American Films and the Chinese Culture Research Proposal

American Films and the Chinese Culture - Research Proposal Example The research "American Films and the Chinese Culture" is meant to critically explore and exhaust the influence that films, especially those in the US have on the perceptions of people for the Chinese culture. This research is very important because everybody belongs to a culture. Furthermore, we are living in a globalized environment that values a cultural and racial diversity. To efficiently and effectively work together, it is important to understand the culture and values of other people. This would play a positive role in helping people to interact efficiently and effectively with each other. Having a wrong perception and the one which is negative concerning a particular culture may lead to stigmatization, discrimination, social labeling to the culture that is portrayed negatively. This would affect the development and growth of diversity in the international system. This research is therefore important because it would play a role in correcting the negative perceptions that people may have towards the Chinese culture. The culture under consideration is that the Chinese people are violent, majorly because of their Kung Fu cultural value. There is a considerable debate on the importance of Kung Fu amongst the Chinese people. However, controversy arises on the role of Kung Fu amongst the Chinese people. One side of the debate argues that Kung Fu is a violent cultural practice of the Chinese people. This is majorly because it promotes the use of martial arts, for purposes of killing the opponents of an individual.

Exterminate the brutes Essay Example for Free

Exterminate the brutes Essay â€Å"The Heart of Darkness† by Conrad is one of the great novels of English literature. This novel exposes the greed, malice and selfishness of the European men. They exploit the wealth of Africa in the name of civilizing the natives. They take away their ivory and in return gave them hunger, destitution, poverty, degradation and death. The English men of this novel lack morals and conscience. Conrad observed the hypocrisy of his countrymen and exposed it in a marvelous way in this short piece of art. In this novel he brings before us the nature of â€Å"western superiority† in primitive lands. Reading this story repeatedly, we know that the dark English coast before him recalls for Marlow the darkness of modern Africa, which is the natural darkness of the jungle but more than that the darkness of moral vacancy, leading to the atrocities he has beheld in Africa. This moral darkness of Africa, we learn later, is not the darkness of the ignorance of the natives, but of the Whitman who blinded themselves and corrupted the natives by their claim to be light-bearers. Walter Allen believes that, â€Å"The Heart of Darkness of the title is at once the heart of Africa, the heart of evil- everything that is nihilistic corrupt and malign – and perhaps the heart of man† According to Conrad himself, the story of â€Å"heart of darkness† is about the â€Å"criminality of inefficiency and pure selfishness when tackling the civilizing working Africa†. In the story Marlow makes much of the inefficiency and selfishness he sees everywhere along his journey in Africa. But it is the criminality of the civilizing work itself that receives the heaviest emphasis in the novel as a whole. J. W. Beach believes that Kurtz is the representative and dramatization of all that Conrad felt of futility and horror in what the Europeans in the Congo called â€Å"progress†, which meant the exploitation of the natives by the white men. Kurtz was to Marlow, penetrating this country, a name, constantly recurring in people’s talk, for cleverness and enterprise. But there were slight intimations, growing stronger as Marlow drew near to the heart of darkness, of traits and practices so abhorrent to all our notions of decency, honor and humanity that the enterprising trader gradually takes on the proportion of a ghastly and almost supernatural monster symbol for Marlow of the general spirit of this European undertaking On his journey up the Congo, Marlow comes across the forsaken railway truck, looking as dead as the carcass of some animal; the brick maker idling for a year with no bricks and no hope of materials for making them; the â€Å"wanton smashup† of drainage pipes abandoned in a ravine; burst, piled up cases of rivets at the outer station and no way of getting them to the damaged steam boat at the Central Station; the vast artificial hole somebody had been digging on the slope- all these and many more are the examples of the criminality of the inefficiency. Wilson Follet believed that in this novel, â€Å"the European is shown drained, diseased, a prey to madness and unutterable horror and death†¦Ã¢â‚¬  This proves that the white men over there, except the company’s accountant, are inefficient and selfish. They themselves do nothing, whereas on the other hand they exploit the natives to the maximum, they extract the maximum workout of them and pay them three nine –inch long brass-wire pieces a week, which are insufficient to buy them anything. As such most of the natives are starving and dying. This novel is a very faithful accord of the cruelties and atrocities perpetrated on the natives of Africa by their European masters. Talking of the roman conquest of England, Conrad says, it was â€Å"just robbery with violence, aggravated murder on a grand scale, and men going at it blind-as is very proper for those who tackle darkness†. What Romans had done in England, the English did in South Africa. Marlow admits that English conquests, like all others, â€Å"means the taking away it from those who have a different complexion or slightly flatter noses than ourselves,† though Kurtz went to the African jungle with an idea to civilize the natives; he saw his mission in Africa as that of torchbearer for white civilization. But very soon he starts extracting from the natives human sacrifices to himself as god. Finally, his hatred for the natives plunged to the depth out of which came his prescription of the only method for dealing with primitive people: â€Å"Exterminate the brutes! † The European Whitman in Africa is parasites; they are hollow; they have no personal moral vision of their inhumanity and folly. They are also collapsible, because their society’s institutions are incapable to hold them up. Ivory has become the idol of the foolish run of European pilgrims; and Kurtz is no exception. † all Europe contributed to the making of Kurtz. † Joseph Conrad is a modern artist. He uses impressionistic technique of novel writing in his novel, â€Å" The Heart of Darkness†. The appeal of a novel, Joseph Conrad wrote, â€Å"must be and impression conveyed through senses â€Å". This impression could not be conveyed through the most complete inventory of details; it is an intuitive whole and must be rendered so, instantaneously. † the meaning of an episode is not inside like a kernel but outside enveloping it,† his spokesman Marlow declared. He avoids generalized narrative. He tell us the story in vivid impressions something like Virginia wolf. E. M. Forster in his seminal novel â€Å" A Passage To India’ too discuss some what â€Å"the Heart of Darkness† like situation. This novel discusses in detail the severe clash between the two fundamentally different cultures, those of East and West. The administration and their families residing there represent the westerners. Although these western people wish to maintain good relations with the easterners whom they govern, they have no desire to understand India or Indians. The Westerners rule the natives with an iron hand without caring for justice and fair play.

Diamond Foam Business: Marketing Strategies Analysis

Diamond Foam Business: Marketing Strategies Analysis Executive Summary This study falls into three parts. The first part gives operations/transformation process in Diamond Foam and Pak Electron LTD.In this part the different strategies like marketine,competitive priorities and corporate strategies has been discussed for each organization.In second part the different concepts or frameworks like inventory management, performance measurement, total quality management, capacity planning and supply chain design has been taken. I have taken different case studies to explain the different methodologies. In the third part the impact of the different concepts and frameworks has been shown on each of the organization. a) Marketing Strategies of Diamond Foam Positioning Strategy Customer perceives Diamond Foam is high quality foam. Foam is high involvement product and people see price and quality before purchase it. Target Market Diamond Foam has broad target market in Pakistan because any product requires foam is their target market and person used that foam is their target customer. Customers in south region are furniture showrooms and in north region are dealers and they not sell their products to end-users. Diamond Foam used product development strategy with different product in current market. Marketing Mix Strategy Product Products that are sold by Diamond Foam are Spring mattress Bed sheets/comforter Foam mattress Foam products Quality Quality aspects of Diamond Foams products are given below. Complete peace of mind for their customers Diamond Foam never foregoes their responsibility in complete quality control. A good mattress isnt just dependent on its high quality standard but also the quality of after-sale service that gives you lasting comfort and security. Diamond Foam has a quality control department who manufactured products and processes according to SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) for efficient and hazard-free operations. Diamond Foam offer high quality sleep products that are outstanding values with all the healthful benefits of a good night. Features Features of products that are manufactured by Diamond Foams are given below. Offer high quality sleep products that are outstanding values with all the healthful benefits of a good night. Medically it is proven that not everybody is comfortable sleeping on a plain surface, and Diamond Foam brand, Dolce Vita Adjustable bed, gives you that option to raise your head or feet to a position where you are most comfortable. Brand Name Foam mattress Europedic Memory Foam Spring mattress Dolce Vita Pocket Spring Mattresses Dolce Vita Bonnell Spring Mattress Diamond Jumbolon Jumbolon Board Jumbolon Spray Jumbolon Rolls Life style products Dolce Vita Recliner Dolce Vita Adjustable bed Packaging Diamond Foam provides good cover and polythene bag for their products. Returns In warrantee period, Diamond Foam replace foam mattress with foam mattress when it is damaged. Service Services of Diamond Foam are given below. Going beyond traditional service, to provide state of the art customer care experience, and want to earn customers loyalty by delivering services that anticipate their needs. Diamond Foam is constantly looking for ways to improve their service by listening to customers, monitoring performance and adopting the best practice. Guarantee: Guarantee that is given to customers are given below. Customer relaxation is intensified by the fact that every product is sold with reliable guarantee and superior class after-sales services. Diamond Foam take pride to be the finest mattresses company, who also adheres to its philosophy to provide superior after-sale service by giving the reliable guarantee that looks after your comfort year after year. They repair or replace your mattress, this guarantee continues from the original date of purchase. Diamond Foam also gives guarantee on stitches pulled out of the handle where sewn to the mattress. Customers guarantee is valid for original purchaser only and it protects you from the day you purchase your mattress or complete sleep system, and continues according to the Guarantee Period specified. Discounts All brands of Dolce Vita (Pocket Spring), Duet and Dolce Vita (Bonnell Spring), except Supreme Jacquard Fabric and Supreme, are discounted 23% for dealers and distributors. Supreme Jacquard Fabric and Supreme are discounted by 15%. Warranties Diamond Foam gives warranties to their customers from 10 years to 12 years. Payment Periods Diamond Foam gives a payment period to their customers up to 3 months. Credit Items Diamond Foam sells their item normally on cash basis but sometimes gives on credit to particular customers. Place Coverage Diamond Foam has coverage to Pakistan, Dubai, Afghanistan and Egypt. Locations Diamond Foam has different distribution center in and outside Pakistan, which provide foam to end-users. Inventory Diamond Foam never faces a problem of stock out because one day plant work in a day generate inventory for 2 weeks. Transport Diamond Foam has 150 trucks, which provide foam to dealers and distributors. Promotion Advertising Diamond Foam spends 10% of sales annually on advertisement and uses all means for communication (e.g. billboards, TV, radio, etc) for advertise their foam. Sales Promotion Diamond Foam gives different rates of discount to distributors on different brands. Operational Strategies of Diamond Foam Diamond Foam provides standardized foam in large quantity (mass production), continuously improves their operations and processes. Sometimes they do mass customization (in terms of size and smoothness, which is described by customers). Diamond Foam has no computer-integrated design for design of foam. Diamond Foam has skilled labor (job shop) and all plants are automated (dedicated transfer lines) and parts are not group together before the operation because one man can operate plant. Operations department is responsible for making highly economical, efficient and customer oriented operations from receipt of products to safe storage and onward dispatches to customers (dealers) timely and efficiently. How Diamond Foam make foam First of all they gather raw materials (PPG, TDI and catalysts). Three of them add in one tube and after this heat is given to their mixture and after this solution is spread by air and foam will be generated. Core Functions Following are core functions of Diamond Foams operations department: Product Receipts Handling Storage Dispatches Hospitality Operation Department Purchasing Strategies of Diamond Foam Diamond Foam purchases raw materials from many suppliers (multiple sourcing) of Korea, Taiwan and China. The basic raw material used in the process is Polypropylene Glycol (PPG), Toluene Di Isocynate (TDI) and many catalysts. Price of raw materials (PPG and TDI) is based on price of crude oil ($100/barrel). TDI prices have increased up to 35% since last 10 months. The primary function of the Diamond Foams purchasing department is to purchase the supplies, materials, equipment and services required to insure that maximum value is obtained for each rupees spent. Specific responsibilities, duties and functions of Diamond Foams purchasing department are as under: Policies and Procedures Develop purchasing objectives, policies, programs and procedures for the purchase and contracting for all materials, supplies, equipment and services. Specifications Prepare and assemble specifications and technical requirements. Consolidation Bulk Purchasing Explore the possibilities of buying in bulk to take full advantage of quantity discounts. According to the situation, Diamond Foam can purchase twice the raw material than demanded due to fluctuations in the prices of petroleum products. Standardization Work with other departments to establish standardization of materials, supplies and equipment where practicable within a competitive environment. Compliance with laws Insure that all purchases are made in compliance with applicable statutes, rules, regulations and policies. Unlawful for employees Unlawful for employees to purchase any materials, supplies, equipment, or make any contract with anyone without the consent/permission of purchasing department. PAK ELECTRON LTD PEL was established in 1956. with the technical collaboration of M/S AEG, West Germany. It is the oldest composite electrical equipment-manufacturing unit of Pakistan with the object of initially producing transformers, switchgears and electric motors. In 1962 after conclusion of joint venture agreement with AEG, total shareholding was purchased than by sponsors M/S Malik Brothers Limited. COMPETITIVE PRIORITIES: COST: Low cost QUALITY: Consistent quality with high class appliance performance. FLEXIBILITY: A lot of volume, equipment and workforce flexibility is present. OPERATIONAL/ FUNCTIONAL TESTING Here a refrigerator is operationally/ functionally tested. It is operated for a whole day. QUALITY CONTROL CHECKING Here the quality assurance is checked. The refrigerator is checked technically and physically by quality control. PACKING SECTION:- Now the refrigerator is ready for packing after quality control checking. So the refrigerators are packed according to their models and colors, and delivered to the Storeroom. INVENTORY MANAGEMENT: Pel is in a seasonal business since the demand season for their product is from April to September. PEL management estimates the demand very carefully and tries to avoid the pilling of the inventory. Production of PEL jump in Feb. to April and they need more Inventories in this season. To keep the overhead charges low PEL has a small no of permanent workers which -work through out the year. However to meet the demand of the peak season the management hire the workers at the temporary basis just before the start of the season. REORDER POINT: Optimal replenish inventory system is used by PEL. In more technical terms the minimum level serves as reorder point. For managing the Inventory of different types, The Company divides the inventory into two broad categories. Raw material Inventory Finished goods Inventory CAPACITY MEASURE In every department PEL has got several machines which are used in the production of various appliances and electrical equipment whose capacity is measured in term of the output measures. BOTTLE NECK In the whole production process there are certain stages which are more time consuming than the others. So this limits the out put rate to a minimum level to that which was expected. In the process of the refrigerator manufacturing the bottleneck is created at the thermo foaming machine. In the process; from base making to the packing at the stage of the foaming this bottleneck is created. CAPACITY STRATEGIES CAPACITY CUSHION On the average each department has the capacity cushion which varies from 5% to 15% ECONOMIES OF SCALE PEL is trying to reduce its cost through enjoying the economies of scales in his processes. Because of the purchasing in the bulk and using the activities as the measure of the overhead charges PEL has been successful in reducing The cost of materials The cost struck in the processes The cost in the overhead. b) Warburtons managing the supply chain to meet customer needs: Warburtons is a family firm founded in 1870s. It is the 2nd largest grocery brand in UK. Its main focus is on quality not quantity. It holds a market share of 25% of wrapped bread which makes it a market leader. It produces about two million of bakery products daily due to which there is an everyday fresh supply of baked products in the market. Warburtons have divided their economy into three sectors; primary, secondary and tertiary. The primary sector involves, the growing and extraction of raw materials, like grains. Warburtons work with the farmers of UK and Canada to get a very good quality of grain/wheat. Secondary sector deals with converting the collecting raw material, that is, wheat into flour and then finally flour into bread. From fifty years, Warburtons are working with millers which convert their wheat into quality flour. Then this flour is used to bake quality breads. Many modern techniques are used to perfectly bake bread and ensure quality. Tertiary sectors bridges other firms and clients with Warburtons. Tertiary sector is largest in UK as compared with primary and secondary. Warburtons have more than 900 delivery vehicles, which ensure a fresh supply of bread in market every day. It uses software to ensure efficiency of this fleet.(thetime100:Warburtons) Total Quality Management: Any company in the world can get 100% customer satisfaction and the default can be minimized to zero by using total quality management. Nissan:(thetime100:Nissan) Introduction Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK is the UKs largest car manufacturing plant. It is also the most productive plant in Europe. This success is due to careful planning and design. Total Quality Management (TQM) TQM is a key feature of Nissans way of working. It means that everyones focus is on quality at all times. It is a way of operating that requires people to take on an improvement culture where everyone is looking for ways to improve. Just in time This means that production happens just as it is needed. Cars are produced as customers need them; components arrive as assembly lines need them, and so on. In this way, production is more efficient and there is no cash tied up in stocks either of raw materials or finished goods. Every vehicle is electronically monitored at all stages of production so that its progress can be checked. Training In such a high technology environment it is important that people are trained. NMUKs training department concentrates on both technical and people development, providing opportunities for all employees. Kaizen Kaizen means continuous improvement. It means that Nissan believes that even the smallest change can make a difference. Improvements are usually suggested by small teams, who meet to share ideas for improvements. Unison:(thetime100:Unison) Every human has a right to be healthy and work in an environment where he/she is safe. Trade unions, like UNISON provides workers with their rights, health and safety. UNISON (the public service trade union) was formed in 1993, and nowadays it is UKs largest trade union. Its main focus is on providing workers with their rights, health and safety. It is a merger of three public sector unions in which two-third workforce consists of women. It has been observed that in presence of UNISONs safety representatives, ratio of accidents and death is decreased by half. UNISON plays an important role in workplace, like providing higher benefits (pays, compensations etc.) to the workers with extra holidays. It cares for the cleaning staff (as they are dealing with higher rate of accidents), looks after the catering (by improving food levels in schools and hospitals etc.) UNISONs legislation consists of two types of laws/clause; one is the HASAWA act 1974 (which bounds the employer to care and calculate risk for employees safety) and other law/clause binds the employee to look after itself and workers around him/her for their safety. UNISONs viewpoint is to provide long lasting health and safety for the workers. It focuses on women health and safety, reducing violence, bullying, passive smoking and minimizing the stress of the workers. Capacity Planning: Nissan:(thetime100:Nissan) Production Car assembly is a complex operation with many components requiring skilled assembly. Thats a crude indication of what is involved. Management are particularly keen to monitor total machine-hours and total labour-hours that each vehicle requires. So far, Nissan has invested over  £2.1 billion in the Sunderland site, taking its production capacity to 500,000 vehicles per year. Production methods must be able to produce what customers want, in the quantities customers require, at a price consumers are willing to pay, and at a cost that yields a profit to the business. That means that being efficient is vital to success. In some industries it is possible to carry out individual job production to meet a particular customers request e.g. a wedding dress, a birthday cake, a fitted kitchen. However, very nearly all of the worlds car manufacturers mass produce standard models, with individual consumer choice being accommodated by offering various colours, interior designs, and optional extras within a limited flexible production process. People can still personalise their cars further e.g. by choosing a particular car registration or accessories. In pursuit of high output at low average cost, car manufacturing typically uses a continuous flow production method, where sub-assemblies are brought together in a final assembly area. This is the most cost effective and efficient method of production and the speed of the final assembly line can be adjusted to match consumer demand. If demand picks up, the production line can be accelerated, within predefined limits. At NMUK, the production flow draws on three main production shops, as well as support areas. The three main shops are: body assembly painting final assembly. Supporting manufacturing areas are: press shop produces panels for the vehicles plastics shop makes bumpers (fenders) on site castings shop makes engine parts e.g. cylinder heads engine shop assembles engines, installs oil, coolant fuel axle plant produces axles that are joined to engines in final assembly. Widely different processes generate different jobs across three main broad areas. The machinery is scheduled to work at a given level although when demand requires it; there is flexibility in regard to both the machinery and the workforce of 4,300. At the moment, with a two-shift pattern, NMUK has a total production capacity of around 360,000 units/year a third shift can be introduced which would take production up to 500,000 units/year if and when required. Performance Measurement:(thetime100:cocacola) In any business activity it is important to be able to measure the success of strategies and operational activities. Measuring performance is the best way of assessing how effective strategies and initiatives have been, with a view to making appropriate adjustments. Organisations need to measure and report performance against stated aims contained in a business plan, eg daily output, employee turnover. The business will tend to measure and evaluate only those aspects of its business over which it has control. Ideally these measurements should also be benchmarked so that everyone can see how performance compares with others. Coca-Cola uses detailed sets of performance indicators for many areas of its activities, including its work to promote social responsibility. Community performance indicators include: Impact evaluations of community programmes. These include indicators of educational attainment as well as of environmental enhancement and conservation. Perception measures of the Company as a good neighbour. Inventory Management:( inventorymanagement.com) Inventory management is primarily about specifying the size and placement of stocked goods. Inventory management is required at different locations within a facility or within multiple locations of a supply network to protect the regular and planned course of production against the random disturbance of running out of materials or goods. The scope of inventory management also concerns the fine lines between replenishment lead time, carrying costs of inventory, asset management, inventory forecasting, inventory valuation, inventory visibility, future inventory price forecasting, physical inventory, available physical space for inventory, quality management, replenishment, returns and defective goods and demand forecasting. c) Pel does not have proper inventory planning by the management due to which heavy amount of the money is being put by the company in the inventory.PEL has the strength also that it has a good repute for the company as being the quality conscious company. It has own experts for the purpose of the control of the quality of products. Due to the good sight selection for the purpose of the power division the company has more access to the whole of the markets of the country. The company also has well established system of the distribution of the company although it is not the integrated one but it is working smoothly. The company should also make some of the methods for the purpose of the keeping the inventory at the optimal level. Proper planning of the material can decrease the amount of the investment in the inventories by the company. The management of this company does not use the sophisticated technique while making or performing the function of the demand forecasting by the company. They rely more on the judgmental methods for the purpose of the projection by the company about their sales. In Diamond Foam the training is given to workers for developing their skills for future. The promotion based on consistent with job. Training is given on following basis. Identify the gap in performance of the employees Compile detail of employee require training Identify the areas of training Identify the skills of trainees. Train the employee Management assesses the training programs success or failure. Benefits for employees Benefits for employees provided by Diamond Foam are as under. Medical allowances given by the company to the candidate Lunch and dinner facility for employees Apron, gloves and other requirements related to production of foam mattress will be provided by the company Uniforms provided by the company to helpers/guard Health and Safety policies Health and safety policies are described by Diamond Foam are given below. Production area should be clean First aid should be provided in case of any emergency Proper ventilation system/ exhaust fans to maintain the temperature In case of any fire there should be fire extinguisher and an exit door in factory and different offices Electric wires should be placed as no wires come under feet. Wire should be correctly placed Conclusion: I have researched both companies and I have gained much knowledge about different aspects,operations,frameworks in both organization Diamond Foam and PEL.Both are using different types of inventory management, Total Quality managemeny,supply chain design, performance measures,capacity planning. Buddhism: What Is Nirvana? Buddhism: What Is Nirvana? Buddhism represents one of the greatest religions in the world. Its roots are traced back in India, and today it forms the major religion of countries such as Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar and Cambodia. Buddhists have also been found to occupy some areas in Europe including Asia, Australia and America. The major distinguishing feature of Buddhism is that, Buddhists never believe in God as with the other religions. Buddha is the figure from which they obtain and follow their religious teachings. Buddha is not recognized as a name. It stands for a title which carries the meaning of the enlightened one. All Buddhists have one main goal, to become enlightened just like Buddha and live free from all manner of desire. Buddhism came from the transformative experience of nirvana followed by his compassionate feeling of helping others realize nirvana by themselves (Ganeri, p. 3; Trainor, p. 66). The teachings of Buddhism come from the experiences Buddha has while searching the truth about suffering and how it can be ended. Buddha had several lessons. The first lesson was known as the Four Noble truths. These teachings explained that the experiences of suffering is everyone`s in life. This suffering is as a result of people not being contended with what they have. According to the Second Noble truth, suffering is caused by desire. A term trishna is usually used and implies that all human beings yearn for a number of things. These include; food, power, sex and possessions. Buddha explains that all these are world troubles and are rooted deeply in desire. Desire is known to wrap the human mind distorting our understanding and leading us to desire-driven ways. Such ways tend to ensure human continued suffering and inevitable samara. Samara is likened to a flooding river in the early texts of Buddha. This river sweeps away humanity to misery, death and rebirth. This flooding is a s a result of submitting to desire. Buddha`s teachings are likened to a raft that can be used to take refuge, overcoming the water currents and reaching the other end. This is the offshore end which is safer and is likened to nirvana. It is argued in pali texts that desire is integral in the world and because of this its power managed to shape life on earth (Trainor, p. 66). The Third Noble Truth highlights a terse reference to the Buddhists central focus on the spiritual causation. The cyclical cause pattern and the effect through which desire leads to intense suffering can be reversed. This will eventually be controlled leading to the possibilities of enlightenment and nirvana. First humans were non-material beings and enjoyed blissful and long lives. One of them happened to taste the sweetest thing on earth, and the same thing today is being consumed by crave and desire. The other humans tasted the sweet thing and the radiance disappeared. Peoples` bodies became solid as plants and other edible materials appeared. Desire became so powerful such that creatures divided themselves into gender, initiated sex along with theft, lying, and harmful actions. All these characterize the world as we know it today. Buddhism gives careful analysis in the early texts which explained that the existence of desire will prevent one from reaching nirvana (Trainor, p. 66). Philosophers in Buddhism divide desire into three kinds; for sensual pleasure, for rebirth and future rebirth. Early Buddhists found difficulties following the idea of ending desire. For Buddhists, the body is to be respected and should maintain life. It should be cared for but not loved. Desire must also be eliminated without mutilating the body. Focus on desire makes plain Buddhists` emphasis on renunciation and detachment. Buddhists everyday life involves renunciation of the everyday world of desire in favor of the monastic community. Sangha settled for a refuge just for this (Harvey, p. 69). This would offer individuals a chance to lead a simple life and thus lose their desires. At the same time, the name of Buddha would be administered as good medicine of his Dharma to sick humanity. Advanced stages in refuge lead to the desire to learn more of Buddha`s teachings. The desire to be enlightened was to be renounced so as to reach nirvana, the ultimate goal of all Buddhists (Trainor , p. 66). There is also another way of bringing the aspects of desire to an end. This is through following the lessons of the Noble Eightfold path. Buddha, from his experiences had realized that there is no happiness in great hardship or great luxury. Thus, he taught the Noble Eightfold path that is divided into eight parts (Ganeri, p. 6). Right understanding is the first part and involves gaining as understanding of Buddha`s teachings. The second part is that of right intention. This part says that people should have compassion about others and always think about them in a very kind and generous way. Rights speech is the third part and teaches people not to tell lies, speak unkindly or swear. The fourth part is right action. People are taught not to steal, kill or perform actions that might upset or harm other people. The fifth part is right livelihood and teaches people to earn their living in ways that do not cause harm to others. Right effort represents the sixth part and teaches people to make the effort of being compassionate and kind. The seventh part is that of right mindfulness, which involves being aware of your own thoughts and actions. Lastly, there is right concentration where people are taught to train their minds to be clear and calm always (Ganeri, p. 6). Life`s purpose for most people, for example, in Thailand, is to get enough merit through acting and thinking in a better way. It is also understood that it takes several lives to reach the goal of nirvana. Buddhism as discussed already, arose from the transformation of Buddha`s experience of nirvana and his compassion to help other people realize nirvana by themselves. Buddhists` wise statements compare nirvana with fire extinction. Ancients Indians understand that extinguishing a flame releases the flame so that it returns to an agitated, diffuse and eternal state. Nirvana bears these associations, although it is most often believed to be ahead of all known states of existence (Trainor, p. 69). Men and women realize nirvana through cultivation of wisdom (prajna). Prajna is the active capacity for discernment of the spiritual world, realizing the true nature of reality, which is described as something marked by suffering, impermanence, non-self and the three characteristics of existence. Complete development of prajna is vital to enlightenment. This is a view that has been shared by all Buddhists schools. Enlightenment, as a term, expresses how the fullness of prajna eliminates all aspects of ignorance and at the same time enabling the mind the see clearly, what reality is all about (Trainor, p. 70). Enlightened individuals at their death enter parinirvana which means complete nirvana. This is an after death state and is beyond description as many texts put it. Nirvana has been discussed covering both its positive and negative sides; a realm where there exists no sun or moon, going or coming; an impersonal state transcending individuality. Basing on positive terms, nirvana is at times described as eternal, pure, tranquil and deathless. Philosophers in Buddhism are known to recognize nirvana as the only reality that is permanent in the cosmos. Nirvana is famously considered as indescribable. It is not as depicted erroneously by the early Western interpreters as annihilation meaning an extreme position rejected by the Buddha. An influential definition of nirvana used by the Mahayana tradition presents the famous dictum of the philosopher Nagarjuna. Practitioners in many of the existing traditions have endeavored with beauty and eloquence in expression of their experience and enligh tenment (Trainor, p. 68). According to Buddha`s Noble eightfold path, the fourth noble truth offers the formula for getting rid of desire. The eight ideals described in the concept provide a cure for the continued cycle of rebirth, suffering and death. These eight ideals are divided traditionally into three categories, which all mark the progressive path to nirvana. The three categories include; morality under right speech, right action and right livelihood; meditation under right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration; and lastly, the cultivation of prajna under right view and right thought. Buddha`s definition of the Eightfold path rejected two ideas that are known to be central to the religions of the other world. The first idea is that there is no relationship or belief in the transcendent creator God. This God is the one who is known to sustain the world and also people depend on him for salvation and security. The second idea is that of believing in an immortal soul. This idea is rejected as false consolation that is similarly unsupported by critical analysis. Soul, just like God, is described as a projection of the human mind that is desire-driven in the search for immortality and security (Trainor, p. 68). Eightfold Path is emphasized by the Buddha as a practical guide that is goal-directed. He told his disciples to avoid engaging in mere intellectualism or idle speculations. There is one famous parable of, The Poison Arrow which Buddha uses to describe a problem facing a man who has been hit by a poison-tipped arrow. The Buddha suggests about three questions which the man should possibly ask. The first question is if the man should inquire about the person who shot arrow and the second one about the wood type the arrow is made of. The third question is whether the shot was aimed low or higher. After analyzing a series of other similar scenarios, Buddha explains that only if the man practically addresses the mortal danger that is before him, through getting rid of the poison that would kill him, can he survive. Buddha cautioned his disciples about wasting their time on pointless philosophical inquiries; they will end up squandering their spiritual opportunities (Trainor, p. 71). The path to nirvana has several classing stages. The first stage is that of steam-enterers who realize the illusion of the self and no longer doubt Buddha`s path. They thus expect more than seven rebirths before attaining nirvana. At an advanced stage, the devotee becomes a once returner. He or she has a highly developed prajna, and this means that the person will experience further human life once. Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism both consider Buddha as the highest form of being. Theravada traditions consider both the Buddha and arbat (the enlightened one) to have fully developed prajna (Trainor, p. 88). They also share the same realization of nirvana and pass into the parinirvana state (cessation of birth) (Harvey, p. 223). Buddha taught his followers to be teachers and also to realize that they are different persons, each of whom bearing different status determined by their karma. Depending on whether they are ordinary people, learners or adopts, each of them has to be instructed in a different way and led as required by Buddha`s path. Tradition puts emphasis on the opportunity of human birth that it should not be wasted regardless of the individual`s level. Life should thus not be wasted and instead, should be lived with a purpose. Buddhists have a hope of attaining nirvana in the current life they lead and if not, in their future rebirth (Trainor, p. 71). Regarding the Four Noble truths, Buddha explains that if his vision of true knowledge failed to be fully and clearly understood, he stands not to have reached perfect enlightenment. To experience Nirvana, Buddhists should progress towards being more enlightened and gain a better understanding of the Four Noble Truth. This was to happen through meditation and critical reflection of what Buddhism is all about. Knowledge on the elements of the path, however, much sophisticated it appeared, was not sufficient. Following the path and polishing one`s understanding of each of the known elements will lead one to nirvana (Trainor, p. 71). The Noble Eightfold Truth path presents the most vital summary of the Buddhist`s practice. It is known to outline the necessary and progressive ways of realizing nirvana. The path is understood as the means of cultivating morality (shila) insight (prajna) and meditation (Samadhi) as has been stated. It stresses that progress in morality forms the foundation for the successful meditation. Successful meditation, on the other hand, serves the best platform for the development and perfection of wisdom or insight (Trainor, p. 72). The stages of the Eightfold Path towards Nirvana underscore the practical emphasis of Buddhism as whether, in the goal of raising moral standards, good conduct, the society`s material welfare or eliminating desire-driven behavior, cognition restructuring and in the end realizing enlightenment. Moral practices or shila which fall under right speech, right action and right livelihood represent the starting point Buddhist`s path. A person cannot progress towards nirvana while lacking ethical integrity (Trainor, p. 72). Regarding karma, a person cannot bear the balance of karma that warrants reaching the advanced stages of the path to nirvana while behaving in an immoral way. Morality of Buddhists, when stated positively, dictates the wisdom of cultivating compassion, discernment and detachment. The morality of Buddhists hinges on three areas of human behaviors. These include; speech, actions and livelihood. Right action as per a negative description means not to steal, kill or doing harm to others. These aspects of human behavior lead to negative karmic consequences poisoning the mind and thus predisposing a person to future immorality (Trainor, p. 72). Meditation according to the Eightfold path refers to the right effort, right concentration and right mindfulness. The term meditation encompasses various techniques and traditions that work hand in hand with the mind. It is necessary for the development of the mind in terms of clarity of the mind, freedom from states of negativity, insights of conditioned reality that finally lead to nirvana. Meditation has its stem rooted in the experiences Buddha went through. Buddha`s meditation was directed by the itinerant teachers, the holy men he stayed with while he was in the forest. A practitioner of meditation following Buddha`s example may require a number of years of effort to master. He or she should also be guided by a mentor who is experienced so as to reach the advanced stages of meditation (Trainor, p. 72). Meditation develops on mindfulness together with the two elements of concentration and insight. Right concentration according to the Eightfold Path, is also known as trance meditation (Samadhi), and it involves intense focus on one object of meditation. This leads one to a state of one-pointedness through which the duality of other and self id dissolved. Standing in the conditioned or the unconditioned is a notion in nirvana taken up by the Mahayana Buddhism. It is referred to as apratisthita-nirvana or the non-abiding nirvana. It is usually seen as different from the elements of nirvana discussed in the pali texts. This nirvana as discussed by gadjin Nagao is the nirvana attained by the Bodhisattvas. The basic idea here is that Bodhisattvas attain nirvana because of wisdom and with through compassion, and also a Buddhist has no intention of reaching nirvana after death (Harvey, p. 221). Right view and right action are traditionally known as wisdom in Buddhism. They too culminate the means to nirvana. Right view is described as the thorough understanding of the Four Noble Truths while right thought is seen as a detachment from cruelty and hatred. These two aspects of human behavior are known to lead to enlightenment. Buddha`s teachings provide unique teachings of achieving this. The success of a person that is moving from morality to meditation is measured by the development of prajna (Trainor, p. 74). Buddhism as a religion provides opportunities for other comparative studies with a diversified range of studies. Its emphasis on Middle way provides different guidelines for ethics and at the same time has allowed Buddhism as a religion to coexist with other differing beliefs, institutions and countries where it is practiced and customs. Its spirituals and moral teachings go parallel with other religions. The tenets of Christianity, as has been found by many scholars around the world have represented the subjects of close studies (Weeraperuma, p. 77). Reactive Change Management: Overview and Case Study Reactive Change Management: Overview and Case Study Introduction Life and changes were born together and they will live together, till the last sunset. The concept of changes was born with the organizations, however its evolution, development and connotations have frequently changed and its horizontal, as well as, vertical expansions and applications are extending day be day, with a fast speed. Manifold and multidimensional revolutions from era has enhance the speed of changes and given it many new shapes. It is very interesting phenomenon that inventions, discoveries, concepts, hypothesis and terminologies etc are coined or designed for one specific field, but then they outgrow and enter into many other fields and areas, carrying different meaning, perceptions and interpretations. In the present era of globalization and information technology, the organizations have to face various changes on a very rapid pace. Thus, demanding an increased and active participation of management towards identifying and reacting to the changes. The different ways t o manage changes in organizations are being practice at various levels. Effective Change Management The process of effective change management enables the organizations to successfully implement changes in the strategies and plans in order to enhance their effectiveness. The strategies can be implemented to deal various changes like changes in consumer behavior, technological developments etc. This concept appears to be helpful in responding to a change in the lifecycle of goods or services produced by the company and changes in the financial stability of the company. Organizations may consider the effective change management strategies from a proactive or reactive situation. Proactive situation demands manager to vigorously assess the current economic market and business atmospheric circumstances to highlight the changes occur in the near long-term future. By assessing these information, the managers adopt to develop business strategies to improve or enhance business operation. The Concept of Reactive Change Management In order to cater the major shifts or changes occurs in the corporate world and economic market the organizations consider various strategies. Although, the approach of reactive change management normally appears to be imperceptible but the implementation of effective strategies can not only reduces its negative impacts but enable the companies to increase their market share. Factors to be Considered when Managing a Change The change agent Determining what should be changed The kind of change to make Individuals affected by the modifications Evaluation of the modification The Change Agent The identification and analysis of change agent comes out to be the most important factor while managing a reactive change in the corporate world. The change agent may requires some broad nature decisions like altering the culture of whole organization, or some narrow ones like designing and implementing a new safety program or a new quality program. Determining what should be changed Secondly the finalization of the factors which are required to be reviewed for managing changes in an organization is highly important. In common, managers should make only those changes that will increase organizational effectiveness. The organizational effectiveness primarily depends upon activities revolving around the three factors. a. People b. Structure c. Technology People factors are attitudes, leadership skills, communication skills and all other characteristics of the human resources within the organization. Structural factors are organizational controls, such as policies and procedures. And technological factors are any types of equipment or processes that assist organization members in the performance of their jobs. For the management of organization, while managing changes the theme Appropriate people must be matched with appropriate technology and appropriate structure proves to be necessary. The Kind of Changes to Make When the management has to review their current strategies for managing changes the factor of selecting appropriate areas is critical. For example in order to manage technological change the level of current technologies requires to be modified. Individuals Affected by the Change A fourth major factor to be considered by the organization while managing changes is the identification of its influences on the individuals both inside and outside of the organization. A good assessment of what to change and how to make the change will be wasted if organization members do not support the change. Evaluation of the Modifications In connection with the other factors the evaluation of the modifications being made for managing changes is very necessary. It will enable the management to evaluate the effectiveness of the modifications made to manage change. Resistance to Change Resistance to change is as common as the need of change. After managers decide to make some organizational changes, they typically meet with employee resistance aimed at preventing that change from occurring. Behind this resistance by organization members lies the fear of some personal loss, such as a reduction in personal prestige, a disturbance of established social and working relationships, and personal failure because of inability to carry out new job requirements. Reducing Resistance to Change To ensure the success of needed modifications, management should be able to reduce the effects of the resistance that typically accompanies proposed change. Resistance can usually be lowered by following these guidelines: 1. Avoid Surprises: People need time to evaluate a proposed change before management implements it. Unless they are given time to evaluate and absorb how the change will affect them. Whenever, possible individuals who will be affected by a change should be informed of the kind of change being considered and the probability that it will be adopted. 2. Promote Real Understanding: When fear of personal loss related to a proposed change is reduce, opposition to change is also reduced. Most managers find that ensuring that organization members thoroughly understand a proposed change is a major step in reducing this fear. 3. Set the Stage for Change: Perhaps the most powerful tool for reducing resistance to change is managements positive attitude toward the change. This attitude should be displayed openly by top and middle management as well as by lower management. In essence, management should convey that change is one of the basic prerequisites for a successful organization. Management should also strive to be seen as encouraging change to increase organizational effectiveness, rather than for sake of trying something new. Case Study of Strategic change at Samsung Group Case study is a research strategy which involves investigation of a particular contemporary phenomenon in the real life situation using multiple sources of evidence. More elaborate explanation on the nature of the case study as a research strategy was given by Frenkel, Hommel, Dufey Markus, (2005). in whose view case study represents a specific way of collecting, organizing, and analyzing data. Grounded theory represents a strategy which posits that the data is collected through observations and compared to various theoretical frameworks in order to discover which of the data is the most appropriate. This leads the researcher into making predictions about the studied phenomena prior to putting the findings into test. However, the aim of grounded theory is to make studied data records well-developed and understood and to verify relationships between the findings and the case study in question (Frenkel, Hommel, Dufey Markus, 2005). Samsung Group, a company based in the Republic of Korea that produces electronic products like televisions and radios, was able to compete favorable in the world market on the basis of low product cost resulting primarily from cheap labor and a cheap Korean currency. But when both the competitive advantages vanished the company had to adopt some different strategies. The management of Samsung Group evaluated the circumstances and adopted a change in their strategy. They decided to utilize the factor of innovation by exploring new ideas and products instead of depending on low product cost. This change management of the Samsung Group, enabled them to grab big dividends. The top management of Samsung also enabled to guide their employees towards the new strategies of bringing innovative products. Advantage of Reactive Change Management The effective utilization of reactive change management enables the management of organizations to increase their market share and to bring success for their organization. Some of the main advantages are discussed below: -. In-depth Assessment of Changes The reactive change management provides some additional time to access the impacts of changes being faced by the corporate world. It is obvious that the results of changes at any level can be determined after its implementation and a reasonable time span. Therefore, by adopting reactive change management the organization gets the opportunity to analyze the impact of changes and then finalizing the plans and strategies to cater those changes. Evaluation of Competitors Strategies and their Outcome Reactive change management also enables the management to evaluate the changes adopted by their competitors to mange the change. Moreover, the outcome of those strategies could also be judged and considered while finalizing the change management strategies. Consultation for Change Management Strategies Reactive change management lets the management to embrace consultations within the organizational setup to evaluate the changes being encountered. Moreover, various suggestions regarding the strategies and policies can be discussed and their implications can be evaluated. This process will enable them to enhance the participating of various organizational members and results in enhancing the effectiveness of strategies and policies. Enhances the Stability of Organization Stability of organization is as important as the need of growth. If an organization adopts change management strategies on frequent basis it will questions the factor of its stability. Reactive change management enables organizations to evaluate the factor of stability before adopting any change in their strategies. Conclusion Most of the managers agree that if an organization is to thrive, it must change in response to significant developments in the corporate environment, such as changing customer needs, technological breakthroughs, and new government regulations. The study of organizational changes is extremely important because all managers at all organizational levels are faced throughout their careers with the task of changing their organization. Managers who determine appropriate changes to make in their organizations and them implement such changes successfully enable their organizations to be more flexible and innovative. Change is such a fundamental part of organizational existence and growth. In additional to organizational change, degree of stability is a prerequisite for long-term organizational success. The organizational survival and growth are most probable when both stability and adaptation are high within the organization. The organization without enough stability to compliment changes is at a definite disadvantage. When stability is low the probability of organizational survival and success decline.

Critique of Barbara Huttman’s A Crime of Compassion Essay -- Euthansas

Critique of Barbara Huttman’s â€Å"A Crime of Compassion† Barbara Huttman’s â€Å"A Crime of Compassion† has many warrants yet the thesis is not qualified. This is a story that explains the struggles of being a nurse and having to make split-second decisions, whether they are right or wrong. Barbara was a nurse who was taking care of a cancer patient named Mac. Mac had wasted away to a 60-pound skeleton (95). When he walked into the hospital, he was a macho police officer who believed he could single-handedly protect the whole city (95). His condition worsened every day until it got so bad that he had to be resuscitated two or three times a day. Barbara eventually gave into his wishes to be let go. Do you believe we should have the right to die? In my opinion, if a person is terminally ill and there is no chance of bringing them back then they should have the right to make the choice whether they want to be kept alive or let go. What is the point of sitting in a hospital for the rest of a person’s life if they are not going to be able to do any thing? This claim is supported throughout the entire text through her believes in religion. And every night I prayed that his agonized eyes would never again plead with me to let him die (96). Barbara talked about how she wondered about a spiritual judge, and by this, it shows that religion is an important part in her life. Several times in the text, he begs to be let go so his suffering could be come to an end. Some would ask why we would not have the right to die. How enjoyable could life be when a person must be resuscitated fifty-two times in just one month? Anybody who reads â€Å"A Crime of Compassion† can easily find it very emotional. I believe the pathos plays a very important... ...o get a do not resuscitate order. That is an order that the families may sign so the hospital does not have to give effort to bring a person back to life anymore once they have stopped breathing. Even though Barbara’s intentions in this paper are directly stated, her claims she gives does not back her argument at all. After reading her major claim, which states that we do not have the right to die (97), I feel the complete opposite of what she thinks and I believe a person should have the right to die if there is no chance of them getting better in the future. The author’s grounds explained all of the struggles of keeping a very sick man alive, which I believe gave me some very good evidence to write my counter argument. Works Cited Huttman, Barbara. â€Å"A Crime of Compassion.† The Genre of Argument Ed. Irene Clark. Boston, MA: Christopher Klein, 1998.

Learning Assessment Essay

In classrooms where assessment for learning is practiced, students know at the outset of a unit of study what they are expected to learn. At the beginning of the unit, the teacher will work with the student to understand what she or he already knows about the topic as well as to identify any gaps or misconceptions (initial/diagnostic assessment). As the unit progresses, the teacher and student work together to assess the student’s knowledge, what she or he needs to learn to improve and extend this knowledge, and how the student can best get to that point (formative assessment). Assessment for learning occurs at all stages of the learning process. In past decades, teachers would design a unit of study that would typically include objectives, teaching strategies, and resources. An evaluation component—the test or examination—may or may not have been included as part of this design (Cooper, 2006). The student’s mark on this test or exam was taken as the indicator of his or her understanding of the topic. Assessment for learning †¢comprises two phases—initial or diagnostic assessment and formative assessment †¢assessment can be based on a variety of information sources (e.g. , portfolios, works in progress, teacher observation, conversation) †¢verbal or written feedback to the student is primarily descriptive and emphasizes strengths, identifies challenges, and points to next steps †¢as teachers check on understanding they adjust their instruction to keep students on track †¢no grades or scores are given – record-keeping is primarily anecdotal and descriptive †¢occurs throughout the learning process, from the outset of the course of study to the time of summative assessment Assessment as learning †¢begins as students become aware of the goals of instruction and the criteria for performance †¢involves goal-setting, monitoring progress, and reflecting on results †¢implies student ownership and responsibility for moving his or her thinking forward (metacognition) †¢occurs throughout the learning process Assessment of learning †¢assessment that is accompanied by a number or letter grade (summative) †¢compares one student’s achievement with standards †¢results can be communicated to the student and parents. †¢occurs at the end of the learning unit Evaluation †¢judgment made on the basis of a student’s performance Diagnostic assessment (now referred to more often as â€Å"pre-assessment†) †¢assessment made to determine what a student does and does not know about a topic assessment made to determine a student’s learning style or preferences used to determine how well a student can perform a certain set of skills related to a particular subject or group of subjects †¢occurs at the beginning of a unit of study. †¢used to inform instruction:makes up the initial phase of assessment for learning Formative assessment †¢assessment made to determine a student’s knowledge and skills, including learning gaps as they progress through a unit of study †¢used to inform instruction and guide learning †¢occurs during the course of a unit of study †¢makes up the subsequent phase of assessment for learning Summative assessment †¢assessment that is made at the end of a unit of study to determine the level of understanding the student has achieved †¢includes a mark or grade against an expected standard.

Progress during the early modern era essays

Progress during the early modern era essays PROGRESS DURING THE EARLY MODERN ERA Francois Marie Arouet said, "The most important value in the Western culture is freedom. The Scientific Revolution was caused by people seeking to free themselves from outmoded ways of thought. The Enlightenment was caused by people seeking to free themselves from traditional religious doctrines and social values. The French Revolution was caused by people looking for political freedom. The story of Western Civilization can rightly be termed the story of freedom." In this quote he is saying that the root of all human revolutions is freedom. In my personal studies I have come to the conclusion that this quote is in fact true. In all these revolutions the people involved were in fact searching for a freedom of some kind, whether that freedom be religious, political or scientific. Robert A. Hatch a Professor at the University of Florida stated, by tradition, the scientific revolution refers to historical changes in thought and belief, to changes in social and institutional organization, that unfolded in Europe between 1550 and 1700; it began with Nicholas Copernicus who asserted a heliocentric cosmos, it ended with Isaac Newton, who proposed universal laws and a Mechanical Universe. The Scientific Revolution started with Nicholas Copernicuss theory that the earth is not fixed and stationary but instead rotates on its axis each day and revolves around the sun each year. This theory challenged the traditional ways of thinking of the universe. In traditional ways of thinking Earth was the center of the universe and all things rotated around it. Copernicus theory called for a new explanation of traditional thoughts and started a study of cosmology and astronomy. Among these studying cosmology and astronomy were Tyco Brache who made astronomical observations, Johannes Kepler who studied planetary orbits and movements, and Galilieo Galilei, Rene Des ...

Joan of Arc by Jules Bastien Le Page essays

Joan of Arc by Jules Bastien Le Page essays Joan of Arc, was painted by the French realist artist Jules Bastien-Lepage in 1879. After the province of Lorraine was lost to Germany following the Franco-Prussian War in 1821, The Frenchmen saw in Joan of Arc a new and powerful symbol. In 1875, Bastien-Lepage, a native of Lorraine began to make studies for a picture of her. In the present painting, exhibited in the Salon of 1880, Joan is shown receiving her revelation in her parents garden. Behind her are Saints Michael, Margaret, and Catherine. (Caption next to painting in The Metropolitan) Jules Bastien-Lepage creates a realistic atmosphere, including a supernatural, religious-like presence within his painting. Oil on canvas was used to create the realistic quality of the work. By closely examining the artists technique, it is clear that he uses delicate brush strokes in a true to life manner. The colors, and use of light seem to be painted in a layered fashion to give the landscape a sense of depth. The background of the painting is a garden which include foliage and brush that surrounds the primary focus of the painting, Joan of Arc. The artist put a great effort into the details of the scene. Bastien-Lepage uses a distinct realistic quality in his painting which is visible in each individual leaf and branch. Various hues of earth tones, green and brown being the most evident, are blended together in the garden scene. In the foreground of the painting is Joan of Arc. She is painted with a seemingly thicker paint technique. This makes her a more easily visible aspect in the painting, and catches the onlookers eye. Joan is dressed in a long brown skirt and blue-gray shirt with white underneath which is the typical clothing style of the 19th century. The clothing is painted to show its wear and tear. Her features and her figure are quite realistic. She seems to have a calm, but troubled expression on her face, as though she i...

Analysis of Elizabeth Barrett Browning Essays

Analysis of Elizabeth Barrett Browning Essays Analysis of Elizabeth Barrett Browning Paper Analysis of Elizabeth Barrett Browning Paper Elizabeth Barrett Browning wrote the poem ‘Sonnets from the Portuguese XLIII’ shortly after she eloped with Robert Browning and married him. ’ Sonnets from the Portuguese’ was a sequence of poems that readers thought must have been translations from Portuguese but were actually all Brownings’ own work and were given this name, as her husband’s pet name for her was my little Portuguese. With this in mind, it is clear that the poems were written from her to her husband. The poem is a petrarchan sonnet which uses iambic pentameter. The poem has a very feminine tone to it which can be identified quickly through the type of diction used ‘Being and ideal Grace’, ‘every day’s Most quiet need,’. The poem begins with the persona asking a rhetorical question of ‘How do I love thee? ’ and then goes on to answer the question herself by listing the different ways in which she loves her husband. The first way describes love to the ‘depth’, ‘breadth’ and ‘height’ that the persona’s soul can reach. The use of tripling is using the soul as a spatial metaphor comparing the soul to a three dimensional physical object as all things in the universe are, meaning the love is real and spans the measurement of the whole depth and length of the universe. The use of tripling could also suggest some sort of reference to the holy trinity taking the love to not only a physical but also a spiritual level, as she refers to the soul which is the body and spirit infused. ‘when feeling out of sight For the ends of being and ideal grace,’ shows that the persona loves to the essence of her being to the end of existence. This refers to the natural order and explaining how her love reaches all the way to the top of the chain, to God. The ‘ideal Grace’ being God’s gift of salvation and the eternal love and bliss felt in his presence. This is likening the love for her husband to the love she has for God. The use of enjambment in lines three and four adds additional emphasis to the measure of how far the persona’s love extends. The use of rhyme with ‘feeling’ and ‘Being’ in these lines helps to tie the poem together more tightly. The second way describes how she loves ‘to the level of every day’s Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light. ’ The use of imagery through ‘sun and candle-light’ is quite abstract as they are different references to light, something that takes place out of the physical world. This suggests a love that goes through time and is on the same level as her most basic human needs through day or night such as air. The third way ‘I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;’ is describing how she loves of her own free will, not through force, threat or obligation and how this love is necessary to her happiness just as it is that men strive freely for right. The forth way ‘I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise. ’ describes how her love is not lust, it is purely love and not to receive any praise. The fifth way ‘with a passion put to use In my old griefs,’ suggests that she loves with the same depth of feeling as the grief she has felt in her past. The use of the word passion could also be a biblical reference meaning that she loves with such intensity that it resembles the suffering of Christ’s crucifixion. The anaphora of ‘I love thee’ repeated in lines seven, eight and nine emphasizes by the structure of them that the poem is a list of loving. The sixth way ‘with my childhood’s faith. ’ Describes how she loves with trust and innocence and with the sort of blind and unquestionable faith that existed inside of her when she was a child. There is a subtle chiasmus of sounds f and s on line ten which forces the reader to enunciate and stress this line so it is likely to be very important for Browning. The seventh way ‘with a love I seemed to lose With my lost saints. ’ Is describing how she thought she had lost this feeling of pure strong love with her lost loved ones who are now in heaven but now she loves him in that same way. It makes the love more realistic. She has felt sadness, anger, loss and loneliness in the past and this has an effect on how she loves in the present. ‘lost saints’ seems to be counterbalanced with the alliteration of l, ‘love’, ‘lose’ lost’ and the sibilance of ‘seemed’, lose’ ‘saints’. The eighth way ‘with the breath, Smiles, tears, of all my life’ describes how she loves him with all of the happiness and sadness that she’s ever felt and ever likely to and that she loves him with her very life and will until her last breath. The final way ‘and, if God choose, I shall but love thee better after death. ’ Is saying that if she is permitted to heaven after death and God allows her, her love will continue eternally and even greater than at present as she will feel God’s love and have that to feel for him as well as her own love. This could be seen as hyperbole by some readers. The word’ love’ is used ten times throughout the poem. The fact that the word ‘love’ is used and that there are no synonyms for love used, shows that the love is consistent and unchanging and that the only thing the persona is concerned with is pure love. There is also repetition of ‘I love thee’ which places emphasis on these words. There is lots of assonance used of the long ‘e’ vowel sound in words such as ‘reach’, ‘feeling’, ‘Being’ and ‘ideal which seems to make the poem a bit livelier and brighter and reminds us of ‘thee’ beloved one. This along with the repetition of the ‘th’ ‘breadth’, ‘depth’, ‘thee’ as well as words such as ‘freely’ and ‘purely’ help the poem to flow very easily and can be drawn out to make it last just like the persona’s love. The sibilance throughout the poem makes it seem very soft and soothing and accentuates the feminine qualities of the poem. The Octave in the poem is very positive and draws analogies between the love of the persona and religious and political ideals where as the sestet starts to mention negative experiences and appears to draw analogies between the intensity of Browning’s own feelings when writing the poem and the intensity of love that she felt earlier in her life with the loss of her mother and brothers and likely the recent loss of her father and brothers due to her new love with her husband Robert. On further reading of the poem the reader gets the impression that not only is this a list of the different ways in which she loves but also a vow to her husband. The last line ‘I shall but love thee better after death’ gives the feeling that she is making a promise to her husband to love him forever. This is likely to have been because Browning had been ill for most of her life and had thought about death so wanted her husband to know that if she were to be gone, her love for him would carry on.

The Globalisation of Logistics & Supply Chains Management Case Study

The Globalisation of Logistics & Supply Chains Management - Case Study Example Economies that have been quite strong up to now show signs of decline. These are mainly the Western countries. On the other hand, BRIC countries have strengthened their position and seem to have potentials for a long term growth. OECD has incorporated a plan for promoting the development of economies worldwide by 2060. Emerging economies are expected to show a rapid rate of growth while Western economies are more likely to have a slow growth, as highlighted in the report of OECD. Under these terms, OECD support that MNEs are expected to change their global strategies so that they are able to respond to the global dynamics, which are based on the swifts of economic power from the countries of the TRIAD towards the BRIC countries. The above issue is explored in this paper. Emphasis is given on the influence of the changes related to global dynamics on the total global strategies of multinational enterprises (MNEs), not only for the present but also, mainly, for the future. Academic theories and models that have been developed in this field are presented and analyzed aiming to explain whether MNEs are vulnerable towards the changes occurred in global dynamics internationally. In addition, the various aspects of MNEs are presented, in order to understand the responses of MNEs to global market trends and challenges. The operation of businesses in the global market is closely related to the principles of globalization. In fact, globalization is the framework that sets the rules and the conditions under which firms are able to develop their activities worldwide (Parker 2005). In this context, the understanding of the role and the powers of MNEs requires the understanding of the characteristics of globalization (Parker 2005). In practice, globalization seems to have four key characteristics: ‘a) promotion of global interconnections, b) rapid change, c) different characteristics of participants, both in terms of their number and their

Affordable health care Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Affordable health care - Term Paper Example As a result, various health policy changes have been enacted. The passage of the Affordable Care Act has initiated the transformation in the United States health care system since it was enacted. The main goal of the act is fostering preventive healthcare model in the health care system emphasizing on promoting quality care, funding community health initiatives and enhancing primary care delivery. The changes are essential in increasing the need for a well-prepared team of healthcare professionals enhancing quality care delivery. The paper discuss on the implications of the act on the cost and effectiveness of the delivery of high-quality long-term care in the United States (Davis, Abrams, & Stremikis, 2011). The Act has established the basic legal protections that until its establishment, have been absent in the health care system. It guarantees access to affordable health insurance coverage from birth through retirement among the citizens. Under full implementation, the Act is expected to cut the number of uninsured Americans by more than a half leading to 95 percent health insurance coverage of the American population thus reducing the cost associated with seeking health care systems. It consists of 10 separate legislative titles with several major objectives. Among them, include attaining health care universal coverage in U.S through shared responsibility among employers, individuals and the government as well as improving the quality, fairness and affordability of health insurance coverage (Meltzer, 2011). The ACA also aims at improving health care value, efficiency, and quality while reducing wasteful spending and making access to health care more accountable to the diverse patient population. Another objective of the act is strengthening the primary health care access while long term changes in the availability of preventive and primary health care systems. The Obamacare Act is essential in fundamentally altering

Learning many languages in the future Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Learning many languages in the future - Essay Example It is significant to point out where the problem lies in the language acquisition domains. The concern with people around the world is that they do not let their children learn many languages as they have distinctive dispositions and viewpoints. It is a problem because the parents do not realize that if they disallow their young ones from learning new languages, they are in essence asking them not to move ahead in life – both personally as well as professionally. There is an ignorant vibe that can be collected from the domains of the parents as they intend to upgrade the lives of their children. However what they seem to forget is the fact that these children have to see the new age which these parents might not be able to make it through. Since the children will be alive even after the parents have long gone by from this world, they need to set up a proper basis for their growth and development. This can be done when they allow their children to learn new languages and unders tand for their own selves how they will view life their own way. What is even more surprising is the fact that the parents have earmarked certain languages for their children and would forbid them to learn others. This is a negative approach as has been comprehended with the passage of time. The parents are perhaps feeling that their children are overburdened with studies already and if they try their hand at learning a new language, they will have an even harder time. What they seem to forget is the fact that the parents have a definite role under such scenarios. They need to make efforts to settle the difficulties once and for all. Learning new languages is not a negative aspect; rather it should be seen in a positive way. If they learn new languages, they will be at a benefit as compared to the people who do not have any know-how regarding a specific dictum. The most basic problem is that the parents do not understand the very problem. If realization of the problem is done, perha ps many things can be handled in an amicable fashion but unfortunately this is not the case. As (Paton 2012) depicts, â€Å"The number of schoolchildren shunning the subjects between the age of 14 and 16 has more than doubled since the late 90s, it was revealed.† In this day and age, learning new languages ensure that the children stay one step ahead of many of their colleagues and have an advantage over others when it comes to their professional domains and settings. Hence only when the problem is identified, can there be a solution found for it. Sadly and quite rightly so, the parents are unwary of the fact that their young ones are feeling left behind in this global rat race to reach the top and learning new languages can benefit them like none other. Also, (Paton 2012) believes that â€Å"The drop has been particularly marked in French and German – traditionally the two most popular languages at school – with both being named among the fastest declining sub jects at GCSE level last summer.† In essence, the cause of the problem revolves around the fact that parents have a non-serious role within such matters. They are the ones who would not let their young ones learn a new language merely because they would feel that by learning a new language, their children will be burdened immensely. Also the reason for this lies in the

Human Rights Issues Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Human Rights Issues - Research Paper Example In fact, President Barrack Obama is found to have avoided holding a personal meeting with the Tibetan religious leader. It is held that the Obama administration for their support to the Chinese government in their political and cultural conflicts with Tibetan people led to such non-meeting. Moreover, the current administration of America is also found to participate in the process of rigging elections. The joining of America to the United Nations Human Rights Council has also turned out to be a controversial issue. It is because the council is taken to be flawed one and thus America’s joining such is also not being supported1.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The role of Human Rights in the Foreign Policy of United States has become an issue of serious controversy owing to certain fallouts of the United States government under the leadership of President Barrack Obama. One of the serious flaws in this regard was a symbol of dishonor shown to the fourteenth Dalai Lama on his recent visit to United States. The 74-year-old Buddhist monk who was previously been offered a warm welcome to the American soil was however not treated with due respect this time. In fact, President Barrack Obama is found to have cancelled a meeting with the old monk. The sudden change in America’s attitude towards the old Buddhist monk is taken to be a significant gesture on Obama’s part to support the ongoing Chinese war with the Tibetan residents. The said activity of the Obama administration earns strong criticism in regards to the view given by Human Rights Activists. They hold that the present American administration has tu rned into a weak body in promoting the effects of democracy and human rights. However, Barrack Obama’s way in dealing with terrorist suspects earns a sea change from the policies practiced in the times of Bush administration. Obama rightly changed the detention and interrogation procedures of suspected terrorists. It is also observed that

Toyota Motor Corporation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Toyota Motor Corporation - Essay Example On pursuing its business model, Toyota periodically reviews the carrying value of its long-term assets used in the business, including intangible assets as circumstances deserve such review. The company carries out the review using estimates of future cash flows and fair value that the management think would influence the accurate valuation of assets. In the same way, Toyota also needs to consider the assets like high quality fixed income bonds and fixed income bonds that are presently available and anticipated to be available in the future. The company also takes into account the deferred tax assets as there are chances for the actual taxable income to differ from the estimated amounts due to various assumptions (Toyota Motor Corporation, 2010). There are liquid assets in the business which the company defines cash and cash equivalents, time deposits, marketable debt securities that are taken into account to make sure that the company is in line with its business model. However, goo dwill is not material to Toyota’s consolidated balance sheet, and intangible assets with a definite life are amortised on a straight-line basis with estimated useful lifetime of five year. Intangible assets with indefinite life are examined for impairment whenever incidents or circumstance signify that a carrying amount of an asset may not be recuperated. The company evaluates the impairment loss when carrying amount of an asset exceeds the estimated undiscounted cash flows. Toyota’s strategy and aim for plan asset management is to maximise returns on plan assets to meet future benefit payment requirements under risks that the company thinks to be permissible (Toyota Motor Corporation, 2010). Assets in financial accounting can be considered as the economic resources of the firm. Anything that is touchable or intangible and able to be owned by or administered to produce value by preserving it on the process of obtaining a positive economic value can be regarded as an as set. In simple worlds, asset can be stated as an ownership that can be converted into cash (cash itself is an asset). Asset in simple sense is anything of value that a company owns, including cash and should be recorded on the balance sheet of the company. Even if the firm used credit to purchase an asset, the company still owns it. In such case, the original cost of the asset must be recorded on the asst side of the balance sheet as well as the amount that the company owes should be recorded on the liability side of the balance sheet. The three components that constitute a company’s balance sheet, which illustrate the business’s financial position at any point are assets, liabilities, and owners’ equity (U.S. Securities Exchange Commission, 2007). This association among these three components can be explained using the following equation: Assets = Liabilities + Owners’ Equity This equation sets the framework for keeping trace of money as it flows in and out of the business. Every penny in the business should be recorded into appropriate ledgers, every single transaction into the books using a double-entry system of debit and credit. In general accounting practice, assets are recorded on the top left side of the balance sheet. Assets may be classified in many ways and the principal distinction normally made for business purposes is between: Fixed assets and Current assets. There are other business

Critical appraisal of the business plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Critical appraisal of the business plan - Essay Example (Shane, 2003) Though I have a wide idea of the business market as far as importing and selling textile goods is concerned but I still have issues in grasping the finer details in this market. For example, I still have a hard time in distinguishing fabrics from South East Asian countries such as from Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. This may cause me to buy more expensive fabrics. The other key strength is my ability to regulate finances that I have sizable experience in by managing the finances for myself, my household and my uncle’s business at times. (Reynolds, 2007) I have a hard time grasping custom’s rules because I have paid little attention to them as yet but I would be able to deal with them given thorough study. My experience in working with foreign teams is also limited and I would have to sharpen up my cross cultural communication skills in order to make the business effort work. My business would be provided an opportunity to develop in limited com petition as the market is rebounding although the recovery is slow and may take another half a decade to become viable. I am targeting a market niche where market competition may not be as stiff either as I am not entering the mainstream market but a segregated portion of the textile market. (Ebbena & Johnson, 2006) However, my business venture is in dire threat due to shipping delays for any given reason. My study of the supply and demand in these products tells me that internal disturbances in the producing countries cause delayed shipments although this is not very frequent. However, every delayed shipment means that my rate of return on the investment would suffer considerably. The business sector also suffers from slowed consumer spending as mentioned earlier and this issue serves as a retardant while promoting opportunity too. (Duening et al., 2009) Most of these factors are derived from entrepreneurial traits I have developed over time as well as from a thorough study of the subject market. The targeted audience are middle income groups who are learning to increase their spending capabilities following the recent global economic crunch. This is augmented by the fact that the market was derided of small investors. Since this business model is moving into the space that the small investors left behind so there is a good chance for its workability. (Livingston, 2007) Hence, it is highly reasonable to expect that this business will grow into its niche and will garner the right kind of consumer base. Moreover, the resources needed to make this business model work are all SMART (specific, measurable, attainable and time bound). This ensures that the business is built on concrete ideas and on as little speculation as possible. (Entrerprise UK, 2011) I have a primary contact within the South East Asian manufacturing belt who is capable of getting goods manufactured to specification and shipped accordingly. Moreover, a storage area near the main display shop can easily be arranged given that such storage areas exist near markets and malls. A display area would be required to sell the product and such a retail area can well easily be located in a central shopping district. It would pay to have the business in as competitive and large a shopping district as possible but that would cost too much money for a business that is already dealing with decent finance levels. Most businesses fail in the longer run for want of finance and hiring a place that costs too much in terms of rent will more or less push the business into a state of insecurity in terms of finance. Moreover, it would be unreasonable to expe

Human Rights Issues Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Human Rights Issues - Research Paper Example In fact, President Barrack Obama is found to have avoided holding a personal meeting with the Tibetan religious leader. It is held that the Obama administration for their support to the Chinese government in their political and cultural conflicts with Tibetan people led to such non-meeting. Moreover, the current administration of America is also found to participate in the process of rigging elections. The joining of America to the United Nations Human Rights Council has also turned out to be a controversial issue. It is because the council is taken to be flawed one and thus America’s joining such is also not being supported1.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The role of Human Rights in the Foreign Policy of United States has become an issue of serious controversy owing to certain fallouts of the United States government under the leadership of President Barrack Obama. One of the serious flaws in this regard was a symbol of dishonor shown to the fourteenth Dalai Lama on his recent visit to United States. The 74-year-old Buddhist monk who was previously been offered a warm welcome to the American soil was however not treated with due respect this time. In fact, President Barrack Obama is found to have cancelled a meeting with the old monk. The sudden change in America’s attitude towards the old Buddhist monk is taken to be a significant gesture on Obama’s part to support the ongoing Chinese war with the Tibetan residents. The said activity of the Obama administration earns strong criticism in regards to the view given by Human Rights Activists. They hold that the present American administration has tu rned into a weak body in promoting the effects of democracy and human rights. However, Barrack Obama’s way in dealing with terrorist suspects earns a sea change from the policies practiced in the times of Bush administration. Obama rightly changed the detention and interrogation procedures of suspected terrorists. It is also observed that

Critical appraisal of the business plan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Critical appraisal of the business plan - Essay Example (Shane, 2003) Though I have a wide idea of the business market as far as importing and selling textile goods is concerned but I still have issues in grasping the finer details in this market. For example, I still have a hard time in distinguishing fabrics from South East Asian countries such as from Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. This may cause me to buy more expensive fabrics. The other key strength is my ability to regulate finances that I have sizable experience in by managing the finances for myself, my household and my uncle’s business at times. (Reynolds, 2007) I have a hard time grasping custom’s rules because I have paid little attention to them as yet but I would be able to deal with them given thorough study. My experience in working with foreign teams is also limited and I would have to sharpen up my cross cultural communication skills in order to make the business effort work. My business would be provided an opportunity to develop in limited com petition as the market is rebounding although the recovery is slow and may take another half a decade to become viable. I am targeting a market niche where market competition may not be as stiff either as I am not entering the mainstream market but a segregated portion of the textile market. (Ebbena & Johnson, 2006) However, my business venture is in dire threat due to shipping delays for any given reason. My study of the supply and demand in these products tells me that internal disturbances in the producing countries cause delayed shipments although this is not very frequent. However, every delayed shipment means that my rate of return on the investment would suffer considerably. The business sector also suffers from slowed consumer spending as mentioned earlier and this issue serves as a retardant while promoting opportunity too. (Duening et al., 2009) Most of these factors are derived from entrepreneurial traits I have developed over time as well as from a thorough study of the subject market. The targeted audience are middle income groups who are learning to increase their spending capabilities following the recent global economic crunch. This is augmented by the fact that the market was derided of small investors. Since this business model is moving into the space that the small investors left behind so there is a good chance for its workability. (Livingston, 2007) Hence, it is highly reasonable to expect that this business will grow into its niche and will garner the right kind of consumer base. Moreover, the resources needed to make this business model work are all SMART (specific, measurable, attainable and time bound). This ensures that the business is built on concrete ideas and on as little speculation as possible. (Entrerprise UK, 2011) I have a primary contact within the South East Asian manufacturing belt who is capable of getting goods manufactured to specification and shipped accordingly. Moreover, a storage area near the main display shop can easily be arranged given that such storage areas exist near markets and malls. A display area would be required to sell the product and such a retail area can well easily be located in a central shopping district. It would pay to have the business in as competitive and large a shopping district as possible but that would cost too much money for a business that is already dealing with decent finance levels. Most businesses fail in the longer run for want of finance and hiring a place that costs too much in terms of rent will more or less push the business into a state of insecurity in terms of finance. Moreover, it would be unreasonable to expe

The institution and I Essay Example for Free

The institution and I Essay This is similar to Brett; the protagonist in Scott Monks unconventionally written novel Raw. We first meet Brett at his umpteenth time of committing a crime. On his journey to his latest institution; The Farm, we learn of his negative attitude and surprise of being sent to a federation-styled homestead instead of a concentration camp patrolled by Dobermans and gun-toting guards. His negative attitude to authority is exemplified by constantly referring to the police as pigs and similies like Cops and food go together like pigs and slop. Sam is the symbolic role model who initiates Bretts reform, he offers his hand for a handshake, but Brett declines the offer. This symbolises his reluctance to change from his former self and habits. Scott Monk has deliberately put this theme of binary opposites in  the novel, to show how different the experiences are on individuals on different sides of the rules. When Brett first meets the other criminals occupying The Farm he is shown two different paths he can follow while there; he can follow the rules and rely on the institution for support and be like Josh. The other option is to have a blatant disregard and disrespect for the rules; and turn to violence as the answer to everything and be like Tyson. Brett is always at crossroads and does not show any change until the end of the novel, where he is put in a position where he must choose what path he wants to lead in life. The Farm does not use solitary confinement or violence as a form of punishment towards the boys, instead they are enforced upon the individual i.e. When Brett drink drives and crashes the Ute, he is punished by doing chores such as †¦pulling out weeds†¦ and †¦scrubbing the rust off oil drums†¦. Brett does not prefer to do such chores because he knows he is already being sent back to Sydney for breaking the law. Another way is by punishing the whole group for an individuals action, this leads to the individual harassment and negative victimisation towards this individual i.e. Brett tries to escape and is victimised by Tyson and his group who shave the hair off his head for the fear of losing privileges. The symbolic affects of before and after The Farm is represented by Rebecca and Caitlyn. The significance of Rebecca proves that Brett is only semi-rehabilitated; Rebecca symbolises Bretts continuing path to crime. Caitlyns personalities of being conservative and conformist replicate the path that Bretts life will lead to if he abides to the rules while staying at The Farm. It is because of Rebecca that he is sent away and Sam tells him only you can change ur life. This is the main theme to the whole novel, and has been put in deliberately by Scott Monk. He does this because he knows that his book is aimed at young teenagers and he knows that it will attract the attention of a lot of young teenagers because of its contents; rebelling amongst the  whole world because †¦it hates you†¦, fights, sex and run-ins with the law. Dissimilar to Raw, Shawshank Redemption a film directed by Frank Darabont, is set on themes focusing on the negative effects on the individual while in prison. Shawshank focuses mainly on physical abuse and punishment, this is seen in the fourth scene when Warden Norton is laying out the rules; †¦no blasphemy but verbal and physical abuse is condoned. Shawshank is different to Raw because it can be seen that, the guards physically abuse the inmates. Also; the plot of Raw is that the change is within the individual, but in Shawshank, the plot is to keep the criminals inside the dull grey walls away from the emerging and colourful society; There is only 3 ways to spend money on prisons: more walls, more bars, more guards. This piece of dialogue is ironic because the warden himself is in charge of a money laundering scheme throughout the prison, this is only possible with the help of the smart Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins). This operation leads Andy to find sarcasm in saying that On the outside I was an honest man, straight as an arrow, I had to come to prison to be a crook. This is an individual effect that Andy has had because of the institution; he has become a criminal. There is a belief that if an inmate has been in a prison for too long they rely upon the institution and become institutionalised i.e. Brooks; he served his 50 year sentence and throughout that time he is the prison librarian; †¦outside he is nothing. Upon leaving the prison he is given a place to stay and a job at Food Way. He doesnt like how the world has changed so fast and all he wants to really do is †¦get a gun and rob the Food Way so they would send me home. _Home_, he refers to the prison as home, by being away from a growing society, the institution has left him with a negative effect of being confused and not knowing anything about the outside world, but relying on the support of the institution. Brooks was rendered so incapable of independent thought and human operation in the world that he committed suicide. This portrays how Shawshank has become the opposite of rehabilitation and shuns out the beliefs of hope and ever getting out of the high; stone walls. Just like it did to Red, when Andy tries to explain how he can never become institutionalised, Red replies  with: Hope is a dangerous thing. It can drive a man insane. This explains how in Shawshank, redemption is a hard thing to find. Redemption is the improving of something, but if inmates are _hoping_ to _improve_, will they find redemption? Richard Nevilles article Come on, kids dare to resist published by The Sydney Morning Herald on the 3rd of May 2004. Outlines how the selfish gen Xers are more afraid of losing their credit cards than losing the planet. A gen Xer is a person born on Earth anytime between 1965 and 1980. Richard Neville is a man who doesnt want technology to rule our worlds, he is a hero to some and an enemy to others, his views are more futuristic, he is very concerned to where the future is headed and how we will get there. He himself is portrayed as the institution here, it is his views that make a lasting impact on people, the reason he is well known for his publicity. When commenting on a recent protest about young university students wanting lower fees he says this; The students have a point about the fees, but why cant they get upset about other peoples problems? He is referring to the war in Iraq. He wants the young students to look to the positive side and see that they have the education that they are taking for granted; the education a person their age in Iraq is deprived of even if they can afford it. These youngsters in Australia do not understand how lucky they are to be friends with America and not enemies like Iraq. His political based comments do not stop there; As for the future leaders of Australia, the strapping young professionals, the entrepreneurs, the trainee philosophers, where are they? Locked up with mortgage brokers, every one. See how he predicts a positive effect and job prospects towards _all_ future leaders of Australia and by saying that they are Locked up with mortgage brokers, every one. He is emphasising that they are experiencing a negative effect from their institutions and are becoming institutionalised by not being able to reach for that final goal; they can see it, but they cant have it. This is just like Brett in Raw he wanted to be like Josh, but couldnt because he could never leave his old habits behind him. This can also be related to Andy in Shawshank Redemption, he could see himself  outside the prison in New Mexico, but he was restricted by the greed and abuse of human rights. So he chose to break out and reach his goal, even if it was giving the institution a r eason to finally keep him there. Now readers the task is upon you to judge from what you have read here, go read Raw and go watch Shawshank Redemption, I have only expressed to you my opinion of these two excellent texts and their analysation of different institutions and their effects. It is now your turn to experience the self-discovery of how you lead your life and how the institutions around you lead their occupants lives. It is also an incredulous opportunity that todays HSC students are able to study this subject more thoroughly. It is because of this elective in year 12 English classes that the young adults of tomorrow can see where their futures may be heading and know now that there is always time for reform and change in their habits. Studying such socially active topics at school will prove useful in their future lives, as it will help them understand how they should deal with problems they face from institutions that they may come across in their life. Might I also add to keep a watch on Richard Neville, he has some intriguing predictions about the future on his website: http://www.richardneville.com.au