Business Ethics Is an Oxymoron

Introduction Business ethics refers to application of rules and regulations that govern business conduct by both individuals and organizations (Shaw 35). It forms a basis for the philosophy that gives a business or an organization a purpose to operate. The complexity and demands of business in today’s world have changed how business is executed. Business owners determine what is ethical and what is unethical (Duska 73).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Business Ethics Is an Oxymoron specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Business and ethics are incompatible and that is why business ethics is an oxymoron. The main purpose of a business is to make profits. However, this is difficult to achieve without adopting stringent measures considered unethical by the society such as aggressiveness and competition. These measures ensure that business transactions are profitable and lead to growth of a business despite being co nsidered unethical. Discussion Business ethics is an oxymoron because business and ethics are incompatible. Therefore, businesses should focus on what they do and leave ethics to individuals. Looking at their respective definitions gives an indication of two contradictory sets of principles. To ensure success in business, it is necessary to prioritize personal interests. This requires aggressive competition with other businesses, an insatiable appetite for money and power, and stringent business principles. It is difficult to achieve these business ideals by being overly ethical (Shaw 43). The contradiction presented by business ethics is similar to that which faces employees when required to make decisions that involve conflict of interest. Business and ethics have different objectives that are incompatible. Business values conflict whereas ethics does not. The globally accepted concept of business is competition for available resources while trying to hoard as much resources as po ssible (Duska 77). Aggressive competition leads to creation of a hierarchy that divides people into different economic classes leading to elimination of those who are unable to compete. This is considered unethical because it does not give equal opportunities to everyone. However, that is the foundation for success in business. Business ethics does not play a role in the business world where making profit is the motivation for setting up and running a business (Duska 78). Examples of contemporary use of unethical measures include Enron, Bernie Madoff, and the subprime mortgage scandal that led to the great recession.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The examples show that even though business ethics is lauded as vital in business, it does not apply in the business world and only exist as a concept (Shaw 55). In most cases, high profits are attained by engaging in unethical pr actices. In addition, business ethics involves doing the right thing. Businesses prioritize by first doing what is right for their operations and then what is right for customers. Furthermore, business ethics is an oxymoron when looked at from an altruistic perspective. For example, in some religions such as Islam, taking interest is unethical. However, it is ethical in many other religions (Boatright 63). This view represents an extreme side of business ethics that is determined by religion. Many business decisions and operations involve intricate situations that are neither fully ethical nor fully unethical. As such, it is difficult for businesses to do the right thing. Values such as respect, honesty, and trust determine an individual’s ethical behavior. However, they are disregarded during tough situations that demand stringent measures. The same principle applies to business. Some situations are so difficult that they necessitate measures that are otherwise considered un ethical (Boatright 66). Businesses deal with numerous challenges such as inappropriate use of resources and mismanagement of business operations. These activities are executed by unethical individuals who fail to put the interests of the company first. It occurs automatically that businesses are forced to share the consequences of these unethical behaviors among all stakeholders (Boatright 68). Otherwise, they fail to achieve their goals and objectives. It is the responsibility of a buyer or customer to conduct due diligence to ensure that a product or service on sale is of high standards (Duska 84). Businesses should focus on providing the product. Businesses provide goods and services that match the financial abilities of customers. For example, during an economic recession, customers have little money to spend. Therefore, businesses cannot provide the same goods and service they provide when customers have a lot of money to spend (Shaw 58). This is because products of high qualit y have more expenses and that is why they are expensive. However, customers consider it their right to receive the same quality of service all the time. To businesses, this is hard to achieve unless customers are willing to spend more money. Otherwise, services will be of a lower quality. Conclusion Business ethics is an oxymoron because of the incompatibility between business and ethics. They both have different aims. Success in business requires practices that are considered unethical by the society. For example, aggressive competition and elimination of competitors by stringent measures is considered unethical because it denies other businesses an opportunity for prosperity. Business and ethics are incompatible. Therefore, businesses should focus on what they do and leave ethics to individuals.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Business Ethics Is an Oxymoron specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Works Cited Boatrigh t, John. Ethics and the Conduct of Business, 6/e. New York: Prentice Hall, 2000. Print. Duska, Ronald. Contemporary Reflections on Business Ethics. New York: Springer, 2007. Print. Shaw, William. Business Ethics. New York: Cengage Learning, 2010. Print. This essay on Business Ethics Is an Oxymoron was written and submitted by user Christine Adkins to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Gay Marriage A Subject of Controversy essays

Gay Marriage A Subject of Controversy essays The subject of gay marriage is one that has sparked much controversy in recent months. Gay activists have been arguing for some time that they have a constitutional right to have their union recognized by the letter of the law. Conservative representatives however and religious leaders oppose any legislation that would afford gay couples the right to recognition of their marriage by law. Part of this opposition stems from deep seated religious beliefs that marriage is a sacred institution and should be protected as such from the government. Some have gone as far as arguing that the purpose of marriage is to bear children, and since gay couples can't do this they shouldn't marry. This controversy is explored in Many people have vocalized their support of legalizing gay marriage. An equal number of people or more oppose gay marriage. Supporters of same sex unions argue that a ban on gay marriage violates their constitutional right to equality. There is evidence indicating that many support the right of gay couples to wed regardless of the situation. For example, recently a poll revealed that Arizonans oppose an amendment to the constitution that would ban gay marriage (Kiefer, 2004: 1). The poll observed 600 respondents, 51% of which were against having a ban on gay marriages (Kiefer, 2004: 1). The poll also revealed however that a great deal of people were still unsure of their opinion on the topic of gay marriage, and could likely be swayed one way or another. Similar polls have been conducted in many states, as the topic of gay marriage has fueled a great Those that oppose legalizing a gay union would argue that marriage is a sacred institution and therefore should be protected and regulated by the law. According to Arizona House Speaker Jake Flake, "Most of the people that I surround myself with agree with me that marriage is a sacred institution and it should be entered...

Holcim Italia S.p.A Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 6250 words

Holcim Italia S.p.A - Essay Example While the company's sales continue to grow, Holcim loses its market share as the market develops more rapidly. In order to solve this problem the case study fulfils the following objectives: The case study is divided into two main sections: situation analysis and presentation of possible solutions. The situation analysis starts with drawing the general picture of Holcim's market environment. Further on main competitors of the company are introduced. Then the market analysis by segments proceeds. The situation analysis ends with interim summary of the information acquired. The next section, alternative solution is divided into five subsections discussing what changes can be made in order to affect the whole cement market and each of its segments. Conclusion sums up the information acquired from the case study. Italian cement market has experienced decline and recovery of the demand in the past decade. The volume of national demand was 34.868 million tons in 1994. Then in two years it fell down by 2.95% to 33.623 million tons. In 1998 national demand has almost recovered from the downfall getting back to the volume of 1994: 34.685 million tons. The next two years marked a significant increase of demand: 36.147 million tons in 1999 and 38.338 million tons in 2000. ... The changes in volumes of demand were conditioned with changes in the building industry. Its recession in the first half of 1990s caused the decline of cement demand volumes. Then this setback stopped and cement market resumed its growth. In the meantime, some qualitative changes occurred in purchasing processes during these years. While personal relations between sellers and buyers of cement were important in the past, their value has recently declined along with the increase of importance of technical requirements and information exchange. The demand has become more sophisticated, and purchasing process has become more professional in the cement industry. Introduction to main players in Northwestern region Unlike other European countries, Italian cement industry consists of large number of independent manufacturers, competing fiercely with each other. The scope of our case study requires us to look not on the competition on the whole national market but only on its Northwestern region. Therefore it is important to add that, while the behaviour of the demand in Northwestern region is almost the same as in the whole country, the latter regional increase of demand in 1999-2000 was even higher: 10.9 million tons in 2000 against 8.717 million tons in 1994, which means a 25% increase. Thus, the regional cement market of the Northwestern Italy grows faster than the whole national market. Holcim Italia S.p.A., which is a "main character" of our case study, has 3 factories in the Northwestern region and a market share of 23% in 2000. It is a multi-regional company with long and proud history, and it is perceived by customers as a solid and prestigious cement manufacturer. The advantages of the company are: high-tech machinery and sophisticated

The impact of subculture on consumer behavior Research Paper

The impact of subculture on consumer behavior - Research Paper Example The paper discusses the different types of subcultures. The age and the ethnic subculture are discussed in detail. Due to the varied nature of consumer preferences that have emerged as a consequence of subcultures, the managers have to spend time and resources in construing a marketing mix that caters maximally to the diverse needs of consumers. A business culture is defined as the set of shared values, perceptions, attitudes and the philosophies of an organization. These values are instilled into the employees through the mission statement of the organization. The mainstream culture of the organization is reflected in its subcultures. Consumption helps to construct an identity for the consumer (Saren, 2007). Subculture refers to the pockets or segments of culture that show variations in attitudes, customs, values and norms as a result of geographical distances or the departmental aims or job requirements of an organization (BusinessDictionary.com, 2010). The Consumer Culture Theory helps to explain the relationships between the consumers, their consumption practices and their socio-cultural systems and analyzes cultural meaning systems (Arnould & Thompson, 2005). Subcultures operate within the broader perspective of the professional culture; yet, subcultures are different from the main culture since the people forming the subculture have some degree of difference in their values and behaviors. There are various types of subcultures present in an organization. Some subcultures have a major impact on the organizational policy, whereas others are barely conspicuous and unimportant. This paper attempts to explore the impact subculture has on consumer behavior. Gattorna (2009) observes that the dynamic alignment concept involves the alignment and integration of four elements: the market place, the responses to consumer demands, the internal cultural

Theme of corruption in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep and Waiting Essay

Theme of corruption in Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep and Waiting for the Barbarians - Essay Example ndroids Dream of Electric Sheep it was in an admonition that the protagonist Rick Rick Deckard will be required to do corrupt and wrong things that he does not like to the point that he will be required to violate his own identity. In the end however, Rick Deckard managed to overcome those tendencies that corrupts him. It always pained me in the old days to see these people fall victim to the guile of shopkeepers, exchanging their goods for trinkets, lying drunk in the gutter, and confirming thereby the settlers’ litany of prejudice: that barbarians are lazy, immoral, filthy, stupid. Where civilization entailed the corruption of barbarian virtues and the creation of a dependent people, I was opposed to civilization (38). "You will be required to do wrong no matter where you go. It is the basic condition of life, to be required to violate your own identity. At some time, every creature which lives must do so. It is the ultimate shadow, the defeat of creation; this is the curse at work, the curse that feeds on all life. Everywhere in the universe (Chapter 15)" John Maxwell Coetzee Waiting for the Barbarians exposition about the nature of corruption is quite odious and inescapable. In their present state, the natives were vulnerable to the guile of shopkeepers and that they are called many unpleasant things. The Empire of which takes hold of the settlement even capitalized on this as a precursor and justification of its attack on the natives by branding them as barbarians and savages. It can even be taken that they were sowing anxiety among the settlers and natives so that their stay will be justified. Col Joll and his empire’s manner of â€Å"civilizing† these barbarians meant the corruption or the destruction of their own selves and culture to be civilized. This lamentation of the magistrate is in fact a metaphor of how a superior (in force) entity would subjugate another such as the case of the Americans to its native Indians and of that African

Effect of Molecular Weight in the Rate of Diffusion

Effect of Molecular Weight in the Rate of Diffusion Jarrel Dean A. Yecyec ABSTRACT The effect of molecular weight in the rate of diffusion was determined by placing potassium permanganate (KMnO4), potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7), and methylene blue in a petri dish of agar-water gel with three wells. After a drop of each in well the petri dish was covered then, the diameter of the colored area was measured with three minute interval. It was measured ten times. Methylene blue has the lowest molecular weight but, Methylene blue showed the longest diameter. Thus, Molecular weight affects the rate of diffusion the higher the mass the slower the rate of diffusion. INTRODUCTION According to the experiment of diffusion, two feet glass tube was fasten horizontally to a ring stand. After moistening two cotton balls of the same size, one with hydrochloric acid and the other with ammonium hydroxide it is plugged to one end and the other end. White smoke was observed inside the tube. When you measure the distance from the cotton to the white ring, ammonium hydroxide exhibits the longer distance. Diffusion demonstrates random motion that proceeds from a region of higher concentration to lower concentration. Diffusion it is when molecules try to achieve equilibrium. Diffusion of gases always happens gradually, it takes a relatively long time. For example, when you open a bottle of perfume inside a room it will take time before a person smell it in the other side of the room. This is explained by the numerous collisions of molecules while moving from one end to another. The root-mean-square speed is a way to estimate molecular speed. We can estimate how fast a molecule move, on the average, at any temperature. By interpreting the formula it shows that the heavier the gas, the slowly its molecules move. Molecular weight it is the mass in grams of one mole of molecules of formula units of a substance. It is also called as molecular mass. The hypothesis was arrived based on previous observation, the hypothesis is if molecular weight affects the rate of diffusion then the higher the mass the slower the rate of diffusion. Agar is a polymer made up of subunits of galactose, it is also a component of some cell walls. When dissolved in boiling water and cooled, agar looks gelatinous. Potassium permanganate (KMnO4), potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7), and methylene blue are the compounds that will be used in this experiment. This study aimed to determine the effect of molecular weight to the rate of diffusion. The specific objectives were. To describe the effect of diffusion To explain why heavier molecules tend to be slower than lighter molecules. MATERIALS AND METHODS A petri dish of agar-water gel with three wells with a diameter of 5 millimeter was prepared. Potassium permanganate (KMnO4), potassium dichromate (K2Cr2O7), and methylene blue were obtained. The color of potassium permanganate is red-violet, potassium dichromate is yellow, and methylene blue is blue this is based on observation. One drop of each prepared solution was then placed into each well and then the petri dish should be immediately covered, a dropper was used. A ruler was used for measuring the diameter of the colored area of each substance. The set up was then recorded at a regular three-minute interval for a half hour, for every interval the colored area was measured and recorded in table 4.2. A phone was used in recording the time. After thirty minutes, the colored area was measured and recorded. The zero minute and the thirty minute were compared. A graph comparing the three solutions was then plotted and analyzed. Partial rate of diffusion was calculated at each interval. The formula for the partial rate of diffusion is final minus initial diameter of colored area divided by the final minus initial time measured. The average rate of diffusion (mm/min.) will be calculated and graphed. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION As seen in Table 1 results showed that Potassium permanganate diffuse faster than the other two. There are times that they are constant showed in Figure 1. The diameter increases as time increases but there are points that there is no change in the diameter. Potassium permanganate with the lowest molecular weight is the fastest to diffuse and Methylene blue with the highest molecular weight is the slowest to diffuse. As seen in Table 2 Potassium permanganate has the highest average rate of diffusion, it is moving 0.37 millimeters per minute. It is the fastest compared to others. Figure 2 completely showed the comparison of average rate of diffusion. The hypothesis if the molecular weight affects the rate of diffusion then the higher the mass the slower the rate of diffusion is accepted. It is supported by the root-mean-square speed because you can compute for the speed of a molecule and by the experiments. Table 1. The diameter of the three solutions at a regular three-minute interval for thirty minutes. Figure 1. A line graph comparing the three solutions and showing the Effect of time in the diameter of the colored area Table 2. The partial rates of diffusion of the three solutions. Figure 2 Comparison of the partial rates of diffusion of the three solutions. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION The effect of the molecular weight in the rate of diffusion was determined. One drop of each prepared solution was placed into each well and the diameter was measured at a regular three minute interval for a half hour. The average rate of diffusion was computed and supported the experiment. The data we gathered is credible because there is no source of error. The results showed that Potassium permanganate exhibits fast diffusion compared to others. Therefore, molecular weight affects the rate of diffusion, the heaver the compound the slower the rate of diffusion. I recommend this experiment. add more compounds with different molar weight and different kind of samples too. If you are dealing with gases try to compute the theoretical speed of a molecule by using the root-mean-square speed and compare it with the one you observed. LITERATURE CITED Dorland, W.A.M. 2012.Agar, Dorland's Medical Dictionary. Retrieved January 17, 2013 Zumdahl, S.S 1998. Chemical Principles. 3rd edition. Houghton Mifflin. A37. Chang, Raymond. Chemistry. 6th edition. New York: McGraw-Jill. p. 183-185 Duka, A.I.M, Diaz, Q.M.G, Villa, O.N. 2009. Biology 1 laboratory manual: An investigative approach. Ninth edition. UP Los Banos, College, Laguna, Philippines. No author. Diffusion and Osmosis.

Analysis of Major Characters :: English Literature

Analysis of Major Characters Although Lennie is among the principal characters in Of Mice and Men, he is perhaps the least dynamic. He undergoes no significant changes, development, or growth throughout the novel and remains exactly as the reader encounters him in the opening pages. Simply put, he loves to pet soft things, is blindly devoted to George and their vision of the farm, and possesses incredible physical strength. Nearly every scene in which Lennie appears confirms these and only these characteristics. Although Steinbeck’s insistent repetition of these characteristics makes Lennie a rather flat character, Lennie’s simplicity is central to Steinbeck’s conception of the novel. Of Mice and Men is a very short work that manages to build up an extremely powerful impact. Since the tragedy depends upon the outcome seeming to be inevitable, the reader must know from the start that Lennie is doomed, and must be sympathetic to him. Steinbeck achieves these two feats by creating a protagonist who earns the reader’s sympathy because of his utter helplessness in the face of the events that unfold. Lennie is totally defenseless. He cannot avoid the dangers presented by Curley, Curley’s wife, or the world at large. His innocence raises him to a standard of pure goodness that is more poetic and literary than realistic. His enthusiasm for the vision of their future farm proves contagious as he convinces George, Candy, Crooks, and the reader that such a paradise might be possible. But he is a character whom Steinbeck sets up for disaster, a character whose innocence only seems to ensure his inevitable destruction. George Like Lennie, George can be defined by a few distinct characteristics. He is short-tempered but a loving and devoted friend, whose frequent protests against life with Lennie never weaken his commitment to protecting his friend. George’s first words, a stern warning to Lennie not to drink so much lest he get sick, set the tone of their relationship. George may be terse and impatient at times, but he never strays from his primary purpose of protecting Lennie. Unlike Lennie, however, George does change as the story progresses. The reader learns that he is capable of change and growth during his conversation with Slim, during which he admits that he once abused Lennie for his own amusement. From this incident George learned the moral lesson that it is wrong to take advantage of the weak. Of Mice and Men follows him toward a difficult realization that the world is designed to prey on the weak. At the start of the novel, George is something of an idealist. Despite his hardened, sometimes gruff exterior, he believes in the story of their future farm that he tells

Reflexive Dialogue and Small Report

Setting of the InterviewI asked one of my friends to visit me in my place of residence to have some cup of coffee. This friend of mine came also from Saudi Arabia, and went to the university to take graduate courses. After having dinner, I asked him if he was willing to share some of his problems with me. And as a compensation for his â€Å"task†, I offered my friend the chance to read my personal narrative. This is one of the course requirements in this subject.My friend told me some of his problems. For one, he was having a little problem learning English. English for him was a very difficult subject; with clear rules on pronunciation and verb usage. He said: â€Å"English has the most number of words in all the written languages of the world; learning such would be a headache.† I agreed to the assertion of my friend. English is really a complicated language.Not only that spelling and verb-subject agreement should be taken into account, but the whole situational use o f, say, an English statement should be clearly presented (to the general audience). He added that he must take the bitter pill of learning English since this is required in the academic world. Communication today in almost any field; in the office, in the academe, took place with the assistance of the English language. The more pressing need to learn English comes from studying abroad. Almost all universities in many Western countries do not use Arabic as a means to transmit academic information. Hence, for him, learning English was an inevitable need. (I did not include his other problems in this report).I then presented my personal narrative to him and asked him to read it. After sometime, my friend finished reading my personal narrative. He was almost speechless upon reading my personal narrative. My personal narrative detailed some of my experiences of culture shock. It was an almost daily account of my activities (although the entries were irregular). Included in my personal na rrative were my experiences upon leaving the Sydney airport to studying in the university (I gave the details of some accounts in the problem-posing vignette section). Included also in the personal narratives were my personal feelings towards the events, the participants, and the general values or beliefs in question.I asked my friend for his personal opinions of, or reactions to my personal narrative. He said that he also experienced events that could be classified as culture shock. Added to that, my friend stated that in the beginning, he was not very sure of the appropriate term for such experiences. Only upon reading my personal narrative did he know that they were part of a phenomenon called culture shock. He said that my personal narrative might give him some advice on how to handle culture shock. Here are some of the excerpts of the dialogue (translated from Arabic). The first part is a discussion of my experiences of culture shock.Friend: So culture shock is the right term f or such things. When I left the airport, I really did notice that people like to walk in the street which is not a common sight in our country. It was embarrassing in the first instance but in due time I found it to be a common practice here.Omeir: I was also embarrassed but when I began to ask my classmates why people usually walk in the streets, I was somehow enlightened. In the case of Australia, for example, walking is simply an expression of either friendship or liberty. It is an expression of friendship when a person walks with another person; an expression of liberty when a person exercises his right to privacy. This was an uncommon sight in our country since most people have cars.Friend: What about that instance when you saw that a female professor taught a predominantly male class? This is impossible in Saudi.Omeir: I found it very interesting, although shocking at first glance. It was not very bad as you have said in our previous conversation. Female students in the univer sity are educated as much as their male counterparts.Friend: It seemed that you are beginning to understand the workings of Australian culture. I also understand some aspects of Australian culture like religion, dance, music, etc. This is part of my role as a graduate student studying abroad. In my opinion, they ought to be learned, not for self’s sake but for the sake of respect.Omeir: That is true. Having a right attitude towards a foreign culture is a must when studying abroad. Understanding the dynamics of an alien culture, though horrifying or embarrassing in many instances, should be viewed with an unbiased eye. This is the primary and first rule of culture respect.Friend: Personally, I am still bothered by cultural practices here in Australia. What is your personal reaction?  Omeir: After some time, through constant communication with the students of the university, I found those practices to be not embarrassing anymore. Although it is far from acceptance, that is, p articipation in the cultural activities itself, it gave me an avenue to view things from the perspective of those who are members of that particular culture. I remembered that in my undergraduate years, there was a term to describe this phenomenon. Well it’s unimportant.The second set of excerpts is about the resolution phase of the problem (how we went about researching and responding to the problem through a thorough self-study). Here are some of the excerpts of the conversation.Omeir: One of my subjects introduced to me a method for assessing my problems, in this case about culture shock. I was really surprised that personal experiences, guided with some research materials can really result to clear grounded knowledge.Friend: How was that so?Omeir: Well, experiences serve as the grounding point of all theoretical problems in a field of subject for example. In my case, when I analyzed many of my experiences, I found out that there are methods or techniques that can be used to reduce it. It was not only first hand knowledge, it was knowledge applied. Academic journals related to my inquiry were very useful.Friend: You mean that those personal experiences were transformed into a problem. And that these problems were put in a table of inquiry. And that based from this inquiry, you were able to learn some methods to reduce that problem (culture shock).Omeir: Precisely, I have learned that constant interaction with other people who came from different cultural settings is a plus in absorbing culture shock. Nonetheless, because interaction is mostly done in conversations, I am forced to learn some of the appropriate gestures and idioms to use. In such way, I am able to communicate and express my concerns to my foreign friends. I also researched some of the strategies for reducing culture shock. I intend to share it with some of my friends who are currently experiencing culture shock.Friend: I have learned many things from this conversation. I will follow yo ur advice with regard to managing culture shocks†¦Reflective Response to the DialogueNote that in the first lines of the script, I established the fact that both my friend and I are located in the same cultural setting (Saudi Arabia). The experience which I described to my friend served as a stimulating factor to enable him to judge the validity of my experience; through his own personal experiences. The next dialogue was about the nature of Australian culture (or culture in general). This dialogue cleared some of the misconceptions of culture. Added to that, it was also implicitly stated that culture shock is a natural response of graduate students working abroad.This usually helps the interviewee erase his earlier conceptions of Australian culture. Exposure and discussion shed light to some of the most puzzling things about Australian culture (it is natural for a foreigner to be puzzled to a foreign culture). The second part of the interview is the resolution phase of the pro blem. Here I shared some of the ways to reduce culture shock (culture shock management). I also introduced problem-posing vignette as a preliminary method in assessing personal experiences which can be theoretically substantial.ConclusionBased from the rigors of personal experiences, I was able to communicate to my friend the basic steps in problem or inquiry formation. Because problems in the academe are usually theoretical in nature (form), there is a tendency for personal experiences to be treated as personal biases. In this task, I was not only able to give some advice on how to manage culture shock (culture shock reduction) – this is a form of help to a friend who really want to reduce the effects of culture shock (as I had indicated in the question of the problem-posing vignette section), I was also able to give my friend a systematic method in analyzing problem-posing vignettes.   Added to that, I was able to learn that problem-posing vignettes can be a useful tool i n transforming personal experiences into theoretically sound propositions.ReferencesBochner, S. (Ed.). 1981.   The mediating person:   Bridges between cultures. Cambridge, Mass.: Schenkman.Jacobs, Katrina. 2007. Culture Shock (Strategies for Managing Culture Shock). NY: MacMillan Publishing House.Milton, Thomas J. 1997. Understanding Culture Shock. Virginia:   Foreign Area Officer Association.

The Critique for Bassanios speech

The Critique for Bassanios speech Free Online Research Papers In the play, â€Å"The Merchant of Venice† a Shakespearean comedy by William Shakespeare, the author expresses the idea of appearances versus the intentions in reality through Bassanio’s speech (3.2.73-107). This speech takes place when Bassanio is deciding which of the three caskets: contains the portrait of Portia but more importantly the grant to marry Portia and to be given all her inheritance. Bassanio reveals that the gold and silver caskets are too threatening based on the caskets’ looks and picks the lead casket which as we know did have the portrait of Portia. Through the use of literary devices such as figurative language, symbols, imagery, tone, form of the passage, and narrative voice, Shakespeare reveals the idea of appearance versus the intensions behind the characters and significant objects in The Merchant of Venice. He also discusses that first impressions can be deceiving by covering up the truth or intentions behind the people or objects. Shakespeare uses imagery, tone, and symbols: throughout the passage to suggest the intentions of objects are not what they are appeared to be. â€Å"The world† really hasn’t change based on the idea that it â€Å"is still deceived by ornament†. People still have different intentions that they appear to have, and they still try to trick others into getting their own way. The world is â€Å"so tainted and corrupt† that â€Å"the outward shows be least themselves.† Even â€Å"in law†, there are things that are â€Å"seasoned with a gracious voice [that] obscures the show of evil† which is referring to the government that is covering up its selfish behavior from the public for the leader’s self interests of money and riches. Shakespeare also uses â€Å"religion† as an object that is â€Å"hiding the grossness with fair ornament† which is their god Jesus and all its followers: hiding the true about Christianity and its evil doings from the rest of the world and the youth. Shakespeare compares and contrast ‘cowards† to different objects and people. Their â€Å"hearts are as false as stair of sand†, hearts usually represent love, bravery and are the color red but to compare it to something like sand which have no life, either very hot or cold and which is yellow shows that Shakespeare is showing that these cowards may look the same in â€Å"the outward show† but what is inside is a whole different object. Shakespeare mentions â€Å"the beards of Hercules and Mars† to be â€Å"upon [the cowards’] chins† to show how the cowards are wearing something to be seen as wise but when ‘inward search’d, [they] have livers white as milk.† Shakespeare says their livers are white: livers are usually red and refer to the seed of courage, so Shakespeare brings forth the idea that these cowards have no courage as their livers are milk and that they do n’t have a hint of red or courage in them. Shakespeare uses â€Å"beauty† as something that can appearance fake by â€Å"purchased by the weight† through products like makeup which â€Å"work a miracle in nature† since there is basically no difference in real or fake beauty in today’s times but â€Å"the woman who wear it the most are respected the least† (line 19 of passage) this refers to the women who are prostitutes and hooker in the past as they dress up themselves and are not respected. Makeup is similar to a â€Å"beauteous scarf† that is â€Å"veiling an Indian beauty† as it covers the face of the person inside, but it may have the intentions to fool as it could be used to hide an inconvenient truth about them. â€Å"Crisp snaky golden locks, which make such wanton gambols with the wind,† create an image of beauty â€Å"upon supposed fairness† but it is soon broken when Shakespeare reveals that the golde n locks of hair may have been fake and that they are from a â€Å"dowry of a second head, the skull that bred [the golden hairs is in] the sepulchre† or tomb. The skull is linked to the gold casket so here the golden casket is compared to a tomb to represent the life entrapment to the rules that Portia’s suitors had to accept. â€Å"The guiled shore† may seem nice to sailor in a â€Å"dangerous sea† but it avoid the fact that the cunning shore may have greater danger than the stormy sea itself. Gold is used as a symbol of â€Å"ornament† that is existent â€Å"to entrap the wisest† like how there was â€Å"hard food for Midas,† but lead is â€Å"pale and common† â€Å"which rather threatenest that dost promise aught.† Bassanio feels the gold and silver casket are threatening and the lead casket though it is common will promise the most. Bassanio last phrase â€Å"joy be the consequence† leaves his faith upon god but it is unclear if he has realized Portia’s hints about which casket containing her portrait. Shakespeare further develops the idea of appearances may not be the same as the intentions of the objects or people in this play as it could be used to fool. Shakespeare applies figurative language like similes, and allusions in Bassanio’s speech to state the misconception between the intentions of what is real and what is not. He uses an allusion when describing â€Å"in religion†¦hiding the grossness with fair ornament†, refers to how Christianity is the eyes of Christians is non threatening but the truth is covered up by the elders which is that Christians â€Å"approve with a text† says that you must believe in Christianity or you will go to hell. The imposing of religion onto non Christians believers is the evil that is ornament by the force of the people believing in that religion. Allusions referring to â€Å"Herculesand Mars†, are contrasted to â€Å"cowards, whose hearts are all as false†. Hercules is the son of Zeus and Mars is the god of war. He compares Hercules’s and Mars’s beards to the beards of cowards that â€Å"are as false as stairs of sand, {that they} wear yet upo n their chins.† These cowards are wearing a noble beard on their chins to disguise themselves to appear as mature and brave men. It is ironic that Bassanio is saying that appearances and the intentions of a person or object don’t some reflect upon each other, because Bassanio had borrowed money from Antonio to impress Portia and become a suitor for her: so he had used appearance to deceive and cover up the truth about himself. The theme also reflects on the irony how the objects used in the speech relate to Portia some way or another who is seen as an innocent little girl but as we find out later in the play is actually very clever and smart like how she used the ring as a certain control over Bassanio and how she saved Antonio of his bond with Shylock. â€Å"[Every sin in the world manages to make itself look good somehow]† (lines 8-9) is a hyperbole since not are sins are covered up and people know the truth of some but certainly not all. â€Å" The hearts [o f cowards] are all as false as stairs of sand† since cowards have fake intentions and are not true at heart this also raises up the question if Bassanio is a coward since at first his intentions were Portia’s wealth but throughout the story is unclear if Bassanio loves Portia or her wealth. Shakespeare uses religion as in the allusion â€Å"veiling an Indian beauty† which refers to the Indian customs that a woman must cover her face during her marriage, Shakespeare uses this to describe the scarf that cover the face as an ornament to cover what is inside. â€Å"Midas† is a god who had an ability to turn anything to gold with a single touch but the first impressions of this ability overlooked the long term effects which were that Midas had issues eating food because it turned to gold. There irony when Bassanio says â€Å"skull† which we known was in the golden casket but how did he know. Shakespeare uses figurative language to express the idea of fi rst appearances can be deceiving based on the person’s or object’s intentions. Shakespeare utilizes narrative voice, form and structure of Bassanio’s passage, to further reflect upon the uncertainty of what is real or fake. The speech Bassanio says before he makes a decision about which casket he will choose, is 35 lines. Certainly, the passage’s length is relative to the time Bassanio is taking his time to choose the casket since his future is determined by the outcome of his choice. He wants to be seen as a very wise man like â€Å"Hercules and mars†, which is why he is taking his time and explaining his decision. Since Portia has been giving hints to Bassanio about which casket contains her portrait, it is questionable if he is really thinking about his choice or just improvising to present himself as a wise man and it is questionable if he does or doesn’t realize the hints that Portia is giving. This uncertainty where Bassanio is either fake or true goes back to the theme of appearance versus reality where Bassanio has either re alized Portia’s hints and improvising for time or if he is really thinking about his decision. The purpose of Bassanio saying â€Å"the world is still deceived with ornament†¦ [and]seasoned with a gracious voice† refers to how he thinks the gold and silver caskets are â€Å"so tainted and corrupt† as they are disguised with golden and silver ornament to hide their evil intentions â€Å"to entrap the wisest†. Explaining that the golden and silver caskets are deceiving as they â€Å"[hide their] grossness with fair ornament† which he says â€Å"obscures the show of evil†. He likes the â€Å"paleness† of the lead casket, chooses it based on it unthreatening appearance and because the lead casket â€Å"rather [than threatening, it] promise you† fortune which later on we find the Bassanio was right and the lead casket had all the fortune. Certainly as all the other suitors had explained their choices of casket, Bassanio had t o with this passage. There are many uncertainties about why Bassanio said his passage. There are some ideas about his purpose. First, Portia is related to these symbols in some way, so it is strange that Bassanio is saying these things to Portia and her followers. He could being saying something about Portia or is a just a coincidence. Secondly, Bassanio could be referring to himself since he uses appearance to impress Portia by showing other people’s wealth and how he could be a coward wearing a noble beard by him saying this wise speech about the casket. Furthermore, Bassanio may have realized Portia’s hints and expressed this speech as a cover up of his truth like the theme of the passage. Shakespeare uses form, structure of the passage and the narrative voice to further develop the concept of appearances covering up the intentions of the person or object. In the play, â€Å"Merchant of Venice† by William Shakespeare, Shakespeare presents an idea of the appearance of objects and characters versus the truth or reality behind them and their true intentions. By the use of symbols, imagery, tone, figurative language, narrative voice and form of Bassanio’s passage, Shakespeare develops the character of Bassanio and talks about many key objects and people in the play. Times haven’t really changed from Shakespearean times based on people and objects, now more than ever, try to deceive people since the assumed intentions based on first appearance are almost never the same as the intentions of that object or person in reality. Today, society is stilled fooled and baffled from shocking incidences and we still haven’t learned from the past. Research Papers on The Critique for Bassanio's speechHonest Iagos Truth through DeceptionThe Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsMind TravelWhere Wild and West MeetHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenHip-Hop is ArtCapital PunishmentRelationship between Media Coverage and Social and

Easy Rider essays

Easy Rider essays Easy rider characterizes the spirit of the sixties by involving freedom, dreams, and struggle. Peter Fonda plays Wyatt a 20-something purpose seeker along with his best friend Billy (Dennis Hopper), a true Californian hippy. Like many others these two friends set out on a trip to discover true America; to discover them selves. Funding their trip was a quick drug deal with some Mexican dealers. The main message of this film is that people are scared to live or to see others live. That difference threatens people and their action is to get angry and violent, as the film expressed numerous times. Violent acts portrayed by common comfortable country people. This film is relevant today, because of that. Everywhere you go you are going to find similar people that are impartial to change and feel threatened by freedoms of others and how others express it. Jack Nicholsons character, George Hansen, a part time lawyer/alcoholic said it very well, They can talk to you and talk to you about individual freedom but once they see a free individual it scares them. Wyatt and Billy met George in jail after they illegally joined a parade through a small town in Louisiana. Georges quote is ironic considering that just a few hours after he said it he ends up beaten to death from expressing his individualism. I think this movie was pivotal because it didnt sugar coat the true events that took place in the sixties. People were angry and they acted on it, people struggled for food and struggled for purpose in there lives and the film portrayed that clearly. The film had a good response on myself because it broke down the cliche sixties stoner happy decade by focusing on the violence and anger that also occurred in that time. The theme was emotionally impressing to understand the truth about the sixties. Easy Rider was typically well received by younger society; mainly because of the heavy drug content. Bu ...

Building Sustainable Communities Through Green Action Plans Research Paper

Building Sustainable Communities Through Green Action Plans - Research Paper Example Technology has evolved to such a magnitude that people are now able to intensively and extensively exploit each and every aspect of their environment. This is evidenced by the rapid population increase where it is estimated that the global population would stand at about nine billion by 2070 from the current six billion (Harrell). Other potential negative impacts of over-exploitation of the environment include a decline in the vital ecosystems. Thirdly, such over-exploitation of the natural environment has led to global climate change with the climate changing to the extremes. Taking into account the aforementioned consequences of unsustainable human practices, there is no doubt that human life is jeopardized. For these very reasons, the time is now to take action. If the people of the world want to continue to live on this planet in the future, the creation of sustainable communities through green action plans is an imperative key for human survival. Sustainability initiative through green actions is indispensable for human survival. The UN World Commission on the Environment and Development defines sustainable development as that which â€Å"meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs† (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). The concept of sustainability thus entail all those efforts to find a mid-point whereby there is a balance between what humanity demands from the ecosystem and the ability of this ecosystem to replenish itself. Taking more from the environmental without allowing for replenishment of what has been taken will eventually lead to the depletion of the system. With a depleted environment, the future generations will have to labor in scarcity and these could eventually lead to an end to humanity.

To What Extent Were Women Victims of National Socialism Essay

To What Extent Were Women Victims of National Socialism - Essay Example The era is also criticised and condemned for confining the role of the women from social, economic and corporate fields to the four walls of their houses, where they were meant to conceive the children of this superior German race, and to serve and soothe their husbands on their return from the jobs and battlefields as well. Kolingsky (1993) submits to state that the woman under Nazi Germany had been assigned the only task of sustaining and maintaining their beauty in order to attract their husbands or lovers for conceiving children. It was not a novel thing for the females, as â€Å"the female bird preens herself for the male, and hatches the egg for him. In return, the male provides the food.† Before embarking upon the topic under analysis, it would be advisable to look into the history of inclusion and exclusion of women in professional activities outside their homes. German Women 1871—1933: The disintegrated Prussian states had launched a long and dedicated struggle in order to turn the dream of united Germany into reality. They had to win three successive battles against Denmark, Austria-Hungary, and France in 1864, 1866 and 1871 respectively in order to accomplish the arduous unification process of the shattered Prussian states under one banner and in one unit. German Iron-Chancellor Otto von Bismarck (1815-1898) was determined to make his country as the leader of the world in all aspects. Consequently, he assured the active participation of men and women in various occupations. Bismarck had played the decisive role in the upsurge of the German nation, and Kaiser Wilhelm II turned the country into a tremendous military and economic giant of the entire region for the future years to come. He did not confine the flow of progress to men only; on the contrary, he invited women folk too to step forwards and render their valuable contributions to their nation on the basis of their educational qualifications, experiences, and skills. As a result, w omen started working shoulder to shoulder with the male folk in the health, education and nursing sectors, and even military services of the country too. Imperial Germany, under the Reichstag, promoted an active female role as teachers, nurses, soldiers and political activists (Mahajan, 2002). Although the courageous and dauntless political and strategic policies devised by the then German leadership during 1871 to 1914 turned the country into a marvellous state of Europe, and invited and included all strata of society, including men, women, young and old into nation-building programmes, yet the entire developments made by the political leadership in order to make Germany as unchallenged created rivalries against the constantly rising economy. However, rapid industrialization also invited the high crime rate, urbanization and prostitution etc in its wake. The disquiet caused by these factors was simultaneously exacerbated in Germany by the increasingly vociferous demands of the Germ an women’s movement which emerged most strongly at the turn of the century. (Rowe, 1995)