Museums & Heritage in a Globalized World Coursework

Museums & Heritage in a Globalized World - Coursework Example There are so many stakes in Greece building the new Acropolis Museum; being a state-of-the-art museum, Acropolis Museum is likely to boost Greece’s cultural tourism and the number of tourists who visiting the country. A reunion of the Parthenon sculptures in the Acropolis Museum will, in particular, lead to a surge in the tourist numbers in Athens (Elaza 45). The special museum serves to counter some of the arguments raised by the British Museum in its quest to keep the Marbles in London. One of the arguments advanced by the British Museum against repatriating the sculptures is that the Greeks will not provide the greatest care required for the Parthenon sculptures (The British Museum, www.britishmuseum.org). Building the Acropolis Museum can counters this argument as follows effectively. Firstly, the new museum is an outstanding with the best management and curatorial capability (The British Museum, www.britishmuseum.org). As such, it provides such an ideal place to showcase the Parthenon sculptures. Secondly, the location of the Acropolis Museum is such that the museum is close to the ancient monument. Since the architectural design of the new museum’s Parthenon galleries closely fits that of the Parthenon itself, preserving the marbles in this museum would return to the marbles some of their architectural significance. Keeping the marbles in London makes lose this important feature (Acropolis Museum girds for Battle over Marbles, youtube.com) Another argument advanced by the British Museum is that the Parthenon sculptures belong â€Å"to the world.† Consequently, they should be left in London where â€Å"everyone† can get an opportunity to enjoy them. The construction of the state-of-the-art and world-class Acropolis Museum in Athens falsifies the claim that London is the best place for people to enjoy the Parthenon sculptures. It is also safe to

Broadcast TV Show - Family Guy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Broadcast TV Show - Family Guy - Research Paper Example Family Guy, for example, is an animated evening sitcom broadcast by the FOX network that celebrates the dysfunction of the American family but attempts to encourage more critical thinking in social commentary. Generally, Family Guy presents the different adventures of an average American family that includes the four major roles within the dysfunctional family. The Griffin family consists of the overweight, mentally disadvantaged father Peter, his fallen debutante wife Lois, their oldest son Chris, daughter Meg, infant son Stewie, and anthropomorphic pet dog Brian. Chris is almost as stupid as his father, but he takes on the role of the caretaker, "the families social director or clown, diverting the familys attention from pain and anger" (Burney, 2008). Meg is the scapegoat, seen as the unathletic, not necessarily intellectual, slightly overweight, highly insecure, unpopular girl. Stewie is the genius of the family and is set up for the family hero role. Although hes an infant that no one else in the family seems to understand, he constantly comes up with new inventions and ideas of how to eliminate his mother or to rule the world. His plans are sometimes stopped, sometimes joined, by Br ian, the other intellectual member of the family and takes on the role of the lost child. Where Stewies motivations are generally childishly selfish, Brian has a more mature outlook and attempts to add reason back into the conversations. Unlike Stewie, Brian can be understood by the family. It is thought these types of shows are entertaining because they help us feel better about ourselves or our own dysfunctional families. "All families have challenges and problems and sometimes very serious ones. And somehow, when we see them on film, I guess it somehow expiates our own troubles" (Shapiro, 2008). To understand how the show both celebrates American dysfunction and attempts to encourage critical thought within social commentary, it is

Quality Of Service At The Zappos Company

Quality Of Service At The Zappos Company The proceeding paper investigates Zappos.com (Zappos), originally an e-tailing shoe company, which later adopted further merchandise lines. The company was founded in 1999 by Nick Swinmurn with its headquarters currently based in Henderson, Nevada, USA. With a revenue of $840 million in 2007 and a 1500+ employee staff Zappos.com has grown to the largest online shoe store in the world. In July 2009 Amazon.com acquired Zappos.com for the reported amount of $1.2 billion. Currently, the CEO is Tony Hsieh. The company is known for its customer centric business model and its unique corporate culture. In this paper Zappos.com is analyzed via papers and published articles with which various problems addressed are answered. The intention of this paper is to analyze how Zappos.com has leveraged its HR practices to build strategic effectiveness in the past and how can it build its future competitive strength on it. First, Zappos.coms business model is analyzed, second the companies supportive HR practices, third the role of leadership on the development of HR practices, fourth the implications for HR practices caused by the takeover of Amazon.com are addressed and finally challenges and recommendations to support the future business functioning at Zappos.com are addressed. A framework is developed to which parts of the analysis can be linked in order to say to which extent findings influence committed HR practices, the corporate culture and the loyalty business model of Zappos.com. The purpose of this paper is just to analyze the company and to accumulate knowledge. Zappos Business Model A good initial business model starts off with an idea of a good customer value proposition. When in 1999, Nick Swinmurn, walked through a mall in San Francisco, looking for a pair of shoes in his size, his preferred color and style, his unsuccessful search proposed an opportunity to satisfy currently unmet customer needs. When starting to analyze what features have enabled Zappos to build its strong brand position as well as its impressive growth through the past few years (from 2003 to 2007 annual revenue increases 623.7 percent) its good customer value proposition is essentially only a small part in its effective business model. A comprehensive study of Zappos business model will be composed of 4 integral parts (Figure 1). Following the (1) customer value proposition (CVP), the structure of Zappos business model, consisting of (2) the profit formula and the importance of (3) key processes and (4) key resources will be linked to Michael Porters (1985) value chain model in order to enable a detailed analysis on how the e-retailer has become so successful. Figure 1 Business Model One evident potential customer value proposition of Zappos is the offering of an extensive online selection of mainly footwear and a few other extended product lines. Surprisingly this is not how the company defines itself. Calling itself a service company that just happens to sell shoes, handbags and related items (Morris, 2008) more value is placed on providing a high-touch customer service aimed at engendering a customer long-term relationship (OReiley, 2009). Zappos has been a customer centric company since its startup in 1999. The retailer focuses on providing highest service quality, leading to customer satisfaction and consequent customer retention, what essentially can be described as a loyalty business model (http://bx.businessweek.com/zapposcom/). Repeat customers represent 75% of any days gross sales and word of mouth advertising has brought growth to Zappos in overwhelming numbers (Morris, 2008). Zappos first of the ten core values puts the CVP in clear terms: Deliver [a] WOW [customer experience] through service (Zappos.com). How Zappos excels in delivering that CVP will be addressed in the subsequent analysis. Zappos CVP is supported by a profit formula, which establishes how the company wants to earn money. That formula is linked to the products value chain. The primary activities (key processes) have a direct impact on the formula while being supported by support activities (key resources), all driven by the customer value proposition with the objective to deliver value to the customer and be profitable. Nurturing a successful value creation and delivery, Zappos profit model is directly influenced by: Inbound logistics with its link to the supply chain of Zappos offered merchandise (wholesale prices, distribution etc.); Operations which correspond to the cost structure of Zappos vertically integrated warehouse and inventory operations in Kentucky; and Outbound logistics including free shipping both ways, surprise upgrades to overnight shipping (Whitehorn, 2009). Moving further through the primary activities of Zappos value chain, the subsequent function of marketing sales is declared to be comparatively tenuous as current CEO Tony Hsieh explains: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦[we] put that money into the customer experience instead (Whitehorn, 2009). Key processes also include a firms metrics and measurements, which Zappos sets based on customer satisfaction indicators, rather than number of order taken (Morris, 2008). Service is a primary value chain activity that deserves some detailed inspection at this point. Being a significant contributor to the cost structure with items like 365-day return policy or a call center staff working 24/7, Service represents the most intense link between Zappos CVP and its profit model and most significantly enables the implementation of its loyalty business model. Service represents how Zappos creates value for its customers (CVP) and most importantly it defines how the company creates value for itself (profit formula); (Johnson, Christensen Kagermann, 2008). Identifying Service as the primary source of value and profit suggests the examination of how the support activities (key resources) are allocated to contribute to Zappos competitive strength. Not only the primary activities, but also Zappos support activities underpin deliver[ing] the Zappos experience to [its] customers (OReiley, 2009). Key resources like procurement channels, technology, equipment and people are illustrated in the value chain as support activities. While careful procurement activities ensure a certain standard of product quality to the customer, its technology, equipment and firm infrastructure are also aligned with Zappos delivery of great customer service (e.g. in-house developed information technology, fast storing and shipping system) (Masha, 2009). Nevertheless, the most essential and valuable key resource of Zappos customer service is its Human Resource Management (HRM). Strategic Human Resource Management, which is the HRMs role is supporting a certain business model and strategy (Wright et all., 2001) plays a crucial role in Zappos effectiveness in the past. How HRM as a key resource and support activity is employed by Zappos to foster its loyalty business model is the next level of analysis. Zappos Supportive HRM Practices Zappos customer centricity leads the company since its startup in 1999. This is embedded in its company culture. Zappos employees live, breathe and operate through ten core values. These particular values create a positive environment in which employees excel to the maximum of their abilities and still have the freedom to express and implement their own initiatives.The company culture creates an environment in which customers receive more than they expect. Nurturing this environment is done through committed human resource practices (article on ccomm hr practices. Zappos Human Resource Management plays a vital role in fostering the initial driver of the thriving environment: company culture. Committed HRM practices reach from recruiting the right employees to rewarding and helping to create an environment that allows for the company culture to continue and strive. HRM is strategically placed in Zappos (SHRM) and people related elements create the core competency of the firm (Wright et al.: Human resources and the resource based view of the firm (2001).) The people management practices are created around the core values and in this way make the most of the human, social and organizational capital. The environment in the company allows for easy creation, integration and transfer of ideas. All employees are constantly in a changing environment due to the type of products they sell and therefore they too become dynamic which leads to their core competency of providing excellent service (Wright et al.: Human resources and the resource based view of the firm (2001).) As a starting point the company only hires people who are both technically and culturally fit (A perfect organizational fit, Samantha Whitehorne.) This is such an important point that Zappos.com fires employees who although technically fit do not fit into their culture. A lot of time and money is invested in the recruitment process, the reason being that employees have a vital role in the success of the loyalty business model. Furthermore, every new employee, regardless of their position in the firm will go through a four week training period in which they learn about the company and how it functions. Normally this involves being part of the call centre to really understand what customers want and need. The underlining message throughout all human resource processes is that the company lives and breathes customer service and everyone is put into this way of thinking. Rewards too play a dominant role in establishing the company culture. They create a positive environment in which employees are encouraged to share ideas on all levels of the company; in addition employees are not afraid to take risks because they are encouraged to take these through the rewards. Rewards can be companywide, departmental and individually driven. A lot of time and money is put into the rewards, which vary from being very simple to big and elaborate. This however is seen as an investment because it improves employee satisfaction and motivation and increases the overall profits of the company. The different forms of celebrations create a positive and constructive environment without putting the employees in a stressful, competitive environment. Many of the rewards are created by the departments and individuals themselves. However Human Resources is still involved in the bigger picture. Ensuring that company goals and progress are shared amongst all employees, creating financing and merchandising rewards appropriate to the customer orientated business model and to ensure that employees feel free to try out new, innovative means of doing business and therefore being rewarded for results and not punished for mistakes. Both the resource based view and the transaction cost theory can be seen in how Zappos functions and remains competitive by heavily supporting there loyalty business model with human resource practices(Masters, JK. Miles, G.: Predicting the Use of External Labour Arrangements: A Test of the Transaction Cost Perspective (2002).) For example call centres are kept inhouse; it is a valuable asset which is frequently used by consumers and requires attentive and dedicated employees. There is continual development of the employee as the company is aware of dynamic capabilities. Every single individual is held accountable for the company culture, it is not only restricted to human resources or top management. Initiatives can be brought forward from any position in the company. The companys culture was established from day one but the human resources department along with all recruited employees is responsible to keep the inspiring, highly motivated, free spirited environment running with its main goal to provide the customer value proposition of exceptional service. With the emphasis of all individuals sustaining Zappos unique environment, an interesting question concerns the role of leadership and managerial influence at the e-retailer, which triggers the following discussion. Role of Leadership on Zappos HRM Zappos.com is one of the leading companies in its industry and since its startup it has seen an enormous amount of growth. From February 2010 on, Zappos.com is expected to grow 30% in the next 12 months. A challenge for Zappos.com is to be able to fulfill new positions that are the result of the growth of the company with skilled and suitable managers. This implicates that especially in this time of growth individual leaders have to be acquired which fit and understand Zappos.com unusual culture. The basis of this culture is founded by the initial owners and persons who joined the company from its early start. The characteristics and vision of the CEO and the manner he positions himself towards the employees still influences the committed HR practices and the corporate culture. Besides defining leadership as the guidance of individual managers and the characteristics of the CEO it can also be seen as the leading role of Zappos.com in its industry. Zappos.com has accounted on all thes e three levels of leadership throughout the company in the development of its HR practices. First, to attract individual leaders and to have a long-term relationship with them, different measurements are integrated into HR practices. Already in the recruitment phase the hiring is rather unconventional. Possible future employees are invited to events outside the office, for instance team building events and happy hours in order to hire them based on different events rather than one job interview. After acquiring an employee, regardless their position, an extensive 4 week customer training follows which contains various courses coordinated by the training, leadership and development department. Zappos.com recognizes leadership potential in every one of its employees, regardless their position. Employees are encouraged and taught to represent the companies culture in everything what they do and say and to be accountable for themselves, actually this one of the key fundamentals. To make sure a long term relationship is also expected from the employees side and that they are com mitted to the company and their work, 3000 dollar walk away money is offered to them after the training program. When looking at the framework (exhibit) acquiring individual leaders mostly influence committed HR practices, since recruitment has to make sure people are hired that fit into the culture. Second, the vision at the manner of working of Zappos.coms initial founders has a major influence on both the committed HR practices and the corporate culture. Todays CEO Tony Hsieh has agreed on an annual base salary of $36.000 in 2009 with which he signals a culture of motivation instead of extrinsic rewards. This stimulates employees to work from intrinsic motivation and HR practices concerning rewards might not be the most important asset for employees. How CEO Tony Hsieh influences the corporate culture of Zappos.com for instance is the way he wrote an open and honest letter to all the employees ensuring their perks would remain the same after Amazons takeover. The positioning of the companies leader towards the employees inspire the corporate culture because by showing honesty and transparency, an open corporate environment is stimulated. When looking at the framework one can say that the CEOs vision on the corporate culture influences HR practices committed. Third, to maintain the leading position of Zappos.com in a fast changing market due to technological and fashion market changes, more HR practices have been developed. Especially the core values are a tool to develop a culture and a mindset to maintain this position. Zappos.coms fourth core value is to be adventurous, creative and open-minded, which means risk taking does not have to be avoided. Herewith Zappos.com creates a mindset throughout the entire company. Zappos.com also recognizes the importance of creating a culture of continuous learning via their fifth core value pursue growth and learning in which is stated every employee should constantly challenge and stretch themselves. Due to the focus of Zappos.com on leadership on different levels and integrating this into different HR practices Zappos.com is able to acquire and keep appropriate employees which goal is to grow and learn every day. Also due to these acknowledgements and integrating them into the development of HR practices, Hay Group ranked Zappos.com number 16 at the Top 20 Best Companies For Leadership in 2009. Acquisition by Amazon.com Clash of Cultures? Amazon bought Zappos.com for 850 million dollars. Zappos.com is remaining a seperate entity within the company and has assured employees and the general public that their culture and workplace environment will not change (week in news). Although the companies are both customer centric, the approaches used towards satisfying customers differs significantly. Amazon strives for customer convenience, low prices and large vareity of goods for the customer to choose from. On the otherhand Zappos.com aims for customer loyalty by providing a unique experience with personal contact opportunities between customer and employee (A new lace on life, Tim O ´Reiley.) In addition Zappos.com was a privately owned company and Amazon a public limited company. The ownership structure creates differences in the way that the companies operate and more specifically how human resource practices are placed within each company. It is necessary to analyse the differences and identify to what extent these may lead to potential sources of conflict between the human resource practices. At Zappos.com human resource management can be classified as a strategic partner (chapter 2.) The use of committed human resource practices creates the companies core comptency. As previously mentioned it defines, maintains and help grow the corporate culture. The ten core values create an environment in which employees work to the best of their abilities to satisfy customers. Shortly said the business model is dependent on HR practices. At Amazon HRM is not as dominant, it can be seen as a business partner (Amazon, HR Spectrum eNews.) It is necessary in the sense that it provides the company with strong human capital and it provides assistance to other departments, however it does not define how the company runs the business. We can seperate the two further by looking at the different levels of integration that exist between HR practices and the strategy process of a comapny. Zappos.com has an integrative linkage , there is constant interaction throughout all phases of the strategy process. Communication flows freely from all levels of the business.Every employee has the ability to initiate actions or improve certain aspects of the business. Consistent with the business partner role, Amazon has a two-way linkage. It considers human resources issues during strategy formulation such as ensuring the recruitment of highly skilled employees that fit yith their company strategy. However it is a less dominant role than what HR plays in Zappos.com. (chapter 2 from the book.) From these differences it is apparent that their could be a clash between the two practices. They have different levels of authority, in Zappos.com employees are given the freedom to take risks which affect the entire company. Amazon appear to be more constrained in this.Amazon focuses on efficiency whearas Zappos puts alot of emphasis on giving employees the space to express their creativity in a productive environment. Although Tony Hsieh has promised no change in the company ´s structure it will definitly have to consider the differences and how Amazon could impact the HR practices. Zappos Future Challenges Although the strategic approach of managing human resources has been distinguished as a driving force of Zappos severe competitive position, the planned acquisition by e-retailer giant, Amazon, put forward some potential challenges. The reviewed threat of HRM clash, is only one of the possible challenges in the future business functioning of Zappos. Directional Strategies are strategic typologies for classifying the ways different organizations seek to compete within an industry (Noa, 2008, p.86). With the approved acquisition by Amazon, Zappos continues to strive for growth and decides to pursue an external growth strategy, strengthen its market position through entering new businesses (other merchandise) (Noa, 2008, p.87). While growing, Zappos need to sustain its valuable corporate culture by managing the trade-off between changing human resource knowledge, skills and behavior needs and the upkeep of its successful organizational environment. Zappos will need to constantly educate and motivate its employees to engage inself-directed learning to cope with the new challenges when growing with the company (Noa, 2008, p.295). Growth it not the only challenge encountered in Zappos future business functioning. There is a necessity of appropriate recruitment, training, development and promotion to meet the changing HRM needs in an increasingly dynamic environment. What can be defined as challenge of sustainability describes the current economic changes, changes in demographics and expectations of the workforce, the growing importance of corporate citizenship and legal and ethical issues, has a key influence on the management of HR. Special regard has to be given to manage HR changing needs in companies as Zappos, in which it represents the main source of competitive advantage. Other challenges include the global and technological challenge, which include the HR impact from expanding into international markets and the importance of sophisticated technology in the workplace. Zappos growth strategy has already reaches out into another North American country: Canada (zappos.com). Simply reconstructing similar values and HR practices will not easily reproduce the same valuable organizational environment that exists in the retailers home-country operations. Understanding cultural differences, diverse backgrounds and attitudes is needed to establish a HRM that truly enables international success. Technological challenges emerge when employing technological innovation to leverage knowledge creation and sharing through the firm, which Zappos need to support by adequate and committed HR recruitment, training and motivational rewards. Conclusion The examination of Zappos past effectiveness and successful implementation of the loyality business model has been linked to an ambitious customer value proposition of best service, a strong profit formula and a strategic alignment of key processes as well as key resources. Most emphasis has been given to one specific key resource, namely the committed human resource practices, which serve as a support activity and a strategic element in Zappos loyalty business model and yield final competitive strength. While defining Zappos people, environment and culture as a primary source of competitive advantage, the significant role of leadership in the development of HR practices has been indicated. Concluding on how Zappos has build up a successful business model based on excellent customer service, loyalty and retention and how it continuous to operate effectively, the prior analysis has comprehensively identified one major contribution: strategic human resource management. The aligning of human resources practices and activities to the strategic objectives of high customer service quality, demand a development of committed HR practices, which generate a unique corporate culture and environment and ultimately enable Zappos remarkable competitive strength.

social engineering Essay -- essays research papers

Pedophilia in short is the desire of an adult for sexual contact with children. Pedophiles have been known to molest children only hours after being released from a lengthy prison sentence. In some instances, they kill their victims in order to cover up their crimes. Over the years, society has implemented many attempts to contain pedophilia including such measures as incarceration, therapy, and even castration. Few of these have proven successful. Pedophilia poses an alarming problem for society, particularly the children who are the victims of the sexual abuse. According to Bertrand (2005) â€Å"In the United States, up to 500,000 cases are reported each year, and many more go unreported. In 1990, this crime cost over $2 billion -- and this figure does not include psychotherapy for the child... social engineering Essay -- essays research papers Pedophilia in short is the desire of an adult for sexual contact with children. Pedophiles have been known to molest children only hours after being released from a lengthy prison sentence. In some instances, they kill their victims in order to cover up their crimes. Over the years, society has implemented many attempts to contain pedophilia including such measures as incarceration, therapy, and even castration. Few of these have proven successful. Pedophilia poses an alarming problem for society, particularly the children who are the victims of the sexual abuse. According to Bertrand (2005) â€Å"In the United States, up to 500,000 cases are reported each year, and many more go unreported. In 1990, this crime cost over $2 billion -- and this figure does not include psychotherapy for the child...

Fast Foods Essay

  Obesity among kids in the United States is on the rise. Many studies have shown the correlation between obesity and the fast food. The statistics show that in the United States almost six out of every ten people eat fast foods. The habit of eating fast foods is not a recent development. History has it that the practices could date as early as 512BC (think quest). During this period, some Egyptian restaurants offered a single dish of wild fowl, cereal, and onions. Ever since that, time restaurants have completely and progressively changed. Today there are thousands of restaurants all over the world. Most the fast foods sold always have some characteristics in common, in whichever part of the world the restaurant is located. It has been established that in most adults eat more fast foods because of the increasing working hours and not finding time for home cooked meal (Morgan, 2004). The other reason is that there are so many tasty choices for one to choose from. Furthermore, it does not take long to get the fast foods when one is in a hurry. Making it quite convenient for students and kids. Many American kids love fast foods like the specially created â€Å"combo† meals that are sold by the many restaurants specifically for them. The meals are always colorfully boxed and sometimes toys included for attracting the kids. Many kids seem to love the idea of going out with their friend and parents because they know that in process they get to buy the foods and snacks. Children would nag and insist on going out and have various kinds of of fast foods rather than having the homemade food. This is not surprising for they are easily lured by the attractive advertisement of fast foods oblivious of the dangers associated with them (Buzzle articles). The nutrition content of most fast foods is a worrying thing. Most of them have proven to be very unhealthy for kids and results in the increasing incidences of obesity among the them. These foods are sold cheaply something that consistently tempts the consumers to them.   It is a known fact that most of the fast foods are usually high in fat, cholesterol and sodium. Eating of these fast foods over along period of time lead to many health problems like the high blood pressure , heart diseases and obesity. Research data Various researches have been done to determine the extent to which fast foods are contributing to obesity not only in children but also in the entire human community. For example, a study by the USDA’s agricultural research service on some 90000US citizens established that over a quarter of adults in age group above 20 years eat fast foods daily. These foods are highly sugary; contain fats, carbohydrates and too many proteins (food navigator, 2004). Furthermore, research by a team lead by Mendoza aimed specifically at the content of the kid’s fast food. They targeted the meals served at some ten well-known regional restaurants situated in Houston. In their studies, the team found that only three percent of the food offered at these eating-places met the seven key standards set by the national school lunch program for meals intended for children in the kindergarten and through third grade. The meals which were referred to as the â€Å"best choice† were only made up of deli-style sandwich,-turkey, ham, roast beef or tuna-combined with a fruit, such as apple slices or raisins (ARS, 2009). Other meals include plain hamburger, fruit s, and low fat milk as well as a beverage. The meals that failed to meet the school lunch guidelines had more than 65 percent of fat. Furthermore, 75 per cent of the meals had too, little calcium, 82 percent had too little iron and 85 percent too little vitamin. Also according to Mendoza, the energy density of the fast foods not meeting the school lunch standards was 2.3 calories per gram compared to only 1.5 calories recommended by the standards. These findings though obtained from Houston alone qualify well to represent the reality nationally. According to the researchers, Houston is the fourth largest city in the United States. In addition, 10 of the restaurants there are among the 13 of the nation’s regional national fast food chains, which sell kid’s fast food (ARS, 2009). Most of these researches were spurred by the increasing levels in the number of obesity case among children. In fact, it has been established that more than 16 percent of children in the United States were overweight. In addition, there was a doubling in the estimated incidences of overweight among children and triple in the rate among adolescents. There was also the concern of by the pediatricians and other health care professionals that found the child obesity trend quite alarming and its potential death consequences. These findings related to the number of meals eaten away from homes. The rate of meals eaten away from home has grown from 20 percent in the   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1970s to more than 30 percent presently. In a Further survey by the department of agriculture food surveys of Americans, 25 percent of us children aged between four and eight would on a typical day take fast food (ARS, 2009) The effects The main consequence of this fast food has been the increase in the number of overweight children. These yummy tasty and low costs happy foods are the attributes. One big challenge associated with this fast food is that it is becoming socially accepted (Milos, 2010). Many purple would decide to overcome guilt by giving themselves a treat by going to consume these food. There are commercials all over urging people to get latest desserts and other food. This has made it look superficially right but that is not the case.   The various ingredients of these foods have distinct health effects. Some people argue that we are in an era of junk food. The children have been driven away from the green leafy vegetable and only relish these fast foods. The effects that come out are irreversibly harmful. The excess sugar in these fast foods and the sodas laed to diabetes in the children’s body. They may develop the type 2 diabetes that is more prominent with the grand parents and parents (my child health   Ã‚  Ã‚  ). In this case, the body fails to produce adequate insulin that controls the sugar levels and the body metabolism. In addition, the fats and saturated fats lead to high levels of cholesterol in the blood. The cholesterol is associated with many heart complications. Such heart problems can lead to increase in major heart diseases. Furthermore, the fats can ale to a condition known as dyslipidemia, which occurs when the LDL levels and triglycerides are abnormally high (Buzzle). These can put the children in a very precarious situation of coronary heart diseases. Some of these fast foods contain excess sodium that is a big contributor of high blood pressure. Increase in the blood pressure can lead to rupture and cracks in the blood vessel walls. The human body uses lipoproteins in repair of these walls converting it into substance that contains cholesterols hence lead to increase in the cholesterol levels ( Eric, 2005). As children, indulge more and more in this fast food, their bodies become deficient of vitamins and iron. This is because most of these foods do not contain such nutrients. They therefore become anemic. This makes them lethargic and get tired so easily. This is because their diets always almost become completely deficient of green vegetables and fresh fruits causing great deficiency of both macro and micro nutrient supplements in their bodies (my child health). The result of this is reduced immunity making the children to become highly susceptible to various diseases and ailments. The body also becomes deficient of calcium that makes their teeth to be very weak, nails and bones brittle. The various preservatives used in these foods may also be carcinogenic. Remedy to fast foods problems It is important to note that there is no such a thing as bad food. Any food can fit into a healthy meal plan. The fast food chains should therefore revamp their menus to respond to the customer’s comments. These has been observed in some restaurants for   example there are those that do not serve food with trans fat, but instead have more fruits and vegetables . According to the CYWH Staff, the following tips can be helpful in setting up a healthy diet. It is advisable to choose boiled foods over fried ones likes the grilled chicken sandwich instead of fried chicken or chicken nuggets. Secondly, one should     choose soups hat are not cream based. This means that if the names of these soups include something like â€Å"creamy tomato soup† or any of that kind, then they should be avoided. The foods should have low –fat salad instead of full–fat salad kind. One should choose low fat milk, or diet sodas instead of regular sodas, fruits drinks, milkshakes, or whole milk.   If you can access fruits and vegetables, they should be added to the meal. For example, have lettuce and tomato on sandwiches or burgers. When one orders for foods like pizza its good to add veggies instead of meat , as well as getting thin crust instead of deep fish. Conclusion Since many researches have clearly established that restaurants selling fast foods have great contribution into the effects of these foods like the obesity, there should be a regulation into their activities. A study by the NBER established that the proximity of these restaurants s to work places and learning institutions have had a big impact into these. For example for pregnant women, having such a restaurant within 0.10 miles increases the probability of gaining 20 kilos during their pregnancy( NBER). As for children, having the restaurants within proximity of 0.25 to 0.50 miles had the same implications. It follows that such restaurants should be away from children. Policies should be laid in place to restrict the availability of fast food in residential areas and schools. References Eric S, Fast Food Nation, Harper Perennial, (2005). Morgan S, (2004), Super Size Me, Movie Reviews Agricultural research service, kid’s fat food and obesity. Accessed on August 2, 2010   Ã‚   from http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/AR/archive/oct09/kids1009.htm Buzzle, Fast Foods and the Child Obesity. Accessed on August 2, 2010 from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.buzzle.com/articles/fast-food-and-child-obesity.html Milos P. (2010), Are fast food and obesity, accessed on august from  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://ezinearticles.com/?Are-Fast-Food-and-Obesity-Related?&id=357337 Think quest, Welcome to the Real Truth about Fast Foods and Nutrition, Accessed On  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   August 2, 2010 from http://library.thinkquest.org/4485/ My child health, Effects of Fast foods on children, Accessed on August 3, 2010 from  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.mychildhealth.net/effects-of-fast-food-on-children.html NBER, the national bureau of economic research, Accessed on August 3, 2010 from   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   http://www.nber.org/aginghealth/2009no1/w14721.html

Epic of Gilgamesh †Brandon Barros Essay

The Epic of Gilgamesh is considered one of our first recorded literary pieces and I think it has shaped and influenced our present day lives in many ways. One thing that really caught my attention about this piece is the description of the main character, Gilgamesh. Very similar to movies and stories today, Gilgamesh, is described as a beautiful man. They mentioned him having the perfect body, â€Å"endowed† with beauty, courage†¦. and his beauty being perfect compared to others. He is described as being someone everyman wants to be, someone you can only dream of, they take it a step further and say he is two-thirds God and one-third man. He is the ultimate movie star. I think this began defining beauty and the type of person we would expect to see in stories, plays & movies. Gilgamesh is a manly man who is not perfect, he is relatable but he is also something you could never be. It leaves you wanting to be like someone you never could. How might our stories and movies be different if we didn’t set this standard of beauty with our first piece of written literature? The story and quest is timeless and we see the same framework used today in many movies, novels†¦etc. The creation of friendships, enemies becoming friends, death, questioning life, all are common in books and movies today. Gilgamesh’s questions about life and dealing with death reminded me of books like, â€Å"Tuesdays with Morrie†, or the movie â€Å"My Girl.† Both of these movies deal with the lost of a friend and take you through a dark period of grief and reflection. Last year I watched a movie called â€Å"Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The lighting thief.† I couldn’t help but notice a very similar concept†¦ a boy is part god and part man, defying the Gods, but also seeks the Gods for wisdom and later becomes a hero. Throughout the story he is questioning the problems in his own life, but at the end he realizes decisions were made in his best interest. It seems that this type of literature has heavily influenced the Greeks as well. Another influence that is mentioned when people talk about the Epic of Gilgamesh is the similarities between characters in the story and â€Å"characters† in a modern day Bible. Utnapishtim seems very similar to Noah, he tells a story of the human society being beyond redemption and being punished by a great flood. Utnapishtim is instructed to build a boat, bring on all creatures and becomes a hero after the great flood. If this story has influenced the modern day bible, then its influence on modern times is priceless. The story of Noah is one of the most popular bible stories ever and is still being reinterpreted today. Within the next 24 months there is a big budget movie called â€Å"Noah† starring Russell Crow and Anthony Hopkins coming out. Over time, I think we will continue to recreate these stories and see them retold from different perspectives. Something that I find particularly interesting is how popular this story has become with Ancient Alien Theorists. The History Channel show, Ancient Aliens, goes into great detail about the Epic of Gilgamesh. They believe that what we consider as old myths and stories were once considered stories about our actual past. Is it a coincidence that the book of Genesis in the Bible has a very similar flood story? A great flood, a man who is not perfect given the order to collect animals, abandon riches, the flood seems to punish mans sin. There is an obvious relationship, is it possible that the Hebrew bible â€Å"borrowed† from this mythological story? Years ago in Iraq they found what many people believe could be King Gilgamesh’s tomb. If he really existed, is there any truth to the story? Is it simply a myth? ~ Brandon Barros

Shakespeares dealing with women in his tragedies and comedies Essays

Shakespeares dealing with women in his tragedies and comedies Essays Shakespeares dealing with women in his tragedies and comedies Paper Shakespeares dealing with women in his tragedies and comedies Paper Essay Topic: Macbeth Shakespeare creates heroines that have full characters, contrary to conventional writings that show women as sexual objects only. Shakespeares women are not only presented as sexual objects; his heroines have all kinds of human qualities like innocence, seductiveness, ambition, commitment, obedience, frustration, etc. Whether playfully resolved in the comedies or brutally exposed in the tragedies, at some level, all Shakespeares works symbolically explore the conflict between male and female, or control and emotion, within society and the individual self.1 Two important heroines of Shakespeare are Lady Macbeth and Rosalind, who are famous for transgressing the boundaries drawn for women at that time. However, while Lady Macbeth becomes the victim of a tragedy, Rosalind becomes the architect of a happy ending comedy, which arouses a suggestion that Shakespeares tragedies are misogynist, whereas his comedies are feminist. Lady Macbeth is the wife of Macbeth, who kills King of Scotland in order to be the king with the temptation of Witches and his wife. The role of Lady Macbeth in this tragedy is nearly as important as Macbeths role. He is presented as a transgressive woman, who rejects her gender and wants to be unsexed in order to achieve her ambitions. When she learns that King Duncan will come their court, which will give them a perfect opportunity to kill him, she wants to be saved from her feminine qualities. Come, you spirits That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here, And fill me, from the crown to the toe, top-full Of direst cruelty! Make thick my blood, Stop up thaccess and passage to remorse, That no compunctious visitings of nature Shake my fell purpose, nor keep peace between Theffect and it! Come to my womans breasts, And take my milk for gall, you murdring ministers (1.5 39-47)2 She follows the stereotype of her time, which associates masculinity with control, strength, and success; and femininity with weakness, loss of control, and disorder.3 Although she is a woman, she is somewhat an androgynous person because she does not conform with the conventional qualities of a Medieval woman, a female bird who takes care of her husband and children and does housework without meddling in mens jobs like politics. This is the definition of a domestic woman that is seen as natural in the society. However, Lady Macbeth is not a mother and furthermore, she has hostile feelings against children and motherhood. I have given suck, and know How tender tis to love the babe that milks me- I would, while it was smiling in my face, Have plucked my nipple from his boneless gums, And dashed the brains out (1.7 54-58)4 Lady Macbeths political ambition is greater than her husbands in the beginning of the play. She uses her sexuality in order to persuade Macbeth to kill Duncan, and besides, she always touches on his masculinity by blaming Macbeth for not being a man, as he hesitates to commit murder. Contrary to the conventional patriarchal family, we see that Lady Macbeth is dominant over her husband, partly due to his nature which is full oth milk of human kindness (1.4 16)5 and partly due to Lady Macbeths skill in using her sexual charm. When she reads Macbeths letter informing about the prophecies of the witches, she becomes afraid that the potential good in her husbands nature will prevent him from killing the King, then she comforts herself by thinking that she can persuade her husband easily. Hie thee hither, That I may pour my spirits in thine ear, And chastise with the valour of my tongue All that impedes thee from the golden round, Which fate and metaphysical aid doth seem To have thee crowned withal. (1.5 24-29)6 Her influence upon her husband and her great ambition for power cause her to go mad when she loses both of them. When Macbeth kills Duncan, with the encouragement of Lady Macbeth, he abandons the potential good in him and gives less and less importance to his wife, once his dearest partner of greatness. (1.5 10)7 He doesnt inform her about his later crimes -killing Macduffs family and Banquo, as he doesnt need her anymore to commit murder. With the change in Macbeths character, their marriage loses its passion, as Macbeth loses his emotional intimacy to his wife, being only concerned with keeping his seat. However, Lady Macbeth has predicted different conclusions when they kill Duncan. She has aspired for being queen and meddling in politics and feeling power. Also she has thought that their marriage would be more intimate when Macbeth says her Bring forth men-children only!/For thy undaunted mettle should compose/Nothing but males8 However, Macbeth loses all his emotions and passions for Lady Macbeth when he is entrapped in his evil actions. She loses not only her husband but also her access to power; therefore she goes mad and commits suicide as a result of her unnatural acts. Shakespeare introduces us the character of Lady Macduff, so that we can understand how unnatural Lady Macbeth is. Lady Macduff is a domestic woman, the accepted role for women in the Medieval age (actually in all ages), looking after her children, sitting at home waiting for her husband faithfully and not meddling in politics. She is just the opposite of Lady Macbeth, who rather behaves like a male. The common characteristics of Lady Macbeth and the witches, reflects the Medieval understanding that sees non-domestic women as witches and burns them alive. Just like Lady Macbeth, the witches are hostile towards children, as they put finger of birth-strangled babe (4.1 30)9 into their magical mixture in a cauldron. They also meddle in politics by the prophecies they make, and cause Macbeth to usurpe the crown by killing the gentle and trustful King Duncan. Macbeth kills all those people because of their prophecies, that Banquos children will become kings and Macduff will be a threat to him. Both the witches and Lady Macbeth are shown as the temptators, similar to the Christian teaching that Eve seduced Adam to commit the original sin. The death of Lady Macbeth reflects the victory of male-dominated society, which does not tolerate an unnatural woman challenging to their power and condemn it as a witch. In Shakespeares patriarchal world, the ideal woman is seen as a passive docile and above all selfless creatureBut behind the angel lurks the monster: the obverse of the male idealization of women is the male fear of femininity. The monster women is the woman who refuses to be selfless, acts on her own initiative, who has a story to tellin short, a woman who rejects the submissive role patriarchy has reserved for her.10 Shakespeare creates this monster -Lady Macbeth- with his own hands, but he decides to kill her in the tragedy of Macbeth. Whereas, we see that he welcomes this monster, Rosalind, in his comedy of As You Like It. First of all, he makes her the most dominant character in the play, among many male characters such as Orlando, Jacques or Touchstone. Rosalinds wit and rhetoric puts her a higher place than all male and female characters, which is really revolutionary in the conventional idea that grudges knowledge for females. In Christianity, the tree of knowledge is considered a sin for women; however we see Shakespeare creating a female character that has the most knowledge in the play. Although she is disguised as a young male in order to protect herself in an unknown forest, she frees herself from the restrictions imposed upon women in this way, and she shows that she has the equal -and perhaps more capacity of knowledge and intelligence with men. Rosalind provides us a real perspective of a female on the issues of love and male-female relationships, which shows the androgynous mind of Shakespeare, who can use his brains female part and give a correct female perspective. Rosalind challenges the stereotype that women want Platonic love, which means the mens woving to love them forever, writing love poems for them and expressing their love in a highly emotional way. She doesnt like them. Although she is many fathom deep..in love (4.1 201)11 with Orlando, she tries to dissuade him from loving her by telling about the bad sides of marriage disguised as Ganymede. She says that if they marry, Rosalind would be more jealous of him than a Barbary cock-pigeon over his hen, more clamorous than a parrot against rain, more new-fangled than an ape, more giddy in..desires than a monkey. (4.1 145-148)12 Of course she wont behave like that. But she doesnt want a blind lover like Orlando, who says she will love her forever, and a day (4.1 140)13, which she protests with a rhetoric answer that expresses the evolving nature of relationships. Say a day without the everNo, no, Orlando, men are April when they woo, December when they wed; maids are May when they are maids, but the sky changes when they are wives (4.1 141-144)14 Rosalind has the control in her relationship with Orlando and she instructs him in order to mature his immatured love for her, which is really unnatural for the conventional society. In fact, a conventional reader would think Rosalind as a male and Orlando as a female, if he/she only read their words without knowing their sexes. She has the male attributed qualities of reason and strength, while Orlando has the female attributed qualities of emotion and weakness, which show us that all of these characteristics are universal to human beings and they should not be appropriated for a single race. Rosalind is an admired figure among feminists for her ability to subvert the limitations that society imposes on her as a woman.15 She is dominant in all aspects of the story; and her masculine behaviour, which leads Lady Macbeth to disaster in the end of the tragedy of Macbeth, results in happy ending in the comedy of As You Like It. Therefore, it is possible to claim that Shakespeares Macbeth is misogynist and As You Like It is feminist. Although it is difficult to generalize this idea for all the tragedies and comedies of Shakespeare, when we look at his Winters Tale, which is half tragedy and half comedy, it is also half misogynist and half feminist. In the first part of the play, the great misogynist Leontes rises as a paranoid, who makes himself believe that his wife Hermione is cheating him with his best friend Polixenes while there is no reason. Leontes despotism over Hermione, and Hermiones docile obedience to her husband reflect the conventional situation of women and mens hegemony over them. When Leontes accuses her of being an adultress and puts her into prison, Hermione remains passive and obedient with expressing her belief in providence: if powers divine Behold our human actions, as they do, I doubt not then but innocence shall make False accusation blush and tyranny Tremble at patience (3.2 23-33)16 The other woman character, Paulina strikes the reader with her fearless criticism of Leontes, the King of Sicily, whom the Queen Hermione can not say a word. When she learns that Hermione gives birth a daughter in the prison, she takes the baby to Leontes, hoping that she would soften him. She insists on calling Hermione good queen in spite of Leontes rage, and she says Good queen, my lord, good queen, I say good queen, /And would by combat make her good, so were I / A man, the worst about you. (2.3 72-74)17Leontes can not tolerate her apparent insolence and accuses Antigonus of not controlling his wife, which is the requirement of masculinity. When Leontes threatens Paulina by saying Ill ha thee burnt (2.3 146)18, she answers with a courage no man an show: I care not. It is an heretic that makes the fire, Not she which burns in t. Ill not call you tyrant; But this most cruel usage of your queen, Not able to produce more accusation Than your own weak-hinged fancy, something savors Of tyranny, and will ignoble make you, Yea, scandalous to the world. (2.3 147-155)19 In this manner, we can see Paulina as a transgressive woman, who challenges the king regardless of her place determined by the male society. Although she is unsuccessful in the first part of the play, which is a tragedy, she becomes the chief advisor of Leontes in the second half of the play, which is a comedy. Being repentant of what he has done, Leontes obeys her this time, when she urges him not to remarry. Also the happy ending of the play, the resurrection of Hermione takes place in Paulinaa house, which shows the dominance of a strong female in the comedy part of the play. By looking at the three plays by Shakespeare, we can conclude that the unnatural and transgressive women always lose in tragedies, whereas they become successful and have a happy ending in comedies. Therefore, it is possible to say that Shakespeares tragedies are misogynist and his comedies are feminist.

The Land Made Incarnadine essays

The Land Made Incarnadine essays James Fennimore Cooper's book The Last of the Mohicans is designed to entertain us the way that any novel would, for it is replete with entertaining characters and swashbuckling deeds. However, Cooper also wanted to do more than simply entertain his readers. He wanted to make them more aware of what was happening in the world around them, of how the coming to America of the Europeans had changed the entire natural and social order of the New World. And in order to impress on his readers the seriousness of those changes he chose the most potent symbol possible: That of blood. This paper analyzes the use of the symbol of blood in this Cooper uses blood to stand for a number of different ideas in the book. It serves, first of all, as a symbol for knowledge and even more specifically for the ways in which we come to know our way in the world - how things come to be "in our blood". When European settlers came to America in the 17th century, they found themselves in a world that was entirely alien to them. They had neither literal maps to the country nor any metaphorical ones to understand their relationship to new kinds of plants and animals, new kinds of soil to be hoed and planted, new kinds of people who spoke in languages unheard to them and prayed to gods that they knew nothing at all about. And in the midst of this disorientation, they turned to the one thing that they knew tied them absolutely and irrevocably to the past - specifically to their own past but also to the past of the world: The blood that ran in their veins and that connected them to their homes and their families, to the safe and the familiar. By looking to the blood ties, they looked backward to home. One of the central concepts in The Last of the Mohicans is the idea of natural law, which both Cooper and his main character, Natty Bumpo, hold to ...

A Review Of The Enron Code Of Ethics

A Review Of The Enron Code Of Ethics Enron Introduction The Enron code of ethics was well detailed, and all the provisions of the code of ethics were in line with the policies of the company. According to Sims and Brinkmann (2003), Enron policies together with the code of ethics fostered the company reputation of being fair and honest. The company tried to safeguard the interests of its customers by ensuring that it provides the best more than their competitors. The code of ethics specified that all the company employees should not conduct themselves in any manner that would jeopardize the best interest of the company. Moreover, the employees were not supposed to engage in any business that would suggest competition with the Enron. Through the above policies, the company gave room for failure instead of bringing in a perceived success. The policies indirectly forced the top executives as well as the junior employees to engage in unethical behaviors that later made the company failed ethically and subsequently financially. Enron is Synonymous with Ethical Failure Given that Enron’s code of ethics was inclined towards the good ethical conduct of all its cooperate employees, it failed and was declared bankrupt in 2001 (Fusaro and Miller, 2002). The failure of the Enron can be attributed to the failure of the executive and the unethical behavior within the company. The working conditions were and condescension where competition and financial goals were over emphasized. The profit orientation of Enron compelled it to always emphasize on policies that would see the generation of the benefits by all means. The employees were subjected to a rating system whereby 20 percent of the employees were supposed to be rated below the minimum requirements and fired (Marianne, 2009). Enron applied the rating system with a hope of encouraging the employees to work extra harder and avoid low ratings, but the system harmed Enron contrary to the expectations of the management. The continuous evaluation of the employees for performance together with the culture of competition lead to deception. The strict evaluation process compelled the employees to engage in cheating on their work. They were always nervous and feared to lose their jobs due to underperformance. Thus, they resorted to unethical means of surviving for a longer period within the company, for instance, they cheated about their progress even if they knew that things were not all that good. None of the employees felt the shame of cheating since it was becoming a culture. Those who stood by what was right was regarded odd by the cheating employees. Besides cheating, the employees covered errors and could not report errors of their colleges since each of them was entangled in his or her line of duty and focused only their achievements in the places of work. According to Katzenbach (2015), employees in a company help each other by asking and answering questions. However, the competitive environment in the Enron compelled the employees to avoid asking questions since they considered it humiliating. Moreover, they did not like helping each to avoid competition and avoided mentioning their doubts and seeking for clarifications. Moreover, Enron ensured that all its employees did not engage with outside parties that could out-compete Enron in the market. Thus, the employees were not allowed to express any doubts about the financial status and the plans of the company. Olson, a company analyst, lost his job because Olson advised his client not to invest in the company due to the unpredictable status of the business (Marianne, 2009). Conclusion Conclusively, the evil culture in the Enron company that was created by selfish company executives led to the fall of Enron. Both the officials and the employees engaged in unethical practices and they ended up contributing to the downfall of the Company.

Effect of recession on U.K. clothing sector Literature review

Effect of recession on U.K. clothing sector - Literature review Example Not only the UK but also the developed countries throughout the world experienced reduction in the outputs (Bell & Blanchflower, 2010). The research paper aims at providing a thought upon the effects of recession on the UK clothing sector. It further tries to investigate the effect of recession on the buyer behaviour within the UK fashion clothing market. Aims of the Study / Research Objective Initially in this paper it has been intended to prove that the recession had really affected the overall UK economy and hence the affect on GDP will be demonstrated in this paper. The main objective of the study has been to understand the effect of the economic recession on buyer behaviour within the UK fashion clothing market. It has also been intended to analyse the impact of recession on the value clothing sector and upon the consumer spending. It will highlight the UK lingerie market and effect of recession on it. ... rature Review Impact of Recession on UK GDP According to Times Online (2009), the GDP can be defined as a measure of the goods and the services that is produced by the country. It also indicates the health of the nation’s economy. It was noted that between the months of October and December which was the final quarter of the year 2008, there was decline in the GDP by 1.5 percent. This figure was worst since the second quarter of 1980. There was a 0.6% decline between July and September of 2008. It was evident in the final quarter of the year 2008 that there was decline in the output in all sectors of the economy except agriculture by 4.6%. Therefore it is evident that because of the recession the GDP of the country was affected (Times Online, 2009). Geroski & Gregg (1997) had revealed in their study that it is believed by the economist and many people that recession are periods of waste and stagnation. The list of failed firms, derelict industrial sites makes it quite hard to believe that recession is part of natural functioning of the economy (Geroski & Gregg, 1997). Direct and Indirect Impact of Recession on the Textile Industry According to Thoburn (2010), there has been direct as well as indirect impact of the recession on the textile and the garments industries of Asia. The author further opines that the output of the non-garment textiles is also growing at a rapid pace and these uses if combined accounts for greater than ‘half of the world’s textile output’. Prior to the increase in Britain’s textile industrial production, the leading player in this sector has been Asia. The data that has been produced by the Eurostat agency of the European Union, the US Office of Textile and Apparel and Japan Customs Online clearly demonstrate the picture of what the

The House of the Future Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The House of the Future - Essay Example The house is so big that that its shadow is massive (Cooper 12). Bernard cooper states that the house of the future is a piece of the latest architecture with amphitheatres that are beneath glass dome. The house of the future would have conical towers that pierce the clouds and are bridged by walkways that have been built in tubes. The house of the future would be so efficient and ideal that it would look like a machine. The house is so energy efficient that one will be spending less amount of money to heat and cool it. The house will be designed to have living spaces that are open and filled with light. This house should combine high style and sustainable design. The design of the house is considerate of the houses suitability with shift in needs and evolvement in technology. In the essay house of the future, the author refers several times to his interest in architecture hence the house should be a cutting edge piece of art and creative architecture. The spaces in the house must no t only be welcoming and functional, but they must also be easily adjustable. The house should be constructed and build with future in mind to allow for remodelling to be done if necessary. Simple architectural designs need to be considered in the construction of the house. The house should be easily repeated in many places and by different people (cooper 22) Research needs to be done to enhance the designing and building of the house. Research should be done on the type of product or material that will be more suitable for the construction of the house. According to Coopers essay on the house of the future, it was the permanence and the durability of plastic that made the Monsanto house a marvel hence he calls for the designing of building materials that are long lasting. The ultimate aim is to design a house that is more connected to nature, augmented by technology and also designed for all the people. In the future I would like to have a permanent house located mostly in the subur b, but the country side would also be an ideal location. I would ensure that the exterior of the house is very modern. The house of the future would be surrounded by a high stone wall. The stone masonry should be exceptional with the stones roughly cut (cooper 24). In the essay the house of the future, author talks of his boyhood interest in landscapes, I will have a wide variety of exotic trees and flowers surrounding the house and the lawn would be green all year round and well mowed. The back yard of the house will automatically be having a swimming pool that has all the modern technology to run its maintenance making my work easy.. The inside of the house would be having a cosy sauna. The design of the interior would in such a way that there would be big windows to enhance maximum lighting of the house during the day. There would also be huge skylights to complement the wide and big windows (cooper 22). The rooms would be very spacious in the house of the future while utilizing the wide windows to make the rooms brighter. The sitting room would be adorned with white and orange colours because of the oriental design of the house. The fireplace would be well constructed with roughly hewn stones and bricks. I will have all my pictures framed and put up on all the walls. The floor would be laid with the best carpet in the market made from environmentally friendly materials. The whole house would be fully automated and all i have to do is just press a button on the remote control. The drawing of the curtains, turning on and off the lights would all be automated. The house would be energy friendly with the lights coming on only when I enter the house (Cooper 26) The doors to the living room would be a double glass door. There would also

Coparing and contrasting two literary works and two literary periods Essay

Coparing and contrasting two literary works and two literary periods in which they were written - Essay Example His life in Paris made him write more about the French Revolution. The literary period which Voltaire referred to was the Enlightenment period and his works received several critical acclaims. In contrast to this, Fyodor Dostoevsky was a contemporary writer who was a Russian novelist. Dostoevsky concentrated on the philosophical and moral aspects of the society. Dostoevsky referred to the realism and symbolism period. This was completely different form that of Voltaire’s thoughts and works. The 18th century was also known as the Enlightenment period. The reason was French Revolution and it had a greater influence of the lives of the people in France. The period of Enlightenment popularized the conceptualities of the French Revolution and it was named as the Age of Reason. It was then the people had the ability to realize what was happening around them and in their country. But the period of Realism was in complete contrast with that of Enlightenment period. The period of 19th century was named as a period of Realism and certain literature works name it as symbolism too. Realism focused on the realistic happenings of the 19th century. Till then the concept of supernatural power and sentiment ruled the country and these were considered as the important elements of the century. Realism revived this and literary writers contributed o this change by releasing books that imparted knowledge of the real world and this made people to realize the simplicity and truth behind a co mmon man’s life. This became a rage as this was completely new to the people of Russia. Enlightenment and Realism imparted different aspects to the people and the world. Writers like Voltaire and Dostoevsky worked hard to help the public realize the seriousness of life and the problems behind every change. Most of the literary works represent a specific incident or a specific revolution. Each of these works focus on the period which

Tax advantages on buying your own home in Canada Research Paper

Tax advantages on buying your own home in Canada - Research Paper Example Home ownership is a critical subject that needs to be handled with care; in the recent past, most Canadians have never had the coveted opportunity of owning a home. Nevertheless, with the tax advantages in place more Canadians are having the opportunity to own a home. Every time one requires to purchase a house such a person must consider of the tax benefits involved in such an investment. The government has made frantic efforts to ensure that citizens are empowered to own homes. Therefore, households which purchase houses usually make a great deal in savings. However, several restrictions and procedures control the tax benefits. It is therefore, critical that deliberate efforts are taken by potential homeowners to consult with several tax professionals such as accountants to help them to fully understand the benefits of owning a home. The subsequent paragraph illuminates the tax benefits of owning a home in Canada as well as Professor Tristani’s view that owning a home may no t be advantageous after all. Tax Benefits of Owning a home Deductions on mortgage interest are one tax benefit that comes with owning a house in Canada. The Government in a bid to ensure that more households own homes has partnered with several commercial financial institutions such as banks with a view of effecting deductions on mortgage interest when the applicants meet some standards set (Canada, 2006). In fact, it is very possible for individuals to be offered tax deductions for the interest payable on mortgage taken for purchase, of home or for improvement of home. It is worth noting that although there are several deductions on mortgage interest the procedures involved are quite elaborate. Therefore, expert guidance is required so that a potential homebuyer does not miss the benefits that come with it (Andersen, 2009). Access Access to mortgage is one critical achievement that the government can take credit for removal of the many restrictions that had barred several people fr om owning homes. For example, currently Canadians are not required to offer collateral on mortgagees, and this means that even people with average income who do not have assets have the opportunity of owning a home. Moreover, the many bureaucracies that characterized application to obtain a mortgage have been reduced considerably. What is more, even the rate of interest on mortgage is at all-time low at 4%. The other tax benefit of owning a home can be realized from the deductions that are pegged to home improvement and repairs. Improvement and repairs to home are crucial in the sense that they result in increasing the value of the house, make it to be used for a different purpose, or increasing its value. However, homeowner must be alive to the fact that ordinary cost incurred with maintaining the home do not qualify for deductions (Higgins, 2004). It is currently possible for people to secure loans for repairs and improvement of the value of the house. This possibility has gone a long way to ensuring that majority of Canadians lengthen the useful period of their homes. When the individual applying for the mortgage follows the right procedures and meets the requirement for reduction, the individual will be offered a deduction on interest for a mortgage taken to facilitate repairs and maintenance of the house. Deducting of points and closing of costs is yet another tax benefit that is inherent in home ownership. Every other time when one secures a mortgage, such a mortgage is charged costs referred to as lender points. The faster the one pays up the mortgage and accruing interest the more points he is awarded. This means that depending on the points one has he can qualify for deduc

Base on the report that has written. Continue to write on the parts Assignment

Base on the report that has written. Continue to write on the parts that have been highlighted in green colour. The assessment, - Assignment Example It is therefore recommended for the children to wait until they attain the required age. Although it is quite unknown on the implication of marathon to underage, the experts have recommended them waiting until they attain puberty (Bredemeier, et al. 1986). Most doctors recommend children to avoid long distance because of trauma and can lead to bone doings. When someone trains for a marathon, it is normally tough mentally and physically, exhausting and time consuming. Therefore, underage it is highly possible to affect someone priorities such as education (Bredemeier, et al. 1986). Before someone embarks on the long distance/marathon, it is suggested top run 10kms or even 4kms. Therefore, completing the race would be a major boost. 1.2 The Macro, Micro and Risk management context In the Sydney Marathon, the macro, micro, and risk management context would involve consideration of safety issues from an individual level to the safety of the group taking part in the marathon. The safety a nd well-being of all participants is of great importance if the team has to win. This has to focus on risks affecting individuals in person and those affecting the participants collectively (K. M. Nohr 2009 ). This would happen with respect to the protection of the best interests of the group or organization. A comprehensive risk management plan would be required to achieve the best level in ensuring safety of every participant in the group participants. One of the key factors to consider is working by the fundamental laws of the group. The three basic elements in risk control would be ensured. These elements include risk assessments, control, and financing (Katharine 2009). 2. The Risks Associated with The Trip The trip to the Sydney marathon will be like any other trip faced with uncertainties’ of risks such as injuries that include musculoskeletal injuries, bruises, cuts, fractures, as well as dislocations. There are also cases of accidents, which could result into injurie s, or death of some participants (Nohr 2013). These cases may make most of the participants fail to participate. Dealing with this risk would require that the number of participants in the marathon be more to initiate replacements especially in those sports involving collaborative participation. There should be provisions for first aid and medical care in case of accidents (Nohr 2013). 2.1 Location Analysis The marathon is specifically located in the Sydney International Regatta Center. This center is located in the west, 44 kilometers from the Sydney Olympic park. The risks associated with this location include the additional costs in terms of time and money involved since it is far, about one hour-drive, from the Central business district of Sydney (Office of Communities Sports and Recreation 2013). Other risk involved in this location is the raggedness of land due to the hilly lands. The climate would also be horrible for the group since most of the members are not used to tropic al climatic conditions. 2.2 The People The group selected includes 20 people but there is a risk that not the all members in the group will participate. Four people in the group are elderly, aged between 60 and 70. Two people are above 75 year but they can hardly take part due to their health problem. Four of them are children aged between 4 and 10 but one of them is suffering chronic asthma and another suffers peanut allergy. Six people are aged

Reagan's Part In Ending The Cold War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reagan's Part In Ending The Cold War - Essay Example It is then a question of determinacy or of choice. The historian John Lewis Gaddis, in his book The Cold War, highlights the figure and role of Ronald Reagan as being the reason for the downfall of the USSR. Gaddis gives much attention to the character, personality, and beliefs of the former president. In his own estimation, Reagan’s personality led to his decision to abandon the policy of dà ©tente, one which had been a central one of the American government since the Nixon administration. â€Å"Reagan came to this position thorough faith, fear, and self-confidence. His faith was that democracy and capitalism would triumph over communism, a ‘temporary aberration which will one day,’ he predicted in 1975, ‘disappear from the earth because it is contrary to human nature’† (Gaddis 2005, p. 276). Reagan’s intended his own economic policies, specifically de-regulation and low taxes, to have an international appeal in contrast to the party-line Marxism of the Soviets. Reagan shrewdly sought to abolish nuclear weapons while also enacting a massive military build-up. â€Å"It followed that neither communism nor nuclear weapons should continue to exist, and yet dà ©tente was ensuring that both did† (Gaddis 2005, p. 217). This allowed him to gain support abroad and curtail any suspicions on the Right that he was going soft. According to Gaddis, Reagan suspected that the USSR had suffered ideologically in the eyes of the world. Reagan implemented the Strategic Defense Initiative, which â€Å"challenged the argument that vulnerability could provide security [and] exploited the Soviet Union’s backwardness in computer technology†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Gaddis 2005, p. 226). Reagan’s policy of confronting the USSR while also leaving open the possibility of peace forced the Soviets to increase defense spending while already fighting in Afghanistan.

Base on the report that has written. Continue to write on the parts Assignment

Base on the report that has written. Continue to write on the parts that have been highlighted in green colour. The assessment, - Assignment Example It is therefore recommended for the children to wait until they attain the required age. Although it is quite unknown on the implication of marathon to underage, the experts have recommended them waiting until they attain puberty (Bredemeier, et al. 1986). Most doctors recommend children to avoid long distance because of trauma and can lead to bone doings. When someone trains for a marathon, it is normally tough mentally and physically, exhausting and time consuming. Therefore, underage it is highly possible to affect someone priorities such as education (Bredemeier, et al. 1986). Before someone embarks on the long distance/marathon, it is suggested top run 10kms or even 4kms. Therefore, completing the race would be a major boost. 1.2 The Macro, Micro and Risk management context In the Sydney Marathon, the macro, micro, and risk management context would involve consideration of safety issues from an individual level to the safety of the group taking part in the marathon. The safety a nd well-being of all participants is of great importance if the team has to win. This has to focus on risks affecting individuals in person and those affecting the participants collectively (K. M. Nohr 2009 ). This would happen with respect to the protection of the best interests of the group or organization. A comprehensive risk management plan would be required to achieve the best level in ensuring safety of every participant in the group participants. One of the key factors to consider is working by the fundamental laws of the group. The three basic elements in risk control would be ensured. These elements include risk assessments, control, and financing (Katharine 2009). 2. The Risks Associated with The Trip The trip to the Sydney marathon will be like any other trip faced with uncertainties’ of risks such as injuries that include musculoskeletal injuries, bruises, cuts, fractures, as well as dislocations. There are also cases of accidents, which could result into injurie s, or death of some participants (Nohr 2013). These cases may make most of the participants fail to participate. Dealing with this risk would require that the number of participants in the marathon be more to initiate replacements especially in those sports involving collaborative participation. There should be provisions for first aid and medical care in case of accidents (Nohr 2013). 2.1 Location Analysis The marathon is specifically located in the Sydney International Regatta Center. This center is located in the west, 44 kilometers from the Sydney Olympic park. The risks associated with this location include the additional costs in terms of time and money involved since it is far, about one hour-drive, from the Central business district of Sydney (Office of Communities Sports and Recreation 2013). Other risk involved in this location is the raggedness of land due to the hilly lands. The climate would also be horrible for the group since most of the members are not used to tropic al climatic conditions. 2.2 The People The group selected includes 20 people but there is a risk that not the all members in the group will participate. Four people in the group are elderly, aged between 60 and 70. Two people are above 75 year but they can hardly take part due to their health problem. Four of them are children aged between 4 and 10 but one of them is suffering chronic asthma and another suffers peanut allergy. Six people are aged

Thai Food as a Cultural Product Essay Example for Free

Thai Food as a Cultural Product Essay The use of food as cultural products by tourism industry today affects the culinary heritages in negative senses Do you agree with this statement? Please explain and give example. Cultural products as a part of tourism industry have become an influential strategy in modern international trade. Food is one of the distinctive goods, which have popularly been brought to represent the country and the culture of its residents. However, surprisingly, the use of food as a cultural product by tourism industry today no longer fully displays the intellectual inheritance of the nation; on the contrary, it affects the culinary heritages in negative senses. Having become a cultural product, foreign-cuisine restaurants blossom in every part of the world. For instance, Thai food has become internationally popular because of its sophistication and variety. (Global Investment Center, 2008, p. 245) People can experience Thai cultures without practically going abroad through various choices of Thai food, which are available in their own countries. Nevertheless, often times, the food to which they expose is not a real representative of Thai culinary art since it is reduced in terms of cultural accuracy. There generally are some changes in ingredients due to some difficulties such as rare alien constituents, but, surprisingly, the changes in Thai food are usually not by reason of the lack but intentionally made. Thai cuisines served abroad are frequently modified. This does not occur from a misunderstanding of Thai cultures because several chefs in Thai restaurants overseas are from Thailand. Instead, this happens to be more because of customers; in other words, this is an effect of culture shock. Peter Adler describes culture shock as a five-stage educational and developmental process based on work by Kalvero Oberg and others – which are the honeymoon stage, the disintegrate stage, the reintegrate stage, the autonomy stage, and the interdependence stage respectively. Newly exposed individuals experience the curiosity and excitement of a tourist at first before they feel overwhelmed by the new cultures requirements. After that, they will express outer-directed anger and resentment toward the new culture before they gradually gain a balanced perspective of the two cultures and become fluently comfortable at last. (Pedersen, 1995, p. 3) The first two stages give an explanation to the Thai recipe modification case. Like any other cuisine, one dishful of true Thai food can be exciting and appealing while a repetition of it may not be as superb and may later cause to feel uncomfortable. When it comes to business, a dish per person is not adequate; a restaurant needs a regular customer. As a result, a number of Thai restaurants overseas choose to simplify their own recipes to make their diners feel less awkward with their menus so as to keep their visits. Even though, according to Adler’s theory, the culture-experiences will eventually get along with the real Thai food, the business has a tendency not to take the risk as the stake is too high. The loss of some ingredients due to changes in recipes does not only mean the loss of its taste but also the loss of Thai culinary heritages accumulated since hundreds of years ago, for the ingredients do not only flavor the food but have benefits both in terms of medicine and cookery as well. Even though Thailand was not scientifically advanced back in old times, Thais learned how to utilize herbs as medicament and put them in their food. For example, flowers of a Hummingbird tree in Tamarind paste soup can help balance the body systems, relieve a seasonal fever, and deodorize the soup when adding fish. Tom-Yum is another example. A variety of herbs in the spicy soup, apart from seasoning, can help digestion, prevent bloating, release gas, relieve a fever, and control sexual desire and blood pressure. The removal of some components from Thai food in Thai restaurants overseas without the least concern regarding the culinary heritages is, therefore, the neglect of cultures in a cultural product itself. So far, the existence of Thai food abroad as a cultural product has seemingly been disregarded at the same time as other exotic cuisines on account of several reasons. Diners usually do not truly get the essence of the cuisine or even have a misconception about the culinary art. As long as bean sprouts are still seen in Green curry served in Thai restaurants in the Unites States, using food as a cultural product might not be a good idea. Reference: Longrain: Modern Thai Food. Melbourne: Hardie Grant. Christofi, V. , Thompson, C. L. (2007). You cannot go home again: a phenomenological investigation of returning to the sojourn country after studying abroad. Journal of Counseling and Development, 85(1), 53-64. Global Investment Center. (2008). Thailand Country Study Guide. Washington, DC: International Business. Pedersen, P. (1995). The five stages of culture shock. Westport, CT: Greenwood. Smithies, A. (1952). Modern International Trade Theory and International Policy. In The American Economic Review: Vol. 42, No. 2, Papers and Proceedings of the Sixty-fourth Annual Meeting of the American Economic Association (pp. 168-176). N. P. : American Economic Association. Ward, C. , Bochner, S. , Furnham, A. (2001). The psychology of culture shock. Newyork: Routledge.

Cultural Intelligence in Thai Society

Cultural Intelligence in Thai Society Abstract The purpose of this article was to explain and discuss cultural intelligence in Thai society where Buddhism plays a very important role to daily life of Thai people. Cultural intelligence is important can be helpful for individuals who interact with people from different cultural backgrounds and help for manage effectively culture differences. According to the model Thomas and Inkson (2004), the development of cultural intelligence occurs in five stages are reactivity, recognition, accommodation, assimilation, and proactive. There are three characteristics to increase cultural intelligence including integrity, openness, and hardiness. These characteristics look similarly in Thai culture factors. As Buddhism plays a very important role in the daily life of the Thai people. Since about 95% of the people in the kingdom of Thailand are Buddhist Therefore, Thai society or Thai people have basic from Buddha core teaching which helps people in everywhere to become more to develop cultural i ntelligence. Keywords: cultural intelligence (CQ), development cultural intelligence, Thai society Introduction In the recent year cultural intelligence (CQ) has been introduced into the global business literature (Earley, 2002; Earley Ang, 2003). This concept is meant to reflect the capability to deal effectively with people from different cultural backgrounds. The ability interacts effectively with people who are culturally different. Globalization has been accelerated by a host of factors in the international business environment, including the following: New international trade agreement the growth of international trade the growth of multinational corporations the restructuring and downsizing of organizations the privatization of state enterprise the ability to locate business, particularly manufacturing, wherever cost it lowest the ability to execute financial transactions instantaneously on a global basis the transition of command economies to free markets the expansion of international migration the ability of information and communication technology to transcend time and distance (Th omas Inkson, 2004). Although international commerce may have existed for many years ago, it is only in the past few years that globalization has such a broad effect on business. Until recently only a few very large multinational companies were concerned with foreign operations. For most firms business was largely local, tried closely to the city or region in which they were located, and certainly limited to the confines of the country. Now, business extends across all manner of porous boundaries—some of which have become so porous they have almost ceased to exist—across the entire globe. Even very small firms now have the capability to be global. With a computer, a modem, and telephone connection it is possible to be a global business almost instantaneously. Because of globalization, the environment of business is now more complex, more dynamic, more uncertain, and more competitive than ever before. And there is no evidence that these trends will reverse or decrease (Thomas Inkson, 2004). Globalization of people is the result of dramatic shifts that have taken place in economics, politics, and technology. However, the day-to-day reality of global business involves interactions and relationships with people who are culturally different. In business today, we travel overseas among people from other cultures, we speak with them on international telephone calls, and we correspond with them be e-mail. Even in our home cities, we notice that more and more of our colleagues, our clients, and even the people we pass in the street are observable from cultures different from our own. The trend is inexorable. The range of different cultural backgrounds in huge; colleagues, business associates, and contacts probable represent countries or ethnic groups from all over the world. Johansen and McLean (2006) said that: Globalization, communications technology, immigration, an increased focus on religion and spirituality, and the ease of both domestic and international travel offer an opportunity to work, learn, and interact with people whose backgrounds differ from our own. To be effective, HRD practitioners must recognize how cultural background, assumptions, and view of the world influence an understanding. (P. 1) Culture can be seen as shaping the nature of social structures as they grow and adapt (Hofstede, 1991). Earley, Ang, and Tan (2006) suggested that â€Å"cultural intelligence as operating within a diversity context consisting of at least three layers – individual, team, and organization† (p. 168). As mention above, Earley (2002) concluded that it is a challenge to create suitable behavior in a new cultural setting that makes cultural intelligence unique. What is exactly cultural intelligence look like? How to improve cultural intelligence? Thomas and Inkson (2004) suggested three characteristics to increase cultural intelligence including integrity, openness, and hardiness. They also describe that culturally intelligent people see the connections between a culture and its context, history, and value orientations. People realize that knowledge of the culture of a country or region is only valuable in the context of understanding its religious, philosophical, and historical issues. All of these inspire the author to think about what does the relationship between cultural intelligence in my home county, Thailand. Thai culture has been greatly influenced by Buddhism. Thai culture is often known as â€Å"Thai-Buddhist culture† (Dhirvegin, 1998, p. 13). Buddhism plays a very important role in the daily life of the Thai people. Since about 95% of the people in the kingdom of Thailand are Buddhist (Chadchaidee, 2005). Do any Thai people really need to develop cultural intelligence? If yes, what kinds of cultural intelligence that Thai people needed? Purpose of the article This article is aims to explain and discus about cultural intelligence issue especially in Thai society. In order to clearly understanding, the author will present the concept of cultural intelligence, Thai culture and society, Buddhist core teaching will be discussed. Cultural Intelligence Issue There are many scholars define cultural intelligence (Earley, 2002; Early Ang, 2003; Earley, Ang Tan, 2006; Erley Mosakowski, 2004; Earley Peterson, 2004; Tomas, 2006; Thomas Inkson, 2004). In this section, the author will present an overview of cultural intelligence that including definition of cultural intelligence, components of cultural intelligence, characteristics supportive of cultural intelligence, and developmental stages of cultural intelligence. Cultural intelligence, one component of cultural competence, is defined as â€Å"a person’s capability to adapt effectively to new cultural contexts† (Earley Ang, 2003, p. 59). More specifically, cultural intelligence is â€Å"a seemingly natural ability to interpret someone’s unfamiliar and ambiguous gestures the way that person’s compatriots would and colleagues would, even to mirror them† (Earley Mosakowaski, 2004, p. 140). Cultural intelligence captures a person’s capability to adapt effectively to new cultural contexts and it has both process and content features (Earley Ang, 2003; Thomas Inkson, 2004). Similar to earlier definitions, Thomas and Inkson (2004) present the three component of cultural intelligence.   According to the Figure 1, Thomas and Inkson (2004) described at first, the culturally intelligent manger requires knowledge of culture and of the fundamental principles of cross-cultural interactions. This means knowing what culture is how cultures vary, and how culture affects behavior. Second, the culturally intelligent manager needs to practice mindfulness, the ability to pay attention in a reflective and creative way to cues in the cross-cultural situations encountered. The last, based on knowledge and mindfulness, the culturally intelligent manager develops behavioral skills, and becomes competent across a wide range of situations. These skills involve choosing the appropriate behavior from a well-developed repertoire of behaviors that are correct for different intercultural situations. All of three elements are interrelated with the other. This knowledge is only the beginning to becoming culturally intelligent. Cultural intelligence involves understanding the fundamentals of intercultural interaction, developing a mindfulness approach to intercultural interactions and finally building adaptive skills and a repertoire of behaviors so that one is effective in different intercultural situations. If we accept the notion that cultural intelligence is learned over time through intercultural interactions we can also envision that individuals pass through various stages of development in their level of cultural intelligence. Thomas and Inkson (2004 pp. 66-68) presented five stages to develop cultural intelligence including: Stage 1: Reactivity to external stimuli. A starting point is mindlessly following ones own cultural rules and norms. This stage is typical of individuals with very little exposure to, or interest in, other cultures. Parochial individuals do not even recognize that cultural differences exist. If they do, they consider them inconsequential. People at this stage of development can be heard to say things like â€Å"I dont see differences, and I treat everyone the same.†. Stage 2: Recognition of other cultural norms and motivation to learn more about them. Experience and mindfulness produce a newfound awareness of the multicultural mosaic that surrounds us. A heightened sense of mindfulness presents a sometimes-overwhelming amount of new information Curiosity is aroused, and the individual wants to lean more. People at this stage often struggle to sort through the complexity of the cultural environment. They search for simple rules of thumb to guide their behavior. Stage 3: Accommodation of other culture norms and rules in ones own mind. Reliance on absolutes disappears. A deeper understanding of cultural variation begins to develop. The cultural norms and rules of various societies begin to seem comprehensible and even reasonable in their context. The recognition of appropriate behavioral responses to different cultural situations develops; however, only fairly obvious cues are attended to, and adaptive behavior takes a lot of effort and is often awkward. People at this stage know what to say and do in a variety of cultural situations. However, they have to think about it, and adaptive behavior does not feel natural. Stage 4: Assimila tion of diverse cultural norms into alternative behaviors. At this stage adjusting to different situations no longer requires much effort. Individuals develop a repertoire of behaviors from which they can choose depending on the specific cultural situation. They actively experiment with new behavior. They function in a number of different cultures almost effortlessly and with no more stress than if they were in their home culture- Members of other cultures accept them as culturally knowledgeable and feel comfortable interacting with them. They feel at home, almost anywhere, Stage 5: Proactivity in cultural behavior based on recognition of changing cues that others do not perceive. People who are highly culturally intelligent have the ability, through continuous sampling of internal states and external cues, to sense changes in cultural context, sometimes even before members of the other culture. They are so attuned to the nuances of intercultural interactions that they almost automa tically adjust their behavior to anticipate these changes and facilitate better intercultural interactions among others. They seem to intuitively know what behaviors are required and how to execute them effectively. Individuals at this stage of development may be quite rare; however, it is a level of cultural intelligence to which we all might aspire. Griffer and Perlis (2007) stated that the development of cultural intelligence begins with a study of self and the awareness that everyone has a multi-perspective identity. Many people look into a mirror and describe themselves on the basis of what they see and subsequently describe others in the same way. Looking into that mirror, we see characteristics that can be easily described as race. Multi-perspective identity is defined as â€Å"characteristics of our identity that enable each individual to view reality through specific perspectives based upon ability, age, ethnicity, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic class† (Perlis, 2001 p. 11). This concept can certainly incorporate other forms of difference that comprise one’s identity; however, the definition for our work addressing the development of cultural intelligence will focus on these basic cultural characteristics. As pre-service we begin to see themselves as multi-perspective individual s and understand the interrelationships between these forms of their identity, they will develop cultural intelligence. Thomas Inkson (2004) suggested the possession or development of these underlying characteristics – integrity, openness, and hardiness – can support acquisition of a cultural intelligence easier. Integrity is â€Å"having a well-developed sense of self and understanding how one’s own belief system motivates behavior† (Thomas Inkson, 2004 p. 65). People differ in the ways they describe our inner self cannot be directly known by other people. It is important for us to have an honest understanding of ourselves. Openness is â€Å"showing deferential respect and a willingness to learn from others† (Thomas Inkson, 2004 p. 65). It is mean inquisitiveness particularly about people from different cultures. Hardiness is â€Å"robustness, courage, intrepidness, and capability of surviving unfavorable conditions. If we are hardy we can cope with stress, recover from shocks, and perceive stressful events as interesting and meaningful and as an opportunity for growth and learning. † (Thomas Inkson, 2004 p. 65). In summary, Cultural intelligence is a person’s aptitude to task successfully with people from different culture background and understanding. Cultural intelligence has three component of cultural intelligence include with knowledge, mindfulness, and behavior. The development of cultural intelligence occurs in five stages are reactivity, recognition, accommodation, assimilation, and proactive. Finally, the author present three characteristics to increase cultural intelligence including integrity, openness, and hardiness can support acquisition of a cultural intelligence. The next section the author will present about Thai culture and society. Thai Culture and Society Thailand is situated in the heart of Southeast Asia with Bangkok as the capital city. Thailand spreads out over 513,115 square kilometers of land and stretches some 1,620 kilometers from north to south and 775 kilometers from east to west. Thailand is divided into four natural regions: the north, northeast, the central plain, and the south. The Kingdom, a society that is also free, cohesive, and open, remains one of the most attractive places in the world to visit and conduct business. Buddhism is the faith of approximately 95 percent of the population (About Thailand, 2007). Today, Thai people share a rich ethnic diversity, Mon, Khmer, Tai, Chinese, Malay, Laotian, and Indian stock, with the result that there is no typically Thai. About 80% of all Thais are connected in some way with agriculture, which influences and is influenced by the religious ceremonies and festivals that help make Thailand such a distinctive country (UNDP: Thailand Human Development Report, 2007). It should be noted that the concepts of Thai culture are mostly similar to Buddhist principle. Buddhist principles are pragmatic (Payutto, 2003) as we can see from one of the teachings about pairs that though little he recites the Sacred Texts, but put the precepts into practice, forsaking lust, hatred and delusion, with right knowledge, with mind well freed, cling to nothing here or hereafter, he has a share in religious life (Wannapok, 1988). There are the main ideas of Buddhism are contained in the statements known as The Noble Eightfold Path and the Middle Way. Truth defines the Buddhist way of life and contains ail the ethical teaching and practices of Buddhism. It provides the way and means to attain the goal as set forth in the third Truth. This way is called the Noble Eightfold Path as it consists of eight factors as show in Table 1. Table 1: The Noble Eightfold Path as it corresponds to the Threefold Training The Threefold Training The Noble Eightfold Path ‘Panna’ or Wisdom Right View Right Thought ‘Sila’ or Morality Right Speech Right Action Right Livelihood ‘Samadhi’ or Meditation Right Effort Right Mindfulness Right Concentration. Knietim (2009) suggested that Right View is means to see and to understand things as they really. As such, right view is the cognitive aspect of wisdom. Right Thought is the kind of mental energy that controls our actions. It can be described best as commitment to ethical and mental self-improvement. Right Speech is importance of speech can save lives or break, make friends or enemies. Right Action is expression and involves bodily actions. Right action means to act kindly and compassionately, to be honest, to respect the belongings of others, and to keep sexual relationships harmless to others. Right Livelihood means that one should earn ones living in a righteous way and that wealth should be gained legally and peacefully. Right effort is mental energy, it is the force behind right effort. The same type of energy that fuels desire, envy, aggression, and violence can on the other side fuel self-discipline, honesty, benevolence, and kindness. Right mindfulness is the ability to see t hings as they are, with clear consciousness. Right mindfulness enables us to be aware of the process of conceptualization in a way that we actively observe and control the way our thoughts go. Right Concentration is through the practice of meditation. The meditating mind focuses on a selected object. Through this practice it becomes natural to apply elevated levels concentration also in everyday situations The eight aspects of the path are not to be understood as a sequence of single steps, instead they are highly interdependent principles that have to be seen in relationship with each other. The eight factors of the Path are therefore organized into a system called the Threefold Training of morality (comprising the Right Speech, Right Action, and Right Livelihood factors), concentration or thought development (comprising the Right Effort,  Right Mindfulness, and Right Concentration factors), and wisdom (consisting of the Right View, and Right Thought factors) (Chanchamnong, 2003). One of the most complex values in Thai culture is â€Å"The concept of Kreng Jai†. It is very difficult for foreigners to understand. This concept is the concept of being â€Å"considerate†. Komin asserts that this concept underlies a significant portion of everyday interpersonal behavioral patterns of the Thais (Komin, 1990). She further explained that: Its closest meaning is to be considerate, to feel reluctant to impose upon another person, to take another persons feelings (and ego) into account, or to take every measure not to cause discomfort or inconvenience for another person. Kreng jai refers to such attitude predisposing to ones resulting behavior towards someone else. Kreng jai behavior is to be observed by all, superiors, equals, and inferiors, including intimate relationships like husband-wife, and close friends, with differences in degree. (pp. 161-162) In general, Thai people helps others people without expecting any return or any compensation. At the same time the person who receives help will feel indebted to the helper and he will remember that and try to repay or return the favor at a later date. This is one of culture factor called â€Å"The concept of helping each other† (Joungtrakul, 2008). One of the most important in Thai society is the concept of ‘Bunkhun’. Thai people deeply and will be quite difficult to change. There are limitations in applying this concept as it may go beyond proper practice. However, to ignore or to delete it from a model would be difficult and may cause some problems in practice. Its removal could do more harm than good. There is no doubt Buddhism has a conscious significant role in the everyday Thai life. With regard to religious activities, likewise, the Thai are constantly engaged in merit-makings, and numerous other religious ceremonies. These activities are religious rituals. And as a Buddhist country, there are such activities to perform all year round, at home, at work, and in the community. Komin (1990) described that Thai people are sympathetic to others and it becomes the nature of the Thais in general. The application of this concept will create cooperative attitudes and collective efforts by the two parties to achieve common goals. Thai people also practice this concept in their daily lives and the phase of ‘meet half way’ is understandable by the Thais. This concept calls â€Å"The concept of compromising†. As the Thai culture is a â€Å"Thai-Buddhism culture† (Dhiravegin, 1998, p.l3), the middle path is a way of life for a Thai. Thais are compromising in nature and try to avoid any explicit confrontation. Thais follow the Buddhist principles of helping all people. This is usually done by joining in constructively creating social harmony and unity according to the four principles of helpful integration (Sangaha-Vatthu), which are: (1) Dana: giving, sharing (helping through money material goods); (2) Piyavaca: amicable speech (helping through words); (3) Atthacariy: helpful action (helping through physical effort); (4) Samarattata: participation (helping through problem solving) (Payutto, 2000 p.7). Buddhism Role’s and Cultural Intelligence in Thai Society According to three characteristic of Thomas and Inkson concept, there are integrity, openness, and hardiness which can support acquisition of a cultural intelligence. They explain that ‘Integrity’ is having a well-developed sense of self and understanding how one’s own belief system motivates behavior. ‘Openness’ is showing deferential respect and a willingness to learn from others. ‘Hardiness’ is robustness, courage, intrepidness, and capability of surviving unfavorable conditions. In the view point of the author, these three characteristic of develop cultural intelligence relate to some part of Buddha’s core teaching that show in Table 2. Characteristics to improve cultural intelligence relate to Buddha’s core teachings Characteristics Buddha’s core teachings Integrity Chanda: the will or aspiration. This is compatible with the faith that leads to achieving wisdom (Chanchamnong, 2003, Payutto, 2003). Openness Citta: Thoughtfulness, i.e. making a conscious effort to think analytically in order to achieve the right views (Chanchamnong, 2003, Payutto, 2003). Hardiness Viriya: the effort, the energy which one exerts in the right way to accomplish the right view (Chanchamnong, 2003, Payutto, 2003). According to Table 2 shown the relationship between the three characteristics to improve cultural intelligence relate to Buddha’s core teachings is very closely. For the stages of cultural intelligence development, from literature review and compare between cultural intelligence concept of Thomas and Inkson (2004) with Buddhist principle concept especially as shown Table 2. The author beliefs that in Thai society, Thai people will be getting into develop stage of cultural intelligence with not too different. In fact the Buddha core teaching trains the people go to be the good person like other religion, help each other’s sympathy and support the society. Indeed, the Buddha core teaching focus in human resource development specially begins from self development, physical and mentor. That is mean the people who develop their own self will gain more cultural intelligence. Conclusion Cultural intelligence is important for individuals who interact with people from different countries, religious background – those with different cultural backgrounds. Cultural intelligence is a person’s aptitude to task successfully with people from different culture background and understanding. According to three characteristic of Thomas and Inkson concept, there are integrity, openness, and hardiness which can support acquisition of a cultural intelligence. They explain that ‘Integrity’ is having a well-developed sense of self and understanding how one’s own belief system motivates behavior. ‘Openness’ is showing deferential respect and a willingness to learn from others. ‘Hardiness’ is robustness, courage, intrepidness, and capability of surviving unfavorable conditions. Three characteristic of develop cultural intelligence have relate to Buddhist core teaching. 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