Internationalization and Cultural Implications for Joint Ventures in Saudi Arabia

Internationalization and Cultural Implications for Joint Ventures in Saudi Arabia Introduction Brief Overview of the Topic In this literature review, it is necessary to consider the connection between internationalization and cultural implications for joint ventures in Saudi Arabia. This question is especially urgent nowadays due to the process of integration and cross-cultural communication.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Internationalization and Cultural Implications for Joint Ventures in Saudi Arabia specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Due to the fact that the prevalent form of international business in Saudi Arabia is joint ventures, it is really significant for companies in Saudi Arabia, particular for the industrialization process because it provides immediate access to modern technologies and offers wider opportunities for the development and advancement of human resources (Mababaya, 2003a, p. 157). The increased interest in business operations in Saudi Arabia can be explained by the emerging opportunity for foreign investors to participate in the Kingdom’s industrial ventures. But what is more important is that international business relations are enhanced by Saudi’s impressive track records, respect for traditions and history, and international law (Mababaya, 2003a, p. 157). Hence, Saudi Arabia is considered to be an ideal place for creating joint ventures in cooperation with foreign investors due to many reasons, apart from the presence of abundant hydrocarbon resources. Importance of Literature Review for the Proposal Despite the fact that the country’s culture is homogeneous to some extent, Saudi people, particularly the representatives of young generations, have experience in cooperating with business partners from other cultures. Before the oil was discovered, Saudi Arabia has low rates of production and the core business operations were focused on trading (Katz, 2007). The commercial culture, therefore, assist them in becoming shrew d bargainers. Hence, due to the process of globalization and internationalization, cultural environment of Saudi Arabia has become really significant for other cultures. World market, therefore, is now more concerned with internationalization and cultural influence of the Middle East. In this research proposal, it is necessary to examine the core cultural implications for joint ventures in Saudi Arabia. The literature review presented below will prove that integration of cultural issues into the international business is very important, both for Saudi Arabia and for the foreign investors.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Literature Review Cultural Features of Saudi Arabia and Importance of Culture for International Cooperation In order to understand the process of globalization and cultural concerns related to it, it is necessary to study the peculiarities of Saudi cultures and traditions, particularly people’s strict adherence to them. Indeed, the mentality and history of the Saudi community should be taken in the deepest consideration. The importance of culture for the Saudi people and business world is proved by the researches presented below. Hence, Moran et al. (2007) has identified that â€Å"Arabs are people of great emotions and sentimentality – and sometimes of excess and extremes. They hold in high regard friendship, loyalty, and justice, and, when events and behavior go against that sense of justice, they will likely to be morally outrages and indignant† (p. 339). All those features play a significant in building successful business relations, but still one should not adhere to the presented stereotypes to a full extent. Walker et al. (2003) also agree with the assumption that cultural aspects should be carefully treated when it comes to the Middle East world. The researchers believe that the process of Westernization is rigidly confronted in Saudi Arabia, but this relates to Western culture only. In other words, Saudi culture reflects the ideas of accepting Western technology without impregnating Western culture and ideology. In particular, the Arabs â€Å"are opposed to Western cultural influences, seeing them as corrupting and debasing and potentially undermining their religious, ethnic and tribal heritage† (Walker, 2003, p. 96). This opposition proves that the importance of culture can only be conceived on the rise of the globalization process. The studies performed by Oxford Business Group (2008) have revealed that all issues connected with cooperation and trading in Saudi Arabia is closely related to Islam. It implies that all business transactions and joint ventures are initially based on conservative approaches to building relations. Hence, older generations of the Arab world adheres to strict social codes and discourages the participation of women in managing and c oncluding business agreements. At the same time, the research has also revealed that younger generations have different views on cultural issues. Like Walker et al. (2003) and Moran et al. (2007), Mead and Andrews (2009) have attached importance to culture and religion in international cooperation with Saudi Arabia with the emergence of joint ventures. In particular, extreme conservatism of Saudi community still opposes to Westernization due to rigid loyalty to traditions and moral codes. In this regard, the management and human resource management system is not subjected to cultural democratization and socialization (Meat and Andrews, 2005, p. 74). Shoult (2006) has also conducted research on joint ventures and importance of Saudi culture for establishing successful cooperation. In particular, the author notes that â€Å"if its performance has failed quickly to reach the Saudi partners’ expectations, it may even find itself treated as a distressed department of their own es tablishment† (Shoult, 2006, p.169). The knowledge of the Arab mentality and psychology is paramount for foreign partners to organize successful joint ventures.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Internationalization and Cultural Implications for Joint Ventures in Saudi Arabia specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More One way or another, it is essential to have an enthusiastic and creative Saudi partner who is willing to cooperate. Arising from this fact, Mababaya (2003b) has found that the failure of leading British company to establish successful relations lies in their feeble attempt to understand cultural specifics of the Middle East world. Ignoring cultural context, the companies failed to cope with emerging problems. Other researchers (Onkvisit and Shaw, 2008; Broways and Price, 2008) also agree with the idea that a cross-cultural factor should be a priority to the Western partners if they plan to organize a joint venture in Saudi Arabia. In particular, they should know the specifics of working hours and holiday differences. The author also examines the secrets of successful communication where a foreign partner should spend a considerable amount of time before proceeding with business issues. Onkvisit and Shaw (2008) state that trust is the basis of all business operations and a necessary condition for all joint ventures. In general, the above-presented studies reveal several important facts about the Middle East world and Saudi Arabia in particular. First of all, the Arab people attach much attention to friendship and justice and have a great respect to older generations. Due to the fact that these people are of great sentimentality, they value a respectful and punctual attitude to them. In business operations, they greatly oppose to the Westernization process and participation of women. Finally, they give credit to Islam and believe that trust is the basis of a successful cooperatio n. All these factors should be carefully tackled if foreign partners want to establish favorable relations with the Arab people. Influence of Internationalization on Joint Ventures in Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia is known as the main world producer of oil and, therefore, it plays a huge role in oil market (Cordesman, 2003, p. 473). Supplying about 95 % of oil, Saudi Aramco provides strong strategic privilege to the country as well as international flexibility and acceptance among other world producers (Cordesman, 2003, p. 473). The process of internalization that has penetrated to the country has given rise to the country’s cultural recognition and compromise on the part of leading world producers. Judging from the above-presented facts, it should be assumed that the process of internalization has increased the importance of the Arab culture and has introduced the Middle East on the world arena. On the one hand, it granted brilliant opportunities for the country’s develop ment. On the other hand, the country has faced serious multicultural and international issues that are hard to overcome.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The process of globalization has greatly contributed to the advancement of economy in Saudi Arabia. Import and export activities carried out by family business houses haves changed their course to global business operations. As a result the world has recognized such international enterprises as SABIC, Kingdom Holding, and ARAMCO (Ali, 2008, p. 227). In addition, the membership the WTO has also enables the country to advance their health care systems and improve the diary industry. According to Ali (2008), â€Å"globalization is more than business involvement and that the latter should not be divorced from its political and environmental concerns† (p. 227). Ramady (2010) underlines the direct dependence of cultural concerns from globalization. With regard with this, the formation of an appropriate business and cultural environment is crucial for the Arab world to meet the challenges of Westernization. In his studies, the author insists on the idea that the major outcome of glo balization is increasing concerns with preserving culture and religion and protecting them from outer invasion. Therefore, although the process of internationalization providers wider opportunities for the economic development but creates challenges for traditions, ethnicity, religions, and moral codes. Aulakh and Schetchter (2000) have also provided evidence for ideological and cultural influence of globalization on Saudi Arabia and other countries with promising perspectives. The authors provide arguments concerning the role of the countries involved in the process of globalization pertained to economic and cultural areas. Analyzing the studies presented by Ramady (2010) and Aulakh and Schetchter (2000), the process of globalization is also greatly influenced by the Middle East world whose traditions and customs are considered by other world agents structuring the stages of internationalization. This point of view is also supported by Fox et al. (2006) who underline a huge role of the Middle East in forming the process of internalization. Shifts in Culture Being the Result of Business Cooperation between the Western World and Saudi Arabia A great number of studies have been devoted to multinational business operations all over the world, but few of them are connected with Saudi Arabia. Both foreign visitors and investors of Saudi joint ventures, and the Arabians should find a compromise in cooperating and building favorable business relations at the international level. But the main task of this literature review is to analyze what how international culture influences the creation of joint industries in Saudi Arabia with regard to the Arab culture, religion, and firmly established traditions. In studies presented by Moran et al. (2007), the researchers examine the cultural effects that the process of Westernization has on Saudi managers, which make them less paternalistic (p. 339). The scholars have also underscored that the increasing tendency in creating t raining programs in Saudi Arabia being the result of its cooperation with the United States. The rapid integration of the Arab world to the international arena has led to rapid shifts in the Arab culture in terms of business operations and management. In particular, the country has faced a rigorous competition and increasing standards that resulted in some changes. Rao (2001) in his studies of the globalization process emphasizes that lack of understanding of cross cultural relations and diversity can result in a serious failure to interact with the trading partners. The same concerns the Middle East world whose specific culture should be adjusted to the international culture and, vice versa, Western world should be more sensitive to Saudi managers and businessmen whose language involves both verbal and non-verbal communication (Rao, 2001, p. 154). Studies by Adekola and Sergi (2007) also contribute to understanding cross-cultural relations between Saudi Arabia and other cultures. I n particular, they investigate what the opportunities that the international business has created for the Arab worlds, how Western countries treat the Arab culture, and why cultural implications are tangible for the Arab community. The rise of globalization has influenced many industrial areas of Saudi Arabia, particularly its dairy production. After the country has jointed the World Trade Organization, it has received access to free trade and many other benefits such as reduced tariffs, and the rise of joint venture organization with other foreign partners. Fenn (1994) has conducted an independent research where the scholar has defined the specifics of carrying out business in Saudi Arabia. While discussing the peculiarities of Saudi culture and its influence on the international business, Fenn (1994) introduces some recommendations for foreign investors to follow before penetrating to the Arab world. Studying the findings carefully, it is possible to admit that the Saudi managers have certain cultural rules which make women’s intervention problematic. This factor plays a huge role in business relations, specifically in the international world where both men and women have equal opportunities for self-realization. Like Fenn, Mead (2005) insists on the fact that the process of internationalization implies â€Å"the free movement of political, economic, and cultural resources between countries, each society influencing and being influenced by every other society† (p.72). The problem is that Western values still dominate on the world arena of business and commerce. This particularly concerns the United States that propagandize their cultural and politics, which is often perceived as an assault of other cultures and economies. Kangari and Lucas (1997) have also admitted the fact that the discovery of oil in Saudi Arabia has imposed a cultural change on the Arab world. The Kingdom has been forced to adapt to abrupt shifts in culture to advance Saudi industries and economies. According to the scholars, â€Å"rapid progress in the material sense has resulted in a sort of cultural backlash, and old traditions have been strengthened† (Kangari and Lucas, 1997, p. 42). With regard to those dramatic changes, they consider it necessary to work our important strategies for dealing with cultural shifts for the Middle East world to adjust to a new cultural background. One of the best strategies proposed is avoiding conflicts and preserving neutrality in business world. A thorough consideration of cultural effects on joint ventures in Saudi Arabia leads to an assumption that Western and Eastern worlds have rigid differences in conducting business. Nevertheless, a compromise should be reached to succeed in advancing international business. Conclusion Although the culture of Saudi Arabia is homogeneous, the country’s population, particularly the younger generations, are experienced enough in cooperating with foreign business pa rtners. Before the discovery of oil in Saudi Arabia, it has insignificant rates of production and the main focus was made on commercial operations. However, this trading culture has played a decisive role in establishing relations with other countries and leading producers. With regard to this the process of globalization has considerably influenced the cultural environment of Saudi Arabia is carefully considered by other world agents. What is more important is that the Middle East world has faced with cross-cultural challenges as well. In this literature review, we have found that much research has been made on studying the peculiarities of the Arab cultures and how it affects the global communities. However, little concern has been revealed concerning how the Saudi people deal with those challenges and who they adjust to the process of Westernization. In addition, the literature has also disclosed the problem of inability of foreign partners to conceive the specifics of business r elations with Saudi Arabia, including their cultural values, religion issues, and important customs. Arising from the above-presented considerations, a golden medium should be found between economic development, cultural aspects, and internalization to build successful joint ventures in Saudi Arabia. Reference List Adekola, A. amd Sergi, B. (2007). Global business management: a cross-cultural perspective. US: Ashgate Publishing. Ltd. Ali, A. (2008). Business and management environment in Saudi Arabia: challenges and opportunities for multinational corporations. US: Taylor Francis. Aulakh, P. S., and Schetchter, M. G. (2000). Rethinking globalization(s): from corporate transnationalism to local interventions. US: Palgrave Macmillan. Browaeys, M.-J., and Price R. (2008). Understanding Cross-cultural management. US: Pearson Education. Cordesman, A. H. (2003) Saudi Arabia enters the 21st century. US: Greenwood Publishing Group. Fenn, D. (1994, January). Saudi Arabia: Veiled Opportuniti es. U. S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration. 16(1) Fox, J. W., Mourtada-Sabbah, and al-Mutawa, M. (2006). Globalization and the Gulf. US: Taylor Francis. Kangari, R. and Lucas, C. L. (1997). Managing international operations: a guide for engineers, architects, and construction managers. US: Publications. Katz, L. (2007). Negotiating International Business. US: Booksurge Publishing Mababaya, M. P. (2003a). The Role of Multinational Companies in the Middle East: The Case of Saudi Arabia. US: Universal-Publishers. Mababaya, M. P. (2003b). International Business in a Strange Cultural Environment. US: Universal-Publishers. Mead, R. (2005). International management: cross cultural dimensions. US: Willey-Blackwell. Mead, R., and Andrews, T. G. (2009). International Management. US: John Wiley and Sons. Moran, R. T., Harris, P. R., Moran, S. V. (2007). Managing cultural differences global leadership strategies for the 21st century. US: Butterworth-Heinemann. Onkvisi t, S. and Shaw, J. J. (2008). International Marketing: Strategy and Theory. US: Taylor Francis. Oxford Business Group (2008). The Report: Saudi Arabia: 2008. UK: Oxford Business Group. Ramady, M. A. (2010). The Saudi Arabian Economy: Policies, Achievements, and Challenges. US: Springer. Rao, C. P. (2001). Globalization and its managerial implications. US: Greenwood Publishing Group. Shoult, A. (2006). Doing business with Saudi Arabia. US: GMB Publishing Ltd. Walker, D. M., Walker, T. D. and Schmitz, J. T. (2003). Doing business internationally: the guide to cross-cultural success. US: McGraw-Hill Professional.

Obasan essays

Obasan essays Obasan is a great book so far; I cant seem to put it down. It had a lot of emotion that touched me. The way that the point of view was presented really emphasized the emotion in the beginning. It also used a lot of great visual imaging to make me feel as if I was there with the charters. At one point in chapter three I almost began to cry. The charters in the book were all very easy to visualize due to the way the description was presented. Naomi, the women that was the narrator in this book was an easygoing, loving teacher. The book is going backwards in time, meaning telling her life as it is now and slowly expressing why it is that way (due to the past.) She was a lonely 35 year old looking for happiness. Then theres Naomis uncle. He was a wise, quiet Japanese man who took care of Naomi. His wisdom and silence said more than words spoke. He died in chapter three. Last person is Obasan; she wasnt really talked about in the first two chapters but then introduced in chapter three. She was Naomis aunt, whos personality was sweet and when she delivered her wisdom onto Naomi is never discrete and to the point. She was partically deaf and was full of interesting quotes to say about life that really made you think. The way the book is presented gives a lot of vivid symbolism. Its almost as if the book is written in poetic sensibility, for example, Naomi says (1) the hill, surface, as if responding to a command from Uncles outstretched hand, undulates suddenly in a breeze, with ripple after ripple of grass shadows, rhythmical as ocean waves. The point of view is also very good for this type of book, it really able the readers to feel the emotions of the person. The whole book so far is really emotionally touching and as I read on I surmise that more heartache and will be experienced for Naomi. ...

Issues currently occurring in the hospitality industry Article

Issues currently occurring in the hospitality industry - Article Example The author discusses the different approaches of research and their implications in organizational science and provides guidelines as to the ways of improving the credibility and value of research. The second article discusses the importance of competence in frontline management and the different methods of assessing the level of competence among students and managers with respect to frontline management in hospitality sector. The major issues faced by the global hospital industry are the changing demographics of the world which are impacting the trends within the travel industry. The emerging markets across the world, the shortage of labour and skills, innovations in technology, availability of capital, restrictions imposed in the travel industry, the increasing costs of constructions, balancing the expenses with the immediate need of increasing the rates and distribution revolution are the major factors affecting the global hospitality industry. Article 1: The importance of research tools and methods are critical in deciding the success of the hospitality industry, especially in the light of the changing global scenario. The various factors affecting the major changes in the trends of the hospitality industry can be effectively analysed through the use of different research tools and an increased level of collaboration between the research of academicians and practitioners (Dougherty and Westley, 2001). The author indicates that the proper use of research can create value for the hospitality industry. An approach of research through the practitioners is especially critical as the practitioners have a first-hand experience and can strongly indicate the customer satisfaction factors. Using a careful balance between the theoretical and practical aspects of a research work is necessary to create value for the research. The practitioners can contribute to the practical approaches to

The history and development of television Essay

The history and development of television - Essay Example The word television was coined by a Russian scientist Constantin Perskyi in a paper he presented at the International Electricity Congress at the International World Fair in Paris on August 25, 1900. Even before that, Paul Gottlieb Nipkow, a German student, had patented the first television in 1884. It was a electromechanical device based on the photoconductivity of the element Selenium and Nipkow’s spinning disk with a series of holes of equal diameter drilled into it at equal distances. In the camera unit, as the disk spun in front of the object, each hole produced a scan line which was captured by a light detecting device behind it. The scan line was transmitted by radio wave to the reproducer or receiving unit. This basic television and other refinements that came after it were however restricted to transmission of still images and silhouettes. It was only on October 2, 1925 that the Scottish scientist John Logie Baird, who took the lead in development of the electromechan ical television, achieved live transmission of moving half-tone images in his laboratory. Baird’s endeavour took the electromechanical television through a continuous phase of technical development ranging from the first transatlantic transmission between London and New York by his company in 1928, the first transmission between shore to ship, demonstratin of the first electromechanical colour, infrared and stereoscopic television to the first live transmission, of the Epson Derby in 1931 and demonstration of the ultra short-wave television in 1932.

Reflective of Romantic Ideologies Essay Example for Free

Reflective of Romantic Ideologies Essay â€Å"This Lime-tree bower my prison† is one of the most quoted examples of romanticism. Throughout the three stanzas, many romantic ideologies can be identified including aspects such as the romantic’s view towards nature, the power of the imagination and the emphasis on the individual. Romanticism emerged against a time of increased urbanisation and industrialisation, where people sought instead an immersion in nature instead. Coleridge’s poem exemplifies many of the feelings which the contemporaries of the time had towards nature, including impressions of its richness, its superiority to the city and the power of the divine reflected in nature. The countryside (nature) is portrayed as more valuable than the city, with Coleridge claiming that Charles â€Å"hunger’d after Nature, many a year, in the great City pent†, comparing the city to a prison, whilst nature is something to be desired. Using colourful descriptions such as â€Å"and that walnut-tree was richly ting’d† and â€Å"ye purple heath flowers†, Coleridge stimulates the richness and beauty of nature in the reader’s mind. Nature is given a sense of grandeur, vibrancy and vitality, reflecting the elevation of nature common to the time, with even the simple rook becoming a thing of momentary glory as it â€Å"cross’d the mighty Orb’s dilated glory†. Unlike in the Augustan age, where nature existed as something to be tamed by mankind, here nature exists in its own right. In fact, it is even seen to be raised up to a religious level, with Coleridge using the vocative terms â€Å"thou† and â€Å"ye† in reference to the Sun and clouds, essentially lifting them to the level of a deity. Hence they are able to partake in the majesty of God. The Romantics also believed that as nature reflected the divine, they were able to gain a better understanding of God and themselves from it in the form of epiphanies. As Constable says, the sky was â€Å"the organ of the sentiment†. Coleridge reflects this ideology in his own personal epiphany included in the poem, that sometimes one must â€Å"be bereft of promis’d good, that we may lift the soul, and contemplate with lively joy the joys we cannot share† and that â€Å"Nature ne’er deserts the wise and pure. † Through the power of nature, his own feelings and perceptions are gradually altered, with the changes in nature mirroring his inner changes. As the stanzas progress, he is less sorrowful for his situation and more appreciative. In the same way the colours of nature turn from â€Å"poor yellow leaves† to â€Å"broad and sunny leaf†, reflecting the power of nature in his transformation. Also reflective of this is the way the lime-tree bower turns from being a prison, into â€Å"this little lime-tree bower† with â€Å"transparent foliage. † In this way, nature is shown to echo his own experience, through the up and down notion of the poem, where the dell represents his frustrations and wistful longing before he comes up into the ‘wide wide heaven,’ signifying his newfound freedom and finally the serenity of nature shows his reflection. The romantic ideology of the role which the imagination plays in life also comes into play during this poem. Like nature, the imagination can also be used as a tool to foster a greater understanding of things and to transform one’s emotional state, yet it can also be used as a method of escapism from the present situation. Coleridge has said that it is the â€Å"visionary faculty that enables spiritual insight into the ultimate truth† and that it is the â€Å"prime agent of all human perception†. The romantics believed that the imagination held the power to reveal those things which we cannot ordinarily see with our rational minds. In â€Å"this lime-tree bower my prison† this takes place in the way his imaginative journey ultimately leads to a greater understanding of God and its power to change his perceptions about himself and his situation. It is through his imagination that his emotional state is transformed and he ultimately gains an intellectual and emotional release. This transformative power of imagination is similar to that of nature, being reflected in the evocative descriptions which appeal to the senses. After travelling on his imaginative journey, Coleridge is led to a change of feeling about the bower which ceases to be a prison and instead becomes a thing of comfort. It was his own mental processes which shaped it into a prison and it is through his imagination that he can escape this prison. Thus imagination is also presented as a form of escape the poet seeks, with the ability to transcend physical and psychological barriers, although he retains awareness that this is simply his imagination by words such as â€Å"perchance. † Lastly, Coleridge’s poem is reflective of the focus on the individual in omantic literature, where they are a solitary reflective figure as opposed to works focusing on the individual in society. Coleridge stresses the individual through writing in first person and interjecting many â€Å"I† phrases. The antithesis in the first line between â€Å"they are gone† and â€Å"here must I remain† firmly brings the attention to t he individual in the poem, focusing on this solitary figure and his feelings. The conversational style of the poem also helps by reproducing natural speech, giving the feeling of his own train of thought, coming naturally. In fact, the whole poem encapsulates this focus on the individual, with the structure mirroring his meditation, contemplating a problem and finding a solution to it. The form and structure of the poem is shaped around his thoughts and even the landscape reflects these through things such as the transformation in his descriptions of colour. The poem focuses on the individual’s perception of things and how these perceptions change over the course of time through things such as nature and the imagination. Thus, Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s poem, â€Å"This Lime-tree bower my prison† exemplifies many ideologies of Romanticism. The richness of nature and its divine role are explored through descriptive imagery, whilst the power of imagination is expressed as a means of learning and escape. Throughout all of this, the focus remains centred on the individual and the effects upon Coleridge himself, reflecting the Romantic ideology of the individual in itself, not in society.

The Smbolisms of the Name, Blanche Dubois in A Streetcar Named Desire :: Tennessee Williams, A Streetcar Named Desire

In the first few scenes of "A Streetcar Named Desire", Tennessee Williams shows us a complex woman, named Blanche Dubois. This paper will explore the symbolisms of her name. The name Blanche is French and means white or fair. Her last name DuBois is of French origin as well and translates as â€Å"made of wood†. The name suggests that Blanche is a very innocent and pure person. When she appears in scene one, â€Å"she is daintily dressed in a white suit with a fluffy bodice, necklace and earrings of pearl, white gloves and a hat†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Sc.1 p. 2073). White is also the color of light and represents perfection and virginity but throughout the play it becomes obvious that Blanche cannot call any of the traits of her name her own. She is a seductive and promiscuous woman. Only the illusory image, which she tries to create for herself, suggests these traits, but her true nature is not like that at all. She constantly tries to hide her embarrassing past from her new acquaintances, because she fears that they might not accept her anymore. In order to maintain her apparent social status among her new neighbors and friends, she builds an intertwined net of lies, which creates a false image of her. She believes in this imaginary world, and as soon as there is the slightest sign of destruction, she seems to be lost, and her nervous condition worsens. Therefore all she cares about is to keep that image alive. Her first name is therefore quite ironic since it means the exact opposite of Blanche’s true nature and character. Her last name, however, stands in contrast to her first name. Made of wood suggests something solid and hard, which is the exact opposite of her fragile nature and nervous condition. Wood can also be associated with forest or jungle, and regarding her past, the connection becomes clear. Blanche indulges in a rather excessive lifestyle. She has sex with random strangers and is known throughout her hometown of Laurel for that. Her former life is more like a jungle or a forest, because it is hard to see through all this and detect the real Blanche. As in a jungle, Blanche cannot find a way out of this on her own. The term jungle appears in the play as well. In scene ten, when Stanley is about to rape Blanche, â€Å"the inhuman jungle voices rise up† (Sc.10 p. 2130). The jungle can be associated with wildness, brutality and inhuman behavior. As mentioned about, wood represents something hard, or hard working. The Du in front of that however, suggests something

Humor in War Movies Essay

There is more than one way to get a point across in the movies. Movies based on actual events, movies made using actual facts but not always about true events, documentary films and those films that use humor or satire to get their point across. I think the three films that I chose fall into the last category. The first film (released in 1953) is Stalag 17, a film about American prisoners of war being held in a German prison camp. This film seems to follow the typical war movie theme, group unity for a common cause and no single hero. The movie stars William Holden who as Sergeant Sefton, a wheeler-dealer who doesn’t hesitate to trade with the guards and who has acquired goods and privileges that no other prisoner seems to have is accused of being a German spy by his fellow prisoners. The Germans always seem to be forewarned about escapes and in the most recent attempt the two men, Manfredi and Johnson, walked straight into a trap and were killed. For some in Barracks 4, especially the loud-mouthed Duke, the leaker is obvious. An officer is passing though on the way to another camp, tells of how he sabotaged an ammunition train by luck using matches. The Germans find out and now he has to hide so he can escape to avoid being shot. The director Billy Wilder created a popular film loaded with subversive subtexts, his signature cynicism and humor (although it’s sometimes a feeble attempt at humor it is humor just the same). WW II wasn’t even a decade old yet and maybe it wasn’t the right time to make a movie depicting the conditions of the German prisoner camps in such a realistic manner, but there seem to be a goldmine of possibilities within that setting for the directing genius of Wilder. By today’s standards it may be difficult to appreciate Stalag 17 as a classic film due to the TV show Hogan’s Heroes that it inspired. Wilder’s directing style, wit and perception are lost in the interpretation, but the films humor still remains. Another reason for lack of appreciation the basics of the Stalag 17’s plot have become the staple in terms of wartime incarceration and general prison-break films. Still, it is interesting to see the matter-of-fact style in an escape film. Most focus on the details of the laborate plan, but Stalag 17 follows the most practical route make a run for the fence while the guards are diverted which, when you think about it, is a more likely scenario besides how easy do you think it is to lay your hands on a pair of wire cutters in a prison camp. Broadly played, the humor, serves as a good method for getting away with the more subtle subversive aspects of the film. As Wilder once was quoted â€Å"that if one was going to tell the truth, be funny or they’ll kill you. † There is a long musical scene as one of the POWs sings while the rest celebrate Christmas by dancing with each other. The men are nice and toasted after having raided Sefton’s booze and Animal is desperately pining over Betty Grable. When Shapiro stuffs yellow straw under a bonnet as a gag, Animal thinks his dream girl has come to life and starts to dance and come on to Shapiro as he thinks Shapiro is Betty Grable. You can’t say that Sgt. Sefton is the hero of the movie, even Holden sited the unlikeability of the character, but his vicious, sharp and charismatic demeanor was enough for you to forgive him and root for him anyway. Holden’s character doesn’t change his wheeling and dealing ways at the end of the movie and one of his fellow prisoners remarks as Sefton is escaping â€Å"Maybe he just wanted to steal our wire cutters. You ever think of that? † Wilder had little use for such sentimentality and it is reflected in Stalag 17 because it’s an examination of the human condition not a moral tale. Such a cynical perspective in the depiction of actual combat would have to wait another twenty years and the dismal aftermath of two unpleasant wars to have the American audience fully ready for it. While a number of novels about World War II were able to capture such themes, Wilder was ahead of his time. Film critic Richard Corliss once suggested that, Wilder may have been â€Å"less a cynic than a premature realist. † Stalag 17’s dramatic scenes seem to hold up much better than the comedic scenes, considering many of people in the original audience had fought in the WWII and that American POWs were then being held in the current military conflict going on in Korea. It seems that the extensive comic segments might have been a used to defuse scenes that would have hit home more then than it would now. Back then I don’t think that many Americans audiences would have been willing to sit through an insistently grim POW drama. The bit about the soldier, his wife, and the baby on the doorstep must have made a few people in the audience very uneasy. It’s important to remember that this film was made and released in the early 1950’s. It is no mistake that the real traitor to American values was the head of â€Å"security† Price. At the time of the films release the congressional members of the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) was busy protecting American security by depriving citizens of their right to be different in very much the same ways as those depicted in the film. Like Sefton, however, Wilder is no hero. It can be argue that this is very much the film’s real message, Wilder cleverly hides it under enough comedy and plot that he runs no risk of offending Sen. McCarthy’s communist hunters. The next film Mister Roberts released in 1955 is about life on a Navy supply ship the â€Å"Reluctant† dubbed the â€Å"Bucket† by its crew. The Reluctant is commanded by an oppressive Captain Morton, who takes sadistic pleasure in undermining the crews’ morale. Lt. Doug Roberts (aka Mister Roberts) intervenes on the crew’s behalf as much as possible and watching him butt heads with the captain seems to lift the crew’s spirits while providing most their entertainment. This film doesn’t seem to follow the war movie theme. The main character Mister Roberts seems to be out for himself, with the war drawing to an end he wants to see some action. His weekly requests to be transferred are always turned down by Capt. Morton, who according to Roberts is using Roberts to promote himself. The fact that the crew is not happy with their situation is secondary to Roberts’ problem. One of the more sympathetic and insightful films from the 1950s to deal with World War II was Mister Roberts. It was an indication of the distance the public as well as filmmakers had come from the war. This distance would allow for a more sophisticated and dramatic treatment of the conflict and the people involved. Of all the films during this time that also reflect the new maturity, Mister Roberts was the most successful of them all, though getting it made properly took real work. Director John Ford was perfect for the project; he retired from the reserves as a rear admiral. Ford may have been too close to and slightly too old to do justice to the script to this subject, also he was up against the competing personality of star Henry Fonda. Fonda had scored a huge hit with the Broadway version of Mister Roberts and he had given up any hope of ever doing the movie version since he hadn’t been on-screen in eight years. Ford insisted on Fonda to star as a condition to directing the film, but the two were at odds from the beginning over the production, mostly over the director’s tendency to inject rough-house comedy into his movies. Ford used such an approach to breathe life into some of his other movies like Fort Apache. However, Mister Roberts was a character-driven film with very little real action and Fonda thought the Fords’ emphasis on laughs would destroy the integrity of the material. Ford’s demanding dictatorial directing style combined with his excessive drinking created tension between the two. Ford left the production, he was replaced by director Mervyn LeRoy who basically asked the cast to use their best judgment and make the kind of movie Ford would’ve made. The result is a finely textured character study that captured the best dramatic moments of the play. Some of the comical scenes in the movie were when the sailors discover that they can have a clear view of the nurses’ shower room in a hospital on the nearby coast by looking through binoculars. This provides them with their first release from drudgery in over a year. The ship’s morale officer, young Ensign Pulver, is also aware of the nurses and finagles a trip to the hospital to pick up aspirin for Doc. While there, he convinces head nurse, Lt. Ann Girard, to come to the ship later by promising to share a bottle of scotch with her. Back on board, Pulver is distressed to learn that Roberts, the owner of the scotch, has used it to bribe an official to send the Reluctant to a liberty port. Roberts and Doc mix up simulated scotch, called â€Å"jungle juice,† from alcohol, Coca-Cola, iodine and hair tonic for Pulver to use in place of the scotch. When the nurses appear, Pulver, With Roberts’ permission, pretends to be the ship’s cargo officer and shows them around. The nurses, who are undeceived by his pretensions, discover the sailors’ view of their quarters and leave immediately to hang curtains. Another humorous point happens during a night onshore, the men unleash all their pent-up energy, they crash an Army dance, fight with soldiers, terrorize women, steal an admiral’s goat and mistake the French Colonial governor’s mansion for a bordello. Roberts hopes the night will give them strength for the â€Å"miserable, endless days ahead of them. The next day, the ship is banished from the port. Mister Roberts also made two appearances as a TV series, once in 1965 and again in 1984. As far as public was concerned enough time had passed that most Americans were able to laugh at some of the kookier aspects about military life and Hollywood provided just the right amount of seriousness and irreverence with this 1955 hit. The third film I chose is M*A*S*H released in 1970. The movie is about a mobile army surgical hospital set in the Korean War conflict (1950-1953). This movie breaks from the traditional war theme movies. It not about any one person at any given time but it’s not about the unit as a whole either. The plot in M*A*S*H is not defined; instead the unusual characters are involved in a sequence of darkly comic episodes. M*A*S*H is a black comedy about life in a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital unit located only three miles from the front lines. The mission of any MASH unit is to provide immediate medical treatment to those wounded in combat, and the young surgeons are always up to their elbows in blood and guts for long periods of time. When they’re off duty, the MASH unit personnel keep their sanity by pursuing a wacky, irreverent lifestyle that leads to some hilarious adventures. Some of the hilarious scenes in the movie are; they sneak a microphone under the bed of Major â€Å"Hot Lips† Houlihan, and broadcast her lovemaking to the entire camp, a tent that is pulled away from the showering Major Houlihan an attempt to settle a bet about her being a natural blonde, they drug a general and photograph him in a brothel, a Last Supper parody where a man whose impotency has made him despondent is duped into a faux suicide and a rather lengthy football game sequence. The way they present humor in â€Å"M*A*S*H,† is almost metaphysically cruel, there is something about war that inspires practical jokes and the heroes (if you can call them heroes (Donald Sutherland (Hawkeye), Elliot Gould (Trapper John) and fellow camp members) are inspired and utterly heartless. We laugh because it is so true to the sadist in all of us. There is perhaps nothing so wonderful as achieving sweet mental revenge against someone we hate with particular enthusiasm. And it is the flat-out, poker-faced hatred in â€Å"M*A*S*H† that makes it work. Most comedies want us to laugh at things that aren’t really funny; in this one we laugh because they’re not funny. We laugh, so that we do not cry. This movie depends upon timing and tone to be funny. Hawkeye, Trapper John and the members of their merry band of pranksters are offended because the Army regulars Major Burns and Houlihan who don’t feel deeply enough. They are only concern is with Army protocol and not with war. Hawkeye and Trapper John dancing on the brink of crack-ups, dedicate themselves to making them feel something. Their facade offends them; no one could be that unaffected by the work of this hospital. And so if they can crack their defenses and reduce them to their own level of dedicated cynicism, the number of suffering human beings in the camp will go up by two. Even if they fail, they have a hell of a lot of fun trying and of course, it’s a distraction to the war. Although the movie is set in Korean War, no one seeing â€Å"M*A*S*H† in 1970 confused the film for anything but a sarcastic comment on the Vietnam War. This is one of the counterculture movies that exploded into the mainstream at the end of the ’60s. Altman wanted his 1970 audience to think in terms of Vietnam, where another unpopular war was still in progress. Altman’s style of cruel humor, overlapping dialogue, and densely textured visuals brought the material to life in an all-new kind of war movie (or, more precisely, antiwar movie). Audiences had never seen anything like it: vaudeville routines played against spurting blood, fueled with open ridicule of authority. The film’s huge success spawned the long-running TV series, a considerably softer take on the material. The concept of war comes in three parts, the training, the actual combat and the repair of the casualties of the combat. Each part has it’s critics and it’s supporters, both championing for their side. Not seen in the earlier combat films was the concept of why we fought. Those wars before the Korean War were world wars with many countries involved being fought in many different countries. The Korean War and all those that followed up to the present were mostly two sided with the Americans at the spearhead of each. Yes, the United Nation forces were involved in many of these wars, but it was the Americans leading the way. After such a history, Americans could very well sustain their unity against the Axis Powers during WW II, but they could not readily accept a limited war such as the Korean War, in which negotiations with the enemy to bargain for objectives far short of his destruction accompanied the very fighting of the war. Dissents against the Korean War also were encouraged by an uneasy political atmosphere troubling the United States in 1950. WW II had produced not a satisfactory peace but an ongoing Cold War with communism led by the Soviet Union, to which the United States held out the prospect of no more triumphant but an outcome of containment. Such a change in the ways of war was perceived by Americans were truly visible in a lot of modern day war films. Reference http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046359 http://www.amazon.com/Mister-Roberts-Henry-Fonda/dp/6305225761 http://www.fandango.com/misterroberts_v64788/summary http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066026 http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19700101/REVIEWS/40812002/1023

A Spiritual Journey

Ashwin Sathyanarayanan English 10 Professor Stanley Personal Essay That Once in a Lifetime Chance It is a great feeling going to a place where it’s a huge matter in one’s life. â€Å"Revisiting Sacred Ground† N. Scott Momaday had made a pilgrimage which his Kiowa ancestors. Momaday has said,† There are certain villages, and towns mountains and plains that, having seen them, walked in them, lived in them, even for a day, we keep forever in the mind’s eye. † Just like how Momaday relived his ancestor’s trails, I had a chance as well. I was lucky enough to be able to go on such a sacred journey that people would pay in thousands of dollars.The pilgrimage I would like to talk about is the one I took to a sacred city in India called Badrinath. I follow Hinduism, and in Hinduism there is a saying/belief that if we go on this enriching, and spiritual journey, we will go to heaven after we pass. I have a guru, like a living god, who I listen to and look up to. He took me on this spiritual journey. This spiritual journey had started for me 7 years ago in 2005, around June I had left San Francisco International Airport, and left to my motherland India. I landed in New Delhi, India to be exact. From there we drove to a city called Kasi.The city of Kasi is known for its sacred river. My guru had told me that in Hindu mythology if you bathe in the holy river of Ganges it will get rid of all your sins. We stayed the night there and we went to the sacred river and bathed early in the morning around 5. Then we went to the temple and did some prayer rituals that are performed after the bathing in the river. Later that day we took a bus from Kasi and drove into a city called Haridwar, one of the beautiful cities in the foothills of the Himalayas. When we reached the city of Haridwar, my guru told us a little about the place before we got out of the bus.That is where I learned the myth being told that Haridwar is one of the four citi es where amrit (the elixir of immortality) spilled from a pitcher which was being carried by a bird named Garuda. I was amazed by the fact, and my guru said, â€Å"this is nothing wait and you’ll see more amazing things. † He left me questionable that there were more amazing things than this. We got an auto (taxi) and went to the river because we heard that they do an extraordinary festive every night. This festive is known as Ganga aarti, and it happens at the river banks of the ganges (Har ki Pauri).At Har ki Pauri every night at both banks of the river, people are flooded, with an aarti in their hand. An aarti is a lamp lit by fire. After the priests finishing chanting the mantras and show the aarti to the gods, everyone lets the aarti down into the river and they pray what they want, and let the aarti go down stream. I was lucky enough to do that myself. We then went back to the hotel that we had checked into and left the next day back on our tour. We then travelle d to our next stop Rishikesh, which is another city in the foothills of the Himalayas.We were in Rishikesh for no longer than 4 hours because we had to get to our sleep stop. During the four hours that we were there we went to a lot of ashrams (meditation center) and saw many Saints. After the four hours had ended, we went back to our bus and left to our night stop, which was called Nanda Prayag. Since it was night time and we were all tired from the really long day, we went to bed, but I kept hearing the noise of the river really loud, and it sounded like it was just too close. Next morning the noise of the river and the animals woke me up and the noise was just so close that I had to go look how far it was.With all my curiosity when I went out to the balcony and I saw the most spectacular view. I saw two of the most holy rivers combine together, the combinations of the two rivers was just so distinct, the Alaknanda River and the Mandakini River confluence. At this place there was a temple ashore of the river. After I went and bathed in the river I had gone to the temple and I had learned the history of this place, it was fascinating. Then we all left the temple to the bus and we left and arrived at our longest stay in our tour, Badrinath. Badrinath was literally the whole reason we went on this trip.It was known as one of the most holiest, and sacred places to be at. We arrived there later in the Afternoon. After we checked into our hotel, we went and explored the city. And while exploring the city we saw many beautiful temples, and all these lead us to the main temple, the Badrinath Temple. We had to cross over a small walking bridge which went over the Alaknandha River, It went with such force, and if you sit in that water nonstop for more than ten – fifteen minutes, you will surely have a heart failure, because the water is that cold, and we are at an extreme altitude.And the most Ironic thing about this cold river is after we crossed it we have to bathe before we enter the temple, even if we had bathed in the morning. When we went to the place we were supposed to bathe, we came to find out that it was a hot spring and this hot spring was ten feet away from the extremely cold Alaknanda waters, ironic enough, I thought so. After we finished bathing there was a ritual which we had to perform. We had to get into brand new clothes and we had to give the clothes were wearing to the more unfortunate people.So after we did that, we went into the main temple, it was enriched with beautiful colors and sculptures all made since the time the temple was created. We had gone in and while we were coming outside, we had ran into a very famous priest, and we all greeted him, and he invited us to come to his ashram, so we all went. There he told us about the main reason of this temple. This temple is only open during Spring, Summer and Fall. They closes the temple, right before we end fall and enter Winter. The closing and opening of the temp le is a huge ceremony.This is the most important ceremony to come to if you have major problems which need to be resolved. He told us that during the ceremony they do many poojas (rituals and prayers) and they have an extremely huge lamp and they fill it to the rim with oil and they light the lamp, and during the lighting of the lamp we all must pray for what we all want most. After they light it they close and seal the temple for six months through the harsh winters. The most amazing part is that even though it snows and rains, and harsh winds blow, the lamp never goes out. I was dumb founded by this statement.It is said that it doesn’t go out because of the bonds of all the prayers and wishes the people had made, it is so strong, that nothing can affect it. He continued by saying that after the six months pass, for the wish you made to come true you, must come back for the opening ceremony of the temple. If indeed you do, you will see that the lamp that was lit is still lit and the glory of the light is just so divine. Since he had an urgent issue to deal with he left us in awe. My guru then told me,† I told you I would show you something which is even more fascinating. † I was speechless, and we left back to our hotel and slept.The next day my guru took us to the last village in India, Mana. My guru told me that this is the main source of the river Saraswathi, (the goddess of education) and he had told me that this river is so tricky and mischievous. My guru said that this river after 3 miles this river disappears, it is said that it runs underground and comes back up in a city more down south. After we saw where the main source had come from we saw this passage on the left and my guru had told me out of my whole family to go up because it was a very dangerous path/cave and he said I am the only one in the family that is very capable of going through it.As I went through this path I experienced the biggest fear of my life, snakes. They we re literally everywhere. I had gone through this extreme passage and I got out of this tight hole and I could not believe my own eyes, there it was, The Great Wall of China. I had come back down the passage I went up but this time the snakes were all gone, there was none there anymore, which shocked me even more. I had come down and my guru said do not tell us what you saw.I was bursting in excitement and he made me hold it in. It was the hardest thing in life for me to hold in. After we left the village and started going back down on the bus, my guru called me and I went and sat next to him on the bus and he told me,† now I want you to tell us all what happened. † I had then told them that I went up this cave of snakes and saw the great wall, and on my way back not even one snake was there, everyone was in shock. That was the biggest mystery in my life till now.After we came back down we had left back to our beginning destination New Delhi, India. On our way back though we went back in a helicopter, I asked my guru why we didn’t use the helicopter on the way up, and he said,† you wouldn’t have experienced all that you did now if you came on a helicopter. † This was the sacred pilgrimage that all Indians must take at least once in your lifetime, according to Hindu mythology. I now have a dream to go back once again and revisit the same places and relive what did in 2005.

Cultural Assimilation essays

Cultural Assimilation essays Each year federal quotas permit a percentage of immigrants to migrate to the United States. The land of freedom and justice has opened its doors to those who seek new options and better opportunities. This is seen more in Miami-Dade County than in most American cities. Miami is developing and emerging into a dynamic and multicultural metropolis rather rapidly. The issue at hand is what occurs once residency is obtained in Miami-Dade County. As new immigrants increasingly concentrate in native-born minority neighborhoods, interaction among different ethnic groups becomes both more frequent and more important (Stepick). The rise of immigrant population affects education, sub cultural associations, and different native-born mindsets in which stereotypes for future generations are established. By age fifteen, substantial numbers of immigrant and native-born youth are at risk of reaching adulthood unable to adequately meet the requirements of the workplace, the commitments of relationships in families and with friends, and the responsibilities of participation in a democratic society...These youth are among the estimated seven million young people - one in four adolescents - who are extraordinarily vulnerable to school failure and multiple high-risk behaviors (Stepick). A very important factor of academic achievement is determined by students educational orientation, the students perception that education is or is not a path to success. Unfortunately, many native-born and immigrant school children underachieve, drop out, and fail to pursue higher education. Previous research has concentrated on why native minority students tend to adopt an adversarial academic orientation, while immigrant students incline toward a positive academic orientation (Stepick). As immigrants co ncentrate in native minority neighborhoods, interaction among different ethnic groups becomes more frequent and i...

Max Weber on Culture, Authority, and the Iron Cage

Max Weber on Culture, Authority, and the Iron Cage With Karl Marx, Émile Durkheim, W.E.B. DuBois, and Harriet Martineau, Max Weber is considered one of the founders of sociology. Living and working between 1864 and 1920, Weber is remembered as a prolific social theorist who focused on economics, culture, religion, politics, and the interplay among them. Three of his biggest contributions to sociology include the way he theorized the relationship between culture and economy, his theory of authority, and his concept of the iron cage of rationality. Weber on the Relationships Between Culture and Economy Webers most well-known and widely read work is The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. This book is considered a landmark text of social theory and sociology generally because of how Weber convincingly illustrates the important connections between culture and economy. Positioned against Marxs historical materialist approach to theorizing the emergence and development of capitalism, Weber presented a theory in which the values of ascetic Protestantism fostered the acquisitive nature of the capitalist economic system. Webers discussion of the relationship between culture and economy was a ground-breaking theory at the time. It set up an important theoretical tradition in sociology of taking the cultural realm of values and ideology seriously as a social force that interacts with and influences other aspects of society like politics and the economy. What Makes Authority Possible Weber made a very important contribution to the way we understand how people and institutions come to have authority in society, how they keep it, and how it influences our lives. Weber articulated his theory of authority in the essay  Politics as a Vocation, which first took form in a lecture he delivered in Munich in 1919. Weber theorized that there are three forms of authority that allow people and institutions to attain legitimate rule over society: 1. traditional, or that rooted in the traditions and values of the past that follows the logic of this is the way things have always been; 2. charismatic, or that premised on individual positive and admirable characteristics like heroism, being relatable, and showing visionary leadership; and 3. legal-rational, or that which is rooted in the laws of the state and represented by those entrusted to protect them. This theory of Webers reflects his focus on the political, social, and cultural importance of the modern state as an apparatus that strongly influences what happens in society and in our lives. Weber on the Iron Cage Analyzing the effects the iron cage of bureaucracy has on individuals in society is one of Webers landmark contributions to social theory, which he articulated in  The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. Weber used the phrase, originally  stahlhartes Gehuse  in German, to refer to the way the bureaucratic rationality of modern Western societies comes to fundamentally limit and direct social life and individual lives. Weber explained that modern bureaucracy was organized around rational principles like hierarchical roles, compartmentalized knowledge and roles, a perceived merit-based system of employment and advancement, and the legal-rationality authority of the rule of law. As this system of rule common to modern Western states is perceived as legitimate and thus unquestionable, it exerts what Weber perceived to be an  extreme and unjust influence on other aspects of society and individual lives: the iron cage limits freedom and possibility. This aspect of Webers theory would prove deeply influential to the further development of social theory  and was built upon at length by the critical theorists associated with the Frankfurt School.

Introduction Development Economies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Introduction Development Economies - Essay Example Inequality in Human Development Index (HDI) is masked in the human development distribution across the population at the country level. The HDI value of Senegal is 0.470. However, when discounted for inequality, the value reduces to 0.315. This equals a loss of 33% as a result of inequality in distribution of indices of dimension. Uganda and Senegal indicate loses as a result of inequality of 34.2% and 33.9% respectively. The average loss resulting from inequality for Sub-Sahara Africa is 35% and 35% for low HDI countries. ii) Over the last two decades, the GII of Senegal has resulted to a loss in human development following the inequality between achievements made by males and females in the three dimensions of GII. Question 2 i) Poverty level in Senegal is high. Over the past 25 years, the GDP per capita has been declining. Citizens of Senegal spent lots of their money on necessities of life, such as food. The UNDP, an organization which classifies countries according to their scor e in the HDI, estimated that 52% of Senegalese household consumption is food unlike in the U.S, where food averages to 8% of household consumption. ... Due to poor land management, Senegal has experienced and degradation, which has been worsening in the recent years. This has, in turn, increased poverty levels in the country. Education, drinking water, medicine, transport and energy are also major problems in some parts of Senegal. Diseases like malaria, AIDS and cholera are widespread in Senegal thus increasing the cost used on medicine. This raises poverty levels of the country. With regard to human resources, Senegal has a high rate of unemployment and under-employment. The ratio of the employed and the unemployed people is one to five. This suggests that there is high dependency rate, which is one of the issues that impact pressure on working individuals whose chances of falling into monetary poverty becomes high. Highest percentage of unemployment is experienced in rural areas which make the youths and active women to migrate to towns. Since illiteracy levels are high in rural areas, people largely rely on Agriculture as their main economic activity which is, unfortunately, prone to natural hazards like drought. Highest rates of unemployment are found among young graduates. Compared to Senegal, poverty levels in Cote d’Ivoire and Uganda are higher. ii) In the recent 20 years, there has been poverty evolution in Senegal whereby the country has been involved in war against poverty. Over the years, the social and economic policies were prepared to put lots of strain in the labor market, education and health structures, urbanization and low and erratic economic growth. The state has been ensuring that the microeconomic framework is stable by reducing external imbalance and containing public deficit with the aim of raising the living standards of the citizens. There has been trade

To what extent is the HR function essential in achieving successful Essay

To what extent is the HR function essential in achieving successful organization change - Essay Example Human Resource as a change agent has the following role in operatiopnal effectiveness: managing culture change processes; facilitating teams and groups to implement change; and identifying change agents within the organization (Wapshott & Spicer, 2005). The Human Resource functional competencies are perhaps more widely known to include Human Resource Planning and Staffing; Performance management and development; employee and labour relations; compensation and benefits; health, safety, welfare and security; systems information and management; and organizational design and development (Brewster, Farndale, & Ommeren, 2000). Man as a social animal finds it hard to exist in relative peace without any form of organization. Without an organization chaos normally ensues, formal or informal, organizations exist in one form or another to provide order in society. In Britain and the rest of the industrial world today, it is almost impossible to imagine life without the plethora of organizations that comprise and make possible our everyday life (Burnes, 2004). Organizations being composed of different individuals and personality is in constant flux thus are prone to influences that can bring an enormous amount of change in every minute of its existence (Alfes, Truss, & Gill, 2010). Impermanence and transience are increasingly becoming important features of modern life brought about by major expansion in the scale and scope of change and the accelerating pace of change (Hayes, 2002). Individual change is at the heart of everything that is achieved in organizations. Once individuals have the motivation to do something different, the whole world can begin to change (Cameron & Green, 2009). By any objective measure, the amount of significant, often traumatic, change in organizations has grown tremendously over the past two decades. Although some people predict that most of the reengineering, outsourcing, restrategizing, mergers, downsizing, quality efforts, and cultural renewa l projects will soon disappear, I think that is highly unlikely (Hadley, 2009). Powerful macroeconomic forces are at work here, and these forces may grow even stronger over the next few decades. As a result, more and more organizations will be pushed to reduce costs, improve the quality of products and services, locate new opportunities for growth, and increase productivity (Kotter, 1996). In the book â€Å"The Heart of Change† an overview of an eight-step model for change was divided into three major groups: 1. Creating the climate for change; 2. Engaging and enabling the whole organization; and 3. Implementing and sustaining the change. The eight-step are: 1. Increase urgency; 2. Build guiding teams; 3. Get the vision right; 4. Communicate for buy-in; 5. Enable action; 6. Create short-term wine; 7. Don’t let up; 8. Make it stick (Cohen, 2005). In the same book, two approaches to change were proposed: analysis-think-change and see-feel-change (Cohen, 2005). Practicall y the Human Resource is at the start and end of the process (Kotter & Schlesinger, 2008). In the Eight-step model the core and enabler for each step is the Human Resource organization. Life is in a state of constant flux, the same can be said about organization. Some changes are major and some changes are insignificant, no matter how large or inconsequential the volume of change is, change transforms the organization forever. And, at the centre