Light and Darkness in Macbeth free essay sample

Shakespearean literature is often characterised by imagery. William Shakespeare uses this technique in order to give hidden deeper meanings to his pieces, as we can see in the play Macbeth. As a matter of fact, in this tragedy the audience can find many different types of imagery: plant, animal, sleep, clothing and so forth. Most of these images are associated with a human characteristic; the imagery of light and darkness is no exception. The symbols of light and darkness in Macbeth are used to illustrate the contrasts between good and evil, to explain the actions of the protagonists, and are associated with sight and blindness to emphasize drama. Being two contrasting elements, the characteristics associated with light and darkness are also opposite; light is related to innocence, truth and purity, while darkness is associated with corruption, cruelty and guilt. In Macbeth, there are many different references to these two elements, and each one is connected to certain symbols which take the form of animals, plants, day, and night. We will write a custom essay sample on Light and Darkness in Macbeth or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Ultimately, light and darkness represent good and evil. In the first scenes of Act I, the imagery of light is used when King Duncan names Malcolm as his successor and commends Macbeth for his bravery in battle by comparing them to stars, â€Å"†¦ signs of nobleness, like stars, shall shine / On all deservers† (1. 4. 41-12). Duncan explains that he will award those who are virtuous and dutiful to him, because they deserve it. Because of these good qualities, namely honour and devotion, the person will shine like a star, since light is seen as good. Macbeth, however, already begins to ignore these values, â€Å"†¦Stars, hide your fires! / Let not light see my black and deep desires ;†( 1. 4. 50-52) In this case, light represents goodness and honesty. Macbeth does not want his morals to interfere with his inner ambitions. His conscience warns him not to commit the regicide, but Macbeth’s ambition and Lady Macbeth’s power of persuasion are strong, and they defeat his morality. Evil, his ‘black and deep desires’, is begin to take control of him. Light and darkness are also used to illustrate life and death. On the evening King Duncan is murdered, Lennox reports that the fire in his chimney was mysteriously blown out (2. 3. 3); the fire represented the King’s life. It is also strangely dark on the morning after the night of King Duncan’s murder, and Ross says to the Old Man, â€Å"by the clock, ‘tis day, / And yet dark night strangles the travelling lamp† (2. 4. 6-7). This signifies the start of darkness taking over Scotland, but can also be seen as a metaphor for Duncan’s life being ‘strangled’ by Macbeth, ‘the dark night’. Another example of darkness overtaking light occurs when Banquos torchlight (the one that illuminates him just enough so his murderers can see what theyre doing) is snuffed out the moment he is killed (3. 3. 5). Lastly, Macbeth responds to the news of Lady Macbeths suicide by proclaiming out, out brief candle (5. 5. 3), using the candles flame as a metaphor for her short life and sudden death. The image of the candle is used to show how vulnerable life is. It does not last for a long time and it is easily blown out. Macbeth learns this at a very high cost: his tragic end. The association of light and darkness does not only contrast and illustrate, but it is also used predominately by Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, to foreshadow and describe their actions and feelings. Darkness is evidently used much more than light, and when light is mentioned, it is usually snuffed out or overtaken by darkness. This first occurs when Lady Macbeth asks thick night to come with the smoke of hell, so that her knife will not see the wound it makes in the peacefully sleeping King. She also calls for murderous spirits to prevent heaven from peep[ing] through the blanket of the dark to cry Hold, Hold! she implies that light (here associated with God, heaven, and goodness) offers protection from evil and is the only thing that can stop her from murdering Duncan (1. 5. 10-16). Later in the play, the audience can see that Macbeth does the same. After he has made the arrangements for the murder of Banquo, Macbeth tells the murderers that   Fleance his son, that keeps him company, Whose absence is no less material to me Than is his fathers, must embrace the fate Of that dark hour (3. 1. 134-137). The hour will be dark both literally and metaphorically. Literally, Banquo and Fleance will be riding after dark, and thats when they will be ambushed. Metaphorically, the hour will be dark because thats when they will meet the final darkness of death. Macbeth is asking the night to take away Banquos life, because Banquo makes Macbeth pale with fear, â€Å"Come, sealing night, Scarf up the tender eye of pitiful day; And with thy bloody and invisible hand Cancel and tear to pieces that great bond Which keeps me pale! † (3. 2. 50) In scenes after the Ghost of Banquo has ruined Macbeths banquet Macbeth asks his wife â€Å"What is the night?   She answers, â€Å"Almost at odds with morning, which is which (3. 4. 125-126). Then Macbeth states his intention to continue his bloody course of action, and says,  Strange things I have in head, that will to hand; / which must be acted ere they may be scannd (3. 4. 138-39). Through these evil deeds, it is evident that Shakespeare wanted to emphasize the fact that darkness easily overtakes light. When one puts a bowl over a lit candle, its light is no longer seen. In the same way that sight and light, and blindness and darkness are used together in this analogy, Shakespeare uses these symbols together to amplify the themes certain scenes. When Macbeth is imagining what would happen if he was to kill King Duncan, he says that   Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Pity, like a naked new-born babe, Striding the blast, or heavens cherubim, horsed Upon the sightless couriers of the air, Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye, That tears shall drown the wind. Here, the sightless couriers of the air are the winds, imagined as invisible (sightless) horses. This elaborate metaphor suggests that pity for King Duncan will be like that kind of wind that blows so hard that it brings tears to your eyes. Another example is when Macbeth sees the illusion of the eight kings escorted by Banquo. As soon as Macbeth sees this, he wishes he that he could stop looking, but cannot. When he sees the first king, he says to him,  Thy crown does sear mine eye-balls , yet he keeps looking. By the time the fourth one appears, he says,  Start, eyes! (4. 1. 116), as though he could command his own eyes to jump (start) out of his head and make him blind. Like Macbeth, Lady Macbeth also has something that she does not want to see in her sleepwalking scene. She enters the scene holding a candle, and when the doctor asks her gentlewoman how the lady happens to have the candle, the gentlewoman replies,  Why, it stood by her: she has light by her continually; tis her command.   The doctor then points out,  You see, her eyes are open (5. 1. 24), and the gentlewoman replies,  Ay, but their sense is shut (5. 1. 25). Thus we see that Lady Macbeth, who eagerly awaited the dark hour of King Duncans murder, is now afraid of the dark, and though her eyes are open, she can see only her own memories of murder. Shakespeare uses the symbols of sight and blindness to emphasize the theme of guilt by personifying the guilt of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. Much of this play is filled with the struggle between light and darkness, the epic battle of good versus evil, and the theme is enforced by recurring images and Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s relation to them. It is, however, the precision of Shakespeare’s’ imagery, which creates clear and vivid mental pictures, that gives his writing its  unique style and quality. Shakespeare teaches an important lesson through these symbols: that if we let darkness into our lives it will take over the light unless we make an effort to change.

Dandelion Wine Essay essays

Dandelion Wine Essay essays As we all grow and progress, we gain a desire to make our lives easier for ourselves. Advancements in technology help us carry out some of the chores and jobs in our lives. Although it may seen beneficial, too much dependence on technology might abolish our self-reliance. This idea is suggested by Ray Bradbury in his novel, Dandelion Wine. In his novel, Bradbury criticizes new technology, and it's ability to take over our lives. In the book we meet a character named Douglas who sees things in his life as "machines". The Green Machine is really a low powered vehicle that is meant to transport people more efficiently to their desired destination, but it ends up injuring another being. The Happiness Machine is intended to make people happier, but it just makes people miserable. The Time Machine, who is actually Mr. Freeleigh, entertains children with his stories from the past until his untimely death. Douglas and the people of the town rely heavily on these "machines", but when they "breakdown", they're left to experience the pains of life. The Green Machine represents the excessive pride that Miss Fern and Miss Roberta have. The two old women want people to envy them, hence the Green color of the car. When they hit Mr. Quartermain, they are not able to face the problem. Instead, they get scared and hide, too frightened and too prideful to accept the consequences. They wait in the attic, hoping the problem will go away. They even try switching the blame onto the salesman who sold them the car. " Our pride has ruined us. Pride and that electrical contraption."(90). The car has fed their ego and now that it is gone, their pride is too large for them to accept the consequences of their actions. Miss Fern's and Miss Roberta's selfish desire for the "machine" has left them having to deal with the pain of facing their consequences. When Leo Auffman invents the Happiness Machine, his intenti ...

Chinese negotiation style Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Chinese negotiation style - Essay Example Coping with cultural differences was ranked as the first concern among business people. Other challenges included international trade dispute affecting business partners and intellectual property issues. 'Although the international business community has made great strides in understanding China's tradition, it is still important to be sensitive to the issues raised by cultural differences.' Most westerners, when preparing a business trip to China arm themselves with "a handy, one-page list of etiquette how to's, carry a boatload of business cards and bring their own interpreters", that's what Chinese tipsters say. However, such advice wont sustain the kind of prolonged year in, year out associations that Chinese and western business people achieve. In fact, breakdowns between foreigners and Chinese business people happen time after time. The main cause of failure is that of the westerners, to understand the much broader context of Chinese culture and values, a problem that too often leaves western negotiators both confused and flailing. (Lin 2003) The cultural influences outlined on the PowerPoint will give a clearly defined set of elements that underpin the Chinese negotiating style. Many foreigners often find these elements as confusing, but to ignore them at any time during the negotiation process, the deal will easily fall apart. (Graham 2003) These are in order of most important: 1. Guanxi (Personal Connections) The Chinese place a premium on individual's social capital with their group of friends, relatives, and close associates. 2. Zhongjian Ren (The Mediator) Business deals for Westerners in China don't have a chance with the zhongjian ren, the intermediary. In Australia, we tend to trust others until or unless we're given reason not to. In China, suspicion and distrust characterize all meetings with strangers. 3. Shehui Dengji (Social Status) The causal style of communication in Australia, such as "You can just call me Ben" does not play well in a country where the Confucian values of obedience and deference to one's superiors remain strong. The formality goes much deeper, however - profound so, to many Westerners. 4. Renji Hexie (Interpersonal Harmony) The Chinese sayings, "A man without a smile should not open a shop," and "Sweet temper and friendliness produce money," speak volumes about the importance of harmonious relations between business partners. 5. Zhengti Guannian (Holistic Thinking) The Chinese think in terms of the whole, while Australians think sequentially and individualistically, breaking up complex negotiation tasks into a series of small issues: price, quantity, warranty, delivery and so forth. Chinese negotiators tend to talk about those issues all at once. 6. Jiejian (Thrift) China's long history of economic and political instability has taught its people to save their money, a practise known as Jiejian. Chinese business negotiators will try to save money through a lot of bargaining over price -

Issues and Dilemmas of Contemporary Public Administration Essay

Issues and Dilemmas of Contemporary Public Administration - Essay Example Public interest can be defined as the general wellbeing of the public. This is where the whole society, and not just selfish individuals, matter. They, therefore, warrant protection, promotion and recognition from the government. It is their job as people in higher positions of power to ensure that everyone gets treated right and just with accordance to the law (Nichols, 2010). Public administrators are, therefore, bound to these roles by certain ethical rules. As they make decisions, they have to take into account the rules that bind them to ensure they serve the people well. This paper will review some of the responsibilities and obligations that bind public administrators. Also, the dilemmas they usually face when politics is involved in the running of the business. Administrative responsibility lies with the fact that leaders are supposed to serve the people on a lower level. The problems that arise when they are in charge are often seen with the way they handle their business. Some ethical problems that they face arise mostly from morality. Many public administrators are mostly consumed by sex scandals (Kumar, 2005). These issues create a very bad image for the people that surround them, especially their family. Most people voted into office are chosen based on their family standings and values. A family man is likely to be chosen into office than a person who does not have a family. The public would like to be involved in the running of their daily business.

Procurement Routes and the Different Formats of Tendercontract Dissertation

Procurement Routes and the Different Formats of Tendercontract Documents - Dissertation Example As the discussion stresses procurement is the acquisition of goods and services for use and benefits of individuals or governments and corporations, obtained with the help of terms and contracts. Procurement is guided by certain factors such as services provided within a fixed budget or goods obtained by using economic analysis or cost analysis. According to the research findings procurement methods are characterized by application for tenders and different forms of contracts and tender documents are used and the methods of procurement have significant implications for small to medium sized contractors. The economic or cost analysis of procurement is seen in terms of risks or without risks. When risks are involved the analysis shows expected outcomes or values for a specific product or service. Organizations have procurement policies and strategies in place that aid in procurement of goods and services through planned and informed management decisions to help businessmen, clients and organizations alike. Procurement policies are focused on meeting corporate or organizational goals and objectives in which council or corporations, organizations, business clients, suppliers and contracts derive maximum support and mutual advantage for long term business and professional relationships. All workforce issues are considered in proc urement activity and focus should be given on maximizing purchasing power and in ensuring fair competition in all procurement activity. ... plication for tenders and different forms of contracts and tender documents are used and the methods of procurement have significant implications for small to medium sized contractors. The economic or cost analysis of procurement is seen in terms of risks or without risks. When risks are involved the analysis shows expected outcomes or values for a specific product or service. Organizations have procurement policies and strategies in place that aid in procurement of goods and services through planned and informed management decisions to help businessmen, clients and organizations alike. Procurement policies are focused on meeting corporate or organizational goals and objectives in which council or corporations, organizations, business clients, suppliers and contracts derive maximum support and mutual advantage for long term business and professional relationships (Turner, 1997; Marsh, 2003). All workforce issues are considered in procurement activity and focus should be given on maxi mizing purchasing power and in ensuring fair competition in all procurement activity. Procurement activities will also have to consider opportunities for social enterprise and continuous improvements in project implementation and sustainability. Usually resource members are responsible for strategic implementation of procurement. Procurement activities must comply with the best practice processes and procurement sponsors should provide feedback on the procurement process to the procurement support unit. Procurement activity and policy works in this manner and requires teamwork, and arrangement between suppliers, contractors and corporations. We consider a case study on the procurement policy of the Liverpool Council which states the principles of procurement policy are as follows: To ensure

The Tiananmen Square Massacre History Essay

The Tiananmen Square Massacre History Essay With thousands left wounded, a seemingly countless number of citizens reported dead, and a country left with a damaged reputation. All of these were the results of a truly unforgettable and shocking event which happened on the 4th of June 1989, the Tiananmen Square massacre. In order to grasp a better understanding of this historical event, I have put together some sub headings and questions to break it down into a more understandable manner. What is Tiananmen Square? Tiananmen Square, situated in Chinas capital, Beijing, is the largest public space in the world. Being one of the largest tourist attractions in the world, it is surrounded by monumental public buildings that line its edges and vast spaces in between that echoes this scary event. It is named after the Tiananmen Gate (Gate of Heavenly Peace) located to its North. This gate separates it from the Forbidden City. Tiananmen Square is the Third largest city square in the world at 440,000m ². Today it has great cultural significance as it was the hosted site of several important events in Chinese history, including this famous 1989 protest, which ultimately lead to military suppression and the deaths of multiple protestors. What was the cause of the protest? After the war between the communists and the Kuomingtang (KMT) party in China, the leader of the KMT, Chiang Kai-shek, fled to Taiwan with his party. As this happened Mao Zedong, leader of the communist party, was given the advantage and then took control and launched multiple communist reforms such as the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution. The transition was slow, but the people of the Peoples Republic of China began to accept the change to communism. This was followed by the next chairman, Deng Xiaoping, attempting to calm the system that Mao Zedong had set up. Xiaoping would then try to convert China in his own way. He would begin by slowly easing China into a market economy, but by the year 1989, these economic and political changes had already given birth to two groups, groups in which were completely unsatisfied. The first group was essentially a group of students and intellectuals who, in their minds, felt that the reforms had not gone far enough. The second group was a group of industrial workers who believed, quite simply, the opposite. The workers believed that the reforms had gone too far and thought that they were also beginning to put their way of living in jeopardy. These two groups on April 15 1989 came together to begin their protests. This protest at Tiananmen Square was different than protests prior to this one. For example, the 1987 protest consisted of just students and intellectuals, and the 1989 protest included students, intellectuals and workers. Over a million supporters took part in the pro-democracy protest of 1989. The demonstrators at Tiananmen Square performed daily marches, and chanted The Internationale in their native language. This would be accommodated shortly after by a hunger strike, another tactic that the protestors engaged in. This tactic was very popular among the Chinese. At the beginning of these protests, some but not all attempts were successful, and actually made a negotiation with the government. These negotiations were soon overlooked by the government because of the visiting of Mikhail Gorbachev (chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet). This lead to a lot of press being present. The press found the protests fascinating and began to cover the scenes with extreme curiosity. Around the time of May 30 1989, the protesters erected the Goddess of Democracy, a symbol in which the people watching this on the television from home could associate the protests with. This statue was also known as the Goddess of Liberty. It was 10 meters tall and was constructed in only four days out of foam and papier-mà ¢chà © over a metal armature. It was built so big so it would be hard to dismantle by the government. This meant that they would either have to destroy the statue (an action which would fuel further criticism of its policies) or leave it standin g. After what seemed like endless negotiation and the Chinese government asking the students to return to their institutions, there was no co-operation between the two sides. This meant that the party elders of the government had to stop this protest by force. Martial Law On May 20th, 1989 Deng Xiaoping declared martial law. This is when military forces (in this case the Peoples Liberation Army) are called upon to bring a particular region or an event to a halt by any means necessary. On this day four convoys of military vehicles proceeded towards Tiananmen Square but were no longer able to advance any further upon reaching the thousands of demonstrators. These protesters were lecturing soldiers and appealed to them to join their cause and they also provided the soldiers with food, water and a roof over their heads. All government forces were forced to retaliate and withdraw their army on the 24th of May as they were highly outnumbered by the mounds of protesters. The authorities, at this point, saw no way forward. While this retreat by the government initially being seen as the turning of the tide in favour of the protestors went on, in reality every military region was sending units by rail and even by air. Regular airline flights were even cancelled due to the mass amount of military personnel travelling. Fall of the protest By the time late May had arrived, the protestors were getting very much disorganised and had no real leadership amongst them anymore. It dragged on so long that the face of Tiananmen Square was filled with serious hygienic problems and had overcrowding issues that werent taken care of. By June the leadership agreed that it was necessary to end the turmoil, and that the students occupying the Square should return to their campuses. However, this had many problems and they ended up struggling with the idea of using force. Through this, the members of Politburo had to agree that using martial law to restore order was the only option and on June the 1st Li Peng issued a report titled On the True Nature of the Turmoil, which was passed on to every member of the Politburo. This report basically persuaded the members of Politburo that these protestors were in fact terrorists and counterrevolutionaries. The report stated that the students were growing in numbers and their support was gaining strength. As the frustration grew higher and higher the Politburo Standing Committee (PSC) decided that it would be best to clear Tiananmen Square as quickly and as peacefully as possible, but if the protestors would not comply, then the troops were authorized to use force to complete the job. On the evening of the 2nd of June, it was heard that a police jeep ran into four civilians, killing three, and injuring the other. This was the moment that sparked fear in the protestors that the police were trying to advance into Tiananmen Square. Roadblocks were made by the students at major intersections to prevent any further advancing from the troops, but this didnt stop them. In the early hours of June the 3rd, the first reports of violence on both sides were reported. Military advances to Tiananmen Square Soldiers and tanks from the 27th and 38th Armies of the Peoples Liberation Army were sent to take control of Beijing and clear Tiananmen Square. The 27th army was controlled and commanded by Yang Shangkun. Reports from the incident show that this army was responsible for most of the civilian deaths. Major General Xu Qinxian was the commander of the 38th army. He shocked the leadership when he refused orders from General Li Laizhu telling him to clear the square, he instead insisted on a written order. Xu was instantly removed from command and was later jailed for five years and following this, was expelled from the Party. As the word spread and more and more people found out that hundreds of thousands of troops were advancing from all four directions, panic broke out. The protestors began to flood the streets in attempt to block the oncoming troops. It was on this night that the army began to fire live bullets at the protestors, killing many of them. This took place near the Muxidi apartment buildings, home to high-level Party officials and their families. This sparked off riots in Tiananmen Square. The protestors would now throw rocks and Molotov cocktails at vehicles and on the streets and this, in turn, infuriated the officials. There were also reports of people burning soldiers alive in their armoured personnel carriers while others were beaten to death. Therefore, soldiers responded by firing at will on protestors. Many of the protestors were seriously injured or killed by the soldiers automatic weaponry, but fortunately rickshaw drivers who ventured out into no-mans-land rescued all they could and brought them to safety. Getting desperate and unable to move forward, the army therefore had to open fire on the civilians blocking their way. This shocked the crowd at first as they did not think that the army would use live ammunition. But this did not drive the people from the streets. The army tried everything in their power to evacuate the square but the protestors continued to fight back. Gas, smoke and randomly fired bullets were used against the demonstrators. Some of soldiers were even pulled from their tanks and beaten to death by the civilians. Some of the protestors left, in fear of risking their lives, but there were still hundreds of students left in Tiananmen Square by the time the army had reached it. Those who sought refuge in buses were ripped out from them by the soldiers and beaten to death with heavy sticks. In the early hours of June the 4th the tanks had smashed their way into the square, crushing vehicles and people with their way and by 5:40am the square had been cleared. Aftermath of the Massacre On the morning of June the 5th, people who were related to those who were injured or killed tried to enter the blockaded square but were shot at by the soldiers. Even when they tried to run away, the soldiers persisted in shooting them in the back. These actions were repeated several times. Finally order had been restored in Tiananmen Square but protests were still going on in other parts of mainland China. There were large protests in Hong Kong, where people wore black in conjunction with the demonstrators in Beijing. Other large protests were held in Guangzhou and in Shanghai. Many other countries had protests as well, all representing the people of Beijing with black bands worn around their arms. There is little to no evidence of how many people were killed during the massacre. Sources range from 1200 to 10,000 (including soldiers). To this day nobody has an official death count number. The Tank Man While a convoy of about a dozen tanks headed eastward into Tiananmen Square a day after the military crackdown, a skinny man dressed in a white shirt and black pants holding two grocery bags, stepped in front of the leading tank. This step was a step into history for him. As soon as the tanks reached the man they came to a standstill. They were face to face with this man. He swung his shopping bags beckoning them to turn around and leave, but the tanks didnt move from where they were. When the leading tank tried to turn to the right to go around him, the Tank Man would jump to the left in front of it and when it would try to go the other way; he would jump in front of it again, stopping the tanks in their path. After a brief standoff, the Tank Man climbed onto the machine and appeared to be trying to talk to the men inside. Shortly after, two men came up and dragged him away. The famous picture of the Unknown Rebel smuggled out of China under the noses of officials and soon appeared on the front pages of newspapers all around the world. This man became a hero, and a legend to some. The fate of Tank Man who carried out his famous act of civil disobedience on June the 5th is unknown, some say he went into hiding and others say he was executed. I felt inspired after I had watched the footage of the man standing in front of the tanks. It took a lot of courage to do such a thing, putting his life at risk for the sake of his people. Its sad to think that he is not very well known in China and is more recognised in other parts of the world. This is due to Chinas censorship that ensures that most Chinese dont know what happened in June 1989. Why did the government kill their own people? This is probably one of the most outstanding queries of the entire protest and in the end its down to personal opinion as to why they opened fire on their own people. This is mainly because the Chinese government has been really secretive about the whole incident and never really let out any information. In my opinion, I think the government had no other choice even though they knew they were doing wrong. The protestors were even putting themselves in danger already before the army even came, people were getting crushed and people were passing out with hunger. Im not saying that the government was right to decide to do what they did, because a lot of innocent citizens were killed and this is never right in any case. Reactions from around the world The type of footage shown on Western television was definitely the first of its type and truly shocked the public. The Chinese governments response was denounced, particularly by Western governments and media. Criticism came all over the world from places such as Eastern Europe, North America, Australia and some Asian and Latin American countries also. Asian countries were found to keep silent throughout the protests; the government of India responded to the massacre by ordering the state television to pare down the coverage to the barest minimum, so as not to put their relation with China in danger. North Korea, Cuba, Czechoslovakia and East Germany among others supported the Chinese government and denounced the protests. Underlying Causes. I have done some online research on this topic and it seems as though a few people think that the protests were not as the seemed to be. People ask what would get a group of people to create a historic even like this in the first place? were they trying to appear in the media? Or were they just standing up for what they truly believe? Some people even go far enough as to say that it was the Illuminati U.S government that contacted a few hundred students in Beijing and were contracted to cause chaos and confusion in Chinas capital and that its all part of New World Order. It may seem impossible or crazy, but their opinion is as good as anybodys and theyre entitled to it. Impact on China and the rest of the world. In Hong Kong, the Tiananmen Square protests led to fears that the PRC would follow up on its commitments under one country, two systems following the impending handover in 1997. In response the Governor of PRC, Chris Patten, attempted to expand the franchise for the Legislative Council of Hong Kong, which led to friction with Beijing. There have been large candlelight vigils attended by tens of thousands in Hong Kong every year since 1989 and these vigils have continued following the transfer of power to the PRC in 1997. There was also a giant impact on the Chinese economy after the massacre. Foreign loans to China were suspended for obvious reasons and tourism revenue decreased from US$2.2 billion to just US$1.8 billion. On top of this the foreign direct investment commitments were cancelled and there was a rise in defence spending from 8.6% to 15.5% in the following four years. This was just after a 10 year decline. Chinas international image was, needless to say, damaged greatly. Western media displayed real footage of the happenings while protestors in Beijing took this opportunity to create banners to display to the cameras in their best English. All international television networks were soon ordered to stop broadcasting their footage during military action, with the government shutting down satellite transmissions. Apparently, the only network that was able to record the scenes of the massacre without hassle during the 4th of June was Televisià ³n Espaà ±ola of Spain. Some foreign journalists were also faced with harassment during the military action. It is said that a cameraman was taken into custody while filing a report from Tiananmen Square via mobile phone. The Police at this time were very strict with cameras and would tell anybody they saw recording to stop immediately. The images that managed to break out of China had strongly shaped the views of Westerners and policy toward China in the next two decades. As for overseas Chinese students, the Tiananmen Square protests triggered the formation of Internet news services such as the China News Digest and the NGO China Support Network. Before this, there was little on the web. Organisations such as the China Alliance for Democracy and the Independent Federation of Chinese Students and Scholars were formed, although these organisations would have limited political impact in later years. The Tiananmen Massacre today The Massacre still lives with us today in different forms. Tourists are able to visit Tiananmen Square itself where the actual incident happened. Also there are various documentaries made and references to this famous event throughout the world. Theres even a 90 minute movie about the famous Tank Man. Songs have been written about the massacre and even paintings and drawings have been inspired by it. No matter how much the Chinese government try to hide this incident it will never be forgotten. April 15th 1989 to June 4th, 1989 marks an event forever in history that the Chinese and people worldwide will never forget.

Summary and Analysis of The Millers Tale Essay -- Canterbury Tales Th

Summary and Analysis of The Miller's Tale When the Knight had finished, everybody decided that he had told a noble story. The drunken Miller claims that he has a tale as noble as the one the Knight had told. The host tried to quiet the Miller, but he demanded to speak. He claims that he will tell the tale of a carpenter and his wife. His tale will be one of infidelity. The narrator attempts to apologize for the tale that will follow, admitting that the Miller is not well-bred and will therefore tell a bawdy tale. Analysis It is in the prologues to the various tales that Chaucer comments on the tales that his characters have told. This serves as an internal critique of the tales that Chaucer has written. In this prologue, the Miller constructs the author's reaction to the Knight's Tale. The Miller mocks the noble messages of the Knight's Tale, and prepares to tell a tale that he finds equally uplifting. The tale that will follow is unreservedly bawdy and lowbrow, a necessary antidote to the oppressive sense of epic honor that permeates the stodgy Knight's tale. The Canterbury Tales offer Chaucer an opportunity for experimentation, for he has created characters who create their own stories. Therefore the stories are not simply an extension of Geoffrey Chaucer's imagination. The story of Palamon and Arcite is a tale that a man such as the Knight might tell; the inflated pomposity of the tale is a deliberate move by Chaucer, purposely adhering to the Knight's personality even at some dramatic and narrative expense. This also affords Chaucer the opportunity to engage in forms of disreputable humor, as the Miller's Tale will demonstrate. Chaucer even separates himself from the tale that the Miller has told, claiming th... ...s into taking tubs onto the roof. Only Nicholas does not suffer for his romantic pursuits. He does not court Alison  ­ rather, in his first encounter with her Nicholas grabs her crotch before even speaking. Nicholas only receives a form of punishment when he attempts to trick Absolon with a 'kiss' for the second time, and in this occasion Nicholas suffers not because he has broken any moral codes, but because he was foolish to try the same trick twice. Only Alison escapes any form of retribution, for she is the one who is consistently cunning and wily. She receives no punishment for her infidelity, while the characters who are the most overtly virtuous (John and Absolon) are the ones who suffer the most. The Miller's tale thus prizes the characters who are the most shrewd rather than those who hold more sentimental emotions or obey traditional standards of behavior.

Dove †Objectives of Marketing Plan & Pricing Strategy Essay

â€Å"Setting objectives for a marketing plan is not simple and straightforward matter. It is an iterative process whereby objectives are set, strategies and action plans are developed, and then it is decided whether the planned objectives are impossible, achievable or easy. Marketing objectives should be difficult, but they must be achievable. The aim is to set objectives that a challenge, but can be achieved with effort. They must be motivating rather than discouraging.† (Westwood, 2002). To be useful, the stated objectives should meet several criteria which are known as SMART objectives. [Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timed] According to Marketingteacher.com (2012), the purposes of SMART objectives include: To enable a company to control its marketing plan. ï‚ §=To help to motivate individuals and teams to reach a common goal. To provide an agreed, consistent focus for all functions of an organization. Dove’s Marketing Objectives: According to Marketingmixx.com (2012), Dove develops its marketing objectives very carefully as it is devoted to expand the definition of beauty for the reason that they believe real beauty comes from your inner self. The Marketing Objectives of Dove are: To increase sales by 40% in upcoming 1 year. Providing a boost to its brand image. Broaden the image as a beauty care provider Increase the number of retail outlets selling dove products by 250 within 12 months PRICING STRATEGY Price is the exchange value of a product or service, always expressed in terms of money. There are costs to produce and design a product, to distribute a product, and to promote. Price must support these elements of the mix. Pricing is difficult and must reflect supply relationship. Price is the only element of marking mixes which sales revenue. Price is a powerful marketing instrument. It is often the most flexible of the four marketing mix elements. â€Å"Price is a critical element in the marketing strategy of the industrial marketer and should always be viewed in the context of that marketing strategy. Price interacts with all other elements of the marketing mix to determine the effectiveness of each and of the whole. The objectives that guide pricing strategy should be a subset of the objectives that guide overall marketing strategy. Thus, it is probably wrong to view price as an independent element of marketing strategy or to assert that price, by itself, is a central element in the marketing mix.† (Webster, 1979) In Dove, we use three types of strategies. Namely, Competition-based pricing, Product line, Product Bundle pricing. Competition-based pricing is setting a price in comparison with competitors. Surely a firm has three options and these are to price lower, price to same or price higher. For example: Dove Damage Therapy Shampoo (700 ml) cost $11.70 versus Pantene Shampoo (700ml) cost $10.90 in FairPrice. Product line pricing is pricing different products within the same product range at different price points. For example: Dove Beauty Moisture Body Wash (1L) cost $9.75 versus Dove Firming Moisture Body Wash (1L) cost $10.70 in FairPrice. Product Bundle pricing means offering a group of related products at a combined low price, so as to get rid of slow moving products. For example, Dove charges $7.50 for a bottle of Dove Beauty Moisture Body Wash and $13.90 for a bundle of two bottles at CK Departmental Store. REFERENCES Westwood, J., 2002, The Marketing Plan: A step-by-step Guide. 3rd ed., London, Kogan Page Limited, p 101. Teacher, M, 2012, SMART Objectives [online], England, Marketing Teacher, Available from: http://www.marketingteacher.com/lesson-store/lesson-objectives.html. [Last accessed 27th May 2012]. Seher, T., 2012, Marketing Plan of Dove [online], Marketing Mix, Available from: http://marketingmixx.com/marketing-plan-2/181-marketing-plan-of-dove.html [Last accessed 27th May 2012] Webster, F., 1979, Industrial Marketing Strategy, 3rd ed., Canada, John Wiley & Sons, Inc, p 190.

Freedom in my perspective essays

Freedom in my perspective essays "Fight and you may die. Run and you'll live, at least a while. And, dying in your beds, many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that for a chance- just a chance- to come back here and tell our enemies, that they may take our lives, but they'll never take our freedom" that was a quote by William Wallage, a character played by Mel Gibson in his 1995 Academy Award winning film, Braveheart. In this quote, he talks about our enemies envying us because we have something that they want and desperately need, freedom. He talks about with courage comes great sense of self pride. To me, freedom is a choice, a liberty, Independence, and true happiness. Freedom is probably one of the most expensive things in the world yet it is one of the things most taken advantage of. Freedom is a gift from God to humanity and everyone should be entitled to that gift. Freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of religion, and freedom of the press, these are some of the many freedoms guaranteed to us as Americans. In this country, I have the right to worship any god at any time that I choose. In this country a person can go out and say to everyone that he or she does not agree with the president and his administration, in some countries that is unheard of. A person can be a serial killer and still be tried just as fair as someone who is being tried for a minor fender-bender. That is liberty and freedom. What does freedom mean to me? To me it's the fact that I can come from Haiti, come to the United States and still have the right and opportunity to sit in a classroom and learn and yearn for more learning with other students. to me freedom is the right for me to be able to protest the tobacco industry's manipulation on kids without worry. Freedom to me is that I don't have to live up to anyone's standards, that my voice counts and I have a choice between A or B. To me freed ...

Evaluation of an Employment Development Plan of Saudi Aramco in Saudi Arabia The WritePass Journal

Evaluation of an Employment Development Plan of Saudi Aramco in Saudi Arabia Introduction Evaluation of an Employment Development Plan of Saudi Aramco in Saudi Arabia ). The diverse workforce present in the organization needs to be managed in an efficient and effective manner. The dissertation will try to identify the importance of ‘employees development plan’, investigate the current practices of the company’s employees development plan, evaluate its effectiveness, and identify common obstacles for employees development plan at the company. The dissertation will also propose some recommendations based on its findings for creating a viable employees development program. The dissertation will be divided into five chapters. The first chapter will be comprised of the introduction, overview of the research, background, and research objectives. The second chapter will detail the research methodology. The third chapter will present a literature review and theoretical background of the research. Fourth chapter will present the findings and analyze the data. Finally, chapter five will present the results and conclusions of the research. Research Objectives Investigate to what extent does the company care for its employees through its employees development plan Identify the significance of employees development plan Investigate practices of employees development plan Evaluate the effectiveness of employees development Identify most common barriers for employees development plan Research Questions What is the employees’ attitude towards the company regarding its employees’ development plan? How employees’ development plan benefits the objectives and goals of the company? What is the significance of employees’ development plan for both the company and its employees? To what extent do the employees consider the employees’ development plan at the company efficient? What are the common barriers associated with the employees’ development plan at the company? Literature Review Definition of employee development plan Employee development plan has been defined as a set of planned efforts by an organization which facilitates the learning and acquaintance of knowledge, specific skills and behaviors for its employees; all of which are essential for them to be successful in their current jobs (Goldstein, 1993). Dotta (2009) defines it as a â€Å"sequence of concurrent activities, initiatives and programs that an organization is involved with to maintain, improve and enhance the skills, capabilities and performance levels of its workforce and other staff members. Employee development plan encapsulates various individual development plans. According to Department of Defense of USA (2006), an individual employee development plan is a tailored written plan developed by the supervisor and employee outlining the employee’s developmental objectives and the developmental activity for achieving these objectives.   The purpose of an employee development plan is to increase the current proficiency, dev elopment, and progression of the employee through a systematic development plan. Based on aforementioned definitions, several important points can be stated: Employees’ development plan is aimed at enhancing the capabilities and competencies of an organization’s workforce. Employees’ development plan is designed according to training and development need analysis and employee-supervisor negotiation; both of which are governed by organizational goals and objectives. Employees’ development plan is also crucial for the progression of a career path. Indeed employees development plan and career path complement each other. Although it is not necessary that an employee development plan is linked to specific positions; it is common for organizations to train and develop their employees to occupy critical positions in future. Employees’ development plan first identifies the developmental objectives of an organization’s workforce. These objectives form the basis of several developmental activities designed to achieve these objectives. It identifies why, what and how to enhance the capabilities and competencies of employees. Significance of employee development plan In today’s business environment, which is characterized as multi-faced, highly complex, extremely competitive, and dynamic, organizations are required to be very flexible and adaptable in order to survive and succeed. Employee development, a practice that seeks to assist organisations in meeting their business goals through continuous learning and development (Harisson, 2009) is a critical element for achieving that flexibility and adaptability. So much that often human resource development personnel are qualified as ‘agents of change’ (Harisson, 2009). It is only through continuous, effective learning and development of employees that modern day organizations can acquire the essential competencies to adapt to a new conjuncture. Best Practices in Employee Development Plan Numerous studies have recommended several successful approaches towards employee development programs. There is a general consensus among researchers regarding the foremost need for an organization to conduct an analysis of its existing needs and requirements (Jacobs and Jones, 1995; Clegg et al, 2005). According to Jacobs, (1995) an employee development can be rendered meaningless if it does not respond to the organizational needs. Existing needs and requirements can be identified through an effective market analysis, analysis of existing and future labor trends. (Clegg et al, 2005). Apart from the needs’ assessment, several best practices have been identified by human resource practitioners and researchers. A survey of best practices of 71 companies practicing employee development activities identified three underlying factors important for an effective employee development plan. These are: (1) individual development plans should be developed for key and high potential employees (2) the individual development plans and practices should be strictly aligned with organizational strategies and goals, and (3) the entire workforce should be facilitated for its progression through the developmental process (Reynolds, 2005). Another study prepared by LSA Global (2008) reveals that an effective employee development plan should share the following characteristics: (1) Strategy driven: employee development plans should be linked with business strategy (2) Positive cost/benefit ratio: return on investment of employee development plan should be ensured (3) Employee development plan should be supported by key strategies, systems, structures, policies, and practices. (4) It should be driven through various channels apart from formal training. (5) Employees’ abilities should be maximized through shared ownership of development plans (7) Learning by doing: real tasks and on-the-job projects within training environment should be offered (8) Knowledge and skills acquired should be transferred back to the job: (9) Development plan should be linked to other people-related programs (for instance they should be conducted by line managers). (10) Continuous learning process Rationale for the Current Research Although there is a large array of literature on human resource development, practitioners often come under criticism for doing very little to evaluate the learning and development solutions that have been designed to deliver whereby significant and often scarce resources are allocated blindly in development plans that are considered to be effective (Harisson, 2005). When undergoing financial stress, organizations often downsize human resource development budgets. Human resource development personnel undergo tight scrutiny in justifying their expenditures and are required to prove the effectiveness of their employee development plans. Thus evaluation of employee development plan is a viable solution. The importance of evaluation in further signified as the learning and development theory and practices in the modern day is undergoing a considerable change in order to keep up with new circumstantial requirements. In fact, one of the major changes occurring nowadays and in the upcoming years is the organizational changes driven by ‘higher integration between coaching, organisational development (OD) and performance management’ (CIPD survey, 2010: pg.6). Similarly, Sloman (2007) made several important propositions regarding the ongoing change in the employee development practices and approaches (see appendix 1). The shift in the learning and development approach and employee development practices signifies the importance of evaluating the current practices of an organization to see whether they are abreast with the prevailing best practices. Additionally, employee development approaches and practices of the oil and gas rich Middle Eastern countries and the Gulf Nations is an under-researched area in HRM literature. Moreover, the available literature regarding employee development practices generalizes the Middle East and the Arab World rather than addressing individual countries or companies (Harry, 2007). The existing gap in the literature pays way for the current proposed study to evaluate the employee development plan at Saudi Aramco in Saudi Arabia. Research Methods and Approach Research Philosophy Identifying a research philosophy is imperative for designing a viable research method as it determines the manner in which information regarding a research problem/question is collected, evaluated and applied. Researcher have identified mainly three research philosophies namely positivist and interpretivist and realist (Galliers, 1991). A positivist research philosophy perceives reality as a constant phenomenon; something that can be perceived objectively (Levin, 1988). It is a stance of a natural scientist. According to Hirschheim (1985 p.33), â€Å"positivism has a long and rich historical tradition. It is so embedded in our society that knowledge claims not grounded in positivist thoughts are simply dismissed as ascientific and therefore invalid†. Interpretivism, on the other hand, seeks to understand reality from a subjective perception in order to make sense of motives, actions and intentions of those that they study. They emphasize the social construct of the reality (Husserl, 1965). Interpretivists contend that reality and its perceptions can be better understood by placing people in their social contexts (Hussey and Hussey, 1997).   Realists believe that the existence of reality is independent of human thoughts, emotions and beliefs. The research philosophy underpinning the proposed research is interpretivism. The research aims to evaluate the employee development plan of Maersk Oil through the perceptions, attitudes and beliefs of its employees, managers, and executives; thus it aims to gain subjective insights for evaluation. Research Approach and Strategy   A research approach can be either deductive or inductive. The premise of a deductive approach is to test a hypothesis, explain casual relationships and enable generalization of a theory. On the other hand, inductive approach focuses upon building a theory by understanding a phenomenon or seeking an answer for a question. The approach adopted for the proposed research is inductive, as this study will look to identify the weaknesses or strengths or the current employee development plan at Saudi Aramco, and answer several proposed questions pertaining to its evaluation. The research strategy for this study will be exploratory as it will aim at providing insights and understanding of the nature of the phenomenon under study in new light. Within the exploratory approach, this study will utilize both qualitative and quantitative data. On one hand, statistical analysis will carried out for the survey responses which will be distributed among the employees of a company, whilst interviews will be conducted with some senior officials and employees in order to gain insights regarding the evaluation of the employee development program. It will complement the understanding gained through the data analysis results. Data Collection According to Yin (1994), there are five ways of collecting data; these are â€Å"experimental, surveys, archival analysis, history, and case studies†. This research will utilize a survey strategy. According to Kelley et. al, (2003) â€Å"the survey strategy refers to the selection of a relatively large sample of people from a pre-determined population, followed by the collection of data from those individuals. The researcher therefore uses information from a sample of individuals to make some inference about the wider population. For the purpose of evaluating the employee development plan, a questionnaire will be prepared, reviewed, and distributed to a random sample of Saudi Aramco employees. Survey strategy will allow the researcher to collect a large amount of data within in short time with minimum costs and efforts (Naresh et.al, 2003).   Interviews, the qualitative form of collecting data within survey method, will be used concurrently. Semi-structured interviews will be designed and conducted of several senior officials at the company. References CIPD (2010), ‘Annual Survey Report : Learning and Talent Development’, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, {online} cipd.co.uk/NR/rdonlyres/BC060DD1-EEA7-4929-9142-1AD7333F95E7/0/5215_Learning_talent_development_survey_report.pdf (cited on 13th September, 2012) Clegg ,S. et all, 2005: Managing Organizations: An introduction to Theory and Practice. Sage Cohen N., 2002Pressure on AP Moller to Be Open, Australasian Business Intelligence, April 23, Department of Defense of USA (2006) The individual development. {online} usuhs.mil/chr/idp.pdf (cited on 13th September, 2012) Dotta, P.(2009) ‘What Is an Employee Development Plan?’ {online}: ehow.com/about_5161579_employee-development-plan.html (cited on 13th September, 2012) Goldstein I. L., 1993 â€Å"Training in Organizations† (3rd Ed.) Pacific Grove, California: Books Cole Harrison, R. (2005) Learning and development. 4th ed. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Harrison, R. (2009) Learning and development. 5th ed. London: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Harry. W (2007) Employment Creation and Localization. The crucial human resource issue for GCC. Int Journal of Human Resource Management. Vol. 18, no.1, pp 132-146. Husserl, E. (1965), Phenomenology and the crisis of philosophy, New York: Harper Torchbooks. Hussey, J. Hussey, R. (1997), Business Research: A practical guide for undergraduate and post-graduate students, London: MacMillan Press Ltd Jacob, R L and Jones, M J. (1995) Structures on Job Training- Unleashing Expertise in the Work Place. San Francisco. Berrett Koehler. Kelley, K., Clark, B., Brown, V., and Sitzia, J (2003) Good practice in the conduct and reporting of survey research. Int. Journal for Quality in Health Care. Volume 15,  Issue 3 Pp.  261-266. Levin, D. M. (1988).   The opening of vision: Nihilism and the postmodern situation. London: Routledge. LSA Global (2008) ‘Top 10 training best practices for effective learning and development programs’. {online} http://jobfunctions.bnet.com/abstract.aspx?docid=375846 (cited on 13th September, 2012) Naresh,M. et.al.,(2003) Methodological issues in cross-cultural marketing research. International Marketing Review. 13 (5) 7-43 Reynolds, S.(2005) Training and development managers share best practices and courseware through LearnShare. Toledo Business Journal. 5(2) 155-163. Saudi Aramco (2012) ‘About Us’ {online} saudiaramco.com/en/home.html (cited on 17th September, 2012). Sloman, M. (2007) ‘The changing world of the trainer: emerging good practice’, Oxford: Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann. Yin, R. K. (1994) Case Study Research. Design and Methods. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, Inc.

Hotel 267 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hotel 267 - Essay Example One of the major problems facing this hotel is the way the guests are handled on arrival. The rates of greetings at the entrance and manner of paying attention to the guest socially has reduced since the year 2011 to the year 2014. This factor seems to be deteriorating as time goes by. Customers need to feel welcome when they arrive at a hotel. They need to know that their presence is accepted and appreciate d and that the employees are going to serve their needs. It would therefore be better for the hotel’s performance if the management urges their employees to exchange polite pleasantries with the guests at the hotel be it the driver or the cashier. It will enable the customer feel encouraged to come again another day. The quality of the knowledge that the concierge practice has seems to be deteriorating since the year 2011 to 2014 which reflect a steady decline in the knowledge ability of the concierge. Something like this could discourage a lot of guests from staying at this hotel despite the quality expressed in other services within the hotel. This is because a customer needs to be assured of quality medical treatment should anything go wrong with their health during their stay at the hotel. The management should ensure that they hire concierge doctors that are knowledgeable about health conditions and how to go about treating them. The working order of matters within the organization has reduced. This shows that there is poor coordination of activities within the hotel which may disrupt the kind of attention being given to the guests. It would be wise if the management fixed this problem through coming up with strategies of running the hotel in an organized manner. It should be clear the duties of each individual and how they should go about them to ensure that there is no confusion in the running of errands and customer

Internet crimes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Internet crimes - Essay Example Another is spamming, the odious practice of sending unrequited e-mails, or messages through mobile phones, etc. It is seen that there are a number of antifraud and Cyber crime laws in the United States, prominent among which are the Electronic Communication Copyright Act, Electronic Communication Privacy Act, etc., and finally, Computer Frauds and Abuse Act, which seek, through legislative armaments to reinforce cyber laws. However, it needs to be said that, to a very large extent the efficacy of the local laws and prevalent customs determine the course of complaint institution and its final results to a very large measure indeed. The system needs to be ever vigilant so that no hacker would even contemplate transgressing the rights of ownership and usage of established cyber boundaries, or indulge in any other kind of illegitimate practice. (250 words) All types of fraud scheme that is done by the Internet are called Internet fraud. For this purpose fraudsters use different facilities of the Internet e-mail, chat rooms, websites etc. There are different types of Internet frauds in the world. The common types of internet frauds are credit card related frauds, phishing, prize money, free travel offers, etc. Online purchasing and e-business is very popular in this time. Fraudsters use this opportunity very well. So the number of Internet crimes like Internet frauds is increasing year by year. To show different Internet fraud rating in the year 2007 is given below. This report is published by NLC’s Fraud Center. It indicates the top ten Internet frauds in 2007. (2007 top 10 internet scams, (n.d)) From this it is crystal clear that the loss due to Internet fraud is very much. Internet users who had awareness about the Internet fraud will try to take precautions against this. Everyone can avoid the internet fraud and