U.S. & Japanese History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

U.S. & Japanese History - Essay Example The essay is related to the background of the Japanese history.The US-Japan economic relations are discussed in relevance to various example, then US-Japan defense and US-Japan social relations and US-Japan cultural relations are discussed.Then the treatment of Japanese citizens by the United States during the Second World War is discussed in a great detail. Lastly a conclusion is provided for at the end of the essay.The early Japanese people hunted and gathered food. Rice was introduced into the society in 300 BC. This led to the establishment of the societal hierarchy and numerous small villages (which later combined together to form lager tribes). Buddhism was introduced at around 538 BC. In 1912, during the First World War, Japan joined the Allied forces. During the Second World War (1937) Japan surrendered after two atomic bombs (one on Hiroshima and the other one on Nagasaki) were dropped. In 1942, Japan had a new constitution and in 1952, the Allied occupation of Japan ended ( japan-guide.com).After the World War II, Japan held a very sympathetic position, in the world's heart. Though the other countries had had damage, the nuclear bomb had been used in the two cities (Hiroshima and Nagasaki) of Japan. As a result of this, two cities were almost entirely wiped out of its people, natural habitat and wild life. And for generations to come people had health problem to contend with. Babies were born with deformities, young people looked like they senior citizens and nothing can be grown in the earth of these two cities. Thus, the entire world felt very sympathetic of Japan. Japan on the other hand, learned from a first hand experience about the dirty side of war. To this day, Japan fights with countries, the world over to prevent them from gaining nuclear access. Japan, with the help of the nations around the globe built it self up from the rubble of World War II. It learned to be flexible, to keep it's own heritage, but, at the same time be open to the ideas and experiences of the western world. Japanese society is one of the most conservative societies around the world. In addition, there is also a strict division between the roles of men and women. But, the Japanese people wear western clothes and their children listen to western music etc. This clearly shows a combination of the two worlds, the east and the west. By picking out the best in the two worlds Japan has been able to rebuild itself with amazing speed and has re-established itself as one of the foremost developed nations of the world. US-Japan: Defense Relations With the USA being a capitalistic country and Japan being a non-capitalistic one, there has always been a profound between the two nations. Whenever there is a difference between the types of governments in two countries friction is imminent. US-Japan: Social Relations In his book The Clash, LaFeber (1997) talks about the many aspects in which the Japanese people look-up to the Americans. One of the examples is that the Japanese dress like the Americans (though of course they have their own national dresses). Baseball is another such aspect. Japanese ball teams have been formulated on the designs of their American counterparts. In fact, a number of American baseball players have been asked to come to Japan and play on their teams. US-Japan: Cultural Relations Cultural conflict between the United States and Japan has been sufficiently summed up by Rosen (2000) as, "Interpretations of Japan, as well as other Asian cultures, often carries an implicit assumption that the West is rational (and superior) whereas the East is bound by ancient traditions (and is inferior). "Oriental-ism" has been identified as the particular form that a Western stereotypical understanding of Asian cultures has taken. Intercultural communication becomes highly problematic as long as stereotypes are

How polygenic traits produce the appearance of blending inheritance Essay Example for Free

How polygenic traits produce the appearance of blending inheritance Essay Several studies have been carried out particularly on polygenic traits that have different alternate forms for example, white flower color vs. purple flower color. However many traits are more multifaceted than this and can take on any number of incessant values. For instance in humans there are not just two groups of people i.e. tall vs. short- but a full range of possible heights. To add on, many traits are not controlled by a single pair of gene but by numerous genes that interact with each other and also with the environment. The study done on  traits controlled by multiple genes and also by the environment is referred to as quantitative genetics.   This is regarded as one of the complex area of genetics but a little understanding of quantitative genetics is necessary for evolution since evolution usually acts on complex traits which are influenced both by genetics and by the surroundings/environment. Polygenic and appearance of blending inheritance. One of the main challenges in genetics during the early years of the 20th century concerned the following question: If Mendels thoughts were right then how can one clarify the inheritance of quantitative traits? Statistical research reveals that for quantitative traits the offspring of a cross breed tend to be intermediate in looks between the two parents. For example if one parent is short and the other tall, the offspring tends to be intermediate in height.   This means, the offspring in a cross tend to be a mixture of both parents. This presents a challenge for evolution, since for evolution to occur by natural selection needs the presence of genetically based disparity in the value of a quantitative trait. However if an offspring lean towards the average value of the trait for the two parents then, the required variation for evolution to occur would be lost. The inheritance of quantitative traits is characteristically viewed in terms of what is referred to as polygenic inherita nce. The Assumptions of the Polygenic Model: This polygenic model makes the following six simplifying assumptions: Every contributing gene has relatively equal and small effects, the effects of every allele are additive, there are no dominance; instead the genes at every locus behave as if they pursue an incomplete dominance, there is no interaction or epistasis among the different loci that contribute to the value of the trait, there is no connection involved and, the value of the trait relies only on genetics environmental influences can be overlooked . Example of Polygenic inheritance: The core color in wheat is decided by two pairs of gene, known as polygenes which produce a variety of colors ranging from white to dark red depending on the mixtures of alleles. Dark red plants are known as homozygous  AABB and white plants are referred to as homozygous aabb.   If these homozygotes are mixed/ crossed the F1 offspring are all dual heterozygotes AaBb.   Therefore crossing individuals with the phenotype extremely yields an offspring that is a mixture of the two parents. This demonstrates a significant point that many times when one has two parents who vary in phenotype for some traits, then there will be a likelihood of the offspring to be an intermediate to the parents in phenotype. This occurrence is sometimes called regression to the mean. The following punnett Square will illustrate what happens if 2 double heterozygotes are crossed: Take note that there are five phenotypic classes which corresponds to the number of upper case alleles 0 through to 4 that can be there in the offspring. Also note that even if both parents are intermediate, there will be no blending in the offspring such that one will see that 1/16 of the offspring will be dark red and 1/16 will be white. This replica suggests that when intermediate individuals mate, they produce an offspring that can be greater than either parent. Even if the polygenic replica makes several simplified assumptions it does seem to be a good estimate to the blending inheritance of a big number of quantitative traits. A more complex example and a detailed mathematical study is shown below: The height of a tobacco plant is controlled not by a single pair of genes but by a chain of genes at multiple loci that have a small additive effect on the phenotype of the plant. Take for example three loci, each having two alleles i.e. (A, a B, b C, c). Assume in pure-breeding, short plants are all aabbcc and that tall plants are all AABCC, circumstance whereby the height of the plant is determined depends entirely by the number of high case alleles regardless of   which locus the allele is at. Consequently a plant with the genotype AaBbcc is of the similar height as a plant with genotype AabbCc. There are seven probable classes of plant heights but depends with the number of upper case alleles (0, 1, 2,3,4,5 or 6). If one conceders a pure breeding between a short plant aabbcc which is crossed with a pure breeding AABBCC plant then the F1s which are as a result of this cross are obviously the triple heterozygote: AaBbCc It should be noted that these plants will be intermediate in height between the two parents.  However what happens when these intermediate individuals are mate/breed? So as to examine this, assume that the gene pairs are not linked, this will allow us to use independent variety to predict the product. The anticipated fraction of offspring in each height class is specified by the following idiom based on the binomial theorem: N/ (M (N-M) Whereby N is the figure/ number of alleles in total (6) while M is the number/ figure of upper case alleles in a given class. One way to understand this formula is as the number of methods of choosing a particular plant can have M upper case alleles out of N. At times we say N chooses M for this. N for our illustration is 6. This means that when M is zero there is just one way to get the number of upper case alleles. But if M = 1 there are 6! / (1! (5!) ) = 6 ways to do this. Consider M = 3. Then we have 6! / (3! 3!) = 6x5x4/3x2x1 = 120/6 = 20. Note: every gene has a little additive effect; the resulting allocation of phenotype classes closely resembles the Normal Distribution. Other complex replicas in quantitative genetics suppose that the phenotype effects are from both environmental factors and genetics, perhaps intermingle in complex ways. These types of models are known as multifactorial models.

Success in College Essay -- essays research papers

Section One Managing Your TIME   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The frist thing that a new college student must learn how to do is to stay organized and learn to decipher their priorities. By doing so you will make sure you never; miss an appointment, forget to do a homework assignment, and loose sight of time when doing a project or paper. (Waiting to the last minute never allows for your best work to be done) A planner is the best way to keep everything in order and well organized. Withier it be a monthly schedule or weekly or even daily, the use of a planer is huge tool for your success.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Now you might ask your self, â€Å"what goes into a planner besides, my homework assignments?’ And good answer would be your daily appointments, a list of all your test and quiz’s, even final dates. With every class there is always syllabus and on the syllabus is a list of project and papers and a number of test. If you read closely you will find the dates of ever paper, project and test. This information is very useful in planning out your week and monthly schedule. If you know that you have a test in your history class on Friday and a religion paper due the same day you can plan out time to prepare for both. The best type of planner to use is one that is well equipped with a small month calendar that you can write on and a large weekly and daily schedule that is easy to write on with lots of space. Another easy way to stay organized to keep a semester calendar in your dorm room over your desk with all the important dates on it such as test dates, due dates for papers and project due dates. The purpose to be organized is to make you life a lot easier, and more efficient, with the planner you can now be prepared for what lies ahead at Calvin College. Section Two Reading Your Textbooks   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When it comes to textbook reading, preparation is just as important as reading the material. It is easy to find yourself just reading the textbook and then looking back at what your read and not remembering anything you just read. Not every class demands a thorough reading of the textbook, so it is very important to ask the professor to see what he/she will be testing on, either notes in class or the readings form the textbook. For example in a psychology class the professor expects his/her student to know the textbook inside and out... ...great programs reaching out to student in need of proof reading paper to getting coaches to help set up daily plans. Do not let your pride or ego get in the way of asking for help.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of he biggest stressor can be a computer that doesn’t work, and one of the things you can do is always save as you work, and know that there are computer labs all over on campus that have printers and internet connection. Any and all technical help can be dealt with in our amazing ITC department. If there is any program that you are unfamiliar with just make an appointment and they will be more then happy to help you. Using the tools on campus will help you to relieve the stress that you feel. Section Seven Taking Care of Your Health   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is easy to forget that a huge part of your success in college is staying healthy, keeping a sharp mind and sound body. It is very important to eat right and to maintain a routine sleeping schedule. Staying active and making sure you get enough sleep so that you can keep yourself healthy. A recent study found that walking once a day increase your memorization, which in turn helps you to do better studying.

Overcoming Obstacles

Overcoming Obstacles What is life? Life consists of experiences, challenges, and achievements; all of which are building blocks that essentially create ones path to success. In one’s lifetime they can experience tough and difficult challenges. Sometimes these challenges become unbearable, especially when the odds are against you. However, going against all odds is something everyone is capable of doing, and to overcome these challenges everyone needs to have a â€Å"never quit† attitude in life. If we develop it, we'll overcome quite a bit.Many people all around the world face challenges and obstacles every day in their daily lives. One man in particular is Nic Sheff; a man who was a drug addict and wrote an autobiography called â€Å"Tweak†. In this book, Nic describes himself as a drug addict who spends all his money on drugs instead of food and bills. The main person that had a bad influence in his life was an older woman named Zelda. Nic liked being with her because he saved her from her ex-husband. However, at the end of the book, Nic’s parents made a decision for him to go back into rehab in Arizona.Nic always said that he has done a twelve step programs and went into rehab so many times that nothing changed. But at the last program, it was different, Nic turned into whole different person, finally loving him and life. Also, in the book Nic explains how he faces different obstacles and has an extremely difficult time staying sober. But in the end, because he didn’t give up it did pay off in his future. He became a more successful person and a writer who now shares his experiences of his childhood to prevent other teens into getting into the kind of lifestyle he did.Nick isn’t the only one who faces these kinds of problems and challenges. About 570,000 people die annually due to drug abuse. Illegal use of drugs is most common among young adults who are ages 18 to 25 years old and that can change who they are as the y grow up, financially and mentally. After a person takes drugs and are addicted to it there are certain thoughts and views that society has of them. Society doesn’t usually think of drug addicts as â€Å"good people† and they end up losing their respect and reputation as they grow up.If these teens and young adults don’t change who they are when they are young, they won’t be able to fix themselves as they grow older which can be a bad influence. Bad habits start as a kid and if you don’t change those habits you won’t be able to when you get older! Many people face challenges and obstacles at a very young age and that can change who they are as they grow up. My grandma faced a very harsh and unfortunate childhood. Her father died when she was 17 and that changed her life and her future. It meant she was given many responsibilities since she was the eldest out of her siblings.She had to do many house chores such as cooking, washing the clothe s and dishes and waking up early in the morning to get water from a nearby well every day! This placed a very large obstacle in her life at a very young age. She had to leave school at a very young age because of all the responsibilities she was given and had to overcome these obstacles and face them with great integrity. But due to these obstacles that she has overcome, it has changed who she is now. She struggled in life right from when she was just a little kid. But if she hadn’t overcome these obstacles she wouldn’t have been a very independent woman like she is today.If her father hadn’t died when she was young, she probably would have had a completely different future and lifestyle, not worrying about anything and going to school and having a better education. Lastly she overcame these obstacles and that changed her attitude and her character. All the experiences of my childhood have shaped me into the person I am today. I wouldn't have been the same kind of person I am today if it wasn't for all the challenges and obstacles I faced and overcame. Fortunately for me I didn’t have wake up every day concerned about what I'm going to eat and make money and survive another day.Some unfortunate people struggle in their daily lives just to just to survive! Those people definitely would have different characteristics than me because I don’t have to work right now, instead just focus on my education, go to school and depend on my parents for getting my things I need and providing the basic survival needs and fulfilling my wants. I face challenges in my life too. An example is waking up early in the morning to get ready for school, even though it’s a very minor thing, it can sure have a huge impact. It impacts my life because then I wouldn’t be ready for school on time and I would be late for class very day and miss the beginning on class which slowly can add up and bite me on a test or assignment. We all face many different challenges and obstacles and we have to overcome them in order to make ourselves a better person. Even if it’s very easy to overcome, you must be determined to succeed. As a little kid I always did my homework. As soon as I got home I would finish my homework before doing anything but after a few years, that wasn’t the case anymore. I would usually procrastinate and leave my homework till the last day and I usually wouldn’t do a good job.As my report cards arrived I got an â€Å"S† in the homework section meaning satisfactory. My parents were furious because they trusted me and believed I would finish my homework but then found out I was actually wasn’t and not doing a very good job on it. For the next few years it impacted my life because my parents would check my agenda every day and sign off to indicate to my teacher that parents saw my homework and checked that I actually did it. This was an obstacle in my life because I would have to finish my homework and then I was allowed to watch T. V or go out.I didn’t like this at all but in order to overcome this obstacle and gain my parents trust back, I would have to do my homework. So after that day I always did my homework and eventually got an â€Å"E† in the homework section indicating excellent and gaining back my parents trust. If I had given up, I would have this obstacle hurting me like a needle for a few more years and my parents would constantly be watching me and making sure I was doing my work and I was on task, which isn’t a good thing. Also I wouldn’t be able to change as I grow older because if you don’t get rid of bad habits they can last forever.In conclusion, it is very important to overcome obstacles because if you don’t, it could have a negative impact on who you are. Life is like a rollercoaster, you will never know what challenges and obstacles you will face in life but you have to hold and make sure you o vercome these obstacles without giving up! Live has its ups and downs, but hold your head high and face those obstacles and overcome them with great determination. There are many trials ahead, be a person who had indwelling desire to succeed, and believe failure was not and never could be an option. Overcoming Obstacles Overcoming Obstacles What is life? Life consists of experiences, challenges, and achievements; all of which are building blocks that essentially create ones path to success. In one’s lifetime they can experience tough and difficult challenges. Sometimes these challenges become unbearable, especially when the odds are against you. However, going against all odds is something everyone is capable of doing, and to overcome these challenges everyone needs to have a â€Å"never quit† attitude in life. If we develop it, we'll overcome quite a bit.Many people all around the world face challenges and obstacles every day in their daily lives. One man in particular is Nic Sheff; a man who was a drug addict and wrote an autobiography called â€Å"Tweak†. In this book, Nic describes himself as a drug addict who spends all his money on drugs instead of food and bills. The main person that had a bad influence in his life was an older woman named Zelda. Nic liked being with her because he saved her from her ex-husband. However, at the end of the book, Nic’s parents made a decision for him to go back into rehab in Arizona.Nic always said that he has done a twelve step programs and went into rehab so many times that nothing changed. But at the last program, it was different, Nic turned into whole different person, finally loving him and life. Also, in the book Nic explains how he faces different obstacles and has an extremely difficult time staying sober. But in the end, because he didn’t give up it did pay off in his future. He became a more successful person and a writer who now shares his experiences of his childhood to prevent other teens into getting into the kind of lifestyle he did.Nick isn’t the only one who faces these kinds of problems and challenges. About 570,000 people die annually due to drug abuse. Illegal use of drugs is most common among young adults who are ages 18 to 25 years old and that can change who they are as the y grow up, financially and mentally. After a person takes drugs and are addicted to it there are certain thoughts and views that society has of them. Society doesn’t usually think of drug addicts as â€Å"good people† and they end up losing their respect and reputation as they grow up.If these teens and young adults don’t change who they are when they are young, they won’t be able to fix themselves as they grow older which can be a bad influence. Bad habits start as a kid and if you don’t change those habits you won’t be able to when you get older! Many people face challenges and obstacles at a very young age and that can change who they are as they grow up. My grandma faced a very harsh and unfortunate childhood. Her father died when she was 17 and that changed her life and her future. It meant she was given many responsibilities since she was the eldest out of her siblings.She had to do many house chores such as cooking, washing the clothe s and dishes and waking up early in the morning to get water from a nearby well every day! This placed a very large obstacle in her life at a very young age. She had to leave school at a very young age because of all the responsibilities she was given and had to overcome these obstacles and face them with great integrity. But due to these obstacles that she has overcome, it has changed who she is now. She struggled in life right from when she was just a little kid. But if she hadn’t overcome these obstacles she wouldn’t have been a very independent woman like she is today.If her father hadn’t died when she was young, she probably would have had a completely different future and lifestyle, not worrying about anything and going to school and having a better education. Lastly she overcame these obstacles and that changed her attitude and her character. All the experiences of my childhood have shaped me into the person I am today. I wouldn't have been the same kind of person I am today if it wasn't for all the challenges and obstacles I faced and overcame. Fortunately for me I didn’t have wake up every day concerned about what I'm going to eat and make money and survive another day.Some unfortunate people struggle in their daily lives just to just to survive! Those people definitely would have different characteristics than me because I don’t have to work right now, instead just focus on my education, go to school and depend on my parents for getting my things I need and providing the basic survival needs and fulfilling my wants. I face challenges in my life too. An example is waking up early in the morning to get ready for school, even though it’s a very minor thing, it can sure have a huge impact. It impacts my life because then I wouldn’t be ready for school on time and I would be late for class very day and miss the beginning on class which slowly can add up and bite me on a test or assignment. We all face many different challenges and obstacles and we have to overcome them in order to make ourselves a better person. Even if it’s very easy to overcome, you must be determined to succeed. As a little kid I always did my homework. As soon as I got home I would finish my homework before doing anything but after a few years, that wasn’t the case anymore. I would usually procrastinate and leave my homework till the last day and I usually wouldn’t do a good job.As my report cards arrived I got an â€Å"S† in the homework section meaning satisfactory. My parents were furious because they trusted me and believed I would finish my homework but then found out I was actually wasn’t and not doing a very good job on it. For the next few years it impacted my life because my parents would check my agenda every day and sign off to indicate to my teacher that parents saw my homework and checked that I actually did it. This was an obstacle in my life because I would have to finish my homework and then I was allowed to watch T. V or go out.I didn’t like this at all but in order to overcome this obstacle and gain my parents trust back, I would have to do my homework. So after that day I always did my homework and eventually got an â€Å"E† in the homework section indicating excellent and gaining back my parents trust. If I had given up, I would have this obstacle hurting me like a needle for a few more years and my parents would constantly be watching me and making sure I was doing my work and I was on task, which isn’t a good thing. Also I wouldn’t be able to change as I grow older because if you don’t get rid of bad habits they can last forever.In conclusion, it is very important to overcome obstacles because if you don’t, it could have a negative impact on who you are. Life is like a rollercoaster, you will never know what challenges and obstacles you will face in life but you have to hold and make sure you o vercome these obstacles without giving up! Live has its ups and downs, but hold your head high and face those obstacles and overcome them with great determination. There are many trials ahead, be a person who had indwelling desire to succeed, and believe failure was not and never could be an option.

What Are the Qualities That an Ideal Person Should Cultivate?

What are the qualities that an ideal person should cultivate, possess, and practice according to Confucius? 1. Introduction In this paper, I will discuss what qualities should be cultivated, possessed, and practiced for an ideal person according to Confucius. Although Confucius regards humanness, wisdom, and courage as the basic threefold towards being a junzi (superior man/ideal person, ), there has been an ongoing disagreement among scholars regarding the qualities that are needed to become an ideal person or a junzi.I shall accomplish my purpose by first providing a basic background of information on the topic, then identifying two conflicting interpretations of the qualities that are required by Hosung Ahn and Ha Poong Kim, adding my own critical response, and lastly offering my resolution using Antonio S. Cua’s interpretation on the topic. I will use Confucian Analects (1895) by James Legge as my primary source, along with â€Å"Junzi as a Tragic Person: A Self Psycholo gical Interpretation of the Analects† (Ahn, 2008), â€Å"Confucius’s Aesthetic Concept of Noble Man: Beyond Moralism† (Ha, 2006), and â€Å"Virtues of Junzi† (Cua, 2007) as my secondary sources. . Background Information According to Chinese tradition, Confucius is one of the most outstanding thinker, political figure, educator, philosopher, and the founder of the Ru (? ) School of Chinese thought. Our textbook â€Å"The Eastern Paths to Philosophic Self-Enlightenment: An introduction to Eastern Philosophies† (2002) written by Professor Phan points out that Confucius’s thoughts are preserved in the Lunyu ( ) or the Analects, which is one of the Four Books. It is worth noting that the Analects was not written by Master Kong Zi (Confucius, himself, but complied by his close disciples when they recollected his â€Å"sayings† after Confucius’s death. Defined by Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Confucius’s teachings create the foundation on most of subsequent Chinese speculation on the education and comportment of the junzi ( ), and how such an individual should live his life, interact with others, and the types of society and government in which he should participate. On one hand, in 14:20, the Master said, â€Å"The way of the superior man is threefold, but I am not equal to it.Virtuous, he is free from anxieties; wise, he is free from perplexities; bold; he is free from fear. † While on the other hand, scholars have attempted to interpret the qualities of junzi differently. In the next section, I shall examine the conflicting interpretations of Ahn and Kim. 3. First Interpretation by Hosung Ahn A. Background on Confucianism and Psychological Connotations of Junzi In Ahn’s article, he provides historical background information on Confucianism being the most efficient ideological means of medieval and modern authoritarian governments in China and Korea (Ahn, 2008).Yet, Ahn argues that in the course of quoting Weber (1968), Confucianism and Daoism could not be introduced into modern capitalism due to their â€Å"thisworldliness. † Ahn depicts Confucianism as one of the major hindrances in the road toward modernization and industrialization and considers Confucius as a stubborn and conservative moralist whose ethical codes were oppressive. By introducing Heinz Kohut, an Austrian-born American psychoanalyst, Ahn compares Kohutian psychoanalysis such as self-psychology with Confucianism’s ideal person in the Analects.Ahn provides the basic background information in the purpose of identifying Confucianism as being neither sophisticated nor systematized; yet, Ahn suggests that the Analects could be interpreted as a pre-psychoanalytic self-psychology owing to the abundant self psychological insights in the Analects. Ahn then defines junzi as â€Å"a prince literally and a gentleman ordinarily,† and that in Confucianism, â€Å"a junzi is a noble per son who attempts to actualize Confucian cardinal virtues in concrete human relationships at any cost.A junzi has often been considered a conformist or a conservative† (Ahn, 2008). Furthermore, Ahn states that Confucianism being established as an ethical and political orthodoxy in Korea was a rigid and authoritarian formalistic, and of which courtesy, rituals, and humanity were the fundamental standards of being a junzi (see Shun 2002). B. Ahn’s Thesis In this article, Ahn (2008) specifically points out that â€Å"a junzi is a tragic person in the Kohutian sense. Like a tragic person, a junzi follows his or her ideals with values deeply anchored in oneself even at the expense of one’s death. Ahn thinks the most important standards of being a junzi are courtesy and rituals; he states that, â€Å"Confucius himself severely criticizes the externalized beauty and grandeur without the internalized quality of character† (Ahn, 2008). Most importantly, Ahn address es that the core characteristic of the Kohutian tragic person is almost identically expressed in the Analects: humanity (ren, ? ), which is the ultimate virtue of Confucianism and that a junzi would rather die than giving up his or her ideals and values; which Ahn refers to as strikingly similar to Kohut’s definition of a tragic person.In terms of Ahn’s arguments for supporting his claim, he brings out the topic of xiaoren (small man, ) and defines it as â€Å"those whose ideals and values are superficially situated on the psyche as compared to junzi in the Analects† (Ahn, 2008). Ahn then identifies the difference between a xiaoren and a junzi employing Confucius’s saying, â€Å"The gentleman (junzi) is conversant with righteousness; the small man (xiaoren) is conversant with profit† (Analects, 4. 16). Ahn points out that because a xiaoren focus on what is beneficial to him or her only, he or she cannot but be vulnerable to the external vicissitud es.Similarly, according to Kohut, a xiaoren would â€Å"quickly and opportunistically adjust his or her convictions under the influence of external pressures† (cited in Ahn, 2008); whereas a junzi is determined to â€Å"adhere to the good (Way) until death† (Analects, 8. 13). Ahn then considers this determination as courage, and he quotes Kohut (1985) that â€Å"The culminate peace (in his death) achieved by the hero is†¦the ultimate ascendancy of a firm and life-affirming self† (p. 27).Ahn further proves that Confucius has expressed the same idea through: â€Å"If a man in the morning hears the right way, he may die in the evening without regret† (Analects, 4. 8). Thus, Hosung Ahn summarizes that a junzi, according to Confucius, is a person who searches for â€Å"the achievement of a psychological synthesis at all costs† (Ahn, 2008). In other words, Hosung Ahn interprets that Confucius thinks the quality an ideal person should cultivate, poss ess, and practice is the spirit of achieving a psychological synthesis or preserving his or her ideals and values at all costs. 4.Second Interpretation by Ha Poong Kim A. Background on Aesthetic Concept of a Noble Man In Kim’s article, he provides historical background information of the Analects being narrowly and moralistically interpreted. Kim points out that Confucius’s remarks such as from â€Å"the Book of Songs and Music† are commonly given an ethical meaning owing to the tradition of Confucius’s key term ren (humanness, ? ) as being an ethical term. Through offering a historical basis as a foundation, Kim attempts to broaden Confucius’s humanistic interpretation of ren as humanness or the human spirit.In details, Kim (2006) addresses that â€Å"while the word ren only rarely occurs in the pre-Confucian literature, it is used in works such as the Songs and the (Book of) History, essentially as a synonym of ren. † To demonstrate that C onfucius’s teaching ren for the first time as the supreme principle of human existence and that Confucius is the discoverer of the human spirit in Chinese civilization, Kim introduces and explains other meanings and definitions of ren used in other Confucius or Mencius materials.Also, Ha Poong Kim offers the background information of â€Å"one-dimensional image of the Confucian junzi as a rigid moralist, a man whose distinguishing mark is just a fastidious observance of li (rites, ? )† (Kim, 2006). With all the background information and explanation provided by Kim, he expresses the fact that some of Confucius’s sayings in the Analects are purely aesthetic and any attempt to moralistically interpret them distorts their meanings. B. Kim’s Thesis Kim (2006) agrees with the normativity of Confucius’s concept of ren, yet he argues that the ground of its normativity is fundamentally aesthetic.In supporting his claim, Kim applies Confucius’s teach ing: â€Å"Recognize beauty in abiding in ren. If one chooses not to stay in ren, how can one be considered to have attained wisdom? † (Analects, 4:1) Kim interprets this saying as Confucius stressing the recognition of the beauty of ren as a necessary condition of human wisdom, which is equivalent to the awareness of the human spirit. Kim defines this recognition as an aesthetic awareness. Then, through applying Confucius’s saying: â€Å"To become a junzi Ru (noble scholar, ), not a xiaoren Ru (common scholar, † (Analects, 6:11); Kim points out the difference between a junzi and a xiaoren ultimately comes from the noble man’s awareness of the beauty of ren, which the small man (xiaoren) lacks. Kim explains that since a junzi has this aesthetic sensibility of humanness, he naturally desires, loves, and delights in ren and every manifestation of it. For the purpose of backing up Kim’s claim, he states Confucius believes that by studying the Songs, one would be best awakened, which then explains why Confucius repeatedly urges his pupils to study the Songs.Kim argues that Confucius’s teaching is to help the students become a junzi, who is a lover of ren, through arousing humanness that is obtained through the study of music. In this particular main argument, Kim (2006) summarizes that â€Å"for Confucius’s spiritual awakening, specifically the aesthetic awakening to ren, is the presupposition of the education of junzi. Without this wakening, the learner or scholar will remain a xiaoren Ru, no matter how well versed he may be in ritual subjects, and regardless of how blameless he may be in his ethical conduct. Next, Kim offers another important argument that during Confucius’s years of wandering from state to state in search of a good ruler, he rarely parted with his lute. Sima Qian, an Ancient Chinese historian, revealed that once, surrounded by two hostile armies, Confucius and his disciples ran out of p rovisions in the wilderness between the states of Chen and Cai. With some of his disciples falling ill and being unable to get up, Confucius calmly continued singing songs and plucking his lute.Kim regards Confucius’s act as a man capable of forgetting everything else while enjoying music. Thus, in Kim’s point of view, what fundamentally separates Confucius’s junzi from the rest of humanity is the junzi’s aesthetic sensibility to ren. In other words, Kim believes that according to Confucius, the quality a junzi should cultivate, possess, and practice is the aesthetic awareness. Nevertheless, Kim mentions that through stressing the junzi as an aesthetic man, he is not denying a junzi’s many-sidedness. 5. CritiqueI agree with Hosung Ahn’s claim regarding junzi as a noble person who attempts to actualize Confucian cardinal virtues, and that courtesy, rituals, humanness, and courage are important criterions of becoming a junzi. Moreover, I agree with Ahn’s claim that a junzi would follow his or her ideals and values deeply anchored in oneself even at the expensed of death. However, I strongly disagree with Ahn’s opinion of Confucius’s teaching or his classification of a junzi as a tragic person. In my point of view, Ahn has made an inaccurate interpretation of one Confucius’s saying from the Analects.In 4:8, Confucius teaches that â€Å"If a man in the morning hear(s) the right way, he may die in the evening without regret. † Ahn interprets this saying as Confucius’s advocating of a junzi who must search for â€Å"achievements of a psychological synthesis at all costs† (Ahn, 2008), and this remarkably resembles a tragic person. As the exercise we conducted in our philosophy class on textual hermeneutics of the Confucian Dao in the Analects, this Confucius’s saying represents the importance of the Dao (way, ? ; which according to Confucius, with the experience of heari ng the Dao, one could die without regrets afterwards. Thus, this person or this junzi would be a happy person since he contains the very important factor â€Å"Dao†, and that he is absolutely not a tragic person as Hosung Ahn considers as. In terms of Ha Poong Kim’s interpretation of a junzi, I agree with Kim regarding the fact that Confucius repeatedly urges his disciples to study the Songs and Music because it would indeed help his pupils awaken and broaden their minds, enjoy the six arts, and commit to the Dao.I also agree with Kim that a junzi is many-sidedness. What I do not agree with Kim is his differentiation of a junzi and a xiaoren through aesthetic awareness. As I mentioned above, Kim (2006) summarizes in this particular main argument that â€Å"†¦without this wakening, the learning or scholar will remain a xiaoren Ru, no matter how well versed he may be in ritual subjects, and no matter how blameless he may be in his ethical conduct. † In my opi nion, apart from pointing out Confucius advocates his pupils to study the Songs and Music, Kim has not given sufficient evidence to support this claim.He has not shown any Confucius’s teaching that could demonstrate the fundamental difference between a xiaoren’s and a junzi’s aesthetic awareness, but rather Kim provides claims simply from his own exploration of Confucius’s thoughts. To further prove that Kim’s interpretation is inaccurate, there are numerous examples of junzi lacking of musical talents and xiaoren being extremely talented in aesthetic. In my opinion, Confucius does believe that music could change one’s mind, adjust one’s mood, smooth one’s qi (energy) and etc. , but Confucius certainly does not identify a junzi from a xiaoren based on aesthetics. . Resolution: Interdependent and Dependent Virtues of Junzi According to Antonio S. Cua, junzi is a paradigmatic individual who sets the tone and quality of the life o f ordinary moral agents, and a junzi is a person who embodies ren (humanness, ? ), yi (righteousness, ? ), li (rites, ?). In addition, unlike Ahn or Kim, Cua recognizes that except the basic, interdependent, and cardinal virtues of ren, yi, and li, a junzi also involves particular dependent virtues such as filiality (xiao, ? ), magnanimity (kuan, ? ), trustworthiness (xin, ? ), and courage (yong, ? ).Cua regards these as dependent virtues in the sense that their ethical significance depends on connection with the basic, interdependent, and cardinal virtues; and Antonio S. Cua further stresses that dependent virtues are not subordinate or logical derivatives of the basic virtues. In 14:30, the Master said, â€Å"The way of the superior man is threefold, but I am not equal to it. Virtuous, he is free from anxieties; wise, he is free from perplexities; bold, he is free from fear. † As we interpreted in class that according to Confucius, to become a junzi, one must be morally goo d, intellectually wise, and psychologically brave.In my point of view, I highly agree with Cua’s claim and I think although Confucius identifies humanness, wisdom, and courage as the superior man’s three core virtues, interdependent virtues and dependent virtues work together to form the junzi. To clarify, Antonio S. Cua borrows Xunzi’s distinction, a Chinese Confucian philosopher who lived during the Warring States Period and contributed to one of the Hundred Schools of Thought, the cardinal virtues ren, yi, and li are generic terms, and dependent virtues such as xiao, kuan, xin, yong are specified terms.In other words, â€Å"specified terms are terms that specify the concrete significance of the cardinal virtues in particular contexts of discourse† (Cua, 2007). To demonstrate further, in the Analects, we could find fragments of Confucius’s remarks that mention both cardinal virtues and dependent virtues in the same contexts. For example, â€Å"T here were four things which the Master taught: letters (wen, ? ), ethics (xing, ? ), devotion of soul (zhong, ? ), and truthfulness (xin, ? ). † —Confucius, The Analects, 7. 25And in 14:28 we could find Confucius’s teaching of ren, zhi (wisdom, ? ), and yong (courage, ? ); in 3:19 li and zhong; in 13:4 li, yi, and xin and so on. For heuristic purposes, Cua regards dependent virtues as two different groups: supportive and constitutive virtues. Cua explains that the distinction between are that the former are â€Å"genial or helpful, though not necessary, to the development of the cardinal virtues such as ren, yi, and li;† whereas the latter, are those that are â€Å"both supportive and constitutive of the quality of the cardinal virtues actualized† (Cua, 2007).Also, depending on the character and temperament, a constitutive and supportive virtue varies, that is, what is merely a constitutive attribute in one person may be a supportive merit for anoth er. Thus, Cua believes that Confucius’s idea of the junzi is flexible or adaptable, and I highly agree with him. To sum up, in my point of view, according to Confucius, what qualities a junzi should cultivate, possess, and practice is the unity of virtues that consists of ren, yi, and li as the basic cardinal virtues, and combining with other qualities such as xiao, yong, zhong, xin, kuan, etc.Depending on each different person and situation, the mapping of the virtues of junzi is in the distinction between basic, cardinal, interdependent and dependent, supportive and constitutive virtues, which may be referred to â€Å"the way of the superior man is unityfold. † 7. Conclusion On this paper, I provided background information of the topic; I discussed and dissected two interpretations made by Hosung Ahn and Ha Poong Kim. In response to Ahn’s and Kim’s argument, I have made a personal critique that a junzi is not a tragic person and that a junzi is not requ ired to possess aesthetic awareness.I then offered my resolution along with employing Antonio S. Cua’s interpretation of this topic. In short, by presenting a map of junzi’s virtues that consists of both interdependent and dependent virtues; it reveals that the Confucius’s conception of junzi is a unity of virtues with flexibility. Works Cited Ahn,  Hosung. â€Å"Junzi as a Tragic Person: A Self Psychological Interpretation of the Analects. â€Å"Pastoral Psychology, 57. 1/2 (2008): 101. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 1 Apr. 2012 Confucius (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy). †Ã‚  Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Metaphysics Research Lab, CSLI, Stanford University, 3 July 2002. Web. 1 May 2012. Cua,  Antonio. â€Å"Virtues of Junzi. â€Å"Journal of Chinese Philosophy, 34 (2007): 125. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 28 Mar. 2012 Kim,  Ha Poong. â€Å"Confucius's Aesthetic Concept of Noble Man: Beyond Moralism. †Ã‚  Asian P hilosophy, 16. 2 (2006): 111. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 28 Mar. 2012 Kohut, H (1985). Self psychology and the science of man.In Humanities and self psychology: Reflections on a new psychoanalytic approach (pp. 73-94). New York: Norton. Legge, James. Confucian Analects. In Vol. I of Chinese Classics. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1895. Print. Phan, Cha? nh Co? ng. The Eastern paths to philosophic self-enlightenment: an introduction to Eastern philosophies. Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall/Hunt Pub. Co. , 2002. Print. Shun, K. -L. (2002). Ren ? and li ? in the Analects. In B. W. Van Norden (Ed. ), Confucius and the Analects: New essays (pp. 3-72). New York: Oxford University Press. Weber, M. (1968). The religion of China (H. Gerth, Trans. ). New York: Free Press. ——————————————– [ 2 ]. The numbering of the book/chapter of a passage from the Analects follows James Legge’s in his translation of the text (1895). [ 3 ]. The cited phrase comes from The religion of China by Weber, M. [ 4 ]. Ren ? and li ? in the Analect. Confucius and the Analects written by K. Shun, as cited in Hosung Ahn’s article.

Coca-Cola Essay Essays

Coca-Cola Essay Essays Coca-Cola Essay Essay Coca-Cola Essay Essay COLA-WARS Main Issue: Factors causing the decline in CSDs and Cola Sales: - Carbonated Soft Drinks (CSDs), the foundation of Coca-Cola’s brand is declining, although it still holds the highest market share in comparison to non-CSD beverages. Coca-Cola is at risk of eventually producing a negative return from its CSDs and to be outperformed by non-CSDs, non-carb beverages and bottled water within its own product line, and with its competitors if the current trends persist in the future. A combination of factors have played a role in the CSD downturn, including a significant change in consumer behaviour and perceptions, government regulations, increase in input prices, competitor innovations, financial indicators and production complexities that all contribute to Coca-Cola’s diminishing sales for which will all be examined and discussed in detail throughout the following body. In 1886, Coca-Cola was developed and its bottling network grew rapidly and reached 370 franchises by 1910. Its introduction of a carbonated soda beverage was like no other on the market where demand had a steady incline until the mid-2000s. During this period, the market entered into an economic downturn, sales declined as consumers opted for cheaper alternatives. (#) In addition to a lowered disposable income, there have been growing health concerns about CSDs and proven linkage between obesity and nutrition. The public began to view the ingredients as unnatural and unhealthy, where hazardous concerns about ingredients increase from 40% in 2004 to 53% in 2010. In response, initiatives to discourage purchase involved a 20% tax with the intentions to cut calorie intake from sugary drinks by up to 49% a per a day in the US and the banishment of these drinks on school premises had a negative effect on Coca-Cola’s sales and market share. Coke’s annual report identified obesity and health concerns as the number one risk factor for its business. The health conscious consumer base grew which lead to a significant shift in the market where there is an increase in non-CSDs, fruit drinks and bottled water. Consumption of CSDs maintained a steady incline from the 1970s and peaked in 2000 with 53. 0 to 46. 0 in 2009 and market share went down to 17. 0 from 20. 4 in 2000. Operations ran efficiently where its high speed production lines that was interchangeable only for productions of similar type and packages of similar size. However, with the spike in non-CSDs, production processes had to accommodate expensive modifications for the complicated alternative beverages caused. The finished goods required a smaller but specialized production process that were challenging for bottlers to make with their existing infrastructure. Bottlers became vulnerable as they were not fully participating in the new growth of the business and also being bypassed by Coke in the distribution of their non-CSDs. Also, mass merchandisers that used its size to exert pricing pressures on Coke who only wanted to negotiate marketing and shelving arrangements directly with concentrate makers which are a traditional practice of bottlers that benefited from distributing in exclusive territories. Bottlers incurred higher distribution and sales costs where cost of goods reached 90% of sales, the highest level in more than two decades. Supplier inputs and fierce competition which resulted in pricing discounts becoming the norm which had Coke struggling to maintain its market share. Consumers are now at the point of expecting sales and are less inclined to make purchases at a regular retail price which has keeps Coca-Cola’s margins. In addition, merchandisers who use its power to exert pricing pressure and substantial rebates for major accounts, such as reducing its per unit price to its franchisees to $1. 45 from $6. 20, 23% weighs heavily on Coca-Cola’s sales but it necessary to secure accounts away from its competitors. SWOT Analysis| Coca-Cola| Strengths| * Coke and Pepsi offered â€Å"direct store door† delivery, where sales people secured shelf space, stacking the products, trademark positioning and setting up point of purchase or end of aisles display. * Smaller national brands such as Shasta and Faygo distribute through food store warehouses where * The retailer is responsible for storage, transportation, merchandising and stocking shelves, thereby incurring additional cost * Cola Wars weakened small independent bottlers * Pressure to spend more on advertising, product and packaging proliferation, widespread discounting these factors resulted in higher capital requirements and lower profit margins * Retained deals with Burger King and McDonald’s (the largest national account in terms of sales) * In 2009, New Freestyle soda machine which could create dozens of different kinds of custom beverages (Restaurants had to pay a 30% premium for freestyle compared to regular fountains)| Weaknesses| * Cola Wars weakened small independent bottlers * Production difficulties with non-CSDs * Additional bottling expenses through specialized production processes * Strained relationship with bottlers| Opportunities| * Further international extensions * Product innovation * Bottler process improvement through its consolidation| Threats| * Early 2000s consumption of CSD declined * By 2009, the average American drank 46 gallons of CSDs per year, the lowest since ‘89 * Starting in the late 90s America still dr ank more CSDs, than any other beverage but consumption started to decline * **Health concerns – growing linkage between issues of obesity and nutrition * In 2005, Federal nutrition guidelines identified regular CSDs as the larger source of obesity –causing sugars in the American Diet * Schools throughout the nation banned the sales of soft drinks on their premises * Several states pushed for soda tax on sugary drinks * Government study suggested that a 20% tax could cut the calorie intake from sugary drinks by up to 49 calories a day per person in the US * Tax on sodas became the new measure * Consumers started to view high fructose corn syrup as unnatural and unhealthy * 53% of Americans were concerned that the ingredient posed a health hazard in 2010 compared to 40% in 2004 * ***Coke’s annual report identified obesity and health concerns as the number one risk factor to its business * 80% of sales from international markets-serving over 200 countries * Limited pricing controls| Weighted SKF| | Coca-Cola| Pepsi| Strength Measure| I. M| S. R| Score| S. R| Score| Image/Reputation| . 15| 10| 1. 5| 9| 1. 35| Distribution Capacity| . 25| 10| 2. 5| 10| 2. 5| Financial Resources| . 15| 8| 1. 2| 7| 1. 05| Price| . 15| 6| . 9| 6| . 9| Marketing/Advertising| . 25| 10| 2. 5| 10| 2. 5| Acquisitions/Extensions| . 05| 10| . 5| 10| . 5| Sum of I. M| 1. 00| | Weighted Overall Strength| 54| 9. 1| 52| 8. 75| 1. Image/Reputation Coca-Cola – Market survey on brand loyalty indicate that more consumers preferred Coke over Pepsi as their favorite CSD brands in 2010. * Pepsi – Redesigned its logo in 2008 with a three year rebranding plan that could cost over $1 billion to rejuvenate its image. 2. Distribution Capacity * Coca-Cola Pepsi – Both have around 100 plants for nationwide distribution with the capacity to serve the entire US. 3. Financial Resources * Coca-Cola – Net Profits/Sales: 22% * Pepsi – Net Profits/Sales: 13. 8 % 4. Price * Coca-Cola Pepsi – Both engage in severe price wars to retain customers as their purchasing behaviour indicates no brand loyalty where they seek cheaper alternatives in the economic downturn Mass merchandisers use its power to exert pricing pressures Substantial rebates for corporate accounts 5. Marketing/Advertising * Coca-Cola – Spent 5540 million in marketing support for its top bottlers Patented unique skirt design became an American Icon. Its marketing campaign, â€Å"Real Coca-Cola taste with zero calories† was the most successful product launch that produced double digit growth * Pepsi â€Å"Pepsi Generation† marketing campaign, which targeted the young and â€Å"young at heart. † The campaign helped Pepsi narrow Coke’s lead to a 2-to-1 margin 6. Acquisitions/Expansions * Coca-Cola Pepsi – Both have formed alliances to incorporate their core competencies and expand into foreign markets

The Most Expensive Colleges in the US

The Most Expensive Colleges in the US In the United States of America, the total cost for an academic year can rise over $60,000. Every year, these fees are getting more and more expensive. In fact, a list of the most expensive colleges in the US for the 2015 2016 academic year has been published recently. The numbers that you will see below represent the amount of money that students have to pay for their fees and tuition. Keep in mind that books, healthcare plans and travel have not been included in these expenses. So, do you want to find out what is the most expensive college in the US? 1. Harvey Mudd College Situated in California (Claremont), Harvey Mudd College is the most expensive college in US. Describing their university as one of the most eligible science colleges in the United States, the costs of tuition, fees, board and room are huge. While there is no tuition reduction for the students, around 70% of the freshmen get financial help. Special cases of children from low-income families, receive almost $55,090 in aid during their first year. Total cost: $67,255 2014 BI Rank: 1 Room and Board: $16,506 Fees and Tuition: $50,749 2. Columbia University The legendary university is located in New York City, New York. It has come second in the top of the most expensive colleges in the US due to its spicy prices. About 50% of the undergraduates at this college in New York receive financial help so they wont have to pay the full price of tuition. However, the prices remain pretty high. Total Cost: $66,383 2014 BI Rank: 5 Board and Room: $12,860 Fees and Tuition: $53,523 3. Sarah Lawrence College Located in Yonkers, New York, Sarah Lawrence College landed the third position in the top of most expensive colleges in America. This faculty is said to offer twice the amount of one-on-one contact time with the students as compared to other educational institutions. The average financial aid is $34,000. Learning the best out of liberal arts sure does cost a lot! Total Cost $65,630 2014 BI Rank: 6 Board and Room: $14,596 Fees and Tuition: $51,034 4. New York University New York University is notoriously expensive but has an excellent reputation when it comes to the programs it offers. The kids who wish to be students of one of the most expensive colleges in the US better prepare. The college located in New York City asks for proofs that they have enough assets to cover living expenses and tuition for at least an academic year before getting accepted. Total Cost: $65, 860 2014 BI Rank: 4 Board and Room: $17,580 Fees and Tuition: $48, 280 As you can see, you have to make a lot of sacrifices to become a student at one of the most expensive colleges in the US. In some cases, high school graduates cant attend classes at these universities because of the astronomical prices. Children with a lot of potential, extracurricular activities and high grades risk attending a second-hand college because of their financial incapacity.

3 Examples of Dangling Modifiers

3 Examples of Dangling Modifiers 3 Examples of Dangling Modifiers 3 Examples of Dangling Modifiers By Mark Nichol In each of the sentences below, the sentence has been constructed so that the noun or pronoun that a modifying phrase should refer to is missing, which may or may not cause reader confusion but definitely will distract, often because an inanimate object is mistakenly ascribed human agency, sometimes resulting in an unintentionally humorous reading. Discussion after each example explains the problem, and revisions demonstrate solutions. 1. Lifestyle enhancements are crucial if markets slide when approaching retirement. In the absence of the appropriate noun or pronoun identifying who is approaching retirement, the reader ascribes the impending retirement to the nearest noun or pronoun; here, the sentence refers to markets approaching retirement. To rectify this error, introduce the pertinent noun or pronoun before â€Å"approaching retirement†: â€Å"Lifestyle enhancements are crucial if markets slide when you are approaching retirement.† (The sentence can be further revised to â€Å"Lifestyle enhancements are crucial if markets slide as you approach retirement.†) 2. Social exclusion is inevitable when faced with mobility restrictions. Here, social exclusion is said to be faced with mobility restrictions. To revise the sentence so that it conveys the intended message, insert an explicit reference to who is faced with the restrictions: â€Å"Social exclusion is inevitable when one is faced with mobility restrictions.† 3. Youthful misdemeanors can come back to haunt you while job hunting. In this sentence, youthful misdemeanors are treated as actors in a scenario in which they take time out from their search for employment to carry out a function normally assigned to ghosts. But the correct interpretation is that while you are seeking work, mistakes you’ve made in the past may resurface during the vetting process, as expressed in the following revision: â€Å"Youthful misdemeanors can come back to haunt you while you are job hunting.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:12 Greek Words You Should KnowAcronym vs. Initialism45 Idioms About the Number One

Modify the essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

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Cross Cultural Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Cross Cultural Management - Assignment Example The challenge for managing the multicultural teams effectively lies in the fact to recognize the underlying cultural reasons of conflict, and to interrupt in a way that would get all the teams back on its track and also empower the members in dealing with the future challenges themselves (Bret, Behfar & Kern, 2012). This can be done by providing effective motivation. Motivation within the individuals is seen to vary across the subject areas (Lai, 2011, p.2). Research had suggested that motivation could be manipulated by using certain instructional practices though both positive and its negative effects had been demonstrated. In managing a multicultural team such as one consisting of Nigerian, Chinese and British people, leadership can play a great role. For a global leader understanding international interaction becomes very essential to implement transnational leadership in the global business world of today. Diversity as well as complexity seems to increase in the domestic scenario as the business operations gets more international (Jokinen, 2004, p.199). The challenge while managing motivation in a multicultural team lies in recognizing "the patterns, values, symbols, meanings, beliefs, assumptions, and expectations" (Paget, 2011). This challenge gets most apparent if the leader discovers that "because different cultures hold different views, a managerial style that is effective in one culture will not necessarily be effective in another" (Paget, 2011). These differences observed in cultural outlook could also affect the leader’s communication with his team members if everyone is not found to be speaking in one particular language. Factors affecting motivation in a multicultural team a. Motivation and cultural differences in a multicultural team While managing motivation a multicultural team, there are many factors that need to be addressed. These can be in the form of respect for every culture, goal concentration, teamwork, clarity of thoughts and ex pression by the leader (Reh, 2012. The leader needs to give special attention to the language and culture of the different people in the team (Babler, 2011). Employees who are respected as in their workplaces and made to feel as a part of the entire team have twice the chance to stick with their employer. Staff retention in turn cuts the recruitment costs can make a huge impact for the whole organization (Managing a multicultural workforce, 2008, p.3). Language and cultural attitude can also impact the motivation levels and work behavior. People from variant cultures might have various ways of communicating as well as different values. Using eye contact, body gestures and any formal language and their attitudes towards time-keeping, personal status and the rules are a few of the examples where the cultural differences can make an impact (Managing a multicultural workforce, 2008, p.6). There are many differences in the cultural attitude of the Nigerian, Chinese and the British people . As for example, the color white signifies peace in Nigerian and British culture but in Chinese it symbolizes death (Symbolism of Colors, Associations of The Five Elements, Chinese Beliefs, and Feng Shui, 1998). So if there is any mention of the color there are chances where the Chinese employee might feel de-motivated as he might not be used to such situations. b. Multicultural team work behavior different from others It must be understood that a

Quiz II The Crusades Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Quiz II The Crusades - Essay Example For example, the First Crusade occurred between 1095 and 1099 with its origins being France. However, it was not an official Papal Crusade but was organized by individuals such as Robert Curthose, Baldwin of Bouilon, Hugh of Vermandois and Tancred de Hauteville among others (Runciman 1987, p.182). The First Crusade had several goals such as the need to battle the Turks and also persecute the Jews. Additionally, the group murdered Muslim inhabitants and captured Antioch to restore Christianity in those areas. Contrastingly, defense came from Muslims and Jews who engaged the aggressors in defending Jerusalem. A majority of the participants came from backgrounds that opposed the rise of other religions (Galgano et al 1993, p.123). Consequently, this increased the hatred for Muslims and Jews with participants of the First Crusade such Raymond of Toulouse and Bohemond of Taranto insisting on restoring lost territories taken by religious competitors. Notable personalities of the First Crus ade included Robert Curthose and Baldwin of Bouilon who came from Italy and France respectively with armies to reclaim the lost cities now dominated by the Jews and Muslims. They also led a crusade army that fought the Muslims and took control of all cities. First Crusade leaders and their followers gained significantly in the raids that persecuted the Jews and Muslims. They equally gained by capturing lost cities such as Antioch and Jerusalem and later established the Principality of Antioch and the County of Edessa. Conversely, the losers entailed the Turks who lost Antioch and the Jews who initially had defended Jerusalem. In terms of influences, the First Crusade had a lot for others that followed. Though negative, it resulted to revenge by Turks against the crusades under the name Crusade of 1101 (Kidner et al 2007, p.145). It was followed by the Second Crusade that equally failed to secure major cities under the leader of Bernard of Clairvaux. Therefore, the lasting historical legacies of the Crusade include a disharmony between Christians and Muslims that continues to affect humanity through acts of terrorism and religious intolerance from both sides. Northern crusades A political crusade, the Northern crusades happened between 1193 and 1290. In this crusade, revenge was organized against pagans found in Northern Europe led by Pope Celestine III. Another leader killed in battle was Bishop Berthold of Hanover who led the crusaders against pagans. The stated goals of the Northern crusades encompassed the pacification of pagans and also converting the remaining ones to Christianity (Runciman 1987, p.189). Similarly, the group protected Germany’s trade and commerce from external threats. Northern crusade’s participants came from various backgrounds. Pope Celestine III, for example, was the leader of the Catholic Church and felt the urge to convert all pagans into Christianity. On the other hand, Bishop Berthold of Hanover who died in the war a gainst Livonian Pagans came from Germany and believed in the power of Christianity in the entire Northern Europe (Runciman 1987, p.213). The pagans, however, came from Livonia while others from Prussia where another crusade was led by Pope Honorius III. The notable personalities in this crusade were Bishop Berthold of Hanover and Pope Celestine III who led a campaign to kill or convert all pagans. They also ensured that

Semantic Acquisition (Linguistics) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Semantic Acquisition (Linguistics) - Essay Example Usually, young children refer to the objects or people that they are familiar with in their early speech (Barrett 1995). It is interesting that most of the children follow the same process of lexicon acquisition (De Villiers 1978). The process can be divided into five different stages (De Villiers 1978). First, children learn proper names in the first stage as proper names only have one referent for each word (De Villiers 1978). Then, common nouns are acquired soon after the first stage (De Villiers 1978). This is because the structures of common nouns are more complex and children need time to master the application of these words (Barrett 1995). The third stage is acquiring simple verbs and adjectives (De Villiers 1978). These two categories share a similar complexity and similar properties (Barrett 1995). In order to study the verbs and simple adjectives, young children need to master the correlation and interaction between their perceptual development and lexical development (De Villiers 1978). The fourth stage is the acquisition of relational words (De Villiers 1978). These words have more complex meanings (Barrett 1995). It is somewhat difficult for young children to understand the concept of relational words since a comparison for the described object and the context is required (De Villiers 1978). The final stage is the acquisition of deictic expression (De Villiers 1978). Words in this category express the most complex idea of comparison (De Villiers 1978). Nelson (1973) has suggested that there are significant individual differences in the types of words that young children acquire in stage I (Katherine Nelson (1973) in De Villiers 1978, p. 124). Two kinds of children can be found in the early lexicon development of children (De Villiers 1978). They are identified as â€Å"referential children† and â€Å"expressive children†, respectively (De Villiers 1978). Referential children can be defined as those children who acquire and use words of

Quiz II The Crusades Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Quiz II The Crusades - Essay Example For example, the First Crusade occurred between 1095 and 1099 with its origins being France. However, it was not an official Papal Crusade but was organized by individuals such as Robert Curthose, Baldwin of Bouilon, Hugh of Vermandois and Tancred de Hauteville among others (Runciman 1987, p.182). The First Crusade had several goals such as the need to battle the Turks and also persecute the Jews. Additionally, the group murdered Muslim inhabitants and captured Antioch to restore Christianity in those areas. Contrastingly, defense came from Muslims and Jews who engaged the aggressors in defending Jerusalem. A majority of the participants came from backgrounds that opposed the rise of other religions (Galgano et al 1993, p.123). Consequently, this increased the hatred for Muslims and Jews with participants of the First Crusade such Raymond of Toulouse and Bohemond of Taranto insisting on restoring lost territories taken by religious competitors. Notable personalities of the First Crus ade included Robert Curthose and Baldwin of Bouilon who came from Italy and France respectively with armies to reclaim the lost cities now dominated by the Jews and Muslims. They also led a crusade army that fought the Muslims and took control of all cities. First Crusade leaders and their followers gained significantly in the raids that persecuted the Jews and Muslims. They equally gained by capturing lost cities such as Antioch and Jerusalem and later established the Principality of Antioch and the County of Edessa. Conversely, the losers entailed the Turks who lost Antioch and the Jews who initially had defended Jerusalem. In terms of influences, the First Crusade had a lot for others that followed. Though negative, it resulted to revenge by Turks against the crusades under the name Crusade of 1101 (Kidner et al 2007, p.145). It was followed by the Second Crusade that equally failed to secure major cities under the leader of Bernard of Clairvaux. Therefore, the lasting historical legacies of the Crusade include a disharmony between Christians and Muslims that continues to affect humanity through acts of terrorism and religious intolerance from both sides. Northern crusades A political crusade, the Northern crusades happened between 1193 and 1290. In this crusade, revenge was organized against pagans found in Northern Europe led by Pope Celestine III. Another leader killed in battle was Bishop Berthold of Hanover who led the crusaders against pagans. The stated goals of the Northern crusades encompassed the pacification of pagans and also converting the remaining ones to Christianity (Runciman 1987, p.189). Similarly, the group protected Germany’s trade and commerce from external threats. Northern crusade’s participants came from various backgrounds. Pope Celestine III, for example, was the leader of the Catholic Church and felt the urge to convert all pagans into Christianity. On the other hand, Bishop Berthold of Hanover who died in the war a gainst Livonian Pagans came from Germany and believed in the power of Christianity in the entire Northern Europe (Runciman 1987, p.213). The pagans, however, came from Livonia while others from Prussia where another crusade was led by Pope Honorius III. The notable personalities in this crusade were Bishop Berthold of Hanover and Pope Celestine III who led a campaign to kill or convert all pagans. They also ensured that

Gender Roles in Manuel Puig's The Kiss of the Spider Woman Essay

Gender Roles in Manuel Puig's The Kiss of the Spider Woman - Essay Example So, the author continues, "En cambio, un homosexual, con fijacin femenina, si, todava, puede defender esa ideologa, porque, como desea ser mujer, pero no puede realizar la experiencia de sea mujer, no puede llegar a desengaarse y sigue el engavio, en el sueiio de que la realizacin de la mujer esta en encontrar un hombre que la va a guiar y que se va a ocupar de ella, lo cual es buscar un padre y no un compaero" (Osario, p. 53). Puig subtly unfolds another aspect of his project: writing about a homosexual. It does not stop surprising us how or why this aspect of his writing has to be grounded with an explanation "beforehand!" That is, by framing the homosexual character of the novel, Molina, first, as "a feminine character who still believed in the existence of a superior man" and, then, as a "homosexual, with feminine fixations," Puig is showing us a certain anxiety regarding homosexuality in his writing. Puig's presentation of Molina is an excuse. It is important to highlight this particular moment in the author's explanation (or excuse) for the homosexual subject because, after presenting such a brilliant feminist reading of the homosocial valorisation of the superior macho, he almost obsessively and uncritically positions the homosexual within the heterosexual matrix as produced by the Oedipal complex--the Freudian "structure" of which he is critical in the footnotes of El beso. How do we reconcile both of the author's positions--on the one hand, his more challenging perspective that informs the construction of masculinity as the fantasy of the homosocial; on the other hand, a reductive and misogynist reading of male homosexuality as a desire to become and appropriate .the "feminine" Moreover, how do we read homosexuality outside the Oedipal complex When we consider the question of sexuality in the text, we must look not simply at writing about homosexual themes or a homosexual character in a "popular" novel, but--and more importantly--the author's own gayness. A consideration of sexual difference as epistemology illuminates our critical reading of a text (Sedgwick, 1991). Along these lines, a reading of El beso de la mujer araa must not only focus on the construction of Molina's sexual identity, the homosexual "with feminine fixations" as a performer of transvestism; but, also, analyze the transvestitic performance of Valentin as a Marxist. This essay will show that ideology--in this case, oppositional revolutionary politics-signals a transvestitic performance; and, that this ideological transvestism necessarily sublimates the homoerotics of any heterosexual male encounter. That is, every male "event" connotes a hidden homosexual embrace. The politics of denying this embrace shamelessly produce the language of sexism and homoph obia. The structure of the El beso de la mujer araa is simple: Valentin, a political prisoner, and Molina share a cell where Molina's retelling of B-movies make the time spent there easier. Before looking at some of the stories told by the prisoners, I would like to evaluate the importance the prison takes as a site of narration. One cannot help thinking of an Arcipreste de Hita or a Cervantes who wrote his masterpiece in/from prison. The architectural design of a prison influences Molina's fantastic story-telling: the close walls must be transcended with complex narratives and performances (Merrim, 1981). If spaces can be labelled "heterosexual," "lesbian," "educational,"

The Journey of Olaudah Equiano Essay Example for Free

The Journey of Olaudah Equiano Essay He wrote his narrative in order to teach his readers about the horrors and atrocities that took place every day to people just like him in the hopes that he could advance the movement against the slave trade. In order to do this, Equiano focused not only on the physical journey he took, but the spiritual journey as well. His expedition, from Africa to enslavement to freedom, closely corresponds to his spiritual journey, from ignorance to conversion to religious completion. This allowed his readers to understand his struggles in a way that was more familiar to them, which tied a closer bond between the reader and the author. Since his readers could relate to the two separate but intertwined journeys, Equiano could now enlighten his readers on the revulsion of the slave trade just as he was enlightened through Christianity. Colonial North America was a brand new world, where the opportunities for wealth were plentiful, ever-present, and over-powering and the slave trade was a direct result of man’s greedy drive for wealth. It took over one hundred years for slavery to be abolished, but Equiano’s journey, both physical and spiritual, presented to the world the true dreadfulness behind the slave trade, a paramount mistake on mankind. Equiano opens his narrative with a description of his native African culture, including the customs of clothing, family, food, war, and religious practices. Equiano describes Africans as â€Å"rude and uncultivated† (43) and that all are â€Å"ignorant of their language, religion, manners and customs. (44) His time in Africa ties into his religious ignorance as he suggests that Africans could be the indirect relatives of Christian Europeans. Although this could be considered accurate from today’s standpoints, in the colonial era, this would be taken as an ignorant, blasphemous statement. The African customs and traditions were foreign to most of the world during this time and Equiano presents his former customs, particularly his pagan religious practice s, as not necessarily a result of sin, but rather a result of ignorance. Although Equiano acknowledges the coarse rituals of the African continent, he also notes the unfairness of this situation. â€Å"Are any pains taken to teach them these? Are they treated as men? †¦ Did nature make them inferior to their sons? † (45) While Equiano concedes the savageness of the African people, he still argues that slavery is as an affront to humanity, â€Å"Does not slavery itself depress the mind, and extinguish all its fire† (45) Here, slavery is simply shown as an imbalanced product of European greed and the opportunity of wealth the New World provided. Next, Equiano describes his grim voyage through the Middle Passage and his eventual enslavement on a merchant ship for a British captain. After the ship’s arrival in England, Equiano is exposed to Christianity for the first time, â€Å"a great man in the heavens, called God: but here again I was to all intents and purposes at a loss to understand him. † (67) As Equiano becomes more assimilated to European culture, he develops a deeper understanding of Christianity and is eventually educated and baptized. Equiano’s entire enslavement is closely connected to his religious developments; as more time progresses as a slave he becomes a more erudite follower of Christianity. His religious conversion reaches its precipice when Captain Pascal betrays him and turns him over to be enslaved in the West Indies. â€Å"with contrition of heart, acknowledged my transgression to God, and poured out my soul before him with unfeigned repentance. † (95) In that instant, Equiano gave his life to God and became as Christian as any of his readers. Consequently, it is at this moment his life begins to turn around as he is sold to a kindly Quaker merchant who gives him the opportunity to make his own money in order to purchase his freedom. Equiano’s enslavement is filled with hardships and poor treatment, but is emphasized by his religious transformation. He shows his readers that even as an educated Christian, his life as a slave is meager and dangerous and he questions how Christians could treat others so grotesquely, â€Å"How he, as a Christian, could answer for the horrid act before God? (104) Once again, Equiano shows there are no boundaries that man, when blinded by greed, will not cross. After some time, Equiano acquires enough money to purchase his freedom and completes his long excursion to becoming free. Just as his physical journey becomes complete, his spiritual journey reaches an endpoint. Equiano now bases his life around God and â€Å"Now the Bible was my only companion and comfort. † (191) When hi s ship picks up some men stranded at sea, Equiano takes the most impactful step in Christianity as he starts to spread the word of God. and took great delight in him, and used much supplication to God for his conversion. † (203) Equiano links his freedom from slavery to his religious completion in order to help his readers fully grasp his journeys completion. Both are immense accomplishments, but the reader can more adeptly understand the end to a spiritual journey rather than the journey from a slave to freedman. Although Equiano is no longer a slave, he hopes his story enlightens readers of the terrors of the slave trade, just as Christianity had enlightened him to leading a life for God. Olaudah Equiano’s slave narrative was one of the first published works of a firsthand account of the American slave trade. Equiano introduced the world to how slaves, such as himself, were treated on a daily basis. However, what makes his narrative so effective is the way he connects his physical and spiritual journeys together. Anyone who was to read his narrative would have a hard time relating to his physical struggles beyond his descriptions, so he effectively connects them with his spiritual voyage and struggles. This allows the reader to connect to Equiano in a more relatable way and helps strengthen his case against the slave trade. Today, we can use his narrative to find out about what colonial North America was like during this time. The New World was, simply enough, a vast farmland with an unlimited crop yield and in order to harvest these crops, sufficient labor was needed. The quest for wealth helped formulate the slave trade, but man’s greed turned it into a business. Colonial North America was a time full of growth and opportunities, all tried to take advantage as much as possible. Equiano was one of the luckier slaves and his life fits into the popular American success story of patience, hard-work, and endurance as important qualities. Equiano was enlightened through Christianity and he hoped the story he shared would enlighten the world about affront to humanity that slavery was. Over two hundred years later, we are still reading his narrative.

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) SWOT and PESTLE

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) SWOT and PESTLE INTRODUCTION The main theme of this assignment is to critically analyse Pakistan International Airline and to appraise the level of effectiveness of the organisation. It includes strategic, financial and resource management analysis. This is carried out in three parts. Overall strategic position is scrutinized and external and internal environment is evaluated through different models such as  SWOT  and PESTLE STEEP analysis in the first part of an assignment. The second part is an overall review of human resource management in PIA and different approaches for their employees retention and performance are thoroughly assessed as to point out their weaknesses and reasons for those flaws in overall system. The final part is the ratio analysis which helps in analysing the financial position of the business and impact of resource management decisions on organisations growth and stability. INTRODUCTION OF PIA: Pakistan International Airlines Corporation (PIAC) is the premium airline of Pakistan with its head office on the grounds of Jinnah International Airport in Karachi. PIA is one of the largest airlines in Asia, operating scheduled services to 24 domestic destinations and 39 international destinations in 25 countries across Asia, Europe and North America. Its main bases are at Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. (Khan A., 2008). ANALYSIS OF RELATIONSHIP OF STRATEGIC LEVEL PLANNING AND LOWER LEVEL Relationship between higher and lower levels of management is that Planning is done at higher level and execution is done by the lower level but the lower management is not involved in any decision making and planning in PIA. In fact its Lower management just plays role in gathering information for each step of strategic planning. Mission Statement: PIA Corporation has stated its mission statement as a symbol of national pride, aspired to be an airline of choice, operating profitably on modern commercial concepts and capable of competing with the best in the International as well as Domestic markets (www.piac.com.pk, accessed date: 08/10/2010) Mission statement of PIA is mentioned in a way that: Employee team will contribute towards making PIA a global airline of choice through: Offering quality customer services and innovative products. Using state of art technologies. Ensuring cost effective measures in procurement and operations. Developing safety cultures. On Jan 15, 2010 strategic objectives of PIA were given in 33rd BOD meeting i.e. Introduction of new additional flights, real time tax revenue management system Introduction and success of Pakistan remittance initiative Increasing market share by 5 % Successful monitoring of routes In PIA Mission and objectives are set by the higher management for the overall organization that provides track to middle and lower level employees so that they can bring the company at an established position because Higher management can not directly take part in improving customer satisfaction so team work is required from ticket reservation to landing of plane. Employees work in different teams such as office staff, ground staff, cabin crew and flight attendants as to perform day to day operations and to achieve overall objectives and mission. 2.2 Environmental Scanning: Goal achievement of any company is greatly influenced by the overall environment, so in PIA before doing strategic planning higher management also scans over all environment that involve internal and external environment both along with the analysis of firms industry. 2.3 Strategy Formulation: Management at the top level of PIA utilizes all the information gathered by the lower management and formulate its strategies by using its strengths and availing its opportunities to overcome its weaknesses and threats so as to create competitive edge in the airline industry. 2.4 Strategy Implementation: Implementation in any organization involves restructuring of firms resources and high level of motivation for lower and middle management. But in PIA strategy implementation becomes really complicated as they do not change their structures according to their new and modified strategies, and their employees are highly demotivated as their suggestions are not welcomed in formulating the strategies. Ultimately the strategies are misunderstood by them. 2.5 Evaluation and Control: Implementation of strategies are evaluated and controlled by PIAs higher management but they are very much rigid in making adjustments in their overall strategies. 2.6 Vision: PIA Corporation has stated its vision as To be fiercely competitive, consistently exceeding customer expectations and be the choice employer that embraces modern technology in all spheres of its activities. INFLUENCE OF VISION, MISSION, VALUES AND GOALS OF PIA OVER ITS STAKEHOLDERS Mission, vision, values and goals for PIA have great influence over its stakeholders that involves: 3.1 Customers: In the vision and mission statements of PIA; their customers expectations and satisfaction is highly focused so they are increasing their market demand by offering different services such as: Magazines like hamsafar and newspapers are given to all customers of PIA Different flyer programs also attract customers as they can get free tickets and excess baggage vouchers etc PIA continuously changes its plane design after every 3 years as to gain more and more customer attention PIA also introduces cargo service namely PIA Speedex. PIA is also doing brand marketing through sponsorship to become more and more popular e.g. PIA is sponsoring Shandur polo gala, ABN Amro patrons trophy, destination Pakistan 2007 festival PIA also supports non profit organizations like Al Shifa trust, Zindagi trust etc. PIA is also maintaining high safety culture for its customers 3.2 Employees: PIA believes in team work and without that they cannot achieve their goals and mission but they do not empower their employees to participate in decision making process so they are not involved in setting goals, vision and mission for their company. 3.3 Shareholders: PIA does not focus on shareholders income or their satisfaction in its vision and mission statements which shows its low level of interest. And it is proved by the fact that it is not achieving its goals so facing financial crisis that results in loss for its shareholders as share price decreases from 3.17 to 2.61 and loss was PAK Rs.5822 million in 2009. SWOT ANALYSIS 4.1 (S)TRENGTHS: Leading Market Position: According to Annual report of PIA (2008), PIA is one of Pakistans leading air carriers, with more than 800 daily flights. Around 150,000 passengers fly a month on PIA, making it one of the major operators in the domestic market in terms of passenger destination. PIAs international market share was 43.5%, In the Domestic market, its market share was 69.4%. On a system-wide basis, PIAs market share was 51.2% at the end of year 2009. Its strong market position is driven by consistently low fares as well as reliable service, frequent and convenient flights, use of new technologies like e-ticketing and self check-in terminals, comfortable cabins and superior customer service. Superior Operating Structure: PIA has maintained its position as the low cost carrier. It has been first class Pakistani airline to use the latest technology. Factors contributing consists of different series of Boeing and Airbus and an efficient, high-utilization and point- to-point route structure. Network Presence: PIA enjoys a global strong network and international destinations. The companys network includes three the major airports in Pakistan, as well as major international airport such as Dubai International Airport. Having a strong network means that PIA can generate traffic feed for both its domestic and international Flights. Effective Use Of Technology: PIA has successfully incorporated latest technology in all its systems, giving it an edge over competitors. PIA takes credit for introducing most new technologies to the Pakistani market. It was the second carrier in Pakistan to incorporate the c-ticketing system and the second in South Asia to introduce self check in systems at the Jinnah International Airport, Karachi. 4.2 (W)EAKNESSES: Worse Govt. Rules: The key policies, strategies and set of laws are designed by the upper management. The centralized system is one of the biggest obstacles of long term success of PIA. PIA centralizes structure lead to barrel between different level of management, decreased motivation, and hard access to information. Debt: PIA has a significant amount of 42 billion debts. Current and future debts could have important consequences for stakeholders of the company. Reliance On Oil Prices: PIAs sustainability, growth and revenues directly depend on oil prices. A steep rise in oil prices can seriously damage the long term viability of any airline. Recently many airlines around the world went bankrupt due to rising oil prices. Airlines need to hedge against this risk by taking proper measures. 4.3 (O)PPORTUNITIES: Having The Maximum Route And Fleet: PIA is having the maximum route and fleet domestic and international destinations network in Pakistan as compared to its Competitors. Route and fleet expansion will positively impact the companys operations by increasing revenues. Growing Demand For Low Cost Airlines: The growing demand for air travel is driven by lower fares and consumer confidence. A survey by International Aviation Authority showed that ticket price is the number one criterion for passengers when selecting a flight, well ahead of the availability of a non-stop service. Shifting Customer Needs: The needs of air passengers are increasingly changing, as they are becoming more and more price sensitive. If PIA succeeds in making its prices more competitive, then the company will be able to gain significant market share. Industry Recovery: Market analysts believe that the global airline industry will experience an upturn in fortunes over the next few years. This represents an opportunity for PIA, as it could generate increased revenues and command market share if it capitalizes on increases in demand. 4.4 (T)HREATS High Interest Rates: The past few years have seen State Bank of Pakistan impose high as well as low interest rates to check inflation and the overheating of Pakistani economy. Inflation in Pakistan may see another raise in the short-term. Strong Competition By Airblue: PIA is now competing against carriers such as Airblue and Shaheen Airline. PIA remains Airblues strongest competitor because of the huge market it has gained over time, strong brand image and customer loyalty. Interest And Foreign Currency Exchange Rates: Fluctuating foreign currency exchange rates can have a significant impact on PIAs earnings. For example, as PIA is providing its services to the UK. Negative or positive effects arise from exchange rate movements as change in expenses. PESTLE AND STEEP ANALYSIS PESTLE and STEEP factors including political, social, economic, technological, legal and environmental factors (Ireland R. et al 2008). (P)OLITICAL FACTORS: According to Ireland R. et al (2008), political factors always have a great influence on the way where businesses operate in the airline industry and the spending power of customers. Pakistan has achieved some political stability in recent years. If the management of PIA believes that the present government will perform well (consistently), then there will be more investment in the form of purchase of new airplanes and latest technology. (E)CONOMIC FACTORS: Currently, Airlines industry has three major players: PIA, an Airblue, Aero Asia and Shaheen Airlines. Their target market includes domestic travellers as well as Pakistanis living abroad particularly in the UK and USA. Economically, the new millennium has been highly volatile; the September 11 attacks revolutionized the whole world. Consequently, there was a global depression in the North America, South America, Australia and Europe. (S)OCIAL FACTORS: Customers are more aware of market conditions and available options and want to get best value for their money (Johnson Scholar, 2001). They spend considerable time and money on entertainment hence increasing the need of in-flight entertainment systems. Hajj attracts a huge number of customers. (T)ECHNOLOGICAL FACTORS: Major technological changes are taking place in the airlines industry with innovations in the reservations and booking systems. In-flight entertainment systems and auto check in counters are two examples of such innovations. Internet plays a key role in e-ticketing as consumer can easily reserve tickets or check the status of the flight. (L)EGAL FACTORS: Airlines legislations and policies have a direct impact on the performance of PIA. PIA has attacked new  legislation which will force them to pay greater compensation to customers in the event of overbooking, cancellations and delays. (E)NVIRONMENTAL FACTORS: PIA, as a symbol of national pride, should be a choice airline operating profitably on modern commercial concepts, capable of competing with the best in its entire international and domestic markets, consistently exceeding customer expectations. It should be a choice employer deploying modern technology in all spheres of its activities. APPROACHES TO HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT TO AID THE DEVELOPMENT OF BUSINESS STRATEGY With an understanding that global economic downturn and ever rising operating costs further exacerbated by fluctuating crude oil prices. According to Greg J. et al (2009), human resource practices should be focused in PIA to address whether a brighter future is possible through management practices that fully engage employees and achieve genuine partnerships with their unions to rescue an ailing airline. Failure to elicit employee commitment through human resource practices could mean that PIA is doomed to fail in competitive aviation industry in which private sector is increasing its market share by catering to customer satisfaction. Creating a culture in which employees are close-knit and where top management focuses on its personnel asset by taking care of them so that they are ready to face and respond to every days job challenges wont be easy unless PIA starts building better relationship at various levels within its hierarchical organization. When an organization nurtures values of friendliness and loyalty among its staff then eventually customers benefit from improved service quality and creating a customer-centric culture becomes relatively easy. High employee morale and high quality delivery of service to customers are both inter-related and inter-dependent variables and airlines like Southwest Airlines, SWA, that based its business model not only on its customers but also its employees satisfaction have seen its profits growing when others were all losing revenues in post 9/11 period. Human resource management department of PIA could be used as a valuable agent of change that creates a strategic partnership among different levels of management and improves collaboration between different departments by defining policies and procedures that eventually results in a higher level of service throughout the organization. Properly trained human resource professionals that not only understand intricacies of organizational culture but also possess knowledge of global aviation industry can create a work environment that promotes dignity and respect and prepares PIA for 21st century challenges. Turnaround of Continental Airlines that used human resource management as a tool of corporate strategy to alter its work and communication practices throughout the organization is another example of the pivotal role that human resource department in PIA can play to improve its brands strength and reverse its financial losses (Carrig 1997). To remain competitive in global market where technology can perform many of the operations traditionally performed by human agents, PIA needs to take some measures to reduce its workforce by utilizing technology to its benefit. Moving to online ticketing save us at least 8-9 per cent in costs, the managing director of PIA once said. This partially resolves over-employment that burdens companys dire financial condition. The next step should be online check-in for domestic and international flights. PIA should invest further in its website to offer options to amend itinerary as and when required. Political influence and interference that affects fairness of recruitment policies poses challenges for human resource management when they are forced to make decisions that does not align with PIAs strategy but serves political purposes. I cannot emphasize enough on the importance of transparent recruitment. PIA needs to learn the importance of hiring as its success depends on the ability and style of its people. An organization that is in desperate need of leadership and role models should decorate its headquarters walls by photographs of employees who conform and promote company policies by achieving excellence in their respected roles. This practice would encourage healthy competition within employees and they would work with more dedication to get recognized. PERFORMANCE AND REWARD MANAGEMENT INCLUDING THE ROLE OF PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL Nowadays according to my point of view any type of reward plays a vital role in employee performance either it is financial or non-financial .Financial includes increase salary benefits like medical, travel, children benefits , pension etc and non-financial are personal recognition , appreciation , promotion etc. PIA must conduct a employee survey in which first they identify the needs of different employees like what type of rewards PIA should provide them so that they can motivate and perform better to make it first choice . Performance Appraisal or Career development discussion is method by which the job performance of an employee is evaluated in term of qualitative, quantities, cost and time typically by super ordinate boss or supervisor Performance appraisal is a part of guiding and managing career development .It is the process of obtaining, analysing and recording information about the relative worth of an employee to the organization. Performance appraisal is an analysis of an employees recent success and failures personal strengths and weaknesses, and suitability for promotion or further training. It is also the judgement of an employees performance in the job based on considerations other than productivity alone. Its a tool by which management can give feed back on employees performance identify his/her training needs .Facilitate communication between employee and administration/management .It improve performance through counselling , coaching and development . Simply when ever you tell any body about his/her weakness strengths you he/she will perform better towards achieving organizational goals. STRATEGIES FOR EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT AND REDEVELOPMENT The study is intended to check the development of employees in the organization. A good development program and procedure are essential to achieve goal of the organization. To cope with poor performance and to retain employee and always keep them sustainable we have lots of strategies but what I found in my research that not all are play a vital role but someone plays a significant role (Svend Hollensen, 2005). Decentralization Employee will better develop in decentralized decision making where they feel they are part of team whenever you involve employee in decision making you can easily achieve you desire objective in better way (Jeston J. Neils J., 2006). If we talk about PIA (Pakistan international Airline) in PIA delegation of authority is limited due to centralized decision making .The authorities reserve the right to make decisions in Board meeting or you can say that only top level management can make decision in board meeting. The middle and lower level management is not allowed to speak for against the top level management whatever top level make or implement they have to follow the decision Job Rotations According to Price A. (2005), job rotation is organic part of development; it is practiced to allow qualified employees to gain more insights into the processes of a company and to reduce boredom and increase job satisfaction through job variation. More rotation more satisfies an employee. Job Rotation is not common in PIA (Pakistan International Airline) thats why PIA employees are not fully satisfy Feed back Feedback plays a vital role in development and Redevelopment of employee and retains them on the job (Mercer, 1996). People need feedback.Most people do not see themselves as others see them. Feedback is essential to learning. If people dont fully appreciate their strengths, how can they use them to their advantage? People who take a professional attitude toward their work want feedback. If we talk about PIA quarterly employee co-ordination meeting are held where all employees can share their views with their bosses and subordinates and subordinates take feedback from super ordinates it helps to reduce the conflicts within the organisation and employee satisfaction. Training and development Programs Training leads towards development and when employees skills more develop organisation can easily achieve its objectives training is essential to make employee more dynamic to perform task (Price A. 2005). Training is strategy to retain an employee in the organisation it is duty of top level management to review the performance appraisals of employee and if they feel lack any where they should provide proper training to cope with that problem. This strategy is some sort of investment on employee. When employee feels that company is investing on he/she they always try to perform better. Analysis of the Liquidity Ratio: It is apparent above chart that the PIA is running with a negative working capital in both financial years. Similarly the percentages of current quick and cash ratio are also very low that reveals the fact that the current asserts of the company is not enough to meet its current liabilities. Either it should be equal or above the maiden industry level or it should be in Positive Percentage. Leverages ratio shows the amount of debt utilized by the firm to finance its asserts (Wight R. et al, 2009). It can be either by using share holders equity or by the amount of borrowing. Leverage ratio of the PIA shows the greater amount of debt to finance its asserts. The figures of the activity ratio indicate the low credibility of the PIA in utilizing its assets to generate the sales. As it is apparent from the fact that ratios for both the years are quiet low and the company will require a greater period of time to convert its assets to generate sales. Analysis of Profitability Ratio: The financial statement shows a slight decline in the gross profit margin in the 1st quarter of year 10 over the previous year. Similarly there is slight increase for the Return on equity ratio, though it is low but as an investor it is somehow encouraging. On the other hand operating profit, net profit margin and return on assets are in real bad condition as they are in negative. CONCLUSION: Reason for PIA down fall is that the company is goal oriented instead of focusing on means used to achieve those goals. So the problem comes at the implementation stage as they are not people oriented, mean the company does not involve its middle and lower management in decision making. That is the reason weaknesses occur and they fail to cope their upcoming threats and unable to create competitive edge in their respective PIA has boosted in last few years. Corporate level is planning forward for next upcoming years. PIA has to changed organisational structure so that it can bring a change and motivation in employees. This will solve all the problems and conflicts among the company structure from corporate level down to the lower level. They should motivate their employees and as well as less the over head cost expenses and other expenses like labour cost .It should be like less input and high out put to improve the corporate level they should heir responsible people so that they are good in decision making and strategic planning. This can be only done by good marketing policies.