Life and human personality Essay Example

Life and human personality Paper We will always learn more about human life and human personality from novels than from scientific psychology. (Noam Chomsky) To what extent do you agree? Noam Chomsky did not merely state that novels will offer a wider scope and insight into humanity as compared to scientific psychology, he also supported his reasoning with the fact that literature, novels in particular, focuses on exploring the full human person1. Both psychology and novels offer insights into human personality and behavior, but in different ways. Scientific psychology attempts to establish objectively a general pattern of human behavior. In contrast, novels explore the breadth and depth of human subjectivity; as Milan Kundera writes all novels, of every age, are concerned with the enigma of the self. 2 Novels and scientific psychology both contribute to our understanding of human life and personality; the former explores the isolated self, whereas the latter offers insight to the functioning of our brain. We cannot neglect one or the other as they are both important in understanding human behavior. The most significant difference between scientific psychology and novels is that they attempt to explore the human psyche through different ways of knowing. Literature is part of the arts, which uses emotion as a way of knowing. A novelist shares his knowledge and perception of the human world as he is writing his book. If there had been no Shakespeare, then the famous lines To be or not to be3 uttered by Hamlet would not have existed. However, if Isaac Newton had not discovered gravity, another scientist would have done so eventually. Knowledge created by novels, or the arts in general, is not replicable and extremely unique, and most importantly it serves to explore what it is to be human. We will write a custom essay sample on Life and human personality specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Life and human personality specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Life and human personality specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Novelists write in order to communicate their emotions (I dont believe this is entirely true. Novelists are clearly interested in ideas as well as emotions. In fact, they often present an emotional character in order to explore an idea or a theory about why we fell what we feel or why we do what we do. Try not to confuse the emotional content of a novel with the novelist himself. ) about a particular topic or situation, which, once understood by the reader, will allow the reader to empathize and feel it as well. Novels explore the depth and variety of human consciousness; they exemplify our individuality and uniqueness; which is what scientific psychology fails to do. I believe your use of the word emotion is misplaced. You would be better off using the word consciousness instead. Scientific psychology attempts to reach a conclusion through reason. The way scientific psychologists use two methods to reach a conclusion; they observe patterns of human behavior and tendencies, establish a theory, and lastly perform a set of experiments to support their theory. The reliability and objectivity that scientific psychology embodies is advantageous because it can be applied in reality. Scientific psychology has made a variety of contributions to the real world, cognitive psychology has enhanced education; biological psychology has given insight to mental and behavioral disorders. Novels offer its readers a broader scope on humanity, as they explore universal themes of mankind, as well as the different emotions and experiences that can be encountered in life. Scientific psychology explains our bodily functions, the chemical and hormonal reactions in humans which make us behave the way we do. Thus, it can be concluded that both novels and scientific psychology provide us with knowledge about human life and personality in different ways. By looking at the way in which the novelist and the scientific psychologist treat the human emotion of fear, we can begin to understand the differences between the two. Fear is one of the most commonly felt emotions in the human world. Along with love, anger, and sadness, fear can be explained through the eyes of a scientific psychologist as a chemical and hormonal reaction, and in the eyes of a novelist as another significant human emotion to be explored. To a neurologist, the feeling of fear occurs when certain hormones are secreted by adrenal glands. Adrenaline is then synthesized and released into the bloodstream, along with noradrenalin. These two hormones are released in situations of fear or stress, causing other physical reactions. Adrenaline increases the bodys heart rate, increases sweat production, dilates the pupils and widens the lungs bronchioles. To the psychologist, fear causes similar reactions in every human being. We all release the same hormone, adrenaline, which stimulates the same physical responses. In the eyes of a novelist, fear is different for everyone. This uniqueness we could call the subjective phenomenon of individual self-hood. Different people experience fear from different things, what triggers fear in all of us varies. Some fear darkness, others fear pain and death. Novelists have presented the different emotions that occur in the face of fear through their works. One such example is the protagonist from John Fowless The Collector. Miranda Grey lives in constant fear as she is held captive by a butterfly collector, who attempts to collect her as one of his masterpieces. Mirandas tale is told through a series of journal entries, as she constantly expresses her fear and inability to escape. The fear of death becomes crippling as Miranda feels she is terribly ill and will not be able to survive It made me cry. I feel so frightened. I cant eat. Theres a pain in my lung when I breathe. The beastliness of it all. I cant write I cant write Ive begged him. Ive said its murder. I wont die. Oh God Oh God. Do not let me die. 4 Miranda is not scared of the pain of death, but she is afraid of losing her youth and her successful future as an artist. Others in her situation may be afraid of the physical torment, but Miranda fears loss; she fears how death will take everything she has away from her. A different type of fear is explored by Josi Saragamo in his novel Blindness. One of the characters begins to panic as he realizes he is blind and Saragamo describes how fear takes over his entire being in that particular moment I am blind, I am blind, he repeated in despair. I cant see, he murmured, still weeping Abandoned in the middle of the road, feeling the ground shifting under his feet, he tried to suppress the sense of panic that welled up inside him. He waved his hands in front of his face, nervously, as if he were swimming in what he had described as a milky sea, but his mouth was already opening to let out a cry for help 5 Both novels are examples of how the theme of fear is explored by novelists and expressed through the thoughts and actions of their characters. Human beings encounter different situations that inflict a sense of fear upon them, and although their physical responses are similar, the thoughts and emotions that take flight are extremely different. Only through the novel do we begin to understand how the same emotion can mean different things to different people. This reinforces the notion that, although we are biologically similar, we remain intrinsically different. Although both scientific psychology and literature have provided insight and knowledge to human life and personality, both encompass slight flaws in their attempt to define human behavior. Scientific psychology generalizes: it concludes that results obtained from their population sample are applicable to the rest of the human population. It does not take into consideration the subjectivity and inconsistency that defines human nature. Human behavior is immeasurable, it is imprecise. Scientific psychologists only study the patterns of behavior that can be studied, such as conditioning, but not all behavior can be studied scientifically. Some of our actions are compelled by forces unknown to us. Novels explore the inconsistencies of human behavior. Why does Anna Karenina kill herself? Why does Hamlet feign madness? These actions, both in the novels and in real life, cannot be explained because humans will always encompass a particular uncertainty. Scientific psychology studies the measurable behavior of humans and the chemical reactions that occur in our body. Novels study the wide scope of human emotion and behavior, the perplexing nature of man. If we only studied psychology, we would not know the inconsistencies of mankind. If we only studied literature, we would not know why most of the times humans respond and behave in similar ways to certain situations. We need to take both of them into consideration.

Macbeth Critisism essays

Macbeth Critisism essays Macbeth Essay As I first started to watch the movie, Macbeth, I thought that it would be boring, poorly acted, and not truly portray the play. I knew I had made my decision too quickly as the movie proceeded; and by the end of the movie I was mesmerized by the quality of the actors, how the simplicity made following and understanding easier, and how exact the dialogue was to the play. One of my favorite characters was Lady Macbeth because she put her heart into every line, and burst at the seams with emotion. I was impressed by the way she showed love for her husband, disgust towards him, regret, and disgust with herself. She best showed these feelings through her facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice. In the scene where she was sleepwalking, she really looked as through she was in a deep sleepwalk. The look of disappointment and regret in her face and words were so real. Lady Macbeth wore a plain styled gray dress that looked very dated and her hair pulled up into a cap gave a clear view of her face. Her simple dress was worn to show humbleness and purity, which is ironic because towards the end of the movie she disparately wanted to be purified of her horrible deeds. Macbeths character was also very well performed. Throughout the entire movie there was a sense of passion that made me wish I was in the audience to experience more intensely. The feelings of hope, confusion, guilt, and greed were successfully portrayed better than I had expected. I really got interested in his character about half way through the movie, as everyone started to catch on to Macbeths traitorous murders, he became more and more insane. If I hadnt read the play before seeing this movie, I would question why they dressed Macbeth in such sly and creepy clothes. He wore a very modern black leather jacket, black shirt, and black pants. His face was almost white and his hair was sli...

Most Beautiful Mountain Biking Trails

Most Beautiful Mountain Biking Trails The exciting mountain biking trails in the U.S. can turn any bike ride into an adventure. Many of the biking trails on this list are on the wish list of experienced cyclists from all over the world. From very fast downhill trails that can take your breath away to buttery smooth single-track trails, there is a challenge out there for every cyclist. The San Juan Islands, Washington What will strike you about the biking trails in San Juan Islands, Washington is the wide range of beaches and attractions you can discover along the way. The San Juan Islands welcome cyclists of all levels, which means you do not have to be a pro to enjoy the surprising sceneries these trails have. It can take you about a day to go around the island of San Juan on a trail that is 43 miles long. The amazing parks and beaches along the way may tempt you to spread the trip over a couple of days, though. If you are an experienced cyclist, head to the horseshoe-shaped Orcas Island, often referred to as the gem of the San Juans. The mountain bike trails on the 57 square miles area of the island offer a great mix of high mountains and fabulous shoreline. The trails here can be a challenge for most cyclists and at the same time they can discover some great landscapes that are sure to impress their Facebook followers. Poison Spider Mesa Trail, Moab, Utah The infamous Poison Spider Mesa Trail is not for the faint-hearted, as it will be a struggle to get to the end of it and still feel your legs. Even though cyclists have to share the trail with motorcycles and jeeps, most of the time you will be all by yourself while navigating past the high Wingate sandstone cliffs along the Colorado and higher up onto the Navajo mesa. The views of the La Sal Mountains and Behind the Rocks area make this trail one of the most scenic ones in the U.S. Despite its name, there are no poisonous spiders here, but you are sure to stumble upon some fun rock obstacles on the Poison Spider Mesa Trail. When it comes to the road surface, much of the loop is on Navajo Sandstone, but youll also speed over sandy wash bottom, two blow-sand hills, and rock ledges. Munds Wagon Trail, Sedona, Arizona A former main cattle route North out of town, Munds Wagon is nowadays a trail that closely follows Schnebly Hill Road and Bear Wallow Creek. Cyclists choosing this trail can discover the exciting sensation of riding across a canyon. When you reach the top of the trail, you get access to the Cow Pies and Merry-Go-Round Rock. The Munds Wagon Trail climbs 1100 feet and features lots of mini obstacles that make the ride fun, as well as some fast sections for those who are in for a bit of adrenaline. After the first loose section, the trail smoothes out as it you start going downhill, so you enjoy the scenic views at the fullest. Tahoe Rim Trail, California, Nevada Passing through no less than six counties in California and Nevada, the Tahoe Rim Trail will also take you through three wilderness areas, three national forests, and one state park. A spectacular trail with 165 miles of single-track, the Tahoe Rim Trail goes around all of Lake Tahoe. Overlapping with about 50 miles of the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail, this trail touches other legendary rides as well, including the Flume Trail to the east and Hole in the Ground near Truckee to the northwest. Biking on the Tahoe Rim Trail allows you to discover the carving that goes across a remarkable terrain. The trail is open to riders and hikers as well, but for the most part you will find yourself all alone to make the most of the incredible sceneries. Paradise Royale Trail, California Discover the wilderness of Northern California on the Paradise Royale Trail. Taking you across remote backcountry and bringing a sense of peacefulness with it, the Paradise Royale Trail is a beautiful single track built for mountain biking. Boasting a 14-mile loop, this trail is challenging and mostly suitable for experienced cyclists. The climbs here are tough, so get ready for a tough workout. The trail is located deep in the King Range Mountains and was specifically designed as a mountain bike trail. Starting with a slope and then changing into a hill, the trail is as rewarding as it is beautiful. As you get to the end of the trail, you can enjoy the striking panorama of the Pacific Ocean below.

German Autobahnen Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

German Autobahnen - Assignment Example The present research has identified that Atobahn are officially named as Bundesautobahn in Germany because of the reason these are build as well as maintained by federal authorities present within the country. When we talk about German Autobahn, we may see that there is no specification of speed limit for cars and other vehicles. However, the advisory speed limit is about 130 kilometers/ hr. it is also important to understand that a hard limit is also imposed on some transports. For example 60 km per hour for those buses those carry standing travelers as well as trailers that pull motorcycles. On the other hand, passengers or travelers cars and buses have hard limit of 80 km per hour. Moreover, trailers that are used to pull passenger cars have limit 100km per hour. Last but not the least, when we talk about road safety of these autobahns found in Germany, we may conclude that the situations are quite better here as compared to highways and motorways found in other European countries . The chances of any crash and accidents are fewer as compared to those present in USA.

Communication Digital Age Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Communication Digital Age - Essay Example Adapting to changes in technology requires not only knowing how to use technological tools, but the ability to use those tools to express oneself creatively. Effective digital communication is the ability to create persuasive communications in different media, be it websites, video, audio, text, or animated multimedia. Digital communication is a foundation skill for most careers today, as most people will be involved in some form of conceptualizing, producing, delivering, and receiving such communications in their jobs and lives. Starting in elementary school and extending to higher education, students can learn a variety of digital communication skills across all their courses, whether they build multimedia presentations to demonstrate their knowledge of academic subjects, create e-portfolios of coursework, or present ideas in a virtual classroom. When students can express themselves through a variety of media, they are motivated and engaged. The twentieth century has witnessed many scientific discoveries and inventions that have revolutionized our life. They have led to the creation of mechanisms and artifacts, which have made our life more efficient, smooth and comfortable. Computer is the latest addition to such achievements. It is the most sophisticated and integrated chip as the computer-based technology has found applications in agriculture, biotechnology, oceanography, engineering medicine and information technology. Throughout the 20th century, the pace of technological advancement has increased dramatically. The digital revolution, now upon us, is expecting to take giant strides in the 21st century. Companies are manufacturing audio and video sets communications nd Information Technology products for the consumer and professional markets. Companies have developed a wide product portfolio, which includes goods that have become integral part of modern life styles. (Anil,2005 37) Many years ago, man invented computer. Nobody would have ever believed that age of computer dreaming and hardware tinkering would lead to the vast, bottomless streams of information that our society has advanced towards over the years in the medium of computer technology. Now, humans are more interconnected with computers than ever before. Computers interact with most every facet of business there possibly is, and education had become modified at most age groups to accommodate the importance of computer technology into the school system because it is as important as it is beneficial. The Internet has also played an instrumental role of all these areas, including the global distant communications with friends and work colleagues. The world has significantly shrunk since the Internet and augmented computer technology. Moreover, while many computer-savvy citizens believe that computers can help better the economy as well as diminish the barriers of social and racial segregation, there are many factors rotating

Hong Kong Education Essay Example for Free

Hong Kong Education Essay The pre-school education voucher scheme was launched by the government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in September 2007. The scheme was meant to introduce reforms in education in efforts to promote good early childhood education as the foundation for a child’s lifelong learning (Education Department, 2000). Based on this scheme, every parent who has a child aged between 3 and 6 years should be given a voucher worth $13,000 every year (HKU Faculty of Education, 2008). Out of the $13,000, $10,000 can be used by the parents to pay tuition fees in the kindergartens. The remaining $ 3000 should then be used for the professional development of the teachers in pre-school institutions. The pre-school education voucher should be used under certain conditions. These conditions are, that the voucher should not be used for generating profit, pre-school institutions such as kindergartens must make sure their accounts are open for inspection, the school must attain the set Education Bureau benchmarks within 5 years based on the pre-school quality of education, and tuition fees need to be under $24,000 for half day and $42,000 for full day programs per student, per annum. Due to the restrictions that accompany the pre-school education voucher scheme in Hong Kong, stakeholders in the education sector have shown concern for the impact of the imposed restrictions. This has resulted to a debate that has involved the government and the stakeholders. Since its introduction in the 2007/2008 years, the voucher scheme has been very important for parents with children attending kindergartens. The scheme has provided parents with direct fee subsidy and this has eased their financial burden. It is estimated that a total of 820 kindergartens which represents 85 per cent of the total number of kindergartens in Hong Kong have joined the scheme. In addition, 117,000 pupils are enjoying the benefits from the pre-school education voucher scheme fee subsidy. Since 1997, pre-school institutions in Hong Kong experienced reforms that considered internal effectiveness in schools to be important (Vickers, 2003). According to the Hong Kong government, the implementation of the voucher scheme is an indication of its commitment and support to pre-school education. In addition, the schemes are a positive response to the demands that have been made by the kindergarten principals and teachers. This has become possible through the financial support that the schemes provide for the professional development of the teachers and the principals. It is very important to note that the primary objective of the pre-school education voucher scheme in Hong Kong is to provide parents with direct fee subsidy. It is estimated that over 80 percent of the total number of kindergarten teachers have managed to obtain the Certificate of Early Childhood Education(C (ECE)). Some teachers have enrolled in the courses or have managed to obtain qualifications equivalent to (C (ECE)). To evaluate whether the voucher scheme has been successful in achieving its objectives, the Education Bureau (EDB) in Hong Kong continues to conduct Quality Review studies. By May 2009, the Education Bureau is estimated to have conducted survey on more than 320 kindergartens. The government of Hong Kong acknowledges that pre school teachers experience pressure at work and they need to develop in their profession. The scheme is considered to be one of the ways through which the teachers’ professional development can be promoted. Impact of the Pre-school education voucher scheme on teacher’s professional development Teachers at pre-school institutions have shown their full commitment and dedication to education in Hong Kong . One of the ways through which the pre-school education voucher scheme has impacted positively on the teacher’s professional development is by trying to reduce the workload of the teachers and the principals. Since one of the primary objectives of the scheme is to promote professional development of the teachers, the Education Bureau has continued to enhance communication between the school administration, teachers and other stakeholders in the sector (Andrew, 2008). This has resulted to efficient and continuous implementation of programs that are aimed at improving the teachers’ professional development. The quality review mechanism that has been adopted by the Education Bureau ensures that school self evaluation is done to encourage continuous improvement in education and the teachers professional development. Teachers have been concerned about the pressure at work that results from the quality review done by the Education Bureau as well as the work load at school. However, the quality reviews that are supported due to the implementation of the pre-school education voucher scheme have promoted professional collaboration between teachers. Pre-school education in Hong Kong has for a long time been provided by the private sector and non-profit making institutions. This demands that all pre-school institutions such as kindergartens to be well placed in a manner that the market forces are used to determine the teachers’ salaries at discretion. The launch of the pre-school voucher schemes has increased financial resources for the kindergartens and schools’ management activities (Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, 2007). In addition, these resources have been used to finance efforts that aim at providing a working environment that attracts and retains qualified and well performing teachers. The financial resources injected by the voucher scheme have also been very vital in facilitating the payment of good salaries to the teachers. These benefits have acted as a motivation for the teachers to improve their skills and abilities hence their professional development (The Education Bureau, 2009). The Hong Kong government has reaffirmed its commitment in promoting high quality education at the pre-school level by encouraging schools or kindergartens to provide the teachers with qualification allowances. Research studies that have been conducted to determine the impact of pre-school voucher schemes in Hong Kong show that over 52 per cent of parents, principals and teachers agree that the scheme is a fair policy that promotes excellence in early childhood education. The teachers satisfaction with the scheme has been due to the opportunities the schemes have offered to them to improve their professional skills. Teachers consider the voucher scheme to have a positive influence on the schools and their staff. By improving the quality of education offered at the kindergarten, it has become necessary for teachers qualifications to be improved. This has played an important role in the teachers’ professional development. A large number of parents with children in pre-school institutions assert that the schemes have promoted the qualifications of the teachers as well as the improvement made on the school facilities. The schemes have encouraged teachers to pursue higher education or to undertake more education courses. At the pre-school level, extra curricular activities are very critical for children development and learning (Sweeting, 1990). Teachers compliment learning in class by extra curriculum activities. By participating in the coordination and implementation of extra curricular programs in school, the teachers’ ability to lead and teach is improved. The voucher scheme has increased financial resources to be spent for the extra curricular activities in school. By being involved in the activities, the teachers’ professional ability to use the activities in educating the children is improved. By September 2008, about 30% of teachers at the pre-school level had enrolled and attained good qualifications after enrolling for (C (ECE)) courses which are recommended and supported by the Education Bureau. The pre-school principals who are also teachers have had an opportunity to pursue higher education . For example, about 61 per cent or a large number of principals have been enrolled to undertake the Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood Education (B Ed (ECE). A program to certify the qualification of the principals were put into place in January 2008 . By March 2009, about 300 principals who served in the pre-schools had taken a certification course. For continuous professional development in the teachers, many kindergartens have adopted teacher development subsidy (TDC) to offer the teachers’ school based training programs. The pre-school education voucher scheme provides support services that are offered to develop language skills, cognitive abilities and physical development in children. Teachers gain from this by being engaged in creating a good learning environment, proper children learning, portfolio planning as well as curriculum planning and organization. Being engaged in these activities has been vital in improving the professional skills of the teachers when it comes to planning for good learning at school (Bray and Koo, 2005). The Hong Kong Education Bureau participates in promoting the teachers professional development under the voucher scheme by commissioning a professional training course for their principals. By improving the principals’ leadership and management skills, the teachers are able to get good guidance and effective leadership that relate to the teacher’s work (Ranson, 2003). The principal training course is characterized by an offshore programme and provides an on-spot consultative visit to the principal who participates in the course. About 130 principals are estimated to join the training programme. The principals have given positive feedback about the benefits of the programmes. To support the implementation of the pre-school curriculum revised guide, the Education Bureau organizes professional development programmes which relate to school based curriculum knowledge, leadership, curriculum management and pedagogical knowledge in various areas of learning. This effort has promoted the professional development of the teachers through capacity building. Transparency in pre-school institutions has been promoted by the requirements set by the Education Bureau when it comes to the management of the financial resources . The resources provided by the scheme promote the smooth running of the schools, good remuneration for the teachers and provide a good learning environment. These have gone a long way to increase accountability of the principals and the teachers and this has motivated teachers to embrace good values that are important in professional development. Some of the questions that have been raised about pre-school voucher schemes in Hong Kong is whether the schemes can minimize the overall work pressure on the teachers and improve the staff ratio. The pre –school education voucher schemes have promoted professional upgrading for both the principals and the teachers. For those who serve at PEVs-NPM-KGs, a teacher development subsidy is provided in each voucher. The subsidy is utilized for teacher training and development courses. Furthermore, the teachers and the principals who serve in non PEVs-NMP-KGs can claim a reimbursement from the Education Bureau to cater for up to 50 percent of the fees for a degree or diploma course that has been approved in early childhood education. By the year 2011/2012, all teachers serving at pre-school level are expected to have obtained a certificate in Early Childhood Education (LegCo panel on education, 2009). This together with the demand by the scheme that all kindergarten principals who are appointed from 2009 to have a BEd (ECE) have encouraged teachers to pursue higher education. In addition, the requirement for principals to have a one year post qualification experience and a certification course has encouraged principals and teachers to get engaged in professional development activities and programs. All kindergartens under the scheme have put into place measures that ensure there is continuous professional development by providing school based training programmes under the teacher development subsidy program. Areas of school work that are covered include children’s’ development, learning and teaching, management and organization, and children and school culture support. The quality reviews carried out by the Education Bureau assists the teachers to invest their energy and time in professional development as a way of promoting sustainable school improvement. For example, local non-profit making schools starting 2012-2013 will be able to redeem the education voucher if they are able to meet the prescribed standards of the Quality Review framework (Education Department, 2007). The requirements specified in the Education ordinance (Cap 279) ensures that teachers’ professional development can occur when they meet the set educational standards. The first batch pf 130 Quality Review planned visits began in the 2007-2008 school year (Legislative Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, 2008b) and an increase in ratio of graduate teachers in 2008/2009 has raised the professional standards and status of the teachers. The Quality Review Framework promotes transparency and accountability in schools which promotes a culture that is good for professional development of teachers. The Hong Kong government is committed and dedicated to the improvements made in education and the professional development of teachers. The development and implementation of the Pre-school Education Voucher Scheme in Hong Kong is one of the ways through which the government has managed to improve the quality of education and to promote professional development in teachers and principals. High quality education at the pre-school level can be attributed to the pre-school education voucher scheme, classroom inspection and quality reviews in schools. In conclusion, the pre-school education voucher scheme has been promoted through the 2007/08 school year Training Activity, Teacher Development plan for 2008/09 school year, Four-year Teacher Development plan and the professional upgrading of Kindergarten principals and teachers.

Freedom is Over-rated :: essays papers

Freedom is Over-rated The word freedom can technically be defined as the quality or state of being free. However, this definition leaves enormous room for every interpretation imaginable. I live in the â€Å"land of the free†, also known as America. But every country, free or not, has its obvious restrictions, such as laws, society, and government. Someone’s age, race, sex, height, or weight can restrict people in society. In my personal opinion, nothing is truly or completely free. To be free no definite barriers can exist physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually. Most people tend to think of birds when referring to freedom, even more specifically the eagle. Coincidentally, the eagle is the symbol for freedom in America. Eagles fly in the sky, and the sky has no barriers or restrictions existing to the human eye. I believe this is why people think of eagles as images to represent freedom. However, are birds truly free? Birds can not fly without the worry of being killed by a shotgun. Birds do not control their own habitat. If someone wants to chop down a bird’s home, the bird can not stop the person. In closure, birds are not completely free. In the movie, Hurricane, most of Rubin Carter’s life was based upon the judgments people plagued upon him, distinctly because of his race. Rubin had to free his mind in order to grasp and hold onto the little freedom he had in prison. Carter overcame his mind by blocking out distinct hallucinations of the violent and sensitive sides of his personality. But still Rubin Cater was not free. He almost gave up on his life if it was not for his friends in Canada. Those friends in Canada were the critical factor for Rubin Carter’s release from jail. Society and government withhold people from reaching infinite freedom. This is just a plain fact and almost self-explanatory. People in society are not free wherever they go. Society afflicts this description on how people should act, or how people should talk. Society even insists on controlling our thoughts. The United States’ government gives people the right to vote. But is it the popular vote the determining factor in deciding the future president? I think not.

Kant the Sublime Essay

The Sublime In Lyotard’s reading Lessons on the Analytic of the Sublime, he explains how critical thought exists within an infinite amount of creativity with no principles but in search of them. Lyotard understands the Kantian sublime as a way to comply with the standards that critically analyze postmodernism using deconstruction. Kant differentiated the sublime between the vastness and greatness and the dynamic sublime. The vastness sublime is so great we can’t just use our senses like we normally do; it requires us to heighten our senses beyond comprehension. The dynamic sublime is the way in which rationalizes things and his perceptions. Lyotard describes the boundlessness of the imagination and reason as a ‘differend’ and this is ‘to be found at the heart of sublime feeling: at the encounter of two absolutes equally present to thought, the absolute whole when it conceives, the absolutely measured when it presents. ’ (Lyotard) Our imagination understands forms and measures while reason understands something without form of an infinite nature of something. There is a separation of imagination and reason and when we use the ‘enigmatic’ power of critical thought we can reflectively judge something. Kant’s presentation of the sublime has been taken up by Lyotard and he explores different ways of finding a philosophical understanding of different artworks. Through Longinus and Burke we can explore the pre-modern and modern conceptions of the sublime and through all these critiques we can draw different manifestations of the sublime in art. Kant questions how can someone judge an object before knowing how to properly judge that object and how do they know what proper judging is? Longinus in part of his critique implies that man can go beyond his limitations as a human being by experiencing emotions and language. The art or technical talents was described, as the human while the sublime was something that escaped our experience of art. ‘Sublimity consists in a certain excellence and distinction in expression’ (Longinus, pg 100). To understand and have knowledge of the sublime, there needs to be a vague understanding of something that is beyond our experience or senses. He explains that there is more to the human ordinary life because we feel this through the senses, but these senses are an incorrect interpretation caused by a physical perception as opposed to a psychological one. If you think about the sublime, it cannot be pictured or imagined but we have translated and suggested through the arts and poetry. Longinus tells us that nature is the creative and the first principle of the sublime and what follows is a matter luck and good mentors. In Goodbye Lenin, a German film directed by Wolfgang Becker, Lenin tries to hide the unification of Germany during the 1990’s from his mother who was in a coma throughout those months and has to stay in bed. He successfully conned her into thinking nothing had changed by using tricks like old product bottles and filming his own news broadcasts. This film successfully executes the idea of the sublime in what was going on between his mother and the rest of the world. ‘Our faults spring from the same place as our virtues. ’(Longinus)She believed everything around her was real and time had not changed but the people around her were well aware that this was a deception of reality. The way in which Lenin created the same world and reality his mother had always known is overwhelming to the senses and questions what is really for real? Burke believes that the ideas of pain and pleasure cannot be defined, but pleasure of every kind satisfies quickly. He goes on to say that there are two kinds of pleasure: the first that simply is and has no relation and the second that cannot exist without relation. The film has preserved and stopped time that defies nature and in reality cannot be done. The son is so scared and terrified that his mother will die that he tries to please her by keeping the world exactly the same. This terror is the source of sublime because it creates the most emotion and he imagines the worst. The fear that his mother will die has caused him to be terrified. It explores different areas of the mind by letting her believe this lie. His mother would not survive the fact that everything she has believed in had crumbled while she was asleep and that the world she once knew was suddenly a capitalistic society that now included Burger king, Pepsi and Coca-Cola. Lenin did not want to devastate his mother and cause another heart attack so he had to make everything appear, as it always was wile the outside world was growing and expanding at such an accelerated rate. The kitsch setting of the typical German 1989 apartment filled with yellow flowered wallpaper and dark wood furniture brings calmness to his communist mother. The film captures the nature of humans and their strong social beliefs and how it can affect the human psyche. Burke believes that terror is the source of the sublime and that pain is the more powerful than pleasure. Lyotard believes that pain is not the end point, there is the ‘movement’ of pain to ‘pleasure’ In Joseph Turners Impressionistic painting titled Slave Ship, he has created a seen of vastness that relates to the Kantian sublime but moreover he has demonstrated the use of color and dynamic composition to create a sense of horror. The brushstrokes give a natural look to the painting and the seemingly unintentional brushstrokes create an organized composition. We are aesthetically pleased when we look at the painting because an overwhelming response is experienced when looking at the picture. Burke believed that the Beautiful was very different from the sublime. â€Å"All privation is great because they are all terrible: Vacuity, darkness, solitude, and silence. Low and intermittent sounds and shadows bring about feelings of the sublime. Above all, the actions of the mind are affected by the sublime. â€Å" The way in which Turner has used rough brush strokes and lots of contrast between moods and contrasting colors creates the Sublime as opposed to the Beautiful. The use of purple and blue shadows that cast over the foggy night, the bloodline skyline, the flaming enraged sea and the insignificant ship create a sense of horror. The Sublime is experienced in this painting because it is detached from the actual danger of being in an actual situation and rather experienced through the visual arts and poetry in its overwhelming vastness. There is a sense of elation and intimidation when traveling through the painting. Thomas Cole’s Landscape with Tree Trunks create a struggle to be able to understand what is being implied. It becomes uninviting to the viewer as the scary tree trunks in the foreground block our path into the painting and we get further into only for our view to be blocked again because of the mountains that come right into the middle part. The painting does not accommodate to human feelings. These are sublime components such as the scary trees, the contrasting light and dynamic sky create frustration in entering the painting make us feel that we are not welcomed and that we are in a wilderness that we cannot control. The overwhelming tree and sky not only creates and unexplained phenomena but also implies that time and power of nature is vast and infinite and these unpredictable forces can in themselves become sublime. The painting composition seems to have been distorted by Cole yet it feels genuine and believable. In the Pianist directed by Roman Polanski we are safe to knowing the reality of the actual circumstance of Jewish victims trapped in a concentration camp but we still enjoy the horrific actions taken against them caused by the overwhelming power of human nature. We are awed, disgusted and in disbelief by the question: â€Å"How can human beings do such things? † ‘There is no explanation for the communication of passion, but it is concluded through the experience or premonitions of others. ’(Burke) there is no way to rationalize how the Jews were treated during this time of suffering and we can’t even fathom such events to reoccur, but it still exists today. The pain and suffering that we experience as a witness is subliminal and in cannot be justified. Within the film Szpilman is able to detach from the war and all the pain and suffering he has experienced by playing the piano. When different men have a common faith in the object of admiration we come to the Sublime’ (Longinus). Szpilman creates his own sublime world through the piano. He creates a stimulus of powerful and inspired emotion and he seems to be dignified and elevated when playing the piano, not guilty or ashamed for being a Jew. His talent brin gs even his worst enemies to respect him and be in completely awestruck by his music breaking all boundaries of human laws and standards and elevating itself to a much higher place that is universal. The unknown and unbound is created in the film when everyone is awestruck and in total admiration of the music. In the end, art has the vastness that allows the mind to be free of obstacles of distraction. Basically, I understand Kant in his way of thinking of art as a way of means to letting the senses experience a feeling far greater than the everyday ordinary life and sublimity only exists in our minds and not in nature, and if we are conscious of this we can become superior to nature within and to nature which does exists without us. Lyotard explains that art should work with no rules and that it therefore cannot be judged and instead be combined and pluralized. Longinus explains that the human is the technical aspect of art while the sublime is the existential part of the human psyche that goes beyond our experience of art. Burke’s modern view of sublimity in art can only be experienced through actual knowledge an actual experience where things are only recreated and reordered. He thinks that death and fear are feelings of the sublime and that what one might expect is very different to what actual really happens and that expectation creates fear which in turn makes us unreasonable and therefore brings about the sublime.

Is the war on terrorsim just Essay

In this paper I argue that war against terrorism is no just but some war can be just as long as it follows the theory of a just war. As old as early civilizations, war played a significant role in the political stability and security of the society. It has been a central feature of civilisation throughout recorded time. (Evans, 1). Although war is seen as violent and morally destructive, still it was considered as an effective way of defending and even promoting civilization. It was also used by the major religions of this world such as Islam and Christianity to spread their faith. In every war, we can’t deny the fact that there is a political motive behind the heroic reason of its leaders. Being evil by nature, there are a lot of arguments regarding the moral aspect of war. According to La Vitta Cattolica, the debate is whether the nature of traditional war is still applicable with the modern one. Their stand is it is still the same when it comes to the extent of its fatality. They described it as a lethal contest, fed by hatred, physical violence is unleashed in all its brutality. (Elshtain, 108). Is war really for the benefit of people or is just another way of exploiting humanity? There is also a question regarding the extent of its necessity. Nowadays, there are standards to fulfil if a country wants to engage in war. Although a term such as just war was derived from this war controversy, still justice is still a question. It is because the provisions of this just war theory is not fulfilled. Until now, we can say that there is no such war in our history that fulfilled those provisions. Meanwhile, war is also in the history of Christian church. When we look at the teachings of Christianity, we can say that it is against the ideas of Jesus Christ. As we read the gospel, it was clearly imposed by Christ that each of us should love one another even our enemy. As a matter of fact, Nicolas I said that was is always satanic to its origin. (Elshtain, 113). Even Christ himself set an example of being a promoter of peace. But later on, the said faith needs to adapt to the changing world and the result is the use of war to defend the faith. During the 4th and 5th century, Christians were obliged to do military service. This policy was change during the middle ages but later on, the Church became involved with crusades. (Elshtain, 113). Here we can see that war is really inevitable. Although war is inevitable, still a nation or state should do alterative ways to defend themselves. Even if the motive of engaging in war is good the casualties that it will cause to humanity is great. In previous wars, a lot of innocent lives were brutality killed. It will be reasonable if those people were oppressors or enemy of the states but those people were ordinary citizens that needs to be protected. As said by Thucydides, â€Å"The strong do as they can while the weak suffer for what they must† (Chomsky, 1). It is the strong forces church as political and military forces who initiated the war but sadly, the civilians who have nothing to do with their decisions suffer from its consequences. As a state it is the responsibility of the government to promote the welfare of its people by letting them experience political security. One way of ensuring political security is through defending a state from foreign invaders. But it doesn’t mean that war is the only option to defend one state. For me, war should be the last option of the state and apart from selfish political reason; the welfare of the people should be the main motive. When it comes to war against terrorism, I believe that it is not just because it doesn’t apply to just war theory. What is a just war? In a traditional sense, it denotes a specific body of moral doctrine found in Christianity. (Evans, 2). It means that the faith that promotes peace love for enemies also adopted the use of war to secure the faith. In modern times, a just war means following certain ethical consideration before engaging in a war. In other words, actions are evaluated in terms of range of the likely consequence. (Chomsky, 7). It means that a just war should create a lesser physical and moral damage. It also means that engaging in a just war is like choosing the lesser evil. â€Å" †¦though within war there may be many acts of heroism, just war theory cannot then, be said to glorify war or be blind of its moral horrors. † (Evans, 10). Aside from that, just like other kinds of war, it involves torture and interrogation of innocent civilians. One way of justifying the war against terrorism is the idea that it protects the people from fatal terrorist attacks. Nowadays, terrorist attacks which is most commonly in a form of bombing kills a lot of innocent civilians. Other than that terrorist attacks can affect a nation’s economy that is why there are still doubts whether war against terrorism is really for people. Because the political stability of a states is also threatens by terrorist attacks, there is the possibility that the security of civilians is not the primary concern. Let us look at the condition of war theory and see whether the war against terrorism is a just war. First, the cause must be just and the justice of the cause is sufficiently great. Next, one must be confident that it will not yield long term consequences longer than the status quo. Obviously, it should be the last resort and moral standards should not be compromised. We can say that the first two conditions apply to the war against terrorism but the applications of the latter conditions were questionable. Surely this kind of war will cause long term psychological effects to the civilians involve. It can cause major trauma to the victims that can affect their daily lives even if the war is over. It is also obvious that moral standards were compromised because of the use of torture to gain information. There is also a debate regarding the moral aspect of torture. Indeed, information during war is a necessity for it can serve as a solution to win and end the war immediately. But the question is whether it is needed right here and now to win a particular battle. (May, 196). Form me, whether their information is helpful or necessary in winning the battle, torture is still a form of human rights violation. Indeed, war is not a good way of defending a state. Even if there are just wars, still it is very fatal and those innocent civilians were the common victims. But if there is no other option except war, it is reasonable as long as it promotes the welfare of the states and civilians. References: Elshtain, J. (1992) Modern War and Christian Conscience. But was it Just?. La Civilitta Cattolica. New York. Evans, M. (2005). Just War theory: A reappraisal. New York: Palgraw Macmillan. May, L. (2007). War Crimes and Just War. New York: Cambridge University Press. Chomsky, N. (2006). A Just War? Hardly. Retrieved: January 9, 2007 from ZNPT Commentaries. Website: http://www. zmag. org/sustiners/content/2006-05/zochomsky. cfm.

How to Write and Submit an Excellent Precis

How to Write and Submit an Excellent Precis How to Write a Precis Flawlessly Numerous academic assignments can be quite a big challenge for students who prefer avoiding too complex tasks. Often, students who have no interest in dedicated learning and personal skills’ constant improvement, face many problems once dealing with academic assignments. Still, no matter what reason is, every student needs to submit his academic papers on time. Writing a precis is probably one of the most difficult tasks for students. This academic assignment requires a proper structure and planning thus make sure to discover all the tips and guides on how to perform a precis mentioned in this article. The Definition of a Precis When dealing with a precis, it is great to know in advance what the kind of task you are dealing with and how to write it properly. In fact, a precis is a short summary. If translating the word â€Å"precis† from French, it will be â€Å"cut brief†. The precis is an outline of a published work, like dissertation or article. The student needs to provide a summary of the read text but without paraphrasing it. This task requires summing up ideas of the checked literature work and making some conclusions. Be aware, a precis is an important and separate work, thus it never remains a simple paraphrasing. Besides, a precis does not require mentioning all the details presented in an analyzed literature work. You need to sum up the main ideas and discover the structure of a checked article or dissertation. Remember, that a precis needs an objective view, thus there is no need to provide your personal opinion. This academic task requires essential points, clear structure, and precise revealing of the main ideas presented in work. You can find many precis samples online, and complete your task flawlessly. Make sure to check the main tips of critical precis presented below. Remember to summarize the main ideas presented in the analyzed paper and never try to provide your personal opinion. How to Start Performing a Precis Writing a precis is quite a complex process, which requires an ability to think critically, distinguish the main ideas from the entire content, and to provide an objective point of view. Here are some tips you can use for your precis performing: Read the analyzed article carefully and list the main ideas. Try to figure out what the author wanted to tell in his work. Check the evidence provided by the author. Restate the thesis provided by the author in your own words. Your opinions must be on-point and precise. Write a few sentences for each section. A precis is a short summary, thus it should not be too long. Re-read the article and make sure it is in accord with your summary. Check whether you have covered the main ideas. Make sure you use a logical structure. Check the accuracy of the written text. Check it for a few times to submit a flawless precis. Make sure to provide in your paper an analysis of the author’s tone and the way he used to communicate with the audience. The Main Features of a Good Precis A precis is quite a difficult work, but it can be performed perfectly if you know the main features of a good precis: Clear and precise text. No paraphrased sentences, but only own words used. Logical order of the provided text. Great title of the paper. Lack of any irrelevant details. Lack of any outside information. How to Write a Rhetorical Precis Rhetorical precis is a greatly structured piece of writing, which requires summing up the main ideas. It should be a brief summary, with the outlined main ideas and points. Make sure to check a needed format and stick to your writing plan. Follow the next useful tips and guides: Mention the name of the author, the title of the article, and the date of publishing. Explain the way the author proves the main arguments of the paper. State the main purpose of the author’s work. Reveal the way the author tries to communicate with the audience. When writing a precis, try to put all the ideas together, and catch the readers’ attention. Make a precis short and precise. Use your own words and an objective point of view. When writing a good precis, the student needs to provide a summary of the read text, article or dissertation, but without paraphrasing it. This complex academic task requires summing up ideas of the checked literature work and making some conclusions. A precis is an important and separate work, thus it never remains a simple paraphrasing. Besides, a precis does not require mentioning all the details presented in an analyzed literature work. You need to sum up the main ideas and discover the structure of a checked article or dissertation. Remember, that you must provide only an objective view, thus there is no need to tell your personal opinion. This task requires essential points, clear structure, and precise revealing of the main ideas presented in work.

Case Study Of Alpaca Clothing Private Limited †Free Samples

The most important factor that decides the fate of the international expansion is the cross cultural communication. Intercultural communication can be defined as the concept of communication styles and approaches that enhances the connection among people across different culture and societal groups. It can be considered as a construct that explores and analyses the effect of culture on communication and interaction. Common variables of intercultural communication includes social attributes, thought patterns, traditional values, principles, and cultural norms associated with different groups of people belonging to different ethnic or cultural backgrounds. It includes interconnected school of thoughts and theories that define intercultural communication and along with different attributes of communication (Chaney and Martin 2013). The concept of intercultural communication also explores the communication barriers that exist between two or more cultural backgrounds and how to overcome t hem. This assignment will utilize multiple domains of intercultural communication in order to explore, analyze, and overcome the communication barrier that exist in between two cultural backgrounds when it comes to a business scenario taking the help of a case study. The case study represents the scenario where clothing company by the name alpaca clothing Private Limited that has entertained a satisfactory sales in retail outlets in Australia This small scale company had had the first opportunity to expand to the Asian territory by the virtue of signing a contract for fibre processing service in China. However the company representative in the Chinese location chosen by the company is an Australian born marketing professional by the name of Jonathan Jones. However despite the expertise and professional competence of Jonathan, he had no basic idea of Chinese culture and has never lived abroad, hence his intercultural understanding was very limited. It has been already mentioned above that in case of cross-cultural business dealings the role of optimal intercultural communication is profound. It has to be mentioned in this context that Jonathan had no better understanding of the Chinese culture and had failed to facilitate effective and successful intercultural communication between the Chinese company site and his Australian counterpart and as a result, a few misunderstanding and negotiation flaws have had already occurred. For reviving the situation well planned and strategic intercultural communication and intervention is required taking help from cultural analysis and intercultural communication theories and core competencies. There are many theories that can be associated with the concept of intercultural communication. And each of the theories has a profound impact on the development of the intercultural communication competencies which are extremely required for any crosscultural representative to do his work properly. In the case study the most important flaw in Jonathan had been the fact that he had never lived outside his own country and had no understanding of how to blend in different cultural backgrounds (Jandt 2017). In order for him to succeed in his position and the present it is very important for him to understand different intercultural theories and develop the core competencies of intercultural communication. According to the theory of intercultural adaptation, the most effective method of intercultural communication is through learned communicative competencies. This theory directs the individual towards understanding the foreign culture and then adapting the communication pattern to blend in.   The next theory is co cultural theory, which defines communication with our interactions among underrepresented individuals (Samovar et al. 2014). This theory directs individuals to be accepting and open minded about the differences between two cultures and exercise equal position between the groups to facilitate optimal and culturally competent interaction. The theory of communication acculturation represents the cross cultural adaptation to be a task that can be accomplished with only collaborative effort between the parties involved. And on the other hand the communication accommodation theory relies on different linguistic strategies to decrease the communicative distance between two cultural backgrounds. Linking the main Idea behind the theories it can be mentioned that intercultural communication competencies can be developed with better understanding of the cultural differences, compassionate acceptance of the cultural differences, honest and strategic adaptation tec hniques, and most importantly collaborative effort between the parties involved (Carbaugh 2013). Now coming to the modern core competencies of intercultural communication the most important factors has to be proficient knowledge about the host cultural background and linguistic characteristics. Along with that communication can never be effective without emphasis on the nonverbal characteristics of the communication. For example traits like tone of voice, posture, communication approach, eye contact, time and space, and gestures account for the most important influencing factors of effective communication (Neuliep 2013).   Core competencies of intercultural communication can never be complete without mentioning key personality traits like flexibility, open-mindedness, empathy, equality, and adaptability in the individual. Hence, Jonathan as a company representative has to develop all these competencies in order to facilitate effective interaction between the both of the countries. In order to entertain effective intercultural interaction between both the countries, Jonathan will also need to have a thorough analysis of the cultural differences between the two countries.   Australia can be considered a very open minded, westernized, and modern society with an individualistic and progressive take to the lifestyle. China on the other hand is very traditional Confucian cultural societies where traditional values and principles are given the most importance over any modernized are progressive change. In order to better understand the cultural dimension differences between both the countries the help of hofstede cultural dimensions analysis can be taken.   Each of the cultural dimension looks at different aspect of culture and its importance effect on the society. On elaboration of the very first dimension, power distance in which Australia scores much lower than China at 36 indicating that the business culture of Australia is not dependent on unequal distributi on of power. Accessible, collaborative, and shared decision making is the main structural components of industrial culture of Australia and communication is informal direct and participative. China on the other hand is a Confucian society is a very high at the score of 80. It's very clearly indicates that the clear stratification of power among the organizational hierarchy and a very formal and respectful. The next dimension is individualism in which China ranks very low at score of 20 indicating a very collectivist culture in the society showcasing a Cooperative and collaborative lifestyle. Whereas Australia at the score of 90 shows a very individualistic and person based society. In the component of uncertainty avoidance Australia has a very intermediate score with no clear indication on whether the societal culture is appreciative of uncertainty or not, and on the other hand China had a much lower score of 30 indicating no acceptance towards uncertainty of change. In case of long term orientation, China has a score of 87 showcasing a very responsible and pragmatic social culture, and in contrast, Australia at 21 shows a normative culture. Indulgence is the next dimension where China scores very low at 21 showing a very restrained and disciplined society and Australia at 71 is an indulgent country with least importance to discipline and restrain (Hofstede Insights 2018). Hence it is clear that there are vast cultural differences between the both countries and inevitably in there are profound impact of the cultural difference on the business dealings and etiquettes of both the countries. For instance China is a Confucian society and the business etiquettes of this country is based on a strong power distance, discipline, and punctuality. Here the business dealings are very formal and everyone is expected to maintain a certain composure during the business interactions (Kleinman and Lin 2012). Formal courtesy and justice is also very important to the business etiquette of China and maintaining the respectful relationship is very important to the business etiquettes of the country. Communication is very formal, pleasantries and greetings are exchanged in a formal yet warm manner and conflict is avoided at all costs. Coming to nonverbal communication, in China, body language and posture is always expected to be formal and attentive that exhibit self contr ol and respectfulness that the country thrives on (Law 2012). Australia on the other hand is a much more organized and open minded country with a straight forward and innovative business mentality. The business hierarchy is open, accessible, and decision making is shared among the different organizational sectors with a warm participative communication statistics. There are not traditional restrictions to nonverbal communication, body language and appearance and the business etiquette is very similar to European cultural characteristics. Organizational hierarchy interacts warmly and regularly with the lower employees and their significant power distance in the Australian business etiquette and is very appreciative of change and innovation (Lantis and Charlton 2011). With such a vast difference between the business culture and societal norm among the both of the countries, defective communication is inevitable. However in order for the company representative to effectively counteract the barriers, identification and analysis of the barriers is very important. The very first barrier among the both of the countries and effective communication among them is the linguistic barrier. Australia is a mainly English language operated country and in China English is not the dominating operational language. Along with that another very common barrier to intercultural communication is the non verbal communication components. It has to be mentioned that China is a very formal and traditional country and Australia is a loud and open country (Casmir 2013). Hence factors that tone of voice, gesture, eye contact, body language, and vocal characteristics have a huge impact on the communication between both countries. Another key issue can be the stereotypic prejud ices among both of the cultures. Cultural competence and knowledge is acquired which is only developed through direct experience which Jonathan lacked terribly. Hence the differences between both cultures might have acted as prejudice refraining him from blending in with the cultural norms of China (Mindess 2014). Informal understanding and personality traits can also serve as communication barriers and cross cultural settings. It has to be understood that Jonathan had a very European and open minded are bringing and while, understanding of societal pleasantries might be very different from what is appreciated and accepted in China. Hence the lack of adaptivity to Chinese culture and basic knowledge about their lifestyle is a great hurdle that affected the communication significantly (Neuliep 2013). According to most of the authors, cultural competence is an acquired quality, and it can only be enhanced through effort and experience. The communication on misconduct among Australia and China in this case study has been facilitated by the lack of knowledge and intercultural competence in the chosen representative. However the culture intercultural communication analysis and cultural difference analysis done about can provide useful Framework based on which recommendation strategies can be devised for Jonathan to follow in order to improve his intercultural communication capabilities and aid to this position better. On a concluding note, it has to be mentioned that International expansion can only be effective when the cross-cultural factors are respected and addressed in an efficient and strategic manner. This case study is a excellent example of the impact lack of strategic planning and actions towards better intercultural interaction between two internationally cooperating business entities can have on the overall productivity and profitability of the business operation. Hence, for any international business dealings a thorough cultural analysis and comparison adjustment is needed before attempting the cross cultural business. Jonathan in this case had been chosen to represent the company in the Chinese society where has he had no idea about the cultural norms of the country or any core competencies of intercultural interaction. However with cultural comparison analysis and strategic action to improve the cultural competence and understanding of foreign culture corporate companies can easily succeed in international expansions. Asante, M.K., Miike, Y. and Yin, J. eds., 2013.  The global intercultural communication reader. Routledge. 2, pp123-150 Carbaugh, D. ed., 2013.  Cultural communication and intercultural contact. Routledge. Pp 185-193 Casmir, F.L. ed., 2013.  Ethics in intercultural and international communication. Routledge. Pp 150-165 Chaney, L. and Martin, J., 2013.  Intercultural business communication. Pearson Higher Ed. Hofstede Insights. (2018).  Country Comparison - Hofstede Insights. [online] Available at: https://www.hofstede-insights.com/country-comparison/australia,china [Accessed 14 Feb. 2018]. Jandt, F.E., 2017.  An introduction to intercultural communication: Identities in a global community. Sage Publications. Pp250-280 Kleinman, A. and Lin, T.Y. eds., 2013.  Normal and abnormal behavior in Chinese culture  (Vol. 2). Springer Science & Business Media.pp123-135 Lantis, J.S. and Charlton, A.A., 2011. Continuity or change? The strategic culture of Australia.  Comparative strategy,  30(4), pp.291-315. Law, W.W., 2012. Educational leadership and culture in China: Dichotomies between Chinese and Anglo-American leadership traditions?.  International Journal of Educational Development,  32(2), pp.273-282. Martin, J.N., 2015. Revisiting intercultural communication competence: Where to go from here.  International Journal of Intercultural Relations,  48, pp.6-8. Mindess, A., 2014.  Reading between the signs: Intercultural communication for sign language interpreters. Nicholas Brealey Publishing. 3, pp. 125-145 Neuliep, J.W., 2017.  Intercultural communication: A contextual approach. Sage Publications. 7. Pp 46-55 Ren, H., 2010.  Neoliberalism and culture in China and Hong Kong: The countdown of time. Routledge. , 3, pp 120-130 Renzaho, A., Green, J., Mellor, D. and Swinburn, B., 2011. Parenting, family functioning and lifestyle in a new culture: the case of African migrants in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.  Child & family social work,  16(2), pp.228-240. Samovar, L.A., Porter, R.E., McDaniel, E.R. and Roy, C.S., 2014.  Intercultural communication: A reader. Cengage Learning.1, Pp 141-153 vom Brocke, J. and Sinnl, T., 2011. Culture in business process management : a literature review.   Business Process Management Journal,  17(2), pp.357-378.

Business Strategy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Business Strategy - Assignment Example A company may adopt either a mechanistic or an organic approach while executing its business or any other role that it plays in the society. A mechanistic approach is characterized by high levels of bureaucracy and complex strategies of executing duties, which are carried out in a more formal way. On the other hand, an organic organization has lower degree of bureaucracy, is relatively centralized and show limited level of formality while executing its strategies (Herman, 1991, pp306). b) Alfred D. Chandler’s reading is a business classic. Explain why structure follows strategy. Does firm structure continually evolve? If yes, how does this take place? Give an example to illustrate. (7 marks) Any organization that ventures in any business must come up with strategies to achieve the best fit in the ever-competitive environment. In this case, the company has to decide on which strategy to adopt among other issues. It is indispensable to appreciate the fact that a company has to s trategize on which structure to adopt. In this case, strategy comes before structure. Most organizations evolve in order to acclimatize themselves to changes in the business environment. Furthermore, growing competition often forces a company to re-strategize and come up with better ideas to help it to operate profitably. This is the basis of evolution. In fact, a company may have to diversify its operations and provide new product that it were not producing initially (Herman, 1991, pp309). Furthermore, a company may come up with new departments to help it in tackling the numerous issues related to success. This is the basis of structural evolution in an organization. For example, Google Inc. has experienced an evolving organizational structure. Initially, it did not have representatives in other regions of its operations. However, it has had to introduce branches in such places in order to take care of its interests. Branches like Google South America, Google SE Asia, and Google Ea st Africa among others exemplify this. c) Bartlett and Ghoshal (1995) argue the benefits of transnational organizations. What is a transnational organization? Provide an example of a transnational organization, justifying your selection. (5 marks) A transnational organization as used by Bartlett and Ghoshal (1995) is a phrase used to illustrate an organization that carries out its activities in a global perspective and does not rely in any way with the differences that may exist in countries that it operates. Such an organization in most instances seeks to achieve the balance of providing globally efficient services, responsive to all its customers irrespective of their nationalities, and carries out worldwide development. Microsoft Inc. exemplifies this. The corporation is American-based, but it is obviously clear that it seeks to provide goods and services serving the global market (Segal-Horn & Faulkner 1999, pp 116). d) What do critical views and current findings tell us about t he link between strategy and structure? (3 marks) The current findings and views postulate a clear perspective that strategy and structure are intertwined facets in which one cannot operate in the absence of then other. It is essential to note that, strategies formulated by any organization are drawn from the status of the existing business environment. This will then be used to come up with the best structure that counters the weakness and takes advantage of the strengths at its disposal. The development of such a competitive advantage positions the company at a situation where it can capitalize its strategic options, which are often determined by the environment. a) Briefly explain the planning perspective and the incrementalism