Organizational Culture Essay

This essay/assignment is a solution paper on Organizational Culture. It reviews the Hofstede Model and Schein Model as well as tries to understand the the dynamics which influences the occupational cultures. This is a sample paper. The definition of culture remains quite ambiguous with researchers assessing it utilising different methodologies. The common understanding of culture is a way of doing things, or the norm by which a society organizes its tasks. However, the terminology tends to be classified more distinctly when looked upon in the aspect of organizations and their systems of performing actions. Two of the most prominent researchers on this aspect of organizational behaviour are Geert Hofstede and Edgar Schein. Each has presented the concept of organizational culture using a paradigm based on the values and thinking exhibited by the workers of an organization, but has assessed different levels of adaptation and integration that bind this aspect of culture. According to Hofstede, ‘culture is the collective programming of the human mind that distinguishes the members of one group from another. Culture in this sense is a system of collectively held values’. On the other hand, Schein has taken a slightly different approach and states ‘culture is the deeper level of basic assumptions and beliefs that are shared by members of an organization that operate unconsciously and define in a basic â€Å"taken for granted† fashion an organization’s view of its self and its environment’. The common notion among researchers is that every organization exhibits certain values and norms in the business environment and a company will likely end up portraying two things; organizational culture and corporate culture. The former is based on what the company ‘is’, while the latter principle is an embodiment of the vision and character of the company, making up what a company ‘has’. Both Schein and Hofstede showed similarities in their presentation of the concept of organizational culture by applying a focus on the mental assumptions that shape the ideology of culture and give rise to the norms and values that end up being regarded as the primary character of an organization. However, the anthropological approach adopted by them towards organizational culture varied greatly. Hofstede favoured the ‘etic’ or dimensional approach, where the description of behaviour is very neutral and can be applied to various cultures. A key reasoning for this is the linkage he presented between the national culture  prevalent in the business environment that an organization operates in, and its resulting effects on the shaping of the norms that are applied by the organization itself. On the other hand, Schein looked upon organizational behaviour with an ‘emic’ approach, describing the dimensions that affected companies by viewing it from the aspect of a person within the culture. Hofstede undertook an extensive research process within IBM, to understand the behaviour it and its employees exhibited across the many offices it had in the world. His ideology was that organizational behaviour was greatly influenced by national and regional cultural groupings. The conclusion from the research conducted allowed Hofstede to present five characteristics of culture that he believed were exhibited by organizations in one way or form across the world. These included power distance, uncertainty avoidance, masculinity vs. femininity, long vs. short term orientation, and individualism vs. collectivism. Schein’s organizational model looked at culture from the standpoint of an observer and presented three levels to describe the complex workings involved in a company. At the first level were the observable artefacts, pointing to those attributes which could be seen, heard or felt by the observer. The second level was the exposed values, which referred to the professed culture of the organization by its members. At the third level lie tacit assumptions, which are made up of the unseen elements of culture of an organization that become the unspoken rules of the company. While Hofstede’s model of organization culture relies on the tried and tested ideology of cultural theorists by underlying the determination of culture in an organization from core values and assumptions of a given national culture, Schein’s model brings about more functionality to the subject area by delving into a deeper understanding of the factors that influenced the exhibited culture in the organization. Hofstede’s IBM study developed linkages between personality and culture, by relating to individuals as components of societies, and organizations a resultant of both. Schein presented the notion of learning as a part of the organizational culture, and one of the building blocks that courted different operators in its assimilation and establishment. In both models, the common factor remains the individuals who form the organization, and in many ways are responsible for providing the behavioural traits to the company in order to portray a sense of belonging. The divergence in its  initiation relates to the variance held by Hofstede and Schein, with the former attributing the national culture being the driving force, while the latter focuses on the various actors who play a role in the creation of the organizational entity as the contributors to the culture of that establishment. While personality will play a part in the integration between the original and acquired culture, the need for understanding the dynamics which influence the occupational cultures is important in order to become aware of the human factor and its role in the process. References Hofstede, G. & McCrae, R. (2004) ‘Personality and Culture Revisited: Linking Traits and Dimensions of Culture’, Cross-Cultural Research, Volume 38, No. 1, pp. 52 – 88 Schein, E. (1996) ‘Culture: The Missing Concept in Organization Studies’, Administrative Science Quarterly, Volume 41, Issue 2, pp. 229 – 240

Interaction of Ethnic, National or Cultural Influences Essay

All around the world people are organised in societies differentiated ethnically, nationally and culturally. In our mind under the interethnic relations are traditionally understood subjectively experienced relations between people of different nationalities, between ethnic communities, which are manifested in attitudes and orientations of interethnic contacts in various areas of cooperation, national stereotypes, attitudes and behavior, and the actions of people of specific ethnic communities. It is in this area in the first place are projected economic, social and political issues. They acquire an ethnic form and deliver a lot of trouble to society, leading to inter-ethnic tensions, local ethnic conflicts, the growth of ethnic migrations. Ethnic tensions, the state of hostility, distrust, mutual complaints and dissatisfaction arises or may arise from time to time between any nations that are permanently or temporarily in contact with each other. Ethnic tensions depend on several factors: 1) The history of international relations, the historical memory of the nature of relations between the peoples at different stages (often these relationships take the form of ongoing ethnic tension); 2) the level of economic development of the parties, among representatives of different nations’ place in the system of production and property (industrial specialization, predominance of members of certain nationalities in professional and social groups, the dominance of different forms of ownership, quality of life, etc.); 3) the structure of the cultural development of the nation – the predominance of rural or urban population, the level of education and professional qualifications. There are allocated the following phenomena and processes that significantly affect the formation and strengthening of interethnic tension: 1) the lack of a consistent policy of condemnation and suppression of national manifestations of violence; 2) the possibility of negative attitudes towards representatives of the people associated in the eyes of other nations with the administrative-command apparatus; 3) the position of people who have been persecuted and mass deported during the repression, particularly those that have not been returned to their places of origin; 4) a sense of national enmity against those nationalities that, in terms of population in many regions, â€Å"live better than we do. † These representations are caused by a variety of reasons, including the identification of the people with the most frequently identified by its representatives. According to M. Walzer, positive ethnic identity is a balance of tolerance for their own and other ethnic groups, which allows us to consider it, on the one hand, as a condition of an independent and stable existence of an ethnic group, on the other – as a condition of peaceful intercultural multi-ethnic world, interactions, excluding ethnic phobias and confrontation. According to N. M. Lebedeva on ethnic tolerance, defined as the adoption of ethno-cultural differences, and the exclusion of ethnophobia and ethnic confrontations have effects such socio-psychological factors as: 1) the degree of ethnic and cultural competence; 2) psychological readiness for intercultural dialogue; 3) The experience and skills of intercultural understanding and cooperation. All these parameters are amenable to the formation and development and in need of professional development by education and socio-psychological training of intercultural interaction. Violation of a positive image of their own group tends to reduce ethnic tolerance (YA Gayurova, TG Stefanenko, AN Tatarko, FM Malhozova). 9/11 After Twins being attacked Americans stopped helping Irish Republican Army (IRA – Nationalist violent group in Northenr Ireland) when they understood what the terrorism is and what the causes and result are. After the terrorist attacks marked a surge of crimes against people from the Middle East, and other people who looked similar. Suffered even some Sikhs who wear turbans, traditionally associated with Muslims. Reported insults,attacks on mosques and other religious buildings (including the burning of a Hindu temple), and attacks on people, including one murder, September 15, was mortally wounded by Balbir Singh Sodhi, a Sikh who was mistaken for a Muslim. [130] Rating of President Bush after the attacks rose to 86%. [131] September 20, 2001 the President spoke to the nation and a joint session of Congress, regarding the events of 11 September, following the rescue and recovery operations, as well as the response of the U. S. government’s intentions. In addition, the important role played by New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who deserved the appreciation of the public, both in New York and at the national level. Deportations 1941 in USSR. After the publication of the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR â€Å"On the resettlement of Germans living in the Volga region† of 28 August 1941 has been eliminated Autonomous Republic of the Volga Germans and produced total deportation of Germans from ASSR. For this purpose, in advance on the territory of the Autonomous Republic of NP were introduced NKVD troops. Germans were ordered within 24 hours to prepare for resettlement and a limited number of its assets to arrive at the collection points. German inhabitants of the republic were taken to remote areas of Siberia, Kazakhstan and Central Asia. According to this decree in September and October 1941 were deported 446,480 Soviet Germans (according to other sources 438 280). In September 1941, many military service persons of German nationality were sent from the front to the rear. In subsequent months, the deportation has touched almost the entire German population living in European Russia and the Caucasus that were not occupied by the Wehrmacht. The resettlement of Germans made gradually and was completed by May 1942. Totally during the war were moved up to 950 thousand Germans. 367,000 Germans were deported to the east: the republic of Komi, in the Urals, Kazakhstan, Siberia and the Altai. Babi Yar Estimate between 100 and 150 thousands jewish people were killed during WW 2 in Babi yar. There were a lot of interactions in different influences during many different events and specific situation that caused a lot of deaths of innocent people. Sometimes many cultures, nations and ethnoses are discriminated or even eliminated because of misunderstanding. It will happen untill people do not understand that there are more other non-violent ways of solving problems.

How Does Malling Affect the Filipino Culture

Eve asked them what they usually do when going to different malls. The common answer that Eve heard is to hang out with their friends or sometimes with their family. They seldom buy unimportant things but Just to window shopping and there they already enjoy it.Other's eat at the KEF because they said that it's more affordable and at the same time the quality is good. Other's buy the things they need for their studies. They have common answers and there I figured out something that affects the Filipinos culture. Way back old days, mall is not yet well known buy a lot of people. Only those who are in the upper class are able to go and shop. But as the years pass by, malls are now available for all the class type of Filipinos. Upper, middle or lower class, they are now able to afford and go to malls.As now, children with the age of 12 and upper are owe going out and have fun In the mall. Filipino families in the old times hangout, going to park or different beautiful views of nature, bu t now, a lot of families hangout, going to malls, watching movies or shopping. Now, malls are already part of lots of families. They use malls to bond their relationships with their loved ones. Experiencing the Joy Inside the mall Is a great thing, they offer something that everyone will love that Is why Filipinos come back and enjoy walking and sighting things Inside It.

OCcupational Health Assignment for a BSc degree programme

OCcupational Health for a BSc degree programme - Assignment Example They are meant to protect the identity and ensure the anonymity of the patient and the staff involved. This practice is being employed in accordance with clause 5 of the Code of Professional Conduct (2004) and the Department of Health’s Caldicott Committee Report (1997). I was asked to see an employee of the UK-wide Bakery service who had been off sick for a laceration on both her arms. The patient, Cynthia, was 32 years old, single, and living alone in a one bedroom apartment within the vicinity of the city’s commercial district. She had been working the night shift with the Bakery service for 5 years running and about 2 days prior to my visit, she reported to the HR that she was taking time off work for injuries she suffered when she fell through a glass door. She had lacerations on both her arms due to her accident. She was later taken to the hospital where she was stitched up and sent home. However, during my visit, she confided in me that she did not actually obtain the injuries from falling through a glass door. Instead, they were self-inflicted injuries and she did not inform the hospital that her injuries were self-inflicted. She said that she attempted to take her life because she had a dispute with a co-worker with whom she was havi ng a relationship. She also felt alone and depressed about her life and the direction that her life was taking. When I saw her, she was weepy, sad, and very glum. Her wounds were healing well, but I could see that she lost the general interest in life. She looked haggard and looked like she had not slept and eaten for days. I was concerned about her situation because she still had feelings of suicide. I managed to persuade her to confide in her HR. Between me and the HR, we were able to convince her to attend Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and to see a counsellor. At work, the HR and the manager decided to move her to the day shift in order to give her more interaction with other employees.

Labour is making Britain greener, cleaner and less polluting (Labour Essay

Labour is making Britain greener, cleaner and less polluting (Labour Party environment policy statement, 2009). Discuss in the context of British government and politics - Essay Example ons Reduction Target (CERT), which has provided a large investment in household energy efficiency between 2002 and 2008 and brought in carbon saving; delivering more seaward wind facility than any society in the globe; and implementing the world’s first long-term, legally binding greenhouse emission reduction programme (Carter 2007). Hence, in their environment policy statement in 2009, the Labour Party declared, â€Å"Labour is making Britain greener, cleaner and less polluting† (The Labour Party 2010: para 5). However, this activities, campaigns, and achievements of the Labour Party have not been examined in the context of British government and politics comprehensively. This essay will attempt to contribute in this area of knowledge. The primary issue that will be addressed here is the role of the British government and its relationship with the people. These issues have gained a new significance. A decade into the existence of this Labour government, policy-makers seem to be certain that their mission has changed. Gordon Brown, as he reflects on his experience, addressed communities breaking new ground for elected legislators to pursue (Worley 2009). However, in one domain specifically, we oblige our policy-makers to lead rather than follow, and to take risks. That domain is the environment. The media response has been unsurprising. Conservative channels that were quick to criticise David Cameron’s demand for stricter aviation taxes are imploring that the electorate cannot take any more. They are incapable of justifying their standpoint beyond complaining about nursemaid states and fiddling with, or supporting, the assertions of climate-change denouncers (Worley 2009). Newscasters respond even more recklessly, with Channel 4 exposing a feature film that go against all the facts and with the BBC misinterpreting its demand to ‘balance’ by advocating discussion between the two parties, as if they embody corresponding bodies of evidence. Brown has taken

Current Event Paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 17

Current Event Paper - Assignment Example The main objective is to make an analysis of the direction of food packaging equipment in the future. Packaging material will be an important tool within the processing and packaging of food industry. The article discusses on the improvisation of market and the possible setbacks. Details on the advantages and disadvantages of different food processing and packaging equipment are discussed as well. Analysis of the structure of the equipment used in food processing and packaging is discussed and how revenue can be generated more. The impacts of use of packaging to customers are also discussed in the article (pr, 2014). This research is related to the concept learned in class because they both discuss how producing goods in a certain way is useful to an organization. The article discusses on how to make products attractive to the customers. This is related to how the concept in class discusses process choice to sell new products in the market. Newswire US.

Management Accounting Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Management Accounting - Case Study Example Management accounting is â€Å"the process of identification, measurement, accumulation, analysis, preparation, interpretation and communication of information used by management to plan, evaluate and control the activities of an organization†. As this definition suggests our management accounting department has a wide scope of responsibilities that involves the presentation of information to all levels of management within our company. This information is further used by management to assist in planning and decision-making activities. Our Management Accounting department is also heavily involved in budgeting process along with establishing procedures and culminating subsidiary budgets into an overall master budget. This report aims to acquaint you with how the Management Accounting department uses variance analysis within the management processes of the company. As variance analysis has become an integral tool in decision-making within the organization, it is important that a ll everyone grasps this important concept. In relation to this, this report will compare traditional variance analysis and operational and planning variance. A major source of data for our department is the costing records and accounts. Cost accounting is the essential aspect of every business organization. In the simplest sense, cost accounting can be defined as â€Å"process of tracking, recording and analyzing costs associated with the activity of an organization, where cost is defined as 'required time or resources' (Cost Accounting 2006).† In essence, cost accounting is a field in management accounting which is tasked to give numerical values or figures to each activity in a company's supply chain. The method which is

Operative mechanics of Juveniles Courts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Operative mechanics of Juveniles Courts - Essay Example Juvenile courts developed out of the need to reduce recidivism rates among child offenders. In effect, it was a kind of diversion mechanism meant to steer youth offenders away from criminality towards good citizenry devoid of criminal intents (Fox, 1970). Prior to their creation, children and adults alike were subjected to the same kind of court procedures. As such, the guilty were liable for capital punishment or life incarceration irrespective of age brackets. Notably, punishment delivered was the same both for adults and children. But, child-offender processes fell short of protective elements such the right to bail, which were only granted to adults (Conward, 1998). Thus, the process that institutionalized juvenile justice structures were mainly geared towards harmonizing justice with full recognition that children bear lesser moral as well as cognitive capacities for offenses they commit. The current Juvenile court structures are mainly rehabilitative rather punitive towards its client offenders-the children.They are specially designed with clear, basic demarcations falling under criminality, parental neglect or being out of parental control. Contrary to the hearsay admissible in adult cases, juvenile court structures have no such restrictions. Their hearings have mostly closed a door and informal. Parents and officers dealing directly with child welfare, such as probation officers, have access to the court process to ensure fair and favorable results and to guard against future recidivism.

I Thought I Knew What good management was Article

I Thought I Knew What good management was - Article Example Any type of supervision that would give the manager authority, respect and trust over the long run. It was only through attitude surveys and interviews that the manager was able to see what was causing psychological or social problems. This showed that it was difficult to know what was really creating problems between successful relationship development or gain dedication to the SFD business goals. Peace (2001) discusses many different false rumors spreading through the business which was guiding certain employee behaviors. There was also resistance to change making it even more difficult to come up with a business strategy that would gain employee commitment. The first thing that the author had to do was get to the root of what was creating SFD problems in the first place. This was not an easy task because of the poor organizational culture at SFD. Not much as far as leading with an HR focus could be done because of these values of being informal, problems with managers not wanting to discuss their emotions, and problems with breaking down barriers to good communication. Peace (2001) was having difficulties changing the organizational culture for one that would be flexible and also motivated to get results of the new strategic plan. The manager at SFD learned a great deal about how to well manage people, using positive words and less autocratic management styles. What the people in the article needed was a manager that would give consideration to human relations, but also see when employee emotional responses. As said before, it was during a time period where culture was different to today, but does show that companies need to have a solid strategic plan before they can even begin to identify cultural development. Letting employees and junior managers in the organization communicate directly for shared control brought a good satisfaction and changes of attitudes. One of the biggest learning

I Want to Become a Doctor Essay Example for Free

I Want to Become a Doctor Essay I want to become a doctor. Being one is not only my dream but also my parents. I dont wish to be the wealthiest and most highly graduated doctor the worlds ever seen but I want to be one who will serve her people and country in a true manner. Infact I dont want to be a doctor for only patients but for the needy too. Although I know it isnt everyones cup of tea to be faithful, humane and achieve great degrees at the same time but it is worth a try. I always want to feel the pride of being loyal to my patients and my duty. Well its not always the same story from the beginning infact it was totally different. When I was a little girl, I didnt actually wanted to be a doctor and never was worried about it. All I used to think was being a singer. Ofcourse that was a dream for me which I wished to come true. It included of me always singing silly songs and even recording and playing them back. But soon circumstances changed, I grew up and came to know my real destiny. Although I showed interest in studies from the beginning but singing was something which I used to do everytime, whether I be studying or playing. Many may call it as craziness but this was me as a kid. But as I mentioned earlier, I grew up to know where I belong and concentrated on it. For now, for real I have a different dream and that is I want to become a doctor.

Experiential Focusing Techniques in Counselling

Experiential Focusing Techniques in Counselling Katrina Quaye (kate) What wants my attention now?   Focusing is a unique skill discovered by Gene Gendlin. Working with  Carl Rogers back in the 1960’s, research was done as to why some people have success in therapy and others do not. A very interesting result emerged; those who progressed and benefitted most from therapy were the ones who took some time to reflect, when asked a question they seemed to sense something within themselves and an answer would begin to emerge. Over time Gendlin discovered what became know as the ‘felt sense’. This is a sense that we all have but often it is operating unbeknown to us. This sense, sometimes called a bodily sense, can teach us much about ourselves and also our relationship with others and the world around us. It is a way of listening to our bodies with compassion, without judgement, and something that moved me most of all â€Å"gentleness’. Enhancement of knowledge There are six basic steps to learn in focusing. To begin with we are taught to go through the process, step by step, learning these steps well, by sitting down and quietly going ‘inside’ our body. Once these steps are learnt thoroughly the process can flow with greater ease, quickly accessing our felt sense and going with it. This can be done taking a walk, doing the dishes, driving to work, with continuous practice our body will always be there guiding us. Clearing the space, if someone is not quite in the moment, different thoughts, things to do list going through their mind, it is best to take a moment to clear a space inside. This can be done quite well in a short amount of time by asking the client in their mind to wrap up each concern on the list and placing it in an imaginary basket, not forcing each concern but in a clear friendly manner. This can also be done with a background feeling of being tense, anxious, whatever the feeling maybe to set it aside for the time being. Not forcing, but inviting it to stand aside for some time. Gendlin would often take half an hour for this process with clients. Although it may be done in a much shorter amount of time, five to ten minutes. This would allow for a longer session with the felt sense. One then checks back with the self, that you are feeling clearer to start. So now we can choose something to work on. One may already have an issue they want to work on, in which case one can check with the body if this is okay to work with. Alternatively one may see if there is something that needs their attention now. Often the sense is felt in the throat, chest or abdomen area. One of the key words in focusing is gently, gently say hello to the sense, checking if it is okay to be with it. Gendlin said ‘it is best to be next to the sense, like a friend sitting on a park bench wanting to have a conversation’. We don’t need to become immersed in the sense, just to be next to it. Like a sensitive baby animal we need to be gentle with the sense. Cornell (A. W. Cornell. pg.18) mentions, ‘Focusing is like being a friend to your own inner experience’. You may bring such qualities of friendship as curiosity, respect, empathy, warmth, compassion, letting it know that you are there to listen and listening with these qualities. Now we have said hello and acknowledged it is there, we can begin to describe the felt sense, it may start with a feeling of tightness in the chest, we acknowledge this, then we can ask ’how does this tightness feel’ we are checking back with this word to see that it captures it well. We are now resonating back and forth with the word or image, we don’t need to rush this process. Like a friend who wants to share something that is important to them, they don’t like to feel rushed. We are sitting next to this felt sense, as Genlin (Gendlin pg 57-58) explains, ‘ the felt sense is more than an emotion, with an emotion we know what it is, angry, sad, joyful, but with the felt sense we say I can feel it right there, but i don’t know what it is’. A felt sense contains a maze of meanings, we need to allow the sense time to form. That tightness may develop as anger, but within that anger can come a sense of the whole situation, what led up to that anger, how one is involved, it may for example show you scenes from childhood where you felt angry towards your parent for not understanding or listening to you. The felt sense can give a very complete form of understanding that will be more than just the anger. We now have words and or images we can work with that through checking would fit with the sense. We now come to sense from â€Å"its† view, what it wants us to know. I am letting ‘it’ know, I hear it, or sense it, welcoming it, it knows where it wants to or needs to go, we are listening not forcing or trying to work out whats happening, but allowing the process to unfold. Ending. It is important to ask if there is more that needs to come or shall we end here. It is important to thank the felt sense, to re-assure it that if need be I will be back. If we can develop a trusting relationship that when we say we will return, that we do so, the felt sense will be re-assured. The more we do this the more it will work with us. I will write a brief summary of my own personal experience using Focusing over a number of weeks. Having a quiet place I went inside of myself and sensed a feeling around my heart area. Gradually words like unappreciated, unloved emerged, I was listening to these words seeing if they were the ones. Yes they were. An image of a heart with a wooden dagger stabbed through it emerged, thick deep red blood was slowly oozing out. I was able to sit with this image for sometime, it was very strong, after sometime I needed to finish. Afterward I felt extremely heavy, it was hard to even continue with my daily tasks. The next day I came back to Focusing, realizing that I hadn’t finished off the process properly, mainly because after some time it seemed too much for me. I went back inside and the image was still there, I sat with it and came to understand the experiences I had been through that brought about this image. I needed to be more caring of myself. I asked it the question of how would it feel like if the difficulty wasn’t there. This brought forth an abundant response of joy and happiness, something like fire works were going off in celebration. I felt very light as if a big shift had taken place. Over the next two weeks I went back in to see what was there. I had an image of myself as a young four year old, the feelings of being unheard came up, need to do things perfectly, as mentioned above it takes in a blend of the situation not just an emotional feeling, but a deeper sense of what it was like to be that young child. I was being shown what it was like and by my acknowledging this allowing the whole of it to come out. There was a shift where those strong feelings seemed to melt away. Enhancement of Understanding Greater understanding of myself has come about through Focusing. Other peers and companions have said the same of their experiences when focusing; if one is to gain continuing benefits it is important to keep with the practice. There are certain attitudes that can help the process. Focusing is a very gentle process, approaching it with the wisdom of not knowing is very beneficial, as Cornell (pg21) says, ‘Why would you listen to someone if you think you already know what they have to say.’ The feeling of respect and wanting to know what the sense has to say is of the utmost importance. We need to ‘let go of what we know, to bring an attitude of open, friendly, interested, non judgmental curiosity to our experience†. (Silverston, pg. 2). We need to come to trust the felt sense that it will led us where we need to go. Sometimes along the way it may seem to be taking many detours. Sometimes it is trying to give us a broader understanding, showing various images or certain words. In some ways it is like being an investigator being excited or curious to find out what lies within. We are not taking sides, leaving one part shut out, not wanting something to be heard or acknowledged, we are not excluding any part of ourselves. We are listening to each part and gradually integrating each part of the self. â€Å"When we listen to a place inside that hurts, for instance, the quality of our presence is not the usual one of fixing or trying to make it feel better. Rather, we are willing to let it be exactly as it is†. (Wilson Van der Kooy, pg 1.) This attitude can be a huge relief for many, its okay to be as you are, allowing whatever is there to come up, to recognize and acknowledge it. As Gendlin (year?) said, â€Å"Every ‘bad’ feeling is potential energy toward a more right way of being, if you give it the space to move toward its rightness.† Enhancement of Self Awareness All of the above leads to greater self awareness. Coming to know what is going on inside of oneself. As many decisions need to be made in ones life, the building up of this awareness which can bring about greater confidence, is of huge benefit. I find in my own life if there is a lot happening around me I connect to that inner part which seems stable and able to help me keep centered. For those I have worked with there has been similar feed back, they are connecting to that inner part and making clearer judgements. This is an invaluable skill that can be used for myself in every day life, a skill that can be passed onto my clients, something that the therapist doesn’t control, people can learn this and then use it for the rest of their lives without having to go to the therapist all the time. Bibliography Cornell, Ann Weiser. Focusing In Safety And Trust. The Power of Focusing: A Practical Guide to Emotional Self-healing. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications, 1996. 18. Print.Cornell, Ann Weiser. What Is Focusing? The Power of Focusing: A Practical Guide to Emotional Self-healing. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications, 1996. 6. Print. Gendlin, Eugene T. The Crucial Bodily Attention. Focusing-oriented Psychotherapy: A Manual of the Experiential Method. New York: Guilford, 1996. 57 58. Print. Cornell, Ann Weiser. Focusing in Safety and Trust. The Power of Focusing: A Practical Guide to Emotional Self-healing. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications, 1996. 21. Print. Focusing as a doorway for spiritual growth. Wilson Van der Kooy, pg 1. Steve Silverton Page 2. How to think like a poet and make better decisions Question or Assessment Task: COP116 3000 Word Essay

Business Ethics of India and China

Business Ethics of India and China Globalization has not only brought countries closer together, but it has also created a unified ethical perspective for countries doing business with one another. Management teams are finally realizing that there is a world of ethical challenges just waiting to be discovered through the increasing development of globalization. Ethics are a problem for every country individually; but just imagine the added challenges brought about by language and cultural differences on a global scale. In this paper I will discuss two articles which detail the ethical perspectives of India and China, how these articles contribute to the understanding of global ethics, and how the business ethics of India and China compare to those of the United States. Santa Clara University published an article by Stephen Rothlin entitled Business Ethics in the Chinese Context which discussed the progress in business ethics made by China in 2006 and 2007. In January of 2008 Rothlin, the general secretary of the Center for International Business Ethics in Beijing, China, updated the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics Business and Organizational Ethics Partnership with the progress he had witnessed since his previous visit in 2006. Rothlin discussed six categories including consumer rights, anti-corruption activity, environmental sustainability, community contribution, and criteria for ethical companies. In each of these six categories, Rothlin discussed the improvements he had witnessed and his recommendations for the areas that he felt needed improvement (Business Ethics in the Chinese Context , 2008). Workers rights and labor standards have improved in China through the development of the Labor Contract Law. This law now protects Chinas long-term employees from being fired without specific cause. It requires that companies contribute to employee social security accounts and has enhanced employee safety by improving the regulation of working conditions. This new law also protects Chinas children with child-labor regulations. The largest challenge is in ensuring that China follows these new laws and regulations (Business Ethics in the Chinese Context , 2008). In 2007, China faced a major setback from a wave of product recalls. Rothlin spoke on how China should improve product safety, advertising, and the problems of ethics. Rothlin also discussed Chinas anti-corruption activities and how the firing of Mayor Chen Liangyu (which was part of the crackdown on corruption) sent a shockwave throughout China. Rothlin stated, We have to rely on the commitment of top officials to combat corruption, and they [the top officials] lose credibility by doing nothing. A major corruption problem in China is bribery through gift-giving. Rothlin believed that refusing a gift would be against the cultural norm in China, but that officials needed to focus on how a code of conduct could set specific limits to giving gifts (Business Ethics in the Chinese Context , 2008). Rothlin discussed environmental sustainability and how the 2008 Olympics being held in Beijing had enticed officials to clean up the public transportation system, conserve energy, and clean up the water and air pollution problems. The Chinese people were encouraged to help through a new tax system that was developed. As a result, social responsibility had become a growing interest, especially in the importance of education. The last point that Rothlin discussed was how his company would develop new ethics criteria that would be used to help identify the most ethical companies in China (Business Ethics in the Chinese Context , 2008). Rothlin developed the 18 Rules of International Business Ethics (Schulman, 2006). These rules are: Rule 1 If you strive to understand the values of different cultures, you will find common points. Rule 2 If you analyze the facts, you will realize that honesty and reliability benefit you. Rule 3 If you analyze case studies from different perspectives, you will discover the benefits of fair play. Rule 4 Respecting your colleagues is the smartest investment you can make. Rule 5 To increase productivity, provide safe and healthy working conditions. Rule 6 To inspire trust, make your performance transparent. Rule 7 Your loyal dissent can lead your institution in the right direction. Rule 8 Downsizing your labor force is only beneficial when you respect each stakeholder. Rule 9 To establish your brand name, act as a fair competitor. Rule 10 Reduce the gap between the rich and poor by developing a new social security system. Rule 11 If you act against discrimination, you will increase your productivity and profitability. Rule 12 If you protect intellectual property, all stakeholders will receive their due share. Rule 13 Ongoing changes in information technology require new forms of loyalty. Rule 14 Your public relations strategy will only secure your reputation if it witnesses your drive for quality and excellence. Rule 15 Your economic achievements will only stand on firm ground if you diminish corruption. Rule 16 Long-term success urgently calls you to constantly care for the environment. Rule 17 To become a refined player, sharpen your discernment and cultivate good manners. Rule 18 Care for your business by caring for society. The second article I reviewed was also found on the Santa Clara University website. It was written by Margaret Steen, a freelance author. Her article entitled Business Ethics in a Global World: Indias Changing Ethics reviews an address to the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics by Jagdish Sheth. Sheth, the executive director of the India, China, and America Institute and a professor of marketing at Emory University, discussed Business Ethics in a Global World (Steen, 2007). Sheth discussed ways in which Indian business practices are unique. He stated that he believed Indias unique business practices would encourage the ethical behavior of the popular western viewpoint. Some of Indias unique business practices include corporate social responsibility, favors, clanship, and friendship (Steen, 2007). Sheth believed that the collapse of communism was a major factor in the shift from 20th century business ethics to the current 21st century business model. He argued that some formerly communist countries have become well-run capitalist countries. Some other factors in shifting business ethics into the 21st century are that affluent nations are aging and the traditional industries do not generate as many jobs today as they did in the past. People in positions of power have discovered that economics play a vital role in the results of elections. The major factor that has helped shift business ethics into the 21st century though is the evolution of information technology, which has leveled the playing field for all economies (Steen, 2007). In the article, Sheth believed that both China and India are on the verge of becoming innovative economies and are not just alternative locations for our low-end jobs. He believed that when this happened, the shift would ultimately redefine business practices. Indias business practices are unique and may be compatible with western business practices one day, but India believes that favors, clanship, and friendship are important in business, while western business ethics believe this to be a conflict of interest. After reviewing these two articles, I can see that the business ethics of India and China are much different than those of the United States. China understands now that economics are a crucial part of elections, and Sheth explained that the reason George Bush Sr. lost his re-election bid was due to the faltering economy. Sheth also explained his belief that the 21st century will be considered the Asian century. Sheth believed that the Asian culture puts a premium on friendship, clanship, and favors but in American business ethics, this would be considered a huge conflict of interest (Steen, 2007). Sheth stated that western business has its own version Procurement departments in U.S. companies are more likely to buy from the companys customers (Steen, 2007). Sheth believed that nations are shifting their focus to stakeholders rather than focusing on shareholders. In the future, Sheth stated that ethics will be anchored to the idea of business as a profession, similar to the way the field of medicine is now. There will be global standards of governance, but their application will be adapted to local conditions (Steen, 2007). So when it comes to Globalization, India and China are expected to be the leaders in the 20th century. Some believe that the 19th century, or the American century has finally come to an end. Through globalization, China and India have discovered that the area of business ethics is an ever-changing environment and as a result, management teams within these countries have developed an ethical program that enables them to work together ethically. Even though there are barriers such as different languages, diverse cultures, and a growing number of people involved China and India have been able to overcome them in order to work together. In this paper I reviewed two articles from Santa Clara University that discussed the business ethics of India and China and how their business ethics compare to that of the United States of America.

Life in Southern Mill Villages, 1900s Essay -- History Textiles Papers

Life in Southern Mill Villages, 1900s The Industrial Revolution in America began to develop in the mid-eighteen hundreds after the Civil War. Prior to this industrial growth the work force was mainly based in agriculture, especially in the South (â€Å"Industrial Revolution†). The advancement in machinery and manufacturing on a large scale changed the structure of the work force. Families began to leave the farm and relocate to larger settings to work in the ever-growing industries. One area that saw a major change in the work force was textile manufacturing. Towns in the early nineteen hundreds were established around mills, and workers were subjected to strenuous working conditions. It would take decades before these issues were addressed. Until then, people worked and struggled for a life for themselves and their families. While conditions were harsh in the textile industry, it was the sense of community that sustained life in the mill villages. It would be hard to imagine what mill life would have been like if it were not for American photographer, Lewis Hine. Hine was influential in bringing public awareness to many social issues of his time. Born in a rural town in Wisconsin in 1874, Hine dedicated his life to capturing America’s cultural landscape through the people in his photographs. He was there when thousands of immigrants took their first steps on American soil at Ellis Island. In World War One he captured on film the heroic efforts of the Red Cross (â€Å"Lewis Wickes Hine†). But most importantly for this paper, are his accounts of people in the mill villages and textile factories in rural America. Through some of his pictures, we will explore life in southern mill villages in the nineteen hundreds. ... ...hristopher B. Daly. Like a Family . Chapel Hill and London: North Carolina, 1987. â€Å"Industrial Revolution.† Webster’s New World Encyclopedia . Single volume. 1992. Jones, Lu Ann Ph.D. Personal Interview. March 6, 2002. â€Å"Lewis Wickes Hine.† Merriam Webster’s Biographical Dictionary . Springfield: Merriam Webster, 1995. O’Quinlivan, Michael. Rocky Mount North Carolina Centennial Commemorative Book: â€Å"A Century of People, Purpose, and Progress .† Ulrich, Pamela Vadman. â€Å"Plain Goods†: Textile Production in Georgia, the Carolinas,and Alabama, 1880 to 1920 . Michigan: Bell and Howell Information Company, 1991. Veto, Robert Elliott. Looms and Weavers, Schools and Teachers: Schooling in North Carolina Mill Towns, 1910-1940 . Michigan: Bell and Howell Information Company, 1989. Watt, W. Early Cotton Factories in North Carolina and Alexander County.

The Trouble with Stereotyping Essay -- Stereotypes

The Trouble with Stereotyping   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The world has hit a brick wall in human development. People have created a giant system that categorizes people and groups into classes. These classes are then broken down into subdivisions for people’s placement in the world, and everyone’s eyes. Stereotyping has become so prevalent in every persons thoughts that we now base everything we do on it. We base business, home, and social life on a stereotypical view that doesn’t need to be present in life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In â€Å"Don’t Let Stereotypes Warp Your Judgments,† Robert Heilbroner states that, â€Å"Stereotyping is one way in which we ‘define’ the world in order to see it.† This statement proposes points that people don’t just see people anymore, but the stereotype class they put them in.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Stereotypes that appear in the business atmosphere are the most prevalent to see. Some of these typecasts are women in the workplace in certain jobs and the type of job they can accomplish or gain with their level of schooling completed. Women are not stereotypically recognized by men to hold high positions in a company. Women could have the same capabilities and maybe even higher qualifications than a man going for the same position, but men label women to be less qualified and have less of a reputation in order to be head of a company. However, this is not true. We need to eliminate the labeling of women. I believe that people’s education should and have no bearing on what everyone can accomplish in a w...

Relationship between Business Strategy and IT Strategy Essay

The relationship between a business and its IT resources extends far beyond the use of IT as a mere tool in proper execution of business operations. Instead, both are linked deeply. The relationship starts with the alignment of Corporate Strategic Planning (CSP) with Information Systems Planning (ISP). Determining an entity’s mission and goals and developing competitive strategies to meet those goals is CSP. This is an iterative procedure. ISP is a systematic way of establishing the information needs of an organization. ISP also includes developing systems, technologies and databases once these needs are known. ISP is successful only when it is done keeping in mind the mission, goals and competitive strategy determined through CSP (Hoffer, George, and Valacich, 1994). The processes of CSP and ISP run parallel and involve three steps. First, current organizational position is described along with the current IS processes, data, human resource and technological inventory. Secondly, the desired future state of organization is determined. This simultaneously yields required future IS situation. Third step is to develop a strategic plan to achieve the envisioned future state. ISP plays a crucial role by identifying the schedule of projects to undertake to bring IS situation in line with corporate position (Hoffer, George, and Valacich, 1994). With this framework laid out, we will answer the questions about Lowry’s dream of collaborative computing and the concept of B2B exchange. Were there problems with strategy formulation? In case of collaborative computing, the strategy was seriously flawed due to these reasons. Jack Lowry was so enthusiastic in pursuit of dream that he failed to properly determine whether the people outside Goldman were ready for such an ambitious project yet. He dedicated two years and millions of dollars in laying the ground without finding a partner willing to make a commitment (Worthen, 2001) because his judgment of importance of the project for Goldman and its partners was erroneous. Collaborative computing was undoubtedly an idea worth materializing. However, it was ahead of its time. A company in a different position may have had much better results since Goldman resided much lower in supply chain and did not possess the leverage to bring about an industry wide change. It required a deep overhaul of entire industry including supply chain, manufacturers and customers. Therefore, the strategy had serious problems in timing, position and power to implement. Same is true for the case of B2B trading exchanges. The concept of bringing together suppliers and customers in a marketplace is undoubtedly very useful but the strategy used for the purpose was not formulated properly. It failed to identify the real problem: lack of software and services to make those exchanges useful (Sawhney, 2002) and focused on creating exchanges. The correct approach would have been to provide software and services to facilitate collaboration between all stakeholders and the exchanges could come automatically as a logical consequence. Were there problems with strategy implementation? Lowry used Goldman as a laboratory to work on his collaborative computing dream and used millions of dollars in the process. Since Goldman did not hold the position in the industry to effect the change envisioned by Lowry, the implementation of his strategy had this basic problem. For automotive industry, companies such as GM or Ford from USA or Toyota from Japan were in much better position to implement Lowry’s dream because of their dominance in the industry and the dependence of entire industry on these giants. They also had advantage of being on top of the chain since they were the penultimate buyers of the industry and had direct contact with consumers, the ultimate buyers of finished products. The case for B2B exchanges also had flawed execution of the idea since they set out to solve a problem that did not even exist. They had to re position themselves and change strategies to start getting positive results. They changed their focus from creating a trade exchange which was not needed to solving individual business problems via IT solutions. This gave them a customer portfolio which could later be geared towards the goal of creating a trade exchange. Were there problems with the strategic process? In case of collaborative computing, the process was flawed since Lowry did not put significant time and energy in determining whether any supporters of his concept exist outside Goldman, will he find partners ready to invest into his proposed system. He assumed that he will find partners readily based only on cursory investigation before dedicating significant resources to the project. The correct process would have been to prepare partners before a hefty investment into the project to avoid failing to find any partner after two years. In case of B2B exchanges, the process had the problem that the steps were reversed. The experts wanted to have an entire industry on board to create the exchange. The first correct step, as they later realized, was to solve the problems of individual customers that may later yield a portfolio to be used to create an exchange. The scenario leads to the conclusion that in both cases, the concepts and ideas were wonderful but strategies were grossly inappropriate. The cases reinforce the importance of the relationship between CSP and ISP at every level.

Factors Affecting Hidden Curriculum Essay

The concept of hidden curriculum stems from the ideas of John Dewey (1859-1952), notably his concept of â€Å"collateral learning† (Combleth, 1984). The hidden curriculum comprises values, modes of behavior, beliefs, and skills that students learn at school but which are not taught through official channels (Combleth, 1984; Myles, 2001). Researchers and theorists have identified both positive and negative effects of hidden curriculum, ranging from more success in the working world due to competitive environments at school (Wren, 1999), to reinforcing the socioeconomic status into which the students were born (Anyon, 1980), to undermining intellectual development (Combleth, 1984). Because these effects are so pronounced, attention must be paid to recognizing those elements of the learning environment which impact hidden curriculum. This paper examines eight of these factors: teacher expectations, definitions of acceptable classroom behavior, teacher questioning techniques, school culture, segmentation of the school day, tracking, curricular inconsistencies, and gender bias. Teachers’ expectations of their students, in terms of critical thinking skills, undoubtedly play a role in hidden curriculum. Anyon (1980) examined five fifth grade classes in schools of varying demographics. She found that, in schools comprised of students from working-class families, teachers expected nothing more than rote memorization of facts. In schools serving students from middle-class families, teachers expected students to be able to re-explain concepts in their own words. Teachers working with students from upper-class families, however, emphasized critical thinking. Anyon (1984) concluded her study by remarking that the different expectations in these schools reinforce the expectations of the social class into which these children were born. Different teachers have different rules regarding what constitutes acceptable classroom behavior, and these guidelines affect hidden curriculum. In her study, Anyon (1984) also considered classroom behavior. She found that students from upper-class schools were generally allowed to make their own decisions about how best to accomplish their work: they could leave the room when they needed to, they were allowed to get any supplies they needed for themselves, and they were encouraged to ask questions. Through their guidelines for classroom behavior, teachers in these schools emphasized that students were in charge of their own destiny and must decide for themselves their best course of action (Anyon, 1984). One of the negative consequences of the hidden curriculum noted by Wren (1999) and Combleth (1984) is that students often blindly accept what is being taught in the official curriculum. Some students, then, are not learning how to question what is being taught, how to look for inconsistencies in theories, and how to think for themselves. This consequence can result from how teachers ask questions. Questions that require one-word answers would tend to place value on rote memorization of facts and the acceptance of the teacher and textbook as â€Å"authority. † Questions that require short answers responses or questions framed as â€Å"why do you think†¦Ã¢â‚¬  would encourage students to think for themselves and engage with the material in a meaningful way. Wren (1999) remarked that school culture has a powerful influence on the hidden curriculum. For the purposes of his study, he defined culture as the values and symbols that have an effect on students’ and educators’ perceptions of the school environment (p. 593). This culture is manifest in the traditions and rituals of the school that are passed down from generation to generation: pep rallies, graduation ceremonies, the school motto, school policies, yearbooks, school newspapers, and faculty handbooks, to name but a few. Wren did not examine the effect of school culture on hidden curriculum; rather, he encouraged educators to take note of the presence, or absence, of traditions in their own school and encouraged them to appraise the meanings they imparted on the school community. Loporchio (2007) provided an interesting perspective on the yearbook process in particular, mentioning many elements that affect hidden curriculum: the socialization process between teachers and students outside of the classroom, representations of the entire student body or just a select few individuals, and extracurricular activities and their value. Combleth (1984) mentioned the segmentation of the school day – with supposedly separate subjects being assigned fixed time periods – as one of the factors affecting hidden curriculum. Though Combleth did not expand on this comment, one could argue that separating subjects as they are traditionally done leads to a compartmentalization of knowledge. Skills and ideas learned in one class are not necessarily used in another. Though this manner of scheduling is convenient, students are not encouraged to draw links between what they learn in different classes, for example links between historical events and trends in literature. In his book devoted to the subject of tracking and the hidden curriculum, Rosenbaum (1976) argued that tracking is the element that most strongly affects hidden curriculum. Based on their placement in various tracks, students create friends, become involved in extracurricular activities, participate in different types of field trips, and are perceived differently by staff and students. In the same vein, Combleth (1984) claimed that schools, even though purporting to provide equal opportunity for all students, actually convey the message that some students are more equal than others through their tracking procedures. Curricular inconsistencies can also contribute to hidden curriculum. Combleth (1984) gave an example of a hypothetical text book that highlights freedom of speech as a defining characteristic of political democracy and yet ignores or disparages activities of modern dissenters (p. 30). This text book sends conflicting messages to the students: Is freedom of speech and the resultant ability to take issue with prevailing hegemonies a value to be lauded or to be denigrated? Chapman (n. d. ) provided many examples of behaviors and objects that reveal gender bias in education: dividing students by gender; praising girls for being neat and quiet; praising boys for thinking independently; regarding assertive behavior from girls as disruptive; using textbooks with gender bias, and interacting with students differently based on their gender, to name but a few. In all of these instances, teachers and administrators send the message that girls and boys are treated differently, that certain behaviors are not appropriate for girls (or boys), and that girls are unequal to boys. The socialization process is thereby reinforcing gender stereotypes that society at large has striven to eliminate. These eight factors affecting hidden curriculum touch on different elements of the educational system ranging from classroom experiences and interactions between students and teachers to how administrators set up school scheduling and policy. Teachers and administrators must examine the hidden curriculum particular to their school. Are students being encouraged to live up to their potential? Are societal biases related to gender and socioeconomic status being questioned or reinforced? Are students being prepared for the work environments of their future?

The Fall of West Rome

The Roman Empire was attacked by the Goths and the Vandals during 190 AD which started the fall of Ancient Rome wherein different parts of the empire had civil wars that caused further deteriorating of Rome. Different tribes like Goths invaded the country since they want to move south to experienced better climate condition that is helpful to their farming. During this time Rome also has poor emperors that cannot handle the job properly. When Emperor Diocletian ruled Rome, he decided that the Empire should be divided into two so that it will be easier to rule, the Western and Eastern Empire was established in which it has its own leader.The problem that Diocletian faced was that more military barrier had to be created in which the Empire cannot support its cost. The taxes were increased which leads to inflation causing the rise of the prices of commodity which causes the leaders to become unfavorable to the people. The Role of Constantine in the Fall of Rome Constantine became Empero r from AD 307 to AD 337 and he tolerated religion in the Roman Empire although he was not a Christian himself, he gave rights to the Christians. He did not taken into consideration that the new monotheistic religion was at odds with the pagan cults of the emperors.He also moved the capital to a new city Constantinople since he believed that Rome as a city was to far from the fundamental areas from a government level, this move was a bad one since it left the western empire vulnerable. The western empire was attacked by the Ostrogoths thru the eastern empire and the western Empire was attacked by the Goths, Franks, Visigoths and Burgundians. The Germanic Barbarians The Germans were exposed to the Roman world by border trade and serving as support to the Roman legions of the empire. The admittance of the barbarians in the army gave way for the complete â€Å"germanization† of the Roman army.The internal crisis of the Roman Empire makes the things worst and the barbarians realiz ed it and defeated the Romans in the battle of Adrianople in 378 where the Roman Empire fell. The Franks, Angles, and Saxons which are all German tribes have established their agricultural life, the other tribes like the Goths, Vandals, and Lombards were nomadic but compared to the Romans they were less advanced. Romulus Augustulus was the last Roman emperor in the west and was replaced by the leader of Goths, Odoacer in AD 476 which was also the end of the Roman Empire.

Africans in the Berlin Conference

Africans in the Berlin Conference The Berlin Conference of 1884-1885 established most of the borders of contemporary nation-states on the African continents today. The Conference set in motion the â€Å"scramble for Africa. † Out of the 14 African states no African leader was present at the conference to assert claims to territory and to agree to regulations on trading. Five of the states at the conference did not even end up with any colonies but had more of a say than all the African leaders. The boundaries in Africa, drawn during the Berlin Conference, greatly attributed to the political unrest in Africa.During the Berlin Conference all the participants signed a notion that said they could not have colonies unless they have full control of the territory they encompassed. The European powers had to send expeditionary forces to pacify what were called their African â€Å"spheres of influence. † This process was bloody and ugly due to the amount of Africans fighting bac k. These pacifications lasted all the way up to World War 1. These uprisings caused anarchy in some places in Africa. Only Ethiopia successfully kept their freedom militarily. But all across Africa, hundreds of polities large, and small fought to destroy these superimposed boundaries.Pre-existing political entities found themselves arbitrarily or deliberately divided in two, three, or even four parts. The main Hausa territories were split between French Niger and British Nigeria, the Maasai suddenly had to practice nomadic pastoralism across a line between German and British East Africa. Conflicts in Africa could definitely were partly caused by boundaries drawn during the Berlin Conference. Uganda’s numerous civil conflicts are pure evidence. Also the Nigerian Civil War of 1967-1971 can partly be traced back to the Berlin Conference.Conflicts between states also can be traced to the Conference because of the ridiculous political geography they put in place. Examples of these conflicts are Cameroon and Libya’s with Chad. The finger of Namibia that sticks out across the top of Botswana, known as the Caprivi Strip has been a geopolitical hotspot ever since it appeared on the map. The Berlin Conference was a very unjust and unethical. They drew out boundaries for Africa without the African leaders consent and then took over all of the nations. The Berlin Conference was definitely connected to the political unrest in Africa.

Compare and Contrast Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Compare and Contrast - Essay Example Facebook and Google, two of the IT big companies that have considered investing in the UK, admitted to the PM that it would have been difficult for them to have started their companies in the UK because of its stringent IP laws. Aside from the fair-use provision, UK is also considering eliminating some of the present provisions of its copyright laws that present an unfriendly barrier to internet-based businesses (BBC Mobile 2010). The fair use doctrine that PM Cameron referred to is set out under ss. 107 to 118 of the US Copyright Law or Title 17 of the US Code. This doctrine presents an exception to the exclusive right of copyright owners to reproduce their respective work covered by the Copyright Law. These excepted circumstances usually cover activities such as â€Å"criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research† (The Library of Congress). However, the US Copyright Law provides more room for infringement exceptions because unlike the UK law, it doe s not enumerate the circumstances under which the infringement is allowed, but rather provides a generally worded four-factor test for the courts to determine the infringement exceptions.

Contested masculinities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Contested masculinities - Essay Example With reference to Brett Easton Ellis’s American Psycho (1991) and Jackie Kay’s Trumpet (1998), this essay explores the multitude of expressions of masculinity within and between cultures. Contemporary theorists of masculinity have increasingly noted the idea of a post-feminist male identity (Burr 1995). There is a perceived backlash towards advances in feminism over the last quarter century that posits male identity in direct opposition to feminism. In books such as Backlash and Stiffed, Susan Faludi has identified a crisis in masculinity and a resultant wave of males attempting to reassert traditional identity constructions. She discusses ways in which men have lost significance in modern society. Writers such as Benjamin Brabon have discussed the appearance of such expressions of masculinity in cultural artifacts such as the film Falling Down, arguing that the white-male main character is acting out in the film because his previously dominate social position western society has been dislocated in the new millennium (Brabon 57). Other writers identify the normative standards that underline many expressions of male masculinity and explore the resultant backlash (Bark er 2008). These interpretations of ‘post-feminist man’ has incorporated the violent outbursts of males in contemporary society and films as extensions of phallus emasculation experienced as a result of these feminist advances. In fact, statistical research has shown that over the last twenty-year period woman are more than twice as likely to report being attacked by a significant other (Hatty 5). In terms of patriarchy, Thomas Byer argues that: Perhaps the major – function and driving force of patriarchal narrative is the attempt to re-member a masculine body whose member has been â€Å"dissed† Thus sadism and violence directed against women are not in themselves synonymous with narrative; rather they are among the most common, and most virulently misogynist,

A Rose For Emily Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

A Rose For Emily - Essay Example She was even able to keep Homer around despite her odd behavior. Emily was an outsider. Not only did she hide herself behind her decrepit house, but she hid herself behind her attitude that suggested that nothing was amiss in her life. She gave off an attitude in hopes of being admired by the townspeople. However, both her house and attitude would suggest the kind of woman that Emily was: sheltered, aged beyond her years, barely able to stand on her own too feet, much like her house on its foundation. Despite this, though, Emily requires attention, mainly from men. She ignores her neighbors and the community until Homer comes along, fulfilling her needs. Emily was also a necrophiliac, having a sexual attraction to dead bodies, which could have developed after her father’s dead body was properly disposed of. Having everything that she loved constantly taken from her, it is almost unsurprising that she would keep Homer’s body long after his death. She did not want yet ano ther of her loved possessions removed from her. The arsenic that she had bought prior to Homer’s arrival, which never made an appearance again in the story, could assumed to have been the cause of Homer’s death.

Genetic modification of foods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Genetic modification of foods - Essay Example Genetic engineering is the process of altering the genes of a species by transferring certain traits from the genes of other species into it. Genes are composed of DNA and constitute instructions which direct the cell production of proteins which in turn, facilitate the functions of the cell. Nevertheless, this is an act of meddling with the nature. These days various religious and public interest organizations, environmental activists and numerous other government and private agencies are raising their consent against the genetic modification of the foods. Agribusiness has received massive criticism for enhancing the profitability of the business with the genetic modification of food without care for the environment unfriendly side effects of the same. Owing to our limited knowledge, we are not able to identify many potential demerits of the practice of modifying the genes of the foods we consume. Nature knows its laws best and any attempt to improvise the nature of food does not co me without side effects. Genetic modification of foods yields both direct and indirect unfavorable consequences. Genetic modification may not necessarily make the crop harmful to eat, but may also generate negative effects for the environment in the course of cultivating the very crop. In the Nature study, pollen from the B.t. corn was found to cause the monarch butterfly caterpillars to die in large numbers (Whitman). This was a surprising discovery since monarch caterpillars feed upon the milkweed plants instead of corn. The most likely way for the corn pollen to make it to the caterpillars’ stomach requires wind to blow them and place them upon the milkweed plants. A lot of effort has conventionally been made to cultivate such B.t. toxin that kills just the crop-destroying pests, but hardly any has met with success. Not only the butterfly caterpillars, but also several other species of organisms are exposed to the risk by the B.t. toxins. â€Å"These genetically modified organisms (GMOs) can spread through nature and interbreed with natural organisms, thereby contaminating non 'GE' environments and future generations in an unforeseeable and uncontrollable way† (â€Å"What wrong with†). Thus, we are increasing the resistance of our crops against diseases on the cost of the life of various species and organisms which are not only harmless for us but also play a fundamental role in the beautification of nature. Genetic modification of food cultivates an allergen into it. â€Å"[A] soybean engineered to contain genes from a brazil nut was found to produce allergic reactions in blood serum of individuals with nut allergies† (Massey). These reactions are very serious and have the potential to be fatal. In this particular case, conducting test for the allergenic potential was easier because of the commonality of the nut allergies but it may not be quite as easier in other cases. Identifying the food item that might have instigated the a llergic reaction becomes very cumbersome when a familiar genetically engineered food starts producing unusual substances in the bloodstream. Sometimes, characteristics that have been induced in the food with positive intention can prove toxic in effect. For example, the Bt toxin that is produced by bacteria is conventionally deemed safe for the humans. Toxin in these bacteria sustains in the form of protoxin that yields negative effects for the insects after the digestive system of the insect has activated it. Humans lack sufficient knowledge about exposure to such a toxin form that is produced in activated form by the genetically modified Bt crops and existed before only in the insects’

James m. mcpherson crossroads of freedom antietam Essay

James m. mcpherson crossroads of freedom antietam - Essay Example McPherson lay out a chronological account of this battle starting with the events that prompted the war, how the battle was fought, and its aftermath. This paper seeks to explore how the battle of Antietam changed the course of America’s Civil War in accordance with McPherson views. The battle of Antietam is indeed remembered as the deadliest and bloodiest day in America’s history. However, this day also has a lot of significance in civil war since it changed the course of the war completely as pointed out by McPherson (2). This is seen right from the first chapter where McPherson lays out shifting fortunes witnessed during the early years before the conflict. Here, McPherson reveals how both the Union and Confederate and European powers were affected by the events of the first years of the battle. In this regard, McPherson Juxtaposes the success of Union forces in the early months of the conflict to Lincoln government’s poor handling of ‘Trent Affairâ€⠄¢ and failure of Union forces to conquer the Southern Army. Reflecting the failed Union efforts in the ‘Trent Affair’, McPherson argues that the failure of Confederates to use King Cotton to mount a blockage marked the turning point of the war in its early years of 1862. This is because it gave the Union soldiers the opportunity to repel the Confederate invasion of the north. In this regard, McPherson mentions the usual sources, which included Mary Boykin Chesnut, John B. Jones, Charles Francis Adams, and Elizabeth Blair Lee (McPherson 6). Chapter two of the book gives accounts of the increasing southern fortunes and the tensions that resulted thereof. McPherson titled this ‘Taking off the Kid Gloves, June-July of 1862’ (McPherson 17). In this regard, McPherson gives an account of how growing support for the views of Confederates among European powers turned the course of the battle. McPherson argues that failure of Federals to succeed increased the commit ment level of Union forces to wage a different war. This is because the failure by the Federals pointed the weakness of the confederates thereby increasing the morale of the Union forces to continue waging a strong battle, according to McPherson (19). In fact, McPherson noted that the battle of Antietam gave signs of Union’s victory in the war with many Confederate forces perishing in the war. McPherson argues that the battle of Antietam also changed the course of the war since it marked the point where the European powers began seeking for diplomatic recognition, which later resulted in a negotiated settlement leading to the recognition of independence. McPherson also argued that the victory of the Union soldiers in the battle of Antietam also changed the course of the war in the sense that it resulted to the issuance of the Emancipation Proclamation by President Lincoln, which changed the war into a war against slavery (McPherson 26). According to McPherson, Emancipation Pr oclamation increased the need to re-ignite Northern enthusiasm through radicalization the war. In fact, McPherson argues that the establishment of an army under Union General John Pope was a move towards a total battle on the interest of the Southern, particularly property. McPherson noted that this entirely changed the course of the civil war to war against slavery and property (McPherson 41). McPherson explains this giving an account of the events that took place in the

Comparison of Jewish Passover with Roman Catholic Last Supper and Essay

Comparison of Jewish Passover with Roman Catholic Last Supper and Easter - Essay Example On the other hand, the Easter holiday is celebrated by Christians to demonstrate the significance of the painful death of Jesus on the cross for the sake of sin redemption on humankind. The celebrations that are held to mark these events are usually in the accompaniment of beliefs, performance of rituals, and a recall of the history of the real happenings. The leadership in every Christian movement is charged with the responsibility to lead their congregations in conducting such events. The scriptures of the Bible containing relevant information in regards to the events are duly emphasized via repeated reading sessions during the commemoration seasons. Additionally, every aspect of the above issues has a comparison with another in another practice in the Christianity realms. The practices, in every form of Christian group, entail performance of reverent worship, whose conduction is similar in some groups and dissimilar in others, though all directed to the almighty God. Nevertheless, fervent connections are in existence between the Jewish Passover with Roman Catholic Last Supper and Easter, where every practice in the Old Testament is balanced and linked to another in the New Testament, making the celebrations to ultimately be intertwined (Cobb John and McAfee Ward 134). The discussion in this paper seeks to establish a comparison of Jewish Passover with Roman Catholic Last Supper and Easter. The comprehension of this discussion is motivated by investigating a variety of issues, the comparisons between the issues, as well as a critical analysis of the connection between them. Comparison of Jewish Passover with Roman Catholic Last Supper and Easter The Jewish Passover and the Canadian Roman Catholic last supper and Easter have significant similarities. They are both symbolic events used to commemorate an act that was conducted in the traditional times and was meant for today’s significance. The practices and believes are centered on worship for God becaus e of his redemption power for his people from suffering, which has a significance of demonstrating God’s mercy to his creation. The Jewish Passover portrays the mercies for redemption from slavery, while the Easter and last super portray the mercies in regards to offer of Jesus on the cross. The beliefs of these events are centered on the saving power of God, and that the commemoration of the events brings spiritual revival in the hearts of the believers. Moreover, the execution of the practices is only through the way of conducting worship in a tabernacle, conducting rituals and reverent reading of scriptures of relevance. All these celebrations are always celebrated following the appearance of full moon, especially in the month of March, April, or May. Nevertheless, the traditions have it that Easter and the last super cannot be celebrated before the Jewish Passover (Combier-Donovan et al 118). However, pronounced differences are identifiable in relation to rituals and hist ory of every practice. The Jewish Passover dates back to the Old Testament scriptural representation, when the Israelites were in slavery in Egypt. The sending of Moses by God and

Potential impacts of climate change on food security Essay

Potential impacts of climate change on food security - Essay Example This is in either temperature or a decrease, as well as in precipitation since climate change does not affect certain areas in the same way. Current Trends A look at the production of food following the changes in climate, thanks to increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, reveals that food production is bound to increase based on a number of factors. This is especially so in the case of regions that grow ice, maize and wheat, as carbon dioxide increases yields of these crops, but that implies that other regions not growing these crops as set to be left out in the bumper harvest (Parry et al, 2004). As per research, the most adversely affected regions are those found in sub-Saharan Africa, with the largest variation in cereal production, in a negative level. As for most of Asia, and all of Australia, increases in food production will be increased. As a result, Africa is the only region to suffer from reduced food security, whilst areas close to the north pole suffer seco nd, and the rest of the world experiences improved food security. Carbon and climate change All across the globe, one of the most common causes of climate change is carbon emission that leads to increases in temperature, which begs the question what are the effects of this gas on the climate. This has been concluded that carbon dioxide is a chief contributor to global warming, which is part of why the climate is changing to be warmer in some areas, while others get cooler. As a result, the use of alternative sources of energy that do not entail then emission of carbon into the atmosphere should be encouraged and can be encouraged by use of statistical or empirical data obtained from environmental studies on climate change. One of the ways in which climate change can be mitigated by application of natural resources and sustainability option is through use of renewable resources that have minimal impact on the environment. Those that contain trace amounts of carbon can be used as they do not release any carbon into the atmosphere and temperatures remain stable. Implications of this are that food production remains the same throughout time, and in spite of economic and agricultural activities. Resource sustainability Although there are studies that are indicative of food sustainability through climate change, the larger percentage of the human population is bound to remain in poor nutrition due to food insecurity owing to poor distribution of food resources. The use of renewable resources such as wind power are bound to mitigate these climate changes in that African regions experiencing drastic changes in reduced food production, all thanks to carbon emissions, get to enjoy similar food distribution trends. In addition, climate change can be mitigated to ensure food security by using soil conservation measures, where soil is a renewable resource, and its conservation is a guarantee for agricultural productivity. Because of these conservation efforts maintaining m oisture in the soil adds up to conservation efforts that are a largely required to ensure that soil as a renewable resource is kept intact and highly productive. This then highlights the need for water conservation, as water is a renewable resource, and one that requires the extended use of conservation to balance many other aspects such as maintain

Operation managment (Exercises) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Operation managment (Exercises) - Essay Example Both the -charts and R-charts are used to determine whether the output of the process fall within a certain range. These measures may focus specific features such as the net weight of the product. Alternatively they may also analyze the process as a whole such as the average output (Heizer and Render). However, what these two charts often do not measure is the defect rate. For this reason, p-charts and c-charts are present to do such analysis. The difference between the two is that the former can be used to describe the proportion of the population which is defective (Reid and Sanders). On the other hand, c-charts are used to analyze the raw quantity of defects which occur. In the case presented, only the number of defects is readily available for analysis. It is therefore necessary to use c-charts in analyzing data. There can be two approaches to analyzing the said data. To view the process as a whole, the total daily defect count can be computed. Using the daily defect count, the mean may be obtained. Subsequently, the upper and lower control limits for the c-chart may be constructed and analyzed. Tables 1 and 2 present the daily defect data for the standard material and the super plastic material. These two control charts reveal some interesting features of the two processes. The process for manufacturing the standard material shows a stable operation. ... Knowing these quantities, the control charts shown in Figure 1 and 2 may be constructed. Figure 1. Control Chart for the Defects in the Standard Material Figure 2. Control Chart for the Defects in the New Material These two control charts reveal some interesting features of the two processes. The process for manufacturing the standard material shows a stable operation. The points in the control chart are centered on the mean value and fluctuate above and below the central tendency. Also, no spikes can be seen in the chart. It can therefore be said that the original process is in control. The second chart shows a trend quite similar to the original process. As with the first chart, there are no spikes above or below the control limits. Also, the data fluctuates as with any normal process. However, it should be noted that near the start of the production process, the points are generally below the control limit. As each successive day in the production process passes, the total number of defects appears to be increasing. In fact, at the second half of the data, the points tend to be above the mean. The control chart in Figure 2 therefore reveals a drift towards the upper control limit. While this process is currently in control, it may eventually shift above the upper control limit. It therefore warrants further investigation (Heizer and Render). To isolate the nature of the defect, it becomes helpful to analyze each type of defect. That is, a control chart may be constructed for each particular type. The said defect counts are shown in Tables 3 and 4. Table 3. Individual Defect Count for the Standard Material Standard Uneven Crack Scratch Bubbles Thickness Week

History of Brazil Essay Example for Free

History of Brazil Essay Brazil the only Portuguese speaking country of South America, was founded by Spanish and Portuguese in the same year of 1500, but was handed over to the Portugal in the agreement of Torsdesillas (Bamber Gascoigne,gtu). Since the time of its colonization from 1500 until the late 1930, export of principal products has been subjected. Joao VI the sole sovereign when returned to Portugal, his apparent to the throne was Pedro, who surged a sequence of progressive political differences, which ultimately led to the independence of Brazil by 1822, leading to an era of kingship by Dom Pedro. His son Pedro II continued his legacy and led a more efficient government more than his father till 1889, where he was deposed by military coup. After that there were two more military coups in 1930 and later in 1964, but since 1985, democracy slowly returned to the snagged state. But in the midst of all the political and military drama, somehow the country’s economy was on the move. The history of the country indicates of its troubled pasts, and its love affairs with military coups, but since the last three decades, the country’s political frame has been stable, leading to ample opportunity for company like ours. Brazil Demography and Economy Brazil today has a population of more than 183 million people, with a high literacy rate of more than 86% (BIGS, Brazil today). A very strong positive indication, of a healthy literate population, briefly a very lucrative consumer mass for our product. Brazil comes in one of the front leaders of a leading economy in the world. It is an elite member of trillion dollar GDP group of the world. It is one of the fastest growing economies of the world, and slowly but surely, this country has become members of varied monetary unions, like Mercosur, and G-20. Brazil’s GDP has grown at an alarming 5. 1 % in the financial year of 2007, and with a very strong GDP per capita income of $8800 and also the Brazilian currency BRL$ is very strong, as 1 USD is near about less than BRL$ 2. This 8th largest economy of the world would prove to provide substantial buyers of our product in due course of time. Brazil’s Lifestyle Brazilian culture is a very open culture, with very less of taboos, and from the early times has been into music, and dance. Being a highly diversified culture with a huge mix of ethnic groups, Brazil has a very rich heritage. Music is one of the lifelines of Brazilians, and it can be stated form the fact that, way before their independence, Brazil had its own set of music schools, set up in different part of the country . This 5th largest population of the world is very inclined to towards singing and dancing customs, and being a prosperous nation 98% of the large population has access to television, where their local movie industry which also being the 10th largest in the world is highly well-liked and watched. Brazil’s inclination towards sports is not hidden from the world, and especially their superior liking for football. The population in general is known to be very hard working, but very apposite to recreation in sports and music. Status of demands of subwoofer in cars Brazil has a very large automobile industry, and in the year 2005, Brazil manufactured more than 1.65 million cars only for its domestic market (Elisangela Cordeiro), also according to the Euro monitor consumer electronics reporting Brazil, the in-car electronics such as woofers and media players along with other electronics in the market are available at cheap installment schemes, which are luring the common man into packing his car with accessories, like car speakers and woofers. Brazil has got a very huge young population, which would be our main targets for our products, as woofers are a very mandatory thing for the young generation of Brazilians. Recommendation Our first strategy to enter Brazilian woofer market is to tie up with the local car manufacturers, and to fit in our woofers in the local brands at reasonable prices. Since Brazil has a huge automobile market, we can tap into its boom and accessories the cars with our woofers. Secondly, the basic nature of a Brazilian is very open, and everyone has very strong interest in the different genres of music, we can capitalize on this nature of theirs and we can have ads on the lines of their open nature along with, their music, being played by our subwoofer. The only competition from a brand as repute as ours is from the company â€Å"BOSE†, but it only has its sales distributors, retail and commercial in Sao Paulo, if we can pull up our regional centre in Sao Paulo as well as the capital Brasilia , then we would be miles ahead of BOSE in the Brazilian sphere, as we would be able to reach a lot of people with our products, also these two cities are the main hotspot places for tourists, mainly coming from other regions of Latin America, and we would start catering to the domestic as well as the other Latin American mass would enhance the company’s reputation in nationally as well as in other neighboring countries. We can have our shops in malls and in different youth oriented streets and places, apart from having our outlets at car showrooms. Another thing that is strongly recommended is to tap into local manufacturing structure as Brazil has a very high amount of labor population who work at remunerations which are much aff ordable to us than the labor unit in the US, also the transportation costs would exceed cost price of our product. It is more suitable to link up with government in Brazil for facilitating us with the required formalities, and also the required waivers being handed out to us, in return for the unit which would commence in Brazil, in turn handing out jobs to the local population. Once we establish our market in the region, we can market our product more to the masses by making changes in its core design and, we can create an innovative JBL series subwoofer, which can be in a shape of a football (sphere), which would woo youngsters and football lovers. Further details regarding this matter will be mailed to you from the Research Development wing. Conclusion Brazil has a very booming economy, and it is being rated with countries like India and China who are, the fastest growing economies of the world. This country has a very reasonable labor population which would cut down our costs by a huge margin, when we start manufacturing here. The regional centers which I have recommended would enhance our market in the country, and we if we can tap into the free nature and love of music of the Brazilians , then we would have not only a huge market in this country but also other Latin American countries who would follow Brazil’s in pursuit. Apart from Brazil’s distressed past of military coups, there is nothing else that negates Brazil as one of the prime future market for our company Work Cited Bamber Gascoigne, â€Å"History of Brazil†, Jan 14th 2008 http://www. historyworld. net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories. asp? historyid=aa88

Outline On Galileo Galilei

Outline On Galileo Galilei Thesis statement main argument The astronomer Galileo Galilei contributed to the field of astronomy majorly by observing the sky with a telescope he had built, observations which resulted in his discovery of many astronomical phenomena further proving that the Earth was not the center of the solar system. Statement of purpose (scope of the essay): Following a brief biography of Galileo Galilei, this paper will determine the state of the scientific knowledge prior to Galileos astronomical discoveries, explain what Galileos contribution to astronomy was, and discuss how his findings subsequently changed humanitys conception of the universe. Body Topic sentence of paragraph 1: Besides being known as a very influential astronomer, Galileo Galilei was also known for being an Italian scientist and philosopher. Birth date: February 15, 1564; Place of birth: Pisa, Italy. (Galileo Biography, 2013) Death date: January 8, 1642; Place of death: Arcetri, Italy. When he died, he was blind and very ill, and was under house arrest for heresy. (Galileo Biography, 2013) Galileo first started in a monastery school because he wanted to become a monk, but he eventually left the monastery and attended the University of Pisa to study medicine, like his father wished. However, he never completed his medicine degree and instead found an interest in mathematics and philosophy. (Bellis, 2013; Galileo Galilei, 2013) Galileo taught for three years at the University of Pisa, but transferred to the University of Padua when his three-year contract at Pisa ended. (Bellis, 2013) In 1609, Galileo heard rumours of a spyglass having been created by a Dutch spectacle-maker. Galilei decided to create his own spyglass, later renamed a telescope, and eventually made it more powerful than the Dutch spyglass. One night, he pointed his telescope towards the sky and his astronomical discoveries began then. (Bellis, 2013) Topic sentence of paragraph 2: Prior to Galileos astronomical contribution, the Catholic Church and the Bible were the principal sources of explanation for most of the phenomena that occurred on Earth and in space. In that time period, the geocentric model, suggested by Claudius Ptolemy at the beginning of the 2nd century A.D., argued that the Earth was in the center of the solar system and that the other planets and the Sun revolved around it. This model was widely accepted and encouraged by the Catholic Church. (Mochà ©, 2009; Redd, 2013) However, a more recent model had been brought forward by Nicholaus Copernicus, in 1543. This model was called the heliocentric model and declared that the Earth was not in the center of the solar system, but rather that this place was occupied by the Sun and that all the planets, including the Earth, rotated around the Sun. (Mochà ©, 2009; Redd, 2013) Galileo Galilei supported the Copernican theory (Galileo Biography, 2013), but this theory was considered against the teachings of the Church. As a result, Copernicus writings were banned by the Church. (Machamer, 2009; Mochà ©, 2009) Topic sentence for paragraph 3: Galileo Galilei made more than one contribution to the field of astronomy by observing the sky with his telescope, but his major discoveries were the first moons of Jupiter and the phases of Venus. His two major discoveries provided proof that the heliocentric model, introduced by Copernicus, was truly the one that was representative of the solar system. (Mochà ©, 2009; Weisstein, 2007) The moons of Jupiter (*the names of those moons will be included in the final essay*) that Galileo observed rejected the geocentric models argument against the Copernican theory. This argument stated that if the Sun was the center of the solar system, Earth would lose its moon because it circulated around the Sun; Earth could only keep its moon if it was in the center. However, with the moons of Jupiter (later named the Galilean moons in honour of Galileo) rotating around Jupiter, the scientist community could only face the fact that a planet could keep moons, even though it was not in the center of the solar system. (Mochà ©, 2009; Galileo Biography, 2013) The phases of Venus further encouraged the heliocentric model. The phases of Venus indicated that Venus must circle the Sun for its phases to be visible from Earth, just like the phases of the moon were. In the geocentric model, Venus would show no phases and would always be a crescent shape because the Sun would not be in the center of its orbit. (Mochà ©, 2009; Galileo Biography, 2013) Topic sentence of paragraph 4: Although Galileos observations and discoveries were not first accepted by the religious community, evidence of Galileos findings started to circulate and the Church was eventually forced to admit that Galileo had been right. (Galileo Biography, 2013; Bellis, 2013) Galileo had already published multiple books (*the names and dates will be included in the final essay*) prior to being charged of heresy by the Church and placed under house arrest. (Galileo Biography, 2013; Bellis, 2013) While being under house arrest, Galileo continued to write and publish books (Galileo Biography, 2013; Bellis, 2013), although he was becoming blind from having stared too much at the Sun with his telescope for another of his astronomical discoveries. (Our solar system, 2011) In 1758, the Church was forced to face the truth and lifted the ban on most of the books that supported the Copernican theory and the heliocentric model. In 1835, it abandoned its opposition against this model completely. (Galileo Biography, 2013) In the 20th century, some popes acknowledged the revolutionary work done by Galileo. In 1992, Pope John Paul II publicly apologized and showed regret on how the case of Galileo had been delt with. (Galileo Biography, 2013; Bellis, 2013) Conclusion Restatement of thesis statement: Galileo Galilei significantly contributed to astronomy primarily by observing the sky with a telescope, which resulted in his discovery of many astronomical phenomena proving that the Earth was not the center of the solar system. Summary of main points: Prior to Galileos findings, the Church believed in the geocentric model, introduced by Claudius Ptolemy. However, Galileos discovery of the moons of Jupiter and the phases of Venus instead supported the heliocentric model, suggested by Nicolaus Copernicus. Galileos contribution took a long time to be recognized, but it allowed for a better understanding of the way the solar system functions. Other discoveries based on the astronomers contribution: Galileos use of a telescope to observe the sky also allowed him to observe the Suns dark patches known as sunspots, part of the star cloud of the Milky Way, the rings of Saturn that he identified as ears, and the Moons crater-covered surface. (Mochà ©, 2009) There is also recent evidence that Galileo may have discovered Neptune nearly two centuries before it was official found by satellites and modern telescopes. (Redd, 2013) APA References Bellis, M. (2013). Galileo Galilei. About.com Inventors. Retrieved April 13, 2013, from http://inventors.about.com/od/gstartinventors/a/Galileo_Galilei.htm Famous Astronomers and Astrophysicists (2012). Retrieved April 13, 2013, from http://cnr2.kent.edu/~manley/astronomers.html Galileo Biography. (2013). Biography.com. Retrieved April 13, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/galileo-9305220 Galileo Galilei (1564-1642). (2013). BBC History. Retrieved April 13, 2013, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/galilei_galileo.shtml Machamer, P. (2009). Galileo Galilei. Stanford Encyclopaedia of Philosophy. Retrieved April 13, 2013, from http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/galileo/ Mochà ©, D. L. (2009). Astronomy: A self-teaching guide (7th edition). [ebrary version]. Retrieved from http://site.ebrary.com/lib/champlaincollege/docDetail.action?docID=10342867 Our solar system: Galileos observations of the Moon, Jupiter, Venus and the Sun. (2011, February 10). Solar System Exploration NASA. Retrieved April 13, 2013, from http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/scitech/display.cfm?ST_ID=2259 Redd, N. T. (2013). Galileo Galilei: Biography, inventions other facts. Space.com. Retrieved April 13, 2013, from http://www.space.com/15589-galileo-galilei.html Weisstein, E. W. (2007). Galileo Galilei (1564-1642). Scienceworld.wolfram.com. Retrieved April 13, 2013, from http://scienceworld.wolfram.com/biography/Galileo.html *** Most of these sources are preliminary sources (i.e.: websites). For the final essay, I will find books or other academic sources to replace them, particularly for Galileos biography.***