The Industrial Revolution - 705 Words

The Industrial Revolution was the quintessence of capitalistic ideals; it bred controversy that led to Karl Marx’s idea of communism as a massive grass roots reaction to the revolution’s social abuses. Firstly, the Industrial Revolution featured the construction of machines, systems and factories that allowed goods to be manufactured at a faster rate with a lower cost. The seed drill made it so there could be â€Å"a semi-automated, controlled distribution and plantation of wheat seed†(Jones 2013). Secondly, there was a great social and economic divide between the wealthy owners and the poor workers, which gave rise to the mass’s vulnerability to the advent of extreme socialism. Figures of authority severely oppressed their employees by giving them insufficient pay, a treacherous work environment, and even making some children work more than 12 hours per day (Cranny 150). Finally, far right capitalism created a brutal boom and bust cycle of economics that made, for the multitude at the bottom, a perpetual nightmare of poverty and death. People responded to this social situation by taking part in violent protests; oppression sires rebellion. The Industrial Revolution was the chassis of great imagination and progress of political, economic, and social force that still affects this world today. This revolution would not be known as being â€Å"Industrial† without the aid of revolutionary machines permitting the creation of mass products at far less cost. As stated by author MichaelShow MoreRelatedIndustrial Of The Industrial Revolution1666 Words   |  7 PagesMartinez English IV, 1st hour 4/29/16 The Industrial Revolution The Industrial Revolution set people away from farms and small villages and moved them to cities and towns because of the job opportunities that arose in the cities. The Industrial Revolution not only helped people move along in the late 1700s and early 1800s but also it has made the people what they are today. During the Industrial Revolution, the movement from an agrarian society to an industrial one reshaped the roles of families, widenRead MoreThe Revolution Of The Industrial Revolution917 Words   |  4 PagesWhen thinking of the industrial revolution, I usually correlate this transitional period to great advancements in machinery, and an increase in jobs. However, after looking past the surface of the industrial revolution, in regards to the promise of great wealth, this promise was not kept, along with other issues. I believe that a â€Å"better life† would mean that people would not have to go through the same struggles they once did before the revolution, struggles such as not having a job, money, homeRead MoreThe Industrial Revolution943 Words   |  4 PagesThe Industrial Revolution, a Revolution that began in Britain in the nineteenth century, saw people move from working in the farming industry to working in factories. This transition from an agrarian society meant that many people moved to cities in search of jobs. New methods of manufacturing allowed goods to be produced far more cheaply and quickly than before. However, the Revolution came with its own negative consequences. The lives of children during the Industrial Revolution were torturousRead MoreThe Industrial Revolution1633 Words   |  7 Pagesmeans of communication, factories to manufacture the products you need, places to work, and ways to travel and transport goods. And what made these possible? The answer is the Industrial Revolution, which started in Europe around the year 1730. A revolution is a major change or turning point in something. The Industrial Revolution was a major turning point in history and in the way people lived. Their careers, living situations, location, values, and daily routines all changed, and they needed it desperatelyRead MoreThe Industrial Revolution1097 Words   |  5 PagesBefore the advent of the Industrial Revolution, most people resided in small, rural communities where their daily existences revolved around farming. Life for the average person was difficult, as incomes were meager, and malnourishment and disease were common. People produced the bulk of their own food, clothing, furniture and tools. Most manufacturing was done in homes or small, rural shops, using hand tools or simple machines. Did You Know? The word luddite refers to a person who is opposedRead MoreThe Industrial Revolution1090 Words   |  5 PagesShort Term Misery†¦ Long Term Gain There are two major industrializations that have occurred through out history, both which began in England. The Industrial Revolution was from 1750 until 1800. The first and second industrialization were filled with many inventions, new societal ideas, new raw materials, new sources of power, also new ideas and societal implements were made enabling the world and society to evolve. Overall these industrialization was filled with death, neglect, and disease but endedRead MoreThe Industrial Revolution936 Words   |  4 Pageseconomist Robert Emerson Lucas wrote in regards to the Industrial revolution: For the first time in history, the living standards of the masses of ordinary people have begun to undergo sustained growth. The novelty of the discovery that a human society has this potential for generating sustained improvement in the material aspects of the lives of all its members, not just the ruling elite, cannot be overstressed.† (Lucas 2002). The revolution itself was ce ntred in Britain before spreading to theRead MoreIndustrial Revolution1160 Words   |  5 Pagesend of the 19th century, a significant change took place in the fundamental structure of the economy. That change was industrialization. During this time period, the United States of America changed from a large, agricultural country, to an urban industrial society. The process of industrialization began to take place in America, and eventually took over the economy during this period. Entrepreneurs and inventors put together various machines and businesses to help better the country function on aRead MoreThe Industrial Revolution Essay2099 Words   |  9 PagesThe Industrial Revolution was one of the largest social and cultural movements that changed the methods of manufacturing of metal and textiles, the transportation system, economic policies and social structure as well. Before the Industrial Revolution, people used to live by season due to agriculture. They thrived on whatever foo d was in season. Now, as a result of the Industrial Revolution, we live regimented and almost everything that is made, is mass produced. I will discuss three major topicsRead MoreThe Industrial Revolution2418 Words   |  10 PagesThe Industrial Revolution became a defining transitional period in United States history. The Industrial Revolution created opportunities for society through, employment, higher pay and allowed for the meeting of many cultures. As a result of high employment opportunities, people flocked to the North and populated areas of the nation creating urban cities. Urban cities of the nation have not changed much since the Industrial Revolution; people are still drawn to the urban culture because of the variety

Leadership Lessons of Jesus Christ - 4625 Words

Greg Meholick Research Paper The Leadership Lessons of Jesus Christ When we talk about Jesus as a leader, we may imply two different forms: Jesus as the only Son of God, God of the universe, or the risen Christ as being one with God; or Jesus as the 1st century flesh and blood human being, the historical figure. Since the purpose of studying leadership is to improve ones own leadership skills, it makes sense to analyze Jesus applicable traits, actions, and accomplishments as a good leader—in his historical role—so his leadership skills can be feasibly related to ourselves as human beings. I will attempt to analyze, using modern leadership criteria, how Jesus of Nazareth, the Jew and carpenters son, was an effective†¦show more content†¦22:37, 39). In wishing that all mankind would learn to faithfully love and obey God, Jesus exemplified that ideal in his own actions and communications with people he met. He taught love, and he himself loved. James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner write, â€Å"There is absolutely no way you can, over the long term, convince others to share a dream if you are not convinced of it yourself† (To Lead or Not to Lead, Unit Two 24). Jesus constantly reminded his followers to remain faithful to God. He often said, â€Å"Oh you of little faith,† to those who doubted him (Matt. 6:30, 8:26). Through his lessons about love, acts of compassion, and servantship, Jesus was the perfect model of the spiritual life he was trying to instill in his followers; he exemplified a life that appealed to others. Jesus integrity also contributed in the articulation of his spiritual-specific vision. Because he preached about morals, values, life goals, spiritual perfection, fulfillment and growth of the soul, etc., the content in Jesus teachings and particular vision essentially required him to be highly composed in regards to his own veracity. Cronin associates this idea with integrity: â€Å"A leaders integrity requires also that he or she not be captured by peer pressure, protocol, mindless traditions or conventional rules† (39). Cronin believes that integrity is crucial in the makings of an effective leader; a leader with integrity is honorable,Show MoreRelated The Leadership Lessons of Jesus Christ Essay4531 Words   |  19 PagesThe Leadership Lessons of Jesus Christ When we talk about Jesus as a leader, we may imply two different forms: Jesus as the only Son of God, God of the universe, or the risen Christ as being one with God; or Jesus as the 1 st century flesh and blood human being, the historical figure. Since the purpose of studying leadership is to improve ones own leadership skills, it makes sense to analyze Jesus applicable traits, actions, and accomplishments as a good leader—in his historical role—so hisRead MoreLeadership Styles : Jesus As A Servant Leader914 Words   |  4 PagesLeadership Styles Jesus as a Servant Leader Leadership from a Christian perspective focus on theological expositional, worship facilitation and communication skills. Many leadership styles pass over the one role model Jesus Christ, who should be the main focus of any leadership style. The focus of growth on each individual and their achievements and full potential distinguishes servant leadership from all other leadership styles. The service of the followers is the main concern of the servantRead MoreEffective Leadership Approaches From Biblical Perspective Essay1344 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction Effective leadership approaches from a biblical perspective consist of God’s nature in his manifested character. Christian leaders are willing to pay the price to lead in Christ’s affliction. Paul said there is a price to pay in order to lead and Jesus reminded us, â€Å"Remember what I told you: A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also† (John 15:20, New International Version).Read MoreThe Impact Of Life Of Jesus Christ1158 Words   |  5 Pagesinfluential leaders in history is Jesus Christ. Regardless if you are religious or not, there is no denying the influence Jesus had on the world. He lived a life that has influenced and guided millions of people and his story has been heard by countless numbers of people across the globe. In this report, I will be discussing the impact of the life of Jesus Christ, his style of leadership, the impact his leadership has on leadership today, and my perception of Jesus as a leader. Jesus’s influence onRead MoreLeadership Qualities Of Jesus Christ1312 Words   |  6 PagesSeven Leadership Qualities of Jesus Christ There can be no doubt or question that Jesus Christ was the greatest of all leaders known to man. The literal son of God, He was able to command even the elements and they obeyed him. The biblical truths of his teachings and the pattern of his leadership are valuable to any leader. This paper will identity seven qualities of Jesus Christ and applications of how we can apply those principles in our own lives. 1. Jesus was not self-promoting. As Jesus beganRead MoreLeadership : A Great Leader1551 Words   |  7 Pages Leadership What or who comes to mind when you think about leadership? What is leadership? Leadership is defined as the action of leading a group or an organization. Leadership is not just about leading; it is about being able to lead even with the greatest of adversaries throwing everything they can at you and still being able to succeed as a great leader. When I think about leadership only one man comes to mind, Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Jesus of Nazareth was an extremely important figure in theRead MoreUnderstanding Of My Calling The Call Of Samuel758 Words   |  4 Pagesunder the watch of my biological father and mother who are the Pastors at my local church. I have learned many lessons by watching them lead the ministry. I have also learned many lessons by actively serving in a number of different areas of my church including the children’s choir, worship band, Young Men’s Step Team, Teen Choir, Men’s Fellowship, and also while serving in leadership capacities, such as the chairperson of the College and University Gospel Fest, Pastor’s Anniversary committee, OrganRead MoreMy Philosophy Is That You Must Lead By Example1191 Words   |  5 PagesMy philosophy is that you must lead by example. When Jesus walk the land, he was the perfect example of lead by example. He lived the life that he minister to the people about to set an example for them. You must show yourself worthy, be attentive and flexible, and create hospitality atmosphere. I will then analysis to my SHAPE to leadership. When you show yourself worthy; then you are striving to be better than what you prior did. 2 Timothy 2:15 state â€Å"Do your best to present yourself to GodRead MoreSpiritual Shepherdology1197 Words   |  5 Pagesof a Christian leader is that of our Lord Jesus Christ, Stott (2002) informs â€Å"our model of leadership is often shaped more by culture than by Christ (p.113). He went further to suggest, â€Å"Yet many cultural models of leadership are incompatible with the servant imagery taught and exhibited by the Lord Jesus† (Stott, 2002, p.113). According to MacArthur (2002), â€Å"2 Timothy 2, for example, Paul uses seven different metaphors to describe the rigors of leadership. He pictures the minister as a teacher (vRead MoreChristian Leadership Paper1278 Words   |  6 PagesPhilosophy of Christian Leadership Paper I never thought to be a Christian leader. As a matter of fact, I am a person who did not know about God for 26 years. I was the center of my life, and there was no room for God to enter. Even when I was attending church service, I was trying not to be exposed to other church people. In other words, I was the kind of person who was afraid to walk into a life of faith. However, in the past three years, God has changed me in many ways, and showed me so many

Evaluate the pluralist view of the ownership and control of the mass media free essay sample

There are a wide variety of conflicting views of the role of the mass media in society. There are two dominant views, the pluralist and Marxist theories of mass media, which shall be evaluated in depth during the course of this essay. The mass media is defined as, the means by which messages and images are communicated to a mass audience, through various ‘Mass Communication Technologies’ (MCTs). For example, the Internet is a very powerful and influential MCT, used for communicating and sharing important information worldwide. MCTs serve to educate, persuade and inform and entertain their audience. Pluralists believe that the mass media is reflective of social reality, and acts as a mirror. They say that the mass media has a functional role in meeting the demands of its mass audience, and owes a duty to the people. Marxists argue, the mass media constructs desires and creates social reality based on the rich and powerful people’s views. In other words, Marxists believe that it is a sculptor of a worldview and distorts social reality, which is based on exploitation of a powerless majority. This makes it an ideological tool of the powerful bourgeoisie and reflects their interests predominantly. Pluralists believe that the view of the mass media is to ensure that society consists of complex competing groups and interests, which all interact with one another. These groups are important to an idealistic democratic society, where a neutral state provides them with equal access to resources and influence. Pluralists feel that the mass media are free of government control, the audience actively choose the version of reality that they absorb. Audiences provide feedback by conforming or disagreeing with a particular medium’s view of reality. The media is seen as reflecting society, it does not have a significant role in changing it. Jones (1986), argues that radio news is â€Å"neutral, balanced and fair†. This would mean that radio news is unbiased and reports facts. However, it must be noted that Jones is a correspondent on BBC radio, and is thus a biased source himself. The recent phone hacking scandal suggests that employees at News International newspapers have been prepared to break the law in order to secure information, which has infringed individual privacy. However some would argue that this story has come to light in the mass media, which illustrates its investigative qualities. This would provide support for the democratic pluralist approach to the study of the mass media and that if Rupert Murdochs plans to take full ownership of Sky are blocked, this would theoretically help to restrict the extent of monopoly ownership and control within the mass media. Recent trends in media ownership and control suggest that the number of companies controlling global mass media has significantly shrunk in recent years. Bagdikian (2004) notes that in 1983, 50 corporations controlled the vast majority of all news media in the USA, but by 2004 media ownership was concentrated in seven corporations. Curran (2003), notes that ownership of British newspapers has always been concentrated in the hands of a few powerful ‘press barons’, for example, in 1937, four men owned nearly one in every two national and local daily newspapers sold in Britain. Today, seven powerful individuals dominate the ownership of British national daily and Sunday newspapers. The content of commercial terrestrial television is mainly controlled by one company, ITV plc. Whilst access to satellite, cable and digital television in Britain is generally controlled by two companies – News Corp, (Rupert Murdoch), which owns Sky, and Virgin Media (Richard Branson). Pluralists also argue that concentration of ownership is a product of economic rationality rather than political or sinister motives. It is driven by the need to keep costs low and to maximise profits. Globalisation too results from the need to find new audiences rather than from cultural imperialism. Pluralists argue that it is practically impossible for owners to interfere with the content of newspapers and television programmes because their businesses are economically far too complex for them to regularly interfere in the day-to-day running, or the content. Marxists argue that the economic system of Britain, capitalism, is characterised by great inequalities in wealth and income, which have been brought about by the exploitation of the labour power of the working classes. Marxists believe that in order to legitimate and reproduce this system of inequality, the capitalist class uses its cultural power to dominate institutions like education and the mass media and transmit ruling class ideology. The function of these agencies is to socialise the working class into accepting the legitimacy of the capitalist system and capitalist ideas through what the mass mediated news is feeding its audiences. The audiences are expected to passively accept what they are being ‘fed’. Consequently, Marxists argue working class people experience false class-consciousness – they come to accept that capitalism is a just system that benefits all social groups equally. They fail to see the reality of their situation that they are being exploited by a system that only benefits a powerful minority.

Technology in the classical era Essay Example

Technology in the classical era Essay Each section of the world had their own way with going about advancements in technology. During The classical Era. The Hans and Romans had varying attitudes upon technology Like centralization and use of tools and the view of whether or not people of an educated stature should even be using them, the necessity and purpose of infrastructure, and other advancements that either helped by increasing production levels or rates, or, they hindered by decreasing production or efficiency. The documents below help splay the views and attitudes on public projects In the works of Infrastructure. Document one, written by a Han government official In the early second century B. C. E. , provides a strong need for public Infrastructure in the way of the necessity for flood prevention construction. This view is only on of many other possible views we could have heard from, ranging from: the common wealth, all the way to royalty. Though the point of view of this document was clearly that there was an obvious necessity for a flood prevention plane, some of the other views we could have heard room Like say the royalty for Instance, may have not really noticed that there was a need for a flood prevention plane because they TLD have to live with the destruction that the floods caused. The Han official may have put up a request that flood planes be built because a lot of soldiers are not well housed and so they are on the lower grounds with the common wealth people and have experienced the floods first hand, so he would be looking out for his soldiers, keeping their moral up, and over all Just keeping as many alive as he could. We will write a custom essay sample on Technology in the classical era specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Technology in the classical era specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Technology in the classical era specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer He could have also been trying to pep their moral up In the sense that if there was a flood prevention plan, there would be no need for the soldiers to worry about their family and their loved ones, seeing that all the foot soldiers were not wealthy people nor did they come from wealthy families, compared to the majority of the generals and officers. Document six, written by Plutarch, a Greek-born Roman citizen and high official, describes the construction of roads in the second-century B. C. E. Under the rule of political leader Gauss Gracious as he anxiously built roads not only for utility but also for beauty. It explains the Importance of bulling the roads to Gallus and how well mapped out It was, as the saying goes, All roads lead to Rome. It displays how the dedication of one aspect of an empire can impact society so greatly, it shows how much of a necessity order is. Plutarch may have described the road construction in extensive detail because it was something tremendous back then, something that was thought of as high quality. Document eight describes the process of turning stream water into drinking water and the enormous stretch of the many uses It has. The governor of Britain, Frontline, also a roman general, may have spoken of the aqueducts and viewed them as some of the few monumental structures that were actually useful, or at least had a use, unlike the pyramids and such. For the attitudes towards tools and men being in workshops, the views were accumulating towards the view that workshops were not for the clever nor for the gentlemen. Page Break In document five, Cicero, and upper-class Roman politician leader In the first century workshops dont have, and never will have anything enlightening about them. This splays the fact that the attitudes are very much original and from a direct source. Cicero may have said that it was a vulgar and non-enlightening choice to work in a workshop because those sort of Jobs are never clean, are all hands on, attract the common folk, and because gentlemen are not supposed to those sorts of hands on things, it brings them lower, they should have someone do it for them. Document seven describes what the speaker speculates about who invented tools, seeing them as nimble and sharp but neither great nor elevated. The whole point of this comment is the fact that it revolves around the idea of an opinionated and varied attitude of the speaker. Seneca, and upper-class Roman philosopher and adviser to Emperor Nero in the first century C. E. May have said that the person was neither great nor elevated because a great of elevated person would Just have someone else do it for them, its not the fact that he made tools that made the work more efficient than by hand, its the fact that he was even doing that work in the first place. Most advancements are done in the best interests of both parties, though a couple advancements could hinder one side but help the other. In document two, it is clear that the advancement only helped one side. The government replaced the workers hand crafter sturdy and long lasting tools with cheaply made brittle tools made in prison camps. Ultimately, it hindered the government too because it took efficiency away from the workers in the same given amount of time. This advancement decreased efficiency of the workers and productivity levels, but made it a lot cheaper for the government and therefore gained them a bit more wiggle room with income, which in turn hindered the entire process, which ties into the two categories of advancements in the thesis. Human Guan, a Han government official, may have said that now the salt and iron is sold at high prices and that some of the poorest peasants now had no choice but to work there, because, it shows how great of an impact a governments choices can have on people. Document three on the other hand, was a very beneficial advancement, employing nature to do mans work. It increased productivity and there for helped all parties. Human Tan may have spoken of this in such a supportive way because it not only helped productivity, but it also elevated the empires stature. In document four, It Shih has created a water powered blowing engine. It definitely helped them on their way to establishing their name in the top empires. The writer may have spoken of the new invention so well, because it was an enormous advancement back then. On the other hand, It might help to hear from the working class because those are the people that actually used the tools, They have first hand experience and they also know the efficiency of the new tools compared to the old tools or the times before the advancements compared to the mime after the advancement. It might also be helpful to hear from foreigners because if the tools are efficient, word will have reached the foreign countries about the advancements, and if they have heard of them, it proves that they really are good tools. It might help to hear from women because they will hear to complaints of their husbands who use the new tools or they will hear the gossip from other wives and so it gives you almost a 3-D perspective instead of a 2-D one because now you see all the sides of the situation instead of Just the black and white.

Caroline Burch Case Study

Caroline Burch Case Study Free Online Research Papers I. Time Context After 5 years of working as a secretary-office clerk for a large appliance manufacturer, Caroline Burch yearned for more challenging job in the field of marketing. II. Viewpoint Caroline had graduated from a small liberal arts college in the East with an outstanding record as a history major. Thus she had not found her training to be much use of her job. She had seen for some reason the young people who were caring in their company with MBA degrees where being given the â€Å"red carpet† treatment into good managerial position short time training. These were job Caroline wanted. And since base this case, we saw her as ambitious type of women and she had determination I getting want she wants. One proof of this is her decision to quit her job and enrolled in same MBA program where she can have an opportunity to gain some experience in the field of marketing that she can use as her stepping stone to have a good managerial position. III. Central Problem / Statement of the Problem Caroline Burch wants to be a manager. Like the two women she admires who own companies that doing great nationally. But the problem is she doesn’t want the usual junk jobs thrown to women such selling cosmetics and real state. Because of this, although she loves selling, she is still confused on where or want industry she should engage to have a career in the field of marketing. IV. Statement of the Objective 4.1 Must Objective To have a good managerial position. 4.2 Want Objective She wants to be different and doesn’t want the usual junk jobs thrown to women. Because of this, she is eyeing to the industries where they are usually dominated by men. V. Areas of Consideration Strengths Caroline Burch has a strong motivation and determination on getting want she wants (which is to become a manager). She even enrolled herself in some MBA programs to have an opportunity to gain some experiences that can help her to achieve her goals. She is a doer type of person and seems to be a sociable type of person too. She also has a leadership quality. These are some traits that one must have to become a good manager. Weaknesses She is undecided on where or what industry she should pursue to have a career in marketing. She wanted to promote as a sales manager. But the job she wanted is mostly preferred for men. Opportunities Her chances to be promoted in sales management is greater in industries which women are widely employed such as advertising. The big machine manufacturers that she is eyeing are quite a number. There are many companies she can apply to. Threats Since she is a woman and eyeing industrial selling, she might have difficulties in this kind of industries where they are is usually dominated by men. Caroline might run into trouble meeting job specification. An example would be in the Texas instrument the products, which is highly technical; they insist their people to have a degree in electrical engineer. VI. Assumption We are assuming that Caroline Burch could only be successful or satisfied to the job if she already knew what she really wants. She could be happier if she really likes the job that she is going to choose. Caroline has skills and talents that she can use for the right job that she wants. We all know that we are going to be successful in our job if we really enjoy or we are satisfied on what we are doing. If Caroline could really understand what she really wants in her life then probably, there is no reason for her to be unsuccessful. VII. Alternative Courses of Actions She should study and analyze the environment of all industries she considered to become more familiar with them. Also, she should be able to assess on where or what industry she has a chance to be more successful. She must have a definite field of interest in marketing because it has a wide variety of scope. One cannot just do everything and master nothing. VIII. Analysis Caroline Burch is like most of us â€Å"confuse on what button to push†, what opportunity to grab to achieve success like what her professor stated in this case that very few people know what they really want to do, what they really like, what industries or things that can give them the sense of satisfaction. IV. Recommendation Caroline Burch has a clear goal or vision on what she wants. But the problem is that she still confused on what industry she might pursue to have a career that can help her eventually achieve her goal. First, she must have a clear direction. We recommend her that she should go to the industry that she has an interest so that while she is doing her job, she will also able to enjoy what she is doing. That is because we believe that people succeed if they enjoy what they do. X. Plan of Action When she finally decides on which industry she should go, she must first study the environment of that industry to be more familiar with it. She can do this by reading some books and articles which are related to the industry that she chose or by attending some seminars which may also be helpful. She could also talk to people who have great experiences on that industry to gain valuable insights and tips that she can use as tools to help her succeed on her chosen field. Questions: 1. What would you tell Caroline to do in seeking a job in industrial sales? *Mervin De Paz I would suggest her to study the industry she wants to work with, to become more familiar with the in and out of that industry. *Jacel Florencio I would tell Caroline that it is important to know first what she really wants in a job or career. If she thinks that she really wants to go for the industrial sales then she should go for it and stay humble. Also, she should remove all the incentives that she could get because those would not help her in finding a job in industrial sales. It is not a simple business so she needs to be hard-working. It is important that she knows how to handle a customer and the sense of teamwork if needed. *Psyche Doroy I would suggest that she choose a specific kind of job that most likely fits her personality where she can excel and be promoted, where she can show most of her talent, skills, and intelligence needed to run the business efficiently. Specialization in a specific field of job is necessary; for it meets the standard requirement essential as a foundation of success in a chosen business. Being fascinated to the idea of others can help her stand on her position but relying on others would be a misleading cause of failure. *Analiza Dela Cruz Caroline Burch should know the importance of identifying herself with an in industry and then staying with it for a career. She should know the field that she thinks she can become successful. *Karla Cruz Based from the case, Caroline Burch is a strong-willed individual but the problem with her is that she does not know where and how to apply that attitude to her goals in life. I would probably advise her to have a background check of the every job in the industrial sales profession that she might be interested in so that she would know which one of those would best fit her personality and skills. It is always best to assess yourself first before entering into any kind of field because you will never know what struggles you might encounter and you better be prepared. Most of the time, it is effective to expect the worst so that there is more motivation to achieve your dream yet it is still perfectly normal to be optimistic. *Desiree Cruz I would tell Caroline to follow what her heart desires. It is because you can easily do a particular job when you are able to apply your skills. Also, I would tell her that it is not easy to find a job which is not related to your capacity. *Kristine Espenelia In choosing or finding a job in industrial sales, I will tell her to choose what she wants because in doing business she must follow what is favorable to her. Industrial business is a good business at start but before getting there, you must have a background. Also, it takes a lot of time training for such jobs. If some advices are not convincing, she can attend seminars where she can learn and get some relevant information. *Efrhaim Espinosa Caroline should have to seek a job in industrial sales or that is concerned on what she wants. *Noel Caà ±os I would suggest to Caroline that she should first know what she really wants in a job, where she could be happy and satisfied. If she thinks that her happiness is in industrial sales then why not? It is very important to know what you really want in order to work well. 2. Should she go into industrial sales where the going may be tough, or should she seek some industry that is obviously more amenable to women sales representatives? *Mervin De Paz I think she can go into industrial sales but it requires a lot of patience and hard work to become more familiarized in this field. If she has perseverance, she can also center to the industrial sales which is usually dominated by men. *Jacel Florencio In business or in industrial sales, we need to endure in all things or in many ways. As I have said before, I don’t think you should be by yourself always because in industrial, we need teamwork, most especially knowing how to accept your fault. It is because in a job, you will be tested everyday. *Psyche Doroy I think it is much better if she would go to the industry that is most amenable to women, as a starting business woman. She must know the basics in seeing prospects. She will find that being a sales representative is a part of it and learning how it runs, for she can understand how an industry operates before she gets decided to go further. *Analiza Dela Cruz In the case of Caroline Burch, her course in MBA and her want to become a manager someday: If she goes in selling big machines, we know that this job is for men and very complicated, I think it is not easy for her to achieve her goal. Caroline Burch should seek some industry that is obviously more amenable to women sales representatives. Some company hired people in industrial sales with having degree in electrical engineering. *Karla Cruz We know very well that a lot of people still think that women are less powered individuals in our society. I strongly disagree on this because in fact, we have had so many women leaders and the number is still growing up to the present. I am sure that it will be greatly seen in the future as well. Caroline’s weakness is that she has no focus to decide on what job to take but her strength is on her determination to work and be challenged even though the job is dominated by men. I would definitely tell her to try getting into industrial sales if that is what she really wants. It is primarily because the more a person has the heart and soul into something, that is the time when he or she succeeds the most. Also, if she has all the skills or better yet requirements for industrial sales, I do not think that she should limit herself to just being a sales representative. *Desiree Cruz I advise her to go in industrial sales where the things may be tough. It doesn’t mean that if you are a girl you should be more amenable to women sales representatives. As I have said, industrial sales are good to work on because Caroline can apply her knowledge and at the same time, her interest in that particular job is there. In other words, industrial sale is a job that she would enjoy. *Efrhaim Espinosa Caroline should go into industrial sales, that it would be teaching her to be tough. *Noel Caà ±os I think Caroline should go in industrial sales because if she really wants that job, she is going to be satisfied and happy on what she is going to do. But still, it depends on what she really wants. 3. Do you think a woman can sell large industrial machine tools successfully? *Mervin De Paz Yes, liked what I’ve said earlier she needs to become familiar with what she is going to sell so that she can easily present it to her potential buyer and also she could be able to answer all possible questions that the buyer might ask her. Personally, one factor I considered when buying something (example tools and gadgets) is the salesmanship. If the seller can clearly present, I can easily pursue to buy his or her product. *Jacel Florencio For me yes, as long as you know how to handle a customer or a deal. It is not important that you are a woman or man. It is with the way you talk to the customer or how you deal. For me, it is an achievement. *Psyche Doroy It depends on her. If she has all the potential qualities in taking a lead and has undergone a lot of experiences in this kind of business field before, being a woman would not be a hindrance. Lastly, excelling in whatever industry takes time for them to be familiarized in the same manner. *Analiza Dela Cruz Yes, especially if that woman like big machines and have enough experience, she may be ready to face all problem she might possibly encounter. *Karla Cruz Women are not limited to household chores or pampering themselves. They know how to carry themselves well and even inspire others with what they have achieved. Selling large industrial machine tools must not be a barrier for a woman’s success. It should be considered a challenge for women because being able to do a job dominated by men is something that is really tough but something that should be proud of. The more women think that they can not do men jobs; the more they will be labeled as weak individuals. Dream big, focus and strive hard. You will never know where it can take you unless you do something about it. *Desiree Cruz It depends upon her, because not all women have a knowledge or interest in selling large industrial machine tools. Women have a knowledge or capacity to do specific selling. I know she can be successful in her chosen career. *Efrhaim Espinosa No, because she doesn’t had even a lot of training for such jobs. *Noel Caà ±os Yes, because it doesn’t matter on what you are. It is on how you would do things. If you really know that job and you enjoy your work, it is going to be easy for you to Research Papers on Caroline Burch Case StudyThe Project Managment Office SystemThe Fifth HorsemanAnalysis of Ebay Expanding into AsiaDefinition of Export QuotasResearch Process Part OneThe Relationship Between Delinquency and Drug UseIncorporating Risk and Uncertainty Factor in CapitalInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfPersonal Experience with Teen Pregnancy

The Arkansaw Bear - A One-Act Play

The Arkansaw Bear - A One-Act Play In The Arkansaw Bear, Tish, a little girl, is upset over the impending death of her beloved grandfather. Her mother and great aunt, both voiceover roles, do not want her to see her grandfather dying in a hospital bed. She runs away from them and reaches a beautiful tree where she makes a wish on a star called Star Bright. Star Bright arranges for Tish to meet two members of a traveling circus- a Mime and the World’s Greatest Dancing Bear. The Bear is old and fleeing from something neither Tish nor the Mime can see. It turns out that The Ringmaster, an incarnation of death, is searching for the World’s Greatest Dancing Bear to take him to the â€Å"center ring.† Together the characters learn that death does not have to be final. The skills and stories that one generation passes on to the next, generation after generation, become a form of immortality. Aurand Harris (1915-1996) was a prolific children’s playwright. He specialized in tackling difficult topics, such as the death of a loved one in The Arkansaw Bear, and discussing those topics on stage. His characters use gentle language and many of his productions notes are about making costumes, sets, and lighting non-threatening. For example, a lighting note in The Arkansas Bear is, â€Å"Never is the stage dark, eerie, or frightening.† For the Mime character, he notes, â€Å"He is not in white face, but his face is natural, friendly, and expressive.† In the notes in his 29-page play, Harris instructs directors that there should be no masks or grotesque make-up. The young audience members should find the whole experience a welcoming, gentle, and encouraging place. Harris’s does not want a child’s fear of and confusion about death compounded with a scary mask or dark stage. Setting: Somewhere in Arkansas Time: The present Cast Size: This play can accommodate 6 actors plus 3 voiceover roles. Male Characters: 5* Female Characters: 1 Female Voiceover Roles: 2 Characters that may be played by either males or females: 3* *The script denotes the male roles as him/he, but it may be possible to have females play the roles of Star Bright, The Ring Master, or Mime. Roles Tish is a little girl who is confused and frightened for her grandfather. She is his â€Å"chip off the old block.† She is seeking a way to make peace with this major event in her life. Star Bright is the first star out in the night. He takes pride in granting wishes. Sometimes he must be subtle about granting the wish, as in helping Tish see that she keeps her grandfather alive by being his chip off the old block. Sometimes he can grant a wish through sheer power as when he traps death in a tree until the World’s Greatest Dancing Bear can teach all his dances to Little Bear. Mime is the friend and assistant of the World’s Greatest Dancing Bear. He speaks no words but is understood by everyone. He is sad to see his best friend go to the center ring and to know that Tish is losing her grandfather, but he is determined to help them both through to the end. World’s Greatest Dancing Bear is the descendant of a prima ballerina bear from Spain and his father was Russia’s greatest dancing bear. He has earned medals for his dancing and has danced for presidents and royalty all over the world. He is scared of The Ringmaster/death but more scared of seeing his life’s work disappear. The Ring Master is a grand figure. He is not evil or biased in any way. He even allows the group a few spare hours to train Little Bear. In the end, he has a show to put on and it is the World’s Greatest Dancing Bear’s cue. Little Bear is a young bear that has lost both his father and grandfather. His mother has urged him to keep on living since that is the best way to say goodbye to loved ones. He agrees to learn the older bear’s dances in order to honor all of his loved ones and become The Arkansaw Bear. Voiceovers: Mother, Aunt Ellen, Announcer Content Issues: Death In this video, see some clips of a production that used child actors. The Arkansaw Bear and many of Aurand Harris’s other plays may be ordered through Dramatic Publishing. It can also be found in the book, Theatre for Youth: Twelve Plays with Mature Themes, edited by Coleman A. Jennings and Gretta Berghammer.

Voting Systems in the United Kingdom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Voting Systems in the United Kingdom - Essay Example According to this kind of voting system, the candidate who will gather either the majority or plurality of voters will ultimately win the election. The main object of this voting system is to represent the majority or plurality of voters in a particular district, locality or state.  This system can be further divided into four different types which separate the plurality and majority system of voting. The first two are commonly used plurality system of voting, while the other two are majority systems.1. Single-member district plurality voting.2. At-large voting.3. Two-round runoff voting.4. Instant runoff voting.Proportional Representation SystemAfter plurality/majority system proportional representation system is the most used voting system. This voting system seems to be the competitor of plurality/majority voting system as this system is receiving popularity and persistently being used in most of the European countries.Proportional representation system provides more accurate re presentation of parties. The basic approach of proportional representation system is to represent or show multimember district instead of a single-member district. The number of seats declared to be won by a particular party in an election is proportional to a number of votes given to that party by the voters.  Ã‚  Electoral system designers divided the proportional representation system into three basic kinds in order to achieve more accurate proportionate results of the voting.

Global GDP, Death Rate, and Life Expectancy Research Paper

Global GDP, Death Rate, and Life Expectancy - Research Paper Example First, as per capita GDP increases, the life expectancy also increases for that country. Second, as per capita GDP increases the death rate would decrease for that country. The data was gathered from the US Central Intelligence Agency Factbook available online. Information was gathered from 220 countries that listed their per capita GDP, death rate, and life expectancy. Every attempt was made to use the most current data available, and all of the data was from 2007-2008. No data used was older than the data from 2007. The per capita GDP was the 2007 rate, and the death rate and life expectancy were based on 2008 estimates. From this list of 220 countries, a group of 30 countries were selected for analyzing by the following method: The countries were sorted in ascending order according to the per capita GDP. The highest and the lowest countries were eliminated. The countries were selected by choosing every seventh country from the list, resulting in a final list of 30 countries. Standard deviation was calculated using the n-1 method using the Excel spreadsheet. The per capita GDP had a high of $79,400 in Luxembourg and a low of $300 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for a range of $79,100. The mean per capita GDP was $7600, with a standard deviation of $17,635. Though the United States was not on the list used for evaluation, it is included as a reference point at $45,800. The Death Rate The Death Rate is measured in deaths per 1000 population. It ranged from a low of 3.53 in the Gaza Strip to a high of 22.33 in Lesotho for a range of 18.8. The median death rate was 7.49, and a standard deviation of 4.11. The median death rate is marginally less than the US's 8.27. Life expectancy is listed in years and ranged from a low of 40.17 years in Lesotho to a high of 79.36 years in Austria. The life expectancy range was 39.19 years and a median life expectancy of 73 years with a standard deviation of 9.91 years. The global median life expectancy is below the US's life expectancy of 78.14 years. Tables 1, 2, and 3 are the comprehensive lists of the data used for this research that has been ordered by per capita GDP, death rate, and life expectancy. The Data: Initial Examination For an initial examination of the data, it is helpful to view the information on a histogram. This gives a visual indication of the range of the data as well as the distribution across the range. Figures 1, 2, and 3 are the histograms that represent the per capita GDP, death rate, and life expectancy respectfully. Table 1: Data sorted by per capita GDP Country Per Capita GDP Rank Per Cap GDP Death Rate per 1000 pop Rank Death Rate Life Expect Life Exp Rank Luxembourg $79,400 1 8.43 18 79.18 3 Ireland $46,600 2 7.77 15 78.07 5 Austria $39,300 3 9.91 21 79.36 1 Germany $34,100 4 10.8 24 79.1 4 Faroe Islands $31,000 5 8.67 19 79.29 2 Bahamas, The $28,000 6 9.22 20 65.72 24 Czech Republic $24,500 7 10.69 23 76.62 8 Oman $19,000 8 3.68 3 73.91 12 Latvia $17,700 9 13.63 28 71.88 18 Poland $16,200 10 9.99 22 75.41 10 Botswana $14,300 11 14.02 29 50.16 29 Mexico $12,400 12 4.78 7 75.84 9 Cuba $11,000 13 7.19 14 77.27 6 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines $9,800 14 5.96 10 74.34 11 Thailand $8,000 15 7.17 13 72.83 17 Ecuador $7,200 16 4.21 6 76.81 7 American Samoa $5,800 17 4.13 5 73.47 14 Tonga $5,100 18 5.12 8 70.44 20 Maldives $4,600

Amazon.com, Essay Example for Free

Amazon.com, Essay The firm Amazon.com opened its proverbial doors for business in July 1995 with nothing more than a few people to pack books into shipping boxes out of a residential garage. Since that grandiose opening in Bellevue, Washington, Amazon.com has graduated from an extremely small business to one of the largest online retail stores in the entire world. As previously stated, Amazon initially only sold books and other reading materials and became a major competitor to firms such as Barnes and Nobles. Slowly at first Amazon began to expand the variety of merchandise available for purchase on their website. Today, because of the bold expansion of merchandise, Amazon.com sells everything from diapers in bulk to big screen televisions sets. It is obvious that people enjoy Amazon’s large online selection with over 150 million United States citizens purchasing from the website in 2009 (Webley, 2010). Along with a bold expansion strategy, Amazon’s rapid success is also attributed to the ethical and moral standards it holds itself to. Ethics play a major role in the Amazon Company. Their corporate governance page stresses the important of their â€Å"Code of Business Conduct and Ethics† (Corporate Governance, 2013). There is a link from their main site that explains what is expected of their employees and their finances. This is a readily available document for anyone to view, from the employees to customers just visiting the site. This clearly shows the importance of this topic and also their efforts toward living up to them. Procedures that the Amazon organization has put into place can be seen with this link off their main site. This is their corporate governance therefore everyone must follow it in the company. Sections in the document cover compliance with laws, rules and regulations; conflicts of interest; insider trading policy; price fixing; bribery; payments to government personnel; recordkeeping, reporting, and financial integrity. These are just a few that are relevant to the financial environment (Corporate Governance, 2013). One of the most relevant is the fact they point out recordkeeping, reporting, and financial integrity. This section of their corporate governance stresses  the points that are important to Amazon. They want to make sure that records are kept with the appropriate amount of detail. They do not want just minimal information. This section also explains how recordkeeping will comply with all laws and also with the company’s internal controls. Amazon has financial accounting and legal groups; the purpose of these groups is to create procedures to maintain control of the integrity of the financial reporting system. Amazon shows that they are really looking to maintain control of their finances and the integrity of their finances by creating these groups. Therefore, being responsible with financial reporting is a high priority. The employees are urged to report any discrepancies they see within the system and also violations they see from other employees to anyone in their management chain. This open door policy makes sure that anything that may happen that would go against their policies will be properly reported and fixed. The U.S. financial markets consist of many separate markets for diverse products offered on a range of trading platforms and exchanges. Among the many products traded are fixed-income securities, equities, foreign exchange, and derivatives. Fixed-income securities are financial instruments issued by various companies to raise money as a debt. Investors buy fixed-income securities to receive interest payments over time and for the return of the full investment principal if securities are held to maturity. Interest paid by security issuers as a form of income for investors remains fixed during the term of the securities, and investors may sell their holdings prior to maturity for a gain or loss on their investment principal. Equities are another form of instrument that signifies an ownership position in a corporation. It also represents a claim on its proportionate share in the corporation’s assets and profits. Foreign exchange and derivatives are instruments that lock in a future foreign exchange rate. These can be used by currency or forex traders and large multinational corporations. The Securities and Exchange Commission is in charge of protecting investors and to maintain a fair and efficient capital market. The SEC regulations oversee activities of individuals and organizations involves in the sale of securities, including brokers and brokerage firms. The SEC operates at a high level and does not recoup losses for individual investors. The SEC has enforcement activities that are conducted by its Division of Enforcement. This office conducts  investigations on individuals and corporations that are in a potential of violations of securities laws. Then they prosecute both civil suits and administrative proceedings. The SEC also runs an Office on Investor Education and Assistance. This office works to discourage investor fraud by educating investors. They also receive complaints from individual investors and will send an inquiry on behalf of an investor seeking information concerning a dispute There are three different types of ratios that were used to analyze Amazon.com in this paper. These types are Liquidity ratios, Solvency ratios, and Profitability Ratios. According to The book Financial Management, â€Å"Liquidity ratios are used to address a very basic question about the firm’s financial health: How liquid is the firm? A business is financially liquid if it is able to pay its bills on time.†(Titman, Keown, Martin, 2011, p. 80). The liquidity ratios used were the current ratio and the day’s receivable ratio. The current ratio is a very broad ratio that gives a general sense for how liquid the business is within a given time frame. The current ratio for Amazon.com shows that their current liquidity is shrinking a bit but not enough to cause concern. The day’s receivable ratio shows how long it takes for Amazon.com to collect on their receivables. The amount of days it takes Amazon.com to collect their receivable s has increased by about eight days. Although it is never a good thing to take a significant amount of time to collect, 92 days is still not a cause for concern. The next type of ratio used was a solvency ratio. The solvency ratio used is the Debt to Asset Ratio. This ratio measures the proportion of Amazon’s assets that were financed by borrowing or debt financing. According to the ratio, Amazon.com has seen about a 5.5% increase in the amount of assets financed. However, the amount is still less than the total amount of assets which is a good sign. The next type of ratios used is the profitability ratios. The profitability ratios used are the return on equity ratio and the operating profit margin ratio. The return on equity ratio measures Amazon’s profitability by showing how much profit they generate with the money invested by shareholders. This ratio is where we see a cause for concern. Amazon has dropped by 7.4% in this department down to -.4%. The operating profit margin ratio shows how much profit is generated from each dollar of sales. This is also dropping quite considerably. After viewing all of the ratios above, Amazon does not need to be concerned with  the overall health of the business but needs to work on becoming more profitable for investors. In conclusion Amazon.com is one of the foremost pioneers and trailblazers of the online retail market. As many pioneers of industries do Amazon.com began in a small two car garage and has graduated to operating one of the largest online retail companies worldwide. From selling books and other reading materials, to offering big screen televisions and diapers, Amazon.com is a household name. Although Amazon has experienced great success over the years, a deeper look into the firm’s liquidity, solvency, and profitability ratios has shown some signs of trouble. The firm’s liquidity ratios have been on a slight downward trend, although not significant, the ratios show some trouble. The Solvency ratios are also rising slightly, which shows that the firm is financing about 5.5% more of its assets than before. This rise in solvency ratio is little to no concern because of the firms total assets are larger than the amount financed. Profitability ratios for Amazon are a bit of a concern and headed downhill. Profitability of Amazon.com has dropped from 7.4% to -.4%. With such a dramatic fall in profitability, Amazon must immediately look to correct this issue in order to stay ahead of the online retail industry. References Corporate Governance. (2013). Retrieved from http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=97664p=irol-govConduct The Investors Advocate: Retrieved from http://www.sec.gov/about/whatwedo.shtml Titman, S., Keown, A. J., Martin, J. D. (2011). Financial Management. Principles and Applications (11th ed.). : Pearson Education Webley, K. (2010, July). Online Shopping. Time, (), . Retrieved from http://content.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,2004089,00.html

Abortion Ethics Essay -- essays research papers

The argument of abortion has been raging since the Supreme Court case, Roe vs. Wade, in 1973. This court case has divided the country into two factions: pro-choice and pro-life. Pro-life advocates argue that abortions are murder and extreme levels of child abuse. While pro-choice advocates believe abortions are a justifiable means to end pregnancies. The pro-choice argument is that the fetus is not yet a human being and its rights should not override that of the mother’s. An importance on what defines a human is very important. Is a human the result of sperm fertilizing an egg? At this point of fertilization the human is composed of a single cell with a unique DNA structure. Killing this unique cell would be wrong, however does this single cell constitute for a person? If being human is defined through having a certain level of self awareness and acknowledgment of your person, then the fetus is not yet a human being so aborting it would be as immoral as destroying a malignant tumor (Shrage 127). Should emphasis be placed on intelligence and awareness when interpreting what a human being is? A fetus is not a form of intelligent life because it has not yet had any experience, so therefore probably hasn’t had thoughts. In his essay, Rene Descartes, argues that we truly exist because we can doubt our existence. He states, â€Å"If I completely stop thinking, I would completely cease to exist†. In this sense of existence is it possible for an unborn child to doubt their existenc... Abortion Ethics Essay -- essays research papers The argument of abortion has been raging since the Supreme Court case, Roe vs. Wade, in 1973. This court case has divided the country into two factions: pro-choice and pro-life. Pro-life advocates argue that abortions are murder and extreme levels of child abuse. While pro-choice advocates believe abortions are a justifiable means to end pregnancies. The pro-choice argument is that the fetus is not yet a human being and its rights should not override that of the mother’s. An importance on what defines a human is very important. Is a human the result of sperm fertilizing an egg? At this point of fertilization the human is composed of a single cell with a unique DNA structure. Killing this unique cell would be wrong, however does this single cell constitute for a person? If being human is defined through having a certain level of self awareness and acknowledgment of your person, then the fetus is not yet a human being so aborting it would be as immoral as destroying a malignant tumor (Shrage 127). Should emphasis be placed on intelligence and awareness when interpreting what a human being is? A fetus is not a form of intelligent life because it has not yet had any experience, so therefore probably hasn’t had thoughts. In his essay, Rene Descartes, argues that we truly exist because we can doubt our existence. He states, â€Å"If I completely stop thinking, I would completely cease to exist†. In this sense of existence is it possible for an unborn child to doubt their existenc...

Case: Walter Hundhausen Gmbh

Size up Germany’s foundry Industry? Is WH well positioned in it now and in the future?The beginning of the new millennium has presented Walter Hundhausen (WH) with a big hurdle to jump. The German economy is experiencing economic stagnation, an aging population and a German labour market that is filled with many intrusive government regulations. The German economy has been growing at an average rate of 0.6 percent per year for the last 4 years; making it one of the slowest growing economies in the Euro Zone.However, study’s suggests in 2004, the domestic economy is expected to grow above 2 percent. Moreover, one-third of Germany’s economy is comprised of exports. In performing a Pest Analysis (see Diagram 1 below), there are many macro factors affecting the German Foundry Industry.MACRO FORCESThe acronym stands for Political, Economic, Social and Technological concerns that could affect the strategic development of the casting foundry industry in Germany. By iden tifying PEST influences it helps gage the external environment in which the casting foundry industry operates. PoliticalStrict Layoff Regulations: Government regulations had strict policies in place on how organizations could layoff employees. Before employees were laid-off, management had to advise the Works Council and they had to agree to the nature and timing of the plan. In addition, the management team had to develop a social plan for each employee on how the layoff would affect them and what remedies the organization would put in place for them. If a  social plan was not presented, employees could claim for compensation through the courts. This could prove to be costly in time, money and reputation.National Bargaining on Wages: The current German industrial relations policy was based on a duel model. One part dealt with the collective bargaining, while the other dealt with codetermination. The collective bargaining agreement dealt with minimums and maximums, with respect to wages and salaries and working hours. Codetermination was an actual Act or Law that provided labourers in Germany with three levels of representation; Supervisory Board, Works Council and Labour Director. However, in the end, all collective bargaining agreements could be adjusted and then ratified through this process.Social Market Economy: The political climate in the country is based on the social market economy, where employers and unions worked as partners to better the organization as a whole. However, in reality, the balance of power lay in the hands of the union. Unions negotiated national and regional wages and hours of operations; in addition, they also negotiated paid time-off. In 2004, the average individual worked 1,542 hours. The standard legislated work week was set at 60 hours with a minimum paid leave of 24 days. That translates to 2,832 hours per year. Despite the legislation, the average individual worked 54 percent less than was legislated in 2004.Ordnung Princip al: This is Germany’s version of the Triple Bottom Line, where economy, society and the government all participate in the mechanism for workers democracy. New Environmental Legislation: The government imposed a new ecological tax in 2000 that focused on waste reduction as opposed to waste recycling. This added costs in the form of time and money to the WH casting process. From an economic perspective, the government wanted the industry to focus on the externalities and reduce them or remove them totally.EconomicalDomestic Growth: The last three years (2001 to 2004), the German economy was growing at an average rate of 0.6 percent per year. Germany had been experiencing the slowest growth in the Euro zone. This affected many organizations in Germany, particularly mid-sized companies that were not big enough to fully utilize economies of scale. Future Growth: The economy in Germany has been slated to grow around 2 percent for the year 2004.This represent an increase of 1.4 perc ent over the previous year and that may not  seem big, but relatively speaking that is a 233% increases from year over year. Increase in Value of the Euro: Another concern at the macro level is the appreciation of the Euro against other currencies, most notably the American dollar. As the Euro increased, the cost of WH’s products also increased. However, the opportunity to purchase at a lower price scrap iron and steel from non-European countries has also increased. As the Euro appreciates in value, it can now purchase raw materials at a lower cost.SocialAging Population: The current labour shortage in Germany is creating a nightmare in the casting industry. In order to attract and retain employees, organizations were paying a premium over scheduled tariffs. These costs were substantial, as many companies were running multiple shifts in order to keep up with demand. Reduction in Full-Time Employment: The current macro environment suggests a reduction in the number of full-t ime resources, because of the high labour costs. However, because of the aging population, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to find qualified workers.Sounds counter intuitive; a reduction of full-time staff to cut costs, but many companies in the industry are paying premiums over scheduled tariffs in order to keep their current workforce. Strong Social Employment Contracts: The Germany foundry industry has a strong employment contract system, where employers are responsible for the well being of their workers. The contract is enforced by the Works Council and the Labour Director who is part of the origination. Their main objective is to resolve disputes through intensive informal contacts.Strong Union Presence: The dual model in the industry consists of a collective bargaining agreement and codetermination. This dual system gives the unions a strong position within the foundry industry. Their presence has lead to numerous bouts of conflict with management when negotiating collective agreements and in some cases these disagreements lead to long and bitter strikes.TechnicalAbove Average R&D Investment: R&D is a major competent in the casting foundry industry. R&D creates better products and above all reduces costs through the automation of the casting process. Moreover, by being a Tier 1 supplier, customers are expecting better products and lower costs year over  year. Frequent Technology Changes: In the casting process, technology changes occur frequently, in order to maintain lower sand-to-metal ratios and scrap ratios. Largest European Foundry: Being the largest casting foundry in Europe, economies of scale can have significant cost savings, as the organization can purchase large amounts of scrap iron and steel.Close Proximity to Clients: By being close to customers, shipping costs and delivery times are reduced substantially; giving the local casting foundry a cost advantage over their long distance competitors. Efficient Sand Casting Process: T he casting process is highly integrated and labour intensive. By having a disjointed process, the cost of the process will be high and the products produced would be of an inferior quality. A process that is tightly controlled and automated will reduce unnecessary waste and cut costs in the form of wages and raw material.MICRO FORCESBelow are the specific micro forces that will influence how WH reacts to the environmental issues assessed above.SupplyThe cost of raw materials was increasing 23 percent year over year (see Diagram 2 below). Raw materials have been the single most expensive cost to WH. Diagram 3 below, illustrates the cost of raw materials to revenues and the cost of wages and salaries to revenues. As for wages and salaries, they have been holding steady. Moreover, the trend seems to be downward sloping (see Diagram 3, below).Total revenues have been increasing steadily since 2001; with a significant increase occurring in 2004 (see Diagram 4, below).Year over Year Incre ase in Revenues 2001 2002 2003 2004Total Revenues 97 99 103 117 2.06% 4.04% 13.59%However, in 2004, the index price of scrap iron and steel has been averaging around 191.00, that is a 43 percent increase, year over year. The trend seems to be heading higher, potentially breaking the 250.00 barrier (see Diagram 5, below).Average 81.25 99.91667 99.91667 111.5 133.75 191.25CompetitionCompetition from non-OEM organizations was growing. However, customers today are more sophisticated and understand that quality plays an important role in the decision to purchase a product versus purchasing a product on price alone. The real threat will come from organizations in the casting industry from Eastern European that will eventually become tier 1 suppliers. One of the challenges facing WH is the current workforce in Germany. WH has been experiencing a high degree of absence due to leaves and sick days.The above graph (see Diagram 6) illustrates by department where the greatest number of absences are occurring. The stars indicate the average per department and in 2004, there was an increase in the number of absences in Core Marketing, Finishing and Heat Treatment. Finishing can be explained because of the nature of the work itself. It is one of the most difficult  parts of the casting process. Some of the other notable information to mention, is when the automated casting process is operating efficiently, sick days and leaves are kept to a minimum.For example, pouring and melting in 2003 experienced numerous mechanical problems, thus the department experienced a higher level of absences as opposed to 2004, when the process was operating with little interruptions, sick days and leaves decreased substantially. Moreover, for the first 6 months of 2004, the average cost of the total days off work amounted to 3.39 million, which represents 8.7 percent of the overall company’s revenues (see Diagram 7, below).DemandThe biggest threat facing WH is their ability to reduce costs. Their customers are demanding lower prices and the organiza tion has been responding, by investing heavily in R&D to improve the casting process. However, if they do not get the costs of the casting process under control, they will not be able to meet the increasing demand from the motor vehicle industry. The motor vehicle industry in 2004 purchased a total of 68% of the total industry’s output. Diagram 8, below illustrates the percentage increase or decrease year over year by industry and the tonnage sold by industry. Clearly, the industry that has been adding value to WH has been the motor vehicle industry. On average, over the last three years, the motor vehicle industry has increased 13 percent.If the motor vehicle industry continues on their current growth path, by the end of 2005, WH will have reached plant capacity of 95,000 tonnes per year (see Diagram 9, below). The forecast includes a 13 percent increase in motor vehicle tonnage per year and holds the other two industries with no growth or decline in tonnes required.PEST Con clusionThe rising cost of scrap iron and steel, a stagnate Germany economy, the German labour market and its regulations are proving extremely difficult for WH to deal with. In addition, WH is reaching plant capacity and they have not been able to control rising costs to date. For the last three years, wages and raw material purchases have been well over budget. SWOT ANALYSISA SWOT analysis was completed for WH to evaluate their Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (see Diagram 10, below). The analysis identifies the key internal and external factors that will hinder or help WH achieve their stated goals and objectives.One of the key factors to WH success was their ability to understand their customer’s business needs and create new products for them. This was one area in the casting foundry industry that separated WH from their competitors; WH was and still is â€Å"Best in Class†, when it comes to product innovation. One area of improvement would be to e liminate or reduce the number of products that have low margins.By producing these low margin products, WH is tying up valuable resources both in time, money and material. One of the greatest threats WH will encounter is the surging casting foundries from Eastern European countries, such as Spain, Turkey and Poland. Currently, many of the Eastern European organizations either small or big are not OEM rated. However, with time and additional investment dollars, these organizations will be able to compete against WH on price.PORTERS FIVE FORCESOne final assessment was completed to determine the profitability or attractiveness of the casting foundry industry in Germany. By utilizing Porters Five Force model, a more realistic assessment of the competitive rivalry that exists in the market can be determined. This will give WH insight as to the attractiveness of the industry and determine what course of action (if any) is required.The analysis clearly demonstrated that the industry is hig hly profitable (see Diagram 11, above). The Barriers to Entry are high, making it difficult for organizations to enter. Entry requires a high initial capital investment and ongoing R&D dollars. Moreover, the bargaining power of the Buyer is Low, because switching costs are high. Substitutes products are available, but in the motor vehicle industry highly unlikely to be used.The  bargaining power of Suppliers is strong, because there is strong union presence and the raw material is based on world supply and demand prices. In short, the competitive rivalry within the Casting Foundry Industry is high, suggesting that the industry is profitable. Furthermore, with high exist barriers, because of the high fixed costs, it makes it extremely difficult to exit the industry, and thus remaining organizations will continue to suffer and lose more market share.Question 1A:  Is WH well positioned in it now and in the future?Not with their current casting process. Clearly, WH’s core com petency lies in their ability to produce exactly what the customer needs and then takes that knowledge one step further by producing new products that customers ends up wanting; WH creates demand for their new more profitable products. Moreover, WH links their internal logistical and informational systems with their customers. Basically, WH becomes an extension of their customers. The future for WH would be to outsource some non core activities of their value chain to 3rd parties in the casting foundry industry; perhaps in Eastern Europe, such as Poland, where wages are less and employment is more bountiful.In conclusion, with the current trends in the casting foundry industry, where growth is expected to increase 2% per year in tonnage and 3% per year in value, WH does not have the current structure to capitalize on this growth opportunity. Pricing has also become an issue and they are trying to go head to head with their customers and asking them to pick up the additional surcharg es on the price of scrap steel and iron. Moreover, with the additional investment in R&D, costs have not decreased. Revenues have been steadily rising, but so have costs and costs have outpaced revenues. This is evident, as WH is expected to lose 6 million in 2004, making it the worst loss in the company’s 4 year history.Question 2:  Is the alternative that WH’s management called â€Å"strategic change† really strategic? Justify you answer.In order to justify the answer, one must first define what strategic change is. According to Joseph N. Fry, one of the authors of Strategic Analysis  and Action he suggests that it is a tool for building, communicating and maintain the direction of the business. As for Lawrence G. Hrebiniak, he suggests that strategic change is all about execution. In his book, Making Strategy Work, he suggested that without a careful, planned approach to execution, strategic goals cannot be attained.Albeit, in both examples above, little reference is made to the actual strategy, but in reality both authors agree that the strategy is important, but the execution of the strategy is key to success. An analogy that can be used to illustrate their point of view would be a golfer that needs to fade a shot around a tree. The strategy has been set, the trajectory of ball flight has been visualized; wind and all other factors have been taken into consideration. What’s left is the actual striking of the ball. However, if the golfers’ core competency is to hit a draw, rather than a fade, the strategy has little to do with the result of the execution.One of WH alternative is to shut down Line 2, reduce employment by 114 workers and increase sales through a radical marketing campaign that started in 2003. However, the radical marketing campaign emphasizes a differentiation strategy as opposed to a price strategy as indicated by Klaas. The key to their current success is WH’s ability to understand their custo mer’s business needs and create specific casting moulds for them. In addition, WH has been able to develop new products with higher margins for their customers and then sell those products back to their customers; push marketing.By adopting a low cost strategy, rivals in the industry will eventually out price WH and take market share away from them. One of the reasons why WH can be out priced in the market is that their main competitors from Eastern Europe, such as Poland, have a much lower wage structures. To conclude, WH’s alternative does not fit the traditional definition of a strategic change. After reviewing the data and the definition, the answer remains a resolute no. The reason for the decision is that strategic change must take into consideration other aspects of the organization.The changes suggested by Klaas will not delivery the strategy in a controlled manner that is efficient and effective to implement. Strategic management is not about delivering one si ngle project or addressing one particular issue, but a process that governs the entire organization and how the entire  organization is affected by the strategic change (see Diagram 12, above). The so called alternative â€Å"strategic change† in the end will not deliver any real value to the organization, thus further suggesting that this is not a strategic change. Strategic change at the end of the day must deliver real value, not perceived value.In Germany that value takes on the form of a stakeholder, rather than a shareholder. Thus, by simply focusing on profits and ignoring the human costs of the layoffs, WH will not execute this strategy with any conviction or success. Both Fry and Hrebiniak realize that the process is complicated and contains many moving parts. In short, there is no magic bullet. Simply cutting workers and installing automated processes does not guarantee costs reductions and increased revenues.Question 3:  How much â€Å"flexibility† did t he company have in dealing with its problem?The reality of the situation is that WH only had perceived flexibility. With economic stagnation, an aging population, tight employment regulations and a shortage of workers, WH has limited flexibility in being able to deal with the problem. Moreover, with the increase in tariffs, raw materials and energy, WH has even less flexibility in addressing their current problem. WH was able to negotiate concessions with the Works Council; however, the concessions came with a hefty price. The Works Council’s goal was to save jobs in the short term for the promise of better pay in the long term. Thus, WH was able to negotiate special agreements to break the current collective agreement.WH negotiated for more free hours, less pay and forgone holidays and vacation pay, but had no control over dismissal’s and working exemptions; the Works Council held the balance of power in these two categories. For example, if employment dropped below 5 70 permanent employees, the regional tariff rates would come into effect and they did. The Works Council’s position for long term better pay may present a problem with a few of the alternatives being suggested by WH.The Works Council may not approve any of the alternatives that involve significant layoffs and pay reductions. These alternatives are in direct conflict with their own goals and objectives. In conclusion, perceived flexibility is much different than actual flexibility. WH may think they can suggest an alternative that  makes sense for them, but the reality is that without buy in from the Works Council, the strategy will surely fail to execute.Question 4:  What could management do to address the problem?WH management must develop a Strategic Management Process. The new strategic management process is to be undertaken by the executives at WH and GMH. The executives will review and interpret the Germany foundry industry and determine the direction for WH. At this point in the process the executives will set the Corporate Strategy (strategic direction) and priorities, while understanding and taking into consideration resources and budget constraints (see diagram 13, below).The seconds step is to create the â€Å"right† Corporate Structure with the proper incentives and controls to ensure that the Corporate Strategy can be achieved. The final step is to ensure that the Business Units understand the objectives set forth and have the necessary resources in place to achieve their goals and objectives. It is the business unit who is responsible for ensuring that they have the correct skills and capabilities in place in order to achieve the Corporate Strategy. Once the strategic management process has been developed, the next critical step in the process is to formulate a well defined plan that has clear and focused goals and objectives. These goals and objectives must be measurable, attainable and realistic.Moreover, the plan must address how these achievements will affect the overall organization, but more importantly, if the goals and objectives are not meet, what are consequences to the organization. This process must be open and transparent that will ensure that buy in will occur quickly. In conclusion, the execution of these key activities is the heart of any successful strategic management process. In addition, WH must ensure that the Works Council understands that the long term success of WH is in everyone’s best interest. The Works Council’s long term goal is for better pay for its workers, without WH, their goals and objectives will never be realized.Question 5:  What had management done so far?Management has accomplished a lot to date. They sold WH to GMH who had experience in purchasing distressed companies and providing them with fresh equity and motivating their work force. In addition, in 2003, WH implemented a radical marketing plan that increased revenues by approximately 13.6 % in 200 4. WH invested heavily in operations, by trying to automate the sand casting process. WH believed that they could further reduce the operating costs by automating a lot of the high touch processes.WH has also outsourced the finishing process, as this is one of the most costly processes in the sand casting process. WH hired a consultant by the name of Knight Wendling who was hired to improve productivity and reduce costs. His first mandate was to get customer to pay a scrap surcharge and eliminate unprofitable products. By the middle of 2004, 91 percent of customers were paying the surcharge and he eliminated 5,000 tonnes of products that were generating low contributions. Finally, in 2004 WH made some major changes to their current management structure and sent out a new message to their workers, that management was looking for fresh ideas that would make a difference.Question 6:  What actions were left open to WH’s management and would they make sense?One action that was l eft open was continuing with the Radical Marketing Plan that WH started in 2003. The marketing plan would continue to increase sales by 8.2 million and contribution by 5.2 million in 2005. However, one of the major issues with this action was that costs were also increasing and the increase in revenues and contributions was being offset by the rising cost of scrap iron and steel and wages. The rising costs, coupled with WH’s increase in prices were opening the doors to some of their direct competitors in Eastern Europe, such as Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic.This plan would only make sense if they could get the Works Council to increase the number of hours that employee’s could work and reduce the minimum number of workers required, before tariffs are enforced. Moreover, this approach would make sense, if WH could convince the Works Council that their short term objective to keep as many employees as  possible is actually going to hurt their long term goal of better pay for their workers. If WH and the Works Council could overlook their short term objectives and focus on their long term objectives, everyone would be better off.Question 7:  How could it pursue the remaining actions?WH could simply divest the entire operations and payout the 15.3 million owed to the workers ( 25,000 * 612 workers). However, this may not be in the best interest of the entire organization as an environmental assessment must be completed before the land gets rezoned. Worst case scenario, if the land is contaminated the purchaser may request that the seller clean the land before title change and this could cost GMH considerable money.The opportunity cost of closing down the plant would be the 15.3 million, thus the company could take that money and reinvest it into WH. Currently, WH is losing 6.2 million per year, if they continue losing this amount of money, that would buy them 3 additional years and then WH could simply sell the business. WH would have to create a strategic plan that takes into consideration all the options associated with investing additional capital. More so, they will need buy in from the Works Council. Without their buy in strategic plans will prove useless.

Abu Sayyaf Group Essay

Abdurajak Janjalani’s religious and political thoughts provided the basis for ASG’s original ideology.23 The initial premise for creating the group was for a Muslim Mujahideen that would be committed to â€Å"a struggle in the cause of Allah† or â€Å"fighting and dying for the cause of Islam.†24 To his ASG followers Janjalani was more than a leader, he provided their ideological path and enlightenment. Janjalani was well educated and knowledgeable of various areas that impacted the Muslim population in the Philippines. These included the historical, religious, economic, political, and social conditions that existed at the time25 and it was his aim to build his idea of an Islamic state in the southern Philippines to improve those conditions.26 Funding to initiate and support the movement in the beginning was supposedly supplied by Mohammed Jamal Khalifa, Osama bin Laden’s brother-in-law.27 This was the first reported link to Al Qaeda. Later, in 1992, Janjalani and his group established an official headquarters in Isabela, Basilan naming the Camp Al-Madinah Mujahideen, but the camp was captured by the Philippine Marines in 1993 forcing ASG to relocate and establish a new base in Patikul, Sulu. This fostered greater cooperation and alliance with Ghalib Andang who led the Sulu-based unit of the ASG.28 Working together the combined ASG forces began an aggressive recruiting effort to expand their manpower, acquire arms and munitions, and began the lucrative series of fund-raising activities in kidnappings and demanding high ransoms.29 Before his death in 1998, Janjalani delivered eight radical ideological messages called Khutbahs. These Khutbahs are regarded as primary sources of his radical Islamic thought and depicted the depth of his Abu Sayyaf . . .5 understanding of Wahabi Islam. One of the Khutbahs exposed an intense resentment of Christian missionaries in Mindanao, especially those regarded as criticizing Islam. His interpretation was that â€Å"aggressive preaching of Christian missionaries in Mindanao thus insulted Islam and provoked Muslims to respond violently. As a result, the bombing of the Christian missionary ship M/V Doulos in 1991 was retaliation against Christian missionaries who used derogatory words against Islam and called Allah a false God.†

ruling ideologies essays

ruling ideologies essays Take-Home Exam November 16, 1999 The ruling ideology dealing with welfare is a negative view among the majority of Americans. It states that welfare recipients are lazy people who have lots of children and collect checks for a long period of time. This statement is believed mostly among higher-class people because they feel that if they can work hard for their money, welfare recipients can do the same, and not live off other peoples money. Charles Murray supports the statement welfare policies encourage poor women to have more children in one of his books, but is proven wrong by careful studies and demographics. It has been studied that welfare has almost no effect on bearing children. These studies show that younger women are more likely to be poor and their poverty makes their children poor. American adults by far are more unequal in wealth and income than any other industrial society as well as the declining incomes of young men since the mid-1970s. Many young men cannot afford to keep their children out of poverty or decide not to the handle the duties or responsibilities of marriage, leaving young mothers and children even poorer, leading them to depend on welfare. According to a New York Times article dated 2/29/92, there are fewer children receiving assistance from welfare and are not just being lazy but and collecting checks, but actually getting off welfare. This ruling ideology that most of the American society supports leads to the lack of wide political support and budget-cutting of means-tested programs. These mean-tested programs are available only to those people who can prove that they are poor. Only Social Security and Medicare, both Universal programs, have largely survived cutbacks in recent years because it is widely accepted throughout the American society. The reason it is accepted in the American society is that everybody contri ...

11 Taboos in Chinese Culture

11 Taboos in Chinese Culture Every culture has its own taboos, and it is important to remain aware of them when traveling or encountering another culture to ensure you dont commit a social faux-pas. In Chinese culture, some of the most common taboos involve gift-giving, birthdays, and weddings. Numbers According to Chinese tradition, good things come in pairs. Therefore odd numbers are avoided for birthday celebrations and weddings. To avoid bad things happening in pairs, activities such as burials and gift-giving are not performed on even-numbered days. In Chinese, the  number four (å››, sà ¬) sounds like the word for death (æ ­ », sÇ ). For this reason, the number four is avoided- particularly on phone numbers, license plates, and addresses. For addresses that do contain fours, the rent is usually less and apartments on the fourth floor are typically rented by foreigners. Work Shopkeepers may opt not to read a book at work because book (æ› ¸, shÃ… «) sounds like lose (è ¼ ¸, shÃ… «). Shopkeepers who read may be afraid their businesses will suffer losses. When it comes to sweeping, shopkeepers are careful not to sweep toward the door, especially during the Chinese New Year, in case good fortune is swept out into the street. When eating a meal, never turn over fish when you are with a fisherman as the motion symbolizes a boat capsizing. Also, never offer a friend an umbrella because the word umbrella (傘, sÇŽn) sounds similar to æ• £ (sn, to break up) and the act is a sign that you will never see each other again. Food Young children should not eat chicken feet as it is believed that doing so will prevent them from writing well when they start school. They may also become prone to fighting like roosters. Leaving food on one’s plate- particularly grains of rice- is believed to result in marriage to a spouse with many pockmarks on his or her face. Not finishing a meal is also believed to incur the wrath of the thunder god. Another Chinese taboo relating to food is that chopsticks should not be left standing straight up in a bowl of rice. This act is said to bring bad luck to restaurant owners as chopsticks stuck in rice look similar to incense placed in urns. Gift-Giving Since good things are believed to come in pairs, gifts given in pairs (except sets of four) are best. When preparing the gift, do not wrap it in white as that color represents sorrow and poverty. Certain gifts are also seen as inauspicious. For example, never give a clock, watch, or pocket watch as a gift because to send a clock (é€ Ã© Ëœ,  sà ²ng zhÃ… ng) sounds like the funeral ritual (é€ Ã§ µâ€š,  sà ²ng zhÃ… ng). According to Chinese taboo, clocks symbolize that time is running out. There are many other such ominous  Chinese gifts to avoid. If you give an unlucky gift by accident, the receiver can make it right by giving you a coin which changes the gift to an item they have symbolically purchased. Holidays It is a Chinese taboo to share stories about death and dying and ghost stories during special occasions and holidays. Doing so is considered extremely unlucky. Chinese New Year There are many Chinese New Year taboos  to be wary of. On the first day of the Chinese New Year, inauspicious words cannot be spoken. For example, words such as break, spoil, die, gone, and poor should not be uttered. During the Chinese New Year, nothing should be broken. When eating fish, diners must be careful to not break any of the bones, and be extra careful not to break any plates. Also, nothing should be cut during Chinese New Year as that signifies one’s life could be cut short. Noodles should not be cut and haircuts should be avoided. In general, sharp objects like scissors and knives are avoided during Chinese New Year. All windows and doors in the home should be open on New Year’s Eve to send out the old year and welcome the New Year. All debts should be paid by Chinese New Year and nothing should be lent on New Year’s Day. When preparing paper dragons for the Chinese New Year, it is taboo for women who are menstruating, people in mourning, and babies to be near the dragons when the cloth is being pasted to the dragon’s body. Birthdays One long noodle is typically slurped on one’s birthday. But revelers beware- the noodle should not be bitten or cut as this is believed to shorten one’s life. Weddings In the three months leading up to a couple’s wedding, they should avoid going to a funeral or wake or visiting a woman who has just had a baby. If one of the couple’s parents passes away before the wedding, the wedding must be postponed for 100 days, as attending happy celebrations during mourning is considered disrespectful to the dead. If a roasted pig is given as part of the bride’s gift to the groom’s family, the tail and ears should not be broken. Doing so would mean the bride is not a virgin. Fifth Lunar Month The fifth lunar month is considered an unlucky month. It is a Chinese taboo to dry blankets in the sun and build houses during this time. Hungry Ghost Festival The Hungry Ghost Festival is held during the seventh lunar month. In order to avoid seeing ghosts, people should not go outside at night. Celebrations such as weddings are not held, fishermen do not launch new boats, and many people opt to postpone their trips during the Hungry Ghost Month. The souls of those who die by drowning are considered to be in the greatest turmoil, so some people refuse to go swimming during this time to lessen the chance of a run-in with wayward ghosts.