A Day in the Life of Alex Sander Essay Example for Free

A Day in the Life of Alex Sander Essay I had to plunge in and make a lot of snap decisions in these areas. Looking back, I can see one poor strategy decision, but on the whole my judgment has been right on target. And if being pushy and commanding is the only way to get the job done—to get two new products out in one year—then it’s worth it to me. Even if I have to steamroll over someone’s feelings, or ignore the way a colleague would like to handle a project. Sander: Well, I get ticked off pretty easily. For example, I can’t stand explaining something more than a couple of times. But what really bothers me is lack of commitment—for example, if a long-time employee isn’t willing to put in extra hours to meet an important deadline. But you know what? After I really become angry, there are people at Landon whose output will jump for at least a couple of weeks afterwards. My temper is actually an effective management tool. 9:00 A. M. Leong nodded apologetically to Garrison as she left and said, â€Å"The interviewer from your alumni magazine is here. † The magazine was interviewing Sander for an article on â€Å"high-potential† product managers as part of a career development issue. He did not want to further embarrass Garrison, a 20-year veteran of the company, by interrupting; still, he needed to talk to Sander. op yo Neighbor: I remember you mentioning some sparks with your assistant when you first started at Landon. rP os t A Day in the Life of Alex Sander: Driving in the Fast Lane at Landon Care Products | 2177 and so on. But you’re never in charge of your own creation. That’s the main reason I accepted a job at Landon. Landon is a pretty small shop, and I’ve been involved in every detail of my product launches. I’ve really enjoyed the strategy piece—gathering data about market share, figuring out the most profitable positioning for my brands. As a product manager, you have to talk to RD, then work with market research to see whether you have a feasible idea that will attract consumers. Then you work with advertising. You partner with all the departments to synchronize the program’s details. A product manager must ensure a targeted, quality product, whose distinctive features will be clear to the target consumer. Then you have to make the product right and get it to market. At that moment, Sander’s BlackBerry buzzed and, with a quick apology, Alex picked up the call. â€Å"I need to get a piece of data from this market researcher before my team meeting this afternoon,† Sander explained. While waiting for Sander to finish, the interviewer glanced around Alex’s office. It was large for so new a product manager, and the interviewer noted the award plaques on the credenza behind Sander’s desk. Sander finished the brief phone call, and the two continued talking. For the last question, the interviewer asked, â€Å"Alex, in your opinion, which type of person is best suited to being a product manager?

The Concept of Satisfaction in Higher Education

The Concept of Satisfaction in Higher Education Introduction and frame of the study This literature review aims at investigating the importance of satisfaction of the students in higher education form a marketing point of view. As such, we understand the meaning of words, expression, and concepts we only have a limited relation to Operational field of study (that would understand HEIs as a Business entity). The study will be constructed as follow, we shall first understand the definition of satisfaction within the boundaries of the subject earlier mentioned before investing its particular meaning for students and its place and importance in Service Quality. We would like to warn the reader that we have a limitation in term of references. To overcome this later one, we chose to focus on fairly recent articles. Our aim is certainly not to diminish the utter significance of early literature but they will be often quoted here as part of our chosen references. While sourcing for articles, we noticed that service quality is an avant-gardiste and ever growing field of study that branchs out worldwile to every industries, Education makes no exeption. The assumption we made from the coursework statement is that we certainely will be assessed on both the core chosen subject and our technical skills for conducting a literature review. Therefore, we shall try our best and limit our volume of reference without compromising the integrity of the subject. The concept of Satisfaction The concept of satisfaction plays a key role in any marketing strategy (Churchill and Suprenant, 1982), and it is even considered the king of marketing research (Oliver, 1999). Creating a sustainable advantage in todays competitive market depends, to a large extent, on the ability to deliver high-quality service that translates into satisfied customers (Shemwell, Yavas and Bilgin, 1998). Customer satisfaction is a central concept in marketing research (Luo and Homburg, 2007). In fact, Machleit and Mantel (2000) consider satisfaction as the core of all marketing activities. In the beginning, research in the area of customer satisfaction focused only on end consumers. It was therefore commonly referred to as consumer satisfaction (Bearden and Teel 1983, Cadotte et al., 1987, Anderson, 1993). Customer satisfaction is the result of experiencing a service and comparing that experience with the expected service quality (Oliver, 1980), in relation to both intangible and tangible goods; it can be defined on two different levels: as a simple transaction, or as the overall accumulation of the relationship (Jones and Suh, 2000). While there is some academic agreement that the process of contradiction is a precedent of satisfaction, empirical support for this relationship has not been complete (Yi, 1990). There is a wide discussion as to whether it is expectations that directly affect satisfaction, or whether its main antecedent is perceived quality (Churchill and Surprenant, 1982, Bahia et al., 2000). Hereby, the evaluation of client satisfaction (Bahia et al., 2000) can provide a more realistic and dynamic representation of the clients satisfaction (Bahia et al., 2000). Various definitions of satisfaction have been established within the scope of service marketing. Oliver (1980) defines this as a finite-duration experience that relates directly to the experience of a product or service, serving to maintain or improve the previous attitude that the client had about the product or service in question. Kotler (1999, 2000) considers it as the mood of a person that results from comparing the perceived performance of a product or service with their initial expectations, having a close relationship with the perceived value. This global customer satisfaction is an important indicator of the perceived past, present and future results of a company or any other entity offering products or services (Anderson, Fornell and Lehmann, 1994). Mano and Oliver (1993) define satisfaction as a hedonistic evaluative attitude or judgment centered on the product, and that it could be evaluated after consumption. Fornell (1992) defines satisfaction as a general assessment, based on the evaluation of the perceived product after the purchase, which has to be compared with the expectations before the purchase. On the other hand, Halstead et al. (1994) consider that satisfaction is an affective response, in the centre of which is the comparison of the result of the product before the purchase, and during or after its consumption. Rust and Oliver (1994) suggest that the level of satisfaction reflects the degree to which a consumer believes that the possession or use of a service generates positive feelings. As noted by Chang et al. (2009), when satisfaction is considered as an emotional response, it is defined as satisfaction of transaction, whereas when the service depends on many factors, in which repeated transactions occur, satisfaction is given as a cumulative result, or overall satisfaction (Shankar et al., 2003). To a great extent, this view of repeated transactions corresponds to the service provided by universities, since it depends on many factors over a long period of time. In addition, students do not have the opportunity to easily switch providers, causing opportune dissatisfaction. Various researchers have defined satisfaction as a positive orthe net value of services received from a provider (Schmidt and Allscheid, 1995; Woodruff, 1997; Douglas et al., 2004). The table below shows a selection of definitions about this concept. Therefore, the concept of customer satisfaction has been extensively debated in the literature, and numerous definitions have been proposed without a consensus being reached. After having thoroughly examined the main definitions that have been proposed, Giese and Cote (2000) identify three basic distinctive components that make up satisfaction: 1. The type of response, (i.e. whether it is a cognitive, affective or conative), as well as the intensity of the response. 2. The focus or object of this response, which may be based on an evaluation of the rules related to the product, the experiences of consumption of the product, or the attributes related to the purchase, such as, for example, the sales staff. 3. The time or moment at which the evaluation is performed, which can be expressed before or after making the choice, after consumption, after accumulated experiences, or at any other time. In this study, for example, the evaluation is performed after the consumption of the service and gathers experiences accumulated from the perspective of the graduate. Achieving consumer or customer satisfaction is one of the main goals for greater competitiveness (Seymour, 1993). Knowing the satisfaction of different audiences gives rise to different benefits (Anderson, 1993): For clients this means that organizations understand the variables that improve the satisfaction of the public, which leads to improvements in products and services and improvements in life standards; For companies this means improvement of the customer portfolio (forecast for the future), improvements in the distribution of resources, competitive information; For countries this means an increase in competitiveness within national strategies, improvements in state economies, aid for decision making in the businesses (national and foreign), and a better understanding of the differences between countries. Understanding of satisfaction with the organizations gives rise to synergies that, generally, tend to favor the competitiveness of a country. Satisfaction for university students A university, as a public institution, should try to create a positive image for its different audiences. It must know each one of them deeply to satisfy them adequately and to know what all those variables that influence a positive assessment of the university are. In the case of students, it is important to analyze all those variables that influence both: their university experience, as well as their pre- and post-experiences. Therefore, universities progressively create, maintain and consolidate relationships with their different audiences, especially with their students (Hasan, Ilias, Rahman and Razak, 2008). It is only with the satisfied students that the success and permanence of the students, and, above all, the formation of a positive word of mouth can be achieved in the institution (Alves and Raposo, 2004). In the context of higher education, Elliot and Healy (2001) affirm that student satisfaction is a short-term attitude derived from the evaluation of their educational experience. On the other hand, Elliott and Shin (2002) define student satisfaction as the subjective evaluation of the different students outcomes (employment, social, etc.) as well as of their experiences of education and life on campus and their initial expectations. The reasons that motivated students to decide on their career and on the university play a fundamental role in such expectations (Elliot and Shin, 2002). A university students satisfaction is a multidimensional concept that depends on students own implication and goals, as well as on the quality and service provided by the university (Hartman and Schmidt, 1995). As a rule, student satisfaction was assessed throughout the literature with the help of questionnaires that evaluate the quality of teaching and the content of subjects or specific services, such as libraries. But a lesser degree of questionnaires are sent to students after finishing the university stage, so that they can evaluate the institution. In addition, it is important to analyse the psychological and pre-university aspects that influence the academic evolution of the student. Students participating in the learning process are the main stakeholders of the university, and therefore, the focus on student satisfaction goes hand in hand with the development of a culture of continuous improvement of the university (Harvey, 1995). Biggs (2003) reviews the studies that have addressed university satisfaction, concluding that achieving high student satisfaction allows for different benefits to be obtained in the learning process: Teachers show higher productivity and enthusiasm when the appreciation of their services is evaluated; In the case of higher education, an institution is more willing to adopt changes; for example, to assume new teaching / learning styles; It is assumed that students performs their university studies and have fun at the same time; Students perception and experience are evaluated so that the university is aware of the aspects to be improved based on the students opinion. There have been numerous researches, who focused on the concept of university satisfaction, via studying which components or determinants make up such satisfaction (Aitken, 1982; Bean Bradley, 1986; Pike, 1991; Hartman Schmidt, 1995; Webb Jagun, 1997; Browne et al., 1998; Aldridge Rowley, 1998; Browne et al., 1999; Elliot Healy, 2001; Wiers-Jenssen, Stensaker Grogaard, 2002; Elliot Shin, 2002; DeShields, Kara Kaynak, 2005; Marzo et al., 2005; Arambewela Hall, 2006; Alves Raposo, 2007; Nasser, Khoury Abouchedid, 2008; Husain et al., 2009; Alves Raposo, 2010; Pike Larkin, 2010; Duque Weeks, 2010; Kheiry et al., 2012; Duarte, Alves Raposo, 2012; Moosmayer Siems, 2012; Blà ¡zquez et al., 2013). Table 3.11 lists papers whose main objective is to analyze the components and processes of satisfaction in the context of higher education. The performed work has measured the satisfaction of current students, that is, during their university experience. Among these studies, Aitken (1982) established that satisfaction depended on academic factors and accommodation services, whereas financial and personal factors, and involvement determined student retention. Later, Bean and Bradley (1986) concluded that the academic results do not affect the perception of the quality of aspects such as the service received or the physical aspects and satisfaction. More recently, Elliot and Healy (2001) concluded that attributes related to the environment, learning and student welfare are the main sources of satisfaction. Wiers-Jenssen et al. (2002) determined that university environment, as well as infrastructures and quality of service (as a specific dimension) are the main factors. While Husain et al. (2009) evidenced empirically that the sources of greatest satisfaction are the physical environment, interaction and received support, feedback, evaluation, and management. Finally, within the factors considered, Blà ¡zquez et al. (2013) concluded that sports activities and international programs are the social aspects that have the greatest impact on student satisfaction. In their study they included aspects related to facilities and resources (libraries, leisure resources, etc.), academic factors (teaching, workload, etc.) and social aspects (sports, housing, environment, etc.). Thereby, most of the authors have examined the satisfaction from the perspective of the current students, that is to say, that they were at the moment of carrying out their studies. Therefore, they have not been based on the recommendations of Westbrook and Oliver (1991) and Mano and Oliver (1993) who affirm that satisfaction is a state that must be evaluated after product consumption or service experience. However, Hartman and Schmidt (1995) took the perspective of the graduate (hence, after consumption) concluding that satisfaction depends largely on whether academic and work expectations have been met in addition to a favorable assessment of the services received during the experience. In this regard, the work of Duarte et al. (2012) compared the satisfaction of 150 students at two stages: halfway through their university career and after completing their studies. The results indicated that satisfaction is maintained at similar levels both when studying and at the end of the course; in fact, certain aspects, such as quality, were valued more once the graduates had had work experience. This contrasts with the results of Pike and Larkin (2010), and although they did not measure satisfaction by means of the graduate, they compared the evaluation of postgraduate students satisfaction at the beginning, middle and end of their course, revealing that satisfaction was greater during the initial stage of their studies, followed by higher levels of dissatisfaction later because their expectations have not been met. Nasser et al. (2008) reached the same conclusion, where he determined that the newcomers in the institution are those that present a higher degree of satisfaction . Apart from these studies, it is also worth mentioning the studies of graduates in Spain where they measure the satisfaction of the graduates with respect to the training and the service received that were analyzed in chapter 1 (for example, the UGR). With respect to other researchers, only Webb and Jagun (1997) took into account the employees of the university, and Browne et al. (1999) analyzed parental satisfaction compared to that of their own children, concluding that there is practically no difference in satisfaction among them, although it is slightly higher among the parents. Another aspect resulting from the observation of the table is that satisfaction has been a subject of research in many different countries, but the research done in the United States has been put in the forefront (Aitken, 1982; Bean and Bradley, 1986; Pike, 1991; Schmidt 1995, Browne et al., 1998, Browne et al., 1999, Elliot and Healy, 2001, Elliot and Shin, 2002, DeShields, Kara and Kaynak, 2005); there the majority of studies have focused on understanding the satisfaction attributes and development of a methodology or definition of a special measure for the university sector. Taking into account the Spanish context, Marzo et al. (2005) analyzed the influence of teaching components as factors of satisfaction. More recently, Blà ¡zquez et al. (2013) considered a greater number of aspects of university quality such as offered services or visual elements. It is noteworthy that in the study carried out by Duque and Weeks (2010) among both Spanish and American students, it was concluded that the implication is relevant in mediating the positive or negative assessment of the university service. Mention that studies have emphasized the importance of the relationship between quality and satisfaction (as was already possible in the section on quality) and will be analyzed later. Academic achievement has also been the subject of study as the basis for satisfaction with intellectual expectations (Bean and Bradley, 1986; Pike, 1991). Finally, taking into account the methodologies used to measure satisfaction, statistical techniques of regression analysis and structural equations stand out. Qualitative methods have been used to a lesser extent in relation to other variables such as image or quality, with certain exceptions (Webb and Jagun, 1997; Aldridge and Rowley, 1998).

Effect of Fertiliser on Fruits and Plants | Experiment

Effect of Fertiliser on Fruits and Plants | Experiment Presentation of analysis and discussion Evaluation of the effect of particular fertiliser on bell peppers fruits and plants size between treated or non-treated bell peppers plants. Three Dataset were provided by Harper Adams University (HAU) (The data is available on the learning hub portal of HAU site https://hub.harper- adams.ac.uk/ moodle/course/view.php?id= 4030) during the experimental design and analysis module (November 2016). From three dataset we investigated the effect of specific fertilizer on plant and fruit size of bell peppers (treated or non-treated)in the green house. To test the hypothesis that: plant and fruit size in treated bell peppers are to be higher than in non-treated, Ancova was conducted to determine a statistically significant difference between the size of plants and fruit of bell peppers (treated or non-treated) in the glasshouse. The result showed that there were no significant interaction between plant size and treatments (P: 0.49), although in Fig.1, the treated plants were larger than non-treated plants (t=5.502, d.f=56, P Treated and non- treated bell peppers in glasshouse were not different enough to reject the hypothesis thus adding a particular fertiliser or not, it doesnt substantial effects on bell pepper yield. However, environment condition such as temperature, humid, and details of specific fertiliserand time of light were excluded from analysis and hence can effect on our statistic result. Also disease and pest can may efficacy on plants for taking nutrients from soil for growing so these factors must be considered for further research. It may be better to evaluate the nutritional contains in compost on agricultural soil or greenhouse soils because increasing heavy metal can have a counter-effect on the soil. Horn et al., 2003 indicated that the enhancement of the use of CSS (Composted sewage sludge) on agriculture soils which contain nutritional and heavy metal may effect on soil must consider on optimisation of this compost on agricultural plots .(ZZZ) Fig 1. The relationship between Fruit size and plant size of bell peppers in the glasshouse.   Ã‚   An Experimental Protocol The effect of poultry and animal manures on growth characteristics of Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) in green house Location (place of Carrying of the experiment) This experiment would be provided by Harper Adams University in Experimental design and analysis module, from September till November of 2017 to investigate the comparative effect of four manures including chicken, sheep, pig and mix manure on the growth Performance of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) plants and fruits weight in the greenhouse Aim and Objective Testing the efficacy of four manures on vegetation growth and fruit size of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) growth in the greenhouse. Null hypothesis H0: this research is to test that all fertilisers would have the same effect on fruit and plants growth. PLANTS MATERIAL We would prefer to use Tomato for our research. Tomato is a significant vegetable which is grown in worldwide. It provides vitamins, minerals and it can increase the income of the tomato producer because of its high demands for cooking and other productions (Ojeniyi et al., 2005). Preparation of the land The experiment will be organized on a Randomised Complete Block Design (R C B D). This design would be use to control variation in an experiment by accounting for spatial effects in field or greenhouse. In this Design, each block will have different treatments but not the same treatment also the number of blocks is the number of replications. In this experiment there will be four treatment, and the treatments will be replicated four times (four block). The total land area would be1 approximately 8000m ². Eighteen beds with the size of 2.5 x 2.5meters will be used .The gap between each planted crop is 1m as well as between the blocks. Each bed will carry four transplantation plants (Figure 1). Treatments Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) is broadly used in the agricultural production hence, sustainable energy forms and decreasing the costs of fertiliser has led to use organic manures (Odedina et al., 2011). The high amount of organic wastes such as pig and poultry manures which contain nutrients can be the efficient source for vegetables (Adediran et al., 2003) therefor the treatments for this research are: 1: 60 ml/m ² chicken manure 2: 60 ml/m ² sheep manure 3: 60 ml/m ² Pig manure. 4: 60 ml/m ² mixed manure (NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphorus and potassium) Fertiliser and pig manure (50:50)) Data collocation We will obtain four measurements including Tomato length (mm), leaf number, stem diameter (cm) and plant height (cm). These measurements will be collected and collated into a data file. The analysis of soil has been deposited before planting, and manure was also taken for chemical and physical applications. All treatments at the rate of approximately 60 ml/m ² will apply on the soil during the bed preparation for each row of tomato transplants. During their growth, the tomato plants will be kept in a constant temperature. Weeding would be done for all the plants and also irrigation will be apply to all tomatoes in the greenhouse every day. Figure 1. The experiment Design Block1 1 2 4 3 Block 2 2 1 3 4 Block 3 4 3 1 2 Block 4 3 4 2 1 During the growth of plants, two plants per bed will randomly be selected for growth determination. The number of leaves, plants height and stem diameter, will be evaluated. Also during harvesting, the weight of fruits per two selected plants will be determined and accumulated. Statistical analysis The data collected in the experiment will statistically analysis with R version 3.3.2 (R Development Core Team). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) would be done on every measured parameters to determine the significance of differences between means of treatments. Means for each parameter will be separated by the least significant difference (LSD) test. Results Leaves number The results of the experiment will show a significant difference in leaves number amongst treatment during growth of tomatoes. The highest number of leaves will be recorded for mixed manure throughout the growth period. After that, pig manure will give more number of leaves compare to the other manures which would show fewer leaves. Plant height The result will demonstrated that the plants height will be increase in all our treatments until the end of the December however on November mixed manure treatment increase growth more significantly than other treatments until the end of the month. Plant stem diameter   Measuring stem diameter would indicate that the highest plant stem diameter will be observe when pig and mixed manure is apply. However other treatments would show no significant difference in the growth stage compare to each other. Fruit weight Pig manure will show the highest number of fruits among other treatments however mixed manure would show larger fruit compare to the Pig manure in green house. Also there will not be any remarkable difference in fruits weight in other treatments. Discussion These results present that pig manure and mixed manure would provide the highest fruit weight, number of leaves, and plant stem diameter and height compar to other treatments however mixed manure might effect more than pig manure on tomato growth. Therefor this would indicate that mixed manure might be more effective compared to the other treatments on tomato plants. Although some researcher reported that pig manure can be more effective than mixed manure, Ojeniyi et al 2005 informed that in cereal crops such as corn, pig manure can improve soil nutrients and may increase grain yield compare to other manures. Also they relised that using pig manures more efficacy compare to the goat manure for improving and increasing the yield of okra .however Giwa and Ojeniyi 2004 pointed out that combining mixed manure such as pig or poultry manure with NPK fertiliser may improve the yield of tomatoes more than applying pig or poultry manure on plants individually. The same result supported by Ade kiya and Agbede 2009 in their research Growth and yield of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) as influenced by poultry manure and NPK fertilizer This conclusion is still uncertain and requires further in-depth studies specifically. May be better to consider other factors such as, disease, pest, soil nutrient, amount of the received light and various tomato Species. Also the amount of used fertiliser and number of replicate may effect the acquired result. References Adediran, J., Taiwo, L. and Sobulo, R. 2003. Organic wastes and their effect on tomato (lycopersicum esculentus) yield. African Soils, 33 pp. 99-116. Adekiya, A. and Agbede, T. 2009. Growth and yield of tomato (lycopersicon esculentum mill) as influenced by poultry manure and NPK fertilizer. Emirates Journal of Food and Agriculture, 21 (1), pp. 10-20. Giwa, D. and Ojeniyi, S. 2004. Proceeding 29th conference of soil science society of nigeria, UNAAB, abeokuta Horn, A. L., Dà ¼ring, R. and Gà ¤th, S. 2003. Comparison of decision support systems for an optimised application of compost and sewage sludge on agricultural land based on heavy metal accumulation in soil. Science of the Total Environment, 311 (1), pp. 35-48. Odedina, J., Ojeniyi, S. and Odedina, S. 2011. Comparative effect of animal manures on soil nutrients status and performance of cassava. Nigerian Journal of Soil Science, 21 (1), pp. 58-63. Ojeniyi, S. and Adejobi, S. 2005. Proceedings 39th conference of agricultural society of nigeria, benin city

Who is the Greater Villain, Godfrey or Dunstan? :: Free Essay Writer

Who is the Greater Villain – Godfrey or Dunstan? My understanding of a villain is a wicked person or some one who tricks someone. In the dictionary a â€Å"villain† is defined as a person who is guilty or capable of great wickedness or a criminal. My impressions of Godfrey are that he is weak, however he also has qualities of a villain as well. Godfrey’s younger brother Dunstan is not like Godfrey and he us more like a villain than weak. My initial impressions of Godfrey were that he was a good person. This is shown in chapter 3, â€Å"Mr Godfrey, the eldest, a fine open – faced, good natured young man†. The first time he seemed weak was when he kept his marriage to Molly Farren a secret. This implies that he was weak - willed and usually unable to think of much beyond his immediate material comfort. He also allows Dunstan to blackmail him about his marriage. â€Å"â€Å"Well, Master Godfrey, what do you want with me?† said Dunsy in a mocking tone â€Å"Suppose, now, you get the money yourself, and save me the trouble, eh? †¦You’ll not refuse me the kindness to pay it back for me: it was the brotherly love made you do it, you know?†Ã¢â‚¬  This implies Dunsy is taking advantage over his brother and he also sounds like he is being sarcastic when he talks about brotherly love. Godfrey’s actions also back this idea up as he, â€Å"bit his lips and clenched his fist†. I Feel Dunsy is very villainous when he talks about being such â€Å"a good natured brother†. He also blackmails Godfrey when he says â€Å"You’ll take any trouble for me. You’ll get the hundred pounds for me – I know you will!† this seems like he is threatening Godfrey and instead of asking for the money he is demanding it like he is the master of Godfrey. I feel sorry for Godfrey when he starts quivering and explains that he â€Å"hasn’t got a shilling to bless his self with† this implies he is weak. Although Godfrey shows he is not as weak as it comes across because he threatens Dunsy, when Dunsy talks about her. Godfrey also didn’t want to go to mornings meet as it was near Batherley (which was the place where him and Molly Farren got married). Godfrey and Molly Farrens secret marriage is a good example of guilt and moral cowardice. Godfrey keeps the marriage a secret, as he knows that if his father (Squire Cass) finds out about it, he would disown him. The person Godfrey really loves is Nancy Lammeter and

A Thousand Differences :: Sociology, Social Norms

The world today is full of so many cultures. Each one drastically different from the other and equipped with their own customs and â€Å"social norm†. The culture in America is radically different from that in Afghanistan. This fact is evident in A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. This book follows the journeys two young women living in the harsh world in Afghanistan until their paths cross and they unite to rebel against the maltreatment of women that is widely accepted in their country. The lives these women lead in this book is dramatically opposite of the life that women have in America. The daily life over all in Afghanistan is very strange compared to America. They must live with droughts, poverty, and war every day. In 1999, in the city of Kabul, there was a huge drought. It had not snowed in the winter and there was no rain in the spring. The riverbed that ran through the city was completely dried up (261). With very little and scorching heat it must have been exceedingly difficult to cook or stay cool. With two young children to keep fed and hydrated water is a necessity. One of the main characters, Mariam, grew up in a mud hut on the outskirts of a village in the mountains (10). Small houses and very little income was the average life in the country. In her city, a two-story house was practically a mansion, and in America that is considered normal. The standard of living is much lower in Afghanistan. The region the two girls live in was one of constant war. Different ethnicities and religions were constantly fighting and the government was very uns teady. They lived literally in the midst of the battle zone. They could hear gunfire and rockets constantly. Houses along their very own street were taken out by bombs. Laila even lost her parents when her own house was bombed (174). It is impossible to imagine what it would be like living with that. Everyday hearing the whistling and hoping the rocket was not coming down on your house. Then losing your parents, it is unfathomable. Innocent bystanders shot down simple because they are in the wrong time at the wrong place. Women in their country have very little rights and freedoms.

Human Event Essay

Point: to argue that a balance of both texts' strategies are most effective l. Opening sentences] define leadership. What makes a good leader. Or a quote from a good leader II. Background on Chinese historic] In 500 BC, the Chou Dynasty was falling apart and there was civil strife. Confucius tried to bring people together through ritual and culture. Sun Tug was an ancient ill. No one can follow a leader without a balance of both strict rules and humanity lb.Thesis: Although the Confucius and Sun Tug share different points of view on leadership, a balance of both strategies would e the most effective in times of both war and peace. II. Rebuttal I. Include somewhere either in beginning or the end. I'. Each theory on political leadership is different and can be used effectively and separately because there is more than one way to win the hearts of the people. Ill. Confucius can easily win the hearts of the people through the moral values and cultures of China lb.Sun Tug can easily win a war through his strategic skills and defense tactics Ill. How Confucius strategies alone will not work. His teachings are all about the value and culture. He doesn't give the best advice as to how to win a war though I. 13. 120 â€Å"even with a true king, it would certainly take one generation for humanity to prevail† if. 12. 210 â€Å"always put the effort before the reward; is this not the way to accumulate moral power? To attack evil in itself ill. 8. 90 â€Å"you can make people follow the Way, you cannot make them understand it† define what the Way means. Lb. 5. 00 † there was a time went I used to listen to what people said and trusted that they would act accordingly, but not I listen to what they say and watch what they do† e contradicts himself v. 2. 30 â€Å"lead them by political maneuvers, restrain them with punishments: the people will become cunning and shameless. † Another contradiction IV. How Sun Tutu's strategies alone will not wo rk. Book doesn't display any uses of humanity and only focuses on how to gain victory. L. â€Å"In order to kill the enemy, men must be roused to anger; that there may be advantage from defeating the enemy, they must have their rewards† (46) ii.Sun Tug beheads two girls for disobeying him and disobeys his master by beheading them when he said not to hen says â€Å"there are commands of the sovereign which must not be obeyed† (12). Sun Tug shows no humanity in his leadership and performs his actions to prove a point I†. â€Å"In war, the way to avoid what is strong is to strike what Is weak† too harsh on people. (62) iv. â€Å"He wins his battles by making no mistakes† (53) must complete perfection to gain victory, but no one is perfect and every one will make a mistake at some point. V. The use of humanity and kindness by Confucius.There is no need to kill the bad if unnecessary. I. 12. 190 â€Å"suppose I were to kill the bad to help the good; how about that? â€Å"you are here to govern; what need Is there to kill? If you desire what Is good, the people will be good. The moral power of gentleman Is wind, the moral power of the common man Is grass. Under the wind, the grass must bend. † II. 12. 220 love all men and no one contradicts you-is this not almost a case of ‘one single maxim that could ruin a country? † must understand your own faults even as a leader or else whole country will fall ‘v. . 190 â€Å"raise the straight and set them above the crooked, and you will win the hearts of the people. If you raise the crooked and set them abaca the trait, the people will deny you their support† v. 2. 200 ‘Approach them with dignity and they will be respectful. Be yourself and a good son and a kind father, and they will be loyal. Raise the good and train the incompetent, and they will be zealous† VI. The use of spies and deceit by Tug can be used effectively to ensure your country or even company will succeed. I. â€Å"all warfare is based on deception† (42) it.Explain how all 5 uses of spying can be used. â€Å"Without subtle ingenuity of mind, one cannot make certain of the truth of their reports† (98) iii. Doomed spies are robbery the most confusing and difficult type of spy but can be the most helpful because it will distract the other side from the real truth. ‘v. Uses deceit to win war, be very tricky. Best way to gain an advantage on your enemy. † if he is inactive, give him no rest. If his forces are united, separate them. Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected† (43) VI'.Combining both strategies and how it will prove to be most effective in leading a country or wartime against other countries. Effective way to rule a country with the balancing of both strategies ill help because one is more on humanity and ritual while the other is more on war and doing anything possible to win. I. 12. 70 â⠂¬Å"if you had to do without one of these three, which would you give up? † â€Å"weapons, then food; after all, everyone has to die eventually. But without the trust of the people, no government can stand† gaining trust will be effective in ruling a country. People must trust the leader or else he will not be followed. T. 8. 20 â€Å"when gentlemen treat their kin generously, common people are attracted to goodness; when old ties are not forgotten, common people are not sickle. † iii. 7. 310 â€Å"whenever I make a mistake, there is always someone to notice it† good to learn your mistakes even as a leader. No one is perfect not even leaders ‘v. 7. 260 â€Å"a perfect man, I cannot hope to meet. I would be content if only I could meet a principled man† no leader will be perfect and the leader must be well taught and know literature v. â€Å"in war, a general receives his commands from the sovereign, collects his army and concentrates his forc es† (69) vi. . 70 â€Å"a gentleman avoids competition† goes well with â€Å"when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces we must seem inactive† (42 vii. â€Å"Hence it is only the enlightened ruler and the wise general who will use the highest intelligence of the army for purposes of spying, and thereby they achieve great results† (99) viii. â€Å"the general who is unable to control his impatience will launch his men to the assault like swarming ants, with the result that one-third of his men are slain. † (49) VIII. So now what? Today's society I. Apply to our past presidents and how they led our country ii.How these leadership philosophies can be applied to businesses iii. Explain how philosophies are applied to the war strategies we use today Write an argumentative analytic comparison of the political leadership philosophies advanced in The Analects of Confucius and The Art of War. For example, your thesis might compare the id eas of Sun Tug and Confucius on political leadership and argue (I. E. , in times of war/peace, for democracies/monarchies, etc. ), you might argue that a balance of both texts' strategies are most effective, you might argue that both texts are fundamentally advocating similar behaviors, etc.

How We Define Ourselves as Humans

How do we define ourselves as Humans? Name: Instructor or Class: September 10, 2009 This paper discusses what it means to be human, and the importance of the human’s responsibilities in life. It is important to fulfill the responsibilities as humans, and to explore all of the options and possibilities that the human’s short life has to hold. Plato saw man's true nature as rational and believed that civilized society must be organized, and civilized life conducted according to rational principles. Plato and Russell stated that to be human is to wonder and explore the intellectual possibilities of life. I believe that this is the correct philosophy on life, and the human race should wish to explore all of their intellectual possibilities and responsibilities. Plato once said, â€Å"Human behavior flows from three main sources: desire, emotion, and knowledge. † It is essential to understand why humans are here on earth, and what their responsibilities are. Humans desire to be healthy, happy and to have freedom. Russell said â€Å"happiness of mankind  should be the aim of all actions†. Humans use their emotions to express ones desire and to show others what they want and who they are. Humans use knowledge to live out their life goals and fulfill their responsibilities. I believe that Plato and Russell were correct in their statement, because to be human should be to explore all the possibilities that there are in the world. What would the world be if we did not try to understand life, and to make the most of oneself? Since the beginning of civilization, man has always been provoked and motivated by the need to make progress and development. This necessity has led to great advancement in technology and how the human race lives day to day. If humans did not have this motivation, they might all be cavemen living outdoors hunting for food and water. What would the earth be like if Thomas Edison was no motivated to create the light bulb? What would the world be like if people did not have the motivation to develop our basic necessities of everyday life? The â€Å"what if† questions could be endless in this topic, but the main explanation here is that humans have the need and responsibility to develop. Humans were made to wonder and explore life. The possible objections to Plato and Russell’s theory would be that humans are to live life under restrictions and follow what we are told to do. Some may say that the consequences of human actions may deplete our resources and kill off the human race. My rebuttal for this, is what if humans did not try? If someone did not try to make the world the best and strive for the best, humans might not have survived as long as they have. It is possible that without the technology that they have explored and created, the human race would not have made it this far and become extinct. For the people who strictly believe that the other philosopher’s statements that the instructor has allowed us to view are the only form of truth, are forcing humans to limitations. They say that humans must follow moderation and live to duty, which forms some truth, but not all. Humans have never or will never force themselves to limitations, because if they did people would have never created the vast life forms that they have. Humanity would possibly be without power, without running water, and without other every day necessities if they would have restricted themselves to moderation. This is common in third world countries that have not organized and developed themselves as far as the United States and other first world countries. People of the world have obviously agreed to this philosophy with or without knowing, because look at how the lives that they have developed as humans. Humans live day to day full of technology and necessities because the people of their ancestry have explored all of their intellectual possibilities and are striving to do more. In conclusion to Plato and Russell’s philosophy I would like to add that I feel that being a human means to live life to its fullest, be happy, healthy and find unconditional love. To find all of these qualities, the human race has to have wisdom and knowledge. It takes time to fulfill life’s goals and responsibilities, but as Plato once said, â€Å"Never discourage anyone who continually makes progress, no matter how slow. † I feel that over time the definition being humans will change, yet the one part that will stay the same is that humans will always strive for excellence to find happy, healthy lives.