Csr and Nike - 3829 Words

1. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and its Importance: 1.1 Definition of CSR: What does Corporate Social Responsibility or CSR mean? The World Business Council for Sustainable Development in its publication Making Good Business Sense by Lord Holme and Richard Watts, used the following definition: Corporate Social Responsibility is the continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and to contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families, as well as of the local community and society at large. Traditionally in the United States, CSR has been defined much more in terms of a philanthropic model. Companies make profits, unhindered except by fulfilling their duty to†¦show more content†¦Maintaining integrity becomes difficult when a company has to report less attractive details or respond to criticism. The real challenge therefore is how to ethically and effectively disclose unsavory information while maintaining a positive image. The following case study of Nike and its CSR role in the Apparel Industry explores the dynamics of CSR disclosure and its role in developing greater transparency in the industry. 3. The Apparel Industry: Apparel is one is of the oldest commodities, and the apparel industry has only continued to grow into what is now one of the largest industries globally. Apparel is clothing that may not be fashionable , while fashion is defined as â€Å"style or styles of clothing and accessories worn at a particular time by a particular group of people† . Apparel and fashion play a significant role within society from a basic need to the conspicuous consumption by those concerned with displays of status and class. Sportswear and mainstream apparel brands are progressively more influenced by fashion trends due to a greater interest in fashion by the average consumer. Rising labour costs and the increased expense of meeting environmental regulation associated with textile and apparel production were the primary reasons for the shift to off shore manufacturing. IndustrializedShow MoreRelatedNike Csr3496 Words   |  14 PagesNike CSR Corporate social responsibility can be defined as the economic, legal, ethical, and discretionary expectations that society has of organisations at a given point in time (Carroll and Buchholtz 2003, p. 36). The concept of corporate social responsibility means that organizations have moral, ethical, and philanthropic responsibilities in addition to their responsibilities to earn a fair return for investors and comply with the law. A traditional view of the corporation suggests that itsRead MoreThe Csr Issue Of Nike1776 Words   |  8 PagesThe first subject to be considered is what exactly the CSR issue is and why it is significant. Nike is the largest producer and seller of sports outfit and apparel in the world. Phil Knight established the organization in 1964 by offering running shoes out of the storage compartment of his car at track and field competitions meets. The company grew radically and since then, Nike has developed and now possesses over $19.2 billion in revenue with it s products sold in about 180 countries in the worldRead MoreNike CSR Analysis1581 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿ CSR Analysis and Impact on Operations Nike has a Code of Business Conduct and Ethics that includes its commitment to the environment and is a signatory of the UN Global Compact. Nike has created a team of sustainability managers led by an independent director. Its environmental goals include producing eco-friendly products and minimizing its environmental impact through the reduction of greenhouse gases, organic solvents and PVCs. Nike acknowledges the difficulty of tracking environmentalRead MoreNike Csr Challenge1492 Words   |  6 Pages12/15/2015 10  Recommendations  for  Lean  Production  Execution  Success Advertisement 1. Lean  Manufacturing 3. Lean  Manufacturing 5. Lean  Production  Systems 2. Lean  Manufacturing 4. Lean  Resources 6. Lean  Production Tuesday,  December  15,  2015    Health Business Finance Travel Home  Repair Technology Computers Autos Family Entertainment   Nirav  Patel   Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   10 Recommendations  for  Lean  Production Execution  Success    Management  Articles  |  July  11Read MoreOrganizational Culture Through Csr Initiatives Are Tentree And Nike Essay1183 Words   |  5 Pagescorporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives can directly reflect organizational culture and the voluntary implementation of these beliefs, expectations and values. It demonstrates their organizational reputability, especially if society benefits from them operating in an economic, social and environmentally sustainable manner (Global Affairs Canada, 2016). Two companies that portray their organizational culture through CSR initiatives are Tentree and Nike. However, these companies differRead MoreOutsourcing Practices of Adidas, Converse, Nike, and Reebok1079 Words   |  4 PagesOutsourcing Practices of Adidas, Converse, Nike and Reebok Introduction Apparel and shoe manufacturers continued to offload the more costly yet easily replicated part so their business models to concentrate on brand building, marketing, sales and attaining greater distribution channels globally. These are the pressures all apparel and shoe manufacturers face, and it is particularly challenging in the athletic show industry (Kynge, 2009). Adidas, Converse, Nike and Reebok have been outsourcing productionRead MoreNike Supply Chain764 Words   |  4 PagesNike Supply Chain Management Nike is one of the world’s largest athletic shoes and Apparel Company based on USA, including footwear, apparel, equipment, accessories, and services. The company was found at January 25, 1964 and they change its name to NIKE on May 30, 1971. Nike has brand basket and market them, such as NIKE+, Air Jordan, Hurley International, Converse and etc. Nike’s supply chain is plenary because they control the add-value part by itself and outsourced those labor-intensive partRead MoreA Companys Corporate Social Responsibility1589 Words   |  7 PagesWhen looking at a company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the tie in to consumer confidence, the apparel industry illustrates both the best and the worst cases. Today’s consumers are more aware of how multinational corporations are incorporating or failing to incorporate CSR practices throughout the product lifecycle. This awareness has pushed companies in the apparel industry like Nike and Gap to evalua te current practices and incorporate socially responsible and environmentally responsibleRead MoreCsr And Its Impact On Human Rights, Labor Standards, And Environmental Protection1229 Words   |  5 PagesIgnorance of the CRS is no longer a suitable approach to continue as an active business in the industry. Previously, only the tip of the iceberg of the CSR had been noticed by the business. But for now, it is about thinking outside the box. It is about including other non-business aspects of one’s business. According to an article published in Times Magazine in 2012 that has the title of† Why Companies Can No Longer Afford to Ignore Their Social Responsibilities†: â€Å"More than 8,000 businesses aroundRead MoreThe Conception Of Corporate Social Responsibility1236 Words   |  5 Pagesdue to their interest as well as reputation of organization in market. corporate social responsibility is highly impact of people to do work in this kind of company. we can see t he all over expert experience and knowledge about positive thinking of CSR because of everybody can receive good service and product. So, people don t want to swap the company and product too. when customers prefer to buy company s product and services frequently they always have a preference to those product. they can

Climate Change And Global Warming - 1433 Words

The Average temperature of the Earth have increased by 1.4  °F over the past 100 years, and it is expected to increase approximately another 2 to 11.5  °F over the next century. Little changes in the average temperature of the Earth can result into big and possibly to dangerous shifts in climate and weather. Rising temperatures around the world have been accompanied by differences in weather and climate. A lot of places have already seen changes in rainfall which resulted in an increase in floods, droughts, or intense rain, as well as more continual and dangerous heat waves. The Earth’s oceans and glaciers have also experienced some great changes - oceans are warming and becoming more acidic, ice caps are melting, and sea levels are rising. As these and other changes become more pronounced in the coming decades, they will likely present challenges to our society and our environment. Climate change has been a big debate in today’s world. At the center of this debate is the conflict over the cause of climate change, also referred to as global warming. Many argue that the climate is changing because of global industrialization, while others argue that climate changes occur in a cyclical pattern which has happened throughout the history of the planet. Approximately every 100,000 years Earth s climate warms up temporarily. These warm periods are called interglacial periods which lasts up to about 15,000 to 20,000 years before it returns back to a cold ice age climate. This leadsShow MoreRelatedGlobal Warming And Climate Change974 Words   |  4 Pagesabout global warming, whether it is true or false. Is there evidence to prove that global warming has impacted the climate due to the rise in the earth’s temperature? Climate change is a problem that is worldwide that should be reviewed. The rise in the earth’s temperature has caused some impact to the weather and climate changes to many places worldwide. This rise in temperature has the potential of causing drastic changes to the earth in many ways. It is time to view the global warming concernsRead MoreClimate Change Of Global Warming924 Words   |  4 Pages Figure 0.1 shows the different effects of global warming. Global warming is the warming of our planet at an extreme rate. The Earth’s climate has warmed by 7.8OC since 1880. (Quick facts about science, 2015). What causes global warming? The cause of global warming is the carbon dioxide. This acts like a blanket. Protecting the earth, and heating the earth. Sun rays would normally bounce around the earth, but with the blanket, the sun rays heat the blanket which heats the earth. (Petersen ScienceRead MoreGlobal Warming And Climate Change1398 Words   |  6 Pages Global warming and climate change have been frequent topics of discussion over the past several years. Although people tend to focus on the politics, it is important to look past the media aspects of it into the cold hard facts of what our Earth is currently experiencing, and what has caused it in the first place. The cause of climate change includes natural causes, but human causes are what is generating such a rapid global temperature change. It’s time that the ways in which humanity affectsRead MoreClimate Change And Global Warming1060 Words   |  5 PagesClimate change (Klaus) 1000 The terms â€Å"global warming†, â€Å"climate change† or â€Å"greenhouse effect† have become more than just parts of the popular lexicon as they rather are subject of public discussions, scientific research or political debates. Despite the popularity and the ubiquity of these terms, the public’s theoretical and conceptual understanding of them and their causal relations is often based on superficial knowledge and buzzwords or caricatures outlined and depicted in several popular mediaRead MoreClimate Change : Global Warming1194 Words   |  5 PagesDonya Curtis April 19, 2017 English 1001-rough draft Global Warming Global warming is one facet of the broader term climate change. It is the increase in the average temperature of the Earth s surface air and oceans from the mid 20th century and the projected continuation. The Global warming is primarily the consequence of building up greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere. Emission rates for most important anthropogenic greenhouse gas, CO2, have increased 120 fold in the past 140 years. WhileRead MoreClimate Change and Global Warming1074 Words   |  5 PagesClimate change and Global Warming are out of control. This means that, no matter what policies, processes or actions are implemented, the Earth as we know it will never be the same again. There is significant evidence to support this hypothesis. The dilemma becomes whether we can limit the damage and adapt to a new status quo or not. Rising sea levels and the damage caused by this phenomenon has irreversible impacts on coastlines worldwide. Damage to sensitive reef systems cannot be fixed. This alsoRead MoreClimate Change And Global Warming1022 Words   |  5 PagesWhat = Climate Change Who = Emma, Aoife, Julia, Rachael, Mariah and Cà ©line What is it? Climate Change is a change in the demographic distribution of weather patterns, and related change in oceans, land surfaces and ice sheets, happening over time scales of decades or longer. It’s the world’s greatest threat. Climate change is the change in temperature over a period of time. It involves the greenhouse effect and global warming. Where is it? It is an issue affecting everyone everywhere. ClimateRead MoreClimate Change And Global Warming1474 Words   |  6 Pagesphenomenon, known as â€Å"smog† became an often daily occurrence in big, urbanized cites across the globe. Also, Al Gore’s book, An Inconvenient Truth, popularized the issue of climate change and global warming as a result of the damage that the modern world has done to the atmosphere. He noted that people resist the facts about climate change due to the inconvenience of changing their lifestyles. But, uninhibited industrialization of several countries has led to intense modernization and revolution of theRead MoreClimate Change And Global Warming928 Words   |  4 PagesThis paper will discuss climate change and global warming on the economy. The paper also gives a description on climate change and global warming. As well as what it hold for future business owners. It will also discuss what the government is doing about climate change/global warming. Climate change is a long-term shift in the statistics of the weather (including its averages). For example, it could show up as a change in climate normal (expected average values for temperature and precipitation)Read MoreClimate Change And Global Warming1630 Words   |  7 PagesClimate Related Threats Global warming will lead to uncontrollable devastation such as famine, war, and economic instability. Climate change will accelerate the dislocation of hundreds of millions of people and the extinction of many species. The negative effects of climate change are obvious on every continent. Professor Le Quere, director of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at the University of East Anglia said, The human influence on climate change is clear. The atmosphere and

Les Miserables Monologue Essay Example For Students

Les Miserables Monologue Essay A monologue from the novel by Victor Hugo NOTE: This monologue is reprinted from Victor Hugo\s Works. Trans. Isabel F. Hapgood. New York: Kelmscott Society, 1896. FANTINE: Monsieur Javert, I beseech your mercy. I assure you that I was not in the wrong. If you had seen the beginning, you would have seen. I swear to you by the good God that I was not to blame! That gentleman, the bourgeois, whom I do not know, put snow in my back. Has any one the right to put snow down our backs when we are walking along peaceably, and doing no harm to any one? I am rather ill, as you see. And then, he had been saying impertinent things to me for a long time: You are ugly! You have no teeth! I know well that I have no longer those teeth. I did nothing; I said to myself, The gentleman is amusing himself. I was honest with him; I did not speak to him. It was at that moment that he put the snow down my back. Monsieur Javert, good Monsieur Inspector! is there not some person here who saw it and can tell you that this is quite true? Perhaps I did wrong to get angry. You know that one is not master of one\s self at the first moment. One gives way to vivacity; and then , when someone puts something cold down your back just when you are not expecting it! I did wrong to spoil that gentleman\s hat. Why did he go away? I would ask his pardon. Oh, my God! It makes no difference to me whether I ask his pardon. Do me the favor to-day, for this once, Monsieur Javert. You know that in prison one can earn only seven sous a day; it is not the government\s fault, but seven sous is one\s earnings; and just fancy, I must pay one hundred francs, or my little girl will be sent to me. Oh, my God! I cannot have her with me. What I do is so vile! Oh, my Cosette! Oh, my little angel of the Holy Virgin! what will become of her, poor creature? I will tell you: it is the Thenardiers, inn-keepers, peasants; and such people are unreasonable. They want money. Don\t put me in prison! You see, there is a little girl who will be turned out into the street to get along as best she may, in the very heart of the winter; and you must have pity on such a being, my good Monsieur Javert. If she were older, she might earn her living; but it cannot be done at that age. I am not a bad woman at bottom. It is not cowardliness and gluttony that have made me what I am. If I have drunk brandy, it was out of misery. I do not love it; but it benumbs the senses. When I was happy, it w as only necessary to glance into my closets, and it would have been evident that I was not a coquettish and untidy woman. I had linen, a great deal of linen. Have pity on me, Monsieur Javert!

An Intercultural Comparison Between Chinese free essay sample

An intercultural comparison between Chinese and foreign humor Summary: Humor is  a wonderful work  of human civilization  and wisdom, she smiled as a bridge, bond people in different culture, and made people recognizing the power of the humor in their normal communication. This paper  will trace the  historical origins of  humor. From the humorous discourse features, themes, social functions, performance practices and seize of the  subtle to start  the  similarities and differences between Chinese and Western humor. Humor is  a wonderful work  of human civilization  and wisdom, she smiled as a bridge, bond people in different culture, and made people recognizing the power of the humor in their normal communication. 1. Origins and scopes of humor Humor  comes from the  Latin  word ‘humor’, it  is an  ancient Greek physiology term refers to the ‘fluid’. Greek physician Hippocrates believed that the human  health and  temperament  of different  types of  four kinds of  body  fluids  on  the mixing ratio. We will write a custom essay sample on An Intercultural Comparison Between Chinese or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Temperament  theory  in ancient Greece, medieval and Renaissance  have a great impact. Thus, humor  is  the original meaning of four kinds of body fluids determined by  the proportion of the human mind, body, customary tendency, temperament, or  temporary  mental and emotions. The first of the humor into the field of aesthetics  is a famous British  dramatist, Ben Jones,  gradually  dilute the  meaning of humor physiology, aesthetics increasingly in-depth  the study  of  humor. Late in the 17th century, humor began to have the modern meaning; In the 18th century, humor  for the  aesthetic features  of  drama,  fiction, poetry,  prose and writing style with humor  for the  writers and artists  have been common. Such as in : Sunday school teacher: Hands up all those who want to go to heaven? Hands up †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ What about ou Terry? You haven’t got your hand up-don’t you want to go to heaven? Terry: Sorry, I can’t. Mum told me to go straight home. The  suspense  in  the beginning  of the first  discourse,  two,  third and  fourth inningdirect rendering. The  little boy’s ‘Sorry, I can’t. ’ is  a  reversal,  the last  one  is  a  hilarious  mutations. Cultural context  is an abstract,  general concept, an abstraction  form  in people’s everyday  social life. Because  discourse  is a communicative form,  while the  communication  is  carried out  in  certain situations, therefore, discourse analysis  must consider  its contents, participants in  communicative activities,  speech,  media  and other factors. In addition,  there is also a  certain  discourse  of environmental  factors, such as context, Marlinowski called it ‘Situational context’. Halliday thinks, from the  language  point of view  the use of  situational context  the most important three factors are:  language field,  the tone  and manner. Language field  is  corrected  in the event of  things;  tone  is  who is  communicative, their basic  conditions, characteristics, status  roles,  role relationships  between participants;  manner  refers to the language  in  the role of  communication, including communication  channels and modified way. From the above  humorous  point of view,  the language field  is  the scene ask questions in class;  communication of both  the teachers  and students; both  in communication  is the  unequal  status of  the teacher  is  the speaker, students aresubject to  speaker. Students  response should be to  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœsupport’ or  Ã¢â‚¬Ëœfight against’. The  confrontation  is  the beginning of  reversal,  which produce  humor. Communicative  role of the conversion  from the  point of view, discourse  is the speaker  and  the recipient  as a  center of  rotation. 3. Cross-cultural  comparison  of  Chinese and foreign  humor 3. 1 Themes Humor  is mankinds  an aesthetic  pursuit,  is  a reflection of  real life, first in  its  themes and  content  reflect  the unique  customs  of the  ethnic,  social and cultural. By traditional  Chinese  Confucianism  deeply rooted  that people  talk about sex  pale, therefore,  traditional Eastern humor neutral topic is taboo. The  humor  in  the West accounted for  a large proportion  of these  topics. 3. 2 Social functions Classified  according to their  social function  of humor as: negative humor(Deny  the shortcomings  of  life  and  negative  phenomena), positive humor(Affirm the  advantages  in life  and positive  phenomenon)  and pure humor(Does not  contain  affirm  and  negative,  just  full of  fun  to everyday phenomena  of  reflection). Europe and the United  States  purely  for entertainment  humor  in  a significant proportion of  the pure  humor,  this is  the time when  humor  from  the bud  will form  adistinctive  feature. The Chinese  sense of humor  seems to  bear  a heavier  historical mission – skewer the current ills. Throughout  hundreds of popular since the traditional dialogue  segment,  the vast majority of  satire  piece. 3. 3 Performance practices National characteristics  of humor  in  artistic  expression  on the  subject matter as  far as  clarity. It  is often  rooted in  long-standing  cultural traditions of a nation  and psychological quality,  the performance  is very subtle, delicate. China  has always been  deliberately seeking  humor  in the end,  the  taste  of the progressive  layers. Most indicative of  the Chinese  culture  of  humor  in the form  of humor  than the  comic. Crosstalk  of the  four  aspects of  the structure  corresponding to  the  four parts  of humor. Comic  from start to finish  with multiple  suspenses,  so that  the audience  is always  with interest, from the  tension  eased  to meet  expectations, and then  across  to the new expectations and new  meet. The  European and American  humor  often only one  piece  of suspense, comedy  to be more  suspense,  but because of  the integrity of  comedy,  the plot  of  coherence nd requirements, restrictions on  the use of  a lot of suspense. Crosstalk  is not,  although it  has some  plot lines, but not sticking to  the plot  needs the opportunity to  abandon the use of  suspense. On the contrary,  sometimes  to  the medium of  suspense, clever plot jumps from one to another with no ass ociated plot. 3. 4 Seize of subtle Subtle  sense of humor  is the  worlds nations   common feature. Each nations sense of humor  by  their historical  and cultural  tradition,  in the long-term artistic practice  in the  form  of  subtle style, extent  and methods vary. From the  perspective  of contemporary  humor  writing, in the  subtle  nature of  the pursuit, China  and Western countries  along two  different directions. Overall,  the humor  works of  Western-oriented  and  strive to concise of implicit, philosophy  combine  to make  more  room for  humor  after taste. The Chinese contemporary  humor,  its ability to  master the  subtle  and bright scales. 4. Summary Western countries,  Chinas  humor and  humor  in their  culture,  nurtured by  the soil  to form  a  different style. Through this  cross-cultural comparison, our  team  has  a better understanding of  world culture,  to accelerate  the pace of  China into the  world.

Teenage Homosexuality Essays - Sexual Orientation,

Teenage Homosexuality Teenage Homosexuality Of the many emotions a gay man or woman feel, perhaps the most powerfully pervasive is fear. The fear of being found out is real enough, but the worry does not end there. There also lurks the fear of being called names, being assaulted, perhaps even killed. For adults these fears are horrible enough. For a lesbian and gay teenager, who lack experience and life skills to cope with them, such fears can be overwhelming. Lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth face many problems as they realize they are homosexual. Often they don't know even one other homosexual person and feel very alone and misunderstood. They see very few role models, no one to identify with. No one knows their secrets, no one shares their pain. No one will stop others from name calling if the name calling is about homosexuality. Who would dare to speak up? No one speaks up, not in junior high and high school. College, perhaps; pride events are more easily seen then, but in high school no one speaks up. Imagine dearly loving someone else and having to keep it totally secret because if you don't you will be punished -- cast out of your home by your family, ostracized by your friends, perhaps losing your job. This is the world of the lesbian and gay young person. The feelings homosexual youth face are only the beginning of the problem. As they recognize that they are different and discriminated against, they lose self esteem and become depressed. Many become suicidal and develop a feeling of extreme depression and helplessness. Those who don't commit suicide live an adolescence of silence and oppression, rarely being able to speak up without being struck down by peers. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Task Force on Youth Suicide issued a report in January of 1989 concluding that lesbian and gay youth may constitute "up to thirty percent of completed suicides annually" and that "homosexuals of both sexes are two to six times more likely to attempt suicide than are heterosexuals. Homosexual youth can not speak up because of fear and misunderstanding. And when no one speaks up for them, no one stops the pain, many teens can not handle it and commit suicide. This is the meaning of the commonly known phrase, "Silence equals death." Not only do they face unrestricted discrimination and harassment at school, they often face similar or worse homophobia at home. Parents, unaware of their children's sexual orientation, often make cutting remarks about homosexual television characters, community members, or the orientation in general. They may not even recognize their comments, but the child (or children) is hanging on to every word, looking for at least a tiny bit of acceptance from family. Many times they find hate instead of acceptance, sometimes to the point of being kicked out of the house at age 14 or 15 when a homophobic parent does find out. This leaves them with nowhere to turn. Many of these teens are themselves suffering from the same prejudices that the rest of their family may share. Or perhaps they've gotten past that, and started to forge a new identity, where being gay or lesbian is something of which they can be proud. Sometimes, what makes it so especially hard for gay teens is the very thing that protects them, their invisibility. What African-American parent would be making jokes about black people at the kitchen table? What Jewish family would sit around casually commenting on how God condemns the Jews? But the lesbian, gay or bisexual teen, sitting there in their cloak of presumed heterosexuality, laughs outwardly, or joins in expressing shared disgust, while yet another chunk of their self-esteem has been chiseled away. Homosexual teens can not confide in parents, friends, or often even the church. Most Christian churches condemn homosexuality and back up their beliefs with the Bible. However, the major references to homosexuality in the Bible are badly mistranslated. Nowhere does the Bible mention same-sex love negatively; it only mentions prostitution, specifically in reference to local cults. More information can be found at the URL http://cent1.lancs.ac.uk/lgb/eight.html which is a detailed retranslation of eight major Bible passages used to condemn homosexuality. Homosexual youth often go to church with family as expected, only to hear the condemnation of themselves echoed by the entire church. Where is the loving God the church is supposed to be echoing? What love exists in condemning people for who they love? Each youth sits there listening to parents, siblings, friends, and religious leaders tear apart their feelings of love and self esteem,

Thirty Years War Battle of Rocroi

Thirty Years' War Battle of Rocroi In early 1643, the Spanish launched an invasion of northern France with the goal of relieving pressure on Catalonia and Franche-Comtà ©. Led by General Francisco de Melo, the mixed army of Spanish and Imperial troops crossed the border from Flanders and moved through the Ardennes. Arriving at the fortified town of Rocroi, de Melo laid siege. In an effort to block the Spanish advance, the 21-year old Duc de dEnghien (later the Prince of Conde), moved north with 23,000 men. Receiving word that de Melo was at Rocroi, dEnghien moved to attack before the Spanish could be reinforced. Summary Approaching Rocroi, dEnghien was surprised to find that the roads to the town were not defended. Moving through a narrow defile flanked by woods and marsh, he deployed his army on a ridge overlooking the town with his infantry in the center and cavalry on the flanks. Seeing the French nearing, de Melo formed up his army in a similar fashion between the ridge and Rocroi. After camping overnight in their positions, the battle began early on the morning of May 19, 1643. Moving to strike the first blow, dEnghien advanced his infantry and the cavalry on his right. As the fighting began, the Spanish infantry, fighting in their traditional tercio (square) formations gained the upper hand. On the French left, the cavalry, despite dEnghiens orders to hold their position charged forward. Slowed by soft, marshy ground, the French cavalrys charge was defeated by the German cavalry of Grafen von Isenburg. Counterattacking, Isenburg was able to drive the French horsemen from the field and then moved to assault the French infantry. This strike was blunted by the French infantry reserve which moved forward to meet the Germans. While the battle was going poorly on the left and center, dEnghien was able to achieve success on the right. Pushing Jean de Gassions cavalry forward, with support from musketeers, dEnghien was able to rout the opposing Spanish cavalry. With the Spanish horsemen swept from the field, dEnghien wheeled Gassions cavalry around and had them strike the flank and rear of de Melos infantry. Charging into the ranks of German and Walloon infantry, Gassions men were able to force them to retreat. As Gassion was attacking, the infantry reserve was able to break Isenburgs assault, compelling him to retire. Having gained the upper hand, by 8:00 AM dEnghien was able to reduce de Melos army to its vaunted Spanish tercios. Surrounding the Spanish, dEnghien pummeled them with artillery and launched four cavalry charges but was unable to break their formation. Two hours later, dEnghien offered the remaining Spanish terms of surrender similar to those given to a besieged garrison. These were accepted and the Spanish were permitted to depart the field with their colors and weapons. Aftermath The Battle of Rocroi cost dEnghien around 4,000 dead and wounded. Spanish losses were much higher with 7,000 dead and wounded as well as 8,000 captured. The French victory at Rocroi marked the first time the Spanish had been defeated in a major land battle in nearly a century. Though they had failed to crack, the battle also marked the beginning of the end for the Spanish tercio as a favored fighting formation. After Rocroi and the Battle of the Dunes (1658), armies began shifting to more linear formations. Selected Sources: The French Phase of the Thirty Years WarFrance and the Thirty Years War

Art reflection Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Art reflection - Essay Example I was particularly amazed by the traditional Indian exhibits, which were displayed on the walls of the museum. What amazed me most was a handmade craft of a man, which the Indians refer to as â€Å"Wild Man of the Woods.† The craft was made in 1900 and was in the past known as â€Å"Kwakiutl.† Willie Seaweed, an Indian carver who died in 1967, made the craft. This craft has played a major role in conserving the American Indian culture as well as conserving their natural history and anthropology. The craft has been preserved is an ethnographic pieces, which is an illustration of the culture in which the Indians associate themselves with. This craft amazed me more since it was new to me and I had not seen it before but I had read about it. This event has played a huge role in changing my perception about the traditional Indian lifestyles. I believed that the Indians were more interested in music and had no passion for other forms of art. However, this artwork alongside many other artworks, which I came across, has changed my view on traditional Indian lifestyles. I have developed more interest and an inquest of their

ECON ASSIGN 1 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

ECON ASSIGN 1 - Assignment Example With the nation experiencing a recession and government over spending its annual allocations, the only choice that was left for survival was borrowing. The plan was effective in enabling the nation get through the recession. Another advantage of deficit spending is the fact that a nation or household is enabled to invest loan money and also benefit from the profits made from borrowing. In an argument by Baumol (2005) deficit spending allows a nation to create investment opportunities that are not included in the budget. The author further points out that the investment has potential of repaying its debt and creating a surplus. Baumol (2005) points out that deficit spending put future generations in debt that they did not benefit from. Large deficits spent may take years for them to be repaid. For years, the borrowed money may be used for investment which the current government may use the profits for other financial purposes. For this reason, the debts may be recurring for generation to generation. Deficit spending may also minimize the level o loan allocation for private organizations. Seater (2008) points out that, large borrowing from the government may reduce the rate at which investors and financial institutions offer the same services to private business entities. The crowding effect refers to the creation of financial and other resources deficits after over utilization by the government. Seater (2008) crowding out enables the government to be the only market determinant as private organizations does not have je opportunity to access financial and other resources. However, crowding out effect may also create investment opportunities in the market. The jap created by large borrowings provide an opportunity by wealthy private investor to capitalize on the situation. In analyzing the pros and cons of deficit spending, it is an

The main changes facing International Businesses today Essay

The main changes facing International Businesses today - Essay Example The ways and means that are usually taken care of whilst managing a business are aplenty and it is only up to the top management within a company that the same can be handled in a several different methods. They are the ones to decide as to what is the real manner in which the firm’s operations would be handled as well as who will head the respective departments, lead the business strategic units and act as legal and media representatives of the said business. The business, as marketers say, exists to satisfy its target audience through fulfilling a need courtesy its products and/or services or a combination of the both, the same being true in case of a retail outlet which sells gasoline to local consumers, thus giving in petrol plus extra services in the form of window cleaning, fuel gauge checks and so on and so forth. A company or an organization needs sound management framework at its top so that the staff and the employees working at different levels feel at ease with the job as well as the working environment. This indeed is very important as it builds long-term credibility of the organization that it cares about its employees. A formal organization takes into account the role of leadership at the top and the manner in which this leadership is basically carried about, both in the interests of the people within the company as well as the company itself so that the end result is one on which everyone solemnly agree, that is to make the company thrive from a revenue-generating angle and image building aspect in the long run.

Folklore Traditions and Paleontology

Folklore Traditions and Paleontology The scientific process frames information using empirical reason, a system that extracts valuable and seemingly unbiased facts of nature while often affording less room for sources of knowledge that defy its exacting methodology. As a result, information coming from oral histories, myth and ritual is not always regarded as valuable, or at least not as valuable as that which can be tested in a laboratory setting. Even so, traditions of folklore and so-called pure science have interacted across time, and the focus of this paper will be to question in what ways folklore has informed research in the field of paleontology. How did traditions of myth affect early impressions of dinosaur fossils, has folklore ever aided paleontologists work, and how have dinosaurs shaped myth itself these are all questions I intend to answer, focusing mostly on fossils and folklore indigenous to North America and East Asia. Like any other field, science reflects the changing perspectives of people through different time periods. By examining the role folklore plays in paleontology, I am also interested in tracking larger themes of skepticism toward non-Western sources, conflicts between scientific and cultural beliefs, and how scientists understanding of what constitutes valid information changes. It would be shortsighted to state the case simply as one pitting European viewpoints against those of Native American and Asian cultures. Beginning with Georges Cuvier and the theory of extinction, then later with Charles Darwin and the theory of evolution, Western ideas themselves have long had to contend with the Christian narrative of intelligent design. As scientist and historian Adrienne Mayor points out, even some Western folklore owe their beginnings to dinosaur fossils. I will be drawing much of my material from Mayors 2013 book Fossil Legends and the First Americans which discusses the additional obst acles encountered in accessing and publishing information from indigenous sources. All of this is to show how multiple perspectives often shape scientific studies and how the cut and dry methodology we often associate with Western research is often more nuanced than it appears. Dinosaur fossil finds have occurred as long as people have walked the Earth, and it is not surprising to see how myths from around the world take shape from encounters with dinosaur remains. Robert Plot in 1677 was likely the first to put a fossil discovery in scientific terms, though not without mythical overtones. Part of a femur later described as belonging to Megalosaurus was called Scrotus Humanum by Robert Plot who included it in his book The Natural History of Oxfordshire. Coming long before dinosaurs were understood with any accuracy, Plot discusses multiple sources for the bone, which he does recognize as a thigh bone. He starts by suggesting it belonged to a Roman war elephant, then compares it to myths of giants, both in the Bible and in more modern history. Goliath features as evidence in Plots analysis along with a giant believed to have been in the Tartar army that invaded Eastern Europe in 1575: a Man of ordinary stature might go upright between his legs when he did st ride (Plot). He concludes that the bone is very likely a man or womans, one whose kind was perhaps wiped out by the Flood because the skeletons of modern humans have not shrunken by any remarkable degree. Apart from Robert Plots biblical references, his other observations are a blend of history and hearsay. Biblical references themselves are myths of their own kind, not so much in the sense of being fantastical, but insofar as they are stories used to explain reality. Taken in that light, they are equivalent to the myths about dinosaurs arising in Native American and Chinese folklore traditions. Given his time and place, myths naturally informed his judgement, even in a scientific study. The other notable feature of Plots observation is the idea that a catastrophe, such as the biblical Flood, was responsible for the disappearance of whatever could have had such a huge femur. Georges Cuvier, who made a huge contribution to the study of paleontology about a century after Plot, also appealed to the idea of catastrophes wiping out species, a view known as catastrophism. He used catastrophism to reason the phenomenon of extinction, an idea that at first conflicted with Cuviers own sense of the world as created perfectly by God. Why would a species go extinct if it was part of the divine creation, or why would God make it go extinct? The discovery of dinosaurs and the resulting theories about life did much in reshaping Western notions of natural history. Though some beliefs were upset by these large fossils, others were stabilized and encouraged. Cuvier, presumably after reconciling with the reality of extinction, developed his views on catastrophism largely with the help of Native American sources. Having never traveled to North America, he relied on interpretations of indigenous folklore, journals and actual fossil specimens sent by natural scientists (Mayor). Mayor discusses how Cuvier had amassed a considerable trove of material, among which were fragments of mastodon tusks recovered from a branch of the Susquehanna River; as it so happened, the Delaware and Lenape name for that section of the river is chemung, which translates to place of the horns (Mayor). Though it is not clear to what extent paleontologists have been led to excavation sites by the help of indigenous folklore, or in this case a simple translation and interpretation, it seems fairly likely that corroborations such as these proved helpful in some regard. Of course, what proved doubly helpful to Cuviers burgeoning theories was the existing Native American tales about the fossils they had found, which came to his attention through the work of Rembrandt Peale. Peale published a large amount of Native folklore, including the legend that the colossal creatures to whom the fossils belonged had once roamed the Earth, but were destroyed by a lighting bolt of the good Spirit in a brief but cataclysmic moment. Similar lore about the grandfather buffalo existed, no doubt because Natives had encountered the giant skeletons of Pleistocene bison which were widespread (Mayor). All this information reached Cuvier, who cited Peale in his own work and used Native myths of violent catastrophes to bolster his theories behind their extinction (Mayor). Again, though it is difficult to tell how much Native lore impacted Cuviers views, the very fact that he referenced their myths is what a skeptical scientist might deem an ad hoc hypothesis, convenient for how it upholds the perspective he already finds compelling. While Mayor shows how myths were useful to Cuviers understanding of North American natural history, along with that of other figures like Thomas Jefferson, Phil Senter in a 2013 article discusses how myths have also been used more recently to debunk scientific theories. Senters piece titled Dinosaurs and pterosaurs in Greek and Roman art and literature? An investigation of young-earth creationist claimsfocuses on how fossil observations made during the ancient Greco-Roman civilizations have been re-interpreted by modern Christians looking to debunk the theory of evolution. Illustrations that Senter describes as reflecting encounters with Mesozoic reptile skeletons are claimed instead to be those of mammals and reptiles common today in an attempt to cast doubt on the separation of humans and such animals by millions of years (Senter). As this case clearly shows, mythology is a tool that can also be used to discredit science. Though this may, for some, be more incentive to steer clear from incorporating folklore into scientific narratives, Senter proves that it can be redeemed with a little research. If not to improve the general understanding of a subject by expanding the context in which it is studied, then folklore approached through science presents a way to overturn misconceptions at odds with commonly accepted scientific theories. Folklore in paleontology, or what Mayor calls fossil legends, can also work the other way around, aiding our understanding of myth creation itself. For instance, the Western myth of griffins is possibly the result of traders along the silk route in Central Asia encountering skulls belonging to Protoceratops (Mayor Heaney). Instead of myths informing the study of dinosaurs and the history of paleontology, as is the case with Native American folklore and fossils discovered in North America, this is an example of how paleontology can contribute to the study of myth and ancient cultural exchange. Though this particular connection between griffins and dinosaurs is disputed by some archeologists, it does not detract from the reality that mythology and science taken together can add the multiple fields of study, such as anthropology and history in general (Tartaron). Another example of fossils informing cultural myths can be found in the popular beliefs of dragons in China. According to pa leontologist Dong Zhiming in his 1992 book Dinosaur Faunas of China, dinosaur remains from the Jurassic to Cretaceous Periods continue to be regarded as belonging to mythical dragons (Zhiming). In some parts of China, fossil remains are still extracted, crushed into powder, and consumed with the belief that they contain magical healing properties (AMNH). Similar beliefs were present in Lakota Native American culture. Beginning around the time of Cope and Marshs infamous Bone Wars, contact between indigenous figures and paleontologists was renewed. James Cook, a hunter who was friendly with the Lakota Sioux and who was shown a giant jawbone fossil by a man named Afraid of His Horses, introduced Othniel Marsh to famous Lakota Chief Red Cloud and persuaded the Sioux that Marsh was interested in bones, not gold. Marsh became good friends with Red Cloud, and incorporated the Lakota view that large fossils belong to extinct Thunder Beasts in his naming of Brontosaurus: Thunder Reptile (Mayor). Mayor also discusses Cooks ranch in Nebraska where Native Americans and paleontologists regularly interacted, but from which there is a frustrating lack of evidence directly linking Native folklore and knowledge to major excavation sites. In spite of that, the friendship of Marsh and Red Cloud is also testament to the role Native Americans personally helped in paleontological efforts. Though their myths did not accord with the scientists views, which by this time had outgrown Cuviers speculations, they show a clear awareness of fossils. Without getting into larger questions of discovery and what defines a paleontologist, I cannot help but underscore, as Mayor does in her book, the highly contrasting views that many Western scientists showed toward indigenous history. George Rogers Clark of the Lewis and Clark exhibition once wrote, I see no reason why [indigenous tradition] should not be received as good History, at least as good as a great part of ours, but the same broadmindedness was not forthcoming in other authorities. George Gaylord Simpson, professor at Columbia and Curator at the American Museum of Natural History, could not have been more dismissive of Native American claims to fossil discovery: Indians certainly found and occasionally collected fossil bonesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ but these discoveries are no real part of paleontological history (Mayor). This quote is one of Simpsons many showing his blatant disregard for work done outside the framework of traditional scientific methodology. It is not an overstatem ent to suggest that he was simply racist. Yet this is equally a part of the history of fossil discoveries, and it is worth discussing to see how much naturalists and paleontologists across time may have deliberately limited their own knowledge by abandoning non-conforming sources of information. Many of paleontologys major steps forward were, and still are, occasioned by untraditional methods of accessing information. Folklore is hard pressed on its own to describe where fossil remains may be found, but the example of Marsh, as well as his nemesis Edward Drinker Cope, proves that it was at the very least a tool of communication between Western scientists and Native guides. Cope was not as intrepid as Othniel Marsh, but he did travel to the Badlands in South Dakota where he arranged to have a Sioux scout lead him to where the remains of Thunder Birds and Water Monsters could be found. At one spot, he recovered the skull of a duck-billed dinosaur as well as fossils from 21 other dinosaur species (Mayor). By accepting folklore as a means of communication, Cope and Marsh were able to receive help in finding these bones, not to mention persuade understandably hostile Natives that they were not interested in appropriating their land. Suffice it to say that someone who disregarded the possibility that Natives had any knowledge of fossils would not have been so lucky as to be led to major excavation sites , or at least not on friendly terms. As the Sioux tradition regards monsters from the ancient past as having been killed by divine lightning, they avoid touching the bones lest they incur a similar fate. This type of special, even sacred approach to the unknown is paralleled by the Chinese belief in the magical properties of dinosaur (dragon) bones. It is the argument of a less enlightened scientist to denigrate these cultural understandings of the deep past simply because they lack the same framework as Western scientific inquiry. Even within the sterile and precise parameters of paleontology, is there not some deep-seated awe of dinosaurs and the world they occupied? Is this not comparable to that of people who relate to it in terms of myth and lore? Yet another larger point to be gleaned from this comparative study of folklore and paleontology is how certainty can exist in multiple forms. The legend of Thunder Birds is as real to Native Americans as the efforts of geologic dating and excavation are to Western minds. To prioritize one over the other is to overlook the unique and intrinsic value of each as a system of knowledge in itself. The absurdity of disregarding non-Western fossil legends is increased all the more when one finds how the Greeks and Romans, the forbears of all Western civilization, also drew upon mythology in their own discoveries of fossils. In another book by Adrienne Mayor, The First Fossil Hunters, she discusses how the Greeks also drew upon the oral culture of Homer and Hesiod. Much like Robert Plots speculations, Greek myths of monsters, giants, and titans were well known and held a place closer to reality than any modern reader of the classics might understand (Mayor). As such, giant bones found around the Mediterranean Sea also came with convenient explanations. Or like the example of dragon myths in China, it is even more likely that their myths themselves came from fossil discoveries. Interestingly enough, the Greeks also were of the opinion that lightning smote the oversized monsters of the past; the modern consensus in the scientific community about the actual demise of the dinosaurs b y asteroid collision is not very far off from this common myth. Yet again, the distinction between relied-upon science and the myths of world cultures come to remarkably similar conclusions despite accessing different knowledge sources in the process. Coming, at last, back to the question of whether folklore has played a role in paleontology, the answer is yes. This role, however, is marked by a departure from traditional scientific method what folklore adds to science instead comes via interpersonal relations, interpretive meanings and subjective experiences. In the case of Marsh, Cope and the Sioux, folklore itself may not have lead the naturalists to their excavation sites, but a respect for the tradition as it was, clearly did play a role. The overriding evidence presented in this paper shows that myths work indirectly, and indeed interdependently with paleontology. The examples of Chinese dragon lore and Western myths of griffins shows that working backward through paleontology can also explain myths. Incorporating myth and legend into the study of dinosaurs and their fossil remains creates a more interdisciplinary, and therefore deeper, study of dinosaurs and their histories. In the more nuanced paleontological discussions going on today about dinosaur appearance and primitive characteristics, it becomes clear how much scientists own subjectivity was formerly at play in the depiction of dinosaurs. Without evidence of feathers, for instance, scaly reptilian images become the norm, images that might have simply made the most sense to scientists rather than being empirically proven. Myth functions in much the same way. Robert Plot and Georges Cuvier, by making conclusions using biblical myth as well as Native American folklore, in Cuviers case, are excellent examples of how folklore influenced the early study of dinosaurs. Indeed, the founding fathers of paleontology are still extolled in spite of their now-ridiculous sounding evidence, which shows the racism lurking behind other naturalists work when they discredited on sight the knowledge of indigenous peoples. What I have especially tried to show is how folklore and fossil legends represent unique and equally valuable sources of information. Though their content might not be directly relatable to the study of a particular fossil in a specific period, there is ample evidence to show that having at least a respect for other traditions experiences with fossils can prove beneficial in unseen ways. We should never forget how ridiculous some formerly common beliefs about dinosaurs seem to us now, such as naked and sometimes anthropomorphic renderings made in the recent and distant past. Myth and folklore surround us and inform our thinking in more ways that we are aware of. Acknowledging this and respecting those traditions for what they are can only further our understanding. Works Cited AMNH. Natural History of Dragons. AMNH. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Mar. 2017. . Asia-Pacific | Dinosaur Bones used as Medicine. BBC News. BBC, 06 July 2007. Web. 23 Mar. 2017. . Mayor, Adrienne. The First Fossil Hunters: Paleontology in Greek and Roman times. Princeton, NJ: Princeton UP, 2000. Print. Mayor, Adrienne. Fossil Legends of the First Americans. Princeton: Princeton UP, 2013. Print. Mayor, A., Heaney, M. (1993). Griffins and Arimaspeans. Folklore, 104(1-2), 40-66. Plot, Robert. The Natural History of Oxford-shire. Newport Pagnell: Minet, 1677. Print. Senter, Phil. Dinosaurs in Greco-Roman Art? Palaeontologia Electronica. N.p., 2013. Web. 23 Mar. 2017. . Tartaron, T. F. (2014). Cross-Cultural Interaction in the Greek World: Culture Contact Issues and Theories. In Encyclopedia of Global Archaeology (pp. 1804-1821). Springer New York. Zhiming, Dong. Dinosaurian Faunas of China. Chinese Ocean Press, 14 Mar. 2017. Web. 22 Mar. 2017. .

Montags Influences in Farenheit 451 Essays -- Ray Bradburys Fahrenhe

In the novel, FAHRENHEIT 451 by Ray Bradbury, Guy Montag lives in an inverted society, where firemen make fires instead of put them out, and pedestrians are used as bowling pins for cars that are excessively speeding. The people on this society are hypnotized by giant wall size televisions and seashell radios that are attached to everyone’s ears. People in Montag’s society do not think for themselves or even generate their own opinions; everything is given to them by the television stations they watch. In this society, if someone is in possession of a book, their books are burned by the firemen, but not only their books, but their entire home. Montag begins realizing that the things in this society are not right. Montag is influenced and changes over the course of the novel. The strongest influences in Montag’s life are Clarisse, the burning on 11 Elm Street and Captain Beatty. Firstly, Montag is influenced by Clarisse McClellan because she is the first person he has met that is not like the rest of the society. Clarisse is a young 17 year old girl that Montag quickly becomes very fond of. Clarisse influences Montag by the way she questioned Montag, the way she admires nature, and her death. Clarisse first influenced Montag by the way she began questioning him often. Her questions would make him think for himself unlike the rest of society. â€Å"Then she seemed to remember something and came back to look at him with wonder and curiosity. â€Å"Are you happy?† she said. â€Å"Am I what?† he cried. But she was gone- running in the moonlight† (Bradbury, 10). Clarisse was one of the only people that Montag had ever met that had ever asked him that. This question that she asked him influenced him because he thinks about, and Montag asks himself tha... ...vel FAHRENHEIT 451, the main character is influenced by many different sources. Bradbury writes of a fire fighter that has realized that the society he lives in isn’t right and makes the protagonist want to make a change. Guy Montag is influenced by a teenage girl that makes him realize the beauty’s of the world. Guy is also influenced by a fire that burns a woman alive. Montag steals a book from that fire and that is the beginning of when he begins his mission to find out why his society has become the way it is, and his greater mission of changing society so that everyone in it can think for themselves. Captain Beatty is one of the greatest influences in Guy’s life because of his knowledge, the information of Clarisse’s death and when guy is forced to murder the fire captain. Making Montag’s greatest influences, Clarisse, the fire on Elm Street and Captain Beatty.

Transcendentalism was a cult or so to say, a rejection of God Essay

Transcendentalism was a spiritual, philosophical, literary movement that took place in the Boston area between the 1830s and late 1840s (Buchanan 1). The main idea was that the â€Å"soul of the individual is identical to the soul of the world and that it contains what the world contains,† and that the mind can apprehend absolute spiritual truths directly without having to detour through authorities and senses. This idea revolved around idealism, which is defined as â€Å"any theory positing the primacy of spirit, mind, or language over matter† (Campbell 2-3). Some have stated that Transcendentalism was a cult or so to say, a rejection of God. In reality, the movement was a preference to explain an individual and the world in terms of this individual. The individual was considered to be the spiritual center of the universe. Though not a cult, transcendentalism has ties to major religions. From Puritanism we get morality and the doctrine of divine light. From the Quakers, comes the inner light. Then, with Unitarianism there is the belief of the individual, the true source of the moral light (Reuben 2). Lockean philosophy, which involves all objects of the understanding described to be ideas, and ideas are spoken of as being in the mind, as well as Calvinist beliefs were used to underwrite the belief in Christianity and to focus on science and cognizance (Bickman 2). Ralph Waldo Emerson explains the name and the idea behind the movement with his profound statement, â€Å"It is well known to most of my audience, that the Idealism of the present day acquired the name of Transcendental, from the use of that term by Immanuel Kant, of Konigsberg, who replied to the skeptical philosophy of Locke, which insisted that there was nothing in the intellect which was not previously in the experience of the senses, by showing that there was a very important class of ideas, or imperative forms, which did not come by experience but through which experience was acquired: that these were intuitions of the mind itself; and he denominated them the Transcendental forms. â€Å" With the Unitarian church, came the optimistic and rationalistic ideas which lead to Transcendentalism. William Ellery Channing, Andrews Norton, and Edward Everett were ministers and philosophers of this time who were tied with the church. They pretty much made the transcendentalists who they were (Bickman 2). Those who agreed with the ideas of the church and the ideas of Emerson joined a club named, The Transcendental Club. Emerson was the head of it, and Hedge, Francis, Clarke, and Alcott would meet at George Ripley’s house to form this organization. The organization was formed to exchange the thought of new ideas in philosophy, theology, and literature, but the members never decided to come up with a new form of religion (â€Å"Transcendentalism† 333). The taken philosophical meaning of this organization was that the â€Å"man’s practical and imaginative faculties play a part in his apprehension of the truth. † In the art and literature world was a â€Å"creation of works filled with the new passion for nature and common humanity and incarnating a fresh sense of the wonder, promise, and romance of life† (327). Emerson was an educated man who studied at Harvard. He was a minister during the time of the Transcendental Club, and when his wife died, he decided to resign since he could not participate in communion. Emerson then decided to write poetic prose, essays with recurring themes (â€Å"Emerson† 1). He believed that â€Å"reason is the highest faculty of the soul? what we mean by the soul itself; it never reasons, never proves, it simply perceives; it is wisdom† (Campbell 4). With the ideas of oversoul, reason, wisdom, and perception, Emerson wrote what would be the most important essay in his life, Nature (Bickman 4). The focus of the essay was to describe the nature of life and how we are supposed to live. The essay helps to distinguish between macrocosm and microcosm, the difference in the world outside of an individual and that of the world inside (Campbell 4). The introduction expresses how a creature is to interact with God, how nature has no secrets, and how nature is divided between body and soul. After the introduction, Emerson divides the essay into sections titled as â€Å"Nature†, â€Å"Commodity†, â€Å"Beauty†, â€Å"Language†, â€Å"Discipline†, â€Å"Idealism†, â€Å"Spirit†, and â€Å"Prospects†. Throughout these chapters come this Transcendental / Romantic idea. There are no secrets in this form of intervention. Reality is split into nature and the soul (Steinhart 1). By going outside and looking at the stars, you can have a direct relation with nature, but your mind must be open. Emerson mentions, â€Å"I become a transparent eye-ball; I am nothing; I see all; the currents of the Universal Being circulate through me; I am part or particle of God. † He explains how open minded a person can be, and how they can connect with the oversoul through this process (2). Nature is only here to serve for our human needs, so it needs to be used wisely (3). Nature is also strict truth without ambiguity, and it can be perceived as an incarnation of God (8, 11). Emerson and other Transcendentalists believe that humans have the mental power and capacity to power over our own bodies (11). In other words, we control what goes on in our life by using our mind. And towards the end of the essay, comes the idea that when we are saved and restored, in the end we as beings will have the powers equal to those of God (13). Emerson was not the only Transcendental writer. Others included Margaret Fuller, Theodore Parker, Jones Very, Elizabeth Palmer Peabody, and the original Dr. William Ellery Channing. The closest known to Emerson would have to be Henry David Thoreau. Thoreau also grew up in Massachusetts and while in college studied Emerson’s Nature (â€Å"Great? † 1-2). The essay influenced Thoreau to keep a journal of his philosophies. The most influential journal published would be Walden (2). Walden is an autobiography / pastoral / extended familiar essay / literary excursion that pulls the reader into a mythic time that can be related to the present (6). Overall, the journal explains to the reader why the spiritual discipline is necessary for coming into the presence and possession of the sacred world (7). Transcendentalism was the living force that seemed to be extinguished as quickly as the flame started. Perry Miller, a professor at Harvard, says â€Å"Parker killed himself with overwork, and Thoreau expanded himself; Emerson dissolved into aphasia, Ripley subsided into disillusion, Hedge became a Harvard professor? Brownsun became a catholic, as did Sophia Ripley, and Elizabeth Peabody became a ? character’. † In the end, Emerson and Thoreau were easily the most well known out of the Transcendentalists. Emerson’s essays and Thoreau’s Walden seemed to be more popular than the rest of the group (Bickman 4). The thoughts of the Transcendentalists still live on, but as for the writing, it has pretty much ended. Personally, I highly recommend that everyone should read at least one piece from the Transcendentalism period. The reading is very influential and gets the reader thinking about life and how things fall together. The readings also change the reader’s perception of religion and could bring on an interest in theology. From reading Nature and Walden myself, I became hooked on the thought of the oversoul and the internal light within us. The stories impacted my spiritual being, as well as my mind. The philosophies of Transcendentalists also make the reader wonder where the thoughts come from and how they derive these thoughts. In all, it is in a way needed that everyone reads some of the Transcendentalists work, just for a change in thought. Works Cited Bickman, Martin. â€Å"An Overview of American Transcendentalism. † Internet. Available: http://www. vcu. edu/engwed/transcendentalism/ideas/definition. html 6 Apr 2004. Campbell, Donna M. â€Å"American Transcendentalism. † Literary Moments. Internet. Available: http://www. gonzaga. edu/faculty/campbell/enl311/amtrans. html 6 Apr 2004. â€Å"Ralph Waldo Emerson. † Internet. Available: http://www. poets. org/poets. cfm? prmID=205 19 Apr 2004. Great Thinkers of the World. HarperCollins Publishers, 1999. 372. Reuben, Paul P. â€Å"Chapter 4: Early Nineteenth Century ? American Transcendentalism: A Brief Introduction. † PAL: Perspectives in American Literature ? A Research and Reference Guide. Internet. Available: http://www. csustan. edu/english/reuben/pal/chap4/4intro. html 6 Apr 2004. Steinhart, Eric. â€Å"Commentary on Ralph Waldo Emerson’s Nature. † Internet. Available: http://www. wpunj. edu/cohssi/philosophy/COURSES/PHIL218/NATURE. HTM 6 Apr 2004. â€Å"Transcendentalism. † The Cambridge History of American Literature. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1917. 326 – 348.

minority and ethnic relations essays

minority and ethnic relations essays What do we mean by the social construction of identity? Any attempt to compare the suffering of the blacks and Jews would seem likely to be felled by the waves of invidious comparisons. That is because any such comparison is likely to be seen, however obliquely, as an endeavour to answer the question: which group has suffered more- blacks or Jews? Indicatively, this question could be perceived to address the point of not who suffered more, but why did they suffer? This can be answered in relation to the social construction of identity. The Jews and Blacks identities were socially identified and regarded by others as not belonging to the majority group during that historical period. So what do we mean when we talk about the social construction of identity? The concept of identity has always been blurred but in recent years, the study of identity has been greatly enhanced by cross-cultural studies in history, sociology, anthropology and psychology. The key point of departure for much discussion is the real world observation that nationalist, regional, racial and ethnic mobilisations are occurring globally and pervasively (Cohen, 1994). However, at the same time, within national, racial or regional units of identification, there are other kinds of groupings that are organised often on the social axes of age, gender, class, religion, race or disability that form their own identity. These too are claiming rights or advantages in the name of their particular social affiliation. Before we can begin to understand the social constructions of identity we need to analyse how and why these identities come to be assimilated in our society? Although identity construction may occur in any part of a society through social change and circumstance and of human interpretation and action, it must be noted that social construction occurs contingently upon the situation in which the groups find themselves: the context ...

An Account of Library and Information Science Education at National and International Levels Essays

An Account of Library and Information Science Education at National and International Levels Essays An Account of Library and Information Science Education at National and International Levels Essay An Account of Library and Information Science Education at National and International Levels Essay An account of Library and Information Science Education at National and International levels By Keshav R. Dhuri Goa University INTRODUCTION: Among the countries imparting library and information science (LIS) education, India would rank within five nations chronologically, in output and contribution to the development of thought content. If it was Melvil Dewey who made an auspicious beginning in the west, then much more notable contributions came from Dr Ranganathan in the east in all domains of LIS knowledge, thought and content. For LIS education and pedagogy from India in general and from Ranganathan in particular, the it has been unmatched and the world has always turned towards India for something new to emerge from and excel. India has been a pioneer in education and research in LIS, particularly among the developing nations who are looking for a just educational environment in this context. What India can offer to the developing nations in imparting best education, training and research to the aspirants has been discussed in this paper? It gives a brief description of various aspects of LIS education in India and its implied suitability to the aspirants of educatee from the developing nations. PROFILE OF LIS EDUCATION IN INDIA: 1) Genesis and Growth LIS education in India started in 1911, when the Baroda School was started by W A Borden due to the initiative taken by Sayaji Rao Gaikwad II, the then Maharaja of State of Baroda. Since then, India has not looked back and has been striding high in the ladder A. Y. Asundi and c. R. Karisiddappa Information Officer, Siddaganga Institute of Technology. The paper presents a succinct profile and contributions of Indian LIS education since its inception. It also attempts to bring to the fore how this profile presents its international potentiality and perspective scenario in context to developing countries. Bull. Inf. This apart, several universities are concurrently running Distance Education Programmes too. The details of the developments of LIS education in India are well recorded in the status report of the Curriculum Development Committees (CDC) Report on Curriculum for LIS by the University Grants Commission (UGC) 2 ) UGC Efforts: The UGC efforts in the development of LIS education are well evidenced by the three committees that were constituted to formulate model curriculum and pedagogic guidelines for the LIS courses in India. The Ranganathan reports on University and College Libraries and Library Science Education were the first landmarks in this regard. Later, report of the Kaula Committee on Curriculum Development in LIS Education was published in 1992. This was followed with the Karisiddappa Committee report on Curriculum Development in LIS in 2002. The impact of these efforts were first seen in the continuous development of the curriculum with changing times. Second, the UGC recognised LIS as a discipline on par with other pure and applied subjects. Third was the growth of teaching departments in various universities. And finally, it also necessitated the need for qualified personnel to teach the subject, which gave impetus to start the masters and research degrees programmes. Thus the curriculum, developed over the years for the LIS matches with the modem and contemporary developments in the field and has been responsible for the creation of manpower to man the different types of professional responsibilities, in practice and teaching. ) Role of Professional Bodies and Other Agencies: The role of professional associations in India in the promotion of the LIS education and its systematic development has also been noteworthy. The three main professional associations-the Indian Library Association (ILA), the Indian Association of Special Libraries and Information Centres (IASLIC), and the Indian Association of Teachers of Library and Inform ation Science (IATLIS)-have been holding annual conferences at the national and international levels to take stock of manpower needs and supply of qualified manpower from the departments. In particular, the IA TLIS has been focusing much closer on the education sector than the other two; it widened the scope of the membership to plasticizing librarians so that the teachers and practioners share a common platform towards the developments of education sector and the needs of the practice sector. The IATLIS with ILA and IASLIC also organised jointly a National Seminar on Hundred years of Library Science Education and its Future in October 1987. IATLIS and AGLIS again rganised jointly a National Seminar on IT and its Impact on LIS Education and Library Management in 19965, Two unique courses were developed by the Documentation Research and Training Centre (DRTC) and the Indian National Science and Documentation Centre (lNSDOC) to cater to the needs of special libraries in particular. However, the inculcation of the graduates from these institutions in teaching programmes have given a new direction to the educational paradigm of LIS. While DRTC is an autonomous central ins titute under the Indian Statistical Institute, INSDOC is a constituent centre of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research. The National Centre for Science Information is also offering a postmasters degree course with intensive application of IT to LIS. 4) Levels of Courses in LIS in India In India a variety of courses in LIS are offered and as such the learners have a wide DESIDOC Bull. Inf. Technol. , choice. From a three months Certificate Course to two years Diploma Courses are available to create Para-professionals. The Bachelors, Masters, MPhil and PhD degree programmes are also offered by most of the universities conducting LIS courses. Even at the Masters degree level, there are two courses offering one year BLISc, and one year MLISc or a two years integrated MLISc programme. Besides these, library science is also offered as an optional subject at the three years degree programme to inculcate professional knowledge with college level itself. The UGC report of the CDC gives more details on the structure of these categories. 5) Distance Education in LIS in India: Besides the formal educational programmes in LIS, India also has a good infrastructure of distance education programmes in LIS. As many as 52 universities are offering distance education prgrammes in LIS; some of them such as the Indira Gandhi National Open University (lGNOU) are providing this facility exclusively. IGNOU offers Bachelors, Masters, and Postmasters degrees and even is in the line to extend doctoral programmes in LIS through distance education mode. The course material and the audio- video lessons prepared by IGNOU can match to any international standards in this regard. 6) Curriculum Development and Research Growth: As already mentioned the curriculum of LIS has been continuously revised by he departments at least once in five years. In some cases, it is even once in three years. It takes recourse to the progress of the subject in its various dimensions. The three committees, mentioned already, have been second came only after 20 years. But, today the number of PhDs in LIS far exceeds the time frame; there are 1000 estimated PhD holders in India and each one of them has been guiding several st udents from their respective departments. In the next five years the number of PhD holders in LIS in India would be around SOOO-estimated at about five times more than today. A national meeting on Research in LIS was held in 1994 and numbers of papers on this subject were published to take stock of research output Infrastructure and Other Physical facilities UGCs initiative in providing adequate infrastructure to the LIS departments has enabled them to equip with IT laboratories to provide intensive training in their use. It is a matter of pride that among the developing nations India has the best suited curriculum with orientation to technology applications, (India has been the earliest to include a compulsory paper on library automation as early as in 1980s). The National Accreditation and Assessment Council (NAAC) under UGC have provided enough impetus towards creating good infrastructure, for both libraries and teaching departments. The faculty to teach the traditional and IT related subjects is also available in good number as is evidenced by the large number of conferences, workshops and refresher courses organised by several professional bodies, and the Academic Staff Colleges. The IATLIS also organised a National Conference on the Study of the Infrastructure Facilities available in the LIS departments of the country8. Besides, a statistical presentation in this context has also been given in the UGC Reportl. 8) IT in LIS Education: After the USA, the UK and some European countries, India is one among the few countries, where information and communication technology (ICT)-oriented LIS teaching is being provided. In late 1960s and early 1970s teaching of computer application commenced in Indian library science departments. The courses run by the DRTC and INSDOC also included a paper on library automation. The starting of the INFLIBNET and the Online Information 8 DESIDOC Bull. Inf. Technol. , Retrieval Experiments carried out at National Aeronautical Laboratory and INSDOC gave boost to the inculcation of new technology trends. The contributions of private agencies, in particular the online and CD-ROM database search services started by Informatics (India) are responsible for the initiation of technology culture in Indian libraries and among the library science teachers. A detailed account of technology application in India libraries and library science education has been given by Kumar. The National Information System in Science and Technology/Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (NISSA T IDS IR) and other research and development organisations like Defence Scientific Information and Documentation Centre (DESIDOC) and Sectoral Information Centres under NISSA T have also contributed to this process of technology application in libraries and the manpower development to man many of these libraries and information centres. Today, India with many projects on digital libraries on hand can be considered as technologically advanced in LIS education with IT applications. Many national and international conferences organised in this aspect gives a clear idea of its technological capabilities. INTERNATIONALISATION OF LIBRARY SCIENCE EDUCATION: The profile of LIS education development prescribed under above shows Indias unique experiences in different aspects of LIS education and place it on par with developed nations in imparting LIS education to the aspirants within and outside the country. Students from Kenya, Ethiopia, Thailand and from SAARC countries: and from many African and South-East Asian regions are coming to India under the fellowship of Indian Council for Cultural Relation (lCCR) for pursuing studies in LIS (from bachelors to PhD programmes) and leading the LIS education mantle in their respective countries. In 2005 two Indian professors of LIS were invited by the Danish Government to participate in the workshop organised by the Royal School of Library and Information Science, Copenhagen, where the participants were LIS educators from Africa, Asia and Latin America. The two scholars are members of the Discussion Group formed by International Federation of Library Association (IFLA) with a special emphasis on LIS education in developing countries. There is growing awareness in the Asia-Pacific region about the training and practice of library and information professionals in the 21st century and need for a regional cooperation with the countries like India, which is affluent with vast experience of teaching, research and practice in LIS. Study by Abdullahi, et al. needs to be referred here in order to surface the ppropriateness of India taking a lead-role in this context, particularly with an emphasis on developing countries. They made a theoretical survey on the importance of international and intercultural opportunities in serving as essential components In educating and training library and information professionals. The scope of the paper is though limited to Europe and North America, but the kind of opportunities identified by them can be a good frame work for the others to set-in their goals. Promotion of distance education is another area where internationalisation of LIS education can be promoted. India, since last 25 years; has been imparting distance education programme is LIS, particularly through IGNOU. IGNOU over the years has achieved substantial experience in this area, has created excellent course material using nations best subject experts to write the lessons, and has also broadcasted the lessons through its national television network. Like India, many other developing countries such as Ghana have been utilising ICT for distance education programmes. Martey in his paper has described the ICT scene in Ghana from 1996 to 2004. His paper emphases on the benefits that distance learners in Ghana will derive from an ICT -enhanced distance education. The paper also makes some suggestions as how academic libraries in Ghana can assist distance learners. India with her experience can also exchange the views with others in DESIDOC Bull. Inf. technology, the developing world. The suggestions made by Subba Rao in this context are also worth mentioning STUDY OF ISSUES RELATING TO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: The broad perspectives on making LIS curriculum viable for the global issues were Presented by Karisiddappa. They also deliberated on major issues like emergence of information and knowledge society. The paper enlisted nine major factors that needed inclusion in the LIS curriculum. Many of them have now find place in the curriculum on LIS developed by the CDC of UGC. The curriculum has a viable balance between the traditional and technological aspects, practices, skills, and techniques. Karisiddappa has succinctly stressed the need for a model curriculum for developing countries. Shiholo and Ocholla21 in their paper have deliberated on the training needs of LIS professionals in Kenya. Their paper implies to seek international collaboration in developing a need-based curriculum. Indian expertise can be a part of this exercise to fulfill the requirements. Wijetunge stated that Poor information system has poor curriculum development in Sri Lanka. Ocholla and Bothma made some detailed study on the status, trends and challenges of library and information education and training in Eastern and Southern Africa. Similar studies have come from Mexico by Morales and from Croatia by Horvat. In the comparative case study of graduate courses in library and information studies in the UK, USA, India and Iran Mortezaie and Naghshineh have highlighted the need for curricula revamping in terms of diversity of courses offered; university independence; diversity of degrees offered; ease and flexibility of the higher education system; updated course programmes; emphasis on research; and course and curricula development. The paper also laments on a widening chasm between LIS education in developing countries and those in developed countries. In this context the paper by Asundi and Karisiddappa has presented a detailed perspective on the developing countries needs in their paper presented at the Copenhagen workshop in Denmark. Leif has identified number of collaborative aspects, which are not successful in Europe but could be of relevant to developing nations. The issues of collaboration can be examined by the Indian LIS teachers to make concerted efforts to achieve them. Asundi have also identified some areas of study relevant to developing countries. Like the Bologna Declaration-an international agreement with the help of IFLA could be arrived at with the Indian library and information science Departments working towards achieving the collaborative and participative attitude with The developing country schools. Chaudhry identified The aim to look into projects undertaken to promote collaboration between LIS education programmes in South East Asia. He suggested a plan for developing a repository of learning objects for facilitating sharing of teaching materials for improved LIS education. Faculty development was identified another important area of possible future collaboration in the region with possible involvement of international forums. Wijetunge, made a descriptive survey of LIS teachers of Sri Lanka. He identified a strange reason for the dearth of faculty to teach LIS subjects in Sri Lanka. He also expressed lack of full-time teachers to teach in LIS schools resulting in a set-back to professional education in Sri Lanka. Though the paper suggests for a complete manpower survey of LIS professionals, the gap needs to be filled-up as early as possible. Until then neighboring countries like India, which has needed expertise can help under the collaborative approach adopted by the SAARC countries. The two sections, the internationalization and the issues relating to developing countries, should be placed in juxtaposition and superimposed with the profile of the LIS education presented in the Sections International forums like IFLA have endorsed this View as is evident from the formation of Discussion Group under its purview. The trends in LIS education are rather very conspicuous and the influence of technology is diversifying its approach. Hence, the countries with both traditional approach and suitability to adopt the technology will endure the durability for the future. CONCLUSION: The LIS education in India has a unique profile, as it started as a voluntary vocation by many university libraries. This trend followed for at least a decade or so. An independent identity to the course was reached only in early 1970s. Despite these lacunae, it has progressed well and has attracted the world focus particularly that of the developing world. The profile of LIS education given in the paper shows the landmark achievements in its stride for recognition. Today, it has reached a stage where it is being considered as a course to be reckoned with technologically affluent programmes, and being considered on the agenda of apex bodies offering technical education. It is influenced by within and goes with concurrent progress made by India in the field of IT. In traditional subjects of LIS too, India stands different with scholarly contribution by Or Ranganathan and his contemporaries and disciples. Or Ranganathans contributions are being considered in the design of computerized information retrieval systems. Eisenberg, Michael B, et al. mentioned that an integration of traditional areas and IT developments is seen vibrantly in India as is evidenced by the PhD theses generated by the departments of LIS of Indian universities. The range of LIS subjects researched in India presents a very broad base, expressing in itself its potentialities and expertise in conventional subjects like library classification, library cataloguing, and library management and in the specialized areas like, digital libraries and open archives initiatives. The internationalization of LIS education is an issue being discussed at many international forums, and the role that Europe and North America played in the early genesis, was noteworthy. However, the needs of the developing countries are variable and they are looking towards viable partners to suit their social, cultural, economic and political environment. In consideration of these aspects, India can be considered as a viable partner in reshaping LIS education in developing countries. REFERENCES: 1. Dayani, M. H. (2005). Library and information science educational curriculum: Guidelines for evolution. Quarterly Journal of Library and Information Science 3 (1): 1-20. (Persian language). 2. Fattahi, R. (2005). Education for librarianship in Iran before the 1979 Islamic Revolution: An historical review of the American roles and influences. Library Review 54 (5): 316-327. 3. Fattahi, R. , et. al. (2006). The new MA curriculum for librarianship and information science: The report of a research project. Iranian Journal of Information Science and Technology 4 (2) 4. Ghadirian, A. , ; Asili, G. (2005). The prophecy of government, university and industry in national development. Quarterly Journal of Research and Planning in Higher Education: 127. (Persian language). 5. Gharibi, H. (n. d. ) Information Committee bulletin, No. 8, Available: irandoc. ac. ir/Com/Newsletter/Bulletin-8. htm#A ?. (Persian language). 6. Hayati, Z. (2008). Library and information science challenges in universities of Iran. Quarterly Journal of Library and Information Science 1 (2): 23. (Persian language). 7. Human resource development. (2002). Damparvar Journal 3:9. (Persian language). 8. Iranian Book News Agency (IBNA). (2008). Library and information science educational curricula should be correct: An interview with Dr. Horri. Available: ibna. ir/vdcgwq9x. ak9n34prra. html. (Persian language). 9. Kumar, P. S. G. Computerisation of Indian libraries. B. R. Publishing, New Delhi, 1977.

Buying Stuff Online and How Your Credit Card is You Essay

Buying Stuff Online and How Your Credit Card is You - Essay Example That said, there are issues with credit, including the fact that credit is often abused and there is also the risk of identity theft. That said, since credit is inextricably bound with the rise of consumerism, credit is very important to society and is not likely to recede anytime soon. This paper will explain how consumerism came about, how globalization and online purchasing has changed how people buy stuff and use credit, and what the dangers are of credit. Evolution of the Economy The economy has been evolving continually, from a period of time before mass production, to mass production, to globalization. The economic realities during the 19th Century, before the advent of mass production, was that a Puritan ethos prevailed. This means that housing was sparse, money was not spent on non-necessities, such as jewelry, eating and drinking well, and fine clothing (Bocock, 2000, p. 8). This all changed with Henry Ford. Henry Ford was the father of consumerism, because, under Ford, wor kers were paid better. Because workers were paid better, they had more purchasing power. Because workers had more purchasing power, there was more demand for products. Consumerism was the result of this cycle (Gabriel & Yang, 1995). Suddenly, it was not just the rich who were able to consume products which were non-necessities, but everybody could (Gabriel & Yang, 1995, p. 10). ... This changed by the middle of the twentieth century, however, in that, by this time, only one third of a British family's income was spent on food (Gabriel & Yang, 1995, p. 12). With mass production came branding, and the individual's desire to purchase products with labels and designers. This was because mass production meant that similar goods were flooding the marketplace. Companies had to stand out amongst the competition. This was the beginning of competitive branding, as different designers and labels emerged, and these designers and labels lent an air of prestige to the products. For example, designers such as Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger made names for themselves, and they were able to charge a premium for their products, because their products carried this extra prestige (Klein, 2000, p. 6). Gender issues emerged during this period. The men were busy making money, and the women were busy spending the money, so the women were the ones that the marketers targeted in the era of consumerism that predated the rise of feminism (Kacen, 2000, p. 347). This all changed in the post-modern society, as consumption became a part of everyone's identity, both male and female. In the post-modern society, according to Kacen (2000), people constructed their identity with brands, figuring out who they are by the brands that they buy. The person's identity became fluid, as the person might go from being a punk, preferring to buy products that would go along with that image, and then the same person might choose a look that is more of a preppy image, and buy products that suit that image. Brands play a part in this identity construction, as well, because certain brands are popular with different segments of society, so choosing certain

Current Concepts in Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Current Concepts in Leadership - Essay Example The mystery is how leaders whether good or bad can get others to follow them, in many cases even die and sacrifice what they hold most dear - their lives - in order not to let the leader down. Leadership therefore is the sum total of several personal qualities that a leader has, and it is the almost perfect combination of these qualities that spell "Leadership". Gardner (1989) listed down the following qualities of almost every leader: physical vitality and stamina, intelligence and action-oriented judgment, eagerness to accept responsibility, task competence, understanding of followers and their needs, skill in dealing with people, need for achievement, capacity to motivate people, courage and resolution, trustworthiness, decisiveness, self-confidence, assertiveness, and adaptability or flexibility. Think of every leader through history and most of them possess these qualities in spades. Leadership and management are often confused because they have similarities but, in reality, mean two different things. The most basic similarity is that both leaders and managers have most of the qualities listed above. Nevertheless, not all leaders are managers, and neither are all managers, leaders. There are difference in a few key areas, such as the way they get others to do things (leaders inspire people on the basis of what they are (their personality and charisma), while managers get others to do things based on their position of aut... In the traditional definitions of management, leadership is seen as just one aspect of management, the others being planning, organizing, and controlling or directing. So while the leader is followed willingly, at times even blindly, managers rule over their subordinates within the organization. Most companies are founded by leaders but it is managers who make them grow, although in many cases, such as the Marriott or Microsoft or Apple Computers, the leaders are able to work effectively as managers or they hire good managers to run the company and to put order into it. The best combination, of course, is having a manager who is also a leader, or being a leader with managerial qualities. Bennis (1998) best summed up the difference between leadership and management when he said that "managers are people who do things right, while leaders are people who do the right thing." Being a leader-manager is therefore a skill worth developing. Leadership Theories and Examples The human race has been grappling with the issue of leadership since time immemorial: elections, conquest, great battles, and the rise and fall of civilizations have been all determined by the presence, absence, or disappearance of leadership. This explains why leadership theories have multiplied like mushrooms over the last several years, especially with the growth of business corporations. We are so obsessed with what leadership can accomplish (power, wealth, success, and everything else that go with these) that we search for its secrets and its sources so we can either recognize or develop it in ourselves. Among these theories, we can give five that can be better understood with examples in a management setting. These theories have several similarities, and we can group them