The Jewish Religion and Its Impact on Western Culture

The long, rich history of Judaism gives the western world its shape today. The laws, traditions, culture, and values are directly attributable to Judaism. Judaism most prominently began with the founder of the Hebrews known as Abraham, who began to worship a figure called â€Å"Elohim. † Historically, the teachings of Judaism were also subscribed by nomadic tribes, which settled in present day Palestine, near Mt. Sinai. The people of these tribes did not label themselves as Hebrews, and referred to G-d as the G-d of Abraham.The beginning of the story came about as G-d promised Abraham a son, and in the course of the events doubting that his old wife could give him a son, he had Ishmael with his maid, Hagar. Later, G-d's prophecy would be fulfilled with the birth of Isaac, by his wife Sarah. Due to their belief system, the tribe proliferated the idea that Isaac and his descendants were chosen by G-d to carry forward Abraham's holy ancestry. Isaac was the forefather of what was to become the 12 tribes of Israel. These twelve original tribes were later enslaved for several generations in Egypt. In Egypt, the Jews were persecuted and sold into slavery.It was not until Moses, a Hebrew, adopted by the pharaoh, realized his duty to release his people from their oppression. He eventually led the people from Egypt into the desert where they wandered for 40 years. Throughout the history of the world, the Jewish people have been persecuted and oppressed because of their religious beliefs and faith. Many groups of people have made Jews their scapegoat. Jews have suffered from years of intolerance because people have not understood what the religion really means. They do not understand where and why the religion began, nor the customs of its people.For one to understand the great hardships, triumphs, and history of the Jewish people, one must open-mindedly peruse a greater knowledge of the Jewish people and faith, while acknowledging their impact on society today. Al l Western law is based in part on Judaic Torah observance. A quick look at the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20) is a very good summary of most modern law that is followed today, along with the next three chapters in Exodus. Judaism believes in the equality of all people and if these commandments were not made and observed today, the equality of Western law would be replaced by position, power, or money.Another modern historical tradition adopted by from the Jews is how we eat. What is customary in Western society is a reflection of most of the Judaic dietary law. With the exception of the pig, Western society does not eat what is not contained in kosher law. Owls, mice, rats, and snakes are repugnant to most Westerners and it is a direct result of Jewish culture. A third example can be directly traced to Jewish culture in the way women are treated. Women's rights were carefully maintained in this ancient culture, and today's laws giving women equal rights under the law are a byproduct o f Judaism.Unfortunately in today’s world, education is taken for granted, yet Judaism has long maintained education as the highest goal of man in his pursuit of Godliness. After the Babylonian Captivity, it was decreed that all the people should be educated, and this tradition has been passed to Western culture. Other defining characteristics of Western civilization which are influenced by Judaism are the recognition of the importance of each individual. Every person is believed to have worth and to deserve a life of dignity.In Jewish literature, this idea is first expressed in the first chapter of the first book of the Hebrew Bible, which says that people are created in the image of G-d. Because of this, every person is valuable. This idea was not common in the ancient world, where an individual’s social status often determined one’s importance and value. Also, the idea that trials must be fair is closely connected to belief in the rule of law. The Hebrew Bible and Talmud include numerous statements that emphasize the importance of fair trials and a wide variety of provisions to help ensure that trials are fair.Many of these provisions became key legal principles in the Western world. Jewish roots of legal principles have even been referenced by the U. S. Supreme Court. Lastly, giving charity is an important value in Western civilization that was not emphasized in most ancient cultures. In Judaism, on the other hand, supporting the needy is obligatory. Judaism has also played a significant role in the development of Western culture because of its unique relationship with Christianity, the dominant religious force in the West.Although the Christian church drew from other sources as well, its retention of the sacred Scriptures of the synagogue (the Old Testament) as an integral part of its Bible is crucial. Not only was the development of its ideas and doctrines deeply influenced, but it also received an ethical dynamism that constantly ove rcame an inclination to withdraw into world-denying isolation. It was, however, not only Judaism’s heritage but its persistence that touched Western civilization. The continuing existence of the Jews, even as pariah people, is both a challenge and a warning. Their liberation from the shackles of discrimination, segregation, and rejection at the beginning of the modern era was understood by many to be the touchstone of all human liberty. The two central events of 20th-century Jewish history were the Holocaust and the establishment of the State of Israel. The former was the great tragedy of the Jewish people, while the later was the light of a rebirth, which promised political, cultural, and economic independence.The rest of the world has been forced to reconsider and reorient its relationship with Judaism and the Jewish people because of these two events. At the same time, the centers of Jewish life have moved almost exclusively to Israel and North America. Along with these de velopments, theological considerations and practical realities, such as interfaith marriage, have made Jewish religious culture a point of interest for many non-Jews. In the early 21st century, Jewish religious life continued to fragment along ideological lines, but that very fragmentation animated both moral imagination and ritual life.While ultra-Orthodox Judaism grew narrower, and some varieties of Liberal Judaism moved ritual practice even farther away from traditional observance, a vital center emerged, running from Reform Judaism to modern Orthodoxy. This center sought to understand Judaism within a broader context of interaction with other cultures while leaving the essentials of belief and practice unaffected. Predicting the future of Judaism is not an easy or desirable task, but there is reason to hope that the world will continue to draw upon the religious and cultural traditions of Judaism, both past and present.

The Force of Circumstance

Brief summaryGuy, an administrator of a small British colonial outpost, has lived there for ten years. When he was on holiday in England he met Doris. They married and she returned to the station with him. At first they are very happy but then Doris notices a young Malay woman with three half-caste children hanging around the bungalow and annoying Guy very much. Finally Guy confesses that he had a relationship with the woman and that the children are his.Doris needs time to consider this shattering news, in the meantime they continue to live as before but Doris refuses to share her bedroom with her husband and the atmosphere is strained. Eventually Doris returns to England although she knows that Guy loves her and understands that he acted out of loneliness. But she cannot overcome her prejudices and cannot accept the idea that her white husband has had an intimate relationship with a native. Guy, unhappy and lonely, allows the Malay woman and their children to come back.Structure of the plotThe story is carefully constructed like a five-act drama with tension rising to the climax of Guy’s disclosure speech.exposition – introduction to the exotic scenery and the harmonious couplerising conflict – the confrontation of charactersclimax – Guy’s monologue and Doris’s reactionfalling action – Doris’s long suffering and period of indecisiondenouement – Doris’s leaving and the restoration of the former circumstancesThere are hints at the beginning which foreshadow the crisis and you will probably guess from the first mention of the half-caste boys what the conflict in the story is about. What creates the tension is the desire to know how Doris will cope with this situation.Doris says that she’s thankful Guy never had a Malay woman (p. 43 , ls. 1-2)D. cannot accept the excuses Guy makes for the behaviour of European men (p.43, ls.21-22)Guy’s unusual display of affection when he drew Dor is to him as she passed(p.45.ls.27-28)Guy’s â€Å"deathly white† face(p.47, l.3) when he sees the Malay woman at the tennis court and his  silent and bad play afterwards â€Å"there was a change in Guy† (p. 48, l.24)Guy’s â€Å"ashy† face (p.50, l.10) after his servant has roughly turned the woman away. â€Å"He was nervous and irritable† (p.51, ls. 6ff.)SettingThe story is set in the part of Borneo controlled by the British. Which area the story is set in is unclear and not of much importance, as Maugham uses the exotic setting to show the interaction between European and indigenous people and cultures. The newly arrived European woman views the surroundings with a mixture of fascination with the exotic and fear of the unknown. The tropical scenery is described in a way (esp. through colours and sounds) that reveals the mood of the characters.the lead-up to the dramatic climax of Guy’s disclosure is accompanied by a heavy storm, re inforcing the rising tensionthe disclosure is made under an open sky (â€Å"the night was starry†)sounds (as well as colours) gain an immediate presence, esp. the croak of the chik-chak, which appears at crucial moments in the storyDoris tries to import an English lifestyle into a home which until her arrival had contained mostly objects from the indigenous culture (p.44/45) —- her wedding presents, playing tennisCharactersGuyGuy is a fun-loving, cheerful, ugly and noisy sort of person. He has a naturally optimistic nature and likes to laugh a lot. Doris cannot resist his charm.Having lived all his life in the tropics and coming from a family tradition of colonial service, he seems to be the perfect type of colonial agent: he speaks the native language fluently and moves easily between two cultures. From his point of view there is nothing wrong with his ‘going native’.He regards the native woman as an inferior person who fulfils his physical needs and help s him overcome his loneliness, only to be pensioned off when  she is no longer needed. He feels no affection for his children, natives are treated as though they had no feelings or rights.DorisDoris is a pretty, honest person. Before marriage she had a not very important post as secretary to an MP and cared for her widowed mother. Her decision to marry Guy after knowing him for only a month may have been forced by the prospect of a more interesting and exotic life and material and social betterment. Doris is described as self-contained, competent and has ‘deft hands’.She dislikes Guy’s carelessness and is shocked by the behaviour of European colonizers and by her husband’s insensitivity to such immorality. Reasons why Doris will in the end decide against life with her husband:she is shocked at his strategy of hiding his former life from hershe is hurt when she learns the reasons why Guy married hershe cannot tolerate the irresponsible manner with which h e treats his black familyshe cannot stand the idea of him touching a black womanDoris is unable to overcome her middle-class British prejudices and instead of adapting to the new circumstances, of tolerating a certain degree of assimilation toward the native culture, she gives up a relatively happy marriage and returns to the purity of unhappiness and poverty.The Malay WomanShe is never called anything else but ‘the Malay woman’ or ‘the woman from the kampong’ and she never speaks, but her physical presence is strongly felt through her persistent gaze and the way she intrudes on Guy’s life. She is a powerful figure, determining the course of action to her advantage, finally taking over the role of the female in Guy’s home. Unlike Doris she is not humiliated by the existence of another woman and proudly claims her position as wife and mother. She is the stronger of the two .ThemesGoing NativeWhite men actually had a general fear of ‘going native’ which means adapting to the native way of life. So many white men in the colonies insisted on wearing European clothes or retained their typical European lifestyle.They  were afraid to lose their own identity in having too much contact with the natives which would threaten their authority and power. According to imperialist ideology they felt superior and an intermingling of the races had to be avoided. In fact it was very difficult for the white men in the colonies to resist the temptation of the native women because they were the only females around and their exoticism was very attractive. Isolation and loneliness often made the white men forget the standards of behaviour and their fear of ‘going native’.Daily Life in the Colonies  importation of the British lifestyle to the colonies ( tennis and cricket, afternoon cocktails, and leisure clubs )  contact with the homeland is kept up by newspapers and letters — the tropical climate structur es the rhythm of the day: they get up early to make the most of the cool morning, they indulge in long afternoon siestas and enjoy social engagements orThe Force of Circumstance sport towards the evening.Point of viewThe third-person narrator tells the story from an unlimited omniscient point of view, moving freely in and out of the protagonists’ minds. He observes, but does not make judgements.StyleA large portion of the story is taken up by dialogue, another theatrical element, and as there are few long descriptive or reflective passages the plot gains speed and concentration. The language used especially in the dialogues is informal and sometimes ironic The informal vocabulary, the relatively short, simple sentences and the passages of dialogue resemble spoken language. The descriptive passages of the landscape and the characters make use of more figurative language ( images and metaphors, similes, alliteration and inversion )The authorMaugham’s travels in the Pacif ic region were a turning point in his life for there he met a completely new type of person. †It seemed to me that these men had more vitality than those I had known â€Å". To him it was refreshing to discover people who did not live according to conventional European standards. Although in his colonial stories M. depicts the moral damage done  to colonial agents as well as to natives, he never questions the colonial system as such.

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The Worlds Most Ethical Companies - Essay Example Colgate-Palmolive is a company which was founded for the purpose of creating the best products in the market for its consumers. It is because of this that it has often worked towards the development of those products which are not only attractive to consumers, but also highly beneficial to their health. Moreover, because of its need to retain the loyalty of its customers, Colgate-Palmolive has more often than not become involved in corporate social responsibility initiatives designed to ensure that the lives of people in those places where it has operations that directly affect them are improved (Ferrell and John 315). Because of such initiatives, as well as the high quality of the products that it manufactures, Colgate-Palmolive has managed to retain the loyalty of its customers throughout the decades of its existence. Furthermore, as a result of its reputation of producing only the best quality products, this company has managed to comfortably settle into new markets within a short time, unlike those companies which have a questionable reputation. In this way, Colgate is one of the most recognisable consumer brands in the world, with many individuals simply buying it products because the name Colgate gives them confidence about their quality. Consumers of Colgate-Palmolive products rarely have a problem with it and this is because of the company’s awareness that the production of inferior products will mean that it will lose out to its competitors, many of which also work hard to outpace its products in the market. Thus, Colgate-Palmolive has retained the confidence of its customers through observing their best interests as a means of making profits in the long term. This company often keeps its lines of communication with its customers open so that whenever there are any complaints about its products and services, they are taken care of swiftly and this has worked towards enhancing customer

Epistemology and the Legend of the Sphinx in Oedipus Rex Research Paper

Epistemology and the Legend of the Sphinx in Oedipus Rex - Research Paper Example The idea of pharmakos in Oedipus Rex is embodied in the interaction between the sphinx and Oedipus and how the sphinx guards and reveals knowledge. Pharmakos is the idea that there is a duality to things; that an item can be both a cure and a poison. The sphinx is used as a pharmakos in Oedipus Rex because not only does her physical appearance portray a duality, but also her riddles conceal knowledge in their ambiguity, but also in a sense, reveal truth concerning Oedipus and the Greek society. Epistemology Epistemology can be defined as the branch of philosophy that looks at the nature, origin, methods, as well as limits of human knowledge. It seeks to answer the question of how to distinguish true knowledge from false knowledge. One of the outstanding epistemological problems in Oedipus Rex is the ambiguity presented in terms of the nature and extents of Oedipus’ knowledge about his true origins (Carel 103). Many philosophers have argued that Oedipus may have been too ignora nt to figure out facts about his past. However, at the beginning of the play, his intelligence is well portrayed when he is the only man who has the ability to solve the riddle of the sphinx. This ambiguity brings forth the vagueness of the extent to which Oedipus can and should be held responsible for his actions, which are: killing his biological father and marrying his own mother. Sophocles tells the story of Oedipus in reverse: he starts with the ending and goes to explain how it happened. According to the oracle, the plague that has befallen Thebes will find no cure until the person responsible for the murder of King Laius is found and expelled from the city. Oedipus starts an investigation to reveal the murderer, but this investigation quickly turns into an investigation of Oedipus’ real identity. Initially the epistemology lies around finding an answer to the question â€Å"who did it†, but this changes course to the question â€Å"who am I?† (Foster 22)T he psychological journey of discovery takes up much of this story. Knowledge is supposed to end with gratification and satisfaction. However, in this story, epistemology led to a discovery that was more tragic than the events that led to the discovery itself. The Sphinx The word sphinx comes form the Greek verb which when translated means â€Å"to squeeze† or to tighten (Gosse 65). Some historians however argue that the word is a corruption of the Egyptian word â€Å"shesepankh† which translates to â€Å"living image† (Zivie-Coche and Lorton 9). In Greek mythology the Sphinx is represented as having a serpent’s tail, a lion’s hunches, a large bird’s wings and a woman’s breast and face. This malevolent creature is normally characterized as being merciless and treacherous. She is the demon of bad luck and destruction and kills and mauls those who fail to correctly answer her riddle. According to myths, the sphinx was the guardian of the gates into the City of Thebes. To be allowed entry, one had to correctly answer her riddle. The riddle is â€Å"which creature has four legs in the morning, two at midday and three in the evening, and the more legs it has, the weaker it is? It is said that no man had ever been able to give a correct answer to the riddle (10). Oedipus was the only one who gave the correct answer which was ‘man’. After Oedipus gave the correct answer, the sphinx is said to have been infuriated and she killed herself. The original purpose of the sphinx

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Methodology chapter - Essay Example These differences, which can be considered to be improvements on the latter approaches, are what make design-based research a good fit for this research study. Design-based research differs from lab experiment re4search in a number of ways, especially in the education domain. While using lab experiment research in this case would have required a laboratory setting to ensure that there were no significant interruptions from confounding variables, design-based research will enable the current research to account for the dynamics, complexities, and limitations of the real world classroom (Behrendt, 2010). In addition, despite the existence of significant dependent and confounding variables in the classroom, DBR does not seek to consider all the former variables. This ability to choose from a number of dependent variables offers an advantage for using DBR to study the use Adobe Connect in learning a second language, especially since lab experiments have a fixed procedure due to attempts to manipulate one variable and control for the rest. By revising the research design iteratively and flexibly over the course of the research, it will be possible to characterize the complexities of how participants develop competency in the use of technology (Behrendt, 2010). Moreover, the fact that DBR will allow for social interactions with the ESL teachers, as well as between the ESL teachers and their students. This is due to its â€Å"real world† orientation, which lends it an added advantage over lab experiment research that would isolate the ESL teachers and prevent their interaction with researchers. Due to the complexities portended by the language barrier and learning new technology, it will be difficult to come up with a hypothesis from ini tial investigation of the research problem, which is a requirement of experimental investigations (Behrendt, 2010). By using DBR, however, the researchers will be able to develop practical design profiles

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Process - Essay Example l stage of the scientific method involves observation and since curiosity leads to new knowledge, the method of observation, which is simple, is considered as the process that defines the question (OConnor and Faille 6). Observations are directed at phenomena that cannot be explained by simply relying on the existing knowledge. Therefore, the observation process looks into phenomena that can be explained by explained by knowledge that has already been collected but can also be explained differently. What follows then is seeking to explain the particular phenomenon and the reasons influencing its occurrence. The step that follows entails researching the existing knowledge on the question that has been formed from the observation. For example, if a person observed that their car is not starting, the question will then be why that car is not starting. The knowledge that may be possessed by the individual concerning cars will be used in trying to figure out what may be the problem. The individual might also look into the manual or on the internet for information that may be related to the problem. If a scientist was in a situation such as this, he or she would look for more information from scientific journals that have previously published research that has been conducted by other scientists. Research on existing knowledge is carried out since the question that seeks to be answered might have been dwelled on before, or information that is associated with it may assist in coming up with a hypothesis. Establishing a hypothesis is the next part of the procedure of using scientific methods in solving problems. A hypothesis can be explained as a probable explanation for the phenomenon that was observed during observation. It is usually more than a simple guess since it is founded of a comprehensive review of the current knowledge associated with the subject. A good hypothesis postulates a cause-effect connection such as the reason why the car will not start is because

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Bread Mold Imrad Essay Example for Free

Bread Mold Imrad Essay The materials needed to conduct this experiment are six small squares of bread, a container of milk, four small Ziploc bags, a thermometer, a phone to record data and a heat lamp. The container of milk will be used for residue on the inside of two of the plastic bags. The heat lamp will be used to generate heat onto the bread towards the possibility of mold. The thermometer is used to measure the heat that the heat lamp is producing; this is to make sure it does not get too hot. The thermometer, milk, and heat lamp are part of the independent variables. The dependent variable is the amount of mold that grows. The experimenter should begin this experiment by organizing their materials so that they are all in front of he/she. Start by opening one of the plastic bags. Over a sink, pour a small amount of milk into the bag, close it then make sure the inside is completely covered in milk residue. Then pour the milk out into the sink. Repeat this process with another bag. Carefully place a piece of bread in each of the milk-saturated bags and secure. Put these bags aside and grab the other two clean plastic bags. Put a piece of bread in each of them and close it. The two extra pieces of bread with be used without a bag, this is the control group. Next find a safe location to keep the bags of bread for the experiment, away from possible culprets such as mice. Once the location is decided, plug in the heat lamp and angle it towards the surface where the bread will sit. The head of the heat lamp should not be anymore than ten inches away from the bags of bread. After the heat lamp is situated, place a bag with milk-residue, a bag with only bread, and a single piece of bread under the heat lamp. Put the other two bags and the other single piece of bread away from the heat lamp, out of the light. Record the data of the bread at the same time everyday for as long until mold appears.

Greasy lake by T. Coraghessan Boyle

Greasy lake by T. Coraghessan Boyle Greasy Lake by T. Coraghessan Boyle and Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? by Joyce Carol Oates are two works that have the generalized theme of death in them. They may differ in contextual ways, but the deeper theme they share is present. The more in depth comparisons are about teenagers trying to find their way through life as portrayed through their looks and actions, and the thought of how you perceive yourself can get you into trouble. Greasy Lake contains teenage bad boys trying to find their self identity, and Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been surrounds a girl who doesnt know the power of attention she attracts, until its too late. In Greasy Lake the main characters call themselves bad characters. They are putting on a faade of leather jackets, mischief and rock and roll. These main characters were Digby, Jeff and the narrator, who really didnt know what they were getting into late one night at Greasy Lake. What started out as a joke led to a string of unfortunate events, and how the three boys in the end realized that they were indeed, not bad characters anymore; hence the teenage self exploration. From a fight, to attempted rape, to the smashing of the narrators mothers car, one night was all it took for those boys to see that they werent who they thought they were. This all ties in with the theme because of the things that are going through the narrators head as he leads the readers through the events. The whole scene is dark to begin with. Its late at night when the boys arrive at the lake, they end up in trouble with a big greasy character, as they call him, and the whole lake is surrounded by death and decay. This can be an immediate connection to death. Another way to show discovery is how at the end of the story it reads as this, when the boys are ready to drive home: I just looked at her. I thought I was going to cry. (403) I believe at this point the narrator realizes that there will always be someone out there that will be tougher than you, and that will get you in the end. He realizes that sure, they were big and bad to themselves, until they met their match. This shows change in the characters which is a big indication of theme. Another indication would be the title, because greasy is generally something that is used in a bad way, so it doesnt in any way reflect life. Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? is also, like stated before, about teenage perception and how it can or will get you into trouble. There is a girl, named Connie, who thinks that she is so pretty and is a completely vain character. She believes that she can get any guy she wants, and wants any guy she can get, until she attracts unwanted attention. This is a story in part created through a serial killer. Being about a serial killer alone shows darkness and death, but there are other examples of this theme. One would be how Connie would always sneak out with her friends to the burger joint across the street. This is an act of defying parents. She defies her parents because they treat her as if they dont care about her at all. This is also something that is negative and could relate to death. Connie ends up being so nave about who she may be showing off too, that she becomes trapped, alone, in her own home with a man outside, coming to kidnap her. This is another similarity to Boyles story, because there is a change in the character here as well. Connie changes because she goes from getting any guy she wants, and thinking that shes invincible, to be completely vulnerable in her own home. An example of how full of herself she is, is right in the first couple of sentences: She was fifteen and she had a quick nervous giggling habit of craning her neck to look into mirrors, or checking other peoples faces to make sure her own was alright. (427) This alone shows how all she cares about are looks. An example of confidence and then vulnerability comes when the kidnapper, Arnold Friend, comes to her house to get her. At first she is excited and plays it cool, thinking she can handle any situation. The feeling quickly changes though, when she realizes this is one situation she cant get herself out of, becoming vulnerable. Therefore, both Greasy Lake and Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? have a shared theme, being that how you perceive yourself can get you into trouble. The boys from Greasy Lake met their match and learned that they really werent bad characters and Connie from Where Are You Going had a more unfortunate demise when she realized being too confident can get you into a bad situation. The stories also had recurring instances of death, from the decaying lake to Arnold Friend being a dark and scary character to Connie. All in all, even though the plots may have been different, the theme of death and teenage self exploration are present in these works.

Importance of International Marketing

Importance of International Marketing Jump to: SWOT Analysis | External Analysis | Marketing Mix Analysis International marketing is an important aspect of a businesss planning process if they wish to go global. Today, almost every marketing organisation, large or small, is touched in some way by global competition- from the America florist that buys its flowers from Dutch nurseries, to the Melbourne clothing retailer that sources its merchandise in Asia, to the American electronics manufacturer competing in its home markets with giant Japanese rivals, to the Australian consumer goods designer leading the way with new products for international markets. Kotler P, Brown L, Adam S, Burton S, Armstrong G (2007). Before an organisation makes the decision to go global and sell its products to a new market they must research their potential markets in terms of the political and legal environment, the economic structure of the market and who the organisation will market its products to and how it will do this. This essay focuses on why international marketing is important and how an organisation can seek out opportunities and eliminate threats. Body Kotler P, et al (2007) states Marketing is an organisational function and a set of processes for creating, communicating and delivering value to customers and for managing customer relationships in ways that benefit the organisation and its stakeholders. Managing the consumer relationship as well as the stakeholders requires understanding the different needs and wants of the different parties involved. The consumers want the best quality product at the cheapest price however this comes at a cost for the organisation because they also have a duty of care in managing the relationship with the stakeholders for example the shareholders who want to make a high return on their investment. Businesses wanting to move their products in the global market use International marketing when they gather information about their target market. The information gathered would include such things as; the demographics of the market, the current political environment, what economic system the country operates under and the culture of the country. International marketing is essential for businesses to survive in the global marketplace. Not taking international marketing seriously could lead to the business failure in their overseas markets. However using the right tools the organisation can avoid this. Why is International Marketing important? International marketing is important for businesses wanting to grow in the global market where businesses compete for consumers last dollar. International marketing looks at what it currently does e.g. who they market to, how they do this. However in the global sense, it looks at what it has to change to get the new market and what can it keep the same as back home. What other competition exists in the new market, what laws exists that may affect the businesses operations, how can the product adopt the different culture. Market Opportunity The business may use a SWOT analysis to determine what its current position is in the market place is. The SWOT analysis looks at the organisations internal and external factors and assess what it needs to do to increase the strengths and eliminate the weaknesses and use the opportunities available to decrease any threats. Internal S: Strengths This includes the businesses capabilities, for example experience and knowledge in the market place, whether the organisation has any competitive advantage, for example the right people working for the organisation, the quality of the product and at a price that its competitors cant beat. Another factor to consider is the brand image, whether the brands image is established or not, and whether it is easy to recognise. W: Weaknesses This may include gaps in the capabilities of the organisation, for example, a lack of cash flow, a lack of knowledge in the certain area or a lack of leadership. External O: Opportunities An opportunity can be that the organisations products or service can fill a niche in the market place, the new market maybe closer to the businesses supply chain resulting in a lower cost for the product. T: Threats The political structure of the market, the legal barriers, changing customer expectations. Economic environment There are four main types of economic structures: Market capitalism, centrally planned socialism, centrally planned capitalism, and market socialism. As described by Keegan Green (2005) Market capitalism is an economic system in which individuals and firms allocate resources and production resources are privately owned. Therefore consumers decide what goods they desire and firms determine what and how much to produce; the role of the state is to promote competition and ensure consumer protection. This is currently the most common economic system around the world. Countries operating under Market capitalism are the easiest to get into, but also have the most competition, which means businesses wanting to move into countries with market capitalism will have to put the time into looking at whether the organisation has any sources of competitive advantage, and if it does not, what it can do to be able to gain a competitive advantage. As described by Keegan Green (2005) Centrally Planned Socialism is where the state has the broad power to serve the public interests as it sees fit. State planners make top down decisions about what goods and services are produced and in what quantities and therefore consumers spend their money on what is available. Organisations wanting to move their products and/or services into countries that operate under centrally planned socialism have to have a clear plan for its entry into the marketplace. There will be less economic freedom in centrally planned socialist countries because the state makes the decision on who receives resources. This is the most difficult market to get into due to the controls placed on organisations by the state. If an organisation is wanting to operate in this particular marketplace, it may have to enter into a partnership agreement with the government. Political Risk factors As stated by Kotabe and Helsen (2008) the political environment in every country is regularly changing. New social pressures can force governments to make new laws or to enforce old policies differently. Policies that supported international investment may change towards isolationism or nationalism. The environment in each target market should be analysed to determine its level of economic and political risk and opportunity. Organisations moving into the global market, it must assess the political risk, the organisation must be aware of the history of the political and economic structure of the country as well as the current systems which the country operates under. Political risk is the risk of a change in the political environment or the governments policy, which could adversely affect a companys ability to operate effectively and profitability. If the political risk is too high in a country, foreign investment is going to be low. Some of the political risks involved for international marketing are; The political structure of the country; how rapidly are the government of the country is changed. This factor relates to the governments polices and the level of bureaucracy involved in the system. Other factors include how prevalent corruption is in the normal day to day operations of the business. This will affect the businesses ethical and social responsibility and may have a negative on its brand image. An example of how the political situation can change rapidly and have a negative impact on organisations is Cuba. Under the Batista dictatorship foreign investment, mostly from the United States of America flowed in, eventually reaching around 2 billion dollars. However communist revolutionaries commanded by Fidel Castro seized Havana and overthrew Batista in 1959, and proceeded to nationalise much of the assets owned by foreign investors. Market segmentation Markets consist of buyers, and buyers differ in one or more ways. They may differ in their wants, resources, location, buying attitudes and buying practices. Because buyers have unique needs and wants, each buyer is potentially a separate market. Organisations have to choose parts of the market which they want to target rather than competing for the entire market; this is what market segmentation is, breaking the market into different groups of people, based on their needs and wants, as well as what makes them want to buy a product. This all allows the organisation to determine who their products are aimed at. Demographic segmentation This involves dividing the market into groups based on each demographic variable, for example, the age, gender, family size, family life-cycle, income, occupation, education, religion and nationality of individuals who buy the businesses products. For example Chinas population is 300 times larger of New Zealands. Therefore the organisation must break these groups of the potential buyer of the product. Behavioural segmentation Behaviour segmentation focuses on whether or not people buy and use a product, as well as how often and what quantity consumers use or consume. Researching this information about the new market, the business may find opportunities such as there is a niche in the market that consumers look for in a product. Behavioural segmentation is about the potential benefits people look for in a product. Psychographic segmentation Psychographic segmentation involves grouping people in terms of their attitudes, value, and lifestyles. This information is usually obtained through surveys and questionnaires and other types of studies. Marketing Mix Product Introducing your product in the international market comes with a whole new marketing mix analysis. When opening an organisations product to a new market the organisation has to assess what the product is, what it stands for and how the organisation is going to market this product. If there are already similar products in this market, how is the business going to different the product from its competition? The brand image of the product may be a source of competitive advantage to the organisation. Whether the product is locally made or made in another country, is all part of the brand image. This plays out in the perception that if a product is made in Asia, it might not be of the same quality as it would be if it was made in New Zealand. Going into a new market, the organisation has to take into account the religion and the culture of the country. For example selling NZ pork in Indonesia; Indonesia is the largest Muslim country in the world. How does an organisation market this product? Through the market segmentation, the organisation should be able to break down different groups of people in that country for example how many non-Muslims live in that country, which can help the organisation market its product. The organisation must also figure out how it can do this without upsetting the main religion of the country. Price Selling the product at the right price that best suits the product. Going to a new market the organisation may have to change its pricing strategies to match the country. This all depends on several factors, such as how much competition there is in the market, whether the product the organisation is selling is in a low income area, which would have the result of many people not being able to afford to buy the product if it is too expensive. Promotion When an organisation is promoting their product and/or service in the international marketplace, it has to consider factor such as, what the organisation does currently to promote its product/service and how or if they can change this form of promotion to reach a new target market. The type of promotion that the organisation used domestically may not work the same in the foreign marketplace due to different demographics, culture etc. When Fisher Paykel launched its product line in China earlier this year, they launched it at the biggest appliance show in China, knowing that there would be a lot of viewers and potential buyers of their products at this show. Placement Placement is the distribution of an organisations product and is an important aspect of entering a foreign marketplace. In order to sell their products an organisation has to have an effective distribution network, and establishing one can often be a very expensive and time consuming job. One way to gain a distribution network is to acquire wholely an existing business that sells a competing product. Conclusion International Marketing is important for businesses that are thinking of going global or already have. How the organisation reached its target market domestically may not work the same in the new marketplace. There are different tools that the businesses can use to find opportunities, and also many strategies to use in the new marketplace which will improve the chances of a return on the time and money the organisation invested in its new marketplace Before entering the new marketplace the organisation may carry out research to find out which countries will provide the best return for the organisation, this can be done by analysing the countrys economic system and the level of political risk present. An organisation may use a SWOT analysis to look at its current internal and external environment. A SWOT analysis will outline the organisations strengths, whether it has any competitive advantages and if so how can they use this to their benefit. The SWOT analysis also highlights the organisations weakness and any opportunities threats that may arise for the organisation. The organisation may use market segmentation as another tool to analyse who its target market is through demographic, psychographic and behavioural segmentation, as well as who may use their product/service, when they may use the product/service, how this product could be used and why and how it can reach all of its target market. Another tool that the organisation may use is a marketing mix analysis, this analyses what its products are, what pricing strategy it will use in the new market, how the organisation can promote the product, whether it will keep the same promotion method as it does domestically or promote it differently and how will they get the products to the consumers. International marketing is more than just selling your products in a new marketplace, it is about building relationships with the consumers, for the organisation to do this it must understand what the needs and wants of their consumers are, and at price will they pay to get this. Reference Keegan, W.J., Green, M.C. (2005). Global Marketing. (4TH ed.). Upper Saddle River, N, J: Prentice Hall. p. 151, 154,155,228,235,237,49 Kotabem M., Helsen, K. (2008). Global Marketing Management. (4TH ed.). Hoboken, N, J: John Wiley Sons, Inc. Kotler, P, Brown, L, Adam, S, Burton, S, Armstrong G. (2007). (7TH ed.). Frenchs Forest, NSW; Pearson Education Australia. p.25, 7

Vitamins Essay -- Health Nutrition Papers

Vitamins What Are Vitamins? Vitamins are a group of organic food substances or nutrients found only in living things, plants and animals. They are needed to maintain normal body functions. The body cannot synthesize its own vitamins so we must get our vitamins from the foods we eat, or from dietary supplements. Vitamins are essential for metabolism, growth, and physical well-being. Why Do We Need Vitamins? To put it plainly, if we did not consume adequate amounts of vitamins our bodies would not be able to function properly. Vitamins are essential to so many processes within the body that it would be very difficult for me to tell you all of the things vitamins are needed for. The fundamentals of cells depend greatly upon vitamins. Vitamins are responsible for keeping cells strong, binding tissues, fighting infections, etc. Without vitamins our cells would not function properly and thus our organs would suffer and eventually we would no longer be able to survive. Vitamins help regulate metabolism, help convert fat and carbohydrates into energy, and assist in forming bone and tissue. Vitamin A works in our immunological systems strengthening membranes thus fighting infections, it works in our eyes aiding vision, it helps our ears by treating otosclerosis, it helps jawbone and tooth formation, healthy mouth membranes and gums, keeps our skin clear and keeps our reproductive systems healthy including fertility and sperm production. The vitamin B complex is probably one of the most essential groups of vitamins to our health. There are twelve B vitamins: B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, biotin, pantothenic acid, choline, folic acid, inositol, and PABA. These vitamins together are responsible for helping enzymes releas... ...tlesey, MJ; Deschenes, MR. "Dietary supplements and improved anaerobic exercise". International Journal of Sports Nutrition. 4(4):387-97, 1994 Dec. Mills, JL and Conley, MR. "Periconceptual vitamin supplementation to prevent neural tube defects: how can we do it?". European Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology. 61(1):49-55, 1995 Jul. Null, Gary. The Complete Guide to Health and Nutrition. Dell Publishing. New York, New York. 1984. Oakley, GP Jr.; Adams, MJ; Dickinson, CM. "More folic acid for everyone, now". Journal of Nutrition. 126(3);751s-755s, 1996 Mar. Seymour, J. "Nutrition: vitamins and supplements". Nursing Times. 91(17):48-50, 1995 Apr 26- May 2. Steen, SN; Mayer, K; Brownell, KD; Wadden, TA. "Dietary intake of female collegiate heavyweight rowers". International Journal of Sports Nutrition. 5(3):225-31, 1995 Sep.

The Multicultural Education Essay -- essays papers

The Multicultural Education John Searle addresses the â€Å"major debate†¦ going on at present concerning†¦ a crisis in the teaching of the humanities.† [Searle, 106] He goes on to defend the canon of works by dead white males that has traditionally made up the curriculum of liberal arts education. I disagree with many of his arguments, and believe that multiculturalism should be taught in the university, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. Openmindedness will take much more than just minimal changes in curriculum. In order for works by different races and women to be judged and studied alongside works by white men, they have to be seen as equal to works by white men. They have to be studied for their literary content, not for the statement they make about feminism or race. We don’t just need to evaluate them by the same standards, we need to change the standards. The standards set by the traditional liberal arts education have been set by white males and are inherently biased. Ne w standards need to be set that are as openminded as we want students to be. This is a trend that needs to be started way before college. A diverse curriculum should be taught throughout a person’s education, because that is what will produce well rounded, openminded individuals that will change the tradition of oppression in society. Searle says, â€Å"We should not be embarrassed by the fact that a disproportionately large percentage of the major cultural achievements in our society have been made by white males.† [Searle, 118] To this, I say yes we should! We should be embarrassed that there are people who don’t see that this â€Å"disproportionately large percentage† is not due to the overwhelming intelligence of the white male, but to centuries of oppression. Our culture hasn’t nurtured the intellectual efforts of women or minorities, their ideas and pursuits have been repressed, probably out of fear. We have a society dominated by white males, it shouldn’t be surprising that literature is too. We need to change the way our society view women and minorities. Trying to do this by changing the curriculum of college students is pointless. We need to start from the beginning, with the children. Children need to be taught that they exist as a part of the world, rather than just as a part of America. If worldliness is encouraged at a young age, it will replace the â€Å"us† and â€Å"them† mentali... ...be expanded to new ideas and cultures. University education should be an extension of, not a replacement for, grade and high school education. I think that, in general, we are on the road to a more openminded society. Children and young adults are more accepting than their parents and their grandparents, and I think if we encourage and appreciate this trend, it will continue on to their children. But, it is not the case in all families, and even if it were, family is only one of the influences in a child’s life. As they get older, they are increasingly influenced by outside factors, such as school, the media and culture. We need to encourage children and open their minds with all the tools we have available to us as a society. Children are the ones that will make up the bulk of the influential population in twenty years. Broadening their horizons is broadening the future’s horizons as well. As we change the way our society views women and minorities, as they are embraced as equals, we will start to see literary works of the same caliber, if not better than the works encompassed by the traditional canon. Then , we will be on the road to having a more diverse university education.

Ka :: essays research papers

Karma Paper The concepts of Varna and karma are each closely related to the eastern civilization religions of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. Varna and karma go hand in hand with each other to explain themselves, as does karma with the doctrine of reincarnation. The complicated explanation of all of these concepts follows. In order to understand the concept of karma, one must first understand the term varna. An appropriate definition would be the rise of class system, which the Hindus adhere to. An English translation of Varna, however, means color. There are four social classes that break down the class system otherwise known as varna. Beginning with the highest class, there is the Brahmins or priests, followed by the ruling Kshatriyas, the Vaisyas (common people), and finally the Shudras (servants). The Brahmins said that if one was a member of any of the first three classes to be extremely careful to avoid the Shudras. Now that we have somewhat of an understanding of varna, the concept of karma can be more easily explained. Karma simply stated is that the way one lives his or her life now determines destiny or fate. In other words, the consequences of one’s actions in this life will determine what they do or become in the next life. Therefore, karma is what made one who he or she is in the present life due to the actions the person portrayed in his or her previous life. Karma is the cause of one’s destiny in the future life, and is what caused a person to be who he or she is today. Now we will explain the relationship between varna and karma. Let’s imagine the following situation. There are two people living in the Vaisyas class of commoners. One of them does only good deeds, has good thoughts, and portrays an all around good sense of well being. The other person commits crimes, has bad thoughts, and portrays an over all sense of evil or no good. The first person will perhaps become a member of the Kshatriya class, moving up on the wheel of samsara. The other person will most likely become a Shudra in the next life. So, perhaps in their most recent previous lives’, the first person was a good person of the Shudra class, and samsara declared that he or she rise in class; and the second person may have been a bad person of the Kshatriya class, therefore he or she declined in class.

Technical writing style

Technical Writing Style As you draft and edit, it is helpful to keep in mind the effective ways to present sentences and paragraphs. When you revise your drafts, check the language and remove any area of possible confusion. If you have repeated any word, see whether you can change the sentence. The following passages will help you to be aware of any difficult construction of sentences, so that you can modify the same and ensure reader's comfort. Write Clear Sentences Follow these guidelines for writing sentences which will be clear to the readers. Keep the main idea on top. Use active voice.Employ parallelism. Repeat for emphasis. Write sentences of 15 to 25 words. Provide transitions. Avoid wordiness. Avoid redundancy. Keep the Main Idea on Top This is the key principle in writing so that your sentences are easy to understand. Place the sentence's main idea, the subject, first. The subject makes the rest of the sentence accessible. Readers therefore orient themselves and they are ab le to interact with the subsequent discussion. See this example from a popular newspaper. â€Å"Doubts persist over World Cup 2007. † (Note how the interest of the reader is immediately captured. Now the details follow. )†Clouds are gathering over the West Indies, and they are more than rain-bearing masses of cumulous. With eight months and a few days to go for the 2007 World Cup, doubts are increasingly being aired about the ability of the region to host a venture of such and complexity. † Thus readers are informed about the crux of the problem so that they are interested to read on. Use Normal Word Order The normal word order in English is subject-verb-object. This order makes it easier to read as it reveals the topic first and the structures the idea.This order produces entences which are clear to the readers and do not cause any contusion. Read the following sentence. â€Å"Finance Minister on Tuesday backed the Central Bank's decision to increase interest ra tes, stating that the move was aimed at containing inflation. † The sentence is clear, though a little long (23 words) and follows natural flow. Use Active Voice Active voice emphasizes performer of the function and not the receiver. Active voice helps the reader follow the meaning quickly as it is sticking to subject-verb-object pattern. When the subject acts, the verb is in the active voice.When the subject is acted upon, the verb is in the passive voice. Use passive voice sparingly and when it is absolutely required. Examples: I completed the work in time (active voice as the subject acts here. ) My mobile was stolen (passive voice as the subject is acted upon. ) Go through the following example. Manufacturers add preservatives to food products to increase their shelf-life (emphasis is on manufacturers, which is not correct. ) Preservatives are added to food products to increase their shelf-life (emphasis is on preservatives, which is correct. In uch cases, passive voice sh ould be used. Use Parallelism Use similar structures for similar elements. The vendors promise that they will replace the old machine and to attend to the new order (wrong). The vendors promise that they will replace the old machine and will attend to the new order. (correct) Repeat for Emphasis Repeat key words for emphasis so that the reader has better recall. Read the following example. The doctrine of â€Å"No work, no pay† is a fundamental axioms in industrial relations. The philosophy is very simple. When a person is employed, he is expected to carry out the ork assigned to him.When he does not do so, he is not eligible for payment of any salary. Even when a general strike disrupts public transport systems, and consequently employees are unable to reach their work places, the same principle prevails. Of course corporate may permit their staff to avail themselves of any leave to their credit. Even die-hard trade union leaders respect this principle. â€Å"No work, no pa y† lays a strong foundation to industrial peace and harmony in the long run. Provide Transitions Connect sentences by using words that signal a sequence or pattern. Sequence: first, second, next.Addition: and, further. Contrast: but, however, nevertheless. Avoid Wordiness Generally, concise expressions are more effective than verbosity. Eliminate all repetitions, subordinate clauses etc. to make the writing compact and pointed. Examples of Wordiness Came to the conclusion Utilization of Make Revisions Make an amendment to Examples of compactness Concluded Use Revise Amend Avoid Redundancy Redundancies are words that say the same content. Conciseness is achieved by saying anything only once. In the following examples, what is bracketed may be mitted for conciseness.During (the year) of 2006 (Needless to say) (New) innovation The (other) alternative is Choose a Tone Now you can prepare clear, effective documents. Your documents are easy to read. However, we are assuming that the writer and reader are equal and unemotional. In practice, it may not be so. Hence it is important to control ‘tone'. The ‘tone' can communicate as much as the content of the message. Consider some possible ‘tones' depending on the situation. forceful passive personal impersonal The forceful tone implies that the writer is in command.This is appropriate when the writer addresses subordinates. While writing forcefully, Use the active voice. Use imperatives. Clearly indicate that you are responsible. For example: I have decided to introduce Performance Appraisal System forthwith in our organization. When the reader has more power than the writer, use passive voice. For example: The instructions to implement the new Evaluation System has been complied with The personal tone implies that reader and writer are equal. David thanks for your suggestion about maintenance routine. It has given good results.The impersonal tone is employed when the writer is not important and the situation is neutral. For example: A proposal to introduce quality circle has been made. Use Positive Words and Verbs A sure way to involve your audience is to sprinkle positive words and positive verbs throughout your text. Positive words and verbs convince the reader the benefits of your subject matter. Positive Words Advantage asset effective profitable satisfied value favorable success Benefit Positive Verbs Positive verbs motivate your readers. Some ot the verbs that motivate your readers nto action are here.Accomplish plan achieve produce implement Prepare promote exceed organize assess Tune to the Audience Tuning to the audience is the key for effectiveness of your document with the reader. Remember the following points. Not all your readers will understand acronyms and abbreviations. Readers need glossaries. Provide extended definitions for technical terms. As multiple audiences have different levels of technical knowledge, choose carefully the amount of technical conten t in your document. Show your reader how he or she will benefit from your document

Air India 5

2012 Flying Too Low: Air India 2009 & Beyond External Environment Analysis Group 10 Strategy analysis begins with an analysis of the forces that shape the competition in the industry in which a company is based. An important factor of the analysis is External environment analysis. The essential purpose of this analysis is to identify the opportunities and threats in the organization operating environment that will affect how it pursues its mission. Analysis the industry environment requires an assessment of the competitive structure of the company’s industry. It also requires analysis of the nature, stage, dynamics and history of the industry. Here, while analyzing the external environment of Air India according to the information presented in the case, we will concentrate on Porter Five Forces Model, PEST Analysis of the Air India, opportunity and threats to Air India. Finally, we will quantify all our analysis factors to come to a conclusion. Porter’s 5 forces model: Porter's five forces analysis is a framework for industry analysis and business strategy development formed by Michael E. Porter of Harvard Business School in 1979. It draws upon industrial organization (IO) economics to derive five forces that determine the competitive intensity and therefore attractiveness of a market. Attractiveness in this context refers to the overall industry profitability. An â€Å"unattractive† industry is one in which the combination of these five forces acts to drive down overall profitability. Three of Porter's five forces refer to competition from external sources. The remainders are internal threats. Porter referred to these forces as the micro environment, to contrast it with the more general term macro environment. They consist of those forces close to a company that affect its ability to serve its customers and make a profit. A clear example of this is the airline industry. As an industry, profitability is low and yet individual companies, by applying unique business models, have been able to make a return in excess of the industry average. We will see how these five factors are working for Air India. I. Rivalry among existing competitors: 1. Competition in domestic and international routes * On domestic front, private airlines like Jet Airways, Kingfisher Airlines * On international front, major competition was from companies like Singapore Airlines, Etihad Airlines, Qatar Airlines and new entrants like JA 2. Better performance by competitors 3. Rapid increase in market share of competitors 4. Poaching of employees by competitors II. Threat of new entrants: 1. Possibility of liberalization of Aviation Industry will weaken the entry barriers and thereby will lead to increase in number of new entrants 2. Business was very lucrative to attract new entrants 3. Consistent and rapid growth of demand for airlines offering scope for profitable business and low cost carriers 4. Examples GoAIR, IndigoAir, Paramount Airways, SpiceJet III. Threat from substitution: Road and rail services posing a major threat by offering cheaper, reliable, convenient services. Travel. In case of higher Air ticket fares, Air India could lose potential customers to Rival airlines and Indian Railways. The possibility of loss of market share to Indian railways further increases by the fact that over a period of time the rail ticket fares have marginally varied compared to significant variation in air ticket fares. IV. Bargaining power of suppliers: 1. Slow nature of aircraft sales, because the high value order placed by the industry can take several years to be delivered. 2. Labour unions are suppliers who have significant power. The performance and flexibility of the entire industry depends heavily on labour unions. 3. Aviation fuel is a commodity and its prices are decided by market forces and existing geopolitical factors such as OPEC. At times, oil producing nations at the behest of OPEC manipulate oil production target in order to keep the prices of crude to suit their profit intentions. High cost of fuel accounts for about 35% of the total cost and increasing cost is a threat to the company’s profits. 4. Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) is a major cost component for the Airlines in India. It is about 40% of the operating cost of the domestic carriers V. Bargaining power of buyers: The bargaining power of buyers refers to the amount of pressure customers can place on a business, thus, affecting its prices, volume and profit potential. Various airlines are competing for the same customer, which also results in strengthening the buyer power. Hence, the bargaining power of customers in the airline industry is very high since they are price sensitive and search for the best deals available. Customers are price sensitive. Many new players who are Low Cost Carriers attract these travelers by offering them low fares and those that are convenience oriented by providing them with frequent flights. While choosing which airline to fly with, customers enjoy switching costs through frequent flyer programs created by some airlines. PEST Analysis: PEST analysis stands for â€Å"Political, Economic, Social, and Technological analysis† and describes a framework of macro-environmental factors used in the environmental scanning component of strategic management. Some analysts added Legal and Environmental and rearranged the mnemonic to PESTLE. It is a part of the external analysis when conducting a strategic analysis and gives an overview of the different macro environmental factors that the company has to take into consideration. It is a useful strategic tool for understanding market growth or decline, business position, potential and direction for operations. * Political factors are how and to what degree a government intervenes in the industry or firm. Specifically, political factors include areas such as tax policy, labour law, environmental law, trade restrictions, tariffs, government policies and political stability. Economic factors include economic growth, interest rates, exchange rates and the inflation rate. These factors have major impacts on how businesses operate and make decisions. * Social factors include the cultural aspects and include health consciousness, population growth rate, age distribution, career attitudes and emphasis on safety. Trends in social factors affect the demand for a company's products and how that company operates. * Technological factors include technological aspects such as R;D activity, automation, technology incentives and the rate of technological change. They can determine barriers to entry, minimum efficient production level and influence outsourcing decisions. Furthermore, technological shifts can affect costs, quality, and lead to innovation. In case of Air India, the analysis of external environment is as follows: Having done the required analysis, now let us quantify the opportunity and threats. 1| Poor control over decision making| T| 2| Drop in oil prices*| O| 3| heavy control and interference of government| O| 4| worsening service image| T| 5| Labour union| T| 6| inclination of society towards low cost travel| T| | global recession| T| 8| significant air traffic growth over a period of time| O| 9| restriction on FDI in Indian aviation industry| O| 10| Mergers among competitors| T| 11| possibility of opening of aviation market and privatization| T| 12| interest burden of new aircraft orders| T| 13| company's image perceived as public carrier| T| 14| near monopoly among Indian players in international routes| O| 15| over capaci ty of industry| T| 16| poaching of pilots from competitors| T| 17| declining debt equity ratio| T| 18| changes in ground handling policy| T| 19| agency problem| T| Here ‘T’ indicates Threat and ‘O’ indicates Opportunity Assigning the weightage to the important factors, in the sense of their importance in analyzing external environment and using rating scale of 1 to 5 where 3 indicates average favorableness of the external environment, we get- As the quantified average of all the external environment factors is coming slightly below average, we conclude that, the current external environment is not favorable to Air India but, it can work on its decision making process and improvement of service image as an immediate measure.

High school Essay

Tamil Nadu is regarded to be one of India’s star performers in the sector of elementary education. The results of the 2001 Census show that Tamil Nadu has attained third position behind Kerala and Maharashtra both in terms of overall and female literacy. It recorded close to 100 per cent gross enrolment ratio (GER) at primary and upper primary levels based on 2007 estimates. A major legislative effort for the universalisation of education in line with the constitutional mandate has been the introduction of the Tamil Nadu Compulsory Education Act, 1994. Under this Act it is the duty of the government to provide the necessary infrastructure (schools and teachers) for ensuring universalisation of elementary education. Parents are also liable to be fined if they do not send their wards to school, though this rule is not very strictly enforced as most of the children not going to school come from poor backgrounds. Tamil Nadu’s high enrolment statistics are also the result of the number of welfare schemes that the State government has introduced in the elementary education sector. The large number of missionary and private schools are also playing a role in the spread of education. The government provides textbooks, uniforms and noon meals to the pupils making it a State where the per child spending is much higher than in educationally backward States such as Bihar, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and others and is higher than the all-India average. The State is making an endeavor to provide primary schools within a one km radius of human habitations with a population of 300 and above to increase their accessibility. It is also a State that has actually spent most of the funds allocated to it by the Centre under the SSA scheme, in contrast to States like UP, Bihar and Assam that have huge unspent amounts. Tamil Nadu students stood first in the country in mathematics, language and reading comprehension skills according to the national mid-term achievement survey of Class III children commissioned by the NCERT in collaboration with the MHRD and the SCERT and SSA wings of the States recently. But it has come to light that local bodies like corporations and municipalities are not fully utilizing money collected as education tax as a percentage of property tax under the Tamil Nadu Elementary Education Act and this is affecting the quality and quantity of formal education provision at the grassroots level. While the general literacy rate in Tamil Nadu as per 2001 data is 73. 5%, wide disparities exist across districts, gender, and area of residence as well as social grouping. The literacy rate of the SC and ST populations are consistently lower in all the districts. The retention rate within and after the primary school level is also not very impressive and there is a high percentage of repeaters. This is particularly so in the case of the STs and SCs. It is to overcome this discrepancy between education offered in different kinds of schools, between rural and urban schools and to overcome other numerous ills that have crept into the education system—such as arbitrary collection of fees, induction of daily waged, inadequately qualified para teachers, rote learning, examination stress, problems related to the medium of instruction and so on—that the State government constituted the Muthukumaran Committee, which submitted its report in 2007. This committee had the mandate to work out a framework of a uniform pattern of education in Tamil Nadu and to make recommendations for improving its quality. The report of the Committee recommends only one autonomous board, The Tamil Nadu State Secondary School Education Board, instead of the existing four State level boards—Matriculation, Anglo-Indian, Oriental and State Board. Schools coming under this integrated Board would follow a common syllabus ensuring an equitable school education in the State not conferring any undue advantages with regard to admission into higher educational institutions for students completing their school education from one particular Board. Equitable standard education is to be provided by a Common School or Neighbourhood School system, which with uniform syllabi would help to ‘decommercialise’ educational institutions and put an end to many a private management that does not feel sufficiently accountable to society in this crucial sector. The spiraling cost of education starting at the nursery level is cementing caste-class and rural-urban divisions. A common school system using the mother tongue as a medium of instruction would make equal education accessible to all without discrimination. A common school system also means a common examination pattern. The report of the Committee advocates a reasonable teacher-student ratio of not more than 1:30 and doing away with faulty textbooks and a system of rote learning. It emphasizes the promotion of analytical and rational skills that would equip the students to learn by themselves; a testing and evaluation pattern that involves the application of concepts learnt rather than mere reproduction of facts. The school syllabus should not overload students with information but instead kindle their interest in the subject and teach them how to search for more information and conceptualize it. Traditional knowledge should be incorporated and made part of school education. Evaluation should be comprehensive and not just of academic achievements, and that too only marks based. Evaluation should include an assessment of student abilities and performance in academics, the arts, sports and games, values, reading habits, character, conduct and other extra-curricular activities. Schools should not only lay emphasis on academic subjects but also on moral education. Here the Committee suggests that it may be better to have a progress book with entries made from time to time and also periodically sent to the parents so that they may be made aware of their child’s progress. Regular consultation with parents about their wards’ progress and achievements and educational goals is a must. A sheet of paper containing marks obtained in public exams is not enough to understand a student’s development and potential. If the marks obtained in only one exam are going to decide the person’s admission into an institute of higher learning then all stress is on preparing for this exam neglecting other exams and activities. The chance or temptation to indulge in malpractices is also high. Marks obtained in a one-time exam also are no accurate reflection of the student’s actual knowledge and achievement level and potential. Treating exams and marks as more important than life itself has meant the death of many a student. Finally, children belonging to linguistic minorities should be allowed to gain instruction in their respective mother tongue, while all students in standards 5 or 8 ought to have a specific level of knowledge in Tamil and English so that these languages can be used for communication. No student should be dropped and he/she should be allowed to grow in the chosen field of interest and in accordance with their individual capability. A simple pass or fail should certainly not be a deciding factor in a person’s life. While the government has accepted the notion of one board for school education other major recommendations of the Muthukumaran Committee on education reforms are being sidelined by the State government. In fact, some government run schools are changing the medium of instruction to English and not all schools teach Tamil, though this is compulsory as per current State education law. Moreover, schools with an eye on the results in board exams and aiming at future lucrative career possibilities for their students are introducing modern European languages like French (German is waiting to be introduced on a larger scale on the school level) that are supposedly high scoring subjects in comparison to Tamil, which is seen to be difficult even by those whose mother tongue it is. There is almost everywhere an exodus from government run schools to aided or private schools because of the perceived better quality and the lure of an English medium education, which is regarded by parents to be necessary in today’s world. It is to remain viable and not lose out in this competition for students that government run schools are increasingly offering English medium instruction also, although the English medium sections are permitted only on a self-financing basis. The non-acceptance of important recommendations by the Muthukumaran committee is thus in line with the general pro-globalisation trend in the Tamil Nadu economy as a whole. Current education system Why is India still a developing country and what is stopping it from being a developed country? India’s education system as a stumbling block towards its objectives of achieving inclusive growth. India is going to experience a paradox of nearly 90 million people joining the workforce but most of them will lack requiste skills and the mindset for productiveemployment according to a report in DNA. India has about 550 million people under the age of 25 years out of which only 11% are enrolled in tertiary institutions compared to the world average of 23%. . I will be focussing on how the education system’s failure is leading to another social issue of income inequality and hence, suggest certain policies to improve India’s education system and reduce inequality. Problems and drawbacks The really critical aspect of Indian public education system is its low quality. The actual quantity of schooling that children experience and the quality of teaching they receive are extremely insufficient ingovernment schools. A common feature in all government schools is the poor quality of education, with weak infrastructure and inadequate pedagogic attention. What the government is not realising right now is that education which is a source of human capital can create wide income inequalities. It will be surprising to see how income inequalities are created within the same group of educated peopleSo if the government does not improve education system particularly in rural areas the rich will become richer and the poor will get poorer. Hence, it is imperative for the government to correct the blemishes in India’s education system which will also be a step towards reducing income inequality. Another reason for poor quality of education is the poor quality of teachers in government schools . Government schools are unable to attract good quality teachers due to inadequate teaching facilities and low salaries. The government currently spends only 3% of its GDP on education which is inadequate and insufficient. To improve the quality of education , the government needs to spend more money from its coffers on education. Most economists feel that the only panacea to the ills of the public schooling system is the voucher scheme. Under the voucher system, parents are allowed to choose a school for their children and they get full or partial reimbursement for the expenses from the government. But however, the voucher system will further aggravate the problem of poor quality of education in government schools. Such a system will shift resources from government schools to private schools. This will worsen the situation of government schools which are already under-funded. Moreover, if the same amount given as vouchers can be used to build infrastructure in schools then the government can realize economies of scale. For example- The centre for civil society is providing vouchers worth Rs 4000 per annum to 308 girls. This means that the total amount of money given as vouchers is Rs 1232000. If the same amount can be used to construct a school and employ high quality teachers who are paid well then a larger section of the society will enjoy the benefit of education. A school can definitely accommodate a minimum of 1000 students. I hope government takes certain appropriate policy measures to improve the education system otherwise inequalities are going to be widespread and India’s basic capabilities will remain stunted. Let us strengthen the case for a stronger education system. Conclusion Certain policy measures need to be taken by the government. The basic thrust of government education spending today must surely be to ensure that all children have access to government schools and to raise the quality of education in those schools. One of the ways in which the problem of poor quality of education can be tackled is through common schooling. This essentially means sharing of resources between private and public schools. Shift system is one of the ways through which common schooling can be achieved. The private school can use the resources during the first half of the day and the government school can use it during the second half. It is important to remember that the quality of education is directly linked to the resources available and it is important for the government to improve resource allocation to bring about qualitative changes in the field of education. Common schooling is one of the ways in which government can use limited resources in an efficient way and thus improve resource allocation.

Famous Creative Thinkers Essay

In this assignment there are several great creative thinkers to choose from for completion. After reading through the list James Hal Cone and Grace Hopper became the choices. The reasoning was these individuals were so different in their paths of success, or for better word accomplishments. Both are extraordinary people; however their journeys are profoundly different, however both are instrumental in worthy contributions in society and the world. Throughout this paper we will uncover and discover Cone and Hopper purpose, passion, and for one even pain. James Hal Cone was born August 5, 1938 in Fordyce Arkansas, to Charles and Lucy Cone. Early in Cone childhood he was introduced to religion and had a strong spiritual guidance. James was an intelligent child who went on to graduate from high school at age 16, at which time he became a minister. Cone beginnings started with being brought up in a segregated part of Arkansas, where people of color were discriminated against and treated u nfairly. James early in life reflected upon the social injustices of the poor, blacks, and women. Cone took the treatment to heart early along with his religious background and became a minister at 16, starting to address the differences of treatment. During his early life at college he was a minister at several churches. However during his early period of college and ministry the civil rights movement started evolving and he noticed Martin Luther King. Through that introduction of Dr. King he realized his true direction was ministry and attended Theological Seminary getting a M.A. and Ph.D. James acquired four degrees in a seven year span, a man on a mission with an extraordinary mind. Two things directed Hal’s path pain of discrimination and coming to know Jesus. After graduation with his Ph.D. in theology, Hal went on to be a professor of religious studies, still believing in nonviolence. During this period changes came with Malcolm X, northern riots, and Stokely Carmichael’s   call to â€Å"Black Power† (This Far by Faith, 2015). The direction of society from two important men King and X, initiated Hal’s influence of empowering African Americans Christianity from slavery, segregation and justice in society. Hal knew through theology he could address the issue and started writing introducing black liberation theology. What Hal orchestrated was self-worth with assimilation of the black power movement, addressing social and racial justice for black people, freeing them from oppression economically and spiritually. Ideally Hal wanted to empower people through Christianity beliefs; however he addressed the separate treatment of the poor, oppressed and blacks in the Christian community. Hal eventually wrote many books that were supported and criticized because of his criticism of white theologians not addressing the struggle and differential treatment of the African American people as far back as slavery. Hal also went to speak in China and Latin America concerning the lack of address of people of color being oppressed, poor and oppression as Christians. He took a stand against segregation and mistreatment of all people on a theologian podium. James Hal took theology using it as a tool towards the individuality that contributed to the history, existence, and civilization of black people. Hal thinking really was devised from his thought of how can people be Christians, but be ok with the injustices of segregation. With Hal coming of age during the civil rights movement had a major effect on his social consciousness. This was a period (civil rights movement) where it was obvious that black people were being mistreated, even among white Christians. Hal took the stand against the treatment even though it was not a popular decision. For James it became unacceptable for Christians to treat people differently than what the bible taught, â€Å"Love your neighbor as you love yourself†. Even though it appeared Hal writings and views were racially motivated, by earlier content, Hal knew his sentiments was to empower Christian people to realize that in spite of their skin color they were of value and deserve to be treated accordingly. Through it all the process that Hal used to devise his plan of action came from evaluating and analyzing the information obtained from his personal experience, observation and communication. Armed with those factors of critical thinking he creatively started changing how people of color, women, oppressed, and poor people thought about themselves spiritually. Hal later realized that terms used to address white Christians was impropriate  and that he could have addressed the issue differently, still standing on his beliefs, that there should be no racism or segregation in the church. James Hal Cone the pioneer for making people aware of the segregation that should never be acceptable in the theologian Christian community, God created all people equal and God is in respect of no man. Grace Hopper computer scientist and that is speaking lightly of her accomplishments and creativity. Grace Hopper was born December 6, 1906, as Grace Brewster Murray in New York. Born during a period that girl were not normally educated, Grace parents believed just the opposite. Grace was not a traditional girl, on one account she was fascinated with the working of a clock, at seven she dismantled the clock. Her actions were based on how does the alarm clock work? As the story goes she dismantles all the clocks in her home, first sign of her tenacity, innovation and perseverance (Hopper Biography- Mac Tutor of Mathematics, 2015). Grace attended private school and went to earn a college degree in mathematics from Vassar College. From 1928 to 1931 she achieved marriage, along with a M.A. degree from Yale University. Three years later Grace was an associate professor with a Ph. D., however with all her accomplishments her real passion was to join the military. Opportunity presented itself when the United States entered the Second World War, unbeknownst to Grace she was too old and to slight in weight. However not one to take no for an answer she persuaded the Navy to enlist her at the old age of 37, unheard of especially for a woman. Mission accomplished she’s a Navy woman with her first orders to start working on the Harvard Mark I computer, she was elated. The computer took her back to childhood, now she really could dismantle the computer and make adjustments, becoming the first woman to program the Mark I. She is in her element and making strives, moving forward. Grace went on to play a significant role in the creation of the Mark II and III computer program. After retiring from the Navy she developed with a team the UNIVAC computer, along with an upgrade compiler. While still being employed at a computer corporation, Grace and team developed the first English – language data processing computer (Hopper Biography –Mac Tutor Mathematics, 2015). Grace was the pioneer behind the first English language computer being in existence. Before the team and Grace developed the language computer, computers were  only mathematically designed. There was only word numbers, no words had come into computer existence. Now computers with business language existed, which people in the computer world thought was not possible. The COBOL (common business – oriented language computer came into existence in 1959 changing the world. Grace had creative ideas before the time frame of computers starting with an alarm clock. With her ability for mathematics, brilliant mind, and education she was able to accomplish the beginning of the computer language, which have gone on to universal success. Grace had no restraints, what she set out to do she did. In spite of the times she had courage, direction, daring, and most important she did not have an established pattern for her creativity thinking. At all levels she challenged herself with a range of ideas; from discovery, defining, designing, and developing the computer with the English language. She was the lady behind the computer bug (Berni Dwan, Irish Times, 2001). Her biggest obstacle was being a female in an area of men and times when women were not so easily accepted in the corporate world, especially the unknown like computers. References Blake, John. â€Å"America’s ‘Angriest’ Theologian Faces Lynching Tree.† CNN Belief Blog. http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2012/04/21/americas-angriest-theologian-faces-lynching-tree/?hpt=hp_c1 (accessed April 23, 2012). â€Å"James H. Cone.† Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York. http://www.utsnyc.edu//Page.aspx?pid=353 (accessed June 15, 2011). BLACK THEOLOGY AND IDEOLOGY: DEIDEOLOGICAL DIMENSIONS IN THE THEOLOGY OF JAMES H. CONE (Book). By: Hayes, Diana L., Theological Studies, 00405639, Dec2003, Vol. 64, Issue 4 http://www.pbs.org/thisfarbyfaith/people/james_cone.html Grace Hopper. (2015). The Biography.com website. Retrieved 01:15, Mar 23, 2015, from http://www.biography.com/people/grace-hopper-21406809 http://www-history.mcs.st-andrews.ac.uk/Biographies/Hopper.html Programming’s amazing grace she developed the first program to translate computer instructions from english into machine language and gave the world the computer `bug’. berni dwan looks back at the life and work of grace hopper. (2001, May 21). Irish Times Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/309366344?accountid=358 Famous Creative Thinkers