English Essays (1590 words) - Moby-Dick, Captain Ahab, Moby Dick

English Moby Dick By Herman Melville The Characters and Plot There are numerous characters in Moby Dick, but only a few of them have any impact on the story. A common sailor named Ishmael is the narrator. The book, however, focuses on Captain Ahab, the one-legged commander of the whaling ship Pequod. Ahab has sworn to kill the gigantic whale Moby Dick, who took away his leg. Starbuck is the first mate of the Pequod. Queequeg, Tashtego, and Daggoo are the three harpooners. The story begins with Ishmael becoming restless. He decides to go out to sea on a whaling ship. In the port of New Bedford, he meets and shares a room with a harpooner named Queequeg. The two of them become close friends, and agree to ship out together. The day after they reach Nantucket, Ishmael begins searching for a whaling ship preparing to leave harbor. Out of three ships ready to leave, he chooses the Pequod. The owners of the ship, Captains Peleg and Bildad are excited to hear of Queequeg from Ishmael and gladly let him join the crew. They are told the captain of the ship is named Ahab. Peleg and Bildad say that he is a good man, but because of some strange illness, he is confined to his cabin. On Christmas day, and with Ahab still in his cabin, the Pequod sets sail in the Atlantic. As the weather begins to warm up (several months after leaving port), Ahab is finally seen on deck. The strangest thing about Ahab is his leg. Instead of flesh and bone, he has a white ivory peg leg. As the weeks wear on, Ahab starts to become friendlier. One day, he calls the crew before him. He tells them that the sole mission of the Pequod is to kill Moby Dick. Moby Dick is a gigantic sperm whale with a crooked jaw and a deformed forehead. He has never been defeated, and has attacked and sunk entire ships. Ahab admits he hates Moby Dick for taking his leg away, and wants revenge. The crew agree to this challenge, and swear to hunt him down. The only who is not excited about hunting down Moby Dick is first-mate Starbuck. For many months, the Pequod sails South, through the Atlantic, around the Cape of Good Hope (the southern tip of Africa), and into the Indian Ocean. Along the way, they kill and drain the spermaceti oil from every sperm whale they encounter. Each time they meet another ship, Ahab begins the conversation with "Hast seen the White Whale?". Finally, after entering the Japanese sea, the Pequod encounters a whaling ship named the Enderby. The Enderby's captain had just recently lost his arm to Moby Dick. Ahab becomes so excited at the news that he breaks his ivory leg. The ship's carpenter builds him a new one. Once reaching the waters around the equator, the Pequod meets another whaling ship, the Rachel. They had seen Moby Dick, and had become separated from one of the whaling boats during the battle. Ahab refuses to help them look for the missing men. At last, Moby Dick is spotted by Ahab. In the first day of fighting, the whale is harpooned many times, but escapes after smashing Ahab's boat. On the second day, the whale is harpooned again, but still escapes. On the third day, Ahab's harpoon pierces the whale, but the rope catches him by the neck and Moby Dick drags him to the bottom of the sea. An angry Moby Dick rams and sinks the Pequod. Only Ishmael survives, and he is rescued by the Rachel. My Response Moby Dick was not the novel I expected. I was under the impression that it would be about seafaring and the whale Moby Dick. Instead, Moby Dick is a story about Captain Ahab's obsession. There is very little in the story about the revenge itself, just about Ahab's monomania. Out of 465 pages, only forty-two of them deal with the actual battle between Ahab and Moby Dick. The novel places very little emphasis on actual seafaring. Ishmael never even steps on a boat until page seventy-four. Even when the ship finally leaves port, the mention of anything involving sailing or the life of sailors is kept to an absolute minimum. There is, however, plenty of emphasis is on whaling, the anatomy of whales, and their behavior. The book goes into great detail describing the whalers of Nantucket, and gives in-depth explanations of the different types of whales, quoting several outside sources in the process. The narrator mentions the awesome size of the sperm whale, and how

Sample College Transfer Essay for Admission

Sample College Transfer Essay for Admission The following sample essay was written by a student named David. He wrote the transfer essay below for the Common Transfer Application in response to the prompt, Please provide a statement that addresses your reasons for transferring and the objectives you hope to achieve (250 to 650 words). David is attempting to transfer from Amherst College to the University of Pennsylvania. As far as admissions standards go, this is a lateral move- both schools are extremely selective.  His letter will need to be extremely strong for his transfer application to be successful. Key Takeaways: A Winning Transfer Essay Have a clear academic reason for your transfer. Personal reasons are fine, but academics need to come first.Stay positive. Dont speak badly of your current school. Emphasize what you like about your target school, not what you dislike about your current school.Be meticulous. Grammar, punctuation, and style matter. Show that you put time and care into your writing. David's Transfer Application Essay During the summer after my first year of college, I spent six weeks volunteering at an archaeological excavation in Hazor, site of the largest tel (mound) in Israel. My time in Hazor was not easy- wake-up came at 4:00 a.m., and by noontime temperatures were often in the 90s. The dig was sweaty, dusty, back-breaking work. I wore out two pairs of gloves and the knees in several pairs of khakis. Nevertheless, I loved every minute of my time in Israel. I met interesting people from around the world, worked with amazing students and faculty from Hebrew University, and became fascinated with the current efforts to create a portrait of life in the Canaanite period. Upon my return to Amherst College for my sophomore year, I soon came to realize that the school does not offer the exact major I now hope to pursue. Im majoring in anthropology, but the program at Amherst is almost entirely contemporary and sociological in its focus. More and more my interests are becoming archaeological and historical. When I visited Penn this fall, I was impressed by the breadth of offerings in anthropology and archaeology, and I absolutely loved your Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology. Your broad approach to the field with emphases on understanding both the past and present has great appeal to me. By attending Penn, I hope to broaden and deepen my knowledge in anthropology, participate in more summer field work, volunteer at the museum, and eventually, go on to graduate school in archaeology. My reasons for transferring are almost entirely academic. I have made many good friends at Amherst, and I have studied with some wonderful professors. However, I do have one non-academic reason for being interested in Penn. I originally applied to Amherst because it was comfortable- I come from a small town in Wisconsin, and Amherst felt like home. Im now looking forward to pushing myself to experience places that arent quite so familiar. The kibbutz at Kfar HaNassi was one such environment, and the urban environment of Philadelphia would be another. As my transcript shows, I have done well at Amherst and I am convinced I can meet the academic challenges of Penn. I know I would grow at Penn, and your program in anthropology perfectly matches my academic interests and professional goals. Analysis of David's Transfer Essay Before we even get to Davids essay, its important to put his transfer into context. David is attempting to transfer into an  Ivy League  school. Penn is not the most selective of the countrys top universities, but the transfer acceptance rate is still around 8% (at Harvard and Stanford, that number is closer to 1%). David needs to approach this effort at transfer realistically -   even with excellent grades and a stellar essay, his chances of success are by no means guaranteed. That said, he has many things going for him - he is coming from an equally demanding college where he has earned good grades, and he seems like the type of student who will certainly succeed at Penn. He will need strong  letters of recommendation  to round out his application. Now on to the essay... David is responding to the prompt on the Common Transfer Application: Please provide a statement (250 words minimum) that addresses your reasons for transferring and the objectives you hope to achieve, and attach it to your application before submission. Lets break down the discussion of Davids transfer essay into several categories. The Reasons for Transfer The strongest feature of Davids essay is the focus. David is pleasingly specific in presenting his reasons for transferring. David knows exactly what he wants to study, and he has a clear understanding of what both Penn and Amherst have to offer him. Davids description of his experience in Israel defines the focus of his essay, and he then connects that experience to his reasons for wanting to transfer. There are lots of  bad reasons to transfer, but Davids clear interest in studying anthropology and archaeology makes his motives seem both well thought-out and reasonable. Many transfer applicants are trying to move to a new college because they are running away from some kind of bad experience, sometimes something academic, sometimes something more personal. David, however, clearly likes Amherst and is running towards something- an opportunity at Penn that better matches his newly discovered professional goals. This is a big positive factor for his application. The Length The Common Transfer Application instructions state that the essay needs to be at least 250 words. The maximum length is 650 words. Davids essay comes in at around 380 words. It is tight and concise. He doesnt waste time talking about his disappointments with Amherst, nor does he put much effort into explaining the things that other parts of his application will cover such as grades and extracurricular involvement. He does have a lot more space left to elaborate, but in this case the letter gets the job done well with few words. The Tone David gets the tone perfect, something that is difficult to do in a  transfer essay. Lets face it- if you are transferring it is because there is something about your current school that you dont like. Its easy to be negative and critical of your classes, your professors, your college environment, and so on. Its also easy to come across as a whiner or an ungenerous and angry person who doesnt have the inner resources to make the most of ones circumstances. David avoids these pitfalls. His representation of Amherst is extremely positive. He praises the school while noting that the curricular offerings do not match his professional goals. The Personality Partly because of the tone discussed above, David comes across as a pleasant person, someone who the admissions folks are likely to want to have as part of their campus community. Moreover, David presents himself as someone who likes to push himself to grow. He is honest  in  his reasons for going to Amherst- the school seemed like a good fit given his small-town upbringing. It  is, therefore, impressive to see him so actively working to expand his experiences beyond his provincial roots. David has clearly grown at Amherst, and he is looking forward to growing more at Penn. The Writing When applying to a place like Penn, the technical aspects of the writing need to be flawless. Davids prose is clear, engaging and free of errors. If you struggle on this front, be sure to check out these  tips for improving your essays style. And if grammar isnt your greatest strength, be sure to work through your essay with someone who does have strong grammar skills. A Final Word on David's Transfer Essay Davids college transfer essay does exactly what an essay needs to do, and he includes the features of a strong transfer essay. He clearly articulates his reasons for transferring, and he does so in a positive and specific way. David presents himself as a serious student with clear academic and professional goals. We have little doubt that he has the skills and intellectual curiosity to succeed at Penn, and David has made a strong argument about why this particular transfer makes a lot of sense. Odds are still against Davids success given the competitive nature of Ivy League transfers, but he has strengthened his application with his essay.

Songs of Solomon (Bible) Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Songs of Solomon (Bible) - Research Paper Example Other scholars views Song of Songs as Israel’s salvation as it has been picturesque in the Chapter 3 of the Bible. It is not foreign in Hebrew literature to represent Yahweh as a lover and the Shulammite girl as Israel. Throughout the Old Testament, the relationship of God and Israel has been compared to lovers, in the book of Hosea 2:19-20, God has told Israel that He would take her as wife likewise in Isaiah 62:4-5 that almost same message would want to be delivered. This paper , however will not focus on the allegorical interpretation of the Song of Songs, as scholars of the contemporary times have presented it from its literal interpretation which reflects the stages or the development of human love. Such interpretation has more value to our current generation which seemingly has thread way from the Christian value of loving and faithful relationship. The Position of Song of Songs in the Bible King Solomon is known for his wisdom which brought him fame and fortune. It made him attractive to women. It was presented in I Kings Chapter verse 11:3 that he had 700 wives and 300 concubines. In 1King Chapter 3:4-10, Solomon asked Yahweh for wisdom so he could identify right from wrong. Yahweh was very pleased that for Solomon did not asked for wealth, long life nor death for his enemies but rather asked for wisdom. And thus, Yahweh gave him wisdom and even the things that he did not wish for. However, he had sinned against Yahweh brought by his womanizing. King Solomon defied Yahweh, to the extent of worshipping other gods and idols. At the end, there was no account that King Solomon ever repented from his sins and submitted himself again to Yahweh in the book of Kings. It somehow reflects that Solomon was corrupted by his fame and glory. Thus Ecclesiastes reflects his emptiness and questioning the worthiness of life. Song of Songs which is an account of faithfulness, lasting commitment and fidelity in a relationship was placed after Ecclesiastes to show th at hope and love have triumphed over sin and emptiness. Interpreting the Song of Songs The first chapter of the book reveals that its author is King Solomon, the son of King David to Bathsheba. The succeeding verses and chapters illustrate the courtship, engagement, wedding and the enduring love that evolve between King Solomon and the Shulammite girl. Chapters 1:2— Chapter 3:5 beautifully narrates the courtship of King Solomon and the Shulammite girl. Though, the Shulammite woman felt insecure because of her darkened skin brought by her taking care of their vineyard. It is significant to note that in this period of their relationship, the Shulammite woman has been very vocal and was the first to express his longing for Solomon. On the other hand, Solomon expressed his deep admiration for her, as he likened her to Pharaoh’s chariot and to a flower Sharon. The following verses convey the blossoming of flower and the passage of winter, which can be likened to the feeling of bliss that young couples feel on the early stages of a relationship. At the same time, the first few verses of Chapter 3 where the Shulammite woman dreamt of losing Solomon clearly reflects the fear of losing one’s relationship and her search for him reflects her desire in having a relationship for keeps . It should also be noted that the opening verses of chapter 1 is related to the concluding verses of Chapter 8. It speaks of the vineyard and the role of the Shulammite’

Human Resources Dilema Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Human Resources Dilema - Assignment Example Failure to comply with Steven’s plea might lead to poor service delivery by the employee. The company should assess the consequences of such an adjustment to ensure that all the parties meet their objectives. 3) Didi is compliant with the provisions of the FLSA since; veronica is entitled to keep all her tips. Furthermore, the tips of veronica exceed the minimum tip of 30$ per month required by the FLSA so that an employee can be given less than the minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. FLSA is a federal statute act in the department of labor of the United States. The act introduced; a minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, 44 hours 7 days work week, prohibited child employment, and guaranteed pay for overtime. In 2007, the act was amended to provide for a minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. This minimum wage had exemptions to workers who are tipped, and allowed to keep all the tips. 4) The head teacher should not be worried since the school management is not violating any law set by OSHA. According to the provisions of the act, certain places of work are exempted from OSHA inspections because they lie outside the act. Most of these work places are regulated by the government. These include; mining workers, public sector, and some domestic workers or people whose work place is domestic. The school is regulated by the government department and hence it is exempt from inspections by OSHA

Sweatshops and Child Labor Essay Example for Free

Sweatshops and Child Labor Essay Sweatshop is defined as a factory or workshop, especially in the clothing industry, where manual workers are employed at very low wages for long hours and under poor conditions. Sweatshops also referred to as the â€Å"sweat factory†, creates a hazardous and unhealthy working environment for employees such as the exposure to harmful materials, dangerous situations, extreme temperatures and abuse from employers. Sweatshop workers work for long hours, sometimes without taking any breaks, and these workers are not paid for any overtime hours or the minimum wage, although it is mandatory by law. These conditions are considered risky for any person, but the worst part is that in many countries, children are being forced to work in these sweatshops. The term sweatshop is mostly associated with underprivileged developing countries especially in Asia, but sweatshops did exist at some point in United States and Europe. For Americans, sweatshops are history, but in a South Asian country, Bangladesh, people are still working in these horrible conditions, especially children. Child Labor has always been a part of developing countries and a current article about child labor in Bangladesh shows that it is never going to end. Recently, British Broadcast Corporation, also known as BBC, sent one of their newsperson, Alastair Lawson, to a safety pin factory in Bangladesh where many under aged children are employed. Lawson interviewed a ten-year-old girl named Asma, who works in that factory along with ten other children who are about her age. Asma’s job consists of â€Å"sitting on a bench alongside her co-workers, Asma operates a powerful cutting device in the poorly-lit premises for up to 12 hours a day.† The machine that Asma operates cuts the metal for the pins very thinly and if Asma makes any mistakes then she could lose her fingers on that cumbersome, heavy and dangerous machinery. When Lawson further interviews Asma, she tells him that the workers in the factory are not given any lunch breaks and there is no first aid in a case of an emergency. Asma, like other 13 million children in Bangladesh who work full time to support their families are forced to work because of the unfortunate ci rcumstances of which their families are in. Asma tells Lawson that she does not know who she is employed by and all she knows is that she earns about two dollars a day for working twelve hours. Lawson, disturbed by the environment of the sweatshops and the unsafe condition for not just children but any human, writes, I dont think she [Asma] understands the safety part of her work neither she nor her workmates wear any safety gear and she seems totally unaware of the hazards.† Many of the sweatshop workers work full time to support their families and provide food for them, which causes them to work in poor surroundings in which their lives are at jeopardy. Many of these workers are victims of what, according to James Rachels, the author of The Elements of Moral Philosophy, describes as â€Å"the minimum conception of morality†, this concept states that â€Å"morality is, at the very least, the effort to guide one’s conduct by reason—that is, to do what there are the best reasons for doing—while giving equal weight to the interests of each individual affected by one’s decision† (Pg. 13). The reason why these workers might be in this state because they think of what the effect of their unemployment would be on their families who are depending on them for food and shelter, these workers think first about their home and then about themselves and what dangers they are facing when they go out to work in those hell holes called sweatshops. Although working in sweatshops and facing the conditions that are provided for workers there is morally wrong, but it is would not be considered ethically incorrect, because these workers are mostly uneducated and for that reason they can not find jobs in offices or other places where education is required. Another reason for why sweatshop should not be considered ethically wrong because these workers have a choice whether they should work there or not. If a worker does feel that the conditions in the sweatshop is too inconsiderate for them, then they can quit at any time that want, because they are not signing any legal documents that forces them to work there for a certain period of time. Also, many people in developing countries prefer to work in sweatshops because in such countries, there are many products produced from farming therefore, these workers could either become farmers or they could work in factories and build products such as cell phone component, clothing, furniture, shoes or toys. Sweatshops are especially beneficial for people who are handicapped and uneducated because if a person were both handicapped and uneducated then they would not be able to work on a farm. Therefore it is easier for them to just sit on a bench and manufacture products . Although the conditions in sweatshops are unsafe and unhygienic, but it would help handicapped people feel like they are helping their families instead of being a burden on them. Sweatshops are not just beneficial to handicapped and uneducated people, but it is also advantageous for the unfortunate developing countries. As the number of sweatshops increase the country can become more industrialized and there would be less farming and more technological advances. Many economists who are pro-sweatshops believe that if a country is more industrialized then the conditions of the sweatshops will improve and the wages will increase therefore the workers should assist their countries to become more developed. These economists also believe that when the conditions of sweatshops are described they are often compared to the factories in developed counties, which should not be the case because the developed countries have better laws and these laws are better enforced on business. Other than laws, it is also believed by many economists that sweatshops are better for the society in a developing country because people would work for money rather than stealing, which would create chaos and more problems for a country. Another reason is that women would get an equal opportunity to work and instead of going into stone crushing or prostitution, these women are working hard with their dignity. If there were no sweatshops in developing countries then people would not have any job opportunities and they would eventually starve themselves and then die. The cons of sweatshops can be that sweatshops and child labor, deprives children of their moral rights, Rachels talks about what morality really is and how it is related to our lives. Rachels devotes the entire first chapter of his book to What Is Morality? Rachels refers to Socrates, a classical Greek philosopher, who defines morality or moral philosophy, as â€Å"how we ought to live.† Considering Socrates definition of morality, it is seen that child labor in sweatshops deprives these children of how they want to live. These children are thrown into this dangerous and unhealthy work force as soon as they are able to understand the meaning of work. The meaning of morality shows that child labor and conditions in sweatshops are immoral because according to Rachels â€Å"the nature of morality has two main points†¦moral judgments must be backed by good reasons; and second, morality requires the impartial consideration of each individual’s interests.† Child labor and the conditions of sweatshops are not backed by any good reason; the only acceptable reasoning can be the poor condition the family of the worker is in. Also, the rising of unemployment rates in these disadvantaged countries are causing these workers be scared to lose their jobs (Rachels, Pg.10). Sweatshops not only deprive people of their rights to overtime payment or minimum wage, but they are not given any lunch breaks or in many cases bathroom breaks. Along with the horrible psychological conditions, these workers are also facing physical risks because of the harmful materials that they use during production of products that are made for rich or more developed countries. The argument that sweatshop workers should support their country into becoming an industrial is not really fair to the workers because the supervisor of the sweatshop earns the profit, but they refuse to share that with the workers. Critics of sweatshops say that the supervisors deliberately lower wages and make the hours longer because that would give them a greater profit margin, which is not beneficial for the workers at all, for long or short term. If the managers of the sweatshops keep this routine then the country would not get anywhere and there will be no industrialization. Some economists who are also the critics of sweatshop believe that better paying jobs, more investments and national possession of resources will improve the economics of a developing country rather than having sweatshops. All though there are economists who are pro-sweatshops, it is determined from the environment and the situations described by Lawson in a factory in Bangladesh, show that sweatshops are immoral because they deprive the human being of their rights such as children are robbed of their right to go to school and earn an education also their childhood is robbed of all the happiness of playing outside with their friends, but these children are forced to sit in a room for long hours and manufacture products by using machinery that is hazardous. Other than children, women also face immoral circumstances where some pregnant women are forced to have an abortion so they can continue working, which is the most corrupt thing that could happen to a woman. Many feminist organizations have campaigned against sweatshops because almost 90% of the laborers in sweatshops are women and children. Overall, the conditions of sweatshops and the treatment of workers demonstrates that the concept of sweatshops should not be used by any developing country to help them industrialize, because it is important for a country to be compassionate towards their people rather then becoming a well developed country which has been built on the poor workers sweat. People in industrialized countries like the United States believe that sweatshops are history but for poor developing countries, there are still sweatshops that have horrific working conditions in which mostly children and women work long hours to support their families. Some countries that have sweatshops are, China, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Vietnam and Honduras. These countries should begin to invest more in better factories with machinery that is safe for human use and strict laws should be passed out that prevent children under the age of sixteen to work in these factories. Along with better factory conditions, overtime pay, lunch breaks and vacation and sick leaves should be provided to the workers. There should be better laws that enforce minimum payment and employs laborers with equal employment opportunity. These improvements would have a better affect on the economy of these countries, because people would most likely be satisfied with their jobs and they would be more willing to help their country become industrialized. Sweatshops are not the last hope for a developing country to become industrialized and anything that begins with immorality does not stand for long, but something that has been made with enthusiasm lasts longer and is much healthier.

The Concept Of Sustainability In The Hotel Industry Tourism Essay

The Concept Of Sustainability In The Hotel Industry Tourism Essay Over the years, sustainability and environmental issues have gained significant attention in hospitality, tourism and management projects.   Across the world, discussions on sustainable development including that of hospitality industry are ongoing; in fact the hospitality industry is taking a serious note of it. This chapter discusses on issues, challenges and trends that hospitality industry is facing and might face in the coming years ahead. Eco Responsible Approach and the top issues that might influence the global hospitality industry in the coming years ahead including sustainable development, calls for green hospitality, labour cost, multicultural issues and higher education are taken actively. Latest Trends in the hospitality, ways to enhance guest experience in hospitality and guest expectations to green initiatives shall be discussed. Further, the aspects pertaining to guest demands for sustainable products services shall be covered. Key words: Sustainable; Issues; Challenges; Trends; Hospitality Industry 7.2 Sustainability, Tourism Hospitality: The concept of sustainable development was initially taken in the context of the social indicators and thereafter expanded to address the environmental indicators. The World Commission on Environment and Development (The Brundtland Commission) popularised the concept of sustainable development in 1987. We may define sustainable development as: Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) has mentioned that Sustainable tourism development meets the needs of present tourists and host regions, while protecting and enhancing opportunities for the future. It is envisaged as leading to management of all resources in such a way that economic, social and aesthetic needs can be fulfilled, while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, biological diversity and life support systems. The dimensions of sustainability encompasses of following elements: competence management; eco-efficiency; financial management; innovations; operational performance; product performance. stakeholder management; and sustainable management; Sustainability practices are becoming increasingly common and the issues concerning to sustainability have become an essential part of the social and political discussions in most of the countries. These days many of the small businesses have to struggle for survival in a world of competitions with key players, mergers and mega corporations. There is a strong urge for sustainable development and thus need of involvement of all stakeholders including local communities. Further there is a strong requirement for educating the young people on the environmental issues and instilling the values in their minds so as to make the world a better place in which to live. The concept of sustainability in the Hotel Industry: The hospitality industry is gradually becoming one of the great examples of why running a sustainable business will be crucial for long-term success. Defined at the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, sustainability is increasingly becoming one of the most relevant issues to hoteliers in the 21st century as costs continue to rise, demand becomes increasingly sensitive and the pressure on being economically, socially and environmentally responsible grows. Due to the growing environmental degradation, society is forced to become increasingly aware of the need of adopting and enforcing more effective measures of environmental protection. Sustainable development, including the development of a more sustainable built environment, has thus become a priority and a challenge of our time. A number of studies indicate that the hotel industry has an important responsibility in this process. The global hotel industry, comprising of various facilities, constitutes one of the most important sectors of the tourism industry. Hotels provide accommodation and offer high level of resources for utilization (including energy, water, consumables) in hotel facilities, the environmental footprint of hotels is typically larger than those of other types of buildings of same size. Research has revealed that the hotels are large users of consumer goods; waste generation is one of the more visible impacts the hotel industry has on the environment. According to a n IHEI (2002) estimate, a typical hotel produces in excess of 1 kg of waste per guest-day, which, for a typical facility, results in many tons of waste each month. These figures clearly reflect that there is an urgent need for more environmentally sound practices and products in the hotel industry. Over the years, there has been an increased environmental awareness among the general public and the development of the concept of green consumerism has flourished. Where, most of the hotels in the recent past were paying attention to environmental responsibility it has is now increasingly emerged as a corporate issue. However, in order to achieve greater environmental responsibility, proper implementation tools and strategies are necessary. The instruments of action include the enforcement of relevant laws and regulations (health and safety requirements, planning and building regulations, water utilization, waste generation and the release of emissions), as well as voluntary standards. Certification and labelling schemes are increasingly growing in popularity. Further, the governments, NGOs, Academic Communities are coming up to assist hoteliers in running more environmentally responsible businesses. As a matter of fact many good hotel chains have also developed their modules and have practiced innovative practices. Significantly, the research study by Centre for Hospitality Research, Cornell University (2010) (2012) by Glenn Withiam Rohit Verma in Hotel Year Book 2012 highlighted on Sustainability citing customers demand for sustainable hotel operations has taken root and expanded. The hotel in dustry has taken notice, as demonstrated by a push for consistent reporting standards and industry best practices coming from our industry roundtables in both Asia and North America. In that regard, meeting planners and corporate planners are now requesting that hotels provide sustainability-related information (such as energy use or recycling policies). Third-party certification of green claims has become an important part of sustainability reporting, as demonstrated for instance by Travelocitys Green Hotel Directory, which does not recognize self-certified hotels. Hotels are highly dependent on financial performance and have to bank upon increased demand and reducing the costs for survival. Sustainable practices can appear altruistic to the guest, shedding a positive light on a hotel. Also, when applied correctly they are generally cost-effective with short periods of payback. The hotels who implement such measures are generally financially sound as costs are recovered in a short time and many a times often the long-term savings are great. However, only a small percentage of existing hotels have sustainability at the core of their business routine that also in organized sector. There are many benefits for a hotel with sustainable business practices: Additional revenue through lower costs. Cost saving through cost-reduction measures. Easier financing because of lower long-term risk. Greater attractiveness to lenders. Greater long-term financial stability. Increased asset value because of long-term business capability. Long-term ability to stay in business and be profitable. 7.3 Trends challenges of the industry: Due to increased awareness on the growing environmental degradation, society is becoming aware of the need of adopting and enforcing more effective measures of environmental protection. Sustainable development has become a key priority and a challenge of time. The issue of sustainability needs to be addressed at different levels, in cooperation with academia, industry, policy makers, the general public and other stakeholders. The hotel industry has an important responsibility in this process. The study by Wang Jin zhao and Wang zing (Shenyang University China) in the Journal of Management Science Engineering (2009) in has highlighted in the article issues, challenges trends, that facing Hospitality Industry has been taken in this chapter and as under 7.3.1 Issues in Hospitality Green Hospitality: Sustainable Development Calls for green hospitality. Going green is a burgeoning issue in the hospitality industry. People are keen to look at sustainable solutions in a whole new way. There has been a change in the perception of green; it has gone from a fringe movement to mainstream. As a sign of its gaining popularity, one of the appreciated initiatives in India is Welcom Environment Programme by ITC Welcom Group of Hotels in addition to others. Across the globe various conferences on hospitality are being held. The basis of sustainable hospitality operation is a three-part balance, expressed as profits, people, and planet. By taking those three elements into account, thus, a sustainable green hospitality development program becomes economically viable, as well as beneficial to the community and environment. Higher Education: Tremendous changes are taking place in hospitality industry which poses several challenges for transformation of the whole educational process including educational curricula, learning materials, instructional practices and education stakeholders. This includes restructuring the learning process to reflect the use of information in the real world, changing the role of the educator from presenter of pre-packaged facts to facilitator of active learning and transforming the library specialist to an active collaborator in curriculum planning for effective use and availability of information resources. Ministry of Tourism, Govt of India is providing Hospitality Tourism Education through National Council of Hotel Management, Indian Institute of Travel Tourism Management and interestingly is Broad Biasing Hospitality Tourism Education through Central Financial Assistance Scheme by giving a direct grant of Rupees Two Crores to each University for offering hospitality pro grammes under this scheme. In 2012 about 22 universities in India have been benefited and many more are likely to get. Indeed, educators need to inspire new aspirants and gear them for industry needs. The new educational providers have also been offering the undeniable demand for open, flexible, distance and e- learning; with world class universities like IGNOU offering Hospitality Tourism Programmes, as collaboration project NCHMCT MOT, Govt. Of India; and state universities like Uttarakhand Open University and others are promoting Hospitality Tourism Programmes reaching to the unreached. Similarly organizations like AHLA, whose primary business is not education but who facilities to it with its educational institute. Labour Cost Issues: Labour expenses continue to remain amongst the large expense items for hospitality managers, accounting nearly about 40- 45 percent of total operating costs. Thus, any trend or issue that could potentially impact labour costs needs to be taken seriously by hospitality owners and managers alike. Due to the magnitude of the expense, labour costs and issues have always consumed a substantial portion of the time and efforts of hospitality managers. The cost of labour is the biggest expense in all categories of hotels. Even with the advent of select-service properties, hospitality developers cannot avoid the human component of hospitality operations. While managing labour expenses is important, hospitality managers also needs to be aware that employees are an integral part of the hospitality experience. The interaction between hospitality guests and employees has a significant impact on the customer experience and the success of the business operation. Therefore, a fin e balance must be drawn between cost controls and guest satisfaction. Multicultural Issues: The newest trends and topics surrounding hospitality research and development is the management of multicultural talent in the hospitality industry. With the development of globalization, multicultural issues are facing and disturbing the industry operators. Bringing the far corners of the world together is part and parcel of what the hospitality sector does. Blending amenities to cater for the needs of the worlds different cultures is central to success for large, international hospitality chains. Cultural issues have never before been such a crucial determinant of how a large hospitality should operate. In some Asian cultures, for example, eye contact is not sought, as it can make guests feel uncomfortable, while in Western tradition it is equated with openness and honesty. This could be important in defining how staff addresses themselves to certain Asian guests. 7.3.2 Challenges confronting the Hospitality Industry: The various kinds of challenges confronted by the Hospitality Industry revolves around Economic Issues, Operating Issues, Marketing Issues and Technological Issues Operating Issues Human Resources: Shortages of human resources and their impact on the industry in almost every geographic location are consistently among the most difficult challenges noted by hoteliers. In many communities, hospitality expansion is limited not by capital, but rather by human resources. A shrinking labour force is the number one challenge facing the global hospitality industry, according to the International Society of Hospitality Consultants, which recently convened to brainstorm world issues and rank them according to importance. The problem of attracting and retaining qualified workers, once an issue only in an isolated number of markets, is increasingly becoming a global challenge. Demography, wage levels, failure to adequately address worker satisfaction and a reputation for long hours and low pay are all cited as contributing factors. Creative hospitality professionals have begun to develop innovative strategies for capturing and keeping high quality workers. In India itself t he research report by HVS International cites that ongoing demand for human resources is 3,20,000 and the trained manpower supply is 12,000 annually through Govt. Institutes of Hotel Management. The Prime Ministers National Skill Development Council has articulated a vision that tourism sector will employ additional 5 million skilled persons by 2022. Realizing the increasing importance of Tourism as an integral part of economic and developmental policy of India Ministry of Tourism Govt. of India has received the 12th Plan Allocation in Rupees 15,190 crore which is a substantial increase over its 11th Plan size of Rupees 5156 crore. In order to meet the growing needs of Human Resources, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India has launched Hunar se Rozgar Programme with a target to train 1,07,800 people in 2016-17 against training of 53,800 personnel in 2012-13 for the trade of Hospitality Tourism. Cost Containment : Hospitalities are increasingly challenged to find ways to reduce costs without sacrificing the quality standards imposed to consistently meet guest expectations. The idea of doing more with le requires managers to think about ways to operate more effectively (in other words to do the right things in the right way) and to examine possibilities for cost savings that will not affect the guests perception of value. Increased Competition : Hotels everywhere indicate that their community is overbuilt; there are too many available hospitality rooms relative to the guests desiring to rent them. The resulting competition, which often involves price cutting in efforts to provide greater value to guests, educes still further the profits generated. A steep fall in occupancy ratio in the wake of the global slowdown and tight competition among hospitality operators in a shrinking market have brought down hospitality room rents drastically across the country. The competition has resulted in low occupancies and as a result, the average room rate has taken a beating of almost 30 percent in all major leisure markets. Rooms are now sold not only for less but also bundled with packages, like breakfast, airport transfers or a days sightseeing. Competition calls for innovation in hospitality industry. Marketing Issues Market Segmentation and Overlapping Brands: Market segmentation is increasing as lodging chains focus on a specific niche of travellers. Additionally, brands overlap. Some industry observers are concerned that franchisers may expand their number of brands to the point that investors who purchase from the same franchiser will be in direct competition with themselves! Also, as the number of brands increases, the ability of consumers to differentiate between them decreases. Increased Guest Sophistication : Consumers have become more sophisticated and, as a result, so have the types of products and services that they desire. Amenities, including business centers, exercise and recreational facilities, and guest-room innovations, increase costs but, if not carefully selected, may not appeal to many guests being served by a specific property. Technological Issues The challenges of keeping up with the fast pace of technology is difficult and expensive. Interactive Reservation Systems: Guests can now use the Internets interactive reservation systems, and hospitality companies are sometimes criticized for the (alleged) large number of keyboard clicks required to make a reservation. The number of reservations made via the Internet continues to increase. Surveys show that a good number reservations are made through the Internet, and this percentage is increasing every year. With such high percentage of reservations done through the Internet, hospitality cannot afford not being connected. If the potential guest cannot book online, a reservation will be made at the competitors web site. Guest-room Innovations: With wi fi connectivity, mood based lighting, choice of music, multiple telephone lines, interactive opportunities for ordering room service, modern ammenities and guest-room check-out are examples of amenities that guests increasingly desire, but that are very expensive to install and implement. Data Mining This technology allows marketing and sales personnel to find new ways to use guest-related data. (data mining: using technology to analyze guest and other related data to make better marketing decisions.) Yield Management This computerized process allows managers to match guest demand with room rates (high demand means higher rates because of lessened discounts; low demand result in higher discounts.) (yield management: demand forecasting systems designed to maximize revenue by holding rates high during times of high guest-room demand and by decreasing room rates during times of lower guest-room demand). Yield management is critical to maximizing a hospitalitys profitability. The concept are applied to every revenue department and across department. The yield managers job is to maximize the revenue per available room by selling rooms to the right customers, at the right price, at the right time. Economic Issues Dependence upon the Nations Economy When the nations economy is good, business travel generally increases. Hospitality occupancy rates and rack rates increase, which results in higher profit levels. The reverse is also true: business travel slows when the economy slow. Then occupancy and rack rates decrease. Discounts to increase occupancy are offered, which yield lower revenues and profit decreases. Globalization Globalization impacts the lodging industry dramatically because it influences the extent of which people travel both within the country and around the world. Therefore, it is not only the economy of the nation, but also the economies of individual countries, that play an increasingly larger role in the financial success of lodging properties. To compete, they must pay closer attention to the trends of globalization. The industry must reflect the requirements of the global village in many aspects of its operations, including food, services, amenities, staffing policies and training. 7.3.3 Trends in Hospitality Industry: Rapid Growth in Vacation Ownership : Vacation ownership is the fastest growing segment of the lodging industry and is likely to continue growing as the baby boomers enter their fifties and sixties in the U.S.A.. The World Tourism Organization has called timeshares one of the fastest growing sectors of the travel and tourism industry. Hospitality companies are adding brand power to the concept with corporations like Marriott Vacation Club International, the Walt Disney Company, Hilton Hotels, Hyatt Hotels, Promus Embassy Suites, Inter-Continental and ever Four Seasons participating in an industry that has grown rapidly in recent years. Integration Globalization: Vertical integration is a trend that began a few years ago. Lodging companies realized that guests accommodation needs were not just at one level; rather, they seemed to vary by price and facilities/amenities. Almost all major lodging companies now have properties in each segment of the market. The future of the lodging industry involves globalization. Companies cannot grow unless they venture beyond the United States. American hospitality chains and their management techniques were in demand by many developing countries who wanted premium-name hotel. An extensive survey of the condition of the hospitality would have shown that substantial amounts of money would be necessary to maintain the hospitalitys condition. The hospitality industry is thus at the very core of the globalization of international business. Hospitality companies therefore need to consider the implications of the global context in which they operate and must be prepared to address the qu estions that arise from this changing environment. Globalization will ultimately touch virtually all aspects of the hospitality industry. Increasingly, customers, management processes, employees, products, and sources of capital will be competed for and will move across national boundaries. Competition in the future will come from global entities with the advantages that globalization brings. New Management : The complex forces of capacity control, safety and security, capital movement, and technology issues will require a future management cadre that is able to adapt to rapid-paced change across all the traditional functions of management. The growing complexity of the customer/employee interaction, driven by technology and the information age, will shape human resources needs in the future. The customer, armed with more information, will expect frontline and other hospitality staff to be at least as knowledgeable about the firms offerings as they are themselves. This will be difficult in an industry characterized by low-skilled, low-paid personnel and a high degree of cultural and behavioral diversity among its employees. Visioning the future: major forces driving change in the hospitality industry considers seven areas decisive to the future development of the industry. Each is examined to determine the scope and complexity of the issue and the timing of its impact. Th at is assets and capital, health and safety, new management , marketing, distribution and capacity management, technology, sustainable development, social issues Expanded role of Travel Intermediaries Portals: The entry of Google has added a new dimension to hotel room distribution, since users can book directly from the search results page, instead of clicking through to another site. Going forward, hotels may find themselves being distributed much like package goods. Many guests will go to a travel purveyor for hotel rooms, just as they go to a food market for groceries. Further, there have been facilities extended to many countries including India for developing free websites by google enabling small or even un organised hotels accessible on web. Mobile apps and RFID : Social media, which have grown exponentially in the past few years, will continue to be a force, but the big electronic development for hotel distribution and operations is mobile devices, particularly those with radio frequency identification (RFID) chips. Because of the remarkable plunge in the cost of RFID, the study by Cornell Research Centre anticipate that this will break out as its own trend soon enough, and the combination of RFID and mobile apps will allow guests to use their smart phones to book a room, check in, open their guestroom door, and settle their folio all without direct contact with staff. Even without RFID, guests use of mobile devices will create opportunities for innovation by hoteliers, including new services and operating efficiencies. Next generation globalization: Not long ago, globalization meant that hotel brands from developed nations expanded into developing nations, whether through master franchises or by acquiring local firms. Globalization is now flowing in the reverse direction, as brands from developing nations are expanding to developed nations, as well as to other developing nations. To name just a few brands, Taj Hotels from India has now operations in UK, US having properties in Boston, New York, and San Francisco, as well as hotels in London and Sydney, Jumeirah from UAE now manages the Essex House in New York, as well as properties in London and Frankfurt ; Thus, globalization will mean that hotel brands criss-cross the globe. 7.4 Eco Responsible Approaches in Hospitality Business In the tourism industry, hotels account for a significant amount of the overall pollution generated by this sector. The potential of implementing more sustainable practices in the hotel sector requires the availability of reliable tools for assessment and benchmarking of hotel environmental performance. A number of such tools have been developed by international environmental organizations, branch associations and even hotel corporations. The various schemes differ with regard to geographical/climatic areas covered, types of hotel facilities included, detail of environmental information required, benchmarking methods, user-friendliness and implementation cost. Green Hotels: In view of the shortage of resources on Earth, rising awareness of environmental protection, and ecological conservation, eco-friendly hotels shall be the answer for the above issues, so that natural resources can be recycled, re-used, and energy can be conserved. These are the future goals of the hotel accommodation industry. The term green hotel (eco-friendly hotel) was first introduced following the emergence of the above concepts. Eco-friendly Hotel Association (2000) was set up to create the green hotel requirements that promote the economical use of water and energy, and reduction of solid waste, so as to safeguard the Earth resources. Green Mountain State (2010) has focused on the creation of an eco-friendly environment, possibly allowing for contribution from all staffs and guests alike. It carefully scrutinizes each area of the hotel operation to find ways to reduce the impacts on the environment. It also looks for ways to educate the public, and to remind ever yone that every bit counts no matter how tiny the contribution may be. At the same time, it maintains its commitment to provide the kind of quality service that is expected by hotel guests. The basic concept of a green hotel is a place of accommodation that can provide eco-friendly services, but its main goal shall be focused on ways to maintain its sustainable operation. Under the premise of minimizing the environmental impact, a green hotel shall be managed in such a way to provide patrons with a comfortable, healthy, natural accommodation while its service quality is maintained. Development of Green Hotels: Eco-friendly or green hotels are developed under the concept of sustainable operation of the tourism industry. It shall be based on the capacity to sustain the ecological environment, and shall be in line with local economic development and local ethics. In addition, it can meet the needs of contemporary people, but without endangering the future generations. Furthermore, it shall be able to promote the local economy, resource conservation, and protect the ecofriendly environment, thus creating a harmonious relationship with the nature. As the hotel accommodation is closely tied to the development of the tourism industry, when the recreation and leisure trend is becoming increasingly popular, increased demand for tourism will also stimulate the demand for hotel accommodation. According to the traditional impression, hotels are places that offer luxury accommodation and services. But, under the global environmental awareness and environmental advocacy, and complying with the environmental management requirements, hotel services are now focused on cleaner production, eco-friendly services, and regular resource conservation. The concept of eco-friendly hotels came into being under the green corporate culture and the above principles. With increasing attention on the environmental issues, and influenced by the concept of green hotels, hotels in every country are urged to implement the environmental management and energy saving measures. The main spirits of green hotels are to provide affordable products and services to meet the needs of the public, to improve the quality of life at the same time, to reduce the ecological impact on the environment gradually throughout the life cycle, and to reduce the consumption of natural resource. At least, the pace of energy consumption shall be reconciled with the Earths loading capacity. Eco-friendly Hotels Association (2010) firmly supported the green initiatives through encouragement and promotion of the green hotel services. Through appropriate management of the natural resources, the green hotel concept can be applied to the hotel accommodation industry. The Green Practices in Hotels include: Commitment to Environmental Practices: (By formulating Environmental Committees, Developing Strategies, Plan of Action, Manuals, formulating green teams, monitoring environmental performance, communicating visibility of environmental practices to guests, stake holders, staff, vendors public) Energy Efficiency Conservation: (Installing occupancy sensors, use of energy efficiency equipments, applications of alternate energy sources, proper HVAC maintenance, energy efficient designs, buildings construction patterns) Lighting: (Installing programmable sensors, use of reminder cards, provisions for natural lights, application of dimmer controls, use of CFL and other such energy efficient lamps) Landscape: (Sprinkler irrigation systems, recycled water, drip irrigation methods, use of drought resistant plants, grouping of tolerant plants, usage of organic fertilizers) Managing Hazardous Toxic Substances: (Proper provisions and instructions for storing, use of least toxic products, little or no phosphates laundry products, use of re chargeable batteries) Pest Management: (Implementation of green integrated pest management programme, application of organic insecticides, usage of traps barriers and discretion of strong and harmful chemicals) Purchasing: (Creating environmental purchasing polic

Project Management Tools Essay

There are a wide variety of project management and planning tools available to help manage tasks and track deliverables. Two of the most popular tools are Microsoft Project from Microsoft and SmartDraw from SmartDraw. com. Each of these software packages allows the user to create a project and graph it in various formats, such as calendars, Gantt charts, flow charts, etc. In order to evaluate each of these applications, a test project was created to allow a comparison of the features. MS Project is considered to be one of standards for project management; and as a part of the Microsoft Office package, it provides a level of integration that is beneficial in Project Management (Microsoft Project 2003). The MS Project 2003 application offers an approach that is primarily oriented toward Gantt chart tracking, with other viewing options in a calendar format, network diagram, and task usage format (Microsoft Office, 2008). The product has a lot of features and options which allow a user to track tasks and resources, along with reporting capabilities to provide details and help manage the project. This application was a little difficult to figure out without a training manual. Some basic knowledge of other Microsoft products helps when attempting to create a project for the first time. A sample of the demonstration test in MS Project is provided in Appendix A. SmartDraw touts itself as ‘the world’s most popular business graphics software’â„ ¢ (SmartDraw. com Corporate Profile, 2008). Providing pre-designed templates in more than 100 formats, this application offers a wide variety of options for project managers to track their projects (SmartDraw v. 2009-08). Over and above Gantt charts and calendars, there are also a variety of formats for flowcharts, timelines, floor plans, and organization charts. When the application is initiated, it gives the user a chance to select from a list of possible formats before beginning the project setup. A sample of the demonstration test in SmartDraw is provided in Appendix B. Based on the tests performed for this project, the SmartDraw application is more user-friendly, especially for a new user who is interested in a variety of tracking options without intensive training. The MS Project application has a big advantage in the area of integration with other applications in the Microsoft suite of products, but it seems to require quite a bit of training to be proficient in the use of the features. Both products are popular in the world of project management, but this demonstration shows that SmartDraw is easier to navigate for a novice user and offers a wider variety of presentation formats. Although knowledge of MS Project is almost required in the world of project management, the recommendation from this test would have to go to SmartDraw for students interested in an effective, easy-to-use solution.

Microwave Oven and Brand Image Essay

Operations Strategy at Galanz- One Page Summary Background Galanz is the world leader in selling microwave ovens with 60% of the domestic market and 44. 5% of the international market in 2003. The company was founded in 1978 by Liang Qingde. Its headquarters are located in Shunde, China. In 1991 it bought the blueprints and production lines of Toshiba’s microwave ovens and made its first microwave in 1992. In 1995 Galanz replaced Shell electric as the leading microwave manufacturer in China. The next year Galanz started a six year price war and Toshiba and Panasonic had limited the magnetron supply. In 1997 the company started developing its own magnetron and finally in 2003 the company finally received some recognition in the overseas market. Internal Analysis A strength to Galanz is its position in the domestic market. It is the largest company with a large customer base and a well known brand. It has developed its supply chain which is vertically integrated and this is also a key strength. As the company grew the importance of innovation and developing its own R&D became more and more apparent and this is a strength. Weaknesses to Galanz are its low brand awareness in the international markets and poor management structure which is highly centralized. The company also overlooks data records and codes of practice which is a large weakness because it shows poor management and commitment to ethics. The final weakness would be its conflict between the R&D department and production departments. Since this can slow down production and innovation. Galanz uses a low cost strategy but also tries to incorporate product innovation. External Analysis Now that Galanz creates most of its own parts (about 90%) for its microwaves it has great opportunity in increasing its R&D and producing highly innovative products. It also has opportunity to improve on its brand image in the international market and gain more market share. A threat to Galanz is the possible lawsuits from governments because of its highly aggressive low price war. Another threat is Galanz becoming too focused on OEM and having to compete with strategic partners and potentially losing orders. Galanz is positive in the bargaining power of suppliers, bargaining power of buyers, threat of substitutes, and threat of new entrants parts of the five forces model. It is a very large company with large demand and it can influence the decisions and prices of its suppliers easily. The barriers to entry are high since the suppliers of the megnetrons are limiting the amount produced. Although there are a few substitutes for microwaves, they are not threatening because to other product can do what a microwave does. The intensity of the competition is very high and this is Galanz only negative factor. Summary of key SWOTs, key success factors, and key risk factors Galanz’s strengths would include its size and its vertically integrated value chain. Its recognition of the growing concern to stress the importance of R&D and product innovation is also key. Galanz weaknesses are its low brand awareness, centralized management structure, the internal conflict between departments, and ignoring the codes of practice. Opportunities of the company are to continue to increase its R&D departments and improve its brand image internationally. Threats include possible lawsuits from governments and too much focus on OEM part of its business. The STEP factors of the industry show that Galanz is doing well in the technological and economic parts but is weak in the social and political side. The company must focus on its low cost strategy and continue to develop its value chain internationally. It will be risky for Galanz to enter markets where its brand is not well known. It is also risky for the company to start focusing too much on innovation since this may lead it away from its original successful low cost strategy. Challenge Statement or Question How can Galanz adapt its competitive strategy and its mass production system to meet the needs of the industry and the demands of the customers, and establish a well known brand image while continuing to hold a large market share and bringing value to its stakeholders?

Free Essays on Things Fall Apart

I will not be able to truly define the importance of â€Å"Things Fall Apart† in the African culture and especially the Ibo culture. Reading after reading, you get to embrace more the real context of the book. Chinua Achebe had accomplished a brilliant portrait of the traditional Africa. It is also true that without a preliminary introduction to the principles of the tradition one would be lost. That is where â€Å"Muntu†, from Janheinz Jahn, particularly helps. It introduces the cultural elements of a traditional tribe such as: Nommo, Magara, ancestral presences and Muntu. In â€Å"Things Fall Apart†, these terms are present; probably not explicitly but through the rituals, sacrifices and characters, those terms live. In the following pages, I am going to try to share with you what I discovered and how I interpreted the principles of â€Å"Muntu† in â€Å"Things Fall Apart†. I am going to browse some important situations; I think will illustrate th ose principles and put my thought on the matter. In the first few pages, we are exposed to the relation between Okonkwo and its father, Unoka. As different they appear to be, there lives crossed the same path; dying without burial. Unoka is a peaceful man, and likes to play music and instruments. Also he is a great talker, somewhat always getting what he is seeking. But as well, he is as lazy and debtful as a man can be. On the other hand, his son, Okonkwo, is a real strong man. His life is driven by fear and anger. Fear, because he is working hard not to become like his father; anger, because all he inherited from his father is debts; no barns, no yam-seeds and on top he had, from an early age, to work to feed his family and his mother who implies as well his father: a woman could not eat if her husband was starving. It probably would explain why Okonkwo did not grow as mentally as he grew physically. I mean that despite the living of Unoka, he had a very strong Nommo (power of the word). He a... Free Essays on Things Fall Apart Free Essays on Things Fall Apart Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe Things Fall Apart provides excellent examples of an African culture, in a way that it seems more like an anthropological case study, as opposed to a novel. It is because of this unusual format that it gives the me a chance to see the roles that people play in their society, especially in a culture that is far different from the one in which I live. As I look at the society in which the Ibo people live, I can draw a similar parallel between some of the roles of the characters and the roles that some people play in our society. It is this principle that connects all cultures to a similar base that cultures either are, or once were distinctly patriarchal, as seen in Things Fall Apart and American societies. In Things Fall Apart, we see Okonkwo as a very strong warrior, and respected member of his community. He has three wives and eight children. He has achieved such a high status in his society through his fighting ability and diplomatic capabilities. Therefore, he becomes a member of the second highest class of men in his clan. Of course, he has to have some sort of a fatal flaw, which in his case is a violent temper. When I read this novel, his character reminded me of the character Oedipus in Oedipus the King written by Sophocles. In the case of Oedipus, he kills his father, unknowingly, because a man cut him off in his travels. The similarity to Okonkwo is that Okonkwo has been known to hurt people when he is having trouble communicating. This similarity provokes a foreshadowing of Okonkwo’s anger somehow forcing him to do something hasty, without realizing the consequences of what he is doing. This is presented when he provides the fatal blow to his honorary son, Ikemefuna . We are also presented with the service of Okonkwo’s three wives. Each of them is supposed to provide him with food for the day, and children to help him farm, and take over his farm, when he becomes too old to do manual l... Free Essays on Things Fall Apart The Effects that Masculinity Plays in Things Fall Apart The novel, Things Fall Apart, takes place in the late 1800’s. It is set in a small tribal community called Umuofia, which is located in southeastern Nigeria. During this time, there was a major thrust from the British to expand their power economically, politically, and culturally. The Umuofia tribe has the reputation of being a wealthy and powerful tribe. A young leader of this tribe, Okonkwo, has to overcome the failures of his father’s past ventures to feel like a worthy member. His father, Unoka, had been known for his lack of responsibility and laziness, which is a serious claim to a tribe with such a solid reputation. Unoka dies a shameful death and leaves his family nothing but his debts. Okonkwo strives to overcome this shame by being a fierce warrior and a successful farmer. His attempts to right the wrongs of his father affect his entire tribe and ultimately contribute to his early death. Okonkwo is introduced to the reader as a grown man who is already well established in his community. Unlike his father, he owns two barns filled with yams. He also has three wives and many children. Although he loves his family, he is unable to express this emotion, because he feels that this would be a sign of weakness. He treats the members of his family with a â€Å"heavy hand† and was known to have beaten his wives. â€Å"Okonkwo ruled his household with a heavy hand. His wives, especially the youngest, lived in perpetual fear of his fiery temper, and so did his little children.† (p. 13) Gemma 2 A major revelation of Okonkwo’s masculinity is demonstrated in Chapter 2 when the Mbaino people murder a female member of Umuofia tribe. The Mbaino tribe was faced with a dilemma of choosing between war or paying restitution. Payment could be made by offering a young Mbaino boy, who is approximately 15 years old, and also by offering a virgin to the man... Free Essays on Things Fall Apart Okonkwo: Achebe’s Fallen Hero In Chinua Achebe’s most celebrated novel Thing’s Fall Apart, the central character has become the study of numerous literary critiques. Okonkwo, Achebe’s fallen protagonist, is often compared to the great tragic heroes of ancient Greek literature. His journey consists of both the rise and fall to greatness. Achebe centers his modern tragedy on a character that has been dubbed a hero. However, Okonkwo’s failure at the end of the novel leads readers to wonder why the author would allow the hero to fail. The last depiction of the strong protagonist illustrates a weak man coming short of being defined heroic. For many analysts, Okonkwo’s suicide may be the greatest tragedy in Achebe’s acclaimed novel (Nnoromele 1). So, this leads to the question: what causes Okonkwo’s downfall and eventual failure? Is Okonkwo’s suicide a heroic failure or simply a commentary on his culture’s expectations of a hero? The m ost important literary aspects to analyze throughout Things Fall Apart when contemplating Okonkwo’s failure or heroism are the innate character strengths and weaknesses of the protagonist, the transformation of the Umuofia way of life, and the Umuofia definition of a hero. In the end, Okonkwo must be viewed as a fallen hero and not as a failure. The necessary elements to research Okonkwo’s heroic nature should be his deep-rooted character strengths and weaknesses and the events that led to his eventual downfall. It must be noticed that one of Okonkwo’s greatest strengths, his aggressive nature, happens to be one of his greatest weaknesses as well. The sometimes violent personality of Okonkwo stems from his paternal heritage. Literary analyst Emeka Nwabueze finds that the protagonist’s foremost challenge in life is to defy everything his father had become in life (3). This revolt against his father leads Okonkwo to seek greatness and p... Free Essays on Things Fall Apart I will not be able to truly define the importance of â€Å"Things Fall Apart† in the African culture and especially the Ibo culture. Reading after reading, you get to embrace more the real context of the book. Chinua Achebe had accomplished a brilliant portrait of the traditional Africa. It is also true that without a preliminary introduction to the principles of the tradition one would be lost. That is where â€Å"Muntu†, from Janheinz Jahn, particularly helps. It introduces the cultural elements of a traditional tribe such as: Nommo, Magara, ancestral presences and Muntu. In â€Å"Things Fall Apart†, these terms are present; probably not explicitly but through the rituals, sacrifices and characters, those terms live. In the following pages, I am going to try to share with you what I discovered and how I interpreted the principles of â€Å"Muntu† in â€Å"Things Fall Apart†. I am going to browse some important situations; I think will illustrate th ose principles and put my thought on the matter. In the first few pages, we are exposed to the relation between Okonkwo and its father, Unoka. As different they appear to be, there lives crossed the same path; dying without burial. Unoka is a peaceful man, and likes to play music and instruments. Also he is a great talker, somewhat always getting what he is seeking. But as well, he is as lazy and debtful as a man can be. On the other hand, his son, Okonkwo, is a real strong man. His life is driven by fear and anger. Fear, because he is working hard not to become like his father; anger, because all he inherited from his father is debts; no barns, no yam-seeds and on top he had, from an early age, to work to feed his family and his mother who implies as well his father: a woman could not eat if her husband was starving. It probably would explain why Okonkwo did not grow as mentally as he grew physically. I mean that despite the living of Unoka, he had a very strong Nommo (power of the word). He a... Free Essays on Things Fall Apart Okonkwo plays a major role in the novel and is projected as a heroic figure and a wrestler who is constantly at war with others, with his ‘chi’, his legacy of his father whom he despises, his own character and finally, with the white man. Okonkwo’s world consists of the nine villages from Umuofia to Mbaino and areas outside of these boundaries have little significance to him, belonging simply to that vague realm â€Å"beyond.† He gives a lot of importance to personal achievements as he believes that these achievements bring honor to the village which in turn emphasizes the close tie between the individual and society. Yet Okonkwo has his weakness and it is these weaknesses that ultimately destroy the life he has created for himself. His self-determination is not only controlled by interneral but external forces as well. His impulsive and rash nature makes him break the rules of the sacred week of peace. It is his carelessness that results in his banishment from his village for seven years, and finally, it is again his fiery and rash temper which pushes him to kill a white man and consequently pushes him to take his own life. Okonkwo is a man who has grown up in a community, that, because of its passionate desire for survival, places its faith in the individual quality of ‘manliness.’ And it is an irony of fate that makes him start off with a disadvantage, on this score - the failure of his own father. It is the need for him to live down the shame of his father that compels him to an excessive adherence of the social code. This transforms every positive value that he has to into a weakness. Also, he pursues achievement with an obsessive single-mindedness that eventually degenerates into egocentricity. He thus, virtually flounders through his life, with the minor problems, which instead of strengthening him, carry him to a point of dissolution. The novel reflects this degeneration with respect to the traditional African way o... Free Essays on Things Fall Apart Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe, is an historical narrative. It’s written with the historical knowledge of Britain colonizing Nigeria. Yet, it is from a view point which we are not used to reading from. Things Fall Apart is from the eyes of the colonized. The perspective is from Okonkwo, a respected elder, who can’t resist the invasion of western culture in his village. Africa was seen as an uneducated continent and very little was known by the Westerners about its land or people. Their culture was based on religion and nature. They worshipped many different gods and goddesses who represented every aspect of the nature, living and non living. According to the tribes, everything was living and should be respected. I’ve learned that the people in Africa lived in harmony with Nature. This is shown by the many references to nature in the novel. Some examples include: Okonkwo’s fame had grown like a bush fire in the harmattan, he drank palm win from morning till night and his eyes were red and fierce like the eyes of a rat when it was caught by the tail and dashed against the floor, he felt like a drunken giant walking with the limbs of a mosquito, and the earth burned like hot coals. I believe all these sayings indicate how important and alive nature is to the tribe. Yam appeared to be used to describe manliness, "yam stood for manliness and he could feed his family on yams from one harvest to another was a very great man indeed." Only the men were allowed to grow yams, not the women. It was considered the king of crops, the man crop. Another example is the kola which symbolizes prosperity, "He who brings kola brings life." The tribes had a very spiritual side. Their priests could heal people, either physically or they could use their psychic powers. For example, Ezinma was believed to be out of danger when the medicine man found her iyi-uwa. They also believed in peo... Free Essays on Things Fall Apart Okonkwo’s Demise In Things fall apart by Chinua Achebe, Achebe immediately establishes his viewpoint from inside Umuofia. The first half of the book establishes the culture and religion of Umuofia. In the beginning of the book Okonkwo is introduced immediately as a fierce and strong, masculine warrior. All of the sudden Okonkwo accidentally kills a fellow brother of the village. He gets banished and he goes to live in his mother’s village for seven years. During his time of exile, he hears stories about white men killing the people in the village of Abame. At the same time, Okonkwo’s village, missionaries set up a church. This marked the beginning of the end for all of the villages in Umuofia. The village life was centered around: being prosperous, obeying the gods, and a sense of brotherly unity within the village. The missionaries inadvertently destroyed the unity of Okonkwo’s village. When one of the new Christians desecrated one of the egwuwu, the egwuwu decided to des troy the church. This caused the district commissioner to call the leaders of the village to his court. The leaders of Okonkwo’s village did not know what was going on. They were arrested and beaten. A few days after Okonkwo was released from jail, he killed a kotma. The next day, before the District Commissioner could take Okonkwo, he hanged himself. Okonkwo did this because he was stubborn and proud, he knew that his tribe would not fight, and he was afraid. It was in his best interest to compromise, but Ononkwo was incapable of compromising. The people of Umuofina defined men as strong providers, warriors, leaders, prosperous, hard working, proud, and they follow the gods. Okonkwo strictly followed this definition of what a man ought to be. He did not compromise in his principles and was afraid of looking weak like his father. Unoka, Okonkwo’s father, was a man that was lazy and played his flute all day. He owed money to everyone he ... Free Essays on Things Fall Apart Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is a brilliant novel when discussing traditional African culture. It provides an anthropological method of explaining a heroic tale of an African man. This novel deals with a societal transformation that shattered a civilization. This piece of literature identifies the roles within a society in Africa before European colonialism took place and it also deals with the aftermath that tainted the African way of life. â€Å"Things Fall Apart†, demonstrates people’s positions in an enclosed structural system as well as looking at class in a worldview. This book does a fine job in explaining the global view during this particular time period as well as it focuses on the thoughts of one individual native man. A Southeastern Nigerian village is where the novel takes place. Achebe explains the values of the African tribe called the Igbos from this region. Europeans play an important role in the novel. European people can be seen as very different from the Igbos in a sense when relating their values and beliefs. In another light the beliefs can be seen as fairly similar. The social moral order of these two societies can be connected as much as they can be opposed. In understanding the social order of these two groups first one must understand the story. Achebe’s main character’s name is Okonkwo. He was a strong warrior that was known for his violent temper and his high status within his community. He was respected for his combating and diplomatic capabilities, making him an exalted man in his clan. He had three wives and eight children. Overall he was an exceptionally successful man compared to his father who had died in debt. The story is constructed on the lives of the Igbo people and the social mobility of Okonowo’s village Umuofia. The story is illustrated in matter that the reader can understand the daily tasks of the people and their roles. These tasks are shown through Okonowoï ¿ ½... Free Essays on Things Fall Apart In his novel â€Å"Things Fall Apart,† Chinua Achebe gives his readers an exclusive insight to the unique characteristics of the African people before and after the white mans intrusion of their culture. One of the most dynamic characters in the story was a man by the name of Okonkwo. He is described as being â€Å"well known throughout the nine villages and beyond. His fame rested on solid personal achievement† (3). This suggest that power, fame, and respect relied on the ability of a man to prove his strength in their society. Something that could possibly take a lifetime to acquire. Okonkwo was a man who was determined not to become the man his father was. His father was described as â€Å"lazy and improvident and quit incapable of thinking about tomorrow† (4). Nothing about his father was portrayed in Okonkwo. To him the definition of a â€Å"good man† was something totally opposite of his father. Fear, the fuel most often used by Okonkwo was perhaps his strongest flaw. Yet, it made him a strong and respected figure among his people. â€Å"It was the fear of himself, lest he should be found to resemble his father† (13). His desire to prosper regardless of his past with a father of whom he had no respect made him a strong and respected man. â€Å"Okonkwo was ruled by one passion-to hate everything that his father Unoka loved. One of those things was gentleness and another was idleness† (13). Okonkwo’s character presumed the role of a protagonist and yet he often portrayed the role of an antagonist as well. His strength and hard work paid off. He was very prosperous in his culture by providing a large home and plenty of food for himself and his family. He was respected by men whom he respected as well. This meant everything to Okonkwo. He could never let this image be lost for he longed to be amongst the highest of the tribe. In other words, he would do anything His loyalty to his b...

Schools Safety Essays - Gun Politics In The United States

Schools Safety Essays - Gun Politics In The United States Cristal Williams, Anthony Moreno, Alex Adkins, Kelvin Burford, Rocio Terry RES/351 Preparing to Conduct Business Research Instructor: Said Nik-khah October 12, 2015 Schools Safety This paper will describe the selected issue of School Safety. There comes a time in everyone's life where they have heard of, dealt with, or come in contact with the issue of School Safety. In recent events, school safety is questioned because of gun violence. There have been many school shootings that put school safety at great risk. This week, the nation was once again shocked, as a gunman killed nine at a community college in Oregon. It's the uniquely American gun paradox: how can something so horrifying be so routine? As a somber bordering on disgusted President Obama noted: "We've become numb to this." In truth, this isn't everyday violence it's more than every day. In the 274 days of 2015, we've had 294 mass shootings, and 986 since Sandy Hook in 2012. The question is, when will our level of disgust be high enough that we do what's needed to lower the body count? "If you think this is a problem," said the president, "then you should expect your elected officials to reflect your views." Until that happens, he said, we all bear a share of the blame: "We collectively are answerable to those families who lose their loved ones because of our inaction." Will we rise to the challenge? (School Shootings, 2015). The issues that many of these public schools face is the lack of implemented safety precautions such as not having enough or any metal detectors in site, some schools may not have a resource officer on duty, a better security plan and protocol, not having enough parenting presence which has confirmed in the past few years, that many of those parents of children and adolescent with mental and behavioral issues were not aware of their children committing such massacres like the one in Sandy Hook and Columbine High School. Lastly, better gun laws and education, these continue to remain an issue that has led to those recent school shootings. The magnitude of finding the right solution to the ongoing school safety when it comes to the recent school shootings is by identifying a better type of control over the gun issue that starts with the following. The United States Supreme Court is facing an extremely important, however, delicate subject when it comes to the gun laws in America. As we contemplate the deaths of young children at Sandy Hook, of movie-goers in Aurora, of those at prayer in Oak Creek, of those meeting with their elected officials in Tucson, of the 30,000 annual deaths from gun violence in this country, we need to ask ourselves what it will take to achieve effective public health strategies to end this bloody epidemic. In the past few years, states have seen historic and unprecedented progress in adopting gun laws to help keep communities safe from gun violence. A total of 99 new laws strengthening gun regulations have passed in 37 states nationwide since December 12, 2012, and ten states have made major overhauls to their gun laws. 2014 was a remarkable year for smart gun laws, with California's Gun Violence Restraining Order Law, Washington State's successful ballot initiative for universal background checks, and seven states adopting legislation to keep guns out of the hands of domestic violence abusers. However, the single biggest gap in our nation's gun laws is the lack of a background check requirement when an unlicensed individual sells a gun. Unlike licensed gun dealers, unlicensed "private" sellers are not required to conduct background checks on gun purchasers. This gap allows thousands of dangerous people, including convicted felons, domestic abusers, and the dangerously mentally ill, to acquire guns every year, even though they are legally ineligible to possess them. There are two major federal laws that regulate firearm ownership and sales. The National Firearms Act of 1934 restricts civilians from owning automatic weapons, short-barreled shotguns, hand grenades, and other powerful arms. The Gun Control Act of 1968 focuses on commerce. It prohibits mail-order sales of weapons and requires anyone in the business of selling guns to be federally licensed and keep permanent sales records. It also prohibits knowingly selling

Minimum wage Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Minimum wage - Article Example If the growth in minimum wages had been at par with the growth in average Wages, minimum wages in America would have been $10.50 today. Moreover, if they had been concurrent with ‘productivity,’ then the minimum wages should have been $18.75 and if it had grown at the same rate as the upper 1% wage paid to workers, the minimum wage would have been $28 per hour today. (Cooper and Hall) There are many returns associated with increasing the minimum wages. Firstly, contrary to many who believe that increasing minimum wages creates unemployment in the economy, it actually creates more employment. Secondly, an increase in minimum wages would give more money in the hands of the workers, which would mean extra spending in the economy. According to the economic analysis done by Cooper & Hall (2013), they say that a â€Å"$115,000 increase in economic activity results in the creation of one new full-time-equivalent job in the current economy.† (Cooper and Hall). Considering this analysis, they conclude that an increase in minimum wage from the current levels to $10.10 an hour would result in extra employment opportunities of about 140,000 new workers. However, Jacob Mincer (1974) believed that there was no real evidence to suggest that an increase in minimum wages would lead to unemployment or create employment. (Mincer). Currently, for each job opportunity in the US, there is an unemployment of approximately 3.4 (Shierholz cited by Cooper and Hall). This is because the employers do not have to offer the adequate wages to employ a worker, nor do they have to increase wages to retain the worker. Cooper and Hall quote American Enterprise Institute scholar Desmond Lachman, a former managing director at Salomon Smith Barney, as told to The New York Times, â€Å"Corporations are taking huge advantage of the slack in the labour market—they are in a very strong position and workers are in a very weak position.

Verizon Communication Inc Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Verizon Communication Inc - Essay Example (Plunkett 67) . On Feb 2005, Verizon approved to acquire MCI Company. The acquisition was to benefit it in terms of economics of scale and access to a wider base of customers. By the year 2006, MCI was already integrated into Verizon thus adopting the name verizon business. It then became the largest telecommunication company in the U.S In terms of its sales i.e. 75.11 billion; assets added up to 168.13 US dollars and the company had a profit of 9.4 billion US dollars. Later with the mergers of Bell South and AT and TINC, It became the largest telecommunications company based on its profits and assets in the world. (Plunkett 68) The company principarily operates in the US with its headquarters in New York. It offers wireless and wireline services such as voice, network access, data services, broadband video and global internet protocol networks.Verizon communications Inc Operates in more than 150 nations worldwide.Verizon voice messaging services is offered for both businesses and residences.Verizon’s Cell co partnership operates the second largest wireless telecomm network in the US In terms of the number of subscribers and revenue. It is also one of the major US carriers to utilize the CDMA technology and uses 8 billion US dollar annually in its maintenance and expansion. It offers both voice and 3G data services for example, text and picture messaging, over the air downloadable applications and wireless broadband based on EV-DO Rev A. It also carries various mobile services and phones eg LG, Motorola and Samsung. (Lutz 138) Verizon’s video services was launched in September , 2005 and uses optical fibre network to distribute more than 330 channels, 180 digital videos and music channels and 1800 video on demand titles. DSL internet services are offered to the same areas where phone services are provided. It is known to have the largest number of spammers of all networks globaly.Verizon’s yellow