Sunday, December 29, 2019

Coaching and Mentoring - Compare and Contrast - 884 Words

Question Compare and contrast the similarity and differences in coaching and mentoring? Answer - Coaching and mentoring are a popular tools and they results in a good capacity building practice. Coaching and mentoring provide opportunity for organisation and to introduce its issue without any threatning Coaching means helping another person to improve awareness, to set and achieve goals in order to improve a particular behavioural performance andCoaching is an on-going professional relationship that helps people produce extraordinary results in their lives, careers, businesses or organizations. Through the process of coaching, clients deepen their learning, improve their performance, and enhance their quality of life. In each meeting†¦show more content†¦Mentors, typically, are senior people drawn from outside the line management relationship who take us aside and enable us to benefit from their experience. If it is coaching we want however, we are probably best advised not to seek a more experienced person who may be overly tempted to persuade us to do it their way. Given that we can now see that coaching is wholly concerned with drawing out and not putting in, we can also see how it is possible for anyone with the right skills to coach us - their position in the organization is irrelevant. Differences between coaching and mentoring- Mentoring | Coaching | Ongoing relationship that can last for a long period of time | Relationship generally has a set duration | Can be more informal and meetings can take place as and when the mentee needs some advice, guidance or support | Generally more structured in nature and meetings are scheduled on a regular basis | More long-term and takes a broader view of the person | Short-term (sometimes time-bounded) and focused on specific development areas/issues | Mentor is usually more experienced and qualified than the ‘mentee’. Often a senior person in the organisation who can pass on knowledge, experience and open doors to otherwise out-of-reach opportunities | Coaching is generally not performed on the basis that the coach needs to have directShow MoreRelatedAssistant Coach : A Realistic Perspective Essay1270 Words   |  6 Pagesposition within the program and coaching staff. Assistant coach is hired by a head coach to make sure players, equipment and facilities are well-prepared and organized. However, some assistant coach has direct coaching responsibilities, while others only respond to the head coach s directive. The assistant job given the opportunities to work up the ladder by allowing the gain of knowledge and experience which are necessary to lead a team. While compare and contrast the chapter of The AssistantRead MoreEssay on Coaching Versus Mentoring2856 Words   |  12 PagesCritical Comparison of Coaching ‘v Mentoring The scope of this assignment is to critically compare and contrast the two approaches, reflecting on the relevance and value of each, to apply this to my organisation where possible and to offer recommendations where appropriate. Introduction Coaching Coaching can take many forms, life coaching, business coaching, performance coaching etc. As with mentoring and counselling it is about helping the individual to gain self awareness, but itRead MoreLife Coaching Essay1292 Words   |  6 Pages------------------------------------------------- LIFC 302 Marriage Coaching Course Description An examination and analysis of professional coaching applications that serve marital relationship concerns. The course covers marital issues from a Christian worldview with special attention given to a biblical foundation of marriage coaching and differences between coaching and counseling models. Rationale As a basis for their work, marriage coaches should have a thorough understanding of coaching models, theory, and applicationRead MoreFeedback and Support2761 Words   |  12 PagesCMC 4100: Coaching and Mentoring in the Clinical Setting Module 5: Feedback and Support in Coaching and Mentoring Module 5: Feedback and Support in Coaching and Mentoring An important aspect of coaching and mentoring is the ability to offer effective feedback and support. Again, these are transferrable skills which can be developed to help you facilitate a range of situations. It is also important that you personally receive effective feedback to assist you in your ongoing professional developmentRead MoreCompare And Contrast Big Five Model Of Personality732 Words   |  3 PagesI. Overview: This report compares and contrasts the personalities of Alex Sander and Ludo Sanchez using the Big Five model of personality. Big Five model is a highly regarded model for personality evaluation based on the five personality traits. Everyone exhibits these personality traits to a certain extent. These personality traits and their significance with the high and low score are shown in the table below: No. Personality Traits High Score People Low Score People 1. Agreeableness FriendlyRead MoreCultural Issues of Human Resource Management4615 Words   |  19 PagesInternational Journal of Evidence Based Coaching and Mentoring Vol. 5. No. 2 August, 2007 Page 45 Carrying Cultural Baggage: the contribution of socio-cultural anthropology to cross-cultural coaching Barbara St Claire-Ostwald, CINCRA International Coaching Training Consultancy, UK Email Contact: barbara@cincra.com Abstract This study examines the cultural awareness of professionals working in organisations. Given the multicultural nature of today’s workforce, it is becoming increasingly importantRead MorePersonality Traits Of Alex Sander And Ludo Sanchez723 Words   |  3 PagesI. Overview: This report compares the personalities of Alex Sander and Ludo Sanchez using the Big Five model of personality. Big Five model is a highly regarded model for personality evaluation based on the five personality traits. Each of these personality traits is exhibited to a certain extent by everyone. These personality traits and their significance with the high and low score are shown in the table below: No. Personality Traits High Score People Low Score People 1. Agreeableness FriendlyRead MoreLeadership Styles And Finding The Right One For You1235 Words   |  5 PagesOne for You There are many forms of leadership styles in the workplace. According to Gardner, â€Å"leadership is how one can persuade another to pursue the leaders or corporations goal or objective (Gardner, 1996). In this paper, I will explore and compare various leadership styles. Furthermore, I will determine what I believe are the most important aspects of the different leadership styles. In addition, I will identify what my leadership styles are along the way and how it fits into my nursing professionRead MoreCharacteristics of Managers and Leaders1568 Words   |  6 Pagesleadership involves the establishment of a new direction or vision for a group, leaders are usually the spearhead of the new direction. Therefore, leadership can generally be regarded as getting people to follow you to attain a common vision. In contrast, management is described as the ability and process to exercise administrative, supervisory, and executive direction of an organization, group, or team. Actually, management basically controls or directs people and resources in a particular teamRead MoreOrganizational Structure1067 Words   |  5 Pagesdirection to take. The Home Depot is one of the largest home improvement retailers in the world. Home Depot is one company that incorporates organizational structure in their day- to -day business. The Home Depot organization will be evaluated to compare and contrast the impact of organizational structure. The Home Depot The Home Depot was founded in 1978 by Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank. The Home Depot began changing consumers’ perspectives about how they could care for and improve their homes. The

Saturday, December 21, 2019

William Shakespeare s Lord Of The Flies - 1605 Words

Lord Brumenwald looked about the area. He’d just completed his inspection of the site. Despite the less than ideal circumstances, he knew the royal dignity remained intact. He could see the supportive (or at least tolerant) expressions in the mourners’ faces. He also noted that none of the visiting dignitaries seemed to be plotting against the Prince or Princess. In fact, unlike the imprisoned coup participants, the other royals included them. They did so enthusiastically. Perhaps there is a silver lining to this terrible ordeal. From this night shall perhaps come a new dawn? He watched Merlin speaking with Mithian and Gwen in the corner. The Prince may need some reminders on court manners. Imagine that Princess Mithian, as uncouth as†¦show more content†¦Speaking of acceptance, the transition must continue. With your indulgence, my Lords. He bowed again. Then he turned toward Mithian. His eyes met hers. She nodded and gracefully seemed to end the conversation with Queen Guinevere. Then she guided her fiancà © toward him. Queen Guinevere is certainly a role model in that regard. He recalled the consternation over Arthur’s marriage and rejection of Mithian. And now†¦now†¦we see Fate’s hand at her loom. Now the Princess has her true intended. Queen Guinevere shows her worth as well. â€Å"Lord Brumenwald, we are ready to begin?† Mithian queried expectantly. â€Å"Aye, Princess. We are indeed,† Brumenwald concurred. â€Å"We’re ready for you both.† Merlin managed a gracious smile for the Chancellor’s acknowledgment. He somehow kept his composure. Mithian nodded. Her emotions raged within her. Much as she’d advised Merlin earlier, she struggled to keep those inner undertows from drowning her in Pain’s brackish waters. She somehow muted her rasped breaths to a bare whisper. She understood the circumstances. Then she felt the gentle fingertips brushing across her hand. She grasped her Warlock’s hand instinctively. Amor buttressed her resolve. Thank you, Merlin. My pleasure. We are here for each other, Merlin replied over their link. Indeed. As we are for them as well. Mithian cleared her throat. â€Å"Greetings, Friends of Nemeth. To the rulers of our fellow kingdoms, we gratefully greet you. While Prince Merlin and I would wish forShow MoreRelatedWilliam Shakespeare s The Lord Of The Flies913 Words   |  4 PagesThe shapeshifter goes back and forth between ally and enemy. More often is someone in the hero’s life that was thought to be a friend but turns around and stabs the hero in the back. But it can go the other way as well. Someone that the hero thought was an enemy could end up being a great ally. The shapeshifter can be identified this way by the actions of the character or how the hero views the character. The guardian in the story is the character that tries to get the hero to abandon the quest.Read MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Lord Of The Flies1379 Words   |  6 PagesHenry enters the court with his different rulers. Suffolk has come back from France with Margaret, whom he shows to the lord as his new wife. He additionally brings a peace giveaway from France, which Gloucester peruses. He flounders when he goes to an entry about the French keeping the regions of Anjou and Maine consequently for Margaret. Gloucester is disturbed with this loss of area, once hard-won by Henry V and by alternate rulers in late French wars. He estimates the up and coming loss of FranceRead MoreThe Hero Of William Shakespeare s The Lord Of The Flies 1503 Words   |  7 Pagestalking about him. When he s caught, Will confesses what he has done and that convinces Halt that Will is the right candidate to become an apprentice Ranger. As he begins training, he begins learning the secret skills of the Rangers, he then realizes that speed, agility and intelligence are as important as physical size. Halt: Is a master of concealment in his green-and-grey hooded cloak. He is the Ranger of Redmont Fief, also among the Ranger Commandant Crowley s inner circle, and he was playedRead MoreThe Tragedy Of Julius Caesar And William Goldings Lord Of The Flies1346 Words   |  6 PagesIn William Shakespeares The Tragedy of Julius Caesar,William Golding’s Lord of the Flies , and C. S. Lewis’s Out of the Silent Planet all depict how mankind is born innocent and turned to evil. The stories show that this conversion to evil is caused by the influence of society or characters acting in the place of a society. The corruptibility of mankind is illuminated in these texts. The treachery, dishonesty, and murder as shown in the stories are not acts of innocence. In their books, the authorsRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Romeo And Juliet1636 Words   |  7 PagesDay to day, we interact with our family. These interactions can have a great influence on our emotional and psychological re sponses, and can destroy an individual’s self-worth, build it up, or do both. In Romeo and Juliet, a play written by William Shakespeare, two lovers from enemy families embark on a journey toward their death marked tragedy. Juliet, the wife, happens to kick-start the disastrous outcome of the relationship by drinking a sleeping potion as part of a plan to escape her family’sRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s Macbeth 1129 Words   |  5 PagesMoises Duran AP English Mrs. Windsor 02/10/16 Macbeth William Shakespeare wrote one of best tragedies in english literature, which was titled Macbeth. The tragedy, as it is considered by critics of yesterday s literary world, frown upon the evil dimension of conflict, offering a dark and atmosphere of a world dominated by the powers of darkness. Macbeth, more so than any of Shakespeare s other tragic protagonists, has to face the powers and decide: should he give in or should heRead MoreHamlet, By William Shakespeare1691 Words   |  7 Pagesthemselves. Thus causing many problems with being able to guarantee anything in day to day life. Is it certain that one will arrive to a destination unharmed? Can anyone’s safety be guaranteed? This same problem can be seen in the play Hamlet, by William Shakespeare. Hamlet’s whole life is based on uncertain ideas and in the end it collapses on him, as if he built a house on shifting sands. If there was no uncertainty in Hamlet, There would be no story line. As soon as H amlet was told to kill Claudius,Read More Othello’s Diversity of Imagery Essay2781 Words   |  12 Pages More than half the animal images in the play are Iago’s, and all these are contemptuous or repellent: a plague of flies, a quarrelsome dog, the recurrent image of bird-snaring, leading asses by the nose, a spider catching a fly, beating an offenceless dog, wild cats, wolves, goats and monkeys. To these Othello adds his pictures of foul toads breeding in a cistern, summer flies in the shambles, the ill-boding raven over the infected house, a toad in a dungeon, the monster ‘too hideous to be shownRead MoreThe Lady Of Shalott, By William Shakespeare1709 Words   |  7 PagesWilliam Shakespeare’s play Hamlet, has become a staple in contemporary society. Apart from the multitude of ingenious in this play, the character of Ophelia particularly places great importance on modern day woman. Ophelia’s importance throughout the play has been many times viewed as only her relation to Hamlet and the effect she has on him. Ophelia is important not just in this sense, but in respect of what she tells the reader about the society she lived in, in contrast to the society one livesRead MoreEssay about The Theme of Justice in King Lear1682 Words   |  7 PagesThe Theme of Justice in King Lear      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Many themes are evident in King Lear, but perhaps one of the most prevalent relates to the theme of justice.   Shakespeare has developed a tragedy that allows us to see mans decent into chaos.   Although Lear is perceived as a man more sinned against than sinning (p.62), the treatment of the main characters encourages the reader to reflect on the presence or lack of justice in this world.   The characters also vary in their inclination

Friday, December 13, 2019

Behaviorist Revised Free Essays

By properly incorporating repeated practices and mechanisms in the study of business math, an educator can actively create participation and appreciation of the course objectives. Also by properly incorporating mechanisms for motivation, students can appreciate the way the subject is taught. The overall rationale in creating world problems in teaching business math is to incorporate students the proper attitude and behavior that is deemed to address each problem. We will write a custom essay sample on Behaviorist Revised or any similar topic only for you Order Now This specifically coincides with the notion of a behaviorist approach by Skinner. Skinner is â€Å"one of the behaviorist psychologists saying that a measurable learning outcome is only possible if we change the learner’s behavior. † (Faryadi, 2007, p. 2) Basing from such idea, educators must incorporate the understanding that the students are responsive in the environment they are given into. It is through this that educators must understand the meaning of classical conditioning. This process usually involves having a stimuli and response from people. Conditioning students can be a very effective tool for them to acquire the information that they need. â€Å"The most efficient use of conditioned reflexes in the practical control of behavior often requires quantitative information. † (Skinner, 1976, p. 10) The use of examinations can be a gauge to determine their individual development as a student in accordance to guidelines and objectives of the subject. By incorporating exercises and exams, educators can control the tempo and analyze the way students grasp the subject they are studying. In addition, such world problems can help facilitate observable facts that the teacher can use to improve the subject he/she is teaching. It is the overall environment that It is through this rationale that the idea of behaviorism can be applicable in the realm of education. It seeks to foster a different way of arriving on how people learn. â€Å"In other words, behaviorism states that the mind does not help a person acquire knowledge but instead it is the psychology of the environment which a person lives. † (Faryadi, 2007, p. 3) Recognizing this, there is a need for educators and teachers to create motivational scenarios for students. These activities are called ‘positive reinforcement’ in behaviorism. One example of an activity would be creating a reward system for students who go above the expected results. This will motivate students to study harder on the notion of achieving extra credits. To conclude, creating examinations and exercises by teachers can be very helpful in determining the grasp of student in the subject according to the behaviorist approach. By carefully understanding its relative tenets, educators can facilitate better teaching and imparting of information which is vital in the overall learning process. In the end, such actions can motivate students to learn more given the proper amount of reinforcement. References Faryadi, Q. (2007) Behaviorism and the Construct of Knowledge in Education Resource Information Center (ERIC). Retrieved March 16, 2008. Skinner, B. F. (1976) Behaviorism. United States; Random House Inc. How to cite Behaviorist Revised, Papers

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Business IT Alignment Business Consumer Satisfaction

Question: Describe about the Business IT Alignment for Business Consumer Satisfaction. Answer: Introduction: The study includes the information that an organization can analyse and use for making better stand at the market and consumer satisfaction. Through the use of the Porters 5 forces that is a significant tool for understanding and investigating the competitive advantage, the organizations can create their future strategies. Through the discussion of web2 and web 3 technologies it has been derived that by utilizing this technologies the organizations can facilitate the user-interaction in terms of interface. In addition to that, web 2 and 3 allows the organization to social integration that allows to connect with the consumer 24*7. Porters 5 Forces: Tool for Analyzing Competitive Environment: Analysts all over the globe consider Porter's five forces as an extreme useful tool that is utilized for investigating the competition within business strategy development and industry. Advantages and Disadvantages: The advantages of the Porter's five forces are as following. The tool is simple to use and effective enough to support finding if any power lies within business situation (Porter 1979). Assists organization to gain better competitive position. The disadvantages of the Porter's five forces are as following. It ignores particular factors that are associated with the firm. The external factors are put on emphasis (Porter and Heppelmann 2014). Does not consider institutional issue as an inflectional force rather considers it as only a factor. It cannot assist if any revolutionary alteration occurs in the industry. Multi-industry conglomerates cannot be described or analyzed (Lee et al. 2012). Analysis: The five forces of the Porter's five forces are such as supplier power, buyer power, competitive rivalry, threat of substitution, threat of new entry. Figure 1: The Porter's five forces (Source: Porter 1979) Suppose someone is trying to buy a farm. If Porter's five forces are used then the following can be derived. Supplier power: The uniqueness of the product can affect the suppliers mentality to raise the price. If a product is very crucial for conducting the business it is supplied by one or two suppliers then the supplier can have control over the origination (Porter 1979). Threat of new entry: If the organization can profit from the business extensively then more organizations will be coming into the same industry. Competitive rivalry: Severe competition puts tough downward pressure on costs. The threat of substitution: Whether the product can be extensively used in the local area (Porter and Heppelmann 2014). Buyer power: The buyer power is strong is the competition becomes strong. Pressure on lessening the prices can occur (Lee et al. 2012). Strategic Alignment: IT-business alignment is the communication between the information technology and the business objectives of an organization. For gaining significant success, the organizations make use of these two factors and maintain it over time. The Objective of IT-Business Alignment: At present various organizations are making use of the information technology for attaining various advantages in the future. The advantages are such as reduced costs, enhanced productivity, developing fresh business strategies, sustaining repeatable service levels and many more (Luftman 2003). The role that has been reserved for information technology is specifically subservient in terms of business planning. The strategic divergences ae considered as the counter productive and extremely frustrating. This divergence results into complex IT infrastructure. Because of the complex infrastructure, sustaining and modifying the overlying business operations gets difficult. The prime purpose of the IT-business alignment is to assist the organizations to focus on business focus IT strategy approach rather than conventional retro-fitting business functionality. Improving the IT-Business Alignment: In this context, three strategies has been introduced for enhancing the IT-business alignment. Employing business relationship manager: Various organizations are considering to establish business facing roles that are responsible for developing and maintaining relationship between business and Information Technology (Luftman 2003). Changing vocabulary: All the organizations must utilize the business of reference and focus more on the business objectives rather than investing extensively in the information technology. Establishing governance activity: Through the implementation of the governance activity, the organizations can get great assistance in terms of decision making and investing (Grembergen 2000). The Advantages of Data Management: The benefits of the data management are as following. Allow establishing control: through the implementation of the control over its data, an organization can provide authorization to access its data as per its criteria and business rules (Farber et al. 2012). In addition to that, the organization can also determine that which users can carry out what kind of activities. Data map: The data map should not be considered as a one-time exercise. The data map assists in keeping the organizations data updated (Pitoura and Samaras 2012). This facilitates updating the database. Segmenting data: Through the use of the data mapping process sectioning the data will be simple and effective (Farber et al. 2012). Regular data hygiene activity: Decaying the data will be faster. The data mapping will assist the system to send accurate information to the right person (Pitoura and Samaras 2012). Significant of Adopting Web2 and Web 3 Technologies: Web 2.0: Social networking: Through the social networking, the furthermost migration of people into the virtual world has been possible. Because of this technology, the people are not only able to interact in the virtual world but also able to communicate overseas (Venkatesh, Croteau and Rabah 2014). Video sharing: The video are the most complex element among all thee multimedia. Through sharing the video of it and its product the organization can do promotion in a completely new way (Berthon et al. 2012). Web services and smashups: It utilizes and enables open flows of information from one online platform to another and one online service to another (Venkatesh, Croteau and Rabah 2014). Cloud computing: The cloud computing allows the organization to allow its employees to access the system from remote location (Berthon et al. 2012). Web 3.0: The most significant contribution of the Web 3.0 to the technology is that it allows accessing data from anywhere. The approach was driven the extensive use of the cloud applications and smart phones (Garrigos et al. 2012). Web 3.0 makes sure that a user can access as much data as required from anywhere. Threats that Generate from Dynamic and Complex Technology: One threat that is associated with the advance technology is that the employees get to lose their jobs to the machines as the machines are considered as more accurate than human (Tassey 2014). This is a serious threat to the society as the whole economical structure of the world will be changed. Another threat that the complex and dynamic technology poses that the vulnerability of the technology allows many attackers to gain the sensitive data of the organization. If the services of an organization are customer centric then most priority should be given to secure the information of the user (Bogard, Liu and Chiang 2013). Instead of so much security, the attacker gains access to the consumer data such as account related information. Conclusion: From the above study, it can be concluded that the organization irrespective of its industry can make use of the information technology for enhancing the business objectives and profit. The business-IT alignment is a very good approach for making the business grows in an rapid pace. Instead of having so much significance, the IT-business alignment can make the business vulnerable. Though many benefits and are drawbacks can be stated in the context of complex and dynamic technology, the use of more complex technology will assist in facilitating the daily lives of the people. References: Berthon, P.R., Pitt, L.F., Plangger, K. and Shapiro, D., 2012. Marketing meets Web 2.0, social media, and creative consumers: Implications for international marketing strategy.Business horizons,55(3), pp.261-271. Bogard, T., Liu, M. and Chiang, Y.H.V., 2013. Thresholds of knowledge development in complex problem solving: A multiple-case study of advanced learners cognitive processes.Educational Technology Research and Development,61(3), pp.465-503. Farber, F., Cha, S.K., Primsch, J., Bornhovd, C., Sigg, S. and Lehner, W., 2012. SAP HANA database: data management for modern business applications.ACM Sigmod Record,40(4), pp.45-51. Garrigos-Simon, F.J., Lapiedra Alcam, R. and Barber Ribera, T., 2012. Social networks and Web 3.0: their impact on the management and marketing of organizations.Management Decision,50(10), pp.1880-1890. Lee, H., Kim, M.S. and Park, Y., 2012. An analytic network process approach to operationalization of five forces model.Applied Mathematical Modelling,36(4), pp.1783-1795. Luftman, J., 2003. Assessing IT/business alignment.Information Systems Management,20(4), pp.9-15. Pitoura, E. and Samaras, G., 2012.Data management for mobile computing(Vol. 10). Springer Science Business Media. Porter, M.E. and Heppelmann, J.E., 2014. How smart, connected products are transforming competition.Harvard Business Review,92(11), pp.64-88. Tassey, G., 2014. Competing in advanced manufacturing: The need for improved growth models and policies.The Journal of Economic Perspectives,28(1), pp.27-48. Van Grembergen, W., 2000. The balanced scorecard and IT governance. InIRMA Conference(pp. 1123-1124). Venkatesh, V., Croteau, A.M. and Rabah, J., 2014. Perceptions of effectiveness of instructional uses of technology in higher education in an era of Web 2.0. In2014 47th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences(pp. 110-119). IEEE.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Socrates - The Republic Essays - Ethics, Morality, Crime, Sin

Socrates - The Republic The theme of The Republic is very complicated in some ways; it is a manual of sorts, which demonstrates how society can achieve virtue. In the beginning of the Republic, we are introduced to the fundamental question of the rest of the text, whether it is more beneficial to live justly (moral) or unjustly (immoral). It is also important to note that The Republic is not arguing which is better, but rather which is more beneficial, whether the just or unjust life will make one happier. I believe that morality is both instrumentally and intrinsically valuable and when morality is compared to immorality. First, let's take a closer look at morality. Morality is simply the politics of the passions, and it is often classed as a respect for manners and customs. Morality is that action which is acceptable to others, and mainly the majority. Many have said morality is our prejudices learned, as we grow older. Power often controls our morality. Yet, moral happiness should be the road all would choose, as it is the path of highest reward. Though morality is no more than a personal choice, more people could make the best choice, if it became monetarily easier to do so. Truth may be the founding father of morality, and universally unites morality, and immorality Moral rules must be flexible, society changes and with it so does morality. Morality must be as Agreed upon by, religious and non-religious alike, because morality, as everything else is part of an evolutionary process. By manifesting religious or scientific laws you manifest prejudice, ignorance and introduce immorality Morality is often vice to power, especially in decadent times. Yet, scientific morality knows the moral to be the best, and we should all know morality ends where force begins. To become totally moral is impossible, but to throw away morality is to throw away the human soul. On the other hand, many show that immorality has its advantages materialistically, but not realizing the dangers of being immoral. Socrates was one of the most influential philosophers, and his views on morality and immorality are equally beneficial, depending on the views and actions of people. There are many instance when moral conduct could be considered immoral and visa versa. ?Let's put it this way,' I said. ? A moral person doesn't set himself up as superior to people who are like him, but only to people that are unlike him; an immoral person, on the other hand, sets himself up as superior to people who are like him as well as to people who are like him.' (Page 34, 349c, The Republic) This paragraph is trying to illustrate the difference between what being moral and immoral is. A person who is moral only thinks of themselves superior over those that are immoral, because an immoral person is a less moral person. But the person that is immoral thinks of himself or herself as superior to everyone, making that one of many reasons they are considered immoral. Thus, bringing a better acknowledgement of the difference between moral and immoral. Socrates proves that justice brings unity to any group of people, since it allows them to trust and rely on each other. He points out that the gods are just, so an unjust person is their enemy. He proves that justice is the virtue of a person's soul, and permits it to function well, a just person will function well, live happily, and an unjust person will not. He also demonstrates that morality is more beneficial to its possessor. An individual gains happiness by being moral, whether or not they accumulate anything material. ?The point is that immorality has a bad name because people are afraid of being at the receiving end of it, not of doing it. (344c, page 27, The Republic) Although people take pleasure from material things, it is safer being moral than immoral, because immoral actions have consequences. People would behave immorally, only if they knew they could get away with it, having no consequences. Society often favors those who are moral than those who are immoral. Morality is more acceptable and makes that person more influential, knowledgeable, intellectual, and analytic. A moral person has many opportunities that

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Comparison of television violence and solid parenting essays

Comparison of television violence and solid parenting essays The people of this country have a problem with facing facts. Everyday we turn on the news only to hear about children dying in the streets, the playgrounds, and even in there own homes. Many will blame TV for problems with children and teenagers citing that kids today have no morals or conscious. But it isnt the problem the problem is abusive parents, fewer after school sponsored activities, and children practically raising them selves while both or one parent works all the time. When children are neglected they find activities to get them attention including becoming violent, this is not the result of watching to much TV. Charles Oliver from REASON magazines cites For 30 years or so television defined a broad-based popular American culture. But beginning in the 80s, that culture began to break down, dividing into small subcultures, as technology, deregulation, and market demand made it increasingly difficult for the broadcast networks to attract a broad national audience. In turn each of these subcultures influences each other, producing a mainstream culture that is currently evolving at an ever more-rapid rate(Oliver 58). By this he shows that each generation is different from the others and what defined one group wont define the others. Obviously this shows the generation gap, and also why older folks dont understand the younger generations psyche, the television dosent influence but takes the place of the missing mommy and daddy. Others such as David Grossman who wrote the article Trained to kill will argue that children are taught to be mindless drones through the television. Killing is a learned skill. And they learn it from abuse and violence in the home and, most pervasively, from violence as entertainment in television, the movies, and interactive video games(Grossman 114). Grossman a former military psychologist has seen many soldiers and taught them how to adj...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

The difference between chinese and british consumer behaviour on Literature review

The difference between chinese and british consumer behaviour on coffee consumption - Literature review Example The literature review will give information on how the attitudes affect consumer behaviour. It will investigate the actual and post purchase behaviours where it will include information such as where and how coffee is purchased in the two countries. It will also explain about the factors that affect the post purchase behaviour of the consumers. The literature review will describe the coffee shop atmosphere and how it will influence consumer behaviour. Other models of consumer behaviour will also be discussed under this topic. Consumer behaviour on coffee consumption in China Gillespie, Jeannet and Hennessey have argued that coffee consumption depends on the consumer income. Starbucks gave coffee market in China a priority as it believed in Chinese youth consumers. Coffee sales have increased and shown a positive growth. Starbucks has improved its marketing strategies by reducing coffee prices. The writers have stated that coffee is mostly consumed by elite consumers, tourists and exp atriates as they are the most targeted group by the coffee operators. They influence other consumer to have a coffee preference. Consumers that are attracted or like the luxury products tend to consume more coffee than other consumers. Increase in consumption level has lead to increase in coffee stores in the country who are competing amongst themselves (Gillespie, Jeannet, & Hennessey, 2010). Nagel has also argued that Starbuck has helped to increase coffee preference in China. An increase in coffee consumption has been experienced in the large cities such as Hong Kong, Beijing and Shanghai. These cities have been flexible enough to adapt western culture such as coffee drinking, due to the attraction of the western lifestyle. The Chinese in the big cities have changed their consumer behaviour due to the influence of different cultures and westernisation. The growth of coffee consumption in some cities has been affected by the government and the Chinese traditions. Nagel also believ es that consumer behaviour among the Chinese youth have changed towards coffee consumption. They have accepted the coffee culture and its associated lifestyle. They now prefer premium coffee and they are drinking grounded coffee, due to its sweet smell compared to instant coffee. Nagel also complements that coffee consumption in China is seen to be a luxurious lifestyle, due to its exceedingly high cost. He concludes that the coffee consumption in China is increasing especially among the youth who grew after culture revolution (Nagel, 2008). Zinzius has states that China has been a tea drinking country but it has slowly adapted coffee drinking culture. This has been greatly influenced by the coffee shop atmosphere. Coffee consumption in China is quite low as many have not adapted to its bitter taste. Others complain that it is keeping them awake till late in the night. Starbucks is one of the companies that have affected the consumer behaviour on coffee consumption in China. The com pany has opened stores that increased coffee consumption and has targeted the youth such as students, young managers and employees. Despite the coffee being expensive, the consumers prefer coffee shops to tea shops as they are mostly filled with smoke and a lot of noise. The tea shops are mostly dominated by the adult population. The company has also offered training in coffee classes to enlighten them

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Free Will and Fate in Sartres No Exit and Sophocles' Oedipus Tyrannus Essay

Free Will and Fate in Sartres No Exit and Sophocles' Oedipus Tyrannus - Essay Example Although they conceded that man had the power to choose and make decisions for himself, they felt that these decisions inevitably ended up playing into the hands of fate. This can be seen clearly in Oedipus Tyrannus. Oedipus learns from the Oracle that it is his fate to murder his biological father and sleep with own mother. Upon learning of his fate, Oedipus flees from the land of his youth in an attempt to escape his fate. After he becomes king, Oedipus seeks to learn the truth behind the murder of his father which caused the land of Thebes to be cursed. He summons the blind prophet Teiresias who hints at the truth which eerily echoes the oracle's prediction: Even though Oedipus tried to escape his fate by attempting to flee, his destiny overrides his free will as he ignorantly winds up fulfilling the oracle's prophecies of patricide and incest. In this play, fate is seen as the master of man's destiny and it shows how man is virtually helpless when it comes to living out his preordained destiny. By contrast, Jean Paul Sartre's No Exit has the major underlying theme of existentialism; that is that man and man alone controls his destiny. Existentialism is the belief that there is no God or fate and therefore man is in charge of his own destiny. Basically, the past is past and has no bearing on today, what is here and now is the reality. Man has the free will to choose to be free or he can be imprisoned by letting other people choose his destiny for him. Also by allowing himself to become imprisoned by the past, man is condemning himself to a life that can't be lived. Of the three main characters in No Exit, two are doomed to an eternity in Hell because of their failure to take responsibility for their actions which got them there in the first place. Besides blaming others for her problems, Estelle even blames her death on fate, "then two years ago I met the man I was fated to love. We knew it the moment we set eyes on each other. He asked me to run away with him, and I refused. Then I got pneumonia and it finished me." Estelle is saying that because she denied her destiny, her punishment was death. In life and in death, Estelle allows others to create her self image rather than take responsibility for her own life, this can be seen when she asks the others repeatedly how she looks and through the use of Inez as her mirror, she shows how she is still letting other people determine who she is. Estelle and Garcin both refuse to give up the past, as they go over and over the events that brought them to Hell. Their inability to live in the present, in effect condemns them to Hell. In Hell as on earth, Garcin continues to leave his existence in the hands of other people. Garcin let other people decide who he was on earth, at one point even declaring, "I've left my fate in their hands." In Hell, he allows Estelle to determine who he really is by allowing her to define if he is a coward. Garcin's inability to leave Hell even when the door is open shows how he lets his fear of being responsible limit his choices and eventually condemns himself.

Monday, November 18, 2019

Understanding Primary Source Readings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Understanding Primary Source Readings - Essay Example Robert Strayer scholarly work is primarily based on world history and has also written various books on the same subject. Among them â€Å"The Ways of the World† narrated by him describes about the various aspects about the ancient world. The chapter 2 of the book â€Å"The Occupations of Old Egypt† generally reflects the various elements and aspects pertaining to the lifestyle and occupation of Egyptian people during the ancient time3. More specifically, the author, Robert W. Strayer in this chapter describes about the occupational trend of the Egyptian civilization. This document demonstrates about the division of labor and social hierarchy existed between â€Å"Paleolithic communities† and â€Å"agricultural village societies† in Egypt. The occupational system of Egyptian civilization is commonly known as â€Å"First Civilizations which is described in an Egyptian text known as â€Å"Be a Scribe†4. Robert W. Strayer describes the variation in the standard of work and various communities living during the Egyptian Civilization according to their hierarchical positions. This was the period of middle kingdom the author in his document â€Å"The Occupations of Old Egypt† of the book describes about the worst standard of living of Paleolithic people, which included washer man, potters, cobblers and merchants and crewers as well as the â€Å"agricultural village societies† which primarily included peasants and mansions. They have to struggle to have existence of life. During Egyptian civilization in Mesopotamia and Egypt, Barter System was extensively used as the system of exchange. This system was abundantly used by â€Å"Paleolithic communities† and â€Å"agricultural village societies† to exchange the materials such as food and clothing and other necessary requirements essential for every individual of the society. They used to give some material which they procured and in exchange, they take

Friday, November 15, 2019

Portrayal of Schizophrenia in Clean, Shaven

Portrayal of Schizophrenia in Clean, Shaven Elizabeth Davis Abstract Media portrayals of mental disorders often provide the only contact one may have on the topic. Because of this, filmmakers have a duty to accurately portray the disorders. Clean, Shaven provides first-hand look into the frightening symptoms of schizophrenia in an attempt to humanize the disorder and admonishes society for false presuppositions based upon those suffering from mental disorders (Lim, 2006; Owen, 2012). Portrayal of Schizophrenia in Clean, Shaven In Clean, Shaven, Lodge Kerrigan attempts to place the viewer in the mind of Peter Winter, a schizophrenic recently released from a mental institution, through the use of strange camera angles and a bizarre, glaring soundtrack (Byrne Kerrigan, 1993). The film seeks to humanize the day-to-day struggles of life dealing with the symptoms of schizophrenia, such as auditory and visual hallucinations. One of Winter’s auditory hallucinations fits especially well with this theme: â€Å"For you it’s paranoia. For me it’s a reality† (Byrne Kerrigan, 1993). In addition, the film comments on society’s discrimination against mental illness by allowing the viewer to falsely assume Winter murders a young girl (Byrne Kerrigan, 1993). Symptoms and Diagnosis According to the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia, one must exhibit at least two of the five active symptoms: delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, grossly disorganized or catatonic behavior, and negative symptoms (Oltmanns Emery, 2015). Additionally, at least one of the symptoms must be one of the first three (delusions, hallucinations, and/or disorganized speech) and must occur for at least one month (Oltmanns Emery, 2015). Clean, Shaven only provides a brief glimpse into Peter Winter’s life, however during this time, he does exhibit both delusions and hallucinations, as well as catatonic behavior and inappropriate affect (Byrne Kerrigan, 1993). Winter suffers from delusions that during his commitment to a mental institution he underwent a surgery to implant a radio transmitter in his finger and a receiver in his head (Byrne Kerrigan, 1993). In two separate scenes, Winter attempts to remove both the transmitter and the receiver, speaking to the persi stence of the delusions (Byrne Kerrigan, 1993). Additionally, Winter suffers from both visual and auditory hallucinations, the latter of which he believes originate from the transmitter in his finger (Byrne Kerrigan, 1993). According to Oltmanns and Emery (2015), catatonic behavior may be expressed through excited and over-activity, such as pacing or repetitious movements. Repetitious movements appear at several times throughout the film, especially in times Winter is exceptionally stressed, such as in a scene in which he repeatedly bangs a card catalogue in a library (Byrne Kerrigan, 1993). Winter also exhibits inappropriate affect. Upon reuniting with his daughter who was placed for adoption when Winter was committed, Winter expresses increasing agitation instead of happiness (Byrne Kerrigan, 1993). The DSM-5 enumerates additional criteria for diagnosis. The B-level criterion addresses the level of dysfunction in major areas of life, such as self-care, work, and interpersonal relationships (Oltmanns Emery, 2015). Because Winter has spent an unknown quantity of time in a mental institution and is just being released in the beginning of the film, his job performance cannot be analyzed, however, the viewer will note a steady decline in personal grooming throughout the film (Byrne Kerrigan, 1993). In the beginning, Winter exhibits fastidious grooming habits, keeping his clothes meticulous and his hair neatly trimmed (Byrne Kerrigan, 1993). During a shower scene, Winter is seen scrubbing down with steel wool, suggesting a compulsive aspect to his hygiene habits (Byrne Kerrigan, 1993). Towards the end of the film, Winter becomes markedly disheveled (Byrne Kerrigan, 1993). An interaction with his mother reveals strained interpersonal relations (Byrne Kerrigan, 1993). The remainin g diagnostic criteria were not addressed in the film due to the limited dialogue and the time constraints of the film. However, judging by the age of Winter’s daughter and comments on the onset of the symptoms made by his mother, it can be inferred that his symptoms have persisted for a time period exceeding the necessary six months. The quality and duration of symptoms along with the level of dysfunction confirm the diagnosis claim of schizophrenia. Causes of Schizophrenia According to Oltmanns and Emery (2015), the interaction of both biological and environmental factors combine to cause schizophrenia. A wealth of data supports a physiological and genetic component to schizophrenia, based upon brain scans showing structural abnormalities and evidence of neurotransmitter dysfunction (Oltmanns Emery, 2015). However, this evidence only supports a predisposition to the disorder that may remain dormant until an environmental factor triggers the expression (Oltmanns Emery, 2015). Oltmanns and Emery (2015) state environmental triggers include complications during pregnancy or birth, maternal malnutrition, certain viral infections. A correlation between schizophrenia and various social factors has also been found. For example, the highest concentration of schizophrenia occurs amongst those with the lowest socioeconomic statuses (Oltmanns Emery, 2015). According to Oltmanns and Emery (2015), two theories exist to explain this phenomenon: social causation, in which the status causes the disorder, and social selection, in which the disorder forces the status. Additionally, higher rates of schizophrenia occur in those who immigrate from another country, perhaps causing social adversity that triggers the disorder (Oltmanns Emery, 2015). It is unclear what combination of factors caused Peter Winter’s disorder. His mother mentions that as a child he had a strong attachment to a neighbor’s dog and became despondent and uninterested in enjoyable activities when the dog passed away (Byrne Kerrigan, 1993). Additionally, she mentions that he dropped out of college after only a few months, lost 20 pounds, and cut contact with the family, which is within the typical age of onset (15-35 years of age) for schizophrenia (Byrne Kerrigan, 1993). Judging from setting elements in the film, such as the fishing industry and farm houses, Winter lived in a predominantly working class town, which supports the social causation hypothesis (Byrne Kerrigan, 1993). Media Messages on Schizophrenia and Mental Health Filmmakers, when representing a mental disorder, have a moral obligation to accurately portray that mental disorder. According to Owen (2012), many cinematic depictions are based upon misinformation. In her analysis of 42 film characters, Owen (2012) found all depictions of schizophrenics carried some form of incorrect information. For example, 79 percent of these characters were male, a much higher rate than in actual occurrence (Owen, 2012). Additionally, 95 percent were Caucasian, whereas schizophrenia occurs at a much higher rate with African-Americans (Owen, 2012). Byrne and Kerrigan (1993) are guilty of dissemination both of those inaccurate depictions in Clean, Shaven. Owen (2012) found that while Clean, Shaven did rely on some inaccuracies, they were â€Å"inconsequential and did not detract from an overall accurate and compelling portrayal of schizophrenia† and praised the film for providing a â€Å"realistic and sympathetic representation [of the] day-to-day struggl es to cope with symptoms.† Of additional note, Kerrigan allows the audience to formulate presuppositions about Peter Winter’s guilt. In the opening scene, Winter sits in his car as a girl bounces a soccer ball against the windshield. Startled by the sound and frightened by the glare she gives him, Peter steps out of the car and walks off out of camera range. Next the viewer hears loud bangs and a girl screaming, then Winter gets back in the car with a large item wrapped in orange plastic bags. In a later scene, Detective Jack McNally is called on a case of the murder of a girl who looks similar to the girl with the soccer ball. Throughout the movie, McNally, and the audience as well, believes Winter murdered the girl, however he is unable to find any conclusive evidence. In a final scene, McNally rips open the orange plastic to find nothing but newspapers. This interplay comments on society’s false notions that the mentally ill are much more likely to commit violent acts (Oltmanns Emery, 2015; O wen, 2012). The viewer is left questioning whether the sounds of violence from the beginning were just another of Winter’s auditory hallucinations. In conclusion, Clean, Shaven provides a unique, sympathetic view into the life of someone suffering with schizophrenia. Byrne and Kerrigan (1993) portray auditory and visual hallucinations realistically and in a way that the viewer experiences them as if his own, providing more understanding for the development of the delusions. References Byrne, J. D. (Producer), Kerrigan, L. (Director). (1993).Clean, Shaven[Motion picture]. United States of America: DSM III Films. Lim, D. (2006). Clean, Shaven: Inside man. The Criterion Collection. Retrieved from http://www.criterion.com/current/posts/453-clean-shaven-inside-man Oltmanns, T. F. Emery, R. E. (2015). Abnormal psychology (8th Ed.). Boston: Pearson. Owen, P. R. (2012). Portrayals of schizophrenia by entertainment media: A content analysis of contemporary movies. Psychiatric Services, 63(7), 655-659. doi: 10.1176/appi.ps.201100371

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Cold war responsibility Essay -- essays research papers

Activity #4 – Essay â€Å"Truman was more responsible for the Cold War than Stalin was.† President Truman was convinced from the beginning that Stalin intended to take over countries based solely by the fact that there were communist parties present in them. France, Italy and even China, are perfect examples of this. And in the Greek civil war it wasn’t the USSR that was giving aid to the communists, it was Yugoslavia. It was obvious that Stalin had no major plans for any kind of global communist domination. But nevertheless, Truman placed the blame for the growing popularity of communism’s ‘political poison’ on Stalin, and convinced the American people to share his outlook. Without even looking at the fact that no USSR troops were in Greece, Truman and his advisers jumped on the chance to put forward their ‘domino theory’. This was a theory that said that if the communists won the Greek civil war, the end result would be Russian control of the whole middle east. He used this theory to justify military intervention in Greece, and ultimately, his ‘Truman Doctrine’ telling the entire world that the US was ready for a war. He told the ‘free peoples’ of the world that the time had come to choose between alternative ways of life – the communist way, or the democratic way. Stalin did not do this. President Truman worked with the British Prime Minister to introduce the Deutschmark into West Berlin. While it did eventually achieve his goal of creating an economically viable Germany, i...

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Marriage versus living together

Trends are showing that there is a change in the way intimate relationships are constituted throughout the world. Cohabiting, in the absence of a marriage contract has only become so common over the past few decades. This practice of living with a partner in an intimate relationship that does not involve signing a marriage contract, referred to by any of the terms consensual unions, cohabiting unions, cohabitation, or living together, is evidenced both in developed and developing countries. Mokomane (2005) notes an increase over marriage in this type of relationship (p. 57). Kenny and McLanahan also observe that, in the U. S., cohabitation has surpassed marriage as the preferred mode of intimate unions. It is useful, therefore, to understand differences between a cohabiting and a marriage relationship, in order to determine why couples are now choosing this type of union over marriage. The most apparent difference between a marriage and a cohabiting relationship is in their institutional makeup. A marriage is, by its very nature, a contractual type of relationship where both couples agree to an intimate union. A cohabiting relationship is also an agreement between two partners. The difference is that a marriage requires signing a legal document representative of the couples’ legal obligations to each other. In a cohabiting union such legality is not evident. Marriage relationships are therefore more permanent than cohabiting unions specifically because of this legality. A cohabiting couple may choose to end a relationship at any time without facing much external difficulties but a married couple has to apply for a divorce. Simply put a married couple is legally accountable for either staying together or separating while this is not so in the case of cohabiting couples. Mokomane (2005) notes a further difference in the average age of individuals who enter either union. She has observed that couples in a cohabiting relationship are usually much younger than those in a cohabiting relationship. From her research it was discovered that cohabiting men and women average 37.9 and 32.8 years respectively while their married counterparts average 51.3 and 45.6 years respectively based on the 2001 census in the U.S. (p. 63). This is suggesting that cohabiting relationships is usually the first choice relationship and later there is the transfer into a marriage union when the individual gets older. It has also been noted that married couples earn more than their cohabiting counterparts. According to Clarkberg (1999), income is usually a predictive factor for individuals to get married. She argues that, since individuals with more income seem to be the ones that enter into married unions, then a good income is probably seen as a requirement for entering into a married union. Clarkberg cites research conducted in Puerto Rico in which it was concluded that cohabiting relationships are ‘a poor man’s marriage’(p. 947). Markowski, Croake and Keller also found that cohabiting couples had more lifetime partners than married couples suggesting a higher rate of promiscuity in the former group. They establish that cohabiting couples are more likely than married couples to have had more than six sexual partners (p. 33). Finally research has found that there is a higher rate of domestic violence among couples that are cohabiting than those that are married. Even further there are also higher rates of homicide within this group (Kenny & McLanahan, 2006). In consistent cases it has been found that the rate of domestic violence among married couples is significantly less than the rate among cohabiting couples. These researchers estimate that cohabiting relationships are between two and four times more likely to involve domestic violence than married relationships. It appears therefore that, for reasons of economy and because of its perceived permanence, more persons are staying away from marriage relationships, at least in their younger days, while enjoying the privileges of an intimate living relationship with their partner. Related essay: â€Å"My Ideal Wife† Reference Clarkberg, M. (1999). The price of partnering: The role of economic well-being in young adults’ first union experiences. Social Forces, 77(3), 945-968. Kenny, C. T. & McLanahan, S. S. (2006, Feb). Why are cohabiting relationships more violent than marriages? Demography, 43(1), 127-140. Markowski, E. M., Croake, J. W. & Keller, J. F. (1978, Feb). Sexual history and present sexual behavior of cohabiting and married couples. The Journal of Sex Research, 14(1), 27-39. Mokomane, Z. (2005). A demographic and socio-economic portrait of cohabitation in Botswana. Society in Transition, 36(1), 57-73.   

Friday, November 8, 2019

Free Essays on Alan Paton

Alan Paton teacher, author, and politician was one of South Africa's most remarkable people. Repelled by the racism he saw all around him in his homeland, he wrote Cry, the Beloved Country, the book that had the most profound effect in the worldwide struggle against apartheid. It is in this book, that he portrayed his life through so many characters and scenes to give the best explanation possible for his fight for justice and equality. This book remains one of South Africa’s greatest novels. It is a true-life portrait of its author, Alan Paton. Alan Paton was born in 1903 in Pietermaritzburg, Natal. He was the oldest of four children and the son of Eunice and James Paton. He was taught to read and write before he started school and as a result he was rapidly advanced all throughout his school years. At the age of fifteen he was starting his college education for a science degree in teaching. After receiving his degree, he was sent to a small farming town of Ixopo, as a housemaster at the high school there. Ixopo would later become increasing familiar in his book, Cry, the Beloved Country. While in Ixopo, Paton took long walks in the hills, which he described in his book. There is a lovely road that runs from Ixopo into the hills. These hills are grass-covered and rolling, and they are lovely beyond and singing of it. The road climbs seven miles into them, to Carisbrooke; and from there, if there is no mist, you look down on one of the fairest valleys of Africa. About you there is grass and bracken and you may hear the forlorn crying of the titihoya, one of the birds of the veld. Below you is the valley of the umzimkulu, on its journey form the Drakensberg to the sea; and beyond and behind the river, great hill after great hill; and beyond and behind them, the mountains of Ingeli and East Griqualand (Paton 33). This would become the famous start to the first two parts of the novel, Cry, the Beloved Country... Free Essays on Alan Paton Free Essays on Alan Paton Alan Paton teacher, author, and politician was one of South Africa's most remarkable people. Repelled by the racism he saw all around him in his homeland, he wrote Cry, the Beloved Country, the book that had the most profound effect in the worldwide struggle against apartheid. It is in this book, that he portrayed his life through so many characters and scenes to give the best explanation possible for his fight for justice and equality. This book remains one of South Africa’s greatest novels. It is a true-life portrait of its author, Alan Paton. Alan Paton was born in 1903 in Pietermaritzburg, Natal. He was the oldest of four children and the son of Eunice and James Paton. He was taught to read and write before he started school and as a result he was rapidly advanced all throughout his school years. At the age of fifteen he was starting his college education for a science degree in teaching. After receiving his degree, he was sent to a small farming town of Ixopo, as a housemaster at the high school there. Ixopo would later become increasing familiar in his book, Cry, the Beloved Country. While in Ixopo, Paton took long walks in the hills, which he described in his book. There is a lovely road that runs from Ixopo into the hills. These hills are grass-covered and rolling, and they are lovely beyond and singing of it. The road climbs seven miles into them, to Carisbrooke; and from there, if there is no mist, you look down on one of the fairest valleys of Africa. About you there is grass and bracken and you may hear the forlorn crying of the titihoya, one of the birds of the veld. Below you is the valley of the umzimkulu, on its journey form the Drakensberg to the sea; and beyond and behind the river, great hill after great hill; and beyond and behind them, the mountains of Ingeli and East Griqualand (Paton 33). This would become the famous start to the first two parts of the novel, Cry, the Beloved Country...

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Free Essays on Politics In Business

What is Power? â€Å"Power is defined simplistically as the ability to get others people to do something that you want them to do† (Buhler, 2001). Power is control and many people are given the power to control other in their every day task. When one person controls the power and politics, that individual has complete domination. There are a number of people in this position, CEO, CFO, Human resources or just your manager has the power to change your life. â€Å"Just a decade ago, most organization reflected the traditional pyramid with the power concentrated at the top–most levels of the hierarchy. Today the reality is very different in many organization. Now, power is distributed more evenly throughout most organizations. This is a result of the empowerment of the workforce. This empowerment, however, has resulted in a major paradigm shift. It has required that everyone think very differently about the concept of power today† (Buhler, 2001). Every organization has politics that dominate the everyday lives of it workforce. The politics usually begins at the top of the pyramid. The whole political environment within a company can determine how long your employment will be and how much you will be paid. â€Å"Politics is one of the mechanisms that enable you to get things done through other people. Politics even helps share the culture of your organization. Organization politics is concerned with the use of actions to meet individual goals through means that the organization doesn’t necessarily sanction. Political behavior is generally outside the formal authority of the organization. You can use political behavior to achieve organizational or individual goals. It is the misuse and abuse of power and politics that has given both bad names. Politics is defined as the process of gaining and using power in the organization† (Buhler, 2001). We s... Free Essays on Politics In Business Free Essays on Politics In Business What is Power? â€Å"Power is defined simplistically as the ability to get others people to do something that you want them to do† (Buhler, 2001). Power is control and many people are given the power to control other in their every day task. When one person controls the power and politics, that individual has complete domination. There are a number of people in this position, CEO, CFO, Human resources or just your manager has the power to change your life. â€Å"Just a decade ago, most organization reflected the traditional pyramid with the power concentrated at the top–most levels of the hierarchy. Today the reality is very different in many organization. Now, power is distributed more evenly throughout most organizations. This is a result of the empowerment of the workforce. This empowerment, however, has resulted in a major paradigm shift. It has required that everyone think very differently about the concept of power today† (Buhler, 2001). Every organization has politics that dominate the everyday lives of it workforce. The politics usually begins at the top of the pyramid. The whole political environment within a company can determine how long your employment will be and how much you will be paid. â€Å"Politics is one of the mechanisms that enable you to get things done through other people. Politics even helps share the culture of your organization. Organization politics is concerned with the use of actions to meet individual goals through means that the organization doesn’t necessarily sanction. Political behavior is generally outside the formal authority of the organization. You can use political behavior to achieve organizational or individual goals. It is the misuse and abuse of power and politics that has given both bad names. Politics is defined as the process of gaining and using power in the organization† (Buhler, 2001). We s...

Monday, November 4, 2019

Legal issues Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Legal issues - Assignment Example The increase of the patient’s blood pressure to 40 mm Hg within just an hour is a pertinent issue, which the nurse should have reported to the physician immediately. Nurses are also mandated to speak to physicians about changes in patient conditions, rather than leaving messages (Wolf, 2012). Therefore if the nurse in this scenario claims that she left a message for the physician about the rapid increase in the patient’s blood pressure before going for lunch, she would have violated the legal obligation of nursing practice. The professional code of conduct as presented within the Nursing Practice Act provides that nurses must go further up in the chain of command in an event when they are not able to get the physician (Mikos, 2011). Therefore inability to get the physician would not be an excuse for the nurse’s behavior in this scenario. The nurse violated the procedures and policies of nursing practice and is therefore liable to the violations and penalties of the Nursing Practice Act. Nurses are responsible for knowing and adhering to the procedures of care, such as reporting patient conditions. It is through education and training that nurses are made aware of nursing policies and procedures. Despite the knowledge of the nurse of the procedures of reporting the conditions of the patient, she ignored implementing them. Negligence is a legal issue in health care processes, which described the inability of practitioners to demonstrate due care (Mikos, 2011). In this scenario, the nurse was negli gent because she did not show due care in reporting the high and increasing blood pressure of the patient, and instead went for lunch. When a health provider fails to do what should prudently and reasonably done, then negligence is reported. A breach of duty is also categorized under negligence (Wolf, 2012). The nurse breached her duty of reporting the change in the patient’s condition. The critical nature of the patient’s blood

Friday, November 1, 2019

Human Resource Information Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Human Resource Information Systems - Essay Example The HR departments came under pressure with routine work trying to cope with administration and providing more services online, that they could not provide value-added services such as knowledge management, culture management, and strategic direction and renewal. Gradually the focus shifted from playing a purely technical administrative role to being actively involved in the strategic planning and management of an organization. It became essential to add value to enhance competitive advantage. The second perceived need was to incorporate IT in HRM practices. HR functions were transferred to digital formats and even though technology is underutilized, it is increasingly being used in functions such as recruitment, selection, training, promoting, terminating and in complying with legal requirements. IT systems led to the introduction of e-HRM which saves time and costs particularly with online recruitment and training systems. While HRIS can bring substantial savings to an organization , it is necessary that the managers and employees understand the benefits of the new system and are actually ready to use it. Getting the system to adapt to a new system is the greatest difficulty according to Beulen (2009). E-HRM can increase the amount of information provided to people as they obtain online access to HRM policy and practice handbooks. Online notification of holidays and other events facilitate strategic processes while people can even register for training courses online (Paauwe & Farndale, 2004, p11). E-HRM enables help people be constantly ready for change while encouraging online training and learning activities. It also facilitates collaboration between individuals through discussion groups and video-conferencing. It is also known to enhance employee interaction, work-life balance as they can deal with certain personal tasks while at work. In addition to improved accuracy, timely and

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Business Planning and Feasibility Assessment Essay

Business Planning and Feasibility Assessment - Essay Example The primary target market of the clothing store will be the tourists of Dammam city. As Dammam is a prime tourist spot and many tourists from across the world come to Dammam to visit or for business purposes, thus it will prove to be a large customer base for clothing store.The secondary target customers will be the residents of Dammam. The population in Dammam city is growing rapidly and the people tend to follow the western culture and fashion. Therefore, soon there will be much demand for fashionable clothes in Dammam city. As there is limited number of clothing store in Dammam, it will be easy to attract large number of customers. In the first operating year, it is estimated that the growth of clothing store will be moderate and cash in hand/bank will be positive. The clothing store will not sell on credit rather it will accept cash and all kinds of cheques and credit cards. The initial investment will be 150000000 SR (Saudi Riyal). The cost of land and building is estimated as 9 0000000 SR and Machinery will be bought about 30000000 SR. The estimated cost of Furniture is 15000000 SR. Depreciation will be charged on machinery and furniture to 8% and 2% per annum. In the first operating year it is estimated that the forecasted sales is 30000000 SR. The Gross Margin is accounted as 30% of the total sales. The cost of insurance is estimated as 9% of total gross margin and the selling & distribution expenses are calculated as 70000 SR (estimated figure). According to Saudi Arabia’s tax rate the income tax is charged as 20% on revenue. Fig: 1 Shows Estimated Income Statement of the Clothing Store Income Income (SR) Expenditure (SR) Sales 30000000 Gross Margin (30% of Sales) 9000000 Expenditure Payroll (9 ? 10000 ? 12) 1080000 Insurance (9% of Gross Margin) 810000 Depreciation on Machinery (8%) 2400000 Depreciation on Furniture (2%) 300000 Selling & Distribution Expenses 70000 Profit Before Tax 4640000 Income tax (20%) 928000 Profit After Tax/Net Profit 371 2000 Fig: 2 Shows Estimated Financial Statement of One Year of the Clothing Store Liabilities Asset Capital Investment 150000000 Land & Building

Monday, October 28, 2019

From the Concert of Europe to the Cause of the First World War Essay Example for Free

From the Concert of Europe to the Cause of the First World War Essay After the fall of Napoleon there was a need to create a balance of power that would preserve the peace between European monarchies. Also to redraw the map of Europe and to restore the countries in crisis after their defeat of Napoleon. The main goal of the Concert was to contain France and prevent another ascend of authority such as Napoleon Bonaparte. The origins of The Concert of Europe begin from the international conference called by the victorious allied nations in Vienna – The Congress of Vienna. It took place in September 1814 to June 1815 and is mostly considered as the precursor to today’s United Nations. The Congress was highly successful in achieving its goal, as there were no wars between European countries for almost 40 years. One could say that the Concert of Europe is still continuous, but with different players, goals and name. Thus The Concert of Vienna was first of its kind and in addition Europe had not seen such cooperation between major powers before, it nonetheless made numerous decisions that shaped Europe to its historic course. For instance France was deprived from lands Napoleon had conquered. Britain got several strategic colonial territories, also gaining control of the seas. France and Spain were restored under rightful bloodlines. However the numerous decisions and outcomes were pompous, concentrating on the needs and wants of four main powers Austria, Russia, Prussia, and Great Britain. The Concerts main accomplishment was the securing of independence for Greece (ironic) by sending fleets to fight against invading Ottoman-Egyptian armies. Thanks to three great powers, Russia, The United Kingdom and France, Greece was finally recognized as an independent nation that it is today. In Belgian revolution the Great Powers recognized Belgium as an independent state. After that the signs of collapse of the alliance started to appear. The goal of the Concert of Europe was to keep a balance of power between leading countries in Europe, but if the balance starts to change to someone’s favour then the conflicts begin to arise. The sudden development of Egypt and their successful war against Ottomans brought about fear in European powers. A collapse of Ottoman Empire could have had a destabilizing effect to every country especially to the United Kingdom. England was not only worried for loosing economic benefits and militarily strong state in Mediterranean, but also about Egypt’s close ties to France. Britain preferred a weakened but intact Ottoman Empire that would give it the strategic and commercial advantages it needed to maintain its influence in the region. This all lead to what was called the Oriental Crisis of 1840 where United Kingdom, Austrian Empire, The Kingdom of Prussia and the Russian Empire backed Ottoman Empire against Egypt. France did not accept with the terms The Concert of Europe offered to Egypt, not siding with any of the rivals, but stayed ‘neutral’. Eventually after numerous military conflicts Egypt accepted the terms and Ottoman Empire got back all its lost fleets and territories. The significant downfall of The Concert of Europe was Crimean War in 1853 when Russian Empire started its expansion, which was against the main idea of the Congress of Vienna. It was all powered by the weakening Ottoman Empire and religious disputes till Russia made its move on Constantinople which was owned by the Turks. Afterwards European powers joined in to prevent Russia from growing too powerful. Followed three years of hostilities on five theatres till Russian Empire was eventually stopped. Being the first major armed conflict in Europe after the settlement at the Congress of Vienna, Crimean War signified the downfall of the Concert of Europe. At the Treaty of Paris, signed on March 30, 1856, the real looser was Austria. Having chosen to defy the Russians in the Balkans, Austria lost main ally, and over the next few years it appeared that Britain and France were not interesting in cooperation. Moreover, the Crimean War was the collapse of the Vienna Settlement, the system that had enabled Austria, Britain, France, Prussia and Russia to cooperate and maintain peace for three decades. The Crimean War placed the basis for two powerful new nation states Italy and Germany. The new six-power European system demonstrated to be less stable than its forefather, while the expectation that political and diplomatic aims could be satisfied by war led these states to adopt ever closer alliances. The Crimean War was a turning point in European history, marking the end of the Vienna settlement, and the beginning of a new system. In spite of all, the Great Powers finally returned to war in 1914, almost hundred years after the Congress of Vienna. Alliances and common pacts all end in the course of time, lead by human needs and personal gains, sooner or later. (And the outcome is war ofc) The First World War begun with a simple murder of Austrian-Hungarian royalty, at least that is the simplified reason. In reality it only triggered the war; the actual roots of the war are much deeper and more complicated than a simple bullet in the Archdukes neck. Rise of nationalism and its movements in Europe created such secret societies that used terrorist methods to promote their views. Slavic people in Bosnia and Herzegovina wanted no longer to be a part of Austria-Hungary, but instead be to be a part of Serbia. Viewing it in this way, it could be said that nationalism led Slavic people to rebel against their occupiers that ended with the First World War Increased military and naval rivalry led not only to the belief that war was close and increase in military control of the civilian government also there was an increased cooperation between allied countries. For example United Kingdom, France and Russia held secret military talks. The British and the French naval authorities agreed that the French navy should be concentrated in the Mediterranean and the British in the North Sea. Germany and Austria also had military agreements. When the First World War began, it was to be fought by all powers because they were locked into the conflict from the beginning by contracts and alliances. European powers had formed themselves into two rival groups called the Triple Entente versus the Triple Alliance and the interests of these groups clashed in many parts of the world before 1914. Whenever a clash arose, the two groups seemed to be on the edge of war. Believably, on some level, it eventually led to hatred of each other. Contributing fact was that after 1870, the European nations began to acquire colonies in Asia, Africa and the Pacific. Their imperialistic activities led to another clash of interests. It could be said that the underlying causes for war are the same as for everything else in life. One decision affects the other to ad nauseam. It was possible that politicians knew that war was at their doorstep, but I am sure they did not know that over 15 million people will have to pay for it with their lives. Could the First World War be avoided is doubtful, because of the tense relations, rivalry and complicated alliance systems. It was a small scale war between Austria-Hungary and Serbia that transformed into world war. The same could easily happen today when China or USA supports North or South Korea over the conflict. History repeats itself and we need to learn from it. Poking your nose into other people’s business is not the smartest plan when both sides have powerful ‘’brothers’’ positioned farther back.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Socrates: The Greek Philosopher :: essays research papers

The life of the Greek philosopher Socrates (469-399 BC) marks such a critical point in Western thought that standard histories divide Greek philosophy into pre-Socratic and post-Socratic periods. Socrates left no writings of his own, and his work has inspired almost as many different interpretations as there have been interpreters. He remains one of the most important and one of the most enigmatic figures in Western philosophy. As a young man Socrates became fascinated with the new scientific ideas that Anaxagoras and the latter's associate Archelaus had introduced to Athens. He seems for a time to have been the leader of an Athenian research circle--which would explain why the first appearance of Socrates in literature is as a villainous, atheistic scientist in The Clouds of Aristophanes. Young Socrates also knew the Sophists and listened to their debates and ceremonial orations. Socrates and the Sophists Neither science nor Sophistry, however, could answer a new philosophic questio n that struck him. The earlier Greek thinkers had been concerned almost wholly with physics and cosmology until the Sophists suggested that what should be done instead was to teach young men skills to satisfy their natural self-interest. Instead, Socrates wondered: "What is a 'self'?" Although "Know Thyself!" was one of three sayings carved on the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, the directive proved difficult to carry out. The so-called scientific views of the time, particularly that of atomism, defined the self as a physical organ that responded to environmental pressure. Socrates felt, however, that the Sophists, for all their talk of self-interest, had little curiosity about the status of a self; they assumed that it was merely an isolated center constantly greedy for more pleasure, prestige, and power. The Sophists further thought that the values that people advocated were all conventional, varying from one culture to another, and that no one would ever act again st his or her own interest, regardless of how many people talked as though they would. This complex of ideas offered little to explain human nature and excellence. Socrates' Later Life and Thought Socrates, setting about his search for the self, was convinced of the importance of his quest. Until educators and teachers knew what human excellence was, he thought, they were engaging in false pretenses by claiming that they knew how to improve students or societies. Socrates believed that objective patterns, or "forms," exist that define human excellence, that these are neither culturally relative nor subjective, and that philosophic inquiry could discover them.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Essay --

On Friday November 15, 2013, I attended a concert that I found very interesting. It took place at 7:30 pm at the First Presbyterian Church of the Covenant. The group performing was the Erie Chamber Orchestra but as a special the Slippery Rock University Concert Choir was also there. During the performance I attended, two pieces were performed. The first was a Mozart piece by the name of Symphony No. 41 or Jupiter. The second and final was the Lord Nelson Mass composed by Joseph Haydn. In this concert, the two performances differed greatly unlike the last performance that I went to. The previous one that I attended had music that all sounded very similar to me. That could just be my lack of experience with American music, especially music that was composed hundreds of years ago. This time, there was vocal accompaniment with the second piece which clearly made it much different than the other works that I listened to. The Lord Nelson Mass was one that I enjoyed more and I feel that is because of the choir that performed. Although it is not the type of music that I usually listen to, it is still has some more similarities than the symphony by Mozart. The Lord Nelson Mass composed by Haydn was my favorite performance of the evening. The choir immediately captured my attention and seemed to do the same for everyone else in the audience. I was very impressed by the fact that the choir was made up entirely of college students. It was also stated that some of them sing in the choir just for fun as they are not music majors. There seemed to be an appeal in the fact that the singers were mostly very young. The piece as a whole was also very enjoyable. There was a lot of contrast which I really enjoyed. The music would be very loud and then... ...orgettable. Overall, I was very impressed by the concert and I feel that the rest of the audience was also. The expectations for the members of the Chamber Orchestra are high and those were met but I feel that the expectations for the choral group were not as high. My expectations for the choir were not very high and they were immensely exceeded. The level of talent in that group was something that I was really not expecting at all. Emotionally, I was brought in by The Lord Nelson Mass and it was an interesting experience. Technically, I feel that everyone was flawless though I do not have a lot of experience in music. The type of music performed will never be my favorite; however, it is something that I can really appreciate. The concert that I attended last Friday was an interesting one where I got to have some new experiences and learn about classical music. â€Æ'

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Leadership qualities of harry s. truman

Harry S. Truman became President of the United States with the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt on April 12, 1945. During his nearly eight years in office, Truman confronted enormous challenges in both foreign and domestic affairs. The leadership paradigm of the Truman years represented a blend of 19th century principles and postwar austerity. He was admired for his ability to maintain his Midwestern demure while being one of the world’s most prominent leaders as President of the United States. Truman was a compromise candidate for vice president, almost an accidental president after Roosevelt’s death 12 weeks into his second term. Truman’s stunning come-from-behind victory in the 1948 election showed how ordinary Americans, perhaps, appreciated his personal qualities of integrity and straightforwardness as McCullough notes, because he was one himself. Most Americans in the 1950s did not expect that Harry Truman would become one of their most highly regarded presidents. Truman's assets were his firm personal principles, his honesty, humility, intellectual integrity, and homespun character, and his ability to speak plain truths. Regardless of his lack of preparation, these qualities enabled him to face the challenges of the cold war, make portentous decisions, and retain the respect of the electorate, who accepted him as one of them. He could be magnanimous, as in his gesture of consulting with former President Herbert Hoover, long barred from the Roosevelt White House. He could be intrepid, as in his determination to remove General Douglas MacArthur from command in Korea, in order to preserve the superiority of the civilian government over the military. In 1948 Truman won the most unexpected election upset of the century. He ultimately prevailed. Truman succeeded Franklin D. Roosevelt as president before the end of World War II. He responded quickly to new challenges. Impulsive, he proved willing to make quick decisions when necessary. Additionally, he took responsibility for his decisions. His slogan, â€Å"The Buck Stops Here†, is famous in American politics. Intellectual integrity is another area in which Truman’s values are evident. A chief strength of his was the ability to admit the need for help.   By incorporating the strengths of his staff, Truman was able to make educated and well thought out decisions. He attempted to galvanize himself as a knowledgeable and effective leader. Acheson never ceased to be impressed that Truman had no trace of imperiousness about him and never let his ego to come between him and his job. Truman’s handling of Palestine is another example of his effective leadership. The issue of whether or not to create a unified Jewish state was divisive and risky. Although he left the presidency in 1953 at low ebb in his popularity, his standing rose again over the years. After his death on December 26, 1972, he achieved the status of folk hero. Songs proclaimed: â€Å"America Needs You Harry Truman.† A Broadway play, â€Å"Give ‘Em Hell, Harry† was based on his life story, and biographies of him became best sellers. Truman’s legacy has become clearer and more impressive in the years since he left office. Most scholars admit that the President faced enormous challenges domestically, internationally, and politically. While he occasionally failed to measure accurately the nation’s political tenor and committed some significant policy blunders, Truman achieved notable successes. Domestically, he took important first steps in civil rights, protected many of the New Deal’s gains, and presided over an economy that would enjoy nearly two decades of unprecedented growth. In foreign affairs, the President and his advisers established many of the basic foundations of America foreign policy, especially in American-Soviet relations, that would guide the nation in the decades ahead. On the whole, Truman is currently celebrated by the public, politicians, and scholars alike. REFERENCE McCullough, D. (1992). Truman. New York: Simon & Schuster.            

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Life and Travels of Ibn Battuta, World Explorer and Writer

Life and Travels of Ibn Battuta, World Explorer and Writer Ibn Battuta (1304–1368) was a scholar, theologian, adventurer, and traveler who, like Marco Polo fifty years earlier, wandered the world and wrote about it. Battuta sailed, rode camels and horses, and walked his way to 44 different modern countries, traveling an estimated 75,000 miles during a 29 year period. He journeyed from North Africa to the Middle East and Western Asia, Africa, India and Southeast Asia. Fast Facts: Ibn Battuta Name: Ibn BattutaKnown For: His travel writing, which described the 75,000-mile journey he took during his rilha.Born: February 24, 1304, Tangier, MoroccoDied: 1368 in Morocco  Education: Schooled in the Maliki tradition of Islamic lawPublished Works: A Gift to Those Who Contemplate the Wonders of Cities and the Marvels of Travelling or The Travels (1368 Early Years Ibn Battuta (sometimes spelled Batuta, Batouta, or Battutah) was born in Tangier, Morocco on February 24, 1304. He was from a fairly well-to-do family of Islamic legal scholars descended from Berbers, an ethnic group indigenous to Morocco. A Sunni Muslim trained in the Maliki tradition of Islamic law, Ibn Battuta left his home at the age of 22 to begin his rihla, or voyage. Rihla is one of four forms of travel encouraged by Islam, the best known of which is Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina. The term rihla refers to both the travel and the genre of literature that describes the journey. The purpose of rihla is to enlighten and entertain readers with detailed descriptions of pious institutions, public monuments and religious personalities of Islam. Ibn Battutas travelogue was written after he returned, and in it he stretched the conventions of the genre, including autobiography as well as some fictional elements from the adjaib or marvels traditions of Islamic literature.   The first seven years of Ibn Battutas Travels took him to Alexandria, Mecca, Medina, and Kilwa Kiswani.   Wikipedia Users Setting Off Ibn Battutas journey began from Tangier on June 14, 1325. Originally intending to make a pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina, by the time he reached Alexandria in Egypt, where the lighthouse was still standing, he found himself entranced by the people and cultures of Islam.   He headed for Iraq, Western Persia, then Yemen and the Swahili coast of East Africa. By 1332 he reached Syria and Asia Minor, crossed the Black Sea and reached the territory of the Golden Horde. He visited the steppe region along the Silk Road and arrived at the oasis of Khwarizm in western central Asia.   Then he traveled through Transoxania and Afghanistan, arriving in the Indus Valley by 1335. He stayed in Delhi until 1342 and then visited Sumatra and (perhaps- the record is unclear) China before heading home. His return trip took him back through Sumatra, the Persian Gulf, Baghdad, Syria, Egypt, and Tunis. He reached Damascus in 1348, just in time for the arrival of the plague, and returned home to Tangier safe and sound in 1349. Afterwards, he made minor excursions to Granada and the Sahara, as well as to the West African kingdom of Mali. A Few Adventures Ibn Battuta was mostly interested in people. He met and talked with pearl divers and camel drivers and brigands. His traveling companions were pilgrims, merchants, and ambassadors. He visited countless courts. Ibn Battuta lived on donations from his patrons, mostly elite members of Muslim society he met along the way. But he was not just a traveler- he was an active participant, often employed as a judge (qadi), administrator, and/or ambassador during his stops. Battuta took a number of well-placed wives, generally daughters and sisters of the sultans, none of whom are named in the text.   Ibn Battuta is thought to have reached Asia.   Wikimedia Users Visiting Royalty Battuta met countless royals and elites. He was in Cairo during the reign of the Mamluk Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad ibn Qalawun. He visited Shiraz when it was an intellectual haven for Iranians fleeing the Mongol invasion. He stayed in the Armenian capital of Staryj Krym with his host, the governor Tuluktumur. He detoured to Constantinople to visit Andronicus III in the company of the Byzantine emperor Ozbek Khans daughter. He visited the Yuan emperor in China, and he visited Mansa Musa (r. 1307–1337) in West Africa.   He spent eight years in India as a qadi in the court of Muhammad Tughluq, the Sultan of Delhi. In 1341, Tughluq appointed him to lead a diplomatic mission to the Mongol emperor of China. The expedition was shipwrecked off the coast of India leaving him with neither employment nor resources, so he traveled around southern India, Ceylon and the Maldive islands, where he served as qadi under the local Muslim government. History of the Literary Rilha In 1536, after Ibn Battuta returned home,  the Marinid ruler of Morocco Sultan Abu Ina commissioned a young literary scholar of Andalusian origins named Ibn Juzayy (or Ibn Djuzzayy) to record Ibn Battutas experiences and observations. Over the next two years together, the men wove what would become the Book of Travels, based primarily on Ibn Battutas memories, but also interweaving descriptions from earlier writers.   The manuscript was circulated around different Islamic countries, but not much cited by Muslim scholars. It eventually came to the attention of the west by way of two adventurers of the 18th and 19th centuries, Ulrich Jasper Seetzen (1767–1811) and Johan Ludwig Burckhardt (1784–1817). They had separately purchased abridged copies during their travels throughout the Mideast. The first English language translation of those copies was published in 1829 by Samuel Lee. Five manuscripts were found by the French when they conquered Algeria in 1830. The most complete copy recovered in Algiers was made in 1776, but the oldest fragment was dated 1356. That fragment had the title Gift to Those Who Contemplate the Wonders of Cities and the Marvels of Traveling, and is believed to have been a very early copy indeed if not an original fragment.   The complete text of the travels, with  parallel Arabic and a French translation, first appeared in four volumes between 1853–1858 by Dufrà ©mery and Sanguinetti. The full text was translated first into English by Hamilton A.R. Gibb in 1929. Several subsequent translations are available today.   Criticism of the Travelogue Ibn Battuta recounted tales of his travels throughout his voyage and when he returned home, but it was not until his association with Ibn Jazayy that the stories were committed to formal writing. Battuta took notes during the journey but admitted that he lost some of them along the way. He was accused of lying by some contemporaries, though the veracity of those claims is widely disputed. Modern critics have noted several textual discrepancies which hint at substantial borrowing from older tales.   Much of the criticism of Battutas writing is aimed at the sometimes confusing chronology and plausibility of certain parts of the itinerary. Some critics suggest he may have never reached mainland China, but did get as far as Vietnam and Cambodia. Parts of the story were borrowed from earlier writers, some attributed, others not, such as Ibn Jubary and Abu al-Baqa Khalid al-Balawi. Those borrowed parts include descriptions of Alexandria, Cairo, Medina, and Mecca. Ibn Battuta and Ibn Juzayy acknowledge Ibn Jubayr in the descriptions of Aleppo and Damascus.   He also relied on original sources, relating historical events told to him in the courts of the world, such as the capture of Delhi and the devastations of Genghis Khan. Death and Legacy After his collaboration with Ibn Jazayy ended, Ibn Batuta retired to a judicial post in a small Moroccan provincial town, where he died in 1368. Ibn Battuta has been called the greatest of all travel writers, having traveled farther than Marco Polo. In his work, he provided priceless glimpses of the various people, courts and religious monuments around the world. His travelogue has been the source of countless research projects and historical investigations. Even if some of the stories were borrowed, and some of the tales a bit too marvelous to be believed, Ibn Battutas rilha remains an enlightening and influential work of travel literature to this day. Sources Battuta, Ibn, Ibn Juzayy, and Hamilton A.R. Gibb. Ibn Battuta, Travels in Asia and Africa 1325-1354. London: Broadway House, 1929. Print.Berman, Nina. Questions of Context: Ibn Battuta and E. W. Bovill on Africa. Research in African Literatures 34.2 (2003): 199-205. Print.Gulati, G. D. Ibn Battuta in Transoxiana. Proceedings of the Indian History Congress 58 (1997): 772-78. Print.Lee, Samuel. The Travels of Ibn Batuta Translated from the Abridged Arabic Manuscript Copies. London: Oriental Translation Committee, 1829. Print.Morgan, D. O. Battuta and the Mongols. Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society 11.1 (2001): 1-11. Print.Norris, Harry. Ibn Battuta on Muslims and Christians in the Crimean Peninsula. Iran the Caucasus 8.1 (2004): 7-14. Print.Waines, David. The Odyssey of Ibn Battuta: Uncommon Tales of a Medieval Adventurer. London: I.B. Tauris Cp, Ltd, 2010. Print.Zimonyi, Istvn. Ibn Battuta on the First Wife of Ãâ€"zbek Khan. Central Asiatic Journal 49.2 (2005): 303-09. Print.