, Assoc.Prof. Dr. Jashua M. Bear for his help and freedom he gave me in this study. Without his understanding this thesis would never have been completed. I also wish to thank my sister Fidan Korkut for her suggestions in the planning stage of this study and her endurance during my long study days at home. My special thanks go to +zg r Ceylan, who constantly granted me her moral support. She was always there when I needed her. Presentation This chapter introduces general information about George Orwell s life. It includes chronological progress of his life and his political convictions. Furthermore, important events, such as The Russian Revolution and The Spanish Civil War which had significant influence on his commitment to write Animal Farm will be discussed. Lastly, general information about Animal Farm will be given. His Life The British author George Orwell, pen name of Eric Arthur Blair, was born in Motihari, India, June 25, 1903. His father was an important British civil servant in India, which was then part of the British Empire. A few years after Eric was born, he retired on a low pension and moved back to England. Though their income was not much enough, the Blair family sent their son away to boarding school which was an exclusive preparatory school, to prepare him for Eton Collage. Eric then won a scholarship to Eton Collage. During his education from the age of eight to eighteen, as he wrote in his essay about his school experiences titled â€Å"Such, Such Were the Joys,† he experienced many things about the â€Å"world where the prime necessities were money, titled relatives, athleticism, tailor-made clothes†, inequality, oppression and class distinctions in the schools of England (In Ball,1984). After the education at Eton College in England, Eric joined the Indian Imperial Police in British-Ruled Burma in 1922. There he witnessed oppression again, but this time he was looking at things from the top. Having served five years in Burma, he resigned in 1927 and turned back to Europe and lived in Paris for more than a year. Though he wrote novels and short stories he found nobody to get them published. He worked as a tutor and even as a dishwasher in Paris. During his poor days in Paris, he once more experienced the problems of the oppressed, the helpless and lower class people. In 1933, After having many experiences about the life at the bottom of society, he wrote Down and Out in Paris and London and published it under his pen name â€Å"George Orwell.† After a year in 1934 he published his novel Burmese Days, which he reflected his experiences there. Then, he published A Clergyman s Daughter in 1935, and Keep the Aspidistra Flying in 1936. In 1936, his publisher wanted Orwell to go to the English coal-mining country and write about it which was another important experience in his life. He wrote The Road to Wigan Pier to reflect what he saw there, the real poverty of people of the Lancashire Town of Wigan, and published it in 1937 (Ball, 1984). 1937 was the year that Orwell who for some time had been describing himself as â€Å"pro-socialist† (BALL, 1984) joined the Republican forces in the Spanish Civil War. When the Communists attempted to eliminate their allies on the far left, he fought against them and was wounded in the fighting, later was forced to flee for his life. His experience in this war was to have the most significant impact on his political thoughts and his later works. In 1938, Orwell wrote Homage to Catalonia, which recounts his experiences fighting for the Republicans in the Spanish Civil War. One of his best-known books reflecting his lifelong distrust of dictatorial government, whether of the left or right, Animal Farm, a modern beast-fable attacking Russian Revolution, Stalinism and totalitarianism, was published in 1945, and Nineteen Eighty-Four, a dystopian novel setting forth his fears of an intrusively bureaucratised state of the future was published in 1949. His first fame was brought by these two novels and they were the only ones which made a profit for him as a writer (Ball,1984). Orwell died at the early age of forty-seven of a neglected lung ailment in London, Jan. 21, 1950. His Time: Political Background In his essay â€Å"Why I Write†, Orwell (1947) says: I do not think one can assess a writer s motives without knowing something of his early development. His subject matter will be determined by the age he lives in at least this is true in tumultuous, revolutionary ages like our own Taking Orwell s his own words into consideration, in order to get a better understanding of his works and particularly of his political satire Animal Farm, we should look at his political convictions, and the historical context which influenced Orwell and inspired him to write. Very few authors develop essays explaining the motivation behind their writing. Orwell was of one them. Therefore in order to understand his motivations, his essay â€Å"Why I Write† would be the most appropriate source to be looked at. Orwell was a political writer and according to him he was forced to be a writer by the circumstances under which he has become aware of his political loyalties. His Burma and Paris days increased his natural hatred of authority and made him aware of the existence of the working classes.(Orwell, 1947) As mentioned above, he described himself as â€Å"pro-Socialist.† What he was longing for was a society in which there would be no class distinctions, and he named his ideal ideology â€Å"democratic socialism†. He says â€Å"every line of serious work that I have written since 1936 has been directly or indirectly, against totalitarianism and for democratic socialism † (Orwell, 1947) There are two significant events that have great influence on Orwell s political thoughts: The Russian revolution that took place in the second decade of 20th century and The Spanish Civil War between 1936 and 1939. The Russian Revolution Bolshevik Revolution of October 1917 was the first great revolution which aimed at to overthrow the owners of the means of production, that is Capitalist Bourgeoisie, and to establish a state to be ruled by the working class, the Proletariat. Ideological basis of the revolution was taken from the philosophy of Karl Marx and Frederick Angels who believed that the history of the world was the history of a struggle between classes- between ruling classes and ruled classes (Han erlio lu, 1976). Marx was very critical of industrial capitalist society in which there are many cruel injustices and men are exploited by men. Out of his analysis of Capitalist system, he attained a vision of ending these injustices and establishing a society in which there would be no social classes and everybody would be equal. To him, in order to achieve this end the only way was a revolution made by the working class or the Proletariat against the Bourgeoisie. After revolution working classes would own the means of production. Marx called the new order that would be set after revolution â€Å"dictatorship of the Proletariat† which eventually replaced with a classless society (Han erlio lu, 1976). In October 1917, V.I. Lenin, led the socialist (Bolshevik) revolution in Russia. After the revolution was a four-year bloody civil war. During this war Red Army of the revolution organised and headed by Leon Trotsky had to fight against both Russians who were loyal to Czar and foreign troops (The Academic American Encyclopaedia, 1995). After Lenin died in 1924, a struggle between Joseph Stalin and Leon Trotsky started for the leadership of the Communist Party. Stalin gained priority over Trotsky and; in 1925 Trotsky with several other members ousted from Politburo (the chief executive and political committee of the Communist Party); in 1927 Trotsky and his followers expelled from Party; Stalin took the control. Later Trotsky was exiled and in 1929 he was deported. In 1940 he was assassinated. During this period, Stalin always denounced Trotsky as a traitor (Ball, 1929). In the following years, Russia witnessed that Stalin started to take all power only in his hands. In 1930 s, many people were arrested. After public trials most of the opposing elements were eliminated. Stalin has been accused of being a very cruel dictator. However, Nikita Khrushchev, who ruled USSR between 1958-1964 and who was very critical of Stalin s crimes and non-human practices said in 1956 that: Stalin believed that all his practices was necessary in order to defend the benefits of labourers. He looked at these practices from the view point of the benefit of socialism and labourers. Thus, we cannot define his practices as of a giddy cruel despot. Here, it is the all tragedy (Han erlio lu, 1979). The Spanish Civil War In 1936, General Francisco Franco led a military coup in Spain, plunging the country into civil war. Franklin Rosemont in his article â€Å"Spanish revolution of 1936†³ defines the beginning of the revolution as follows: When Franco s fascist troops invaded Spain in July 1936 with the purpose of overthrowing the young and unstable Republic, the Spanish working class responded by making a revolution that went much further toward realising the classless and stateless ideal of proletarian socialism than any preceding popular revolt. Spontaneously and almost overnight, workers seized factories and other workplaces; land was collectivised; workers militias were formed throughout the country; the church age-old enemy of all working-class radicalism and indeed, openly profascist was dismantled, and its property confiscated; established political institutions disintegrated or were taken over by workers committees (Rosemont, 1988). Yet, between 1936 and 1939 the military rising originating in Morocco, headed by General Francisco Franco, spreads rapidly all over the country, After a number of bloody battles in which fortunes changed from one side to the other. Finally, Nationalist forces occupied the capital, Madrid, on March 28, 1939, and on April 1, General Franco officially ended the war (The Academic American Encyclopaedia). Orwell And The Spanish Civil War David Ball (1984) points out three experiences in the Spanish Civil War that were important for Orwell: atmosphere of Comradeship and respect, what happened to his fellow fighters and what happened when he returned to England and reported what he had seen. After spending very poor days in Paris, Orwell went to Spain to fight for the Republicans in the Spanish Civil War. When he arrived Barcelona, he found an elating â€Å"atmosphere of Comradeship and respect†. People were friendly and addressing each other â€Å"comrade†. To Orwell, relations in the militia group he joined were the same and this made him feel that socialism was in action there. But later on, he was disappointed by what happened to his arm friends who were imprisoned and killed by their own â€Å"comrades† who were of Communist-dominated elements of the Republican government that they were fighting for. Communists believed that the communist ideas were betrayed by the militia group that Orwell belonged to. After he was wounded Orwell went back to England for remedy and was saved from being killed by his â€Å"comrades†. When he returned England he reported what he witnessed in the war, but Socialists strongly resisted to understand what he told about the practices of communists in Spain. The reason was that it was not the right time to publicise all these things while the war was going on and this information would harm Republican s position in the war. After this bad experience, he started to be more critical of British socialists and of communism. He wrote in his article â€Å"The Spanish war and other events in 1936-37 turned the scale and thereafter I knew where I stood.† (Orwell, 1947)

Management and Supply Function Essay

It should be emphasised from the outset that purchasing and supply management is executed as an integrated part of the firm’s broader management (as part of the logistics management or supply chain management approach) *Purchasing and supply PLANNING is part of the firm’s general planning, mainly because the continuous supply of raw materials components & services is of a strategic importance to the enterprise. The supply market is just as important for the firm’s survival continued profitability as the sales market is the firms own product. Firm’s general planning must be integrated. *The ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE of the purchasing and supply function should be aimed mainly @ linking into the firm’s overall structure in the most effective way. The purchasing and supply function primarily renders a service to the enterprise. *Purchasing and supply COORDINATION should be aimed @ harmonising and aligning the activities of the purchasing and supply function with those of the other business functions. When a firm vests the authority for the purchasing and supply function in 1 person or team. Advantages: ;gt;Standardisation of materials and products is possible because purchases are made at one point ;gt;Purchasing and supply staff are afforded the opportunity to become experts ;gt;Control over all aspects of the purchasing and supply function is improved ;gt;Administrative costs are reduced by eliminating duplication DECENTRALISED PURCHASING ; SUPPLY ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE Purchasing by different departments, branches or plants, while each of them enjoys an important measure of autonomy of decision making regarding the purchasing and supply function. Advantages: ;gt;Better liaision can be effected between decentralised purchasing and supply functions and the user functions of individual plants served by the purchasing and supply function ;gt;The needs users can be better satisfied because the purchasing and supply function knows them better ;gt;Different plants maintain their autonomy. Plant managers are often fully responsible  for the profitability of individual plants. According to the combined approach, common requirements of the different plants such as equipment and certain categories of raw materials, are purchased centrally head of office. The plants’ purchasing and supply functions are assisted by corporate   purchasing and supply in developing policies, procedures, and control measures, recruiting and training staff, auditing the   purchasing and supply performance of the plants. The main coordinating mechanisms of purchasing and supply management with other functions in the organisation, and with suppliers and customers, are definitely computer systems such as electronic data interchange(EDI), materials planning (MRPII) and distribution requirements planning (DRP). TWO TYPES OF COORDINATION Between purchasing and supply and other functional areas Purchasing coordination is lateral acts in an advisory/support method to the other functions in the enterprise. Between p and s and the supplier system Two dimensions to the coordination between p and s function and the supplier system. Firstly there is coordination with the whole supplier system and secondly with the individual suppliers. The flow of products and services from the supplier has to be effective, the p and s function has to ensure that coordination between them and the supplier ensures this occurs. This can be achieved by means of supplier alliances, integrated systems and inter-organisational teams. The supplier must become an extension of the buying enterprise. The chief coordinating mechanisms available to p and s management are open communication, strategic alliances, integrated systems, the conscious motivation of suppliers and standardisation of specifications, purchasing documents and purchasing procedures. CONTROL : PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF THE PURCHASING AND SUPPLYFUNCTION Control may be defined as a systematic attempt to reach objectives or set standards that accord with the enterprise’s goal, to observe actual perform- ance and compare it with the set standards, and to take corrective steps with a view to achieving the mission and goals of the enterprise. Objectives and basic principles of performance evaluation P and activities are complex, needs to have a control system. Feedback   on actual performance(measured against quantitative norms). This ensures that the p and s strategy is implemented at the various levels in the company. With this the p and s manager can monitor and improve the functions actual performance. Control ensures that all the other functions with p and s work optimally.

The State Of The Lebanese Curriculum Education Essay

On Tuesday April 18, 1996 Israeli 155mm mortars shelled UNIFIL ‘s Fiji BATT compound in the small town of Qana few kilometres south E of Tyre in Southern Lebanon. Around 800 civilians had taken safety at the base. The organic structures of 102 Arab civilian work forces, adult females and kids were shattered to pieces. Many similar accidents had occurred in the past, but this one was different. It triggered protests and presentations against the Israeli ground forces which has been busying Lebanon since March 14, 1978. During and since these events, the Lebanese acted as united and cohesive people, fighting to make the same end of release, and to bask its fruits – a free and incorporate state. Four old ages subsequently, the Israeli military personnels moved out of the country and May 25, 2000, was declared a national vacation in jubilation of opposition and release. Each twelvemonth, activities and visits are paid to the grave of the Qana slaughter victims, in memorialization of the 18th of April. Crowds of citizens, intellectuals and pupils from different countries of Lebanon visit the sufferer ‘ graveyard in Qana on the said juncture. The purpose is to supply approaching coevalss with cognition bases, good for the building of a hereafter rich in its national didactic lessons, peculiarly the national battle heroic poem against business. As a Lebanese, I truly acknowledge the function the Lebanese have ever played in engaging a war against the business of our land and resources. However, I am critical of the Lebanese course of study which has been meaningless and non built on facets and issues of the Lebanese world. I am even more critical of the insensitive and unresponsive nature of the math course of study we teach and survey, at least in the schools and universities in Lebanon, which is inactive and does n't experience anything of its milieus. There is no uncertainty about the extent of harm caused by many old ages of business in our instruction in Lebanon. Most significantly we are non able to cover with Western mathematics which is described by Bishop ( 1990 ) as â€Å" one of the most powerful arms in the infliction of Western civilization † . ( p. 52 ) Although the â€Å" business † of our land is an highly serious issue, the biggest danger we presently face is the battle for stoping the â€Å" business of our heads † because â€Å" The most powerful arm in the custodies of the oppressor is the head of the oppressed † ( Freire, 1970, p.14 ) . Since the development age was launched by Truman more than 50 old ages ago ( through declaring all societies outside the Western universe â€Å" developing † and, therefore, in demand of â€Å" aid † to â€Å" develop † them ) , mathematics instruction, development plans, and scientific cognition have been the chief tools used in interrupting the dorsum of societies. I was born in Beirut, Lebanon. Except for a few old ages when I had to travel out and work, I have lived all my life in Lebanon. When I was born, the Gallic system of Education was used because, for some clip, we have been colonized by France. After 1968, the British and American course of study became the course of study in schools. Since 2000, and after the terminal of the civil war in Lebanon, a so called â€Å" Lebanese new course of study † has been in the procedure of being developed. The intent of this paper is to cast some visible radiation on the Lebanese mathematics curriculum from a socio political position and to foreground some issues that defined and confined the Lebanese experience of learning math in schools. Specifically, I would wish to analyze what â€Å" business of heads † means in mathematics course of study and besides how â€Å" business † is reflected in the history of mathematics instruction in Lebanon. My peculiar attractive force to the impression of â€Å" business † lies in the fact that our heads have been controlled in Lebanon by restricting the options and options in how mathematics was taught and learned in the yesteryear. I am cognizant of this fact because of my past experience as both a pupil and instructor of mathematics in Lebanese schools every bit good as in other schools in the Middle East. We have been directed and driven so that we are unable to see possible options and options in both our instruction and acquisition of mathematics. The nature of mathematics learning has been such that pupils are non encouraged to talk up and show their different ( and sometimes opposing ) points of position and to admit the right of others to take his/her ain point of position.OBJECTIVES OF TEACHING MATHEMATICS IN LEBANONIn Lebanon ( besides true in many topographic points particularly the developing or Third World Countries ) , we are committed to a position of mathematics as a scientific discipline that is absolute and unconditioned. We have considered mathematics to be a complete system stand foring nonsubjective, ageless truths. In his chapter, Math, Culture and Authority, Fasheh ( 1997 ) excellently gives a vivid, thick description of how math, in Third universe states, â€Å" aˆÂ ¦.is normally taught as a set of regulations and expressions that pupils have to memorise, and a set of problems-usually absurd to students- that they must work out † ( p.275 ) . This is every bit true for the Lebanese schoolroom and Lebanese course of study which is extremely compartmentalized and decontextualized. Teachers are the exclusive authorization in the schoolroom every bit good as the major beginning of mathematical cognition dictated as a set of nonnegotiable regulations and processs that challenge topographic point and clip. In short, mathematics course of study is considered as the unquestionable hegemony which is to be followed and respected by both pupils and instructors. Reflecting on the province of the field, a closer expression at the history of how findings from international proving led many states to oppugn the substance of their school course of study and how this testing has led to divisions and wars been what the best math course of study for the twenty-first century is, confirms the incontrovertible position that when political relations intervene in instruction worldwide, the good intended messages are lost. Possibly a well known illustration is the California math Wars where terrible diminution in the sum of educational budgets made it more purposive the usage of standards-based appraisals as a motivation for acquiring more support, the beginning being private organisations.RETHINKING MATHEMATICAL KNOWLEDGE: ETHNOMATHEMATICSâ€Å" A common misconception in the instruction of math has been, and still is, the belief that math can be taught efficaciously and meaningfully without associating it to civilization or to the single pupil † ( Fasheh, 1997, P. 281 ) . Extensive research acknowledges the function that civilization dramas in act uponing the manner people see things and understand constructs. This, and non the trouble of the topic, impacted the position that math is nonmeaningful, stiff and beyond one ‘s apprehension. â€Å" Math can be used to emphasize one ‘s ain civilization with its particular and beautiful features. At the same clip, math can be used to do one aware of the drawbacks in one ‘s ain civilization and attempt to get the better of them † . ( Fasheh, 1997, P. 284 ) . My ain experience, and the experience of many others that I knew or read about, made me progressively believe in the sociopolitical facet of math as a tool to stamp down and rule minorities in the universe. Mathematicss has played an of import portion in globalisation ( English, 2002 ) . First, the topic itself is a merchandise of centuries of cultural exchange between East and West. In the head of many, it has achieved a position of an international linguistic communication independent of cultural association and context of development. The similarity of many mathematics instruction plans around the universe is partially a merchandise of this thought. Second, besides mathematics is seen as a ticket for draw a bead oning persons and states for technological, and therefore economic, development. This image of mathematics promotes the copying of course of study from the economically more successful to the less successful states. Further, the position of mathematics in the course of study is similar in many states where it is given a particular importance, 2nd merely, if non equal, to linguistic communication instruction. In many states mathematics is tied to scientific, technological, and therefore to economic development. Undoubtedly, these similarities have added ammo to the often-expressed position that mathematics is a â€Å" cosmopolitan linguistic communication † . These similarities have given rise to the term â€Å" planetary course of study † in mathematics instruction.The Role of EthnomathematicsFrom prehistoric ages, worlds have been roll uping cognition to react to their thrusts and demands. Such responses vary from part to part, from civilization to civilization ( Bishop, 1990 ) . Possibly the most of import philosophical difference between a traditional and an ethnomathematical position is that ethnomathematics recognizes, encourages, and awards the belief that all people do mathe matics within their ain unique and personal context, and that this ability may take many signifiers ( Borba, 1997 ) . Indeed it emerges from within each person through their single interaction with their cultural and physical environment. It besides recognizes that everyone does mathematics, hence there is no such thing as a non-math individual – ethnomathematics is closely tied to issues of entree and equity ( Anderson, 1997 ) . In his chapter, Ethnomathemtics and Education, Borba envisions â€Å" ethnoknowledge † as the starting point for the pedagogical procedure in which pupils ‘ cognition is â€Å" compared with the ( ethno ) cognition developed by the academic subjects in a manner that this academic cognition can besides be seen as culturally bounded † ( p. 269 ) . Harmonizing to Borba, this study can be accomplished by pupils and instructors discoursing â€Å" the efficiency and relevancy of different sorts of cognition in different contexts † ( p. 269-270 ) . It is going clear in the heads of many the fact that instruction has transformed cognition and larning into trade goods, and pupils and instructors into consumers ( Kilpatrick, 2003 ) .I still retrieve how my female parent, run uping apparels for us and for our friends, used mathematics unwittingly in her pattern. She used to routinely take rectangles of cloth and with few measurings turn them into beautiful, absolutely fitted vesture. The mathematics she was utilizing was beyond my comprehension. Sing her mathematics in context made me understand my mathematics in context, the context of intent, significance, and power. I feel that my female parent was much freer than me. She learned by detecting, making, reflecting, associating, and bring forthing. She constructed her ain apprehension. In contrast, I was an impersonator, work outing jobs, most of which have been solved for a trillion times, in tiring repeat in schools around the universe for the past 100 old ages at least. While sh e was invariably involved in the human facet of math, my cognition and thought were confined chiefly to text editions, which I studied and taught. Detecting my female parent ‘s math and cognition helped me detect how deeply my cognition was entrenched in text edition during my surveies, and during my instruction. As a consequence of colonial instruction, in Lebanon and in other Third universe states as good, we come to see mathematics by and large as a merchandise of the West. The addled course of study organ transplant -during the 1960's- from the extremely industrialized states to ‘Third World ‘ states reinforced this image. Although, during the 1970 ‘s and 1980 ‘s, there emerged among instructors and mathematics pedagogues in developing states, a turning opposition against the Eurocentrism, ( Powell & A ; Frankenstein, 1997 ) , in Lebanon this misconception is accentuated due to the unstable political clime that swayed Middle East part up-to-date.What can be done?In an effort to reform our math instruction and acquisition, we are in the procedure of constructing a new math course of study which extremely acknowledges criterions put forth by NCTM. We are now, more than of all time, aware of the importance of stressing job posing/problem-solving attacks to larn, curri culum dialogue and incorporate course of study planning supported by appropriate appraisal schemes including non-competitive appraisal. I would wish to visualize that in the future our teaching method could be community – based and community focused and that it helps develop the pupils ‘ accomplishments in the defense mechanism, care and farther development of our rational heritage and civilization. The position and intent of math course of study is closely linked with the different socio-political ambiances that reign from one state to another. While we, as Lebanese, view math as an indispensable tool for release from the business of land and head, others see it as a agency to remain in front in the battle for political power. In Lebanon, now, we are fighting to specify ourselves through reflecting on our lives, and seeking to show that in every bit many signifiers as we have in our â€Å" dirts of civilizations, † and through discoursing what we do and what we are. In the concluding analysis, a chief issue is to specify ourselves or else be defined by others.

Capital Budgeting Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Capital Budgeting - Case Study Example Introduction Investment decisions are synonymous to capital budgeting decisions (Peterson, 2000). Capital budgeting is a complex issue prone to past and future liquidity issues. Many expansion plans by corporations usually necessitate the mobilization of funds either from external sources or within the company. Either of these decisions have profound impact on the operational ability of the firm. External debt in particular may suffer from the influence of outstanding external debt, which may limit the amounts and nature of funding a company can add to its total credit. This latter situations describe the state of affairs at McKenzie Corporation, where the company’s ability to raise outside debt is barred by conditions imposed on the company for a prior $14 million bond issue by the company. Consequently, the company has to rely solely on equity, which will incur the company $1.4 million. This report evaluates the company with regard to different economic climates. Expected Va lue of the Company The table below shows the value of the company without expansion and with expansion given the expected economic situations expected next year. Economic Growth EV (Without Expansion) EV (With Expansion) Low $3,300,000 $3,900,000 Normal $8,750,000 $12,000,000 High $4,500,000 $5,700,000 Total Value $16,550,000 $21,600,000 The expected value of the company without any expansion is $16,550,000, while the value of the company with expansion is $21,600,000. Clearly, the company will report a better valuation with the expansion than without the expansion. Consequently, the company’s investors would fare better with the expansion as the value of their investment in the company would be more than $5,050,000. A positive cash flow is an indication of a viable business venture (Docsity, 2011). Expected Value of the Company’s Debt, with and without Expansion The only thing that would increase a company’s debt obligation would be the acquisition of further d ebt obligations. The value of the debt would remain at the same value of $1.4 million, since the expansion would be funded by using equity and not debt. However, the debt will be reduced by $14 million next year, since the bond gets mature and paid off by the company. Value Creation Expected from the Expansion The expansion of the company will increase the value of the company. However, the move will also incur additional capital expenses that require further adjustment (Drake, 2007) from the total value of the company after expansion in order to obtain the real value created by the expansion. Expected value without the expansion: $16,550,000 Expected value with the expansion: $21,600,000 Value of financing using equity: $4,500,000 Value with the expansion: $21,600,000 – $4,500,000 = $17,100,000 Therefore, the net value created for the shareholders from expanding will be $17,100,000 - $16,550,000 = $550,000. The bond value would remain constant; therefore, the value creation for the bondholders will be $0. Price of the Bonds If the Company Announces That It Will Not Expand If the company does not expand, the price of the bonds will remain as it stands this year. The bondholders will receive the same amount of cash as before. If the company expands, however, the company’

'The Searchers' Film Review Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

'The Searchers' Film Review - Assignment Example For example, traditional Western cowboys came from somewhat disadvantaged backgrounds and they did not occupy high position on the social ladder. However, Wayne’s character is not poor. He never had any financial problem and always seems to have a comfortable supply of gold. The Native Americans may or may not be the same as portrayed in the movie. Some Indian tribes may be vicious, but the same cannot be said for all and there is no reason to possess such racial hatred for the Indians as is possessed by Ethan in the film. There are power inequalities implied in the film between the Indians and the whites. These inequalities range from political power to employment to social relationships. The whites are certainly more privileged in all three areas than the Native Indians appear to be, hence the tension between the two racial groups grows. There is a dominant ideology of white supremacy which is depicted in the film. Through Indian warriors, backlash demonstrated by the tribes, massacres, kidnappings, and hatred towards slavery, the film shows a hegemonic negotiation

Sociology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 10

Sociology - Essay Example Mass production has become a repercussion of capitalism. Pro-capitalists argue it benefits to humankind by facilitating ease of use, cheaply available and within reach consumer products. On the other hand, anti-capitalists are of the view that capitalism has many downsides. It robs the average person of his/her individuality, of culture and tradition. This can be understood from a review of the following advertisements which demonstrate that capitalism has a great influence on the individual perception and expression. The innovation of line production by Ford during the 20th century has transformed not only the American population but also the world over. It has created a consumer society which is dependent on mass produced commodities. Stuart Ewen in his book Captain of Consciousness, theorizes that line production has been a way of mass producing consumers (24). Since goods are produced in huge quantitative, they need consumers to consume them. For this reason, mass production had become a device innovated by the capitalists, to artificially create demand by reducing price, increasing accessibility and creating a culture of consumerism. Over the years the ethics and moral behind this strategy have deteriorated to a great extent, that mass production has become synonymous with immoral and unethical business practices. These perceptions are warranted. Take the following advertisement by Wonderbra for example which blatantly declares the mindlessness of consumers of today. In the above advertisement, the message communicated indicates that those who buy Wonderbras need not have the brain or the inclination to be intelligent (to read The Economist, a business magazine). These are individuals who have no aspiration to be in the business arena. This is a product for the "average mindless" individual. Moreover, the message denotes the perception that only an elite group of individuals are intelligent enough to read or

3 extra credits Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

3 extra credits - Assignment Example to remind Greg of this in a low tone, but Greg cuts her off, avoids eye contact and in a loud voice; tells her that her cheerleading team is so boring that one could drop dead from watching them and that she might as well quit. Jess, then says nothing and Greg in turn inform her that they are moving to the next occasion. Jess tries to explain to Greg that she is a cheerleader and cannot afford to miss the game, but Greg pulls her by the waist and leads her towards the college gate telling her that they will have more fun at the party. Emily reluctantly agrees and follows Greg to the party missing her equally important game. Right from the start, Greg does not show any interest in what Jess has to say. He does not give her a chance to talk and when Jess tries to he immediately cuts her off. Jess, on the other hand, does not communicate with Greg about the importance of the cheerleading team and at some point goes quiet. The characters also avoid eye contact. Greg makes all the decisions in the relationship without wanting to get Jess’s opinion and Jess do not have the courage to refuse his proposals even when they are not in line with what she has planned. The characters should have maintained eye right from the beginning of the conversation. Disclosure is important in communication; Jess should, therefore, learn to disclose her feelings to Greg. Jess should also have been assertive in her communication with Greg. Greg should have listened to Jess; not only by waiting for her to voice out her issues, feedback, and not interject her in the middle of her conversation. The first sentence of the article population growth and control review is contradictory to what the author talks about in the main article. The author begins the sentence stating that, through history, human beings have been an inconsequential pressure on the planet. This might not be the way that the writer would want to start his article because, throughout the article, the writer talks about how

Roe v wade Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Roe v wade - Research Paper Example Conversely, proposition for abortion is most intense in New England. One case in the US attributed to greatly influence abortion was the Roe v. Wade 1973. In this case, the US Supreme Court overruled the trimester framework argument and promoted abortion as a fundamental right. In Roe v. Wade (1973)2 case, the Supreme Court’s decision disallowed numerous states and federal restrictions on abortion and declared it as a fundamental right. The court ruled that abortion should not be allowed in all states where the fetus had the potential to survive outside the mother’s uterus. Consequently, the Supreme Court required that no state denies abortion for women in their first trimester, while abortion was only allowed on grounds of medical conditions during the second and third trimester3. Additionally, only the grounds of protecting the life of the fetus were acceptable for abortion in the third trimester. Upon the Supreme Court’s decision at Roe’s time, numerous states passed severe restrictions on any abortion practices as pro-lifers increasingly contended that life began at conception, thus making abortion unethical murder of acquitted humans. Additionally, other states passed laws that imposed hurdles on all women seeking abortion in defiance with the Roe decision. Defiance of Roe also saw the enactment of the federal Unborn Victims of Violence Act4 by the US government to protect the unborn fetus from being killed and assaulted. According to the US federal constitution, the protection of the unborn resulted in punishment for those intentionally attempting or committing murder of the unborn. A child is also declared as a full member of the Homo sapiens species for being a child in the uterus. Through the promotion of abortion, human life is deemed to be disposable on the basis of the mother’s fundamental rights. Kovnvitz5 reveals that rationally, human life has nothing known as

Cultural Relativism- Critical Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Cultural Relativism- Critical Analysis - Essay Example Argument in standard form Premises 1. According to cultural relativists, there are no universal moral principles. 2. Each society has its own different codes of conduct 3. Each moral or code of conduct applies only to the society in question. 4. We should adopt an attitude of tolerance towards the custom practices of other cultures Conclusion There is no objective truth in morality; it is nothing more than socially approved customs in a given culture. Discussion Cultural relativism is where each culture or ethnic groups is to be viewed on its customs, behavior on values and norms and not on the basis of those of other cultures or ethnic groups. Cultural relativists see moral norms as a result of culture. They see that many cultures disagree widely on moral norms and values, and there is no way which is clear to solve the differences therein. They, therefore, conclude that there are no accepted objective truths. Cultural relativists see other cultures, not as different not as â€Å"w rong†. According to premise one above, it wrong to say that there are no universal moral principles, according to cultural relativists. ... The Cultural relativism does not conclude that it is not possible to have a universal system of moral values to guide humans from a universal perspective. Rather, it explains that every society has its own moral norms and values to guide members of that society, but these values are of worth to those who abide by them, but they may differ from those of other, different society members (Herskovits 31). This failure to understand the differences between intra and cross cultural relativism is the one which led ethicist like Abraham Edel to write â€Å"If cultural relativism is a sociological truth, then your morality judgment of good and bad, right and wrong) is a function (cause) of your domicile. If moral norms and values assertions are expressive (subjective), it all depends on your feelings†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Edel 27-28). Cultural relativism only has relevance between cultures and not within a specific culture. It is a cross-cultural principle, not an intra-cultural principle. The firs t premise thus does not make the conclusion that morality is nothing more than socially approved customs to be true since it is evident that cultural relativism does not advocate ethical or individual relativism. In premise 4 if we abide by cultural relativism, then we will not be able to judge other cultures. We would no longer see other customs as inferior to our own, judging other societies merely because they are â€Å"different†. This will be good but only in some cases but not in a case where a society is anti-Semitic and waged a war against a Semite society. Cultural relativism would stop us from interfering, and we cannot even judge on the society which tolerant of Semites and one which is anti-Semites it would be

Buddism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Buddism - Essay Example The quest of a Prince, confined to the four walls of the Palace, to know the truth in life, gave to the world the great philosophy and world religion or way of life known as BUDDHISM. It is based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, who is known as the Buddha, or the Enlightened One. Siddhartha Gautama, the great warrior Prince, was born around 566 BC in Lumbini (formerly in North India). Even when he was an infant a seer predicted that Siddhartha would become either a great King or an ‘enlightened one’. The king, fearful of losing his son and heir to the kingdom, confined him to the Palace. During his three attempts to encounter with the realities that lay outside the walls of the Palace, Prince Siddhartha saw a sick man, an old woman and a decaying corpse and a wandering holy man. This created unrest within him and he realized that there is something beyond the human life, beyond the physical existence. He realized that all men have to undergo all these four stages and not just in one life but life after life. While the Palace was sleeping, one night he escaped leaving his wife and child, and the luxuries of the Palace, in search of the truth. This was the first step towards attaining ‘bodha’. In search of the truth Siddhartha travelled across the country, from one saint to the other. At each step he did release one layer of negativity from within but was still not able to attain the truth. He realized that neither a the life penance and ascetic practices nor a life full of luxuries could reach him there. He discovered what is now called the ‘middle path’ to attain enlightenment. He remembered a moment in childhood in which he had been watching his father start the seasons plowing, and he had fallen into a naturally concentrated and focused state in which time seemed to stand still, and which was blissful and refreshing (Wikipedia). He sat down under a large