The English Civil War - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 1 Words: 402 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2019/05/18 Category History Essay Level High school Tags: Civil War Essay War Essay Did you like this example? The English Civil War although singular in name is resulted in three different consecutive conflicts. The first being the first war fought during the years of (1642-1646) between the roundheads which the parliamentarians and the cavaliers which represented the royalist. The second conflict only came a year after the first lasting itself only a year from (1648-1649). Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The English Civil War" essay for you Create order While the third and final conflict resulted in a two-year stent from (1649-1651) where the parliamentarians came represented out with a victory at the battel of Worcester. Breaking these three conflicts down under the umbrella of the English civil war is going to be the focus of this paper. In order to better understand these wars, one must start with the beginning. How and why did the civil war happen? Secondly, exploring who the major players and characters are in this war? Lastly, concluding the civil war and its aftermath. With almost any war, war starts with two different parties in disagreement and in case of England at the time it was the disagreement of many things starting with Charles I. Charles the I between 1629 and 1640 ruled England without parliament. Charles terminated them because of the offering of the petition of rights. This demanded that at no freeman should be forced to pay any tax, loan, or benevolence, unless in accordance with an act of parliament; that no freeman should be imprisoned contrary to the laws of the land; that soldiers and sailors should not be billeted on private persons; commissions to punish soldiers and sailors by martial law should be abolished (Morris). Charles although passing the petition disliked it because of his believe in divine right of kings. This belief can be summed up as the belief that a king was a god gave the notion that he was of divine decent (Figgins 18). Meaning, Charles felt as if he could do what he wanted because of this belief, if he was wrong then God was wrong and how can God be wrong? Therefore, he disassembled parliament and started the personal rule. During this eleven-year period he applied plans without having to respond to anyone. Among these plans where controversy religious restructurings. William lord his arch bishop gave him advise to change out alters and genuflect while receiving the sacrament among other things. To the protestants this looked a lot like Catholicism and people started to talk whether he was being influenced by queen Maria.

Immigration During the Industrial Revolution - 822 Words

Immigration during the Industrial Revolution Immigration was a huge part of the industrial revolution, some migrated legal, some illegal. Either way, many immigrants came to the United States searching for a dream, the American dream to be precise. This leads to the question; Why did people immigrate to America? There can be many answers to this question, but some of the most important answers are: political, others economic, while yet others religious, whatever the case was, the United States became a mix of different cultures. However, the main reason for immigration was because of the â€Å"Industrial Revolution† Industrial Revolution is basically the changes in industry from the 18th century to the 19th century that started in Britain†¦show more content†¦The outcome of this farming change was higher access of food. The enclosure Movement also forced people into Industrial Revolution for example; farmers who worked in the farming industry where replaced by farming machines and where left homeless forced to f ind new jobs in the industrial revolution. Big business was also a change that created Mass Production. Mass Production shifted people from production at home, to production in large factories in cities. Mass production also allowed for lower prices on the good produced. In 1892, the government made an immigration station on Ellis Island, in a bay between New York and Jersey City, New Jersey. Every day, hundreds or even thousands of people arrived by boat and pass through inspections as they arrived, potential immigrants were escorted through a quick health exam. As immigrants climbed up a set of stairs, officials watched for symptoms of illnesses, heavy breathing, and signs of mental disturbances. These were indications that the person might not be able to find or maintain a job. Doctors then gave a six second physical and checked for diseases, including a contagious eye infection called trachoma. Sick people were sent to a hospital on Ellis Island to be treated, and escorted through the same immigration process again. After the physical checkup, potential immigrants were asked a series of questions by immigration inspectors. Life as an immigrant in the U.S was not all that great. First, they had to learn EnglishShow MoreRelatedImmigration Policy And Its Impact On America882 Words   |  4 Pagespermanently settling in America, the immigration policy has affected all aspects of society in terms of growth and development of economy, societal issues, and national security. As the immigration policy is a broad topic among senators, it needs to be prioritize for it to be better understood. In doing so will improve the immigration policy and grasp the significance of its impact in America. 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Critical Analysis of Hills Like White Elephants free essay sample

Mikhail Shimonov Professor Kaufman March 28, 2011 Critical Analysis of Hills like White Elephants At first glance, Hills like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway, may allude to many interpretations, however, the short story has a clear purpose. Set in the Ebro River valley in Spain, the story looms around the issue brought forth by Jig and the American, who is nameless throughout the whole story. The issue here being the ‘simple operation’ that Jig is about to undergo which happens to be an abortion.Set in the early 1920s, the idea of abortion is as irrational and controversial as today’s ongoing debate over gay marriage. Although the term abortion is never used in the story, the imagery Hemingway uses along with the language and behavior of the characters gives way for one explanation – Jig is getting an abortion. Of the many symbols Hemingway uses, the theme of abortion is evident in the white elephant hills that have the â€Å"coloring of †¦ skin through the trees† (Hemingway, 1). The white hills, as described in the setting, parallels a pregnant woman lying on her back with the hills being relative to the womb. In addition, the white color of the hills would represent the purity of the unborn child the woman bears. Furthermore, the fields of grain and trees along the river would represent the fertility that the woman embodies throughout the story. Her body being the fertile land on which the white hills were. The trees along the hills being the distorting factor of her mindset on going through with the abortion as the American persist throughout the story.The longer they talk about it, the more it becomes apparent to the reader that the girl is becoming increasingly agitated with the conversation and how easy the American is making the operation to be. During the conversation of the American and the woman, the man is constantly pressing Jig to acknowledge that the operation is simple and is only â€Å"to let the air in† (2). These remarks play on the theme giving the implication of abortion and its primitive beginnings in the early 1900s.As the story progresses, the woman’s understanding and eventual opinion is swayed back and forth with her thoughts on whether she should focus on keeping the American happy or maintain a self-interest as the American continues pressing for the operation. During the story, however, the American states to the woman â€Å"if you don’t want to you don’t have to. I wouldn’t have you do it if you didn’t want to†, nevertheless, he eventually concludes with â€Å"But I know it’s perfectly simple† (2).The conclusion to his statement gives the reader a sense that the American, although nice and caring, he is simply taking into account how his li fe would come to an immediate halt after the baby is born. It is clear from â€Å"the bags against the wall of the station †¦ [with] labels on them from all the hotels where they had spent nights† that they both liked to travel, drink, and enjoy themselves – the life of a young couple (3). However, it is makes clear sense as to why the American would want to push for the abortion now even more so knowing that he enjoys his current lifestyle.This is essentially his goal and his motive for persuading her go through with the abortion, and her being naive and simplistic, she would be swayed easy by his words, so long as â€Å"he is happy† as she states countlessly throughout their conversation (2). As stated in the beginning of the story, he has already sacrificed much for her: the constant anxiety with having the child, and his goal to enjoy a drink of absinthe, which supposedly tastes like licorice (1-3). Towards the end of the story, her options begin to narrow to only two: either have the abortion or live with the child.This is foreshadowed perfectly in the beginning of the short story with the station being â€Å"between two lines of rails in the sun† – one directing towards childbirth, while the other track guiding to abort (1). Confronted with two conclusions with a man pushing for you to take one over the other allows for a climactic ending – one that is not revealed. Consequently, one can also say that she was leaning in the Americans cause for she was drinking alcohol – a known derivative of an unhealthy child – a child resembling the â€Å"shadow of a cloud moving across the field of grain† (2). Ultimately, Hills like White Elephants has very clear descriptions referring to whether the story is about abortion or not. From the various implications as to the seriousness of their problem to how the symbols provided in the story all relate to purity and fertility. Based on Jig’s hard decision to choose, one can see how the character of Jig can be very pregnant and truly affected by the operation that is claimed to be simple by the American.The American, pushing her because he has an incentive – his old life, does not want to change the mood of his life. The drinking, the travelling, the sightseeing – all gone if she chooses to stay with the child. Although the term abortion is never stated, Hemingway could have chosen to omit the word to create a stronger story, increasing hostility amongst readers. Works Cited Hemingway, Ernest. Hills Like White Elephants. Scribd. Web. 28 Mar. 2011. http://www. scribd. com/doc/94569/Hills-Like-White-Elephants.

Financial Statement Analysis Profitability Ratios

Question: Describe about the Financial Statement Analysis? Answer: Total Assets The total assets of the company have been stable over the years. It has been in the range of 135000 million USD, over the 5 years range with +/- 10%. This indicates a strong network and control over the assets. Year 2013 has shown the highest figure in 4 years period. Asset Structure Looking at the asset structure of the company it can be said that it has maintained a strong asset structure, with majority of the investment (More than 80%) in Non Current Assets. Of this Goodwill forms 50% of the Total Non-Current Assets, and has been rising due to the growing popularity of the company. However investment in cash has been too low and for the years 2011 and 2010, the same was exceptionally low. The same needs to be ensured to be kept at optimum levels so as to ensure a proper liquidity position. Liability and Equity Growth The Liability growth has been in a abnormal trend. Initially the same was falling indicating a good signal. However, in the year 2013 it has increased a lot as compared to other years. Hence the same must be controlled. Similar trend was seen in Equity Growth as well. In the term of 5 years it was the lowest in 2010. As regards the retained earnings are concerned the same is increasing in a very steady manner over the years, and in the 5 year period the same has grown substantially. The same has grown from $ 57,309 m to $ 80,197 m in this period. This is the result of the exception profitable performance of the company. Income Statement Net Sales The sales of the company are growing in a reasonable fashion. In all the years of the period under review the same is growing and has been in a steady fashion. Cost of Goods The cost of goods sold of the company are reasonably low. This is the reason for the strong financial position and the good profitability of the concern. It has been at around 50% of the sales. Gross Profits Since the Cost of Goods Sold has been low, the Gross Profit has also been very high and has been at around 50% of the sales. For some years the GP was more than 50% as well. General Expenses The other general expenses of the company has also been quite stable over the period under review. It has been at 50% of the Gross profit and most importantly it is under control and has been maintained at that level. EBT Income before taxes have been quite good. It is more than 15% for all the years. It was however, seen that in 2012 the same has fallen. However, for the year 2013 the company reviewed and it has been made at a good levels. Net Income considering the net income levels the company has not been much good in this year. Over the years this figure has shown to be falling as compared to the sales. This is a serious matter to be considered by the management and before making any investment decision. Share Outstanding The share outstanding has also remained in somewhat stable manner, indicating that not many issues have been made in shares arena. Depreciation and Amortisation The depreciation and amortization expenses of the company are not in a single trend. For some of the years the same has fallen while in some it has been in huge levels. In 2013 it was however at a much low levels. Taxes Looking at the figures it can be seen that the tax expenses of the company are falling over the period. It is a very good indication of profitability, as in a way the unproductive expenses are reducing and the company is retaining the maximum for its own growth and development. Cash Flow Statement Net Cash from Operating Activities The cash flows from operating activities has been in a line. It has been at around $ 14000 m. The year 2010 had shown exception results and in that year the cash flow was the highest. Net Cash from Investing Activities No trend can be fitted to this item of the company financial statement. However, there is one similarity that in all the years under the review the same has been in the investment arena, and has been negative. The year 2010 had lowest investment figures while in 2013 there was exceptional and was highest. Net Cash from Financial Activities The cash flow form Financial Activities have been negative. This has remained so for all the years. This indicates that the capital has been liquidating and the company is able to repay its debts. In the year 2010 this repayment was maximum and in 2013 the lowest. Net Change in Cash Net changes in cash have been fluctuating. In 2010 there was a negative cash flow while in all the other years the same was some-what of a profitable nature. Free Cash Flow The overall free cash flows have been positive with the year 2010 being the highest generating year. Ratio Liquidity Ratio Current ratio For the years under the review the company has maintained the current ratio at around 0.8 level. However, this low level of Current Ratio is a signal of poor profitability. A current ratio of 2 is ideal. This low ratio can create liquidity crisis. Quick ratio The quick ratio has also been at around 0.4-0.5. This low figures, i.e. lower than 1 can be a matter of concern in the years to come. Asset Management Ratio Days Sales Outstanding (DSO) The average sale outstanding days has been around 28 days. Considering the industry average the same is ok , and is an indication of better management of receivables. Fixed Asset Turnover This ratio has been maintained at 4 steadily showing that the company has been utilizing the assets in an optimum manner in all the years. Total Asset Turnover This ratio has also been quite stable and at 0.60. However considering the industry trend it seems to be a bit low, and must be at around 0.8 Inventory Turnover This ratio has been at around 6 times, indicating that the company is revolving its inventory in an optimum manner and is not piling up much stock. This indicates good inventory management at the company. Debt Management Ratios Debt Ratio The Debt ratio of the concern is considerably low and it has also been discussed earlier that the company has a primary focus on equity component more than the debt. Times Interest Earned The number of times interest earned has been fluctuating. It has been from 16-25. This is a poor signal of the companys debt management fund. Profitability Ratios Profit Margins The company has been in good profitability and has given profit figures for more than 10% in each year. The same was 16%, and the highest in 2009. From then the ratio is declining. Return on Assets The return on assets has been maintained at around 8%-10%. This shows that the company has optimally utilized the total assets of the concern. Return on Equity The return in equity has been at a quite good ratio, and has been more than 15% for all the years. This indicates that the company is well using the funds of the investor. Other Data Tax rate The effective tax rate of the company has been around 25%. For the year 2011 and 2013 it was near 20%. This is a proper signal and an indication of good fiscal structure of the organization.

The Catcher In The Rye Essays (718 words) - Fiction, Literature

The Catcher In The Rye The Catcher in the Rye In J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye, the first person narration is critical in helping the reader to know and understand the main character, Holden Caulfield. Holden, in his narration, relates a flashback of a significant period of his life, three days and nights on his own in New York City. Through his narration, Holden discloses to the reader his innermost thoughts and feelings. He thus provides the reader not only with information of what occurred, but also how he felt about what happened. Holden's thoughts and ideas reveal many of his character traits. One late Saturday night, four days before the beginning of school vacation, Holden is alone, bored and restless, wondering what to do. He decides to leave Pencey, his school, at once and travels to New York by train. He decides that, once in New York, he will stay in a cheap motel until Wednesday, when he is to return home. His plan shows the reader how very impetuous he is and how he acts on a whim. He is unrealistic, thinking that he has a foolproof plan, even though the extent of his plans are to take a room in a hotel.., and just take it easy till Wednesday. Holden's excessive thoughts on death are not typical of most adolescents. His near obsession with death might come from having experienced two deaths in his early life. He constantly dwells on Allie, his brother's, death. From Holden's thoughts, it is obvious that he loves and misses Allie. In order to hold on to his brother and to minimize the pain of his loss, Holden brings Allie's baseball mitt along with him where ever he goes. The mitt has additional meaning and significance for Holden because Allie had written poetry, which Holden reads, on the baseball mitt. Holden's preoccupation with death can be seen in his contemplation of a dead classmate, James Castle. It tells the reader something about Holden that he lends his turtleneck sweater to this classmate, with whom he is not at all close. Holden's feelings about people reveal more of his positive traits. He constantly calls people phonies, even his brother, D.B., who has sold out to Hollywood. Although insulting, his seemingly negative feelings show that Holden is a thinking and analyzing, outspoken individual who values honesty and sincerity. He is unimpressed with people who try to look good in other's eyes. Therefore, since it is obvious that Holden is bright, the reason for his flunking out of school would seem to be from a lack of interest. Holden has strong feelings of love towards children as evidenced through his caring for Phoebe, his little sister. He is protective of her, erasing bad words from the walls in her school and in a museum, in order that she not learn from the graffiti. His fondness for children can be inferred when he tells her that, at some time in the future, he wants to be the only grown-up with all these little kids playing some game in this big field of rye and all. He'll stand on the edge of a cliff and catch anybody who starts to fall off the edge of the cliff. He got this image from his misinterpretation of a line from the Robert Burns poem, if a body catch a body comin' through the rye. When situations are described, in person or in a book, they are influenced by the one who describes them, and by his or her perceptions and experiences. Through Holden's expressions of his thoughts and feelings, the reader sees a youth, sensitive to his surroundings, who chooses to deal with life in unique ways. Holden is candid, spontaneous, analytical, thoughtful, and sensitive, as evidenced by his narration. Like most adolescents, feelings about people and relationships are often on his mind. Unfortunately, in Holden's case, he seems to expect the worst, believing that the result of getting close to people is pain. Pain when others reject you or pain when they leave you, such as when a friend walks off or a beloved brother dies. It would not have been possible to feel Holden's feelings or understand his thoughts nearly

The US Penal System essays

The US Penal System essays Prison inmates, are some of the most "maladjusted" people in society. Most of the inmates have had too little discipline or too much, come from broken homes, and have no self-esteem. They are very insecure and are at war with themselves as well as with society. Most inmates did not learn moral values or learn to follow everyday norms. Also, when most lawbreakers are labeled criminals they enter the phase of secondary deviance. They will admit they are criminals or believe it when they enter the phase of secondary deviance. Next, some believe that if we want to rehabilitate criminals, we must do more than just send them to prison. For instance, we could give them a chance to acquire job skills; which will improve the chances that inmates will become productive citizens upon release. The programs must aim to change those who want to change. Those who are taught to produce useful goods and to be productive are likely to develop the self-esteem essential to a normal, integrated personality. This kind of program would provide skills and habits and replace the sense of hopelessness that many inmates have. Moreover, another technique used to rehabilitate criminals is counseling. There is two types of counseling in general, individual and group counseling. Individual counseling is much more costly than group counseling. The aim of group counseling is to develop positive peer pressure that will influence its members. One idea in many sociology text is that group problem-solving has definite advantages over individual problem-solving. The idea is that a wider variety of solutions can be derived by drawing from the experience of several people with different backgrounds. Also one individuals problem might have already been solved by another group member and can be suggested. Often if a peer proposes a solution it carries more weight than if the counselor were to suggest it. ...

The Song at the Scaffold by Gertrude von Le Fort Essay

The Song at the Scaffold by Gertrude von Le Fort - Essay Example She has a most uncharacteristic nature which is totally unsuited to her social standing, being fearfully timid and frail. She chooses Carmel of Compiegne as her saviour from the fears and terrors of life. At the sanctuary the character of Sister Marie of the Incarnation is introduced as one which embodies confidence yet humility and faith in the church, but feels that Blanche is unsuited to the rigorous lifestyle of the Carmel. The unfolding events of the French Revolution, bring a drastic change in Blanche’s circumstances from glory and comfort to distress, taking away the one sanctuary she trusted most; the Carmel at Compiegne. The author presents her uniqueness to us as she willingly steps out and joins the sisters who are being led to the guillotine, showing a superb transformation from fear and horror to unimaginable courage. This transformation is the epitome of her faith and belief in God bringing her to a point where the darkness of her fears Surname2 is encompassed an d destroyed by the one and only ultimate source of light ; her love of God. Sister Marie who has a strong, wilful and quite an eloquent personality, has all the makings of a heroine, manages to flee from the executioners for greater service to the Lord and mankind. She realizes that bravery and piety do not necessary come from great acts of heroism. Weak and insignificant beings are chosen by God to become vessels of the working of the Divine. Surname3 The novella has a very interesting character in the form of Blanche de La Force. She was the daughter of Marquis de La Force. Her birth in the nobility did not in any manner reflect in her demeanour. She had a frail disposition and lived in a constant state of fear, which according to her father, was the result of the circumstances at the time of her birth. She would surely have been beautiful considering the lineage she belonged to, had not fear overcome all other senses. She always wore a pinched expression on her face, reflecting i nner turmoil. The other interesting character of the story was that of Sister Marie of the Incarnation. She was the opposite of Blanche in appearance. She was stout and strong. Her demeanour reflected her state of confidence and strong belief in God. She showed a stoutness which bordered on overconfidence. Blanche and Sister Marie had the love of God as the most marked similarity in their personalities. Apart from that, Blanche had a timid and nervous personality. She showed signs of an extreme insecurity complex from a very early age, when she would reconfirm from her nanny that the stairs would not slip from under her feet, or when she would tremble at the sight of a new servant as if she had seen a ghost. As she grew up and sensed the ridicule aimed at her from all quarters, these insecurities only added to her agonizing fear of all things known as well as unknown. Such a disposition had a profound effect on the girl’s personality putting her apart from others of her age g roup. The reason might have been the demise of her mother at childbirth, who might have in other circumstances soothed and calmed her by giving her a confidence which the Jacobean father could not and did not. Sister Marie ,on the other hand showed a self-assurance which seemed to stem from her strong Surname4 faith. She had absolute belief in her own

What Is So-Called Asian Business Model How Well Does The Indian Essay

What Is So-Called Asian Business Model How Well Does The Indian Business System Fit That Model - Essay Example The business model of Asia is also quite dissimilar from other western nations. The Asian business model has progressed through several periods of transformations. Several aspects such as globalization, improvement in information and communication technology, and deregulation along with evolving competition have influenced the business model of Asia (Crown, â€Å"Challenges in Asia†). Thesis Statement The discussion is based on analyzing the different aspects of the Asian business model. The objective of the discussion is to observe how the Indian business system or organizations fit in the Asian business model and to describe one other Asian system which fits the Asian business model either better or worse than India’s business system. What Is So-Called Asian Business Model? Asian business paradigm has developed through three major phases of improvement. In the first phase, i.e. during 1970s to 1980s, Asia used to pursue the features of ‘Japanese Model’ of business. According to that model, organizations tended to follow quality products and operational superiority in business. The Japanese model focused more on business growth rather than earning profit. Lifetime employment was a vital part for that Asian business model. At that period of time, the central elements of this Asian business model were huge investment, large savings and financial growth. These elements were described as success-deriving factors for organizations by the professionals. However, in the third phase, i.e. from 1990s to present day, professionals have highlighted certain systematic deficiencies of the Asian business model, which had resulted in Asian financial crisis in the year 1997. The Asian business model had also resulted in the collapse of several Asian organizations (Delios and Singh 1-20). At this point of time, it is vital to outline the major differences between the Asian business model and the US business model. During the period of 1950s to early 1990s, the Asia business model was associated with the so-called ‘crony capitalism’. Crony capitalism is usually related with strong government participation in business. Thus, it can be observed that close association existed between the government and the organizations in this kind of business model. Such close association was directed through discussion board which was used to organize investment plans. Government assistance to organizations was related with strict performance standards about exports and technical values. In Asian business model, the relationship between business and financial system comprised long-term association between organizations and banks. This aspect had empowered Asian organizations to consider long-run vision in the investment decisions. Thus, organizations were not constrained by the threat of aggressive take-overs. Asian organizations pursued internal business practices which were different from those of Western organizations. For instan ce, Asia business model is related with maintaining loyal association between management and employees. Conducting business in this model is based on interpersonal relationships

High skilled or educated workers may face more difficulties in getting Essay

High skilled or educated workers may face more difficulties in getting employed compared to low skilled or educated workers - Essay Example On the other hand, there is a need to scrutinise the new role of low-skilled workers in the current job and industry requirements. In order to get a succinct understanding of the market competitiveness for skilled workers as compared to their low-skilled counterparts, this paper begins by looking at the theoretical perspective of the issue. This is then followed by a critical analysis of the many factors that influence market competitiveness for both skilled and low-skilled workers. Lastly, these factors are analyzed by using the case study of the labour market in the United States where skilled workers are becoming obsolescent to the advantage of the low-skilled and low-educated workers. One of the theory that explain the circumstance of the labour market where less skilled worker get hired than the skilled work force is the invisible hand theory. Adam Smith coined the term invisible hand denoting that the market should be free of interference from the government (Holcombe, 1999). However, the theory of invisible hand explains that market ought to be guided by the forces of demand and supply. Through this scarce resources are bound to be shared efficiently. This is also the circumstance in the labour sector. The forces of demand and supply supersede the skills more so where the market does not need specialised services (Holcombe, 1999). Therefore, the invisible hand theory explains the competiveness of non-skill workforce to that of skilled labourer (Holcombe, 1999). The high investment in higher education and skills necessary for a particular type of job is no longer fool proof of a better job. This is because the current market for skills is largely driven by laws of supply and demand. For many years, there has been a contemporary belief that high-skilled workers are often granted high priority in the job market. However, low-skilled workers

English in Pakistan

English in Pakistan THE AUDIENCE OF THE ANALYSIS The audience of this analysis is all primary school as the writing will focus on the existing teaching techniques at this level and will concentrate on the anomalies in this methodology. The revised 2006 English Teaching curriculum is completely based on the ongoing teaching technique. The revised curriculum 2006 for the first time introduced English at the level of grade 1 which used to be introduced to students at 6 grade before 2006. This is a milestone in the history of Pakistan that students of government run schools could start learning English from the very first year of school. The government new education policy unveiled on 12 March 2009 with a hope to reduce the illiteracy to a great level. The policy will be implemented at the expiry of National Education Policy 2008-2010 next year. But revised English curriculum and the new national policy does not draw attention to the mammoth problem of obsolete teaching techniques especially English curriculum at all levels. To overcom e these issues we will deeply look into the Communicative Language Teaching techniques which will resolve the long standing issues of the country and put the teaching techniques on the right track. POLICY ANALYSIS TIME AND PROCESS SPENT ON THE POLICY DEVELOPMENT It is arduous to forecast the exact time the Ministry of Education (MoE) undertook the task of coming up with a revised curriculum for English in 2006. As the national education policy 1998-2010 introduced in 1998 was heavily criticised for being inadequate to cater the needs of the country in twenty first century and very soon MoE realised the gravity of the mistakes when the new education policy was heading towards complete collapse. To save its face the MoE came up with a new idea to revise some of the most defective policies. INTENDED AUDIENCE The analysis is going to focus on the problems of teachers, students and the curriculum. The analysis is restricted to the primary system of education in the biggest province of Punjab. FUNCTION AND PURPOSE OF THE ANALSYIS The main function and purpose of the policy analysis is to focus on the drawbacks in the teaching methodology and the proposed curriculum introduced at the primary level. How these problems are adversely affecting the people involved with education sector, especially the students who are at the receiving end. TYPE OF KNOWLEDGE The analysis is both non-interpretative and interpretative. NATURE OF POLICY The analysis is non-perspective as it will have a wide approach towards the existing policy. â€Å"A non-perspective policy text†¦ is construed so that the reader is allowed a great deal of latitude as to how they interpret its message(s)† (Scott, 2000, pp 18). Scott adds â€Å"if the text is non-perspective, the reader is not asked to behave or think in a certain way but is offered a number of possibilities which they can then choose from† (ibid, pp 18-19). The writing will be based on the views, analysis and research of different educationists, analysts and opinion. It will focus on both the traditionalist approach and CLT approach and how it works out for a country like Pakistan. The topic is wide focus on the English teaching techniques at primary level in Pakistan and how this is effecting the students in term of their progress. The CLT will be dealt with in depth to address the issue the English teaching as a second/foreign language. While talking about the new approach we will keep our focus on Pakistan’s primary level language teaching techniques. One figure is used but graphics and statistics have not been employed as the topic under discussion is of generic nature and involves opinion and research of different researchers and educationists. PAKISTAN AND ENGLISH Worldwide the significance of English as a language of communication cannot be overlooked. As communication is the most fundamental aspect of human life (Thompson 2003:1) and a language works as a key mean of communication for humans (Clark et. al. 1994:1). The communication process starts first at communal level but this circle widens up when people from different communities and societies interacts with one another. As the world has become a global village the English rightly fulfils the need for a common lingua franca to bridge the widening gap between world communities. Nowadays English is widely considered as a global language and according to Brutt-Griffler (mentioned in Mackay 2002:12) due to its some of the most appealing features it holds this position. The popularity of English these days could be judged from the fact more than 85 percent international organisations worldwide employ English as the main language, for instance in Asia and the Pacific ninety percent of the org anisations officially use English (MacKay 2002:17). The national language of Pakistan is Urdu but English has been the official language for communication over the last six decade since its independence. The Kachru’s concentric model describes Pakistan’ position in a very well manner as it falls in the outer-circle of the model. This circle includes the earlier period of the extension of English in non-native countries where it has become a part of a countrys chief institutions, and plays an important second language role in a multilingual setting and includes 50 other territories. Fig. 1 The University Grants Commission of Pakistan (1982) in a â€Å"Report on the Teaching of Language† deemed the English as the language of knowledge, technology, and international communication, as an important second language’. Furthermore the report adds regarding the future of English in Pakistan that it would be employed in the near future as the language of technology and for international communication and soon English is going to hold the position of global lingua franca and ignoring language would be detrimental for any country especially for a country like Pakistan which is already having advantages in the form of past knowledge of English (UGC 1982:14). This statement reveals the significance of English for a third world state like Pakistan and recently the government decided to introduce English at all Government Schools from the year one (MoE 2007) and shun the existing policy of teaching English at grade 6 (i.e. sixth year of schooling). EDUCATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE COUNTRY First of all it is vital to comprehend the structure of education system in Pakistan in order to focus in better manner on the topic under discussion. For a long time English has been an integral component of the syllabus. The education in Pakistan can be dissected into five main levels but we will discuss only two main categories at school level: Primary Level: The primary level comprises of 1-5 grades and students of age 3-11. At this level the medium of instructions at government schools is Urdu while schools under provincial governments use local/regional languages as the medium. As mentioned above now the government is planning to introduce English at this level both at federal and provincial schools. Secondary Level: This level can be further segmented into two main stages: Middle school, which includes pupil of grade 6-8, and Higher school consisting of grade 9-10 students. The age group for this level varies between 11-18 years and is of great significance because at this stage of education the syllabus commences towards specialisation in a specific field or disciple and decides towards the future of a student. For instance at this stage a student decides whether he intends to pursue science subjects or arts subjects, the two most common choices available for students at higher school (9-10 grades). Ironically, the medium of instructions at this stage depends on the kind of institution, for example, in private schools the ‘O Levels’ system or ‘Senior Cambridge’ system of education are in vogue and therefore English is the primary source of instruction. While in government schools, also called the ‘Urdu Medium Schools’, the local curriculum of English is taught as the name suggests the medium of instruction is in Urdu. ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING Since independence of Pakistan in 1947 all successive governments have been aiming at introducing new and robust education policy to ameliorate the obsolete education system left by the British Empire. But most of these efforts have gone down the drain due to insincere, apathetic and sloppy policies of the government and one can judge the failure of these policies from the fact that in the last 62 years Pakistan introduced 11 education policies (1947, 1951, 1959, 1966, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1979, 1992, 1998, 2010) without any beneficial outcome. As educational analysts rightly infer that the number of education policies does not mean we are over-concerned about poor education standard or under-performance of these policies but it means precisely the opposite. For instance in 1998 the education policy 1998-2010 was introduced but within a couple of years of its launch it led to the complete collapse of the education system and to shroud this downfall the Ministry of Education rushed to in troduce a new revised curriculum in 2006 (MoE 2007 available at http://www.moe.gov.pk/). This reveals the pathetic situation of crumbling educational system of the country. Now the government has announced initial National Education Policy 2009 which will be enforced from 2010. We will focus on the obsolete English teaching methodology in practice and unfortunately like in the past the Ministry of Education’s revised curriculum for ‘English Language 2006’ totally avoids this issue (ibid). Curriculum planning can be seen as the systematic attempt by educationalists and teachers to specify and study planned intervention into the educational enterprise (Nunan 1988: 1). But in Pakistan the government has never thought on this line and the existing situation has gone from bad to worse where English language teaching is considered as being dissatisfactory, non-conducive and counter-productive for learning the language in Pakistan (Warsi 2004). The educationists summari se the English language teaching techniques in vogue at different levels of education in the following context: Teaching methodology is scant of deep approaches to learning or in other words lack of connection to personal, experience of the learner, conceptualisation and integration. For language learning it has the implication of memorizing facts about language and lack of contextualized, authentic use of the target language with a focus on meaning. Curriculum based teaching and learning. An emphasis on rote memorisation. More focus and emphasis on transfer and assessment of factual knowledge rather than assessment of critical thinking and analytical skills (Rehmani 2003:3) The above features indicate the traditional approach to teaching of English language. Nunan further elaborates the main elements of this traditionalist approach: Area Model View of learning Transmission of knowledge Power relation Emphasis on teacher’s authority Teacher’s role Providing frontal instruction Learner’s role Passive / individual work View of knowledge Presented as ‘certain’ View of curriculum Static; predefined content and product Learning experience Knowledge of facts, concepts skills; focus on content and product Control of process Teacher structured learning Motivation Extrinsic Evaluation Product oriented: achievement testing; criterion referencing (Nunan 1999:7) Nunan correctly draws the traditional methodology in English teaching in the country where the traditionalists view and focus on the language as a structured system of grammatical patterns, with a higher focus of such techniques on formal and bookish language. Such approach aims to have pupils producing formally correct sentences and in terms of skills, an emphasis on reading and writing (Nunan 1988:26-27). Globally there has been a greater tendency towards research and development in the field of language teaching techniques and approaches but haplessly Pakistan education system is oblivious of such developments in the world. Warsi laments â€Å"the obsolete [grammar] translation method is still being adopted by most language programmes† (Warsi 2004) and the facets of language teaching programmes are irrelevant to the most fundamental requirements of students (ibid). Since 1960s, there is an ambition to formulate language teaching more responsive to the needs of the student a nd this has been a consistent feature of both writing and practical experimentation in language teaching (Tudor 1996:66). Tudor further advocates such approach and opines that it permits students to ‘play a fuller, more active and participatory role in their language study’ (ibid). And it develops language teaching more effective as the teaching process is highly helpful to the needs, characteristics and expectations of learners. Tudor insists that immense need for different kind of language skills within a swiftly evolving social and economic context made it indispensable for â€Å"a language teaching profession to develop appropriate tools for identifying learner’s communicative needs and for translating them into coherent course structures† (Tudor 1996:8). Tudor’s argument truly reflects the need of development skills in the education sector of Pakistan to foster the needs of a strong and well-educated society and a robust education system for th e present and the future. COMMUNICATIVE LANGUAGE TEACHING (CLT) Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) emerged in 60s as an approach towards the teaching of language which lay emphasis on interaction as a source of learning a foreign language. The approach in CLT is totally different from the traditionalist approach as it is a wider approach which is based on a list of common principles and characteristics. As CLT can be well defined by Nunan’s five points: An emphasis on learning to communicate through interaction in the target language. The introduction of authentic texts into the learning situation. The provision of opportunities for learners to focus, not only on language but also on the Learning Management process. An enhancement of the learner’s own personal experiences as important contributing elements to classroom learning. An attempt to link classroom language learning with language activities outside the classroom. (Nunan 1991, 279) The main aim of CLT is to make a student capable of achieving communicative competence in the foreign language so that he can utilize the language for doing the similar tasks which it undertakes in day to day life. In other words its application should be reflective of the circumstances or events surrounding and should not be based on imaginative or unrealistic ideas. Until 1970s teaching and learning system was deemed as system of rules and the learners were assumed to internalize such rules (Nunan 1999:9). The approach was contradictory to CLT because it focus on set rules of teaching and a set path which could never be breached or in other words simply the teaching of fundamental like grammar of a language while there is no emphasis on its application and usage in the language. As Richard contends that language ability cannot be restricted to just grammar and it involves more than merely memorizing grammar and the grammar and other features of a language should be applied properly and purposefully for different communicative purpose and therefore the focus of learning and teaching need to be directed towards the use of language and not just the knowledge of language (Richards 2007:9). ENGLISH CURRICULUM AND TEACHING TECHNIQUES IN PAKISTAN In third world countries like Pakistan, the teaching curriculum, especially English curriculum, has been the centre of criticism over the last couple of decades. The English curriculum is obsolete and outdated which has been in practice since colonial rule over the sub-continent. Before 2006 to the worse of students at government owned schools important subject like English was introduced at the secondary level or 6th grade and at this stage the students started learning the ABC of English. The revised 2006 English curriculum for the first time introduced English at 1st grade. The new revised English curriculum only focuses on outlining the policy but does not focus on the problems at the heart of the system. The organisation of the curriculum framework reveals that students of primary level have been divided into two categories of I-II and III-V with the aim to develop a solid base for the tender age students in order to develop them into autonomous learners and to develop skills an d understanding to build a foundation for later studies. This policy guideline for the English curriculum also sets different benchmark for different groups of students. For instance the benchmark summarised in table 2.3 at page 11 for grade III-V reveals that the planner of the policy has concentrated more on the grammar. The government while introducing such syllabus overlooks the capabilities of the government schools to enforce such policy. One can understand the level of competency the curriculum plans to achieve for the students for instance one of the competency objective for grade one student is to learn how a student will hold a book, open a book and turn pages of a book correctly (Revised Curriculum, section 3, page 22). The other competency objective for the same group is tantamount to spoon feeding where a student is supposed to tell what comes before and after an alphabet (ibid, page 25). Furthermore on the page 26 of the curriculum the grade-I students are supposed to learn the poem by heart which will help them in developing reading and thinking skills (ibid, page 26). The big question mark is how a student is supposed to memorise something which is new for him without knowing or understanding the meaning and what is the main purpose of that exercise which a grade-I student is going to adopt and does it help towards the aim of developing a student reading and thinking sills. The writing skills of the curricul um (page 27) focuses on how a student will hold a pencil correctly, draw different lines, draw within the lines, trace and copy small and capital letters, write number from 1 to 10, write date, name, phone number etc. The ‘formal and lexical aspect of language’ again diverts the student from English towards local languages which defocus them from their main objective (page 33). These are some of the aspects of the revised English curriculum which reflects the insincerity and lack of dedication to introduce new English teaching techniques and a fresh syllabus based on modern knowledge. The curriculum is seen by most of the critics as a repetitive and ineffective guideline for the teachers and students which will hardly benefit any of the two. The teaching guideline is more inclined towards the traditionalist approach and there is no room for any reform towards adaptation of new techniques being practiced worldwide for teaching English. The curriculum does not work to ame nd the existing practice of teaching where the students are the biggest losers. The curriculum restricts to develop and promote the internal abilities of the student by binding them to follow, adopt and think within limited parameters without any concession to go out of those limits and this in turn leads to lost of confidence and self-learning capabilities. I put the question regarding the new English curriculum to a former senior Professor of English, Mr. Safdar Rana, (at Islamabad Model College for Boys, F-8/4, Islamabad, Pakistan) who is associated with teaching profession for over 30 years, he ridiculed the syllabus and said: â€Å"the syllabus is the same obsolete which I started teaching at primary level in 1967, it is 100 percent the same. The same syllabus includes topic like write the story of ‘greedy dog’, ‘union is strength’, ‘write a letter to father thanking him for buying a pen’, essay of ‘Journey by Bus’ etc is going on and Ministry of education is happy that they are promoting education and in their mind this system is the best in the third world. But actually the current English teaching techniques and the curriculum are not student-friendly and their learning process has stopped as they do not use their abilities and skills but heavily dependent on rote memorisation.† To another question regarding the improvement in English teaching standard, expressing his sorrow, he replied: â€Å"how one can expect improvement in education when not a single government tried to change the system, the teachers are under-educated and ill-equipped to teach the students because they are adopting the old techniques of teaching and an obsolete syllabus left by British before independence; these techniques and syllabus has been rejected by the rest of the world as counter-productive and inefficient but still this is in practice over here. Second how a teacher can teach a crowded class of 80 students, you cannot introduce new system in such circumstances. The government is heedless to the student-teacher problems and this sector has been completely ignored by all political and military government came to power.† To a question that teacher are against new techniques like CLT, he opined: â€Å"as far as I am concerned I will welcome any such change. But the government has never introduced any such scheme or system in the past and it will be wrong to say that teachers are against any such techniques. But it is an upheaval task as it needs long term massive investment in term of finance and human resources and serious and consistent efforts are needed on the part of current and any future governments to train, monitor and supervise up to half million teachers where 70 percent of government schools are located in rural and far flung areas of the country.† As Hindal furthers the argument that the techniques of teaching and learning are fully relied upon the well-organised and effective memorisation of information and procedures, which is part of the text books or lecture notes, and its later recollection in exams (2007). This pattern of teaching and learning techniques is common at all levels of education (Hindal 2007). In this setup the student and teachers are very rarely rewarded for their comprehension and the rewards in exams are completely based on retention and memory (ibid). The main trend in such system is that how much a student is capable of memorising and recalling and the learning or success is not based on learning, understanding or using its capabilities. It is a common concept that those teachers in Pakistan have been successful in a system which rewards accurate recall because comprehension is not valued highly for learners at all level. Reid in 1979 gave this idea that for a change of an approach, new information needs to interact with the long-term existing memory. Reid contends that there is no possibility of change in attitude if there is failure to establish mental relationship. Reid identifies specific kind of circumstances where there is higher probability of interaction and this will include learning situations which are active or in other words the student should be involved with the new material, feelings or experiences. This theory rightly suggests that the English text books and curriculum in Pakistan have failed to develop positive attitudes among learners and teachers towards English language. In third world countries like Pakistan the teacher is deemed as the ‘fount of knowledge’ and not as a facilitator (Liu1998:5). Liu emphasise the needs and significance of a proper teaching methodology in accordance with the cultures of these countries instead of completely depending on the western researchers and approaches for their need as some western techniques are not going to work out for a poor country (Liu1998:4). CONCLUSION The education standard at primary level cannot be improved without complete overhaul and innovation of the existing teaching techniques and curriculum which merely promotes the traditionalist approach sans any hope of development. The traditionalist approach to teaching could be replaced with Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) which is the best alternative to the existing system of education, especially for teaching English as a second language. The introduction of new curriculum is not up to the standard to assist the pupils to engage their natural abilities and skills but it discourage them to be innovative, constructive and confident. The successful student in such system is that who blindly adopts and follows the current education system. The Ministry of Education (MoE) has been following a vicious circle of education policies and strategies for a very long time with this hope that this path will lead to success but by end of day the MoE comes to the same point from where they started in 1947.

Workplace Spirituality :: Religion, Work

Workplace spirituality is a sophisticated concept (Kinjerski & Skrypnek, 2004). Generally speaking, it involves the sense of well-being, the feeling of the whole self involved in the work, the feeling of connection to others and something larger than oneself, and a sense of transcendence (Ashmos & Duchon, 2000; Ingersoll, 2010; Kinjerski & Skrypnek, 2004; Kinjerski, V. M., & Skrypnek, 2008; Rego & Pina e Cunha, 2008; Sheep, 2004). Individuals view their work as sacred (Ingersoll, 2010), while workplace spirituality is not necessary related to religion (Ashmos & Duchon, 2000; Krishnakumar & Neck, 2002; Milliman et al., 2003; Rego & Pina e Cunha, 2008). It can be regard to personal value or philosophy. This concept can be referred to self-actualization proposed by Maslow’s (1954) hierarchy of needs. Besides pursuing satisfaction of the basic levels in the hierarchy, individuals have desire to satisfy the higher level of need. Although earning money is the basic goal, individuals eager to find out the meaning in work, to make contribution to the society, to reach their full potential, to become connecting with colleagues, to work in an organization which they identify its goal and value (Kinjerski & Skrypnek, 2004). Although a consistent definition in workplace spirituality has not been reached, mutuality in its definition delineated in literatures can be easily found. Sheep (2004) has been summed up into four themes. The first theme is self-workplace integration, that is the immersion of whole self into work. The second theme is meaning of work. People tend to find out meaning in their work. The meaning may be related to personal value, such as contributing to society and others, and go beyond monetary benefits. The third one is transcendence of self, connecting to something larger than self. This theme includes the connectedness to others, community, and the organization. The final theme is â€Å"personal growth and development of one’s inner life at work†. Organization can provide conditions for the growth and development of employees. Despite various perspectives about workplace spirituality, three dimensions were focused in the present study. The model proposed by Milliman et al. (2003) was adopted. In this model, workplace spirituality includes three levels, namely individual, community and organization. This model embraces two above mentioned theme such as meaning of work and transcendence of self. In the individual level of workplace spirituality, meaningfulness in work is involved in this level. People are motivated to actively search for and give meaning to their lives (Ashmos & Duchon, 2000; Frankl, 1992; Lips-Wiersma & Morris, 2009).

An Analysis of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

â€Å"Everyone suspects himself at least one of the cardinal virtues and this is mine: I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known. †-Nick Carraway. Nick is an impartial, honest, and loyal character. He gives readers a detailed, accurate account of the events pertaining to Gatsby’s life. Nick spends time with Gatsby and Tom even though they do not like each other. In The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the color gray is continually used to show Nick’s impartiality to the characters and conflicts. Throughout the whole book, there is tension between Tom and Gatsby since they both want Daisy to love them.Nick acts as a friend to both characters; he spends time with Tom going out on the town, and with Gatsby attending parties every weekend. â€Å"Gray cars, ash gray men,† is a phrase used on page 23 as a color reference to Nick’s neutrality between the two opposing characters. Nick comes off as a very honest character to readers and o ther characters in the book. On page 19 Daisy says to Nick, â€Å"You remind me of a-of a rose, an absolute rose. † The red color of the rose represents his passion and care for other people.He looks out for all of the other characters throughout the book even while he struggles with his own personal concerns and struggles. When Gatsby offers to let Nick join in his gambling, Nick refuses; he wants to make an honest living. Nick remains loyal to Gatsby after his death when all of his other friends do not. Out of all of the people that Gatsby knew, Nick was one of three that attended his funeral. Other people pretended to be Gatsby’s friend just to get to attend parties or take advantage of him, but Nick actually cared for Gatsby and remained loyal to him throughout the entire story.On page 188 the phrase â€Å"on the white steps,† represents peace. Nick valued peace and friendship which went along with his loyalty to Gatsby. Though Nick, like the other character s in the book, has some faults, he remains impartial, honest, and loyal. Nick’s demeanor allowed him to provide an honest, accurate account of the events of Gatsby’s life. He told us the story to the best of his ability and through that story we can learn more about Nick and ourselves.

Essay about C Session2

Essay about C Session2 Essay about C Session2 1 â€Å"C† PROGRAMMING TUTORIALS Session – 2 2 AGENDA RECAP OF SESSION-1 ALL *IF*S & *BUT*S NEVER ENDING *LOOPS* LET’S TALK *FUN*CTIONS Session – 2 RECAP OF SESSION-1 ïÆ' ¼ From coding to execution ïÆ' ¼ Tools ïÆ' ¼Program segments ïÆ' ¼ stack, heap, data, code ïÆ' ¼ Data Types ïÆ' ¼ unsigned/signed – long, short, char ïÆ' ¼ float, double – someone to teach usï Å' ïÆ' ¼ typecast ïÆ' ¼ Storage Classes ïÆ' ¼ auto, register, static, extern ïÆ' ¼ Keywords ïÆ' ¼ const, volatile ïÆ' ¼ Operator precedence ïÆ' ¼ NO SHORTCUTS, someone to demo their hard workï Å  Session – 2 3 RECAP OF SESSION-1 Example#1 unsigned long a =10; Unsigned long b = 0; b = a++ + ++a; printf("%d,%d,%d,%d",b,a++,a,++a); Example#2 unsigned long a = 20; const unsigned long b = 10; b = ++a – a; printf("%d,%d,%d,%d",b,a+1,a,a++); Session – 2 4 ALL*IF*S & *BUT*S ï  ± Simple example of IF-ELSE If (B is TRUE) { A = x; } else { A = y; } ï  ± It can get messy and nested quickly based on the number of conditions ï  ± Yes, we are talking about *nested* IF-ELSE If (B is 1) { A = x; } else if (B is 2) { A = y; } else if (B is 3) { A = z; } goes on †¦ ï  ± Beware, watch out carefully the condition statement for ï  ± == Vs = ï  ± && Vs & ï  ± || Vs | Session – 2 5 ALL*IF*S & *BUT*S Example# 1 unsigned long count = 10; Example# 2 long a = -12 if (count = 1) { printf (â€Å"[%d]†, ++count); } else if (count = 10) { printf (â€Å"[%d]†, count); } else { printf(â€Å"[%d]†, count); } if (a) { printf(â€Å"TRUE†); } else { printf(â€Å"FALSE†); } Example# 3 a = 5; b = 0; c = 0; if (a || (b=1) } else { printf(â€Å"[%d] [%d] [%d]†, a++, b++, c++); } Session – 2 6 ALL*IF*S & *BUT*S 7 ï  ± A friendly version of *nested* IF-ELSE ï  ± Not necessary that all nested IF-ELSE can be converted to SWITCH-CASE ï  ± Each case block shall have a BREK unless if desired to do so ï  ± In case of missing BREAK, execution simply continues with next case until it finds a BREAK or SWITCH block ends ï  ± Beware and watch out for missing breaks for CASE blocks ï  ± DEFAULT, if written, will be the case if none of the listed cases match ï  ± Simple example: Switch(B) { case 0: { A = y } break; case 1: { A = x } break; default: { A = 0 } break; } Session – 2 ALL*IF*S & *BUT*S Example# 1 unsigned long a = 9; unsigned long b = 11; Example# 2 unsigned long a = 11; unsigned long b = 9; switch(a) { case 9: { a++; b; } case 11: { a = a+b; a; }break; case 19: { a = b = 0; } default: { a = 9; b = 11; } } printf(â€Å"[%d] [%d]†, a, b); Session – 2 8 ALL*IF*S & *BUT*S 9 ï  ± Which is efficient - nested IF-ELSE or SWITCH-CASE? ï  ± Answer is not either way, it depends on compiler and also the CASE values grouping and range ï  ± Read for yourself at leisure ï  ±eventhelix.com/realtimemantra/Basics/CToAssemblyTransla tion3.htm ï  ±http://books.google.co.in/books? id=vdk4ZGRqMskC&pg=PA197&lpg=PA197&dq=ARM+assembly+for+sw itch+case&source=bl&ots=UJFgqJjZ8H&sig=T9VGU9ak6WnlqVoyOSv73d2_JQ&hl=en&ei=FleSSonIO8WIkQWJ6eC7Cg&sa=X&oi=book_result& ct=result&resnum=6#v=onepage&q=&f=false ï  ± Another way to represent a simple if (cond) { †¦ } else { †¦ } ï  ± if (B is TRUE) { A = x; } else { A = y; } ï  ± A = (B)? x:y; ï  ± Typically used in simple assignment statements with a decision and/or return a value based on simple decision Session – 2 NEVER ENDING *LOOPS* ï  ± 10 while loop ï  ± syntax: while (condition) { †¦ } ï  ±Execution enters the loop if condition is TRUE else loop terminates ï  ± do-while loop ï  ± syntax: do { †¦ } while(condition); ï  ± Execution always enters the loop and terminates loop at the end of loop block if condition is FALSE else loop continues ï  ± Difference between *while* loop and *do-while* loop ï  ± while ïÆ'   entry control loop ï  ± do-while ïÆ'   exit control loop ï  ± Example for do-while ï  ± do{ Read a line of file; } while (content of read has some special data, continue); ï  ± In the above example, if you don’t use do-while you may have to perform a extra read outside while and then kickoff the loop Session – 2 NEVER ENDING *LOOPS* ï  ± What is the output unsigned long i = 1;

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton

The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton â€Å"I wished I looked like Paul Newman. He looks tough and I don’t. The other thing-it’s a long walk home with no company†¦And nobody in our gang digs movies and books the way I do. So I lone it† (Hinton, 1967, p.6). From this passage, it is evident that the main character, Ponyboy Curtis, who is fourteen years of age, will be telling the story from the first person perspective. This is important to the story because he describes the events in a slangy, youthful voice that makes his narration easily believable. Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More I liked this passage because it shows that though Ponyboy belongs to a gang, he is not stereotypical as he loves being alone in pursuit of his own interests. On the other hand, this passage does not interest me in the sense that Ponyboy wishes to be another person, instead of focu sing on his own strengths. The fact that Ponyboy regards himself as â€Å"superior,† despite his young age, to other gang members amazes me. so I can still help Darry with the bills and stuffTuff enough. Wait till I get outI told you he dont mean half of what he says (Hinton, 1967, page 26). This phrase illustrates the method of communication between the gang members. Since they speak in street slang, this illustrates that the two rival groups of the greasers and the Socs share some things in common. This potential for agreement is important for the story since the reader can feel the aversion between the two teenage groups when they are engaging in a conversation. I like this method of communication because it is able to harmonize the division between the groups. However, I hate it because it is full of grammatical errors. Though the interpretation of this street slang may be difficult, it is an interesting youthful way of talking. â€Å"I could fall in love with Dallas Wi nston. I hope I never see him again, or I will† (Hinton, 1967, p.46). This quote is what Cheery told Ponyboy when they were having a conversation in chapter three. I like this conversation since it shows that Dallas Winston, the meanest person, could make a lady, like Cherry-a Soc girl with good habits, like him. This also amuses me as well. I hate the words Cheery uses in this instance because she seems not to be considering the personality of Dallas. She is simply speaking because she has been driven by emotions. Cherry’s attraction to Dallas is of essence in the story since it illustrates that the conflict between the two teenage groups is reconcilable. â€Å"I had to. They were drowning you, Pony. They might have killed you. And they had a blade†¦ they were gonna beat me up†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Hinton, 1967, p.57). These words were spoken by Johnny to Pony. I liked this phrase because it shows the sincerity in Johnny. Although he had killed Bob, he only did so to d efend himself, otherwise he could have been killed instead. Advertising Looking for research paper on american literature? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More One thing I hate about this incidence is that instead of finding an easier way of solving the problem, Johnny, a greaser, opted to commit murder. It is sad that Bob, who played a critical role in defending the Socs, lost his life in such an unfortunate way. The death of Bob increased the rivalry between the two contending gangs. Ponyboy thinks, â€Å"That was the first time I realized the extent of Johnnys hero-worship for Dallas Winston† (Hinton, 1967, p.76). This is another phrase that captures my attention in the novel. After reading Gone with the Wind, the boys come to terms with what they are going through. I like this phrase because the book managed to open Ponyboy’s eyes such that he was able to seen the extent to which Dallas has been idolize d. On the other hand, I doesn’t like the notion that the boys were unable to realize their own sense of worth by having a high esteem of the concerning the ideas of Dallas. The tension between the two rival groups continued to increased after Ponyboy and Johnny came to that abrupt realization. And, Dallas even started to walk around with an gun so as to threaten his enemies. â€Å"Greasers will still be greasers and Socs will still be Socs. Sometimes I think it’s the ones in the middle that are really the lucky stiffs† (Hinton, 1967, p.117). These words were spoken by Randy. He was informing Ponyboy that he will cease to engage in fights in the rumble. I find these words interesting because they signify the futility of the conflicts between the two groups. Randy brings a good point by suggesting that the recurring Soc-greaser conflict will make them unable to rise above their social identities. This message is important in the story since it signifies the soci oeconomic differences that were the root cause of the bitter rivalry between the two gang groups. These disparities between the social classes were the source of the tension between the greasers and the Socs. Reference List Hinton, S. E. The Outsiders. (1967). New York: Viking Press, Dell Publishing.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More

Survival of the fittest Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Survival of the fittest - Coursework Example For example, negative behaviors like violence and murder are rare, though scarcely present in the society. On the other hand, social aberration of negative acts like murder and violence are mainstream values (Alvaro, 2010). In this context, the mainstream adoption of positive behavioral habits over negative habits is synonymous to survival of fittest and desirable genets in Darwin’s mechanism of natural selection. In the context of ethics, the mechanism of survival for the fittest can be used to comprehend survival strategies employed by individuals and groups in the society. Primarily, the survival for the fittest mechanism asserts that like all animals, human beings included, compete against each other for survival and prosperity. Therefore, human strategies for survival and prosperity are inherently selfish in nature (Phillips, 2002). Under the right circumstances, every individual is innately programmed to act in a manner likely to preserve him or herself. In modern societies, material wealth is a tangible measure of personal prosperity. Since individuals are highly likely to selfishly pursue activities that maximize their material wealth, then one can easily understand the origins of deeply rooted vices like corruption in public and private organization. Like other governments, United States struggled and still struggles with corruption in public institutions. Actually, politicians and any individual in a correct position can, and will probably siphon as much public wealth as possible, so long as their actions are either conducted in secret, or are within the legal boundaries (Pepin, 2013). Therefore, corruption and other unethical behaviors executed by individuals or groups are manifestation of selfish desired meant to preserve and enhance one’s survival in a competitive environment. However, survival for the fittest can be used to understand the popular aspect of

Budget Transmittal Letter FY 2013 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Budget Transmittal Letter FY 2013 - Assignment Example The financial constraints over the past five years have allowed us to be more disciplined while still exercising some level of prudence. This is so as we ensure that we do what we have agreed to get done in the interest of serving the community. The Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year 2013 which is hereby transmitted takes into consideration the fundamental needs and the priorities that will help to improve or maintain the quality of life of the people in the community. The strategies that have been employed in preparing the Fiscal Year 2013 Proposed Budget has taken the approach of reducing departmental expenditures, government reform and new sources of generating revenue to boost shortfall. Each department will receive an amount that is proportional to the expenses that are expected to be incurred. We continue our quest and commitment to sustainability and this has been demonstrated in the time that has been spent examining and assessing priorities relating to the costs and services th at can be reduced. A high level of fiscal discipline on the part of stakeholders is still encouraged as in previous years. The approach that was taken in preparing the Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year 2013 is as follows: i. ... After all the above were accomplished, had the task of recommending the reductions that would facilitate the balancing of the budget in order to ensure its consistency with the overall goals of the City Council. There are still challenges even though we are recovering from the recession. In the previous Fiscal Year we identified structural deficits relating to that period, the current period and Fiscal Year 2014. Structural deficits have now been identified for Fiscal Year 2013 to the tune of $16.4 million. Departments are still encouraged to review their operations to determine where possible any additional cost reductions that might be possible. In taking a strategic approach which we established starting with the Fiscal Year 2012, we have been looking at the solutions that may be possible for the next three to five years. The operating budget is expected to be around $700 million and from this over $20 million is expected to be cut in order for the district to remain fiscally stab le (Puente 2012). See Appendix 1 and 2 for some of the reductions that have been proposed. The increased cost of employee retirements continues to represent a major part of the deficit and uncertainties still abound in respect of the California Public Employees Retirement System (PERS). The investments are not likely to recover what was expected in the initial period and so pension reforms are likely to continue until a surplus is generated. The returns on pension investments are expected to be about 7.75% and will not be able to cover the costs of pensions fully. There are continuing efforts to get employees to contribute more to their pension costs. There are some groups that have decided to increase their contributions. These include employees in the police department

Geopolitical assignmentreport 1 page Please finish it as soon as Essay

Geopolitical assignmentreport 1 page Please finish it as soon as possible.In a hurry.thanks - Essay Example The efforts coordinated by Mayor John Tory and Ratna Omidvar are aimed at mobilizing Canadians to contribute towards the initiative. The same news was covered by other international news agencies that tend to alleviate the sufferings experienced by the Syrians. It is apparent that the international community is trying to come up with possible solutions of avoiding the mass exodus (Black, 2015). This is because the situation is a humanitarian crisis that affects the children and women who are suffering under inhuman conditions. In this regard, Black (2015) suggests that Canadian groups need to introduce measures that allow the Syrian families to stay in the country for temporary purposes. This implies that states need to provide amenities that can help the incoming refugees that need the services offered in the country. The Syrian refugee menace is an international matter that requires urgent solutions with the GTA countries establishing ways of stopping the protests (Black, 2015). Syria has been in war for the past 5 years, leading to a mass exodus of its citizens to the neighboring countries. The citizens are trying to escape the fighting by seeking assistance from other regions. Black has offered initiatives in Canada that will offer humanitarian services to the high number of political refugees. This is essential because it touches on international affairs that need urgency and social approaches to help the suffering citizens. The news is currency covered by different agencies to give a worldwide perspective that will spur restorative

Apush 1790s Essay Example for Free

Apush 1790s Essay Vital domestic and foreign events have occurred in the 1790s and were both what helped shape American politics. There were domestic affairs such as the Whiskey Treaty, establishment of the first bank of the United States, Alien and Sedition Acts, and discussion of narrow and broad views of the constitution. Foreign events include the XYZ Affair, Jay’s Treaty, and Pickney’s Treaty. There were two political parties that were shaped by these and many other affairs: Federalists and Republicans. The Federalists who supported Hamilton who wanted a strong centralized government, high taxes, and a national bank to find financial stability in the country. The Republicans were supporters of Jefferson who wanted to limit federal power, not create a national bank because of which they had a narrow interpretation of the Constitution. Hamilton, the Federalist, tried to repay the debt the U. S. had owed. This caused tension between the North and South creating the two parties: Federalist and Republican. A domestic affair , the Whiskey Tax was promoted by Hamilton which the tax money was used to pay off debts the U.  S. had owed. The establishment of the First Bank of the United States was what helped create the thoughts of Federalists of creating a financially stable nation. Though opposed by Jefferson saying that it would only benefit merchants and investors and hurt the rest of the country, it was established anyway. The Alien and Sedition Acts were used by Federalists to get rid of whatever Republican enemies they had from France. The Acts made it harder for one to become a citizen, creating a stronger Federalist Party. It also allowed the President to deport anyone of suspicion of making false writings about the government. This was later ruled as unconstitutional by Jefferson and repealed. The Federalist Party was shaped by domestic affairs into becoming a party that cared a lot about the country’s financial position. The foreign affairs for example the XYZ Affair, almost led to war between the United States and France. The United States had sent Federal diplomats to negotiate with the French, but was asked for compensation to make agreements. The U. S. didn’t compensate any money and later came back to negotiate under serious conditions. This Federal victory had led to the Alien and Sedition Acts. Jay’s Treaty was opposed by the Republicans because of the negotiations made with Great Britain for trading purposes. These commercial reasons were thought by the Republicans that there would be a ruling elite group of merchants and investors and a large group of the poor remaining population. More and more wanting of financial stability of the country Is what led to the Pickney treaty that allowed the U. S. to use the Mississippi River trading route granted by Spain. The Republican Party was weak in forming their party because of the power it had in compare to the Federalists. The creation of the Federalists and Republicans were what Washington wished to avoid, but inevitably were created. The domestic and foreign affairs containing from the Whiskey Tax to the Pickney Treaty were used by Federalists to increase their party’s strength and to fix the nation’s debt. The Republicans, though still unmanageable to receive any favors in the Federal government, still benefitted from events like the Alien and Sedition Acts which were to be later used against the Federalists as unconstitutional to help win Jefferson’s presidency. The 1790s was an important time period in creating the first two opposing political parties.

The Hopeless Battle :: Racism United States History Black Essays

The Hopeless Battle A courtroom is supposed to be a place of equal ground, where a person of any race, gender, or religion receives fair treatment under the law, and everyone is innocent until proven guilty by a jury of their peers. This has not always been the case, even though it was always been in the constitution. The 1930s was the beginning of the Great Depression. Most people were poor and couldn’t find work. The economy was terrible all over the world. During this period, the country was preoccupied, and little was done to help the black people receive the rights and treatment that they deserved. It was impossible for a black man in Alabama to receive a fair trial during the 1930s. A black man didn’t stand a chance of winning a court case against a white person because, Alabama was one of the most prejudice states in the country, the white people in Alabama during this period of time were still prejudice, and people resisted any change that would allow a black man more power. They also believed that black people were second-class to white people. To begin with, if a black man was on trial, the location of the courthouse played a major part in the verdict. The southern states were much more prejudice than the northern states. The majority of the southern states fought for slavery in the Civil War. Even in the 1930s, southern states refused to follow orders from the White House on how blacks were to be treated. Alabama and Mississippi, without much question, have been the most consistent centers of opposition to racial change, while Georgia, Louisiana, and South Carolina have been relatively less conservative. There has been no shortage of strong segregationists in the latter states, but militants have not dominated electoral politics to the same extent that they have in Mississippi and Alabama. (Black 105) A black man didn’t have much of a chance of winning a case against a white man anywhere, but this was especially true in the states of Alabama and Mississippi.

Negotiation and Culture: Case Study

Culture and Negotiations Why do Japanese negotiators behave in the manner they do? How does culture affect negotiating behavior and outcomes? MASTER THESIS Author’s name: Patrycja J. Krause Student’s number: 258891 Academic advisor: Soren O. Hilligsoe Faculty of English Aarhus School of Business May 2006 I would like to thank my Mom, Barbara, for her understanding, encouragement and eternal support, as well as my advisor, Soren O. Hilligsoe, for his academic help, advice and faith in me keeping my deadline! Patrycja J.Krause Aarhus, May 2006 In loving memory of my Dad, Wladyslaw, for showing me the world – this one is for you. 2 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 5. 1 5. 2 5. 3 5. 4 5. 5 6. 7. 8. INTRODUCTION METHOD WHY JAPAN? DEFINITION OF CULTURE AND VALUES HOFSTEDE’S VALUE DIMENSIONS POWER DISTANCE UNCERTAINTY AVOIDANCE COLLECTIVISM VERSUS INDIVIDUALISM FEMININITY VERSUS MASCULINITY LONG-TERM VERSUS SHORT-TERM ORIENTATION CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON HOFSTEDE EDWARD HALL CULTU RAL DIMENSIONS 4 6 7 9 11 12 13 13 14 15 15 16 19 20 21 23 25 26 28 30 40 43 47 59 61 64 65 . 1 CONFUCIANISM 8. 2 IE 8. 3 THE WA-CONCEPT 8. 4 ISOLATION 8. 5 UNIQUENESS 8. 6 WESTERN INFLUENCE 9. 9. 1 10. 11. 12. 13. JAPANESE NEGOTIATOR THE NANIWABUSHI STRATEGY BRETT & USUNIER CASE STUDIES CONCLUSION SUMMARY REFERENCES APPENDIX 3 1. Introduction This paper wants to provide a culture-based explanation, examination and analysis as to why Japanese negotiators behave in the manner they do in negotiation, as well as how culture affects negotiations and their outcome.The paper is, due to the focus on cultural differences, solely dealing with international negotiations. This paper is focusing on the cultural aspect of the negotiation, which is only one piece of a larger puzzle, but it is a crucial and decisive piece. It is now widely accepted that culture indeed has an affect on negotiation and its outcome, which reflects a given culture and the underlying values and beliefs that are central and fundamental in a culture.The culture can be defined as being both behavior, a meaning system and a communication style, and there is a link between the dominant world view present in a given culture (Japan), and the negotiating style that appears to be characteristic of that culture. This paper is not to depict a stereotypical image of a Japanese negotiator, but merely to show that culture indeed does influence the behavior, negotiations and their outcome. It should also be kept in mind that (a) the negotiation is a universal process, and (b) there are a number of contextual factors that too have an impact on the cultures’ impact on the negotiation – e. . the nature of the other party (member of an in-group or an out-group), and the individual difference, although a member of a collectivistic culture tends to suppress his personality and individuality in order to maintain group harmony. This paper is to focus on a Japanese negotiator, who is dominated by his cultu ral values, and his interaction (in a negotiation) with a member of an out-group (foreigners and people that do not have a long term relationship with the Japanese negotiator), and a member of the in-group (fellow Japanese with established long-term relationships).Several studies and surveys (e. g. Brett and Usunier) have shown that culture does affect the negotiation process and the final agreement or outcome of the negotiations. Nevertheless, while there have been a number of studies that have explored the behavior of negotiators from different cultures, only very few have dealt with the underlying reasons – why people from a given culture behave the way they do.Additionally, most theorists and scholars have relied on the value dimensions index, depicting the differences between cultures, developed by Hofstede between 1968 and 1973. Hofstede’s research has undoubtedly helped people understand other cultures, but there is also a need to understand the underlying reaso ns why people from a given culture behave the way they do – the so-called mental frames that are shaping the behavior of Japanese negotiators. 4Otherwise, negotiators tend to create their own interpretation of the behavior of the other party, which without the necessarily cultural knowledge may lead to prejudices and ultimately lack of trust (Gudykunst & Kim, 2003: 125-160). For instance, trust in individualistic societies is based on the fact that a promise that will be implemented on a specific time or day, whereas trust in collectivistic societies is based on emotions and relationships as well as on sacrifice.The other party may thus think the Japanese negotiator do not want to reach an agreement within a week because they are difficult and want to sabotage the negotiation or untrustworthy, rather than the Japanese are relationship oriented rather than task oriented. They thus want to establish a relationship before they reach an agreement and need more time in order to re ach an agreement because it is based on group consensus. The paper starts by giving a definition and an analysis of culture and values in general in order to delimit and define the cultural framework that is the fundament of this paper.The culture and values of Japan are then to be described and discussed in order to show which cultural factors and dimensions in Japan determine and influence the Japanese negotiator, as well as serving as a an introductory guide to Japanese culture and society – hopefully, the guide will present both useful and interesting knowledge to all those interested in cross-cultural negotiations and intercultural communication. Two frameworks are presented and used in order to gain deeper behavior knowledge of culture: Hofstede’s Cultural Dimension and Hall’s Silent Language and Beyond Culture.Next, the paper discusses and analyzes Japanese negotiating styles and techniques 1 , and how they are influenced by the Japanese culture and cultu ral values. For this purpose, different aspects of verbal and non-verbal communication are to be discussed as well, and the paper is to analyze the meaning of these aspects in the context of negotiations. Finally, the paper is to take a look at two real life cases involving Japanese negotiators in order to illustrate behavior patterns and negotiation styles and techniques of Japanese negotiators.The author of this paper would argue that in an increasingly interdependent world, the ability to negotiate successfully is an important skill, and understanding the mindset and the behavior of the Japanese negotiator is essential and fundamental for successful negotiations. 1 Mainly focusing on the male negotiator, being the dominant player during negotiations in Japan. 5 Being aware of the reasons why the Japanese negotiator behaves and communicates they way he does, one may be less surprised or shocked by Japanese behavior, and may be better at focusing on, and handling, the negotiation i tself.Knowledge of culture and cultural values of the other party works as an uncertainty avoidance in negotiations, and helps building trust in stead of tarnishing it with prejudices, which ultimately leads to a dead lock or even break downs. 2. Method The research concerning this paper was mainly carried out in the form of a desktop study method – all the data were carefully collected mainly from secondary sources, such as, studies, surveys, as well as statistics and articles.The paper is culture-based, and the chosen data depict this approach – all the scholars referred quoted and referred to are specializing in culture, intercultural communication, as well negotiating. In order to give a general overview of the Japanese culture as well as to determine what type of values are predominant in Japan, the paper refers to and applies Hofstede’s five value dimensions index – masculinity/femininity, collectivism/individualism, uncertainty avoidance, long-term versus short-term orientation and power distance.Additionally, the paper is also to refer to Hall’s theory on the difference between high and low context and cultures, and the concept of Chronemics, in order to identify the Japanese culture and how these differences and concepts influence a negotiation. Also, several historical concepts (e. g. the ie-concept, geographical isolation, Western influence, etc. and Confucianism, which is one of the cultural dimensions that have influenced the Japanese worldview, are to be described and discussed in order to explain why the Japanese negotiator behaves in the manner he does, and how the historical events and Confucianism affect the culture and the behavior in Japan. Hofstede’s work has been criticized over the years for being incomplete, static and too narrow. The paper is thus to discuss the critical perspectives on Hofstede in order to show that the author has been aware of the possible disadvantages, when using Hofstedeâ €™s five value dimensions index. Additionally, Brett and Usunier are also discussed in the paper when dealing with the connection and interaction between culture and negotiation – how does culture affect negotiations. Both Brett and Usunier argue that in order to reach an agreement, the negotiators need to be aware of each other’s culture and cultural values, as well as understand the reasons for the way the other part behaves during negotiations. Finally, two real life case studies have been analyzed in order to depict the culture-based theory described and discussed in this paper.The reason for using case studies was to give a more holistic portrayal of a Japanese negotiator, while analyzing the contents by seeking patterns and themes in the data while referring them to the culture-based theory (e. g. culture and values and how they influence ones behavior and negotiating style) in this paper. Additionally, using case study is the best way to obtain data for anal ysis when one is not able to make actual field studies by observing Japanese negotiators in action. Both case studies depict the Japanese negotiators interacting and negotiating with members of an out-group, the Americans.This is due to the fact that the author of this paper would argue that when observing two different cultures one observes reactions that may not be present when both parties had the same cultural background, which would ultimately result in a smoother negotiation. Additionally, this paper deals with international negotiations and the importance of knowing and understanding the other party’s culture and cultural values. The case studies are thus used to highlight the focus of the paper – why Japanese negotiators behave in the manner they do in a negotiation, as well as how culture affects negotiations and their outcome. . Why Japan? The author of this paper has chosen to focus on Japan and the cultural values and behavior of a Japanese negotiator due t o the following factor: Japan’s consumer market. In order to know how attractive Japan is as a business associate, and thus how important it is to know the Japanese culture and negation behavior in order to win the market and succeed in the country, a brief description of the Japanese consumer market will now be given – its size, its consumers and its products.Japan is a closely populated and highly urbanized country with one of the most powerful economies in the world, currently amongst the top three economies in the world, although still rebounding from the collapse of the country’s economy back in 1991. 7 According to the Statistical Handbook of Japan, consumption expenditures increased by approximately 0. 5 percent in real terms due to such factors as the indication of an economic recovery and improvement in consumer sentiment (Statistical Handbook of Japan, 2005 2 : 158).Statistical Handbook of Japan states: As of May 2005, the excellent performance of the corporate sector is continuing, and overall business is recovering gradually. Recovery of employment is lagging slightly. However, the unemployment rate, which was 5. 4 percent in 2002, recovered to 4. 4 percent in May 2005. As seen in this state of affairs, there is some improvement, although harshness still remains. The growth of consumer spending, which slowed between the end of 2004 and early 2005, is showing signs of a resurgence (Statistical Handbook of Japan, 2005: 33 3 ).Due to its geographical nature, Japan cannot supply all its needs for raw material for energy and fuel, metal products, and foods from indigenous resources, and is thus dependent on overseas supplies. In 1996 Japan had an overall deficit in food of about 30 % – in 2003 it was approximately 40 %. According to Statistical Handbook of Japan, the present food self-sufficiency rate of Japan is the lowest among major industrialized countries, so Japan has thus become the world's largest food importing natio n (Statistical Handbook of Japan, 2005: 69 4 ).This makes Japan an attractive market with its 127 million consumers, where women are a majority and retired people outnumber the youngest age strata, and are thus the most significant consumer group (Reischauer, 1995: 25). Additionally, the Japanese are well educated and households have a fairly disposable income, in which the majority of it is spent on food. According to the 2004 Family Income and Expenditure Survey, monthly consumption expenditure averaged ? 304,203per household with two or more family members excluding single-member households (Statistical Handbook of Japan, 2005: 158 5 ). Appendix 1 – Household 3 Appendix 2 – Economy 4 Appendix 3 – Agriculture 5 Appendix 1 – Household 8 Japan is the world’s largest net importer of agriculture and food products (in 2003 alone, the country has imported over 60 % of its food supplies), amounting to US$ 40 to 50 billion annually. Thus, the Japanese fo od market is powerful but demanding (Agri-Food Country Profile: Japan, 2003: 1 6 ). Needless to say, it is a relatively difficult task to target a foreign, and rather remote, market as it may require extra resources and special cultural knowledge.Therefore, it is valuable to study the values and the culture of Japan before entering the country’s market in order to promote and sell a product. 4. Definition of Culture and Values This chapter is to describe and define culture and values in general in order to delimit and define the cultural framework that is the fundament of this paper. At first glace, the human race behaves more or less alike – we smile, laugh and cry. We talk, gesticulate, and perform actions. Nevertheless, our behavior is influenced by our cultures – through the norms and rules existing in our society.Our cultures also affect our communication through the individual characteristics we learn when we are socialized into our culture. In short, our culture provides us with a system of knowledge that generally allows us to know how to communicate with other members of our culture and how to interpret their behavior. Culture can thus be defined as an underlying framework that guides an individual’s perceptions of observed events and personal interaction, and thus directly influences what people will do and what they can do. In short, knowing and using culture and its many dimensions is a must know negotiating with foreigners.Culture includes all learned behavior and values that are transmitted through shared experience to an individual in a society. According to Sir Edward Taylor, a classic definition of culture is as follows: â€Å"Culture is that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by (individuals as members) of society. † (Taylor, 1871: 1). Culture is thus everything that people have (objects), think (ideas, values, attitudes, b eliefs), and do (behavior) as members of a particular society.Culture is made up of material objects, ideas, values and attitudes, and behavior patterns (Gudykunst & Kim, 2003: 14-19, Yokochi & Hall, 2001: 193). 6 Appendix 4 9 Additionally, according to Hall, a culture must have the following three characteristics: 1. It is learned; people over time transmit the culture of their group from one generation to another 2. It is interrelated; one part of a particular culture is deeply interconnected with another part – e. g. religion with marriage, or education and work with social status 3.It is shared; the basic concepts of a particular culture are accepted by most members of the group. In other words, culture develops through recurrent social relationships that form a pattern that is eventually adapted by members of the entire group, and transmitted to new members through the process of learning and interacting with ones environment and other members of ones culture (Hall, 1977 : 16). The most fundamental aspect of our culture consists of values. Values are acquired in the family, during the first years of our lives, further developed and confirmed in school, and einforced in work organizations and in life within a national cultural environment. Values determine what we consider to be good and evil, beautiful and ugly, natural and unnatural, rational and irrational, normal and abnormal (Ghauri & Usunier, 2003: 97-100, 137-138). Values too are a major influence and determination factor when it comes to behavior and communication during a negotiation. Values are defined by the particular culture, hence the importance of understanding the value concept and culture when negotiating with foreigners. One of the early U. S. esearches of values, Milton Rokeach, defines a value 7 as: â€Å"An enduring belief that one mode of conduct or end-state of existence is preferable to an opposing mode of conduct or end-state of existence†. According to Rokeach values are thus both guiding principles in life, and preferences for one mode of behavior over another. Values are depicted in the general norms of a culture (what is right and wrong), and they are depicted in what we want and what we consider important for ourselves. Values are also among the very first things children learn – implicitly – by observing the community, kyodotai in Japanese (e. . parents and people around them). 7 An attitude, on the other hand, refers to an organization of several beliefs around a specific object or situation. 10 According to the American development psychologist, Daniel Yankelovich, most important traditional values will remain firm and constant over time, and are thus stable and enduring through generations (de Mooij, 2004: 22-26). It is thus essential to remember that the intercultural communication and negotiation are never far from cultural considerations (Roth, 1982: 6).This assumption was mistakenly conceived from the converging technol ogy and the spread of the English language that was taking place globally (de Mooij, 2004: 1-18). One has to remember though that globalization is not an entirely new phenomenon. In fact, some would argue that it even dates back at least to the Marco Polo’s voyages in the 1300s, and the fundamental values of the many different cultures have not changed significantly since then. People still live in the local. We define ourselves by our differences.It’s called identity – self, family and nation† (de Mooij, 2004: 16). Human behavior is learned and growing up in a culture, a person is taught values, perceptions, wants and how to behave from the family and other institutions (Lasserre & Schutte, 1995: 49-59). For instance, in today’s Japan, group harmony is still dominating the nation's behavior, seniority by age is still respected, and promotion in most public and private organizations is based on the length of service, which is usually connected to th e age of the individual.Reciprocity is emphasized in social relations in order to maintain a long-lasting relationship. Values and traditions do not easily change in a society. 5. Hofstede’s value dimensions This chapter is to describe and discuss the Dutch professor, Geert Hofstede’s, value dimension index, which is based on the first international survey taking place in IBM in more than 50 different countries from 1968 to 1973 (Hofstede, 2001: xv), mainly focusing on Japan in order to determine what type of culture is present in Japan.According to Hofstede, the way people perceive and interpret their world varies along five dimensions, and are as follows: power distance, uncertainty avoidance, collectivism/individualism, and masculinity/femininity. Finally, Hofstede added a fifth dimension called long-term orientation in life versus short-term orientation. Each of the countries in Hofstede’s study has been ranked according to their scores in each dimension. 11 According to Hofstede a dimension is: â€Å"†¦an aspect of a culture that can be measured relative to other cultures. Additionally, Hofstede defines culture as: â€Å"The collective programming of the mind that distinguishes the members of one group or category of people from another† (Hofstede, 2001: 9). 5. 1 Power distance Power distance refers to the inequality among people, which the population of a country considers acceptable. There is inequality in all societies, and thus there will always be some people who have more power than other. In some cultures power is concentrated among a few people at the top, who make all the decisions, whereas people at the other end simply carry out these decisions.Such cultures are associated with high power distance levels. In other cultures, on the other hand, power is widely spread and relations among people are more equal. These are low power distance cultures. (Hofstede, 1991: 23) According to Hofstede’s value dimensio ns Japan scores 55 points – placing it in the middle of the index (Hofstede, 1991: 26). In countries which have a high power distance employees dislike to disagree with their superiors. Superiors are seen as paternalistic, and subordinates expect to be told what to do.There is also a large emotional distance between subordinates and their superiors (Hofstede, 1991: 28). When it comes to family and school, parents will teach children to be obedient and the children will treat their parents with respect, just as students will treat their teachers with respect. In high power distance societies inequalities among people are in general expected and desired (Hofstede, 1991: 37). In Japan this inequality is especially expressed in the oya-ko concept (literally meaning parentchild), which originally refers to a leader or a work group and its members.As work and home began to separate during the beginning of modern period of Japan oya and ko began to have a strictly kinship meaning â €“ with no economic aspect – such as it had until the Tokugawa period where the ie (extended household) was more than just a family or a kinship unit – it was an economic organization in which each of its members (not always related to each other by blood or marriage) contributed towards it (Harumi, 1971: 38-39). 12 5. 2 Uncertainty avoidance Uncertainty avoidance describes the need or lack of need a society has towards written or unwritten rules and how it deals with structured or unstructured situations.At the organizational level, uncertainty avoidance is related to factors such as rituals, rules, and employment stability. People in less structured cultures face the future without experiencing unnecessarily stress. The uncertainty associated with future events does not result in risk avoidance behavior. On the other hand, in cultures where people experience stress in dealing with future events, high uncertainty avoidance cultures, various steps are taken to cope with the impact of uncertainty: e. g. long-time planning in order to minimize the anxiety associated with future events.Japan scores 92 points and is seen as a country with high uncertainty avoidance, where there are many regulations and a strong etiquette in order to avoid uncertainty (Hofstede, 1991: 113). 5. 3 Collectivism versus individualism According to several researchers within the field of culture, individualism versus collectivism is one of the basic pattern variants that determine human action. It is a pattern that is visible in every day life, as well as being present in the interaction between people. Individualism indicates the degree to which people of a particular culture learn to act as individuals rather than as members of a group.It is essential to remember that all people and cultures posses both individual and collective traits, but at the same time one of these traits is always more dominant or more visible than the other (Samovar & Porter, 2004: 59). A typica l collectivistic culture distinguishes between in-groups (relatives, clans, and organizations), and out-groups (the rest of ones network). Ones’ in-groups can be defined as ones’ extended family – like the one found in the Japanese society throughout the history; also known as ie.People from individualistic cultures are self-centered, and feel relatively little need for dependency on others. They seek the fulfillment of their own goals over the goals over the groups. Additionally, people from individualistic cultures are competitive, and show little loyalty to the organizations for which they work. 13 People from collectivistic cultures, on the other hand, have a group mentality (with e. g. joint decision making), where they suppress and subordinate their goals for the sake of the group. They are interdependent on each other and seek mutual accommodation in order to maintain group harmony.People in a collectivistic culture expect that their in-groups will take c are of them and in return they owe the in-groups a great deal of loyalty and submission (Samovar & Porter, 2004: 61). Children who grow up in collectivistic societies are expected to show lifelong loyalty to the group (Hofstede, 1991: 50-51). In short, individualism versus collectivism, deals with the degree to which one thinks in terms of I versus we – either ties between individuals are loose or people are part of cohesive ingroup throughout their lives (Samovar & Porter, 2004: 61).Contrary to the stereotype, Japan actually ranks in the middle of this dimension, with 46 points – but is still defined as being a collectivistic culture (Hofstede, 1991: 67). An interesting theory stated by Kumon Shumpei, a Japanese anthropologist, characterizes Japanese as contextualists rather than collectivists, as is the case in both Hofstede and Hall’s studies. A contextualist retains a personal identity, which the collectivist probably loses, but this personal identity is vir tually inseparable from the contextual identity.Thus, the individual changes, depending on the context he is in or the people he is with. One of the arguments Kumon makes to support the theory is that most Japanese belong to in-groups in order to reach a self-realization. But one could argue that even in these â€Å"self-realization in-groups† the members strive to maintain harmony and act for the benefit of the group, making them predominantly collectivistic (Hendry, 1998: 22-39). 5. 4 Femininity versus masculinity One of the main differentiations between masculine and feminine cultures is how gender roles are distributed in cultures.Thus masculine cultures create clearly distinct gender roles; men are supposed to be self-confident, tough and concerned with the material aspect of life, whereas women are expected to be modest, tender and dealing with the quality of life. Thus according to Hofstede Japan is a highly masculine culture (Gudykunst & Kim, 2003: 77), whereas in mas culine countries both people are taught to be ambitious and competitive. It should be mentioned though that females’ ambitions are sometimes directed towards the achievements of their brothers and later in life their husbands and sons.According to Hofstede’s index, Japan is one of the more masculine countries, scoring 95 – ranking as number one (Hofstede, 1991: 96). 14 5. 5 Long-term versus short-term orientation Michael Harris Bond originally found the fifth dimension in the answers of student samples from 23 countries in 1985 in Hong Kong, and later it was incorporated by Hofstede in his value dimensions index. The reason why this dimension was not found in the original IBM data was due to the fact that the IBM questionnaires were composed from the minds and values of Westerners – whereas the fifth dimension was composed from the minds and values of Easterners.The fifth dimension, nevertheless, is present across all 23 cultures taking part in the survey (Hofstede, 2001: 71-73). Long-term orientation, also known as Confucian Dynamism, is composed of the following values: being determinate or firm, prudent, arranging relationships by status as well valuing interpersonal relationships, as well as having a sense of shame, saving ones face, having a great deal of respect for tradition and reciprocation of greetings, favors and gifts.Japan ranks as number 4 on the Long-term Orientation Index Values, with 80 points (Hofstede, 2001: 351356). 6. Critical perspectives on Hofstede There has been a great deal of critique of Hofstede’s value dimensions when dealing with culture analyses, which this paper will shortly discuss – simply to show that the author of this paper is indeed aware of the advantages as well as disadvantages when using Hofstede’s value dimensions in order to analyze a specific culture.One of the most recent Danish critical analyses was performed by Susan Baca at the Aalborg University where it is being argued that Hofstede’s IBM-based rapport which is supposed to depict characteristic traits visible in cultures cannot be used simply due to the fact that IBMemployees from a specific culture cannot be representative for the culture in question as a whole (Baca, 1999: 11). One can argue that since Hofstede published his IBM-based rapport several other culture-analytics (e. . Triandis, Brislin and Bond) have made further analyses, which do not exactly contradict Hofstede’s value dimensions. These analyses both support Hofstede’s dimensions, as well as having reached the same conclusions. One can also add that since the amount of IBM-employees amounted to hundreds of thousands it is only logical to conclude that one did find enough traits, which can be viewed as characteristic for the cultures in question. 15Another aspect of Hofstede’s survey-based value dimensions, which is being criticized is the fact that his model is static, and can ultimately not be u sed because surely the cultures in question studied by Hofstede must have changed over the time since he performed the survey from 1968 to 1973. This is one of the reasons why the paper is looking at the cultural and historical influence on Japanese behavior over time – in order to see if Hofstede’s value dimensions are still valid in the Japanese culture that this paper is dealing with.Susan Baca is also criticizing Hofstede for actually separating a given culture into several, isolated dimensions, strongly supported by Turner and Trompenaars. For instance, Hofstede is depicting the American culture as highly individualistic, but does not describe the interaction people have with each other among the different in-groups – and if one can categorize this interaction as being highly individualistic as well or not (Baca, 1999: 15). To this, the author of this paper can only say, using Hofstede’s own words that this paper’s main task is to study cultur es, and not individuals. (Hofstede, 2001: 15).Additionally, in order to back up Hofstede’s theory, this paper is also to refer to Hall’s theory on Chronemics as well as a more general cultural analysis of the Japanese culture. 7. Edward Hall Another cultural framework used in this paper in order to gain deeper behavior knowledge of the Japanese culture, is Hall’s concept of Chronemics as well as his theory on low-context and high-context cultures. According to the American sociologist, Edward Hall, the world is divided into monochronic and polychronic culture, also known as the concept of Chronemics. It is a nonverbal behavior that speaks to how people use time to communicate.Lateness, for example, can communicate messages of power (waiting in the doctor's office), attraction (arriving early for the first date), or identity (being â€Å"fashionably late†). Chronemics, like all other nonverbal behavior is culturally based. Different cultures have different rules governing the use and meaning of time. Hall's distinction between monochronic and polychronic cultures highlight the different ends of the cultural spectrums of how culture's view time. A culture’s conception of time can thus be examined from Hall’s monochronic and polychronic classifications. 16Monochronic cultures see time as a measurable, quantifiable entity, which is linear. Thus, being punctual, scheduling, planning tasks to match time frames are valued behaviors. In the monochronic culture time becomes a concrete and segmented reality where only one thing can be done at a time without interruptions. Additionally, in negotiations, monochronic people’s main focus is on goals, tasks and results, rather than relationships. Polychronic cultures, on the other hand, tend to view time as nonlinear – almost as a general guideline, which has no substance or structure. There is thus a circular or cyclical quality to time.Punctuality and scheduling is do ne but rarely found in monochronic cultures. Additionally, people from polychronic cultures are able to do many things at one time, and do not mind interruptions. Because time is not linear or segmented, matching specific activities with specific time frames is not done. Times and activities are fluid. Finally, in negotiations, polychronic people’s main focus is on relationships and people. Japan belongs to the polychronic cultures. In a negotiation context, the Japanese want to get to know their business counterparts, and they feel that the best way to do so is by engaging in long conversations with them.This reflects the fact that the Japanese culture is long-term relationship oriented. Negotiators from polychronic cultures are thus relationship-focused. Monochronic and polychronic time orientations tend to produce two other significant cultural phenomena: the difference between high and low context cultures, which refers to the fact that when people communicate, they take for granted how much the listener knows about the subject under discussion. Negotiators from monochronic cultures are thus deal-focused. Although Edward T.Hall classified Japan as a polychronic culture, Gesteland argues that the Japanese business people expect strict punctuality in meetings and close adherence to schedule. Punctuality in Japan might be ruled by the high level of uncertainty avoidance and the maintenance of group harmony, which is essential for the Japanese culture. Hall also discusses and distinguishes between high-context and low-context cultures. He views meaning and context as being interconnected. The difference between high and low context cultures depends on how much meaning is found in the context versus in the code. 17One can think of â€Å"code† as the message, and of â€Å"context† as setting or circumstance, including the people, in which the message appeared. In low-context communication, the listener knows very little and must be informed about every detail. In high-context communication, on the other hand, the listener is already ‘contexted', and does not need to be given much background information. According to Hall, low-context cultures, such as the American culture, tend to place more meaning in the language code and very little meaning in the context. Communication tends thus to be specific, explicit, and analytical.In analyzing messages, low-context cultures tend to focus on â€Å"what was said† and give literal meaning to each word. Low-context cultures tend to use a direct verbal-expression style in which the situation context is not emphasized, important information is usually carried in explicit verbal messages, people tend to directly express their opinions and intend to persuade others to accept their viewpoints, and self-expression, verbal fluency, and eloquent speech are valued. In high-context cultures, on the other hand, such as the Japanese culture, meaning is embedded more in the conte xt rather than the code.In this case, â€Å"what was said† cannot be understood by the words alone – one has to look at who said it, when they said it, where they said it, how they said it, the circumstances in which they said it, and to whom they said it. Each variable will thus help define the meaning of â€Å"what was said. † Hall states: People raised in high-context systems expect more from others than do the participants in lowcontext systems. When talking about something that they have on their minds, a high-context individual will expect his interlocutor to know what's bothering him, so that he doesn't have to be specific.The result is that he will talk around and around the point, in effect putting all the pieces in place except the crucial one (Hall: 1977, p. 98). This is also the case with the behavior of a Japanese negotiator – he expects the other party to know exactly what he wants to obtain from the negotiation, and what type of a deal he i s looking for. 18 In short, the difference between high and low context cultures depends on how much meaning is found in the context versus in the code, or, in high-context exchanges, much of the â€Å"burden of meaning† appears to fall on the listener.In low context cultures, the burden appears to fall on the speaker to accurately and thoroughly convey the meaning in her spoken or written message. Conclusively, according to Hall, Japan and the Japanese negotiator belongs to the polychronic culture type. Thus, in a negotiation context, the Japanese want to get to know their business counterparts by engaging in long conversations with them. This again reflects the fact that the Japanese culture is long-term relationship oriented. Additionally, Japan is a high-context culture, where meaning is embedded more in the context rather than the code.Japanese negotiators expect thus more from the other party and when something is bothering them, they tend to express this indirectly (fo r instance by using silence) (Cohen, 1997: 159-160, Rowland, 1993: 68-69). Finally, although Edward T. Hall classified Japan as a polychronic culture, Gesteland argues that the Japanese business people expect strict punctuality in meetings and close adherence to schedule. Punctuality in Japan might be ruled by the high level of uncertainty avoidance and the maintenance of group harmony, which is essential for the Japanese culture (Hall, 1973, 1977, Gudykunst & Kim, 2003: 69, 179-180). 8.Cultural Dimensions This chapter is to discuss and analyze which values and cultural dimensions that are present and dominant in Japan in order to understand the behavior of a Japanese negotiator: Confucianism Ie The WA-concept Isolation – geographical & political Uniqueness Western influence 19 8. 1 Confucianism The cultural perspective has for some time provided the dominant paradigm in comparative studies management, organization and cross-cultural negotiations. Even before Hofstede’ s survey on cultural values, international studies of organization generally regarded culture as the key explanatory factor for cross-cultural differences.One of the most important influences on Japanese everyday life, culture and behavior was, and still is, Confucianism, which entered Japan via Korea in the 5th Century. Japanese culture and behavior reflect the values of collectivism and harmony, and are highly inspired and influenced by Confucianism. Confucius (Kongzi, 551-479 BC) writing around the time of Socrates but a while before Jesus Christ, based his ideas on absolute respect for tradition, on a strict hierarchy of primary relationships between family-members, and then again between the people and their rulers.His philosophy was intended to guide people’s everyday life, to regulate social behavior, and it established a mode of thought and habit that has persisted and that blended well with other belief systems that were and still are present in Japan, such as Buddhi sm and Shinto. The central concepts of the Confucian ethic were summarized in the Three Cardinal Relationships: ruler guides subject, father guides son, and husband guides wife), five constant virtues (benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and fidelity, and the doctrine of the mean (harmony). In this teaching, emphasis is on the obligation of the inferior to the superior.The assumption is that society needs a hierarchical order in which every individual has his or her own place, and the peace and harmony prevail if everyone follows the proper manner of conduct. These concepts are the fundament of the Japanese society to this very day. Also, the Confucian teachings emphasized uprightness, righteousness, loyalty, sincerity, reciprocity, and benevolence as personal virtues. The principle of filial piety was especially useful during the Tokugawa period when family was the social and economic unity of society. Occupation and property belonged to the family.Continuation of the fa mily line was thus a primary concern because it was a necessity for keeping ones position and income. Individuals often sacrificed their happiness to ensure survival of the family. After Japan was centralized under the Meiji government in the 19th century, the concept of filial piety was expended to embrace the idea of loyalty to the emperor, who was regarded as the father of the nation. 20 The Confucian concepts of hierarchy in human society and respect for age were useful in the feudal society, also during the Tokugawa period, which was structured hierarchically.Its stability rested on individual’s dutiful fulfillment of obligations to their superiors and maintenance of proper conduct in daily life. The general rules of conduct were respect for seniors in social rank and age, and acknowledgement of the superiority of man over women. Additionally, Confucius laid down that Ren or benevolence was the supreme virtue the follower can attain. As a strictly natural and humanistic love, it was based upon spontaneous feelings cultivated through education. In order to attain Ren, you have to practice Li, which represents social norms.The latter can be interpreted as rituals, rites or proprieties and includes all moral codes and social institutions. As Li is a term for moral codes and social institutions, one could assume that the practice of Li is to enforce social conformity at the cost of the individual. However, an individual personality is not an entity cut off from the group. According to Confucius, in order to establish one self, one has to establish others. There is interdependence between the individual and the group that is essential in order to create harmony.The strong Japanese cultural preference for basing business transactions upon the quality of inter-personal relationships and for settling disputes through mediation rather than relying upon contracts and legal process can be seen to stem from this philosophy (McGreal: 1995). According to Confuci us, all societies deal with survival, production, distribution, and consumption – yet they all develop different systems in order to survive and obtain their ultimate goals and aims. Things have changed in the Japanese society when it comes to material and technological development.As far as human relations and communication with foreigners are concerned, things have not changed. One can say that Japan has modernized, but it has not westernized just yet (Kodansha, 1994: 202-218, McGreal, 1995: 5-7, Cohen, 1997: 159-160, Gudykunst & Kim, 2003: 80, 119, 217, Samovar & Porter, 2004: 213-217). 8. 2 Ie Japan is a Shinto, Confucianism and Zen Buddhism inspired culture, Confucianism being the fundament, where everything and everyone is connected and relies on each other in order to exist. 21The concept of ie, or extended household/kinship unit in traditional Japan, thus containing more than close family members all living under the same roof – and under the authority of one m ale, describes this way of thinking, or the Japanese values, the best. The main focus in ie is on in-group benefits, harmony and family – where interdependence and togetherness is essential (de Mooij, 2004: 100-1003, Harumi, 1971). Although the ie-concept does not formally exist in the original form 8 , as it did during the pre-modern or feudal Japan, one still finds it in the underlying values of the Japanese people.The ie-concept 9 became dominant and visible during the Edo or Tokugawa period (16001867), where a strict political regime was introduced by the Tokugawa family, who, besides retaining large estates, also took control of major cities, ports and mines in Japan. Under Tokugawa rule, Japan entered a period of national seclusion (sakoku), where the Japanese were forbidden to travel to or return from overseas or to trade abroad. Only the Dutch, Chinese and Koreans were allowed to remain and they were placed under strict supervision.Additionally, to ensure political se curity, the daimyo were required to make ceremonial visits to Edo every other year, and their wives and children were kept in permanent residence in Edo as virtual hostages of the government. The cost of this constant movement and the family ties in Edo made it difficult for the daimyo to remain anything but loyal. At the lower end of society, farmers were subject to a severe system of rules, which dictated their food, clothing and housing. Social mobility from one class to another was blocked – social standing was determined by birth.Additionally, women in the Japanese society were fully submitted men 10 . Women were submitted either their fathers, husbands or in the case of widows, their eldest son – with no legal rights. Ie means extended household – thus containing more than close family members all living under the same roof – and under the authority of one male. Ie was formally abolished in 1947 with the introduction of the New Constitution, which p rescribed a more â€Å"Democratic† family system based on equal rights of husbands and wives. Inspired by Confucianism. 10 This submission was further supported by the Civil Code of 1898, which placed women in the family under the authority of men. 8 22 The patriarchal family structure, ie, was officially abandoned in 1947, but one can still sense its presence, in a revised form, in today’s Japanese society – both in the corporal system where the chief executive is the male, who has been working for the company longest time, and in family life where women take care of children and men provide for the well-being of the amily. Nevertheless, the rigid emphasis of these times on submitting unquestionably to rules of obedience and loyalty has lasted to the present day. Today the ie-concept is still visible in that Japanese businessmen do not entertain their business associates at home. There is both a practical and a social reason for not doing so. First of all, the typical Japanese home is small and a larger group of people simply cannot fit in. Second,† Home† for the Japanese is very private.It is generally only open to relatives, long-time friends, children’s friends and their own family – the so-called in-group. Additionally, salary has for many years been linked to the age of employees until they entered their forties to fifties age – a male worker had thus a lifetime-employment guarantee until they reached their fifties. However, this system does not operate in small-business sector. The seniority system is one of the special characteristics of Japanese employment practices.Since the 1990s, however, there has been a substantial increase in the number of companies, who are reconsidering this type of employment system, and progress is being made in introducing a new compensation system based on employee’s performance rather than their age and the amount of time they have worked for the company in ques tion (Sugimoto, 1997: 80, Kodansha, 1994: 117-118, Hendry, 1998: 22-39). In short, ie puts an emphasis upon continuity, succession practices, and some of the socioreligious (e. . volunteer organizations such as environmental movement groups) functions that still occupy an important place in Japan today (Refsing, 1990, 11-25, Bando, 1980: 27-29, Hendry, 1998: 22-39, Harumi, 1971: 38-39, Sugimoto, 1997: 80, Kodansha, 1994: 117-118) 8. 3 The Wa-concept According to Wierzbicka, cultural values and behavior of a particular culture can be found in a core concept. For Japan this core concept is wa, which means harmony, unity or the desire to be one with those of your in-group.The wa-concept illustrates the concept, with several aspects (please see below), that although people have differences, it is the most convenient when people want the same thing at the deepest level. 23 This deep level of sharing underlies the desire for harmony at the interpersonal level, as well as a high level of c onsideration of others within ones group, and creates a unity among members of the in-group. In Japan, individuals are thus expected to act in ways that protect the unity or wa of the in-group (Wierzbicka, 1992).The several aspects, which the Wa-concept consists of, are described and discussed below: Enryo is an aspect that is encompassed in wa, illustrates the effort of avoiding explicit opinions, assessments, or other displays of personal feelings. It is thus a form of self-restraint that proscribes the brining of attention to oneself and ones personal desires in order to avoid having others think badly of one. Japan has been categorized as a high-context culture, and in a communicative context, the meaning is often implicit. The focus is thus on the listener and his or her ability to understand implicit messages.Sasshi refers thus to the ability to guess or intuit another person’s meaning without that person having to express it directly. Implicit communication is essentia l in a collective culture where maintaining harmony and avoiding conflicts is essential. Amae refers to a form of mutual dependency, or a relationship in which one person is in a protective stance toward another (Wierzbicka, 1992). The desire for amae motivates one to belong to a group and depend on another person. Amae emphasizes thus a protective relationship and a mutual dependency between the members of the in-group.Giri refers to a type of obligation felt toward others who have done something good for the person. According to Befu, it is a â€Å"moral imperative to perform ones duties toward members of ones group† (Befu, 1986: 162). It is also a long-term relationship and a sense that one will be forever in the other person’s debt. This sense of obligation is very typical in a culture that stresses the wa-concept as well as in collectivist cultures, where members of the in-group are closely tied to each other. Awase refers to the ability to always be able to adjus t to the situation or the circumstances.The self is thus constantly changing and moving with the situation, whereas the group is constant and needs to be maintained. Thus, maintaining wa equals being flexible in situations, and not on consistently following ones principles. 24 Kenson involves discounting ones abilities and to avoid standing out in order to maintain the status quo of a relationship. Kenson is sometimes manifested in a verbal apology, and it demonstrates a desire not to disturb the nature of the relationship, and a desire to maintain group harmony.For instance, a speaker may begin his or her speech by apologizing to the audience for his or her low status or insufficient knowledge on the topic – this depicts humility. Kata refers to the constant and familiar way something is done. In Japan, there is a kata or form for almost everything – from the way one plays ball to the way one performs a tea ceremony. The Japanese thus value form over function and proc ess over outcome – an important element to remember when involved in negotiations with the Japanese.This again refers to the uncertainty-avoidance that is present in the Japanese culture, which illustrates itself in the form of strict rules and regulation (Wierzbicka, 1992, Gudykunst & Kim, 2003: 5354). 8. 4 Isolation Another dimension characterizing Japan is the historical separateness of Japan from the rest of the world 11 , and the strong belief in the uniqueness of the Japanese culture and society. Its distance from the Asian continent and from the rest of the world had a crucial influence over the formation of the Japanese society and culture.The isolation began during the Tokugawa period when the Tokugawa government was trying to create relative peace and security. Instead, the government was facing stagnation, corruption and isolation. Famines and poverty among the peasants and samurai weakened the system even further. Additionally, foreign ships (from Russia, Britain and the USA) started to examine Japan’s isolation with increasing insistence, and Japan realized that their defenses were outdated and ineffective. In 1853, Commodore Matthew Perry of the US Navy arrived with his famous â€Å"black ships† to demand the opening of Japan to trade, followed y other countries. This resulted in a stream of antigovernment feeling among the Japanese due to the fact that it failed to defend Japan against foreigners and of neglecting the national reconstruction and modernization. 11 The first contact with the West occurred about 1542, when a Portuguese ship, blown off its course to China, landed in Japan. 25 After 200 years of total isolation from the outside world – due to the fear of Western and Christian invasion or superiority, Japan agreed to open the country to the outside world.Nevertheless, 200 years of isolation has resulted in a rather great amount of regulations, etc. (one may argue that this is a hidden form of protectionism) that are there in order to adopt an e. g. Western product to the needs and circumstances of the Japanese culture. This separateness, or isolation, has also caused the Japanese to be extremely aware of anything that comes from outside, and they thus strongly distinguish between foreign and native culture, as well as its products and innovations (Reischauer, 1995: 32, Kodansha, 1994: 32-37, 131-132, Wakaba, 1996: 4-12). 8. 5Uniqueness The Japanese people have long believed that they are the children or descendants of gods, living in a divinely land. In the 18th century, the scholar, Motoori Norinaga, was responsible for resurrecting ancient myths about Japan and the Japanese. Before Norinaga’s time, Japanese scholar viewed China and its civilization as the most important in the world. Norinaga attacked this view, claiming that Japan was superior to any other country in the world. According to him, Japan was the country where the Sun Goddess was born, making it the epicenter of all other nations.With the appearance from the early 19th century of Russian, British, and other foreign ships in the waters of Japan, there was an intense debate on how to react, since the country had had a policy of isolation from the rest of the world for two hundred years. The military government thus attempted to promote hate and fear of foreigners by law 12 . In 1825, Expulsion Edict was implemented, prohibiting all barbarians and Westerners from entering Japan. If a foreign ship was seen, it was fired upon and driven off. If foreigners went ashore, they were captured and their ship destroyed. 2 Antiforeign attitudes in Japan have generally been limited to the official level. 26 The belief in superiority and uniqueness of all things Japanese have weakened but not entirely disappeared in the present-day Japan. Although this extraordinarily chauvinistic mentality was temporarily restrained after the defeat in WWII, the post-war â€Å"economic miracle† has reawakened the feelings once again. Nevertheless, the rigid, exclusive world view that has been present in pre-1945 Japan, no longer dominates the country.Ultra-nationalism has been discredited – at least in mainstream social, political, and intellectual life. The ideology that has its place is a set of rules by which society generally has learned to operate efficiently. The set of rules are learned from parent, the authority figures, the educational system and the mass media, and contain among other things social solidarity, or collectivistic behavior and thinking, hierarchical social structure, or power distance, role playing, or tatemae, reciprocal obligations, or group harmony.Although this set of rules is far weaker than the pre-war ultra-nationalistic ideology, it is still more rigid and omnipotent than those of e. g. Western societies. In Japan, the rights of the group are thus prioritized over those of the individual, and there are rules for most activities, creating a dependency on others and on group, which again reinforces an ideal of rules, group harmony and collectivism. The Japanese ideal portrays men and women behaving modestly, speaking prudently, and avoiding offending others and maintaining in-group harmony. For them, the deal of individualism is un-noble, risky and illogical. The Japanese desire people to be polite, courteous and indirect with each other. The Japanese are only frank on rare occasions, striving to put the best face, as well as save face, on themselves and situations (Cohen, 1997:146147, 184-186, 224). To express what one really thinks or feels in Japan is regarded as uncultivated and vulgar. The Japanese do not see themselves in first place as individuals, but as group-oriented members. The social group gives them approval, identity and companionship, status, and meaning as such with their lives.All the group members are interdependent. Matsumoto used a food model in order to describe human relations in Japan, calling it natto (ferme nted soybeans). Fermented soybeans sit in sticky glue of starch, and it is impossible to extract one without pulling out the others – they are all connected by the same glue. According to Matsumoto, the beans represent the closeness and interdependence present in the Japanese culture (March, 1996: 15-34, Kodansha, 1994: 32-37, 131-132, Wakaba, 1996: 4-12). 27 8. 6 Western InfluenceThe Japanese culture has been greatly influenced by Western cultures throughout the years, such as the British, the Prussian (e. g. in 1889, Japan created Western-style constitution greatly influenced by Prussia), the Portuguese, and the American. The Western influence entered the shores of Japan through trade, Christianity (missionaries) and war (WWII and the American occupation), as well as through cultural and business exchanges (e. g. through travels and international business). During the mid-16th Century, the Europeans made their first appearance on the shores of Japan.The first Portuguese to be shipwrecked in 1543 found an appreciative Japanese reception for their skills in making firearms. The Jesuit missionary, Francis Xavier, arrived in 1549, and was followed by more missionaries who converted local lords to Christianity (several hundred thousand converts particularly in Nagasaki) – keen to profit from foreign trade and assistance with military supplies. Initially, the Japanese emperor saw the advantages of trading with Europeans and tolerated the arrival of Christianity as a counterbalance to Buddhism.However, this tolerance gradually turned into suspicion of a religion, which he saw as a threat to his rule. This suspicion resulted in rulings against Christianity and the crucifixion of 26 foreign priests and Japanese believers in 1597. The prohibition and the prosecution of Christianity continued under the Tokugawa government until it reached its peak in 1637 with the brutal suppression by the authorities of the Christianled Shimabara Rebellion. This put an e nd to the Christian Century although the religion continued to be practiced secretly until it was officially allowed at the end of the 19th Century.Additionally, in order to eliminate Christianity's presence in Japan, it was required for every family to register a Buddhist temple, becoming a familiar scene in every community. Because of this religious policy, all Japanese today are Buddhist by default. The Western influence continued during the Meiji period (1868-1912) when the Japanese economy underwent a crash course in westernization and industrialization. An influx of Western experts was encouraged and Japanese students were sent abroad to acquire expertise in modern technologies.During the Meiji period, the process of modernization and industrialization took place in Japan, inspired by Western philosophers. An almost obsessive admiration and adaptation of Western ideas and culture had taken place during this period. 28 By the 1890s, the Japanese government leaders were concerne d by the spread of liberal Western ideas and encouraged nationalism and traditional Japanese values. Japan was becoming more confident and an equal player to the Western powers, resulting in the abolition of foreign treaty rights and, in the years to come, in nationalism.This continued till Japan’s defeat in WWII, and the American occupation. The main aim of the occupation was to reform the Japanese government through demilitarization, the trial of war criminals and the removal of militarist and ultranationalists from the government. Additionally, a new constitution was introduced, which dismantled the political power of the emperor, forcing him to publicly reject any claim to divine origins. Once again, Japan was influenced, if not ruled, by Western powers. Finally, in the late 19th century, Western Europe became its model for modernization.