The Walt Disney Method Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Walt Disney Method - Research Paper Example He is achievements are evidenced by the creation of a successful business empire that holds its basis on the creativity he developed together with ideas. Disney’s innovative method of working remains relevant until the date and a majority of organizations still emulate the process referred to as Disney approach although it took a further development from Robert Dilts. The paper, therefore, examines Walt Disney approach as well as its usage in professional practice. The method is based on creativity with the aim directed at achieving a result that borrows from the best ideas through the elimination of the unimportant ones in the creativity process. The technique is based on Disney’s success where he managed in turning what appears as fantasies into ideas. Robert Dilts further developed the creativity technique of Disney to achieve the heights of a national language processing tool where companies across the American population perceived the method as essential in enhanci ng in achievement of organizational goals and strategies (Unamuno et al., 2007, pg 67). Organizations borrowed and still continue to borrow from the method, to enhance in presented well revised and coordinated set of ideas before embarking on any project. The most important point from Disney towards the development of the method relates looking at an issue from a different perspective as well as including all those ideas in the conclusion. Whenever Disney developed an idea for a film prepared for the public.  

Importance of Honesty

Importance of Honesty The importance of honesty is a value that has always been taught in the family, society and school. Honesty is a value that has many advantages and disadvantages. In occasions it is better to not say things because they will hurt the others. But then it is important to be honest with people. Because this way you will earn peopleÂÂ ´s respect. After looking at many definitions of honesty, the best one or the one that fits this particular context is the following: Honesty has its advantages and disadvantages. This is normal it is like resembling to fact that if white exists; black must also exist in order to contrast. The good thing about being honest is that people keep itÂÂ ´s ideals they show who they are. They do not lie because of the fear of being judged. The disadvantage of being honest is that it will hurt others, and that it might break up relations. In occasions the truth hurt and people do not want to hear the truth and they get upset with the person that is telling them the truth. ÂÂ ¹ definition http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2009/12/13/jun05.asp Honesty is the main reason to trust a person. It is the instrument to talk with the truth and win others trust. A person that has won itÂÂ ´s friend trust is a person that is honest. The society as well as itÂÂ ´s family members will have confidence and feel that they can rely on the person. When people are honest they begin to acquire fame. If you have good fame, it will be easier to have friends are you will feel n a good environment. Being honest also helps, because if you have nothing to hide, the behavior you will have is a relaxed one. But on the other hand when a person is not honest it is always worrying that the lies he has told are going to be discovered. He will always have to be careful, with each move or comments he makes. There are many forms of not being honest, one of them is when details are omitted or avoided. This is the most common form of being dishonest. The other form is when you make up lies in order to favor someone or achieve something. When people are not being honest it is because they fear that if they are honest something bad will happen. For example, women are more honest than man. When a women sees her friends boyfriend with another girl. She will call her friend and tell her about her boyfriend. Even though she is conscious that she might lose her friendÂÂ ´s friendship but she still tells the truth. Unfortunately people interpret this as being a nosy person. This is not true because woman only watch each others back. Woman also do not want to do to others what they donÂÂ ´t want to be done to them. Another example of being honest is when women ask each other, how they look and if that cloth suits them. They are always telling the truth. On the other hand men do not act this way, they always say what they know will get him something in exchange. They have the courage or can stand being with another person even though; they are married or have a girlfriend. They are not honest and many times live with this and feel no regret what so ever. Thanks to this it always attributed hat men cannot be loyal, that they are unfaithful because of their nature. A person that is not honest, is a person that is hated because everyone think that he is a hypocrite and that they donÂÂ ´t deserve the friendship. Or when they really need the help, no one will be there for them, because it will be very hard to difference when they are honest or dishonest. The books that are being analyzed are The PilotÂÂ ´s wife and the color of water. They show why it is important to be honest and how this affects peopleÂÂ ´s lives and change their lives. In the pilotÂÂ ´s wife Jack was not being honest with his wife, and the consequence of this was that even though he was dead his wife lost the confidence she had in him. She no longer believed the things he told her, or the love he had towards her. He was not honest with himself because he wanted to live a lie. And he did not want to be conscious and accept the things he did were bad, and that he was only making his wife suffer. Jack did not realize that magnitude of the problem he was getting in to just because he was not honest. After his death many people thought that jack had not been honest with society. Apparently the way in which jack died was considered a suicide and not an accident. His friend and relatives could not believe this, they thought that jack had a nice life and that he did not have any problems that would take him to do such an act. They also felt bad for Kathryn and her daughter, especially now that they knew that jack was not being honest with them. And that he had a double life. In the pilotÂÂ ´s wife there are many lies. Most of the characters were not honest; they were not honest with themselves and were not honest with the society. For example jack was not honest with his wife, Kathryn. He never told her that he had two families. This action talks bad about jack, because he was not honest with her. If jack was really in love with Kathryn he would have been honest. It is better to be honest even though this was going to hurt them. He should have thought in the consequences of his lies. Jack was not honest in many things and to many people; he was not honest to his daughter. If he had a good relationship with her he could have had the confidence to tell her the truth. But he preferred to live a lie. He also lied about his mother; he made everyone think that she was dead. When she was alive, only after jackÂÂ ´s death did they find the truth. At the end of the book Kathryn, has not learned the lesson, because she is not honest, she goes and visits jackÂÂ ´s other wife. But she doesnÂÂ ´t reveal the identity she does not trust the other woman, or maybe thinks that now that jack is dead it is not important to clear things up. KathrynÂÂ ´s form f behavior is not correct, because she does not have the right to chose and lie to another person. Well maybe not lie, but the fact that she is not being honest. Apparently both characters from this book still have not understood completely the importance of honesty in their lives. These characters are not adolescents and thereby know how to difference good from bad. This criteria or ability is developed as time passes. At home it is very common that parents are always telling their children to be honest and t not tell lies, because sooner or later the truth is reveled and when this happens everyone gets hurt. Because they feel betrayed, or feel they no longer know that person. The color of water, in this book honesty plays a very important role. This is because honesty is something that was not present in the book. But it played an important role. The story talks about James and how he discovers his heritage, and familyÂÂ ´s background. James is a black person, but his mother is white, he does not understand why his mother is white and he is black. When he was a child he thought that he was adopted. He grew up thinking that his mom was not honest with him. That she was lying to him about many things. Because of this action James doesnÂÂ ´t trust her. Only after he has started a deep investigation he realizes that his suspects were true but in the way in which he thought. He realized that his mother was not being honest because it was something painful for her to remember. Her past was full of pain and bad things. After James knows the entire story about his mom he tries to justify her acts and then realized that he has done badly in not trusting his mother. All though his mother was not completely honest but she had her reason. In this case honesty had disadvantages which were that James got hurt when he knew the truth about his father, and that his grandparents will never accept him because he is black, the main reason why his mother ran away from home was because she was in love with a black man and her family especially her parents totally disapproved this. This book has a lot of secrets and mysteries, all about James childhood and his mother background. The mother keeps her pregnancy as a secret by several years. As a consequence this brings a lot o f honestyÂÂ ´s problems. This is the type of thing that will hurt others and she tried to be very discreet about these issues. She did not want things like these to be known. She did not want to be honest with her family because she knew that they would not support. That is what she decided to abort the baby; she knew her situation and thought in the baby. At that time Ruth was too young and knew that she would not be able to care for the baby. She understood her situation by being honest with herself. . Ruth has no idea why two of her mothers sisters have not spoken for decades; their syndrome is kept secret. Ruth also kept the secret of Tatehs sexual abuse of her. These secrets from the past live in the present, haunting Ruth and complicating her relationship with her family. Mamehs sisters were more about money than anything else, and any hurts that popped up along the way, they just swept them under the rug. They were all trying hard to be American, you know, not knowing what to keep and what to leave behind. ÂÂ ¹ RuthÂÂ ´s family was being honest and dishonest at the same time; they were honest because they said the truth about not liking blacks. They were lying to themselves, when they started to hide their back ground and wanted to be completely Americans. In their attempt to wanting to be more American they lost their essence and lied to everyone. Honesty can harm people because if you are honest, people might take this as something bad. For example if Ruth tells others that her parents or racist, the society will also think she has this behavior and might not want to be with her. In both books the presence of honesty is very important, especially in the development of the story. The good things that can be taken from these books are that they teach honesty as the best policy. These books show that honesty has good and bad things at the same time. In the pilotÂÂ ´s wife it is completely unacceptable to be honest. The action of not being honest, harmed many people, the consequence of this was not suffered only by the wife but by the society. After this everyone lost hope in Jack he no longer was the respected Pilot, he was at the beginning. ÂÂ ¹ Quote take by internet: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=1006040520860 At the end he was the liar, the one who cheated on his wife, among other things that were discovered as the novel developed. The topics and themes used in these books are topics which are reflected in our society. Not many people are honest with themselves, they invent things in order to feel good, or they think it is better to live in a world that they have invented or created to their convenience. A situation in which honesty can be avoided ad itÂÂ ´s consequences are not that bad, is in Ruths situation. When she took the decision to leave her family and change her name, she did not think this would bring her consequences. And it did not matter, it stared to be important when, James grew up and started questioning his mother. When he was a child and could not understand why he had another skin color, when she was the woman that gave birth to him. He did not understand if he came out of his mother, why were they so different. As a conclusion I can say that be a honest person is very important because you have the opportunity to be a better human being and also people will trust in you. When you are not honest you are involucrate in many problems and you are not happy so I consider that the best way to enjoy the life is always saying the true.

Chiang Kai-shek :: Essays Papers

Chiang Kai-shek Chiang Kai-shek, also known as Chiang Chung-cheng, was the son of a middle-class wine merchant who lived in the village of Chikow in Chekiang Province. When he was fourteen years old, following the Chinese custom of that time, he was arranged to be marry by his mother (the bride’s name is not mentioned). His bride and he did not see each other until his walk down the aisle. He did this without complaints only to please his mother. Once he was married he met his bride’s parents, as was tradition. Due to Chiang’s bad temper, the meeting ended in arguments between Chiang and his bride’s father. Once home he tried to keep his mind off of the marriage and concentrated more on what kind of man he wanted to become. He dreamed of becoming a soldier. He saw adventure in a military career and felt comfortable with the demand for authority, order, and strength. Though his family objected and hoped for him to study law, he went off to Tokyo Military Staff College i n 1907. There he became a follower of the revolutionary leader Dr. Sun Yat-sen. This encouraged him in 1911 to take part in the revolt that established the Chinese Republic. In 1917 when Sun established the Guangzhou government, Chiang was his military aide. Sun sent him to the USSR to study Russia military methods and was more than willing to go. He got a good response from the people there. Not only did they give him advice but they also sent thirty or so military men as help. One of these men, named Michael Borodin suggested that they start a military academy in China. They placed it in Whampoa and named it the Whampoa Military Academy. Their main goal was to demand and deserve respect. Once opened they received 1,500 applicants. It planned to register only 300. Sun began to encourage Chiang’s participation in the Nationalist party. After Sun died in 1925, Chiang became a powerful figure in the it and in 1926 took command of the Nationalist army. This was called the Northern Expedition, entering into Shanghai, Hankou, and Nanjing. Chiang initiated the long civil war between the Nationalist government and the Communists.. This was ended in 1936 by General Chang Hsueh-liang who hoped to unite in defense of the approaching Japanese. Many felt that unity could not be achieved unless Chiang were removed as commander-in-chief even before the expedition was completed.

Why Should We Respect Difference in Others

Guillermo NigaglioniSeptember 25, 2010 Ad English-02Mrs. Wanda Miranda Why Should We Respect Difference in Others Everyone has a quality that makes them different from other people. If you don’t like or respect other’s qualities, they will do the same to you and you won’t like that. Also, if you don’t like that quality, don’t tell them. Just keep it to yourself and no one gets their feelings hurt. Others can also hate you for your own qualities because no one is perfect especially people that say that they are perfect. ome qualities can be the same, but at least one thing has to be different from other people. There are many ways to try to treat one’s differences with respect. One of those ways is trying not to insult them or make fun of them. For example, they might have a new type of hair and it may look funny, but don’t say it out loud. Another way is to listen to them when they speak. Don’t ignore them when they speak becaus e they could do the same to you. Finally, you could respect them by being sensitive with their feelings.If you see someone crying, help them and discover why they are crying. Some of the people you really need to respect are your friends and family. Your friends are people that respect you if you treat them well. They can be sensitive to your needs as well as you beings sensitive to their needs. They can stop being your friends if you don’t respect their differences. Your family is the group of people that respect you the most. If you have a different quality than any other of your family members, they can respect you for it and you can respect them for their qualities.Respecting other’s beliefs is important when we talk about taste. For example: I like apple and you like peach; I like blue cars and you like red cars. We all have different types of likes and dislikes, so we have to respect that because not everyone is the same. Also, we can criticize our own opinions a nd other’s opinions to identify the â€Å"correct† one because not everyone is correct with their own opinions. We all believe in different things which is why we need to respect each other for it and we can discuss it in a calm and respectful way.To end my opinion essay, I think we should respect difference in others because no one is ever the same, even when you’re twins. The qualities that make us different can be the same to other people, but we still have at least one thing that make us different. You can believe whatever you want, but we all believe different things and we can respect that. Respecting is an important quality if you like to have many friends. You can respect the different qualities they have and you can respect that so that you make a difference in the world.

Indian Civilization

INDIAN CIVILIZATION Also called Indus Valley Civilization; the earliest in South Asia Contemporary with Bronze Age civilizations in pre-dynastic Egypt, Mesopotamia Compared to the other Bronze Age civilizations, Indus Valley Civilization was unspectacular Early civilizations of the Indian sub-continent were centred on two major river valleys: The Indus River and its tributaries, especially the Saraswati River Valley (2600-1500BCE) – associated with Dravidians. Called Harappan Culture The Ganges River Valley (1500-500BCE) – associated with the Aryans. Called the Vedic Age. Along the Indus & Saraswati, there were two major centres of this civilization: Mohenjodaro and Harappa hence Harappan Culture Other cities of this civilization include Kalibagan, Chanhudaro & Doraji in Gujerat Origins and Development This civilization appears as fully developed & distinctive culture; little is known about the cultures that came before it or the factors that led to its development Recent research indicates that antecedents of this civilization can be found at Mehrgarh on the western edge of the Indus plains Evidence that domestication of plants & animals, pottery production and village life began here Around 3200 – 2600 BCE, several pre-urban cultures existed in Indus Plains and the western hill valleys that show aspects of the Harappan culture HARAPPAN CULTURE: CHARACTERISTICS Built on irrigation-based agriculture. Irrigation based on dikes and drains. Barley and wheat the most important crops; grains stored in granaries in Harappa and Mohenjodaro (as a form of tax? ) Domesticated animals cattle, water buffalo, goats, pigs, donkeys Trade was very important; extensive trade connections with areas around the Arabian Sea & up the Persian Gulf to Mesoptamia Fortified cities; well-planned with straight streets intersecting at right angles; a system of underground drains and sewers Buildings made of baked bricks. At Mohenjodaro, multi-roomed houses have been recorded Thickness of walls and remains of staircases point to the existence of upper floors Skilled artisans including bead makers, metal workers, cotton weavers and potters Potters made painted pots decorated with nimal figures, water jars, cooking & drinking vessels & storage vessels Metal workers produced copper and bronze vessels, silver and gold ornaments Other artisans produced the square and rectangular seals from steatite & other soft rocks Seals had an animal carved in negative relief and a line of script that could be read when the seal was stamped on wet tablet Seals were used to authenticate messages. The script on the seals revealed the name, lineage, social identity or the public office held by seal-owner Seals could also have been worn as talismans or amulets They are the only examples of writing from this period 400 pictographs/characters have been identified so far, but the script is not fully deciphered RELIGION Little is known about the early religions of the Indus River Valley in these early times However, many elements of India’s religious heritage today are evident from some seals from Harappa and Mohenjodaro. A seal from Mohenjodaro has a human-like figure with three heads wearing a headdress and sitting in the Yoga position. He is surrounded by animals: elephants, rhinos, water buffalo, deer etc. Thought to be a Prototype of the popular Hindu god, Shiva (the Lord of Beasts) Seal impressions and clay figurines from Harappa depict a female deity with conspicous sexual organs = thought to represent the goddess of fertility FALL & DECLINE Harappan Culture declined and fell around 1500 BCE; Harappa, Mohenjodaro and other cities were abandoned and their populations dispersed into smaller settlements There was a reversal of achievements: writing was forgotten and much of northern India returned to village life REASONS FOR DECLINE/FALL 1. Possible flooding along the Indus, affecting the densely populated areas and cities 2. Shifts in patterns of long distance trade with Mesopotamia and other regions 3. Changes in subsistence farming; rice cultivation was introduced along the Ganges Basin and had taken root by 1500BCE; millet was introduced in Gujerat. So new environments were opened for farming where conditions were unsuitable for wheat and barley 4. Major geological disturbances near the source of Saraswati river, causing it to dry up, catastrophically disrupting agriculture downstream. 5. Invasion by the Aryans (Arya = noble) who came from the northern steppes of Europe REASONS FOR THE SUCCESS OF THE ARYANS A highly developed spoken language that tended to displace other tongues that it encountered Better military organization: horse-drawn war chariots and weapons made from iron which was superior to bronze GANGES RIVER VALLEY CIVILIZATIONS Aryans became sedentary landowners along the Ganges; others became traders on the river Crafts became more specialized & increased in complexity; produced iron ploughs, luxury items for trade Urban centres re-emerged with substantial populations of artisans, traders, resident landowners, priests, warriors Major metropolises along the Ganges include Patna, Benares (which is still a holy city for Hindus even today) SOCIAL ORGANIZATION Early Indian societies were matriarchal (i. e. headed by women) and matrilineal (inheritance was through the female side of the family). This changed with the coming of the Aryans who were patriarchal Before the Aryans, husbands lived with the wife’s family; the wife’s family paid dowry. After Aryans, wife’s were required to move to the husband’s family, bring substantial dowries and accept husband’s authority The caste system was introduced at this time. Basis for caste division was social and economic rather than racial Originally there were four castes: 1. Sudras = cultivators of land, manual labourers, domestic servants 2. Vaisyas = landowners, artisans, herdsmen, merchants . Kshatriyas = the warrior nobility 4. Brahmans = priests, scholars The caste system became a dominant factor in shaping Indian society Economic specialization & division of labour played a role in the evolution of the caste e. g. Brahmans engage freely in other occupation, avoiding those considered to be polluting The hierarchy embodied in the caste system also applies to the cosmic order; the ranking order o f the caste (from pure to impure) corresponded to the ascending order of the divinities as well POLITICAL ORGANIZATION Not much is known about the political organization in India before the coming of the Aryans However, we know that Harappans had adopted the city as a means of organizing & controlling their civilization Up to five major Harappan cities are known: Harappa after which the civilization is named; Mohenjodaro, Kalibagan, Chanhudaro & Doraji Aryans were loosely organized into families, clans and tribes. Tribes were headed by chiefs/kings called Rajas, most of whom were elected or chosen by rotation from the leading families Rajas shared political power with councils of elders & assemblies of adult males There were two forms of states in India: Republics and Kingdoms In the Republics, rajas continued to rule in conjunction with powerful councils and the assemblies while in the Kingdoms, the power of the rajas grew at the expense of the councils & the assemblies. Most often, power became hereditary Monarchies developed administrative systems headed by chief priests and military leaders Close alliance between kings & priests; Brahmans were involved in the consecration of new kings; the kings supported the emerging Hindu priesthoods RELIGION Again, little is known about early religion in Harappan India. However, we know that religion in early India was a form of polytheism People of Harappan culture worshipped a goddess whose clay figurines have been recovered in Harappa & Mohenjodaro Aryans introduced new gods including: Indra = the god of war Agni = The spirit of the sacrificial fire Varuna = the lord of the big sky Aryans sacrificed to these divinities by slaughtering dozens, even hundreds of animals & sometimes humans too Sacrifices were accompanied by hymns, prayers & rituals. The hymns were passed on through generations to become core of the Hindu scriptures, the vedas HINDUISM Hinduism emerged from the merging of the gods of the Aryans and those of the conquered Dravidians Early Hindus saw some of their gods in the shape of animals (anthropomorphic divinities) such as snakes, the sacred cow etc However, Hinduism did evolve to engage in philosophical search for the deepest spiritual principle of the universe The most important gods of the Hindu faith are: Brahma = the creator god; also called the Absolute Being or the World/Universal Soul Vishnu = the preserver of the universe Shiva = the dancing divinity with four arms and the destroyer of all things; also the Lord of Beasts The concept of Brahma later subsumed all the three gods (Brahma, Vishnu & Shiva). Brahma personified the concept of a deity that could be worshipped; Brahman (as the title for the priestly class) is a derivative of the same word Brahman can also be described as the universal principle that underlies all that exists, the spiritual essence permeating the entire cosmos & the one hidden in all things; hence reincarnation THE VEDAS Today, Hinduism is based on the vedas, the sacred books of the Hindu religion. Vedas are believed to have been divinely inspired. There are four vedas: 1. Yajurveda: a manual of sacrifice for the officiating priest 2. Atharvaveda: a catalogue of charms & spells supposed to be effective in curing illnesses, arousing passion in the object of one’s desire or in destroying one’s enemies 3. Rig Veda (means â€Å"verses of wisdom† or â€Å"knowledge†): a compilation of more than 1000 poems composed between 1500-900 BCE, addressed to various Aryan gods. For example one of the poems is dedicated to Indra who is described as the god of thunder who pierced the bellies of the mountains to release waters (possibly referring to annual floods caused by the melting of snow in the Himalayas). Another poem appeals for protection of goddess Night whose radiance was believed to drive away darkness Another poem is by a gambler lamenting an unlucky throw of the dice which has caused his wife to repel him and his mother-in-law to hate him. 4. Upanishads (meaning â€Å"sitting down near†): These are philosophical treatises in prose and verse. They are cast in the form of dialogues between teacher and student They examine the nature of reality and the problem of man’s place in the universe. They reveal a genius for conceptual reasoning still admired today. †¢Upanishads teach that evil is the fruit of ignorance; that the pursuit of wisdom is pursuit of the highest possible good and that attainment of wisdom bestows both power and virtue †¢Main Teachings: The Absolute Being/World Soul is the only supreme reality Material world is an illusion (or maya); it is not permanent †¢That individual souls go through a cycle of rebirth; the soul seeks to reach nivarna (spiritual liberation) †¢That the soul can escape the cycle of rebirth by union with the Absolute Being. The individual soul (atman) is actually a fragment of Brahman, the Universal Soul. OTHER ASPECTS OF HINDUISM The concept of brotherhood of all living things embodied in the concepts of reincarnation and transmigration of souls, karma and ahimsa The Hindu faith holds that each human soul is reborn/reincarnated in the body of some other creature – human, animal, plant or even supernatural being over & over again The precise form one takes on reincarnation depends on karma or the actions one takes in the present life Good and pious life – you may be reborn as a Brahman or other high caste; a life of self-indulgence & sin – you may live your next life as a worm, dog or something else Members of lowly castes were encouraged to diligently do their duties to be born to higher status Dharma (faithful performance of one’s assigned role) and Karma (merits and demerits earned as a result of action) cemented loyalty to the prescriptions of caste. Thus doctrine of transmigration of souls reinforced the caste system Ahimsa refers to the doctrine of nonviolence; first emerged among the Jains before adoption by others in Indian society Meditation – Hindus belief that one might escape endless rounds of lives filled in with human suffering through meditation (i. e. the mystical concentration of all psychic forces) The goal of Yogi meditation is the submergence of one’s ego in the supreme unity of Brahman. This is achieved through spiritual enlightenment: that all differences are illusions (or maya) & that all that really exists is the totality of Brahman, the Absolute Being BUDDHISM Has origins in religious reforms in Indian society in the 6th century BCE. These reforms produced the spiritual teachers or gurus The gurus were later described as the naked philosophers (or the gymnosophists) because they walked naked in the rain and the sun to discipline the flesh Also fasted for long periods of time & engaged in exhausting exersices that developed into the sacred discipline of yoga Two leading gurus were Mahavira (540-476 BCE) & Prince Siddartha or Gautama (563-483 BCE) Mahavira founded Jainism & Gautama founded Buddhism Gautama was given the title of Buddha (the Enlightened One) by his followers; was born in the Himalayas, present day Nepal GAUTAMA’S TEACHINGS He denied the existence of a soul; taught that only matter existed (in opposition to teaching of Upanishads) Because matter was always in a state of flux, he recognized no Absolute Being or any fixed universal principle other than constant change Even gods were subject to laws of growth & decay; the universe is forever becoming He retained the concept of karma; he believed that the root of suffering is desire (i. e. he pursuit of unattainable goals because the objects sought are fleeting & unreal) In this sense, he agreed with orthodox Hinduism that worldly things are an illusion or maya To reach Nivarna, one should recognize & reject worldly desires as blind follies; cultivate unselfishness, compassion & honesty; reject injury to others such as murder, theft & adultery; choose a life that does not bring harm to other living things 500 years after Buddhism was founded, it split into two major divisions: Hinayana School ( the Lesser Vehicle) and Mahayana School (the Greater Vehicle) HINAYANA SCHOOL So called because it emphasized individual salvation; claimed that a diligent person could attain nivarna in three lifetimes Bodhisattva – successive incarnations of the Buddha Denied existence of a soul; does not recognize the founder of Buddhism as a god. However, prayers, gifts of flowers & incense may be offered to his image Found in Sri Lanka, Bu rma (Myanmar), Thailand, Cambodia & Laos MAHAYANA SCHOOL Mahayana sets as its goal the redemption of the entire human race; worships Buddha as a god The concept of Bodhisattva – represents the Buddha-elect, an individual who has won enlightenment but chooses to remain in the world for the liberation of others; agreeing to suffer as ransom for all human beings Everyone is potentially a Bodhisattva & may become a Buddha. It embodied as cardinal virtues love, piety, joy & serenity Mahayana Buddhism found in China, Tibet, Mongolia, Nepal & Japan, but it disappeared in India in later centuries JAINISM Founded by Mahavira; it is contemporary with & in many respects parallel to Buddhism. Mahavira broke radically with traditional religions, rejected both their deities and their scriptures Doctrines of Jainism To Mahavira, the material universe is real, but it is filled with an infinite number of souls lodged in living creatures & inanimate things Rejected the concept of an overriding World Soul & taught that individual souls are held in bondage by matter; this bondage is perpetuated through successive births by operation of karma Because every action produces karma and karma adds weight to the chains of bondage, the only route to escape is to avoid action altogether; thus nivarna represents a place of absolute passivity Mahavira prescribed a regime of extreme asceticism, ideally culminating in death through self-starvation. Despite its atheistic tendencies, Jainism did resemble a true religion with prayers, holy scriptures and gods. Today, there are about 2 million Jains in southern and western India Prominent in Jain faith is the doctrine of ahimsa or non-injury to living things; it imposes taboos against slaughter of not only of animals but even insects. Ahimsa contributed ethical suppo rt to the ideal of pacifism Since Jainism ruled out the practice of agriculture, Jains turned to trade & money-lending, becoming some of the wealthiest in Indian society ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE VEDIC AGE Medicine: dissection, delicate surgeries; thorough knowledge of human anatomy; study of embryology Knowledge of astronomy: the first to suggest that the earth revolves on its axis & that the earth rotates around the sun Mathematics: were the first to extract square & cube roots; used the decimal system; invented the principle of zero, eventually adopted by the rest of the world; Arabic numbers in use today originated in India; advances in algebra Literature: Two epic poems: Mahabharata & Ramayana Mahabharata – the longest poem in the world with over 10,000 verses. About the struggle between two powerful Indian clans, but gods were involved also Ramayana – a romantic story of Prince Rama who rescues his lovely wife Sita fromRavana, the demon king of Ceylon Arthasastra a political commentary

10 Facts About the Geography of Baja California

10 Facts About the Geography of Baja California Baja California is a state in northern Mexico, the westernmost in the country. It encompasses an area of 27,636 square miles (71,576 sq km) and borders the Pacific Ocean on the west; Sonora, Arizona, and the Gulf of California on the east; Baja California Sur to the south; and California to the north. By area, Baja California is the 12th largest state in Mexico, which has 31 states and one federal district. Mexicali is the capital of Baja California, and more than 75 percent of the population lives in that city or in Ensenada or Tijuana. Other large cities in Baja California include San Felipe, Playas de Rosarito, and Tecate. Baja, California Facts The following is a list of 10 geographic facts to know about Baja California: It is believed that people first settled on the Baja Peninsula around 1,000 years ago and that the region was dominated by a few Native American groups. Europeans did not reach the area until 1539.Control of Baja California shifted between various groups in its early history, and it was not admitted into Mexico as a state until 1952. In 1930, the Baja California peninsula was divided into northern and southern territories. However, in 1952, the northern region (everything above the 28th parallel) became the 29th state of Mexico, while southern areas remained as a territory.The dominant ethnic groups in the state are white/European and Mestizo, or mixed Native American and European. Native Americans and East Asians also make up a large percentage of the states population.Baja California is divided into five municipalities. They are Ensenada, Mexicali, Tecate, Tijuana, and Playas de Rosarito.As a peninsula, Baja California is surrounded by water on three sides with borders on the Pacif ic Ocean and the Gulf of California. The state also has diverse topography but it is divided in the middle by the Sierra de Baja California, the Peninsular Ranges. The largest of these ranges are the Sierra de Juarez and the Sierra de San Pedro Martir. The highest point of these ranges and of Baja California is Picacho del Diablo at 10,157 feet (3,096 m). Between the mountains of the Peninsular Ranges are various valley regions that  are rich in agriculture. However, the mountains also play a role in Baja Californias climate, as the western portion of the state is mild due to its presence near the Pacific Ocean, while the eastern portion lies on the leeward side of the ranges and is arid through much of its area. The Sonoran Desert, which also runs into the United States, is in this area.Baja California is extremely biodiverse along its coasts. The Gulf of California and Baja Californias shores are home to one-third of Earths marine mammal species. California sea lions live on the states islands, while various types of whales, including the blue whale, breed in the regions waters.The main sources of water for Baja California are  the Colorado and Tijuana Rivers. The Colorado River naturally empties into the Gulf of California, but because of upstream uses, it rarely reaches the area. The rest of the states water comes from wells a nd dams, but clean drinking water is a big issue in the region. Baja California  has 32 universities with 19 serving as research centers in fields such as physics, oceanography, and aerospace.Baja California also has a strong economy and is 3.3 percent  of Mexicos gross domestic product. This is mainly through manufacturing in the form of maquiladoras. Tourism and service industries are also large fields in the state.

Compare contrast the concepts of equal opportunities and diversity

Compare contrast the concepts of equal opportunities and diversity Compare & contrast the concepts of equal opportunities and diversity management – Essay Example Comparison and contrast of the concepts of ‘equal opportunities’ and ‘diversity management’ Introduction Diversity management refers to a methodical approach that many organizations use to recruit and maintain employees from varied human backgrounds. This notion of diversity originated from the United States. The worry of managing diversity cropped up due to the escalating demographic difficulty in the market. This concept further spread to the UK in the mid 1990s where the British found it crucial in their businesses. Currently, most UK organizations have embraced the diversity management model over the equality opportunities theory in their organizational planning (Greene 2009, p.159). This essay will compare both the equal opportunity and diversity management approaches and analyze whether the latter model is a unique method of management or a means, which weakens the equal opportunities theory in the UK. Comparison of the concepts of ‘equal opportunities’ and ‘diversity management’ In order to compare the two approaches, two vital areas are considered. First is the emphasis of action; equal opportunity approach mainly focuses on group discrimination and group creativity and thin optimist knowledge foundation is its building block. On the other hand, diversity management theory emphasises on the growth of all people, worldwide initiatives and extensive knowledge foundation reinforces it tremendously (Pitts 2009, p.328). From the B&Q business case for diversity, we can deduce that B&Q developed worldwide initiatives starting as a small store in 1969 and later expanding worldwide to France, Taiwan and China. When B&Q experienced a drop in the housing market in 2007-2009, its main plans aimed at doubling the profits and strong emphasis on people. This is in accordance to the diversity management objectives on growth of people. Secondly, there is the level of incorporation. Equal opportunity tends to be operational and concerned with the process and can be influenced externally by low buy-in. Conversely, diversity management is strategic, worried of outcomes and can be internalized by all (Girling 2000, p.419). The expansion of B&Q into Chinese market was done through a strategy of vertical integration. It is also concerned with the outcome of employing old people on their customers. Contrast of the concepts of ‘equal opportunities’ and ‘diversity management’ Diversity management focuses at encouraging employees to bring their ultimate potential to the organization as a result of their differences contrary to equality whereby discrimination is rampant. B&Q took the time to sort out problems associated with older employees instead of discriminating them. The major emphasis of equal opportunities concept majorly deals with the human resource departments, but diversity management focuses on all the workers notably managers in the organization (Pitts 2009, p.328). From the B&Q case, one can note that the company focuses on the workers in addressing the labour shortages. Their policy proposed at targeting old people to implement their strategies, as opposed to the equal opportunities which focus on human resource departments. Conclusion The normal equal opportunity approach has its strong foundations in the archaic approaches of labour management. However, management diversity focuses on the business desire, with comprehensive policies including change of tradition. It also includes personal mentoring so as to enhance the work surroundings. The Human resource management emphasizes the responsibility of the each person, the significance of involvement and dedication that the diversity theory seems to be contented. References List Girling, S. (2000). What is managing diversity and why does it? Peer reviewed articles 3(4), pp. 419-433. Greene, G. (2009). The costs and opportunities of doing, Human Resource Management Journal 19(2), pp. 159–175. Pitts, D. (2009). Diversity Management, Job Satisfaction, and Performance: Evidence from U.S. Federal Agencies, Public Administration Review 69(2), pp. 328-338.

Boil Water at Room Temperature

Boil Water at Room Temperature You can boil water at room temperature without heating it. This is because boiling is about pressure, not just temperature. Heres an easy way to see this for yourself. Simple Materials watersyringe You can get a syringe at any pharmacy or lab. You dont need the needle, so its  safe project, even for kids. How to Boil Water Without Heating It Use the plunger to pull up a bit of water into the syringe. Dont fill it you need airspace in order for this to work. You just need enough water that you can observe it.Next, you need to seal the bottom of the syringe so that it wont be able to suck up more air or water. You can put your fingertip over the opening, seal it with a cap (if one came with the syringe), or press a piece of plastic against the hole.Now youll boil the water. All you need to do is pull back as quickly as you can on the syringe plunger. It may take a couple of tries to perfect the technique, so you can keep the syringe still enough to watch the water. See it boil? How It Works The boiling point of water or any other liquid depends on vapor pressure. As you lower the pressure, the boiling point of the water drops. You can see this if you compare the boiling point of water at sea level with the boiling point of water on a mountain. The water on the mountain boils at a lower temperature, which is why you see high-altitude instructions on baking recipes! When you pull back on the plunger, you increase the amount of volume inside the syringe. However, the contents of the syringe cant change because you have sealed it. The air inside the tube acts as gases do and the molecules spread out to fill the whole space. The atmospheric pressure inside the syringe drops, creating a partial vacuum. The vapor pressure of the water becomes high enough compared to the atmospheric pressure that the water molecules can easily pass from the liquid phase into the vapor phase. This is boiling. Compare it with the normal boiling point of water. Pretty cool. Any time you lower the pressure around a liquid, you lower its boiling point. If you increase the pressure, you raise the boiling point. The relationship is not linear, so you would need to consult a phase diagram to predict how great the effect of a pressure change would be.

Of the People - History of the United States Assignment

Of the People - History of the United States - Assignment Example Of the People: the history of the United States describes the events of the colonial era and shades understanding of various events that culminated in the colonial era into the independence of US. It notably covers the American Revolution History among other aspects of the colonial dispensation during the reign of the British Empire. American Revolution was a consequence of a misunderstanding between the Parliament and the British legislature. These two bodies defined the war-line due to their contrasting ideology concerning taxation of the people. It was the right of the public to elect their representatives in the parliament. However, the Parliament main role was to pass bills that favored the colonialists. Britain was still in control of the parliament implying that there was no real representation of people and especially no control over the taxation control. The few elites in the parliament like George Washington disputed the ideology leading to the long-term conflict between th e parliament and colonialists. The crumble of the French Empire prior to the revolution started from within. The French holding the North American for a long time were initially engaged in war by King George. Though he never won, the war created multiple cracks in the empire that resulted to its eventual crumble. The crumble came because of massive expenditure, especially during the war. The economic destabilization eventually led to the collapse of the empire that created an opportunity to the British.

Reading summaries Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reading summaries - Assignment Example This article has been authored by Rodrik and in this article the researcher states that policy reforms are not the only tools that can help a developing nation in increasing development. The author states that in order for policies to take effect, institutions that are in the backdrop are ill structured and thus any policy can only have a long lasting effect if the institutions are solid in nature. The author states that various policies such as the policy of trade liberalization cannot work effectively if there is lack of fiscal institutions and similarly if there is lack of a proper capital market then funds will not be allocated to those areas that need to be expanded (Rodrik 978). This is a discussion paper authored by Finn Tarp and in this paper the author argues that it is not necessary that foreign aid only works in those countries where good policies have been implemented. This is because Tarp believes that impact of foreign trade should not assessed in connection with good or bad policies because the policies that might be good might provide misleading information because it is not necessary that in developing nations there are institutions that are implementing these policies properly. In this article the researcher, Ravallion, identifies a new way of doing economics as identified by Banerjee as well as Duflo and according to this new way, decisions regarding economy should be based on randomized control trials or tests. The author states that performing randomized tests in order to conduct research related to economics is not new but these tests have provided surprising results. These tests are considered as important in order to identify causal relationship between different economic variables because these tests are easy to conduct as well as easy to explain. Another reason of these tests being good to perform causal study is that the

Managing diversity and equal opportunities Essay - 2

Managing diversity and equal opportunities - Essay Example mmission (2011a) The Equality Act 2010 requires companies to give equal payment for work of same proportion and value to both male and female workers. This act came as a replacement to older acts like Equal Pay Act 1970 and Sex Discrimination Act 1975. Elimination of any form of inequality in pay is extremely important as far as achieving gender impartiality and respecting the dignity of women is concerned. Judges and committees will always interpret the law that promotes equality in pay, purposively because this stipulation is based on the foundation of the law enacted by the European Union (TSO, 2014). The domestic law in the UK has the obligation to adhere to the law enacted by the European Union that imposes rightful obligation in terms of equality in payment which will have an unswerving impact. Therefore, while considering the claims for equal pay clause under the Equality Act 2010, the UK based courts are obligated to consider the pertinent provisions enacted by the European Union. Therefore, if a claimant does not get full assistance from the domestic laws the individual has the option of relying on the European Union law in the British Court (Equality and Human Rights Commission, 2011a). While the British amendments are more generalized in nature requiring companies to eliminate any form of gender discrimination associated with unequal pay, the European amendment is more detailed in nature which eliminates any loopholes associated with gender pay inequality. The European amendment is evident in article 141 stipulated within the European Community Treaty which requires every Member State to make sure that the law of equal pay for male and female workers for work of same value and proportion is pursued. The law states that the ordinary minimum wage is kept same for male and female worker who does work of similar nature, value or quantity (Trueel, 2010). The European amendment urges organizations to supervise the cases where pay is determined on the basis

Manhattan New School Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Manhattan New School - Essay Example School's professional teachers are hired from Bank Street College of Education, Columbia University Teachers College, New York University and Fordham University. Manhattan New School resides in the heart of Manhattan in the former PS190, which was built in 1903 (About School, Manhattan New School). According to Karen Ruzzo, school's principal, "We pride ourselves at being a highly literate community, and we also understand our responsibility to prepare students to cope with the multiple demands of an ever-changing society. As a result, children learn within real-world contexts. Along with reading and writing, instructions in mathematics, science, social studies, technology, music and art engage young learners in meaningful explorations that develop critical thinking skills" (Karen Ruzzo, Mission Statement). School's vision is to grow in the near future as a role model organization for the greater national cause, while providing the students with the opportunity to investigate a range of big ideas, to ask and answer important questions, and to develop the self-management strategies that enable them to negotiate their daily life. This shows that the school's vision is broadly based and its process creates a commitment to lifelong learning. The Manhattan New School's goals include, committing to ensure that all students benefit from a shared educational experience, and continuing to develop strategies to ensure school-wide collaboration, continuity and accountability. Although all goals direct school towards its future vision, the later set certainly is very vital for its long-term vision's success. The school's objectives for its strategies to attain its long-term vision are to establish continuity of instruction both on and across grade levels, and aligning best instructional practices in all curriculum areas with positive performance outcomes for all students. SWOT Analysis: Strengths Recognition of programs and vision Empirical and interdisciplinary education, and opportunities for student leadership development Recognized educational activities with active community outreach Significant and ongoing faculty and alumni involvement at intermediate level Small classes Extraordinary emphasis on personal attention Friendly, supportive, and comfortable in-house environment Integration of technology into the curriculum Classes primarily taught by professionals incorporation of ecological sustainability due to diversified culture Early adoption Attractive campus building and facilities while having state of the art architecture Weaknesses Lower than optimal enrollment of out-of-state and international students Insufficient diversity among students and teachers Low ratio of spending per student Average class size increasing everyday Limited school capacity Not enough programs for extra curricular activities Too many language courses Opportunities Government's importance for schools playing a larger role in community development Higher market share due to increasing population and awareness Capacity to respond for future growth Capacity to help improve intermediate education Increased demand for professional and diversified education Increasing flow of funding Greater expertise in the use of technology in teaching Access to all parts of New York City Threats Lack of sufficient funding Replica of academic programs by

General Managemnet Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

General Managemnet - Research Paper Example Functions of Management Planning Planning in management is the manner through which a group of people, mainly the directors and other officials get together and make decisions on what should happen in future. Moreover, these officials take up the task of providing a plan for action (Kochan 165). Organizing This is the function of management where the managers and directors implement the plans set up. This involves understanding the relationships that the workers have with each other and trying to maximize the usage of available resources in an effort to attain the objectives set. Staffing Staffing is the process of analyzing job prospects for the incorporation of the best people to complete various tasks in an organization. The incorporation of these people is through recruitment and hiring of personnel. Directing The upper management of an organization looks through the various practices an organization goes through and offers the best ideas on what should be done and assigns the mo st favorable people to do so (Griffin 92). Controlling The authority in a given organization goes through the work carried out by various people in an effort to understand their progress with regard to the set goals. Motivation Motivation is important in an organization as through this, personnel get encouraged on the best way forward and work in an enthusiastic manner with a goal in mind (Lutz 24). The chart below is an illustration of all the functions of management Levels of Management There are different types of managers in a given organization and this depends on the power that each of them bears. Top Level Managers This is the highest group of managers and it consists of the board of directors and the Chief Executive Officer of the organization. This group of people has the task of controlling all the activities that take place in an organization. It is their responsibility to develop strategies for the company and mobilization of outsourced resources (Dale 125). Middle Level Managers Middle level management is the level of management in an organization that consists of department managers and branch managers. Most of the work carried out by these people is the directing of the various processes within an organization. They also serve as the link between the top and lower management. This is from the fact that when the lower management wishes to pass some information to the top management, the middle level managers have the task of going through the information and passing it on (Peter 11). Accordingly, when there is the establishment of new policies in the organization, the middle level managers have the responsibility of passing the information to the lower level managers. First Level Managers This level consists of supervisors mostly whose work is observing the manner in which the lower personnel work with the basic function of coordinating their activities and offering advice on the most appropriate way to carry out functions for the optimal success of an organization. According to Lawrence Kleiman, these managers are imperative to a company as they offer the basis for motivation and performance feedback that are vital for the success of any institution (Kleiman 78). How Management is Relative to my Dream As I was growing up, I always admired the manner in which power ran down from the top position all the way down to the lower leve

Women in the work place (is there still glass ceiling Essay

Women in the work place (is there still glass ceiling - Essay Example Seek sponsors and mentors: Mentors should always be able to couch or train you in areas of difficulty or less knowledge by just following their footsteps. They do not necessarily have to be people in high management levels. Those in the top may not have time for you. Sponsors are top or senior level persons or leaders who can make decisions in an organization. They must be willing to advocate for you. Be a risk taker: Adjust your attitude towards failure and never get scared. Keep venturing into several opportunities to improve your knowledge and experience. Have confidence and take time for personal networking for back up incase of a stumble. Develop emotional intelligence: You must bear self-awareness and learn to listen before you react. â€Å"Seek first to understand and then to be understood – Stephen Covey†. Ethics and your code of conduct mean a lot to the people that surround you. People always want to work with someone who has integrity, caring and

General Managemnet Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

General Managemnet - Research Paper Example Functions of Management Planning Planning in management is the manner through which a group of people, mainly the directors and other officials get together and make decisions on what should happen in future. Moreover, these officials take up the task of providing a plan for action (Kochan 165). Organizing This is the function of management where the managers and directors implement the plans set up. This involves understanding the relationships that the workers have with each other and trying to maximize the usage of available resources in an effort to attain the objectives set. Staffing Staffing is the process of analyzing job prospects for the incorporation of the best people to complete various tasks in an organization. The incorporation of these people is through recruitment and hiring of personnel. Directing The upper management of an organization looks through the various practices an organization goes through and offers the best ideas on what should be done and assigns the mo st favorable people to do so (Griffin 92). Controlling The authority in a given organization goes through the work carried out by various people in an effort to understand their progress with regard to the set goals. Motivation Motivation is important in an organization as through this, personnel get encouraged on the best way forward and work in an enthusiastic manner with a goal in mind (Lutz 24). The chart below is an illustration of all the functions of management Levels of Management There are different types of managers in a given organization and this depends on the power that each of them bears. Top Level Managers This is the highest group of managers and it consists of the board of directors and the Chief Executive Officer of the organization. This group of people has the task of controlling all the activities that take place in an organization. It is their responsibility to develop strategies for the company and mobilization of outsourced resources (Dale 125). Middle Level Managers Middle level management is the level of management in an organization that consists of department managers and branch managers. Most of the work carried out by these people is the directing of the various processes within an organization. They also serve as the link between the top and lower management. This is from the fact that when the lower management wishes to pass some information to the top management, the middle level managers have the task of going through the information and passing it on (Peter 11). Accordingly, when there is the establishment of new policies in the organization, the middle level managers have the responsibility of passing the information to the lower level managers. First Level Managers This level consists of supervisors mostly whose work is observing the manner in which the lower personnel work with the basic function of coordinating their activities and offering advice on the most appropriate way to carry out functions for the optimal success of an organization. According to Lawrence Kleiman, these managers are imperative to a company as they offer the basis for motivation and performance feedback that are vital for the success of any institution (Kleiman 78). How Management is Relative to my Dream As I was growing up, I always admired the manner in which power ran down from the top position all the way down to the lower leve

Essay on Managing People Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

On Managing People - Essay Example Some of the theories which have been used are the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, Herzberg’s two factor theory, McClelland theory of motivation, Alderfer's ERG theory. Theories and their applications in the context of the case As per the goal setting theory, individuals generally have a clear drive towards reaching towards a certain state or goal. Reaching this end state is perceived as being a reward in itself. However the goals’ efficiency is affected by the following features, namely, specificity, proximity and difficulty. Such was the case with Steve Jobs. Jobs motivation was derived largely through his desire to change the world through his innovation. It is true that he was much lower in comparison to his competitors in terms of riches or wealth. However, it was not his motive to earn the reputation of being the wealthiest of his time; he was rather focused towards creating such innovative products which would be appreciated and accepted by all and would be ac cepted and perceived as such a thing which changed their lives. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Abraham Maslow has presented the hierarchy of needs of individuals which can be explored to explain the context of the case study. ... Being the owner of Apple, which is one of the largest multinational organizations in the world, it is imperative to understand that he had reached the pinnacled of success in his career. Thus it can be said that all of his self esteem needs had been satisfied. However, the fact that he continued to work on innovation and creation depicts that he was still in the lookout to attain his needs to attain self actualization. His continuous strive towards enhancing his performance as being a leader as well as his people in the organization demonstrate his craving for the need of self actualization (Gorman, 2004, p.34). Herzberg’s two factor theory ‘Herzberg’s two factor theory’ is different from that of Maslow in that the former presents two categories of conditions which are known as ‘motivators’ and ‘hygiene factors’ respectively. Factors which contribute directly towards motivating people to work harder is named as motivators and facto rs which de-motivate employees in their absence but do not motivate them when present are known as hygiene factors. In the case of Steve Jobs, the fact of being the CEO does not act as a motivator for him. It is rather a hygiene factor for him. Even though he produced the successful iPod player and iTunes which was considered to be quite a revolution in recording industry he was not quite content with it. This was followed by the production of the iPhone and the Macbook Air in 2007 (Mullins, 2010, p.411-413). Such big achievements could not satisfy him much and thus they can be considered to hygiene factors. They did not contribute towards making him work harder; however, their absence could have acted as de-motivators in his career. The case reveals that Steve Jobs was not the

Decreasing Social Interaction Anxiety for Schizophrenia

Decreasing Social Interaction Anxiety for Schizophrenia CHAPTER V DISCUSSION, SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, IMPLICATIONS, LIMITATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. This chapter deals with discussion, summary and conclusions drawn. It clarifies the limitations, the implications and the recommendations of the study which are given for the different areas in Nursing practice, Nursing education, Administration and Research. The primary aim of the intervention is to decrease the social interaction anxiety among patients with schizophrenia. DISCUSSION. Schizophrenia is relatively common affecting 1.1% of population in or around 65 million people worldwide. In India about 4.5 – 7.8 millions of people suffers from schizophrenia and 7 lakhs of people suffers from Schizophrenia in Tamil Nadu. The patients with Schizophrenia have been found to have pronounced deficits in the social skills. These deficiencies may reflect the primary influence of the illnesses itself.(Del prette,1999). The present study aimed to assess the effectiveness of social skills training on social interaction anxiety among the patients with schizophrenia. It was conducted at Kongunadu Mana Nala Arakkatalai ,a chronic centre at Coimbatore. The sample size was 30 patients who were diagnosed with schizophrenia. Demographic variables showed that 80 percent of the patients were under the age group of 40 – 60yrs, 53.3 percent of the patients were males, 70 percent of the patients completed their high school, 63.3 percent of the patients were married and 60 percent of the patients were from the nuclear family. Clinical variables showed that 73 percent of the patients were chronic schizophrenic patients, 50 percent of the patients were having the illness from 2 – 4yrs and 56.6 percent of the patients were admitted in the hospital for more than 2 yrs. The distribution of the subjects according to the mean pre test values of social interaction anxiety showed 47.97 and the distribution of the subjects according to the mean post test values of social interaction anxiety showed 43.57. The collected data of the present study were statistically analyzed and the results based on the objective are discussed below:- (1) To assess the social interaction anxiety before and after the social skills training among the patients with schizophrenia. The level of social interaction anxiety before the social skills training among the patients with Schizophrenia was assessed by using the SIAS scale. The scale consists of 20 questions which includes the aspects of communication, eye contact , listening, appropriate emotional response ,interaction anxiety , greeting and smiling to others. The mean pre test value of social interaction anxiety was 47.97 and the post test value was 43.57 respectively. It showed that the schizophrenic patients are having severe social interaction anxiety. From the above results the researcher came to a conclusion that the schizophrenic patients are having severe social interaction anxiety to go for effective communication which affects their day to day life. Thus by giving the social skills training; a behaviour therapy technique the patients can improve their social skills which further leads to the good communication. A study supporting the above result is as follows: Beaz . S.et al.,(2013) conducted a study to evaluate the social functioning performance (social cognition tasks) that incorporate the different levels of contextual dependence and their involvement in the real life scenarios.50 samples were included as the study participants and out of these 25 were the control subjects. The subjects were analyzed by using the pre prepared diagnostic assessment. The results showed that the both groups has the greater interaction anxiety and thus gives the poor performance in the social cognition tasks which constitutes emotional processing, empathy and social norms. The result suggests that the social skill deficits in the patients with schizophrenia will impairs their involvement in the real life situations. (2) Evaluate the effectiveness of social skills training among the patients with schizophrenia. The post-test level of social interaction anxiety was assessed after the intervention. The comparison between the social interaction anxiety of the patients before and after social skills training was statistically evaluated using paired t’ test. The mean pre-test value of social interaction anxiety was 47.97 and post test value was 43.57. The calculated paired ‘t’ value was 6.067 which is greater than the table value (1.672) and it was significant at P From the above analysis, the investigator came to the conclusion that the social skills training was an effective intervention for decreasing the social interaction anxiety of the schizophrenic patients. A study supporting the above finding is as follows : Imam.A.S,et.al.,(2004) conducted a study to determine the effect of social skills training program on social interaction anxiety of individuals with schizophrenia. For a one month program; 62 inpatients, 32 in the study group and 30 in the control group were selected as the participants and they were given 60 min training in 10 sessions for 15 days. The results indicated that social interaction anxiety had shown a tendency to gradually decrease with the lengthening of the group treatment time. The findings demonstrated that the social skills’ training is effective in reducing the interaction anxiety in individuals with schizophrenia. Similarly; as in the above described study, the present study also showed the effectiveness of social skills training programme on social interaction anxiety among schizophrenic patients. (3)Associate the social interaction anxiety with the selected demographic and clinical variables among the patients with Schizophrenia. The association of social interaction anxiety using with selected demographic and clinical variables is found out by using the chi square test and it shows that, the calculated chi square value for all demographic variables such as age , gender, education, type of family , type of schizophrenia, duration of illness, and period of stay does not have any significant association with the social interaction anxiety at P A study supporting the above result is that Hayes (1995) conducted a study on effects of social skills training on the community functioning and its impact with the chronic schizophrenic patients.63 patients met in small groups for 36 sessions of training over 4 months. The results showed that there is a significant association in community functioning with demographic status such as gender, educational status and marital status of the patients. No association was found between the age , type and duration of illness ,and period of admission. The association of social interaction anxiety with demographic variables such as age (0.842), gender (0.523), education (0.276), and type of family (0.36) were not statistically significant at P The association of social interaction anxiety with clinical variables such as the type of schizophrenia(0.589), duration of illness (0.657), period of stay (0.992) showed no significance at P The above mentioned study also supports that there was no association between the age, type and duration of illness and period of admission. And in the present study, the researcher suggests that irrespective of the age and gender; the people will have to deal with the stressful life events daily hassels which consequently affects the social decompensations which will be varying from one another and hence their perception towards the social skills might be different. And on the other side, the educational status; the participants may not have the capability to understand the social skills training it’s importance. For the other variables, type of family, type of schizophrenia, duration of illness, period of stay ; the duration and sample of the study is less. Hence this may be the reason these variables are found as no association in the present study. Similarly as the above ; in the present study there was a significant association with the social interaction anxiety and the marital status and no association was found between age, gender, education ,type of family ,type of illness and its duration and the period of stay. SUMMARY The present study was aimed to assess the effectiveness of social skills training on social interaction anxiety among the patients with schizophrenia. The objectives formulated were as follows:- To assess the social interaction anxiety before and after the social skills training among the patients with schizophrenia. Evaluate the effectiveness of social skills training among the patients with schizophrenia. Associate the social interaction anxiety with the selected demographic and clinical variables. The social skills training was the independent variable and the social interaction was the dependent variable. One group pre–test post–test quasi experimental design was used for the study. The samples include 30 schizophrenic patients. Non probability purposive sampling technique was used. The tool for the data collection consists of the demographic and clinical variables of the patients, and social interaction anxiety scale was used to assess the social interaction anxiety of the schizophrenic patients. The study was conducted at Kongunadu Mana Nala Arakkatalai, Coimbatore for a period of 6 weeks. After the pre-test, the researcher used social skills training as the intervention. The training showed a decrease in the social interaction anxiety for the patients which was assessed by the post test. As on the hypotheses and objectives, data’s were analyzed by using both descriptive and inferential statistics to find out the effectiveness of social skills training on social interaction anxiety among the patients with schizophrenia.. And it tested and proved the formulated hypothesis. MAJOR FINDINGS OF THE STUDY The pre-test and post-test values showed that there was a decrease in the social interaction anxiety among schizophrenic patients. Thus, it was an effective intervention to decrease the communication problems among schizophrenic patients. The calculated paired‘t’ test value for the social interaction anxiety among the patients with schizophrenia was 6.067. This value was greater than the table value (1.672) and‘t’ value was significant at 0.05 level. Thus this finding implies that there was a decrease in social interaction anxiety after social skills training. The association of social interaction anxiety with selected demographic and the clinical variables using chi square test shows that; among the calculated chi square values for demographic variables, marital status had a significant association at P CONCLUSION The conclusion drawn from the study is as follows:- The statistical analysis proved that, the social interaction anxiety of the patients with schizophrenia was decreased after social skills training. Thus, social skills’ training is a good intervention to improve the social skills among the patients with schizophrenia. IMPLICATIONS The present study contributes to nursing practice, nursing education, nursing administration and nursing research. The social skills training can be used to decrease the social interaction anxiety among the patients with schizophrenia. Nursing Practice The social skills’ training is an effective therapeutic technique to improve the social skills of the patients. In the nursing practice, the Psychiatric nurses as teachers or trainers can work collaboratively with their patients for behavioural modifications such as increasing socialization, improving assertiveness. The decrease in the social interaction anxiety will improve the communication pattern of the patients which in turn help them to improve their day to day life. By using this training ; nurses can overcome the social difficulties of their patients and help them achieve higher levels of psychosocial adaptation. Nursing Education. The nurse educator can encourage the staff to implement the social skills training technique for the patients in an active and more lively manner. The nurse educator can make the staff nurses , to understand about the social skills training and thus to deliver an effective and good quality of care to their patients. Nursing Administration. The nurse administrator can initiate the social skills training in psychiatric units. The nurse administrator can implement the social skills training as a group activity among the patients. Nursing Research. The nurse researcher should explore the factors that are contributing to the lack of social skills in the hospital environment among the patients with schizophrenia. More researches should be encouraged to assess the effectiveness of social skills training in all the areas of communication. LIMITATIONS The time period of the study was very short to assess the behavioural change of the patients. The study was conducted for one aspect of the social skills. The study was conducted with the limited number of samples. RECOMMENDATIONS. A comparative study can be done with the experimental and the control group. A longitudinal study can be done with large number of samples in different settings. Further research can be conducted focusing the other aspects of social skills. A comparative study can be done with the other behaviour modification techniques.

Linus Pauling Essay -- Biography Linus Pauling Essays

Linus Pauling (1901-1994) A master and maker in many fields, Linus Pauling lived a very long and productive life spanning nearly the entire twentieth century. By the time he was in his twenties, he had made a name for himself as a scientist. After many significant contributions including his work on the nature of the chemical bond, he turned to chemical biology and is generally accepted as the founder of molecular biology. Later in his life he became very involved in issues of politics and peace for which he is somewhat less well known. In his later years, he became interested in health and medicine and specifically in the use of vitamin C to prevent ailments from the common cold to cancer. In Pauling’s own words he was â€Å"†¦a physicist with an interest in chemistry. [His] scientific work, however, has not been restricted to chemistry and physics, but has extended over X-ray crystallography, mineralogy, biochemistry, nuclear science, genetics, and molecular biology; also nutrition and various aspects of research in medicine, such as serology, immunology, and psychiatry† (Marinacci Ed., 1995, p. 26). Pauling received two Nobel Prizes acknowledging his contributions, one in Chemistry in 1954 and one for Peace in 1962. Gardner describes the creative individual as follows: â€Å"The creative individual is a person who regularly solves problems, fashions products, or defines new questions in a domain in a way that is initially considered novel but that ultimately becomes accepted in a particular cultural setting† (Gardner, 1993, p. 35). As I understand this, a creative individual is one who seeks out problems and states or solves them in a way that no one else has previously. Such inno... ...ive individuals. He also fits Gardner’s description of the Exemplary Creator fairly well. Linus Pauling was a creator with astounding intellectual abilities who was also active in many other areas as dictated by his interest and passion. His ideas and research into the nature of chemical bonds significantly changed the way that we understand the world. References Books: Gardner, H. (1993). Creating Minds. New York: Basic Books. Goertzel, T., & Goertzel, B. (1995). Linus Pauling. New York: Basic Books. Hargittai, I., & Hargittai, M. (2000). Conversations with Famous Chemists. London: Imperial College Press. Marinacci, B. (Ed.). (1995). Linus Pauling in His Own Words. New York: Simon & Schuster. Internet (photographs): http://www.wic.org/bio/lpauling.htm http://pauling.library.orst.edu/exhibit/index1.htm

The Horizons of Theory: Jameson, Marxism, and Poststructuralism Essay

The Horizons of Theory: Jameson, Marxism, and Poststructuralism Fredric Jameson's The Political Unconscious is a work which crosses theories' boundaries, which walks (or polices?) Marxism's border on poststructuralism. It may easily be read as a refutation of poststructuralism, or as an embrace of it; as a flight from Marxism (though under its own banner), or as its theoretical redemption – this is not a contradiction (we might read Jameson as replying), but a dialectical, productive exploration of the tension between these philosophies. Indeed, Jameson's exposition of his Marxist hermeneutic may be taken as a reply (from within a discourse he perceives as Marxism) to the poststructuralisms of Jacques Derrida and Gilles Deleuze, and as a conversation with the structural Marxism he calls "Althusserian"; but Jameson attempts to reconcile these views with the Marxist tradition. We may read The Political Unconscious as positing a mode of reading which is acceptable to – or which subsumes – both a "demystifying" Marxism and the ap oria or irreducible contradiction of deconstruction; but in so doing, as Jameson perhaps realizes, the text is drawn into the clear contradictions between these theories, and only partially resolves (or evades) them. The central thesis of The Political Unconscious is the presence of History as the "untranscendable" or "absolute horizon of all reading and all interpretation" (17). We may immediately note that this "untranscendable presence" apparently contradicts deconstruction's mistrust of all presences within and behind texts, to say nothing of Derrida's derisive references to "transcendence." To look for History in the text, to find the hidden meaning of History through it, would evidently not be a sa... ...rificing the individual text to a broader structural analysis – "that a Marxist cultural study can hope to play its part in political praxis, which remains, of course, what Marxism is all about" (299). It is revealing (from a Marxist standpoint) that this final aside marks the only reference to concrete political involvement in the volume; perhaps more tellingly, The Political Unconscious treats this sacrifice of the traditional, individualistic literary text as a price which, however unfortunately, must be paid (in order to satisfy the demands of Marxism). But as a reconciliation of the poststructuralist, anti-transcendent insistence on specificity with some of the theoretical imperatives of Marxist cultural thought, The Political Unconscious remains a breakthrough; and as a proposal of a newly political, poststructuralist historicism, it is undeniably persuasive.

Discuss Proto-Luke Theory Essay

Whilst other scholars had previously thought of Mark’s Gospel as the foundation for Luke, B.H. Streeter refutes these views and suggests the opposite. He named this theory ‘Proto-Luke’, which suggests that while putting together his gospel, Luke wrote an early draft which was primarily made up of Q and L sources, before he became acquainted with Mark. This Marcan material was used as a secondary source, which was later slotted into an existing composition, which makes up the present gospel. The previous draft, which excluded any Marcan content, was dubbed Proto-Luke. Arguments supporting Streeter’s hypothesis include the very structure of Luke’s Gospel. Rather than interweaving the Q, L and Marcon sources together, the gospel alternates between five large blocks from Mark and the smoothly flowing Q and L sections. â€Å"Mark is a quarry from which stone is obtained to enlarge an existing building.† – Taylor. How Q and L are combined together suggests they were used in harmony with each another, which agrees with the Proto-Luke theory. It seems that Luke used Q to carefully select sayings of Jesus which would expand his own research. However, material sourced from Mark is dropped in without mixing with Q and L information. The scholar Taylor argues that when we exclude the Marcan content, the Q and L material flows in a understandable way, a so-called ‘relative continuality’. Therefore, the suggestion that a Proto-Luke version of the gospel existed prior to the introduction of Mark is a perfectly acceptable argument. Stanton applied this to the passion narrative by removing the Marcan verses and found that from Luke 22:14 and 23:53, (163 verses), only twenty were totally dependant on Mark. â€Å"If they are removed we still seem to have a coherent non-Marcan passion narrative.† – Stanton. The beginning and ending of Luke’s Gospel contain no material drawn from Mark. If Luke already had a gospel before he came across the Marcan material, then it makes sense that he would leave his own introduction and conclusions untouched whilst editing the middle in order to insert blocks from Mark. However, Stanton notes that Proto-Luke may have begun at 3:1, due to the formal introduction: â€Å"In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar†¦Ã¢â‚¬  The fact that Luke omits so much of Mark, which accounts for a third of Luke, may suggest that he is giving priority to his original Proto-Luke limitations. Stanton talks of Luke’s disloyalty to his Marcan source: â€Å"At many points, [only two of which can be mentioned here,] Luke’s gospel seems to betray its Marcan basis†. If Mark was Luke’s framework for his gospel, how can we explain the omission of this much Marcan material? Another point to consider is the restrictions of writing on a papyrus scroll, the length of this would limit the degree to which Luke could supp lement Proto-Luke with Marcan information. On the other hand, many arguments discredit the Proto-Luke hypothesis. As of yet, scholars cannot agree on the verses that came from Mark and the verses which belong to Q and L, but the scholar Tuckett has claimed to have identified phrases from Mark in amongst blocks of Q and L. If he is correct in these claims then the Proto-Luke theory is doubtful. Having said that it may have been possible for Q and L to have existed in a coherent order without any Marcan material, there are still holes in the narrative flow that Q and L create. This point can lend itself to arguments against Proto-Luke, leading some scholars to call it â€Å"an amorphous collection†. If it doesn’t read like a single document, then perhaps Proto-Luke never existed. For example, between 8:3 and 9:51, when Marcan material is removed, an awkward gap is revealed, as there is nothing about Jesus’ time in Galilee. Discontinuity like this in Proto-Luke goes against the hypothesis that it ever existe d. Another view twists one particular argument in favour of Proto-Luke; about how Q and L are combined, with Marcan content awkwardly slotted in. We are familiar with Luke’s compositional style, it is also seen in Acts, which features abrupt shifts between the â€Å"we† sections and the rest of the gospel. There are also suggestions that the infancy narrative may have been added to Luke later, as it doesn’t seem to fit with the rest of the Gospel. These features of Luke’s writing indicate his tendency to throw his various sources of information together. Then this style may not have been unique to the Marcan material that Luke supposedly added to his Proto-Luke draft. Maybe this is just how Luke prefers to set out all of his writing? Hence, the proto-Luke theory looses credibility if this is simply the manner in which Luke constructs all his documents. Luke may have felt that Mark’s Gospel was too important to alter in any way, so he slotted it into his Gospel in the same manner he did with other important sources. Scholars such as Fitzmyer propose that certain doublets in the Marcan material can show that Mark was actually a primary source. There are a number of repeated, similar phrases, for example â€Å"to all those who have more will be given, but for those who have nothing even what they have will be taken away† features in 8:18 and 19:26. When this happens, one version of the phrase comes from Mark and the other originates from ‘Q’ (shared with Matthew). When we tally up where all of these phrases come from, most are sourced from Mark, leading the theory that Mark was actually an early framework for Luke’s Gospel. Whilst piecing his gospel together, Luke may simply have decided to use Mark in block form; however that does not mean that Marcan material was added in later, in a two-stage composition (as noted by Taylor). Guthrie commented on this hypothesis, and said that although it had grounding, it was too weak to justify a full inquiry: â€Å"although the hypothesis may have explained certain features in the disruption of Luke, it cannot be said that features demand the hypothesis†.

Adidas History Essay

Adidas was founded in 1924 in Germany by two bothers Adi and Rudolf Dassler. The company was first named Dassler shoes and later became Adidas. By the Dassler shoes being seen in the Olympics this really helped the company get its name known. However, in 1948 Rudolf Dassler leaves to start his own company which is now known as Puma. Once Rudolf left his brother came up with the famous three stripes logo and changed the name to Adidas. The 3 stripes were created to keep the foot stable, but ended up being the logo. Throughout the years Adidas was seen in the Olympics, and it was the leading brand making their shoes highly sought after by Olympic athletes. In 1978, Adi Dassler passed at age 78 and his wife Kathe ran the company. Six years later Kathe passed and the company was left for their son Horst Dassler to run, and three years later Horst passed at age 51. After Horst’s death Adidas ran into some major financial problems, and later Bernard Tapie comes to make an attempt to save the company. Well to be honest, later down the road a hip-hop group named Run-DMC came and put Adidas on another level just like Jordan did for Nike, and the rest is history! They even made a song called â€Å"My Adidas†, and it was a hit all around the world. After Run-DMC came to Adidas they even had their own signature line. Run DMC is still making Adidas money today just like Jordan is still making Nike tons of money these guys are true legends to the â€Å"Shoe Game†. Adidas has worked with many famous people and has a signature shoe line for Stan Smith, Kevin Garnett, Tracy McGrady aka TMAC, Missy Elliot, and many others. (The Shoe Game) Adidas America, Inc. manufactures and wholesales sports footwear, apparel, and accessories. It offers tennis, running, and basketball shoes; women’s and misses’ outerwear; men’s and boys’ clothing; and women’s and children’s clothing, as well as rubber or plastic footwear. Adidas America, Inc. was formerly known as Sports, Inc. and changed its name to Adidas America, Inc. in 1993. The company was incorporated in 1975 and is based in Portland, Oregon. Adidas America, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Adidas AG. (Inside View) Sportswear giant Adidas gets a new headquarter for its 1700 staff members in Herzogenaurach, Germany. Their new home surely matches the German reputation for quality engineering. I also love the  excess of white used for the interior design, pretty sure their cleaning company has a great time doing their job. (Nimvo) MISSION OF THE COMPANY The adidas Group strives to be the global leader in the sporting goods industry with sports brands built on a passion for sports and a sporting lifestyle. †¢ Adidas is consumer focused and therefore it continuously improve the quality, look, feel and image of its products and its organizational structures to match and exceed consumer expectations and to provide them with the highest value. †¢ Adidas is innovation and design leaders who seek to help athletes of all skill levels achieve peak performance with every product it bring to market. †¢ Adidas is a global organization that is socially and environmentally responsible, creative and financially rewarding for its employees’ and shareholders. †¢ Adidas is committed to continuously strengthening its brands and products to improve its competitive position. †¢ The Company is dedicated to consistently delivering outstanding financial results. MISSION OF THE MARKETING PLAN To devise a marketing plan and formulate strategies which would help in the achievement of the marketing objectives of the company which are, Market penetration – gaining market share across all markets in which it compete Market development – expanding into new markets and addressing new consumers Awareness – increasing awareness and visibility across all brands, providing clear and consistent messaging and supporting product initiatives at the point-of-sale. TARGET MARKETS — The target market of Adidas is the urban youth with the brand proposition competition to lifestyle. The principle consumption centers namely the metros are also a potential target market! MARKET NEEDS †¢ Comfort †¢ Durability †¢ Style †¢ Price †¢ Brand SITUATION ANALYSIS OF THE CHALLENGE COMPETITIVE SCOPES OF  ADIDAS Porter’s five forces of competition framework view the profitability of an industry as determined by the five forces of competitive pressure. It is a simple but powerful tool for understanding where power lies in a business situation. It helps a firm in understanding its current strength in the industry. It also brings into light the strengths of the competitors. With a clear understanding of where power lies, a firm can take reasonable advantage of a situation of strength, improve a situation of weakness, grab the opportunities and keep away from taking wrong steps. This makes it an important part of planning a strategy for any firm in any industry. At the same time, the tool helps in identifying whether new products, services have any future prospect and the potential to be profitable. (Scribd) Five forces analysis for Adidas: Threat of entry (Low-moderate) Threat of Substitute (LOW) Supplier Power (Low) Buyer Power (High) Rivalry (HIGH) Chapter 3 book page 60 Expectation of Suppliers Global Sourcing is a key organization of the adidas Group and its primary responsibility is the creation and implementation of sourcing strategy, supporting the diverse needs of all the brands (adidas, Reebok and Tailor-Made-adidas Golf), product divisions, categories and regions within  the Group. The Company strives to become the leading organization in the industry by establishing an adaptive supply network which excels in speed, innovation, agility and connectivity. This could not happen without the support and commitment of its product suppliers. Thus this is essential for them to share the same values and principles so as to drive the success of the supply chain as a whole. What does Adidas look for in its product suppliers? Overall Competence Regarding its product suppliers as strategic business partners, Adidas recruit them based on a number of criteria which comprise the overall competence of a supplier: 1. Vision: with a vision to become the leading organization in the industry through establishing an adaptive supply network which excels in speed, innovation, agility and connectivity, Adidas expect it suppliers to share this vision, and participate proactively in developing these core capabilities and contribute to the overall supply chain. 2. Supplier Partnerships based on Shared Values: adidas Group seeks suppliers who have close alignments with their values and demonstrate great passion for adidas Group products and brands. Adidas suppliers should strive to become leaders in the fields of performance culture, social and environmental affairs, quality, efficiency, price/value, and innovation. 3. Technical Capability: the Company seek product suppliers with advanced technical capabilities, not only limited to product innovation and quality, but also with the ability to perform business electronically and flexibly enough to upgrade their systems to adapt to future market demands. It suppliers should continuously promote communication and information visibility throughout the supply chain. 4. Leadership: adidas Group seeks suppliers who have a clear and aligned  vision for their organization. The suppliers’ leadership teams are expected to build positive working culture and lead their workforce to achieve improvement and performance targets on a continuous basis. 5. People Management: The Company looks for suppliers who commit to talent management. Suppliers should maintain a professional organization structure which includes dedicated development / merchandizing, planning, industrial engineering, quality and information technology teams, as well as committing to deliver lean operations, competitive cost structure, and cost transparency. 6. Workplace Standards and Ethics: The Company believes better working conditions yield higher quality, efficiency and flexibility to meet customer needs. Suppliers should provide their workers with competitive wages, safe and good working and living environments as well as proper incentives for higher quality and productivity (e.g. lower average working hours in general, decent accommodation and fringe benefits, etc.). 7. Financial Stability: The Company seek suppliers who are financially stable and comply with international and local statutory regulations for the interest of maintaining a viable supply chain and protecting adidas Group shareholders and consumers in the long term. Suppliers should be willing to share selective financial information with adidas Group upon request. Risk Management To minimize risks in Adidas business operations, the adidas Group and its suppliers should actively build and take action plans to manage the following types of risks: 1. Social -They adhere to their established Code of Conduct, the â€Å"Workplace Standards† of Engagement (SOEs) 2. Political – They minimize asset and cash exposure in countries which are considered to be politically unstable. 3. Regulatory – They actively review and adjust sourcing strategies annually to minimize trade restrictions exposure 4. Legal – They utilize extensive legal procedures to combat counterfeit operations in order to minimize the risk of infringement of trademarks and patent rights related to adidas Group products 5. Natural – They maintain high safety standards and have disaster recovery plans in place to deal with such circumstances Business Culture To ensure Its business operates in an efficient and effective manner, adidas Group has established a unique business culture which comprises the following: 1. Right Product at the Right Time – Suppliers are expected to deliver the right products at the right time and in the right quality. The aim is to shorten the end-to-end supply chain lead time from raw materials sourcing to the delivery of final products. 2. Quality Excellence – Quality is one of the main focuses for adidas Group. Its suppliers should ensure all products manufactured meet the defined set of standards. 3. Continuous Improvement – Product suppliers are expected to continuously embrace and drive positive changes and make necessary investments to achieve operational improvements in their organizations. 4. End-to-End Mindset – Suppliers are expected to share equal responsibilities with adidas Group in building an optimum supply network so as to achieve maximum and sustainable total profitability for all stakeholders. 5. Performance Culture – Suppliers should instill a performance culture by continuously setting and meeting aggressive yet reasonable business targets. Customer-Focused In today’s fast-moving world with ever-changing consumer needs and demands, it is crucial for adidas Group and its supply base to keep abreast with the changes and align its development and product allocation strategies closely to market trends. The Company expects its suppliers to instill this customer-focused mindset and be fully committed to the implementation of its development and product allocation strategies. Cost Efficiency As part of a global organization, Adidas focus on the best interest of the entire supply network. It achieves this by driving Performance Culture, Quality, Reliability and Innovation which will enable its suppliers to offer leading price and value. Adidas suppliers are expected to collaborate on improvement programs that continuously increase efficiency and reduce cost. This means that suppliers should utilize productivity and efficiency gains to offset increasing cost drivers and minimize impact on customer prices (Adidas Group) References: http://theshoegame.com/Adidas-History.html http://www.insideview.com/directory/adidas-america-inc http://www.nimvo.com/adidas-head-quarters-in-germany/ http://www.scribd.com/doc/8760709/Adidas http://www.adidas-group.com/supplierrecruitment/expectationonsuppliers.aspx?loc=en