The role of arts in modern life is unique, providi Essays

The role of arts in modern life is unique, providi Essays The role of arts in modern life is unique, providing people with entertainment and yielding various psychological rewards, such as relief from stress. Despite these benefits, the arts have been taken as luxury goods in many cases. It is suggested that public money of a city should be concentrated in projects like public facilities, which arc more likely to bring immediate benefits to the public, rather than the arts. There are a number of facts indicating that this position is right.Public facilities, widely accepted as one of the main precursors to a city's development, should be one of the highest priorities. Those underdeveloped cities in particular, should direct sufficient funding toward public facilities. While municipal office buildings, courthouses and post offices are essential components of public services, libraries, hospitals, parks, playing fields, gymnasiums and swimming pools are available to the public for social, educational, athletic and cultural activities. By boos ting spending on public facilities, cities are more capable to satisfy the needs of citizens and improve their standard of living.In addition to social benefits, there are economic merits that public facilities can offer to communities. An integrated transport network (maritime, land and inland waterways transport and civil aviation), for example, promises the smooth and speedy movement of goods and people in a city. Industrial products, as well as agricultural produce of a city, can be delivered to other cities in exchange for steady income. Of equal importance are public Internet facilities. Providing access to information by improving Internet and other telecommunications facilities has relevance to the ease with which businesses in a city receive, process, utilize and send information. It is no exaggeration to say that entrepreneurs, either from home or abroad, will first examine the infrastructure of a city before deciding whether to pursue business opportunities there.The arts , by comparison, although enabling people to see the world and the human condition differently and to see a truth one might ignore before, do not merit government spending. The first reason is that the arts- referring to music, film and literature altogether- are more likely to attract the investment of the private sector than public facilities. Business people continue to invest in the arts in the expectation of earning lump sum income and the arts in return, continue to flourish without the government spending. Meanwhile, the arts are a key component of a culture and naturally passed down from one generation to another. Unlike public facilities, they require no money to survive.It is therefore clear that construction of public facilities should be given the foremost consideration. The concern about the well-being of individual citizens and that of a city is more acute than the apprehension about the survival and prospects of the arts, something that businesses have a stake in.

Learn What a Verb Is and See Examples in English

Learn What a Verb Is and See Examples in English A verb is the part of speech (or word class) that describes an action or occurrence or indicates a state of being. Verbs and verb phrases usually function as predicates. Verbs can display differences in tense, mood, aspect, number, person, and voice. There are two main classes of verbs:  lexical verbs  (also known as  main verbs), which arent dependent on other verbs, and  auxiliary verbs  (also called  helping verbs). As with lexical versus auxiliary verbs, many types of verbs come in opposites, as explained below. Lexical vs. Auxiliary Lexical verbs- also called  full verbs- convey the  semantic (or lexical) meaning  in a  sentence, such as: It rained last night.I  ran  fast.I  ate  the entire hamburger. The great majority of verbs in English are lexical verbs. An auxiliary verb, by contrast, determines the mood or tense of another verb in a phrase, for example: It will rain tonight. In this sentence, the verb will  helps the verb rain by pointing to the future. In English, the auxiliary verbs are: Is, am, are, was, wereBe, being, beenHas,  have,  hadDo, does, didWill, shall, should, wouldCan, couldMay, might, must Dynamic  vs.  Stative A  dynamic verb  is used primarily to indicate an action, process, or sensation as opposed to a state, such as: I bought a new guitar.   It is also called an  action or event verb. There are three major types of dynamic verbs: Accomplishment verbs: expressing action that has a logical endpointAchievement verbs: expressing action that occurs instantaneouslyActivity verbs: expressing action that can go on for an indefinite period of time A stative verb- such as  be, have, know, like, own, seem, prefer,  understand,  belong, doubt,  and hate- describes a state, situation, or condition, as in: Now I own a Gibson Explorer.We  are  what we  believe  we  are. A  stative verb  primarily describes a state or situation as opposed to an action or process. It can be a mental or emotional state as well as a physical state of being. The situations are unchanging while they last and can continue for a long or indefinite time period.  These words are also known as a  state verbs  or a  static verbs. Finite  vs.  Nonfinite A finite verb expresses tense and can occur on its own in a main  clause, as in: She walked to school. A finite verb shows  agreement  with a  subject  and is marked for  tense. If there is just one verb in a  sentence, that  verb is finite. Put another way, a finite verb  can stand by itself in a sentence.   Nonfinite verbs, meanwhile, are not marked for tense and do no show agreement with a subject. A  nonfinite verb  (an  infinitive  or  participle) doesnt show a distinction in tense and can occur on its own only in a  dependent  phrase or clause, as in: While  walking  to school, she spotted a bluejay. The main difference between finite and nonfinite verbs is that the former can act as the root of an independent clause, or full sentence, while the latter cannot.  For example: The man  runs  to the store to  get  a gallon of milk. The word runs  is a finite verb because it agrees with the subject (man) and because it marks the tense (present tense). The word  get is a nonfinite verb because it does not agree with the subject or mark the tense. Rather, it is an infinitive and depends on the main (finite) verb runs.   Regular  vs.  Irregular A regular verb forms its verb tenses, especially the  past tense  and  past participle, by adding one in the set of generally accepted standardized suffixes. Regular verbs are conjugated by adding -d, -ed, -ing, or -s to its base form, unlike irregular verbs which have special rules for conjugation. The majority of English verbs are regular. These are the principal parts of regular verbs: The  base form: the  dictionary  term for a word like walkThe -s form: used in the singular third person, present tense  like walksThe -ed form: used in the past tense and past participle  like walkedThe -ing form: used in the present participle  like walking Regular verbs are predictable and always function the same regardless of speaker. An irregular verb  does not follow the usual rules for verb forms. Verbs in English are irregular if they dont have the  conventional -ed ending (such as asked or ended) in the past tense and/or past participle forms.   Transitive  vs.  Intransitive A  transitive verb  takes an  object  (a  direct object  and sometimes also an  indirect object):   She sells seashells. An intransitive verb doesnt take a direct object: She sat there quietly. This distinction is especially tricky because many verbs have both transitive and intransitive functions, depending on how they are used. The verb  break, for instance, sometimes takes a direct object (Rihanna breaks my heart) and sometimes does not (When I hear your name, my heart breaks). Phrasal  vs.  Prepositional A  phrasal verb  is a  type of  compound  verb  made up of a  verb  (usually one of action or movement) and a  prepositional adverb- also known as an adverbial  particle. Phrasal verbs are sometimes called  two-part verbs  (take off  and  leave out) or  three-part verbs  (look up to  and  look down on). There are hundreds of phrasal verbs in English, many of them (such as  tear off, run out [of],  and  pull through) with multiple meanings. Linguist  Angela Downing points out in English Grammar: A University Course that phrasal verbs are one of the most distinctive features of  present-day informal English, both in their abundance and in their productivity. Phrasal verbs often appear in  idioms. A  prepositional verb, by contrast,  is an  idiomatic  expression that combines a  verb  and a  preposition  to make a new verb with a distinct meaning. Some examples of prepositional verbs in English  are  care  for, long for, apply for, approve of, add to, resort to, result in, count on,  and  deal with. The preposition in a prepositional verb is generally followed by a  noun  or  pronoun, and thus prepositional verbs are  transitive. Other Types of Verbs Since verbs describe all action or indicate all states of being in English, its not surprising that there are other types of verbs, which are important to know. Catenative:  A  catenative verb  can link with other verbs to form a chain or series. Examples include  ask,  keep, promise, help,  want,  and  seem. Causative:  A causative verb  is used to indicate that some person or thing makess of causative verbs  include make, cause, allow, help, have, enable, keep, hold, let, force, and require, which can also be referred to as causal verbs or simply causatives. Compound:  A  compound verb  is made up of two or more  words  that function as a single  verb. Conventionally, verb compounds are written as either one word (housesit) or two words joined with a hyphen (water-proof). Copular:  A  copular  verb is a specific type of linking verb that joins the  subject  of a  sentence  or  clause  to a subject  complement. For example, the word  is  functions as a copular verb in the sentences, Jane  is  my friend and Jane  is  friendly. Iterative:  An  iterative verb  indicates that an action is (or was) repeated, such as, Philip  was kicking  his sister. Linking:  A linking verb is a traditional term for a type of  verb  (such as a form of  be  or  seem) that joins the  subject  of a sentence to a word or phrase that  tells something about the subject. For example,  is  functions as a linking verb in the sentence: The boss  is  unhappy. Mental-state:  A  mental-state verb  is a  verb  with a  meaning  related to understanding, discovering, planning, or deciding. Mental-state verbs refer to cognitive states that are generally unavailable for outside evaluation. For example: Toms teaching ability is  known by  all his colleagues. Performative:  A  performative verb  conveys the kind of  speech act  being performed- such as  promise, invite, apologize,  predict, vow, request, warn, insist,  and  forbid. It is also known as  speech-act verb  or  performative utterance.   Prepositional:  A  prepositional verb  is an  idiomatic  expression that combines a  verb  and a  preposition  to make a new verb with a distinct meaning. Some examples  are  care for, long for, apply for, approve of, add to, resort to, result in, count on,  and  deal with. Reporting:  A  reporting verb  (such as  say, tell, believe, reply, respond,  or  ask) is used to indicate that  discourse  is being  quoted  or  paraphrased, such as:  I highly  recommend  that you get a better lawyer. It is also called a  communication verb.

HR strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

HR strategy - Essay Example The unreliable market experienced during the case would have been as a result of poor production which is also a consequence of lack of proper management by the group managers and corresponding supervisors within the packaging department (Armstrong, 2008, p. 13). Some of the consequences of poor management experienced in the case study include but not limited to reduction in sales which negatively impacted on the company creating a perception that the company is losing consumer interest in the global market (Heneman and Judith, 2006, p. 16). In order for the company to go through such situations, there must have been issues that compromise the quality and reliability of the company in carrying out the designated product packaging work in line with the company objectives, missions and visions for the near future which is aimed at not less than creating large economies of scale within the global context (Sparrow, 2009, p. 71). ii. How will these changes impact on the Sonoco Strategy? C onsidering then situations that were experienced within the past decades, it would be wise to utilize the scenarios to determine the current requirements that would enable the company achieve to the required quality and quality so that the company becomes /retains the lead and preference in the packaging sector within the global market (Sparrow, 2009, p. 73). However, it is adept to include both the management and employees in a common strategic plan so that all the required issues are addressed from within a common centre that is able to communicate with the other branches so that the company achieves a common goal in their quest to raise the company to higher and better business class at both levels (Dr. Kilia, 2005, p. 75, & Warne, 2005, p. 84). Through inclusion of the entire stakeholders in the decision making process especially the employees; it is likely that the company would gain from the strategy as the employees would recognize that their concern is necessary in the compa ny’s strategic plan (Schein, 1968, p. 28, & Stewart, 1991, p. 61). This would in itself act as a morale booster hence high output would be achieved from the employees at drastically low production cost. A reduction in production expense with increased productivity is a sign of profit to the company (Purcell and wright, 2007, p. 22, &Ehnert, 2009, p.105). 2. The Cindy Hartley’s objectives for change at Sonoco As the vice president of the Sonoco Company, Cindy Hartley came up with strategies to control fixed costs and reduce expenditure which worked well at some time but later experienced a lot of challenges due to then variation in the value of US dollar and other economic factors like decline in trade with Asia due to financial crisis. However, Cindy perceived a lot more productive measures after a hint from the new CEO, DeLoach’s (Revans, 1982, p. 42, & Temple, 2001, p. 38). Despite the short stay at the company, five years was enough for Cindy Hartley to come up with new policies to positively impact on management and performance to enhance development. However, a lot of emphasis was made on compensation and succession plans so that the

Financial Statement Analysis Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Financial Statement Analysis - Assignment Example That indicates that the company was more liquid in 2010 than in 2007. Therefore, the company was in a better position to meet its obligations in 2010 as compared to 2007. From the ratios, it is evident that the company performed better in 2007 than 2010. The only area in which it performed better in 2010 is in liquidity ratios. That indicates that resource utilization was better in 2007 as compared to 2010 (Piper, 2013, p.53). The cost and expenses may have contributed to the differences in the ratios. Minimizing costs and expenses would act to rectify the trend and ensure the profitability improves in the future. The effect of the expenses is evident as the ratio of the selling, general and administrative expenses to sales is higher in 2010 than in 2007. The ratio is 0.147 and 0.141 respectively. Reducing the expenses would increase the profit and income for the company. That would increase profitability over the years (Brigham and Ehrhardt, 2013, p.107). The asset turnover ratios are higher in 2007 than in 2010. The only turnover ratio that is higher in 2010 than 2007 is the property, plant and equipment turnover ratio. That indicates that the company is able to generate more sales from its assets in 2007 than in 2010. An improvement in this statistic may be possible if the company achieves more sales given the increasing assets over the years. The increased sales would improve the turnover ratios and result in an increase in profitability (Kimmel, Weygandt, and Kieso, 2012, p.689). The Operating Profit influences the Return on Capital Employed (ROCE) to a large extent. The operating profit in 2010 is lower than in 2007. That, coupled with the higher operating capital in 2010, gives a lower return on capital compared to that of 2007. In all aspects, profitability has a huge impact on the Return on Capital Employed (ROCE) of the company. A falling ROCE may be an indication of the company’s falling competitive advantage. An

How people survive the work place political jungle Essay Example for Free

How people survive the work place political jungle Essay Distinguish between positive and negative corporate politics and explain how these can influence employment engagement. The essay will seek to distinguish between positive and negative corporate politics. The writer will start by defining corporate politics in trying to have an understanding of corporate politics and how it influence employee engagement Kakabadse (1983) cited by Armstrong defines politics as ‘a process, that of influencing individuals and groups of people to your point of view, where you cannot rely on authority’. Organizations consist of individuals who, while they are ostensibly there to achieve a common purpose, are, at the same time, driven by their own needs to achieve their own goals (Armstrong, 2009). There is significant difference between corporate politics and negative corporate politics. This can seen from the effect the two have on employee engagement and the purpose of the individual that is to say positive corporate politics is done as tool mainly by management and supervisors to try and influence other staff so as to meet organisational goals. Positive corporate politics is normal done to the benefit of the organisation as a whole. On the other hand negative corporate politics is self fulfilling it is aimed achieving self interests and in most cases it is against organisational goals Positive corporate politics include the process of influencing individual endeavour and ambition to the common good. Some individuals genuinely believe that using political means to achieve their goals will benefit the organization as well as themselves. Positive corporate politics can thus illustrated in the following case; Mrs Takuta is the Personnel at ZTRD Development Bank and is deputised by Taurai who she went to the same University and the two were in the same class. Taurai was more intelligent than his supervisor and because of the relation between the two, Mrs Takuta always find it difficult to give Taurai orders and in extreme situations taurai will challenge his boss. In the quest to have work done through her junior, Mrs Takuta wi ll use the following statement â€Å"the HR Manager wants the report done by the end of the day†. Mrs Takuta would use the HR Manager’s authority to influence Taurai to perform his duties. To the same effect, Positive corporate politics can increase efficiency, form interpersonal relationships, expedite change, and profit the organization and its members simultaneously. This can be achieved if those in power are able to use their power to influence members of staff to this effect. Thus  positive corporate politics would also include the different powers vested in them to influence positive employee engagement and increase in productivity. Management can give their employees the power to make decisions about their jobs – flexible autonomy, reward for good performance among others. Positive corporate politics involves action by individuals or groups to acquire develop and use power and other resources in order to obtain preferred outcomes (Hellriegel, Slocum and Woodman, 1995) Armstrong (2009) defines power as the capacity to secure the dominance of one’s goa ls or value over others. Individuals and managers can thus influence directly and indirectly using the various types of powers. French and Raven (1959) cited by Armstrong identified the four different types of powers that can be used to influence other employees and the power are; reward power, coercive power, expert power and legitimate power. Reward power is when individuals and managers use the reward power to influence or obtain compliance from subordinates by promising or granting rewards that includes salary increase, bonuses or even promotions. It is the management who normal use this power positively to achieve company goals. Coercive power is used to obtain compliance through threats of punishment and actual punishment. For example promising to fire an employee if they use company vehicles for personal use. The ability to influence others with the power anchored in one’s formal position of authority thus the legitimate power. Individuals can use their legitimate positions of authority to get things done through others. Legitimate power focuses constructively on job performance. Expert power is when individuals have influence because of the valueable information or knowledge they posses. The supervisor’s power is enhanced because they know about work schedules and assignments before their subordinates. Corporate politics involves struggles between social entities for resources, personal conflict and a variety of influence tactics executed by individuals and groups to obtain benefits and goals in different ways (Molm 1997) cited by Vigoda, (2000). Molm’s view of corporate politics would to a greater extent reflect negative corporate politics. Ferris, Russ, and Fundt, (1989) cited by Vigoda (2000) defines negative corporate politics as behaviour strategically designed to maximise self interests. Corporate politics can contradict the collective organisational goals or the interests of other people. Medison etal 1980) cited by Vigoda, (2000) observed that when  individuals were asked to describe work place politics they would list self serving and manipulative activities. It can then be understood that negative corporate benefits individuals at the expense of the entire organisation or a work unit. The behaviour is thus associated with manipulation, defamation, subversiveness and illegitimate use of power to attain one’s objectives. Corporate politics can then lead to job anxiety, decrease job satisfaction, and withdrawal from the organisation. Dorory (1993) cited by Vigoda, (2000) found that corporate politics has a potential demaging effect especially on lower status employees. He speculated that employees who lacked a stable power base and effective means of influencing perceived organisational politics as a source of frastiration and react by showing negative attitude towards the organisation. Employees can feel isolated and unhappy if they are not part of a cohesive team or if they are bedevilled by disruptive power politics. In conclusion, one can therefore generalise that positive corporate politics reinforces employee engagement. Employees tend to put more effort either because they expect a reward or have been promised reward for such performance. That is to say employees can be influenced by the reward power. Employees work hard or do not do unwanted behaviours to avoid punishment. in most cases, employees will also give respect to those in authority thus the legitimate power. However, on the other hand, employee will not perform as expected thats negative engagement which can be caused by negative corporate politics. Using case studies, discuss how people within an organisation can use political tactics to survive the corporate political jungle? Individuals within an organisation which can be likened to a political jungle act out roles in efforts to establish identities they wish to convey, and which can result in personal gain. It should also be noted that people alter the image they choose to present, and the strategy used to present this image, based on the situation they are in and the outcomes they hope to achieve that is how they intend to survive (Chad etal 2003). To this effect, it is important to note that individuals do not necessarily use the same tactic in every situation. Likewise, different individuals may choose different tactics when faced with similar situations. For example, whereas one individual may use self-promotion to obtain a job offer, that same individual may use  ingratiation or rationality in an attempt to obtain a promotion or pay raise. On the other hand, another individual, when faced with the same situation, may use ingratiation to obtain a job offer and assertiveness or self-promotion to win a pay raise. Different individuals may use a number of contextual factors which influence tactics an individual chooses to use, under what circumstances he or she chooses to use them, and how effective the tactic of choice will be. Such factors include the relative power of the parties, the direction of the influence attempt, the objective of the influence attempt, and the political skill of the influencer (Falbe Yukl, 1992; Ferris, Perrewe, Anthony, Gilmore, 2000) cited by Chad etal (2003). Buelens etal (2011) also subscribe to the same tactics as identified by Appelbaum and Brent (1998). He pointed out that individuals would use different tactics to get influence within an organisation or rather to get favours and promotions from their bosses. It is however believed that political behaviour is far less common and less intense among employees in lower-level positions than among employees in higher-level positions. There are a variety of political tactics used by employees at almost every organizational level that include forming coalitions and networks, impression management, information management, pursue line responsibility , ingratiation , rational persuasion, consultation and exchange Appelbaum and Brent (1998) . Forming coalitions and networks best known as networking, is a political tactic which consists of befriending important people. These people may not be in positions of any obvious political value but their jobs may provide them with information that could be useful to have. Some people ï ¬ nd that forming friendships with people in upper-level management can help them gain access to important information (Appelbaum and Brent (1998). The above can be illustrated in the following case: Zikanda was a messenger a t RIT Energy. Despite the fact that Zikanda was just a messenger, other senior employees would always give him respect and at most times conform to his needs and favours. For many years in the same organisation, I never realised why even middle level managers would actually conform to unreasonable demands of a mere messenger. Zikanda would take the pool car home as and when he feel like and no one would question that and worse of other senior employee would commute or even ask for transport from him. I later realised that his power or influence was because of his relationship with the General  Manager. Zikanda was no relative with the boss but has managed to form a network with the General Manager they were friends. Zikanda every lunch time would go to the General Manager’s office ask him what he want for lunch. It was Zikanda’s job to be sent to buy him lunch however it was the way the whole thing was done, he would at times buy him lunch with his own monies. The General Manager and Zikanda were just friends they were just too close. Other employees were not comfortable with this relation there were not sure what information the two buddies share. Zikanda has managed to make a network with the General Manager. Impression management is a simple tactic that most people uses from time to time is the management of their outward appearance and style in the quest of trying to impress those in authority. Generally, most organizations prefer a particular image that consists of being loyal, attentive, honest, neatly groomed and sociable. By deliberately trying to exhibit this preferred image, an individual can make a positive impression on inï ¬â€šuential members of the organization. As illustrated in the case of Transport officer who has turned himself to driver. Nhetuka is a transport officer at ZBM Company. Mr Nhetuka has turned himself into a driver in trying to impress management. Nhetuka is always driving managers when he is supposed to delegate drivers to drive managers around. Not only that he takes the Area Manager’s son to and from school a job which is supposed to be done by company driver. Information management is a tactic consisting of managing the information that is shared with others. The nature, as well as the timing, of information given out can have strong effects on others’ conduct (Appelbaum and Brent (1998). People who play the information management game are not likely to lie or spread misinformation, but they rely on the carefully planned release of valid information to obtain their ends (Vecchio and Appelbaum, 1995, p. 323) cited by Appelbaum and Brent (1998). An example can be given of a personnel Clerk who by virtue of his job has access to very important information to include how people can get access to loans among others. The person having such a position can sort respect and influence to the extent that he is able to make people lower themselves to get that information. In a political jungle despite the fact that this information should be given to all employees, one can choose to with hold the information for his own benefit. Pursuing core business within an organization, some positions are more closely tied to the primary  mission of the organization thus the line positions. They are at the very heart of the organization. While staff people may come to wield great power within their own territories, it is the people who do core business who usually â€Å"call the shots† on major issues. Core staff not only makes the more important decisions within the organization, they are also more likely to be promoted to top-level exe cutive positions. In many organizations, there is a preferred department of origin and career path for top- level managers. Therefore, one way to gain inï ¬â€šuence within an organization is to be assigned to a core position. It will often provide more visibility, inï ¬â€šuence, and upward mobility. A case to support the effect of core position for influence in the in an organisation; Takunda was an administration clerk ZETDC an organisation whose core business is to transmit and distribute electricity. He worked very hard for ten years furthering his qualification hoping that one day he will be promoted and be given a higher grade but nothing cane his way. ZETDC would on get people with 5 ‘O’ Level train them as electricians and give them good grades despite that they only posses a Certificate in Electrical power engineering. Takunda then decided to change the career and started a programme at the Polytechnic were he attained a Certificate in Electrical Power Engineering. And it was only then Takunda was recognised and promoted. ‘Ingratiation tactic involves giving compliments or doing favours for superiors or co-workers. Most people have a difficult time rejecting the positive advances of others. Ingratiation usually works as a tactic insofar as the target often feels positive toward the source even if the ingratiation attempt is fairly blatant and transparent. In the behavioural sciences, the notion of â€Å"social reciprocity† has been offered to help explain the process of ingratiation. In social reciprocity, there is a feeling of a social obligation to repay the positive actions of others with similar actions’ Appelbaum and Brent (1998). Appelbaum and Brent, (1998) defines ingratiation as an attempt by individuals to increase their attractiveness in the eyes of others. Ingratiation tends to be used more as an upward inï ¬â€šuence process than as a downward inï ¬â€šuence process. This tactic can best be observed when especial when one has a female boss how often do we pass complements to our female bosses, â€Å"nice hair style†, â€Å"nice dress† even if we don’t mean it. It is a political game most of us play to survive hash judgement from our bosses. In case of a Human resources clerk who  was left acting as Human Resources Officer. During the absence of his boss, Sipiwe was supposed to employ a Customer Care Clerk on a contract basis. Sipiwe knew that his boss’s daughter was unemployed and Sipiwe took this opportunity to employee the boss’s daughter without even consulting the boss. It was later discovered that Sipiwe did this because she had a boyfriend who was out of employment. Sipiwe calculated and realised that it would be easy for her to convince the boss to employ her boyfriend since she has employed the boss’s daughter. In a game of politics one has to be clever and calculative and be able to use politic al tactics to your best advantage. The case above illustrates a tactic called exchange. REFERENCE LIST Appelbaum, S..H. and Hughes, B. (1998) Ingratiation as a political tactic: Effects within the organisation; Journal of Management Decision Vol 36/2 Armstrong, M. (2009) Armstrong’s handbook of human resources management Practice; London, Kogan Pages. Buelens, M. etal (2011) Organisational Behaviour; Berkshire,McGrall- Hill Chad, A. etal (2003) Influence tactics and work outcomes; Journal of Organisational Behaviour Vol 24 No 1. Hellriegal, D. , Slocum, W. J. Jr. and Woodman, R. W. (1995), Organisational Behaviour;New York, West Publishing Company. Vigoda, E. (2000), Organisational Politics, Job attitudes and work outcomes: Exploration and implications for the Public Sector, Journal of Vocational Behaviour Vol 57. MIDLANDS STATE UNIVERSITY FACULT OF SOCIAL SCIENCES BSC HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT HONOURS DEGRE ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR [HRM 202] Assignment Cover Page Surname : NcubeName: Innocent Taurai Reg. Number: R135973GMode of Entry: VISITING Level 2.1 Lecturer: Mrs. Masitara Topic/Question: Distinguish between positive and negative corporate politics and explain how these can influence employment engagement. Using case studies, discuss how people within an organisation can use political tactics to survive the corporate political jungle?

Seperate Peace Summary Essay examples -- essays research papers

A Separate Peace Gene Forrester is a quiet, intellectual student at Devon School in New Hampshire. During the Summer Session of 1942, he becomes close friends with his daredevil roommate Finny, who has a talent for getting away with mischief through his sincere, disarming charisma. Finny prods Gene into making a dangerous jump out of a tree into a river, and the two start a secret society based on this ritual. Gene envies Finny's astonishing athletic abilities, and he begins to suspect that Finny envies his superior academic achievements and has been taking steps to distract him from his studies. His suspicions turn to hatred, but he makes sure to maintain an appearance of friendship so Finny will not suspect him. Gene realizes he was grievously mistaken about the existence of any rivalry between them one day when Finny expresses a sincere desire to see Gene succeed. He goes to the tree to jump with Finny while he is still in a state of shock from the force of his realization, and when Finny gets out to the edge of the branch, Gene shakes it, causing Finny to fall to the bank and shatter his leg. The doctor tells Gene that Finny's athletic days are over. Gene goes in to see Finny and begins to confess what he has done, but the doctor interrupts him and Finny is sent home before Gene gets another chance. The Summer Session ends, and Gene goes home for a brief vacation. On his way back to the school from his home in the South, Gene stops by Finny's house a... Seperate Peace Summary Essay examples -- essays research papers A Separate Peace Gene Forrester is a quiet, intellectual student at Devon School in New Hampshire. During the Summer Session of 1942, he becomes close friends with his daredevil roommate Finny, who has a talent for getting away with mischief through his sincere, disarming charisma. Finny prods Gene into making a dangerous jump out of a tree into a river, and the two start a secret society based on this ritual. Gene envies Finny's astonishing athletic abilities, and he begins to suspect that Finny envies his superior academic achievements and has been taking steps to distract him from his studies. His suspicions turn to hatred, but he makes sure to maintain an appearance of friendship so Finny will not suspect him. Gene realizes he was grievously mistaken about the existence of any rivalry between them one day when Finny expresses a sincere desire to see Gene succeed. He goes to the tree to jump with Finny while he is still in a state of shock from the force of his realization, and when Finny gets out to the edge of the branch, Gene shakes it, causing Finny to fall to the bank and shatter his leg. The doctor tells Gene that Finny's athletic days are over. Gene goes in to see Finny and begins to confess what he has done, but the doctor interrupts him and Finny is sent home before Gene gets another chance. The Summer Session ends, and Gene goes home for a brief vacation. On his way back to the school from his home in the South, Gene stops by Finny's house a...

Cross-cultural Communication Essay

Language is playing nowadays one of the most important roles in cross-cultural communication, because it is a door into new culture and traditions. Cross-cultural communication arouses great interest compared with that of several decades ago. It means that the future success of a person mainly depends on his ability to use language and to communicate effectively across cultural boundaries. Nevertheless learning other languages doesn’t limit cross-cultural communication, language firstly suggests how cultural traditions and patterns are understood and how cultural values may affect the process of communication. (Managing Communication) Learning other languages is nowadays necessity, not only an option. Lots of spheres are influenced by cross-cultural communication involving, for example, health care providers, businesses, educational institutions, social service agencies and non-governmental organizations. Modern world recognizes and appreciates the role of language that is played in developing communication beyond cultural boundaries. Studying of language will help to achieve goals outside the native country. (Managing Communication) Understanding how to communicate cross-culturally will help to promote creating smoothly working project teams; responding to customers, clients, and markets; living and working in a culturally diverse world. Language is necessary in realizing that a person from other culture expresses his ideas and thoughts in completely different way. It is mentioned that â€Å"developing an awareness of why hearing words alone is not sufficient to discern meaning†. Language is important as well as learning of cultural customs and traditions of the country. In a modern swiftly changing world people and cultures are circulating and interacting as at a really dizzying speed. Those people who know how to use language and how to communicate effectively across cultures have a crucial advantage over others. (Managing Communication) Language in cross-cultural communication is aimed at preserving the traditions of ancient cultures as well as existing ones. For example, it is necessary to mention the kabary dialect based on â€Å"unhurried telling of ancestral proverbs, metaphors, and riddles, frequently in a dialogue using call and response†. Kabary is a form of traditional Malagasy oratory and it is seen that oral language may be the only way for some populations to preserve their cultural traditions. In this case language represents different manners of speech and increases literacy rate. Kabary is an important element in communication during ritual events. However, it is still used in regular, day-to-day talk. Although kabary is spoken solely in the Malagasy language, learning their language will help to understand their culture better and to break misunderstandings and misinterpretations of the cultural customs. (Harman 2002) Nevertheless there are also negative moments connected with language and cross-cultural communication. Although developing of international slang may make the process of cross-cultural communication easier, many countries prefer to stomp out foreign slang considering it â€Å"steals† originality of the native language. For example, Russian government thinks that introducing of international slang, especially English words, may result in serious corrupting their native language. However, the language in communication makes people understand better and introducing of international words may be considered a right action. The negative moment is that very often such international elements can replace native words or even may have no equivalents. For example, lexical interlopers are something new to Russian language: democratic politics, business, banking, holding, etc. and such words as broker, sponsor, chizburger, fax have no equal equivalents in Russian language. (Weir 2002) Language has to be preserved as it is the embodiment of human vision and language varieties are able to provide unparalleled insights into the process of cross-cultural communication. Language is human experience and perception exposed to be the main tool across cultures. (Thucus-Dubrow 2002) References Managing Communications. (1996, August). Peace Watch, 2, 5, 1-2. Thucus-Dubrow, Rebecca. (2002, April 25). World’s Languages Are Fast Disappearing. Retrieved September, 22, from http://www. globalpolicy. org/globaliz/cultural/2002/0425fast. htm Harman, Danna. (2002, May 9). In Kabary the Point is to Avoid the Point. Retrieved September, 22, from http://www. csmonitor. com/2002/0509/p01s04-woaf. html Weir, Fred. (2002, June 4). Russian Lawmakers Try to Stomp out Foreign Slang. Retrieved September, 22, from http://www. csmonitor. com/2002/0604/p14s01-lepr. html

Mall Assignment Observation Writeup Essay

The store was more male-dominant, though there was females present. Every employee was wearing a blue apple employee shirt. It seems as though that is the only dress code requirement. Clear evidence of emotional work, the employees were all smiling, cheerful, and very welcoming. I observed an employee acknowledging concerns of his customer, and trying his best to change their mood into a positive one. Every employee looks different; signs of individuality apparent. The Work It looks like the employees were having fun. Some were socializing in groups, some where helping customers, and others were doing their own thing but it seemed very relax and fun. I observed their check-in system for technical appointments. Customers walk in and head towards the employee with the green iPad. After checking in with that specific employee, they head back to the genius bar and wait for their name to be called. I also observed an employee selling a mac to a customer. Another employee brought out the mac to the customer during this interaction. I saw employee cleaning the products on the tables with clothes and re-cable wires after customer use. The store was very clean, well-kept, and bright. There was no hiring signs The Store Atmosphere Music was playing, different from the music played in the mall The feel of the store is very communal and social. It felt like a social gathering. The store caters anyone wanting to play with technology, gain technical support  for apple products, or buy apple products and apple accessories The products being sold: iMacs, macbooks, iPads, iPhones, apple accessories, speakers, headphones, earphones, computer software, printers, etc. Customer’s demographics vary, all different ages, both male and female, and all different races. This place of business housed all races, ages, and both genders. Customers behaved friendly. Customers and workers interact very friendly and openly. Store: H&M Date of Observation: March 30th, 2015 Time of Observation: 1:45 PM The Workers Observed about 10 people working, 3 cashiers, and 6 employees walking around the store assisting customers. 4 male workers, 6 female workers.  Young in age ranging from 18-24, one old worker which I assumed to be the manager. One white female (older worker), and the rest of the workers were of African-American background. There was no uniform, just a name tag. All the workers were their own clothing and had their own style. Most of them where not smiling. No signs of emotional work. Signs of individuality based on no uniform requirement The Work It did not look like the workers were having fun, no emotion on the face. When I went to ring out a piece of clothing, all the worker asked for was my form of payment and said â€Å"have a nice day†. There was no eye-contact or communication. I did not observe much practice except employees walking around fixing messed up clothes and re-arranging articles of clothing on the wall Workers at the cashier communicated amongst themselves. Workers walking around did ask if anyone needed help. Nature of work was clothing retail. The store was clean and well-kept, bright and brightened. There was no hiring signs 40% off discount sign at entrance of store The Store Atmosphere H&M Store The store is divided into two parts with two entrances. One entrance for the male section with male clothing and accessories and one entrance for the female section with male clothing, accessories, and jewelry. The store feels very welcoming as it is very brightened. Hip-hop music was playing in the background Store caters to customers looking to shop for clothing and custom jewelry Sneakers, formal and informal dress attire, custom jewelry, hats, and various articles of clothing are being sold Young (teenagers) customers come into the store both male and female Races vary: Hispanic, Caucasian and African American Customers minded their own business, did not interact with other customers. There was little to no interaction with customers and workers unless a customer needed help At the cashier, workers did not communicate with customers except for asking for form of payment, ID, and wishing them to have a nice day Store: Michael Kors Date of Observation: March 30th, 2015 Time of Observation: 2:30 PM The Work The women did look like they were having fun even though the store was empty and they were just standing around. They were laughing with each other  while being attentive to customers Workers helped customers try on watches and sized purchase watches by removing links. It seemed as if the coworkers cultivated friendships by how sociable they were with each other Nature of work is customer service and retail for clothing retail and fine jewelry and accessories The store was very clean, well organized, elegant and vibrant There was no signs of any hiring signs. The Store Atmosphere Michael Kors store The store is very bright and vibrant. Lights shine on the mannequins in the window display. A lot of glass display of watches. The feel of the store is very sheik and classical. There is a feeling of wealth when walking into the store. Everything looks very pricey and exclusive The store caters to anyone who is interested in watches and female clothing. The store predominately caters to women however there is a section for mens watches that caters to strictly men. A lot of young customers came into the store however, there were some old customers too. In regards to race, a lot of customers of Caucasian background came into the store and a few of African American background. Most people who came into the store were women. The products being sold are dresses, boots, purses, totes, watches, wrist jewelry, etc†¦ Customers behaved very friendly, and customers and workers interacted well with each other.

Food Motif in Bartleby the Scrivener

Food Motif in Bartleby the Scrivener Herman Melville contributed to several works of literature over the course of his career. One of these is â€Å"Bartleby the Scrivener†. A Wall Street lawyer who hires a man named Bartleby to work for him as a scrivener narrates this story. The narrator’s office has three other employees.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Food Motif in Bartleby the Scrivener specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This short story is often considered as one of the more complicated works by the author. Although the story’s plot seems simple, it is difficult to interpret the themes and motifs in this story. This fact makes this story an interesting work of literature. One of the most prominent motifs in this story is food. The author makes several food references throughout the story. This makes food one of the more obvious motifs in this story. This paper will explore the use and significance of this motif. In additio n, the paper will explain how this motif contributes towards the development of the story’s plot and themes. The first statement the narrator utters when he discovers Bartleby is dead is that no one can live without dining. This assertion highlights the narrator’s concern over Bartleby’s refusal to consume food. Several of Bartleby’s behaviours perplex the narrator but his refusal to eat disturbs him the most. The author uses this motif to portray that cannibalism is essential for survival of human beings. â€Å"Cannibals† dominated the Wall Street of the time. Bartleby seems to be protesting this trend but the results are tragic. There are two aspects of cannibalism, the diner, and the meal. Bartleby refused to be either of the two. The food motif is also manifested in the naming of other characters in the story. Turkey and Ginger Nut are nicknames given to two of the employees in the narrator’s office. The narrator says that Turkey’ s clothes smelt of eating-houses.Advertising Looking for term paper on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More On the other hand, Ginger Nut is named after the most common snack in the lawyer’s office. The fact that an employee is named after a food item shows the significance food has in this office. The use of food nicknames implies that the employees are just fodder for this business. The narrator’s business feeds on them for it to survive. Therefore, even though the employees are under the impression that they are consuming from the business, they are indeed being consumed. The narrator vividly describes the appetite levels of his employees. Turkey and Nippers have a voracious longing for cakes and apples. To satisfy this need, the two are constantly sending Ginger Nut to fetch these items. This is why it is possible for the lawyer to assign these workers food related nicknames. However , when Bartleby joins the team, the lawyer finds it difficult to compare him to his appetite because he does not seem to have any. He wonders how Bartleby survives because he does not even go to the diner. Bartleby’s lack of a prominent appetite makes it difficult for the narrator to understand him. Consequently, this highlights the narrator’s appetite for understanding people according to their likings for certain foods. For instance, he argues that Bartley never went out to eat or drank beer like Turkey. The food motif is very prominent in this story. The author seems to imply that people can be understood through their food consumption habits. The motif is also used to explain the cannibalistic nature of human beings. The effectiveness of this motif is unmistakable throughout the story.

Pros and Cons of the Death Penalty

Pros and Cons of the Death Penalty The death penalty, also known as capital punishment, is the lawful imposition of death as punishment for a crime. In 2004 four (China, Iran, Vietnam, and the US) accounted for 97 percent of all global executions. On average, every 9-10 days a government in the United States executes a prisoner. It is the Eighth Amendment, the constitutional clause that prohibits cruel and unusual punishment, that is at the center of the debate about capital punishment in America. Although most Americans support capital punishment under some circumstances, according to Gallup support for capital punishment has dropped dramatically from a high of 80 percent in 1994 to about 60 percent today. Facts and Figures Red state executions per million population are an order of magnitude greater than blue state executions (46.4 v 4.5). Blacks are executed at a rate significantly disproportionate to their share of the overall population. Based on 2000 data, Texas ranked 13th in the country in violent crime and 17th in murders per 100,000 citizens. However, Texas leads the nation in death penalty convictions and executions. Since the 1976 Supreme Court decision that reinstated the death penalty in the United States, the governments of the United States had executed 1,136, as of December 2008. The 1,000th execution, North Carolinas Kenneth Boyd, occurred in December 2005. There were 42 executions in 2007. Death Row More than 3,300 prisoners were serving death-row sentences in the US in December 2008. Nationwide, juries are delivering fewer death sentences: since the late 1990s, they have dropped 50 percent. The violent crime rate has also dropped dramatically since the mid-90s, reaching the lowest level ever recorded in 2005. Latest Developments In 2007, the Death Penalty Information Center released a report, â€Å"A Crisis of Confidence: Americans’ Doubts About the Death Penalty.† The Supreme Court has ruled that the death penalty should reflect the conscience of the community, and that its application should be measured against societys evolving standards of decency. This latest report suggests that 60 percent of Americans do not believe that the death penalty is a deterrent to murder. Moreover, almost 40 percent believe that their moral beliefs would disqualify them from serving on a capital case. And when asked whether they prefer the death penalty or life in prison without parole as punishment for murder, the respondents were split: 47 percent death penalty, 43 percent prison, 10 percent unsure. Interestingly, 75 percent believe that a higher degree of proof is required in a capital case than in a prison as punishment case. (poll margin of error /- ~3%) In addition, since 1973 more than 120 people have had their death row convictions overturned. DNA testing has resulted in 200 non-capital cases to be overturned since 1989. Mistakes like these shake public confidence in the capital punishment system. Perhaps it is not surprising, then, that almost 60 percent of those polled- including almost 60 percent of the southerners- in this study believe that the United States should impose a moratorium on the death penalty. An ad hoc moratorium is almost in place. After the 1,000th execution in December 2005, there were almost no executions in 2006 or the first five months of 2007. History Executions as a form of punishment date to at least the 18th century BC. In America, Captain George Kendall was executed in 1608 in the Jamestown Colony of Virginia; he was accused of being a spy for Spain. In 1612, Virginia death penalty violations included what modern citizens would consider minor violations: stealing grapes, killing chickens and trading with Indians. In the 1800s, abolitionists took up the cause of capital punishment, relying in part on Cesare Beccarias 1767 essay, On Crimes and Punishment. From the 1920s-1940s, criminologists argued that the death penalty was a necessary and preventative social measure. The 1930s, also marked by the Depression, saw more executions than any other decade in our history. From the 1950s-1960s, public sentiment turned against capital punishment, and the number executed plummeted. In 1958, the Supreme Court ruled in Trop v. Dulles that the Eighth Amendment contained an evolving standard of decency that marked the progress of a maturing society. And according to Gallup, public support reached an all-time low of 42 percent in 1966. Two 1968 cases caused the nation to rethink its capital punishment law. In U.S. v. Jackson, the Supreme Court ruled that requiring that the death penalty be imposed only upon recommendation of a jury was unconstitutional because it encouraged defendants to plead guilty to avoid trial. In Witherspoon v. Illinois, the Court ruled on juror selection; having a reservation was insufficient cause for dismissal in a capital case. In June 1972, the Supreme Court (5-4) effectively voided death penalty statutes in 40 states and commuted the sentences of 629 death row inmates. In Furman v. Georgia, the Supreme Court ruled that capital punishment with sentencing discretion was cruel and unusual and thus violated the Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. In 1976, the Court ruled that capital punishment itself was constitutional while holding that new death penalty laws in Florida, Georgia and Texas- which included sentencing guidelines, bifurcated trials, and automatic appellate review- were constitutional. A ten-year moratorium on executions that had begun with the Jackson and Witherspoon ended on 17 January 1977 with the execution of Gary Gilmore by firing squad in Utah. Deterrence There are two common arguments in support of capital punishment: that of deterrence and that of retribution. According to Gallup, most Americans believe that the death penalty is a deterrent to homicide, which helps them justify their support for capital punishment. Other Gallup research suggests that most Americans would not support capital punishment if it did not deter murder. Does capital punishment deter violent crimes? In other words, will a potential murderer consider the possibility that they might be convicted and face the death penalty before committing murder? The answer appears to be no. Social scientists have mined empirical data searching for the definitive answer on deterrence since the early 20th century. And most deterrence research has found that the death penalty has virtually the same effect as long imprisonment on homicide rates. Studies suggesting otherwise (notably, writings of Isaac Ehrlich from the 1970s) have been, in general, criticized for methodological errors. Ehrlichs work was also criticized by the National Academy of Sciences - but it is still cited as a rationale for deterrence. A 1995 survey of police chiefs and country sheriffs found that most ranked the death penalty last in a list of six options that might deter violent crime. Their top two picks? Reducing drug abuse and fostering an economy that provides more jobs. Data on murder rates  seem to discredit the deterrence theory as well. The region of the county with the greatest number of executions- the South- is the region with the largest murder rates. For 2007, the average murder rate in states with the death penalty was 5.5; the average murder rate of the 14 states without the death penalty was 3.1. Thus deterrence, which is offered as a reason to support capital punishment (pro), doesnt wash. Retribution In Gregg v Georgia, the Supreme Court wrote that [t]he instinct for retribution is part of the nature of man... The theory of retribution rests, in part, on the Old Testament and its call for an eye for an eye. Proponents of retribution argue that the punishment must fit the crime. According to The New American: Punishment- sometimes called retribution- is the main reason for imposing the death penalty. Opponents of retribution theory believe in the sanctity of life and often argue that it is just as wrong for society to kill as it is for an individual to kill. Others argue that what drives American support for capital punishment is the impermanent emotion of outrage. Certainly, emotion not reason seems to be the key behind support for capital punishment. Costs Some supporters of the death penalty also contend it is less expensive than a life sentence. Nevertheless, at least 47 states do have life sentences without the possibility of parole. Of those, at least 18 have no possibility of parole. And according to the ACLU: The most comprehensive death penalty study in the country found that the death penalty costs North Carolina $2.16 million more per execution than a non-death penalty murder case with a sentence of life imprisonment (Duke University, May 1993). In its review of death penalty expenses, the State of Kansas concluded that capital cases are 70% more expensive than comparable non-death penalty cases. Conclusion More than 1000 religious leaders  have written an open letter to America and its leaders: We join with many Americans in questioning the need for the death penalty in our modern society and in challenging the effectiveness of this punishment, which has consistently been shown to be ineffective, unfair, and inaccurate...With the prosecution of even a single capital case costing millions of dollars, the cost of executing 1,000 people has easily risen to billions of dollars. In light of the serious economic challenges that our country faces today, the valuable resources that are expended to carry out death sentences would be better spent investing in programs that work to prevent crime, such as improving education, providing services to those with mental illness, and putting more law enforcement officers on our streets. We should make sure that money is spent to improve life, not destroy it...As people of faith, we take this opportunity to reaffirm our opposition to the death penalty and to express our belief in the sacredness of human life and in the human capacity for chan ge. In 2005, Congress considered the Streamlined Procedures Act (SPA), which would have amended the Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act (AEDPA). AEDPA placed restrictions on the power of federal courts to grant writs of habeas corpus to state prisoners. The SPA would have imposed additional limits on the ability of state inmates to challenge the constitutionality of their imprisonment through habeas corpus.

Malaysia - Mahathir politics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Malaysia - Mahathir politics - Research Paper Example These policies have created heated debates in the country and recently Prime Minister Najib Razak did appear to be taking a U-turn by introducing New Economic Model to ensure development across all regions, races, and sectors of the economy (Hooker & Othman, pp. 47-48, 2003). Before coming in power as the Prime Minister of the country, Mahathir Mohammad took a bold stance by writing the book titled â€Å"The Malay Dilemma†. He believed that the Malay Dilemma is the fact that many different ethnic groups and communities have ruled the country, learned the language of the native people, took over the resources and business of their ancestors, and exploited them for their own good throughout the Malaysian History. He believed that the Malays had become strangers and salves in their own land. They have the biggest stake in the country and the growing discontent amongst these people was the main cause of the racial riots in the country. The dilemma is that the Malays are forced to accept the systematic steps taken by the government to give them exposure in the economy and according to Mahathir; they should accept it to move forward in order to create an integrated, peaceful, and ethnically diverse Malaysian society (Cheah, pp. 301-302, 2002). During his era, Mahathir placed immense importance on Islam and Islamic principles during his regime in the country. Mahathir believed that Islam strongly stresses on equality and social justice in all lifestyles and the inability of the people to follow those and principles and the inability of the government to implement the same has remained the major cause behind the amplification of Malay Dilemma (Hunter, pp. 264-268). Mahathir gets the credit for the economic progress and development that he brought to the country, which started in the year 1990 when the previous economic policy expired. Mahathir’s National Development Policy was aimed at increasing the share of Malays in the national income to 30 percent, reducing poverty in the country, attracting foreign investment through liberalization and free market economy, improving the infrastructure in the country and others. Until 1997, the Malaysian economy grew at an annual average growth rate of 9 percent. However, the 1998 Asian financial crisis did happen to put the brakes on country’s economic growth (Khoo, 74-75, 2003). In his early years of power, Mahathir has realized that the Dakwah movement is a strong force and in order to ensure his power, he will have to focus on the same as well. Therefore, under Mahathir’s administration, the government placed great importance on Islam and with the help of Anwar Ibrahim, the financ e minister of Malaysia then, a process of Islamization started in the country with government adopting a â€Å"look east† rather than â€Å"look west† policy. In addition, this resulted in increased media coverage for Islam and Islamic issues, increasing funds for Islamic religious organizations, founding Islamic banks and Islamic insurance companies, including Islamic teachings and principles in the school curriculum and others (Mohamad, pp. 20-21, 2010; Peletz, pp. 55, 2002). As a Muslim, Mahathir held this belief that Islam is different from other religions and it is a complete code of life. Therefore, Islam should have its due interference in the matters of State as well. When Mahathir came into power, there was increasing wave of Islamism amongst the Malays who were becoming more religious and more conservative. Since they represented the biggest chunk of Mahathir’

Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Economics - Essay Example Global capitalism has been tried before in the world and it has failed. However, when the reforms proposed by the West prove ineffective, it tends to blame the East for its innate weaknesses like insufficient entrepreneurial skills. The matter of the fact is the entrepreneurial skills of the Third World and the ex-communist countries are quite similar to those of their Western counterparts. If the people in the third world do not suffer from certain fundamental deficiency in cultural or genetic heritage, then what could be the reason behind the fact that the capitalism is successful only in the West? An answer to this puzzling question is the failure of the Third World and the ex-communist countries to produce capital. The poor people in the developing world are not wanting in the assets that make capital successful. They in fact hold these assets in defective form: the ownership rights are not fully documented, the terms of the businesses are not defined and the industries are not l ocated at suitable places the cumulative result of which is that these assets cannot be turned into capital. In the West, the property is fully documented which can be used as a capital for producing surplus value in various forms such as mortgage and securities. Because of the absence of this representational process, the third world countries are undercapitalized. The third world despite assimilating a lot of western cultural traits has failed to follow the example of the West in this crucial area of producing sufficient capital. This is the mystery of capital. The fundamental difference between the western nations and the Third World and the ex-communist countries is that only the former have the knowledge of converting capital from places which the other countries cannot. This absence of the conversion process in the Third World is compounded by the failure on the part of the West to understand the origin of the capital. This book is an effort to trace the history of capital and learn right lessons from it to help poor countries overcome their problems which have nothing to do with deficiencies in culture and genetic heritage. This fact has been made clear by the fact that the regions which are culturally as diverse as Russia and Latin America share the same problems because of building capitalism without capital. The Third World today faces the same challenges such as lack of enforcement of property rights, poor law and order situation and biased business and trade regulations which were faced by US in its early history and other Western countries only a couple of centuries before. There are at least five questions which need to be answered to understand why the role of capital despite being the most important component of Western development is not adequately understood: first, how much saving has been done by the poorest sectors of society in the west; second, what is the nature of capital and what is its role in the creation of wealth; third, why have the governments not been able to put the â€Å"dead Capital† in the hands of the poor people to some profitable use; four, why have the lessons not been learnt from the history of successful capitalist countries and five, why the adoption of the Western legal system in the third world has not delivered. The Mystery of Missing Information In the Third World, the documentation of property