Friday, December 27, 2019

The Blind Side Movie Review - 1083 Words

THE BLIND SIDE Movie Review ‘The Blind Side’ is the real life story about Micheal Oher, an Afro-American football player and his struggles from being an abandoned kid growing up in a foster home to a NFL (National Football League) player after being adopted by the family, the Touhys, who were white skinned Americans. What makes ‘The Blind Side’ such a compelling story is the fact that it tells the true life story of a boy with little or no prospects. It is a film about human relationships, the need to reach out to the ones less fortunate, but most importantly, its a film about believing in oneself and following one’s convictions even when the whole world might be against you. One only has to see the movie and absorb as well as digest†¦show more content†¦Sometimes you might not even know why you’re doing something. I mean, any fool can have courage. But honor, that’s the real reason you either do something or you don’t. It’s who you want to be. If you die trying for something important then you have both honor and courage and that’s pretty good. I think that’s what the writer was saying; that you should try for courage and hope for honor. And maybe even pray that the people telling you what to do have some, too.† It was necessary that he was carefully instructed and guided because it was in the characters nature that he lacks confidence and self-esteem because of the racism and the rejection he has faced time and again. He was also discriminated due to his height. The love and support from the Tuohys really changed him. This underlines the message that nothing is impossible if you have undying support love from yourShow MoreRelatedThe Blind Side Movie Review1072 Words   |  5 Pages THE BLIND SIDE Movie Review ‘The Blind Side’ is the real life story about Micheal Oher, an Afro-American football player and his struggles from being an abandoned kid growing up in a foster home to a NFL (National Football League) player after being adopted by the family, the Touhys, who were white skinned Americans. What makes ‘The Blind Side’ such a compelling story is the fact that it tells the true life story of a boy with little or no prospects. It is a film about human relationships, theRead MoreMovie Review - the Blind Side2732 Words   |  11 PagesMovie Analysis The Blind Side John Lee Hancock Submitted by: Redeem B. Tamayor BABA-1 A Summary The Blind Side was a 2009 American semi-biographical drama film written and directed by John Lee Hancock, and based on the 2006 book The Blind Side: Evolution of a Game by Michael Lewis. It featured Michael Oher, an offensive linesman who played for the Baltimore Ravens of the NFL. Homeless and traumatized, Michael â€Å"Big Mike† Oher was absorbed in Wingate Christian School through theRead MoreCritical Review of the Blind Side Movie1461 Words   |  6 PagesA Critical Review of The Blind Side â€Å"A person’s self-concept is shaped by his/her communication with significant others.† Self-concept is how a person has the knowledge of oneself. According to the Social Issues Reference(n.d.), self concept is the accumulation of the knowledge about the self, such as beliefs regarding personality traits, physical characteristics, abilities, values, goals and roles. Self-concept is knowledge about how someone define themselves, either the similarity orRead MoreStages of Development: a Review of the Movie, the Blind Side1847 Words   |  8 PagesThis movie-The Blind Side talks about how Michael Oher achieved his self-esteem during his adolescent time. Between the plots of the movie, we also included some development theories such as Erik Erikson’s psychosocial cognitive theory; Maslow’s hierarchy needs theory and also the operant conditioning theory that associated with Michael’s development. As an introduction, Michael Oher was a famous Black American football player that came from a poor family that consist of thirteen childrenRead MoreStages of Development: a Review of the Movie, the Blind Side1838 Words   |  8 PagesThis movie-The Blind Side talks about how Michael Oher achieved his self-esteem during his adolescent time. Between the plots of the movie, we also included some development theories such as Erik Erikson’s psychosocial cognitive theory; Maslow’s hierarchy needs theory and also the operant conditioning theory that associated with Michael’s development. As an introduction, Michael Oher was a famous Black American football player that came from a poor family that consist of thirteen childrenRead MoreThe Blind Side1521 Words   |  7 Pagesholding the hand of an oversized football player leading him onto the field, the movie â€Å"The Blind Side† made skeptics of moviegoers. Challenged by most energy-packed movies that hit the screens in 2009, the movie at hind sight did not do much visual stimulation. However, being a movie that faithfully represents the real life experience of famed football star Michael Oher, it did not fail to raise a lot of eyebrows from both movie fans and critics. The fact that it is a success story of an African AmericanRead MoreEssay Critical Analysis of Blind Side Movie1089 Words   |  5 PagesThe Blind Side: Making All the Right Calls When asked to think of an inspirational drama in recent years, one movie comes to mind projecting lives of people that follow their dreams from a under privileged lifestyle to a well known role model. An inspiring movie has to give the audience that unique sense where they themselves have a different outlook on life. That outlook hits them right in the heart where some people leave the movie theaters with tears of joy in their eyes. In John Hancock’s â€Å"TheRead MoreArt in Raw Form1434 Words   |  6 Pages The movie industry is for entertainment purposes. For many people, going to the movies is an escape; time to sit back and become someone else. However, once in a rare moment then a movie comes out that is not just foe entertainment and dares to address a controversial issue. â€Å"The Blind Side† and â€Å"Precious† are two movies that I was very surprised at my reaction to them. My reasons for wanting to see both movies were as different as night and day. I went to see the â€Å"Blind Side† because itRead MoreThe Great Escape Movie Review1001 Words   |  5 PagesThe Great Escape Movie Review Yash Desai *POW = Prisoner of War â€Å"The Great Escape† directed by John Sturges is a movie of high standard and excellence. This action packed adventure, released in 1963, takes place in Germany at the peak of World War II. Taking us back to 1942, The Great Escape documents the escape of 76 prisoners from a special Stalag (prison camp), designed specifically for them. By contrasting color cinematography with a classical soundtrack, the movie successfully blends theRead MoreFilm Study of the Blind Side2000 Words   |  8 PagesPeter Shelton Film Case Study of The Blind Side The Blind Side was based on the life of Michael Oher a teenage African American boy whose mother was battling drug and alcohol addictions, in the projects of Memphis Tennessee. Mike as he is know in the movie was in foster care several times and always ran away to his Mother, thinking that no one could ever love him the way his Mother could, even with her ongoing addiction. Mike often slept at his fathers friends home, but even he could not give

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Taking a Look at the Amish Culture - 1109 Words

Anthropology can be defined as the comparative study of human societies, cultures, and their development. Through Anthropology, we have been taught about numerous cultures and there relevance to society. One culture that has peaked my interest is the culture of the Amish people. The Amish culture was founded on the teachings of Jacob Ammon. This culture began in Europe and did not migrate to North America until around the 19th and 20th century. The Amish culture is driven by the Amish religion which teaches that they must be separate from â€Å"worldly† sin to receive any salvation. For Example, the communities that make up an Amish society are divided into church districts geographically. There is not a governing body for the entire Amish population. Instead, the church districts decide for themselves what they would like to accept or not. Even though each district can decide rules for itself, they base their regulations on an interpretation of the Bible and a set of rules c alled the Ordnung. The Amish society strays away from the modern world by repressing the need for individualism and pride. Although the Amish resist cultural influences, they do compromise with the modern technology for work and communication purpose as long as they do not intertwine or disrupt family stability. The population as a whole revolves around family, community, humility, and separation from the modern world. Looking into the Amish culture, gender roles, marriage, and their religious beliefs playShow MoreRelatedWitness: Amish World Essay868 Words   |  4 PagesThe thriller film ‘Witness’, directed by Peter Weir in 1985, tells about cultural conflicts between the Amish of Western Pennsylvania and Modern American corruption and violence. Philadelphia Police officer, John Book was obligated to hide from the three brutally and corrupt police officers as they were looking for a little Amish boy, Samuel Lapp. The boy witnessed the brutal killings and identified t he killer as the three police officers. The ‘Witness’ strongly displayed many images of people andRead MoreMarriage As A Union Between Women And Amish America1702 Words   |  7 Pagescountries, marriage is seen to be a union between same sex, or different sex couples. People get married in different ways depending on where they are from and their culture. In some culture, the man finds the girl he wants and kidnaps her and forces her to say yes to his proposal. How different or similar will Westernized America and Amish America be when it comes to marriage customs? White weddings are used to describe weddings in the United States. White wedding originates from the color of what theRead MoreThe Book The Devils Playground 1510 Words   |  7 Pages1. The Documentary â€Å"The Devils Playground† is based on the lives of Amish youths who go on a journey called rumspringa and try and decide whether or not to devote their lives to the Amish church. This documentary explained that the Amish religion is a branch of Catholicism in which the members do not get baptized until they are adults. The reasoning behind this is that the Amish live a very minimal and secluded lifestyle and they feel that before committing their life to the church and to ChristRead MoreUtopia Vs Dystopian Society1473 Words   |  6 PagesAs time goes on, attempts at a utopian society have failed and that means that not only have utopias been created but that dystopias have arrised. Each one is set and planned to be a utopia that only ends up taking another course and tur ning into a dystopian society. Utopia simply means â€Å"an ideal place or state†, where as a dystopia is the opposite (â€Å"utopia†). Dystopias is â€Å"a society characterized by human misery, as squalor, oppression, disease, and overcrowding† (â€Å"dystopia†). Utopias usually endRead MoreThe Amish Culture And Beliefs2406 Words   |  10 PagesThe Amish have been around since the early 1700s in the United States. They first migrated to Pennsylvania when they came from Switzerland and Germany. The Amish have spread to many other states, but today are primarily in the states of Ohio and Pennsylvania (Hostetler, 2009). The Amish have a unique way of life and have strong beliefs rooted in their faith. Today, the Amish are continuing to grow, because they are having such large families (Hostetler, 2009). The elderly population within the communityRead MoreWitness Analysis3405 Words   |  14 Pagesmay receive considerable rewards. There are many factors that can affect the relationship between people like clash of cultures, their inability to conform to alternate societies and the fundamental values upon which they base their lives. John Book and Rachel Lapp could never have a successful permanent relationship. â€Å"Witness† (1985) directed by Peter Weir. The clash of cultures between Rachel and John is a major factor that affects their relationship deeply. Their inability to conform to alternateRead MoreWitness by Peter Weir Notes12043 Words   |  49 Pagestraditionalism; individuality; tradition; reality amp; appearance; violence amp; nonviolence, justice, freedom amp; commitment. Camera angles: * High anglestaken from above to make a character look small, lost, inferior * Low anglestaken from underneath the character looking up towards them to make them look imposing, superior or threatening * Point of view shotA shot made from the camera position close to the line of sight of one of the characters, implying that we are seeing what he/she seesRead MoreEssay on Learning about Another Tribe: The Amish2635 Words   |  11 Pagesthat might know one else not to fight one else. The God not just created males and females to life in their area and death; he tells us to share other cultures and know other nations. The Amish people are one of these nations and tribes that we respect them. The Amish group is of European origin that has great traditions and unique culture that gives us the mean of American pluralism. Their ability to disallow the view of technology, where they did not research into using the modern improvementRead MoreTo What Extent Does Education Liberate People Within The Social Classes2662 Words   |  11 PagesThis essay will discuss to what extent does education liberate people within the social classes. It will also discuss how Paulo Freire’s theory on how education can liberate people, furthermore considering how the Amish community may fail to be liberated through education. The definition of education is ‘the act or process of imparting or acquiring general knowledge, developing the powers of reasoning and judgment, and generally of preparing oneself or others intellectually for mature life’. AlsoRead MoreAPHG Chapter 4 Questions1419 Words   |  6 Pagespopular cultures? 1. We define culture as the way of life of a particular people, it is what defines us as people, language, religion, food, and sports are all aspects of culture. 2. The difference between folk culture and popular culture is folk culture is the practice of a custom by a relatively small group of people in a focused area, popular culture is the practice of customs that span several different cultures and may even have a global focus. 3. The book uses the term local culture instead

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Gung Ho Film Analysis Cultural Encounters in a Globalizing World

Question: Discuss about the Cultural Encounters in a Globalizing World for An Analysis of Gung-Ho Film. Answer: Introduction: Multinational organizations trying to setup a business in a foreign country face the problem of adjusting to the nations culture. Adapting to a foreign culture is a bilateral process which means arriving at a middle ground from both the foreign corporation and the host country, to make the process smooth and achievable to bring about stability and efficient organization performance. Compromises include formulating a context-sensitive and efficient management of human resource plan, a professional structure for resolution dispute and transformational and consultation leadership. Because of rapid progress in globalization, much prominence have garnered by the international management. To improve the global competitiveness of domestic market maintaining a comparative advantage, independent countries must follow a set of rules established by International trade. Many countries including those from third world countries rely on FDI or foreign direct investment to make advancements in the economy. Globalization opens up an opportunity for exchange of cultures while minimizing the effects of a geographic barrier. Difficulty in controlling two different cultures in a similar working environment was portrayed in the movie Gung Ho (working together) which is a 1986 drama-comedy. The prominent roles in the movie are Michael Keaton, who played Hunt Stevenson, and Gedde Watanabe played Takahara Kazuhiro, who tried their very best to restore friendly relations to mitigate differences the two cultures bought. Stevenson took the responsibility of convincing the workforce of America to adapt to the ethics and philosophies of Japanese work culture. On one hand he had public employment, and on another had many failed attempts to reconcile the differences, the two left those to work on a shared goal. They set examples and so their peers started following, which they accomplished in creating their desired output. Through the example of cultural openness they set, Americans understood the meaning of working together and the Japanese understood the importance of personal life and family besides work. The movie may have been a success but not without its share of criticism. The weakness of the both the cultures is often pointed out by critics. Emphasized were the American inefficiencies and the inscrutability about Japanese. The film in spite of the criticism received critical acclaims from the academics for portraying dynamics of a work culture in a multicultural environment. Implementing the theories proposed by Helen Deresky, Japanese tend to have the polychromic culture however the Americans have a monochronic culture. While the former specializes in continual improvement and multitasking, the latter would tend to best practices and specialization. The author will use Geert Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions Theory in analyzing the movie and applying the same in mitigating conflicts arising in modern organizations to complement the theories set by Deresky. Six quantified elements found in theory of Hofstedes Cultural Dimension are: collectivism versus individualism, pragmatic versus normative, restraint versus indulgent, feminity versus masculinity, uncertainty avoidance index and power distance index. The computability of these given points is necessary for modern organizations and their heavy dependency on quantitative searches and statistics. Lenses as cultural dimensions, used for providing the fertile framework to a resolution of conflict, effective management of human resource and continuous improvement and development for businesses having the different mixture of enterprises. Opposing Poles: A Comparison of the Japanese and American Culture Power Distance Index From the viewpoint of those belonging to the lower social standings, the acceptance degree of unequal power distribution is defined as PDI or Power Distance Index. Influenced by cultural fabrics, such inequality is not only suitable but is of desire by both inferiors and superiors. Americans scored 40 in PDI, which is low compared to the 54 score by the Japanese in an analysis made by Hofstede. It means the value of equality and freedom is preferred by Americans, while the order of hierarchy is glorified by the Japanese. Strict obedience, without reservation or questions, is portrayed as a cultural difference in the Gung Ho movie by Kazuhiro when superiors ordered him to increase productivity level to match the standard of the Japanese. On the side of workforce of America there were a lot of demands from the management including labor privileges, authorized leave, incentive and overtime pay. The Americans think that constitutional rights enable them to utter their mind. On the other hand, the Japanese who emphasize on positional worth views it as a sign of disrespect and counts it against the workers. Participation in the corporate decision-making process is affected due to the lack of presence of the avenues for the Japanese, and it was illustrated in their high power distance index. It was desirable for the Japanese but the Americans it was a major violation of labor rights. The informal communication network is always open between the employees and employer except, at times when sole discretion and wisdom from top management is required. Japanese are more exclusive Stevenson while Stevenson meets workers in addressing labor concerns. Collectivism versus Individualism Collectivism dimension vis--vis individualism is in contradiction with index of power distance, which is an insight generated by the critical appreciation of Hofstedes theory. Japanese put the premium on group action and collective commitment even though the hierarchical order is given emphasis. Americans are individualistic, yet they value equality and openness. Fulfillment of the work makes the Japanese work. They always want to be the most productive component of the company and therefore, they are work dedicated and are motivated in improving their skills. Therefore, the Japanese are loyal to their company. Workers and managers find the success likewise the companys growth. Rather than pieces and bits they see its entirety. Americans individualistic tendencies, on the other hand, lead them to practise skills they find themselves efficient in doing so. They seek skills improvement, not for the corporations growth but to increase stock of theirs advancement in career in the company. Better compensation translates from the greater promotional aspect of growing expertise. The desire of higher compensation comes for their families as well as for themselves. They will look for alternative employment if job promotion or increased salaries will take a lot of time or are unlikely. Loyalty is therefore, not in the society, general interest or company but rather on individual success, family and profession. A scene exemplified as a cultural difference where a worker wanted to be with his son sought leave on the account of his tonsillitis removal procedure. Disagreed by the Japanese manager saying, it will create interruption the workflow and harm the companys overall productivity. A scene from another depicted the difference, where a janitor was transferred from his old designation to the same compensation of the janitorial position. The decision of reassigning the worker borne out of his incapability about other works as put by the company's management. It is viewed as an insult by the American worker but to the Japanese, it was all right. Americans being individualistic finds the transfer as an insult personally in respect to his reputation and prestige, achievement and his work designation seeming of lower social status, which to them is undesirable. However, it is seen as a totality by the Japanese. They see it the transfer to the janitorial position is an efficient one. Rather than putting a premium on individual achievements they put it overall on the productivity. From the view of the collectivist tendency, the Japanese see it as a transfer instead of seeing it as a mean to get directly fired. All organization members are a complete group and a big fami ly to them. Lastly, the dichotomy of individualist-collectivist of the two cultures was shown as a clear indicator at the start of the film. For developing a group spirit, morning calisthenics were performed when the management gathered the workers. It was a laughing matter for the Americans. When Stevenson joined the workers finally joined to perform. Feminity versus Masculinity According to Hofstedes database, the Japanese being mostly male-oriented display greater masculinity even though both are patriarchal. Omen in America seem to have a significant presence in public life while the Japanese women had secondary roles in society and are mostly limited to household activities. In the scene where Stevensons girlfriend, Audrey, decided to get a glance on the companys operation, while the Japanese women paved the way for business discussion which is males-only. Notably, the scene depicted a picture of the Americans system of low-context communication as opposed to the high-context communication of the Japanese. Americans speak their mind, and they do not shy from being informative. On the other side, demeanors, body language and way of spoken words are emphasized by the Japanese. Cultural misunderstanding crops up due to the lack of this awareness. Individualist-collectivist dichotomy is connected with the varying level of masculinity of both the cultures and is an important point woarth noting. The promise of guiding economic recovery of the town while being a town hero, a role donned by Hunt Stevenson. Inclination towards a heavy priority on work and perfectionism, are expressed by Japanese masculinity. They work for long hours and is not unusual for workers to have 60 hours a week. But they consider a minor embarrassment to be disastrous. Uncertainty Avoidance Index Cultural variation measure indicates the order to which the society prefers predictability and order. According to the Hofstede's analysis, Japanese society scored high based on their rich social and cultural heritage. As a cultural result of dictation, the UAI score was low for the Americans. Cultures with a low UAI score appreciates heterogeneity as a necessary component for the advancement of society, differences for high tolerances and are very fluid because they can incorporate themselves into another culture. Since the Japanese have norms regarding society and expectations are systematically coded in various laws and a rigorous society, and hence, the opposite is expected of them. Example being the Japanese culture is compartmentalized and nested. Power distance index and UAI are closely linked. Americans value equality, and hence they have low PDI; Lower index of uncertainty avoidance, results in a preference for unpredictability and equality. They see unpredictable situations as a way to measure their acquired skills so far and provide challenged for them, and opportunities perceived as a way of career and personal growth. When it comes to decision making process of an organization, cultures with high UAi typically tend to make the decision-making process a lengthy one but one which has a fast and smooth implementation. It is because decisions are collected from people of various authorities, who provide insights and build themselves among a consensus. The implementation, however, is simple and effective as the workforce strictly follows the managements new order without any reservation or question. China and Japan are such cultures. On the other side, the tendency of decision-making in the US is limited to a handful of authorities, and resolutions are met mostly times by informal methods. In the movie, Japanese were showed to have the propensity to avoid uncertainty is served as an example, especially in the scene when the general manager gave Hunt Stevenson work expectations and corporate philosophies manual, that he will be relaying to the workforce. As expected, Hunt was not interested and insisted from not implementing the principles of Japanese but to implement theirs instead. In a different scene where Hunt showed to visit Japan without being acutely aware of their culture and Assan Motor's exact head office location, demonstrated the high tolerance of the Americans. Only after arriving at a farm and asking directions from the locals he got to visit his destination. Pragmatic versus Normative The Pragmatic culture is considered far-sighted; being collectivists. As a result, long-term planning is a preference for them. On the other side, normative cultures place great emphasis on current and short-term objectives. According to Hofstedes research, Japanese are pragmatic while the Americans are normative. An individualist-collectivist dichotomy is a result expected as part of a result proposed by the earlier measures. Americans being individualistic, their failure of acquisition in a small time frame will result in an immediate alternate employment since they see economic advancement only by skills acquisition. On the other side, Japanese look to the future for a bigger picture. Hence, it is for this reason why the Japanese dont value youthful idealism but rather length and dedication of their work. In the film Gung Ho, this difference in culture is seen when the Americans thought of their current life being employed at Assan Motors and the daily rigors needed to survive there. On the other side, the Japanese are far-sighted. They carry a macroscopic vision of how they will fare and their performance in the coming years. Indulgence versus Restraint Cultures that tend to show indulgent are those who have a low uncertainty avoidance index and are an individualist. Self-worth and individual accomplishment are valued by Individualist cultures. Acquisition of material possession is considered to be of high social stature. In this culture, the people often purchase luxury items and accessories like fancy cars which ostensibly show the persons material affluence. Americans do consider the possession and indulgence of such luxury items as a reward for their career growth and hard work. On the other side, the Japanese think showing such indulgence in material affluence to be more restrictive and explicitly shows them. This difference of the design of Japanese households is shown in the film. In respect, they are more serene and simpler. However, the American-style urban living was eventually acquired by them. Appreciation of Differences over Ethnocentrism However, had there been open communication and substantial prior knowledge of each culture before it is encountered, the clashes arising from the differences in culture shown in the film could have been avoided or the very least handled effectively. Without compromising their culture, every culture must know and learn how to respect their counterparts and adjust accordingly. Management at the top must also be aware of the truth that the ever increasing trade globalization does require cultural intercourses. The truth is that even human capital at present is already globalized only highlights this fact. Blue-collar workers and professionals are from different cultures and countries. Therefore, the need for devising a human resource management and development plan and a framework of context-sensitive communication in an efficient manner is necessary. Had both American workforce and Japanese management were able to respect each other's cultural differences, the conflicts are shown in the movie would have been avoided. Being polite and showing respect for one another is a solution to many of the prevalent problems. Conclusion Illustrated in the film, explained the difficulty of reconciling differences and the dynamics of different cultures for the organizational stabilitys sake. The film concludes where Takahara Kazuhiro and Hunt Stevenson adapted to the opposing cultures values to succeed, for the efficient human resource management and encapsulating the requisites of it, composed from the cultural backgrounds of many. To have productive cultural encounter respect and research are needed. When globalization was accepted by the countries globally as the new game rule, consequently, they also needed to be aware and take the values, views, tendencies and philosophies of diversity. In an organization, common goals must be relayed and emphasized to all of the members so that they operate by a common ground and not as an individual. Relationships have to be symbiotic. And most important of all, when cultures see that there is the need to learn the differences from the counterparts cultures, it welcomes them an d sees it as a learning aspect which they have been missing rather than seeing them as deterrents. These learning points serve as the solution for their existing cultural loopholes and managing diversity becomes easy. The analysis of this movie therefore serves as a reference to the Testament of the modern practice of managing the diversity of mixed cultures in a workplace. References Deresky, H. (1994).International management: Managing across borders and cultures. Pearson Education India. Hofstede, G. (2013). Dimensions of national cultures.

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

The Rise of Western Christendom

Christendom refers to the medieval phase, in the Christian world.[1] The medieval period may be described as the phase that connected ancient times and modern times. The phase represented a shift from the culture of Graeco−Roman to Romano-Germanic, through Christianity.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Rise of Western Christendom specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This paper argues that early medieval Christianity derived its character more from the universal church than local communities. The paper asserts this point through exploring elements that made medieval Christianity, the genius of medieval Christianity and nations of medieval Christianity. Genius of Medieval Christianity Medieval Christianity may be seen as a legal extension and further enlargement of prehistoric Catholicism, from one perspective, or a set up for Protestantism, from another perspective. Initially, Christianity involved states wit h high civilization, although, later Christianity became forced to lay the ground for a new civilization amongst the barbarians. Followers established churches in several cities of the Jews, Romans and Greeks. These followers used the word pagan to refer to those who did not belong to these churches. The followers used large vocabularies both in writing and speaking. The towering roads of the Roman masses paved their advancement. In most places, the apostles found well built societies and administrations, thus their mission was to inculcate a new spiritual life into the early civilization and ensure that it was compliant to superior and moral objectives. Missionaries of medieval times travelled to unreached places in order to teach primitive nations how to write and to lay the establishment for art, culture and literature.[2] Christianity acted as a preparation school and a powerful disciplinary body, for young nations, which required guidance. These facts demonstrate the hierarchic al, legalistic, romantic and ritualistic trait of the universal church. The middle age was an age of passion unlike modern times, whereby thought and meditation act as main arbiters of human beings. The barbarians did not conform to the written Roman laws, since they could not understand these laws.[3] However, the barbarians appreciated the spoken law, which became derived from the living word of God. They found pleasure in bending this law as it lacked any documentation. Therefore, the church turned into law, in the territory, and influenced the establishment of all political and social systems. The medieval ages became referred to as the dark ages when compared with prehistoric Christianity, or contemporary Christianity.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Medieval Christianity acted as the light that burnished in the gloom of encircling heathenism and barbarism, displacing this gloom sl owly. Diligent monks and priests safeguarded Holy Scriptures, classical literature and patristic writings from the wrath of the Roman Empire and preserved them for use in future. The medieval beam acted as the borrowed moonlight and star of Christian tradition, but not the apparent sunlight from the divine work in the New Testament. Nevertheless, the medieval beam became embraced as the eyes of most people could bear it, and this beam did not stop to shine until it vanished in the dawn of the reformation. There were representatives of Christ in all ages, and the representatives of Christ during the dark ages shone brightly as they became surrounded by darkness. Religious leaders flourished in traditions of saints that contained the allure of religious tales. These leaders alleged to have a set of doctrines and mores which became derived from true hubs of Christian knowledge and practice in the broad world.[4] Everyone had faith in miracles and the supernatural world similar to prese nt children. Faith became integrated with superstitions, and people were reluctant to criticize or judge. As a result, illogical legends obtained acceptance with no criticism. However, people’s morality did not get better, and incidences of impoliteness and ruthlessness were on the rise. The church, though, an evident institution was not in a position to control people’s minds. Nevertheless, the church directed all sectors of life starting from the cradle to the cemetery. The church dominated all learning institutions and integrated sciences and arts with church doctrine. The church initiated all progressive associations, established universities, inspired crusades, constructed many cathedrals, created and renounced kings and bestowed curses and blessings to entire states. The Jewish theocracy became re-endorsed by the medieval hierarchy, which focused on Rome, on a further inclusive scale. The medieval hierarchy acted as a carnal expectation of Christ’s, millen nial supremacy of Christ. This grand structure took as much time to build as to demolish. The antagonism originated partially from the anti-Catholic groups, which, despite the brutal persecution, did not stop to disapprove the frauds and oppression of the papacy. Also, antagonism was due to the force of nationality which surfaced in resistance to an all enthralling hierarchical centralization. Besides, antagonism arose due to the restoration of biblical and classical education, which destabilized the supremacy of customs and superstitions.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Rise of Western Christendom specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Lastly, antagonism arose due to the profound existence of the Catholic Church, which stridently supported reformation, and fought through the brutal authority of the law to the illumination and liberty of Christianity. The medieval Church played a crucial part in ensuring that many men believed in Christ. Reformation became seen as a recapture of liberty that happened after the liberation of Western Christendom from the oppression of the law â€Å"where with Christ has made us free.†[5] The Nations of Medieval Christianity The Romanic states were the descendants of the ancient, Latin Christianity. They conformed to Roman customs laws and transmitted Christianity to the succeeding barbarians. The Gauls, Picts, Scots, old Britons, Welsh and Irish became embraced by the Keltic race. The Keltic race formed the earliest light wave of the massive Aryan resettlement from the strange bowels of Asia. This race emerged some years before Christ and swept to the boundaries of the far West. Caesar subjugated the Gauls, although, they later joined with the organizers of French monarchy. Similarly, the Romans dominated the Britons before the Anglo-Saxons forced them to Cornwall and Wales. Gaels in highlands maintained their Keltic culture, although, the group integra ted with the Normans and the Saxons, in the lowlands. Initially, Keltic Christianity was sovereign from Rome. Keltic Christianity opposed Romans in some rites until the time when Norman and Saxon encountered defeat. However, Romans forced the Keltic community to conform following this defeat and from the era of the reformation, the Irish became more connected to the Roman Church than other races such as the Latin. Similarly, the French also embraced Gallicanism, which refers to a liberal Catholicism. However, the French finally surrendered liberal Catholicism to the ultramontanism of the Vatican. On the other hand, the Scotch and the Welsh followed the protestant restructuring in its Calvinistic firmness and became strong supporters and advocates of this religion. Only a small section of citizens in the North of Scotland failed to embrace this doctrine. The Galatians predicted the destiny of the Keltic states. Initially, the Galatians followed the sovereign doctrine of St. Paul, alt hough, they later converted to Judaism after they came into contact with false teachers of law. The Germanic states acted as progressing races during medieval times. Christianization among Germany nations commenced in the fourth century. These nations disregarded Romulus and Augustus and conquered the West Roman Empire. Germanic nations also destroyed institutions that were not straight, although, they enthusiastically embraced the faith of the dominated Latin provinces, and with naive submissiveness, surrendered to its educational supremacy.Advertising Looking for essay on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The nations became preordained for Christianity, as Christianity controlled their wild forces and limited their aggressive passions. Also, Christianity fabricated their splendid instincts, love for individual freedom and respect for women. The Germanic states saw the Latin Church as a school of discipline, whose task was to organize them for an era of Christian maturity and autonomy. Liberation of Germanic tribes from the bondage of medieval and legalistic Catholicism led to the protestant reformation. This explains why Tacitus, a famous historian in heathen, romanticized the barbarous Germans, but not the disintegrated Romans of the time as seen in the words â€Å"in a fit of ill humor against their country.†[6] However, Tacitus involuntarily forecasted their future eminence, and his prophecy came to pass. The Greek population, which appeared prominently in ancient Christianity, merged with Slavonic elements. The Greek Church became destabilized by the influence of Mohammeda nism and lost control over regions that of ancient Christianity. Elements that made Medieval Christianity Christianity preserved favorable aspects of the old and formed new elements. This transition grew progressively because of the overriding anarchy of barbarism. The new elements continued to function simultaneously with systems of Roman world and old Greek. The barbarian forces prevailed before the savages of the north, which flounced through the Greek empire to Spain and Italy. These savages carried life, vigor, honor, love and respect, besides, which obtained purification and formulation by Christianity. Eventually, savages from the north became the overriding principles of a supreme culture than that of Rome and Greece. Salvian, a Christian monk, describes some negative traits of the orthodox Romans and speaks in favor of the barbarians â€Å"whose chastity purifies the deep stained with the Roman debauches.†[7] In conclusion, early medieval Christianity derived its cha racter more from the universal church than local communities. The church directed all sectors of life starting from the cradle to the cemetery. The church dominated all learning institutions and integrated sciences and arts with church doctrine. The church initiated all progressive associations, established universities, inspired crusades, constructed many cathedrals, created and renounced kings and bestowed curses and blessings to entire states. Missionaries of medieval times travelled to unreached places in order to teach primitive nations how to write and to lay the establishment for art, culture and literature. Thus, Christianity acted as a preparation school and a powerful disciplinary body, for young nations, which required guidance. Lastly, most nations embraced the faith of the dominated Latin provinces, and with naive submissiveness, surrendered to their educational supremacy. Bibliography Brown, Peter. The Rise of Western Christendom: Triumph and Diversity, A.D. 200-1000. Malden: Blackwell Publishers, 2003. Full text of â€Å"History of the Christian church,† Web. Full text of â€Å"University of California Chronicle,† Web. Hay, Denys. The Medieval Centuries. London: Methuen, 1964. New Jerusalem Bible. Ed. Susan Jones. New York: Doubleday, 1985. Robert, Dana. Christian Mission: How Christianity Became a World Religion. Hoboken: John Wiley Sons, 2011. Sanneh, Lamin. Whose Religion is Christianity? : The Gospel beyond the West. Grand Rapids, Mich: W.B. Eerdmans Publishers, 2003. Footnotes 1. Lamin Sanneh, Whose Religion is Christianity? :The Gospel beyond the West (Grand Rapids, Mich: W.B. Eerdmans Publishers, 2003), 23. 2. Dana Robert, Christian Mission: How Christianity Became a World Religion (Hoboken: John Wiley Sons, 2011), 123. 3. Denys Hay, The Medieval Centuries (London: Methuen, 1964), 65. 4. Peter Brown, The Rise of Western Christendom: Triumph and Diversity, A.D. 200-1000 (Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishers, 2003), 359. 5. New Jerusalem Bible, Ed. Susan Jones (New York: Doubleday, 1985), Gal.5.1. 6. Full text of â€Å"University of California Chronicle.† 7. Full text of â€Å"History of the Christian church.† This essay on The Rise of Western Christendom was written and submitted by user Grayson J. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

12 Angry Men Essays (755 words) - Fiction, Film, Literature

12 Angry Men Every person may have his own way of defining the term "reasonable doubt." In the play "Twelve Angry Men", by Reginald Rose, one juror, number Eight, stands alone against 11 others to convince them that the boy is not guilty. He looks beyond the given testimonies in order to give the boy a fair trial, though this is more then the others think the boy deserves. If the jury finds a "reasonable doubt", it must declare an innocent verdict. A young man stands accused of fatally stabbing his father, and his fate now lies in the hands of his "peers:" 12 men from all walks of life, each with his own agenda, fears and personal demons. At first, based on their conversation, it seems that it will be a unanimous conviction.The first vote is taken and one man stands out; his confidence to stand alone is strong. He is the only man voting not guilty. His opinion is reasonable; he feels that there is no way to prove it was the boy, saying the testimonies given were shaky. The others do not agree on this, arguing that the boy comes from a slum and one can't expect more from someone with this upbringing. Eight goes into the case assuming the boy is innocent, while the others attribute guilt to him. He first brings in a knife directly like the one used in the killing, to prove that it was not one of a kind. He discounts the testimony of the old man, saying it was impossible for him to hear the boy scream over the roar of the passing El-train. He also makes a point of demonstrating that it was impractical for him to reach his door in 15 seconds, in order to see the boy running down the stairs. To some this and other logical arguments proved to be a "reasonable doubt", and in consequence they changed their votes to not guilty. By the end, Juror Eight has everyone convinced, besides Juror Three, who holds true to his ground. Eight was the juror responsible for giving the boy a chance. If he would have given into the others in the beginning, the boy would have been falsely convicted of murder. Juror Three is the last juror to change his vote; nothing anyone says can convince him that there is a "reasonable doubt" in the case. This man was the most stubborn of all. He refused to pay attention to things that were being stated in order save the defendant from death. It was as if the word guilty seemed to dwell in his mind and was unable to be altered. He becomes outraged that the others are changing their votes and letting this kid "slip through their fingers." He says that the whole case is based on the testimony of the woman across the el-tracks. The jurors play out the murder to themselves, and talk about the lady across the street. They notice several things about her. The lady claimed that she saw the murder through the last two cars on the train that was passing. A juror also noticed that she had indents in her nose which means she wore glasses. She never mentioned the glasses in the trial. It was finally agreed with eleven jurors that there was "reasonable doubt" that the lady could not have successfully seen the murder without her glasses, and through a train. Everybody is angered and the votes gradually change to not guilty, some come from people that honestly believe it and others who just want to leave and get it over with. Juror Three, who deadlocked the jury, was full of anger. He finally gave his plea of not-guilty when, angered, he shouts out that he is entitled to his opinion and shall have it. A couple minutes later he caves in, most likely due to the anger he has combined with frustration. He had gone into the case thinking the boy is guilty, before any evidence was even resgistered into his head. The Juror acted as if no ones opinion counted but his, and talked above everyone else. Juror Three gave into the pressure of the jury, realizing that he shouldn't have voted guilty to punish the boy for the memories he had of his son. He brought his personal life into play, following his heart instead of his head. There are some people in life who like to make things more difficult for others, the way Juror Three did. He was

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Pastors Relationship With His People Essay Example

Pastors Relationship With His People Essay Example Pastors Relationship With His People Essay Pastors Relationship With His People Essay Connor McSwiggan Pastor Thiessen Pastoral Theology The Pastors Relationship With His People God has given and ordained men who are to oversee the Church. Ephesians 4:1 1 states, And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; We will be specifically looking at the pastor and his relationship with the people of his church. The pastor is a word that means shepherd. Literally a pastor is a shepherd. His Job is too guard his sheep, love his sheep, protect his sheep, and cause his sheep to grow and maintain their health. He is to root out any sort of danger that may enter the flock. God has carefully chosen pastors whom he would deem worthy of protecting his people. The relationship between the pastor and his people is one of the greatest relationships in the whole world. This relationship will denote a sense of connection. This sense of connection will cause the people of a church to respect the leader God has given them. If the people and the pastor do not have a relationship the people will not heed what the pastor teaches them to do. God is not pleased when a pastor does not have a good elationship with his people. The same goes for when a person is dissatisfied with their pastor. Pastors have the tendency of drifting away from meeting their individual needs, and rather stepping back and focusing on the church as whole. This is dangerous as a pastor is to care for his peoples every day specific needs. Some pastors can be good administrators, some can be good speakers and take pride in their oratory skills, and others take pride in their effective promotion. These are all good assets which can assist a pastor greatly. However, the greatest office in which e should focus is in pastoring people. A church can tolerate average preaching and a lot of other things, but if they have a problem with the pastor it is a lost cause to try to persuade them. Pastors need to love their people. Paul is an excellent example in the Bible of how a minister is to love his people. When we think of Paul we can think of man, who while in Jail still took the time to pen a letter to his people. Pauls life was his people. Paul states his concern and love for his people in I Thessalonians 2:7-13 But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children: So being ffectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us. For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God. Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and Justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe: As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children, That ye would alk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory. For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of , which ettectually worketn also in you that believe. Though Paul may be noted as being more a missionary, soul winner, and a church planter than a pastor, he is still seen doing many things that a pastor ought to be doing. When he started a new church he was the peoples pastor. The word nurse in this passage gives the idea of mother with bond and love for her child. Paul was perhaps the greatest soul winner who ever lived yet still gentle, loving, and kind to the people whom he pastored. He set a great exa mple for the modern pastor. Continuing, people wrote that he was affectiously desirous of his people. This would mean to lovingly long for. Absence is said to make the heart grow fonder. Though Pauls missionary pastorate was short, it was characterized by love. Love is a strong force that when demonstrated at its fullest effect can cause a person to lay down his life for that whom he loves. Paul was illing to lay down his life for his people. Notice later in verse eight of the same passage he says we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls. Lets define the word impart. This word means to give. So if we were to rephrase that a little it would say we were willing to give our own souls to you. (Recall how Jesus spoke of the good Shepherd giving his soul for the sheep). He poured out his soul to his people because they were dear to him. This denotes that Paul loved the people of Thessalonica which meant he was willing o pour out his soul to them. I Corinthians 13:13 states, And now abideth, faith, hope, charity, these three; but the g reatest of these is charity. A pastor without a heart of love for his people will eventually be found to be sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal. Without fail there will come a friction with love. A pastor needs to stand for faith, and having done all to stand, he needs to set forth hope for the people. But the virtue which is the lubricant between all friction and shortcomings is love. The apostle wrote of the virtues which holds a church together, but the greatest of them ll is love. Trouble will await a pastor who fails in this crucial area of ministry. Having established now the abundant need for love within the confine of the local church, let us consider a number of out-workings pertaining to the matter of love. Ezekiel 34:1-4 states, And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks? Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe ou with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock. The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. We see how shepherds can become self-denoted. Though these shepherds may not have been pastors, and we really dont know who they were, the simple case show Gods chastening of the shepherds. These shepherds were chastened for not properly shepherding their flock. They were there but they were not helping the lost, hurt, and wounded. What can happen so easily is that a pastor will not go out of his way to help a person. If a pastor loves his people he will help them. Isaiah 40:1 says Comfort ye my people, saith your God. This old English word comfort means to encourage. If a pastor wants to really help his people he needs to be constantly encouraging them. A famous pastor once said, Be kind to duties. In conclusion, let us remember this great task nas given us. T ministry to which God has called us centrals on people. We are to preach the gospel o every creature, but we cannot win this world on our own. We need people to assist us. The people whom God has placed in our church are not to be taken advantage of. We need to remember the biblical virtue on which the church is built, and that is love. Love will melt the hearts of your people and cause them to desire to do as you teach them out of Gods Word. Let us follow the examples of Paul and Jesus Christ. If we want to lead, we need to serve. We have people looking up to us and depending on us to lead them. Let us respect them and seek to follow Gods Word in the plan in which he has laid out for us.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Pros and Cons of Online Education Thesis Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Pros and Cons of Online Education - Thesis Example This paper stresses that online education is technology dependent. This form of education relies on technologies of the certain specification as dictated by the service provider or e-learning supplier. This may become a huge challenge for students because not every student has technological appliances that meet those specifications. The ability of e-learning to become effective depends on the ability of students to utilize it. Online learning requires high bandwidth capabilities, which is not readily available. The speed of bandwidth varies significantly from one service provider to the next, which can affect learning. Material incompatibility is another factor that affects online learning. Most online learning materials are designed to suit a particular system, for instance, Microsoft, which is not compatible to with systems that use Apple Macintosh system. Although, setting standards will help in this area, it will also restrict the access to online education. Online education is n ot for everyone, especially people with disabilities. This essay makes a conclusion that the University was not just introduced to impart knowledge; it is a place where leisure and work existed side by side, shaping one another, and each playing its role in generating a graceful and well-formed personality. A reader today, is more likely to accept Newman’s views about university, as he describes it; it is an institution of irreplaceable value.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

The Consequences Of Global Warming Research Paper

The Consequences Of Global Warming - Research Paper Example The climatic changes have led to disruptions and different animals react differently. A report by IPCC (2007) shows that the climatic change affects predator/prey interactions, biotic interactions, and ecosystem functioning. In addition, natural disturbances, invasive species, and loss of habitats are among the stressors of the animal population that may continue increasing with climatic changes. According to this report, climatic temperatures may rise in the following years to unmanageable degrees leading to mass extinctions. Since the industrialization era, carbon dies oxide has increased by 30% while methane has doubled. Nitrous Oxide, which is also another greenhouse gas, has risen by 15%. All these gases have enhanced the heat-trapping capability in the atmosphere. In the year 1950, the carbon dies oxide parts per million was around 350 compared to the year 2000 when the figure rose to 385 parts per million. This means these gases were absorbing a lot of heat while the rest refl ected back to the global atmosphere. The change in temperatures cause the climate changes and increases the frequency, extent, and strength of other weather effects like floods, droughts, heat waves among others. Research shows that, by the year 2100, the temperatures will have increased by 2-5%, while the rise in sea level will have gone up by 25 feet. The melting land-ice triggers the rise in the sea height.The Kyoto protocol took effect in 2005 with the United States has withdrawn from the treaty, with Canada and Russia the following suit.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

The Importance of Creating a Learning Environment in which Diversity Essay

The Importance of Creating a Learning Environment in which Diversity is Respected - Essay Example In order to ensure respect for diversity in learning, teachers must focus and be interested in all students equally. They should employ flexibility in the teaching process for consideration of all students. Additionally, to avoid biased learning outcomes, instructors must utilize curriculum and other resources in which there is a representation of both male and female genders (Standard 52). When there is respect of diversity in the learning environment, a student will be informed and have a better understanding of the dynamics in life, careers, and relationships in the modern world. Students who are exposed to a learning environment where there is respect for diversity are more likely to become good citizens and leaders in the new emerging global community. Therefore, the student develops both academically and socially. Additionally, such an environment boosts the confidence levels of students, raises their expectations about the future, and makes them discover their potential and talents. Similarly, this raises the educational outcomes of students and presents them with an enriched learning experience. Students therefore become productive and culturally literate citizens of their country and the

Friday, November 15, 2019

Standardization or Adaptation of Nespresso Club

Standardization or Adaptation of Nespresso Club Nespresso is the worldwide pioneer and market leader in premium-portioned coffee. It launched the first system of extracting coffee from capsules to the domestic household market. They currently operate more than 200 boutiques in key cities around the world. The Nespresso Club concept has been successful in Western Europe. The concept is simple: when a machine is bought, the customer joins Nespresso Club on Internet to purchase capsules. This case study investigates on the expansion of Nespresso Club in China and Eastern Europe and that may affect Nespressos entry of these markets. Question 1: Discuss the key environmental factors that may affect Nespressos entry of these markets, and comment their business implications. Coffee tastes and perceptions are changing fast. Both Western and Eastern European countries have seen an explosion of trendy coffee shops over the past decade. Coffee has become a fashionable lifestyle drink and consumers across Europe are demanding products that allow them to replicate the coffee shop experience at home. (Mintel 2010) On the other hand, the key environmental factors that may affect Nespressos entry in the market of Eastern Europe and China are grouped into five factors: Social-Cultural: The Chinese have the habit of drinking tea. About coffee, they know only freeze-dried coffee. China is the worlds first country to have planted, prepared and drank tea. A culture related to tea made its appearance in a long history. Tea is indispensable in the life of Chinese. It is not only seen as a beverage, but it has also become a cultural art that expresses the philosophy, the aesthetic vision and the lifestyle of Chinese. According to the secretary of the European Coffee Association, Eastern Europe could be the biggest potential developing market of coffee. Moreover, the consumption could develop radically in Poland, Romania and the Czech Republic (Mooradian Swan 2006). He also added that for coffee consumption grows in Eastern Europe, it would be necessary to stop for consumers to consider it as a luxury product, but as an everyday consumer product. Tea is truly present in Russian society and it is inseparable from the Samovar Ceremony. Today, tea drinking around the samovar is to perform a warm and friendly gesture. (Healthy Tea Magazine 2008) It is a moment of sharing within the community in which everyone benefits from home and the presence of each. However, coffee market is expanding in recent years in this country. Legal: There are several barriers in China to establish itself in this country. There is a lot of paperwork to enter in the country. Nespresso sells the machines under license. Their concept, the machine and capsules are protected by 70 patents (School Project 2010). Nevertheless, the China market is risky because after few months the product is counterfeit. No legislation is truly effective in China for the counterfeiting. Under the legislation in force in Russia, over 60% of the products to be sold in the country require compulsory certification or license. That is to say, they must be approved by relevant Russian authorities to verify compliance national standards (Malchik 2010). Economic: China is the second largest economy after the United States. The country had a particularly strong economic growth since the 1980s. However, the population remains relatively poor. There are large disparities between regions and individuals. (BBC News 2009) Eastern Europe consists of a poor population, but its emerging economies have improved their purchasing power in recent years. Nevertheless, machines and capsules are expensive in spite of everything. Political: China has introduced a new tax for foreign companies (Proexport 2008). It would be for maintenance and construction of cities and educational support from foreign companies and foreign persons with business interests in the country. To control imports, the Chinese authorities have introduced restrictive measures applied to many products: the requirement to obtain an import license, the application of quotas and the application of tariff measures. (Thompson 2009) In Russia, there is a lot of bribery for companies. Approximately 80% of companies operating in Russia are forced to pay bribes. Further, the average amounts have increased in recent years. In 2000, a company had to pay on average  £6500 to have no trouble. Now, they must give  £85 000. It is the equivalent of the price of a small apartment in Moscow. Écouter Lire phonà ©tiquement Technological: Consumers must join online the Nespresso Club to purchase capsules from Nespresso Boutiques but only 45% of the population in China have Internet. Over 80% of households have Internet access in countries of Northern Europe. Eastern Europe is trying to gradually catch up delay Internet access, but it is very long to implement. The main business implications of these key environmental factors are that the coffee market is no place in Eastern Europe and China because the tea market is dominant in these markets. Moreover, legal problems are particularly numerous. Trade barriers create a difficulty for Nespressos entry and Nespresso strategy can be in danger as few people have computers or Internet. Thus, the different cultures of these countries with their tastes, their traditions, their customs and their policies may affect Nespresso. Question 2: Consider opportunities and challenges for Nespresso in these markets in managing customer relationship and sales through the Internet. What are the advantages and disadvantages of such an approach? On Nespressos website, the Nespresso club can give access to a full range of services tailor-made for customers. This concept has been successful in Western Europe. Opportunities for Nespresso are to have consumers on Internet to control the different information. The advantages for Nespresso in these markets in managing customer relationships and sales through the Internet are the ability to know the expectations of customers and to read the consumer reviews on products. Nespresso Club allows a direct customer contact thanks to emails or discussion boards. On Internet, this is the best way to promote products and introduce the company. It creates a close relationship with consumers and forms a special connection. It hopes to turn them into brand advocates. In addition, it updates the database marketing and it can adapt sales strategies. Furthermore, if it does not sell in supermarkets but only in Nespresso Boutiques and Nespresso Club, the branding is positive and reflects a luxury product. By having the main service exchange online, Nespresso retain control of supply channels. Thus, it can assure high quality standards that build a brand identity. (New Media 2009) Challenges for Nespresso are to convince consumers to drink coffee in these markets, to buy a Nespresso machine and to join Nespresso Club to purchase capsules. The disadvantages with such an approach are that the consumers dislike purchasing online, especially Chinese people. Moreover, in China, only 45% has Internet and boutiques are in big cities. There is a large part of the country, which is not covered by Nespresso boutiques because major cities are in Eastern China on the coast (Alvarez Wilding 2008). Such an approach is risky for several reasons. Consumers do not necessarily want to join in the club online, especially to purchase coffee capsules. Further, some consumers prefer to have someone to talk in face-to-face and not on the Internet through emails or discussion boards. In Eastern Europe and China, a portion of population has low incomes. They do not want to waste time so they buy products they find at the supermarket. In addition, they have not all used to order online because this is not in their manners. Question 3: Given that the Eastern Europe and China are emerging markets, would you consider that Nespresso could successfully apply the Nespresso Club concept developed for the Western markets, or should the marketing strategy be adapted to reflect the markets specifics? Support your view on this with examples. Nespresso has not adapted its concept in these markets. However, some companies have chosen the adaptation strategy: Carrefour is a French international chain hypermarket. In 2009, Carrefour is the third in the world biggest to make profit behind Wal-Mart and Tesco. The adaptation of Carrefour consumption patterns for Chinese people is evident in the stores: the fish are alive in aquariums, customers choose their own pieces of meat and fresh products are extremely varied more than in Western Europe. Likewise, McDonalds in China has adapted its menu to meet the Chinese taste. There are a lot of fried chicken instead of meat in the hamburger because more Chinese people like it. Unlike Western Europe people, they like meat more than fried chicken in their hamburger. Further, it is very important to most Chinese consumers to have coupon deals so McDonalds offers several coupon deals to compete the KFC fast food. Nevertheless, McDonalds has standardized the concept in Europe and USA with identical hamburgers and restaurants. Nespresso is not the only one to have standardized its own concept. Several companies have preferred standardization: Like IKEA, it offers home products that meet the needs of people worldwide. For people with needs, tastes and budgets which are very varied. IKEA has the same structure and offers the same furniture catalogs in the world. IKEA stores around the world have the same range of products. It sells a similar lifestyle worldwide. The catalog contains from 2000 to 3000 products and it is the same furniture everywhere in the world. The concept is a success in Russia. It worked very well. Then, Starbucks Coffee has established in China with the same concept as in USA and Europe. Coffee shop has a friendly atmosphere thanks to its decoration, comfort (chairs, sofas), the music played and the ability to take his time in the shop (Wi-Fi connections). This place has attracted the Chinese despite their taste for the tea. Nespresso chose to apply the same concept in Eastern Europe and China. It is a good strategy because it achieves economies of scale in research and development. Thanks to standardization, Nespresso has a consistent brand image across markets. Further, a standardization strategy is much less complex to implement and it is quickly operational (Chernev 2007). Standardization can lead to failure despite the economies of scale that it generates because people do not want to change or abandon their culture.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

The Machine Gunners Part Two – Wolf Invasion

‘Come back alive major, you are our best pilot. Do Germany proud'. Hitler saluted General Wolf Schmidt. ‘Yes sir. Those British dogs will never know what hit them. They will pay for not accepting Nazi rule'. Wolf came from a wealthy family from Berlin. His dad owned a really important wine company. Wolf was bought up like a stubborn rich kid. He had graduated from Witshaufen Cadet School (one of the toughest army training schools in the world). He was also the best pupil in the history of the school. At the school, he never messed around with ‘riff raff'. He never went back home after that. He stayed and became one of the soldiers at the school, as it also was a military base. He was always either training or was out on a mission. The general's reaction time was amazing. It was beyond normal human levels. Wolf also had a wife and a kid. He didn't really care too much about his wife but thought the world of his son (he is his only weakness). To him his wife was only there to produce him a male heir to all his money and land (kind of like in medieval times). His son's heart wasn't stained with blood as his was. He was a sweet little boy and Wolf kept him away from the army and any type of fighting. He never really saw much of him anyway, enough to have the kid's respect though. Hitler and Wolf were like brothers. They both felt the same way about people. They both had the same ideas and they both wanted power. ‘So long my friend'. Wolf ran to his fighter and climbed in. There were seven planes in the squadron (one person per plane) and wolf was squadron leader. His squadron also was fresh from the military school and this was their first proper mission. Wolf decided on saluting Hitler one more time. After about three minutes they were given the all clear, so they made there way to the runway. ‘Lets go destroy those English b*******'. Once they were at a decent altitude the squadron got into formation (a flying V). Wolf was at the front and middle. After about an hour or so Wolf saw the British coast. This island will soon be part of the German empire. They shall all suffer. Suddenly a stream of bullets came out of nowhere. Wolf quickly pulled his plane away from the bullets and before he knew it, he was in a vertical rise. Somehow he managed to pull out of it before it was too late. His fighter was not meant to go too high; the pressure would have made it explode. He looked around the surroundings but he could not find what shot the bullets. Next he checked his squadron. One plane was missing. Bruno! The fool! He was never too good at dodging. I was then informed that the remains of his plane were just off the coast. Great, just great (!?). Even if he managed to bail out of his plane he could not survive, he cannot swim. ‘Come on men. Never lose your concentration. There's someone out there and we cannot see who it is and neither can our radar. Our country needs us. We shall reach our destination in 10 minutes' Wolf informed the remaining pilots. ‘Sir, I see a group of Spitfires on the radar at a bearing of 340o at a range of 36 km and closing. They've spotted us general'. Wolf was actually pleased. He was a very strict soldier and always did what he was required to do. Although Wolf's heart was evil, he always believed in fair fights. Each battle he was into him was only a fight of superiority. He was always looking for someone better than him and was still yet to find one. ‘Yes, I see them. Prepare yourself boys. This is what you've been trained to do now do it. Let's avenge Bruno! Get into battle formation'. The Spitfires were now visible with the eye and so the battle began. Wolf recognised the leader of the other squadron and decided to take him out first. It looked like the other leader was going to do that anyway so both fighters flew towards each other. Wolf now began to fire the machine gun at him, but somehow he managed to dodge it. After that he did not have another chance to fire, as both ships were too close to each other. The general decided on flying past him instead and began to turn around. He then heard an explosion. ‘S***. We've lost Peter. Focus boys focus!' he exclaimed. Next he saw that the British planes were teaming up on one of his guys. ‘Cowards!' he thought. There was nothing more that he couldn't stand (apart from Jews and other ‘weak people') apart from an unfair battle while in fighter planes. As quick as a dart he made his way to them and took out the two Spitfires. That kill distracted his other pilots. The British noticed that to and before Wolf knew it there were four other explosions filled with the thoughts and flesh of the brave soldiers that died. Wolf wasn't affected as much as a normal human would be when they saw the death of their partners. All that was going through his mind was that he should keep his judgement clear and then he realised what to do. Why should he play by the rules if no one else would? He then fired a missile at a Spitfire and began to fly toward another. He made sure that he was going at full speed and then he ejected. As he was falling he saw two explosions. One of a missile and a Spitfire and another of his plane and another Spitfire. It was too early to parachute and he was closing in on the ground at an alarming rate. He had no choice but to use the parachute. It saved his life. He still hit the ground hard but he kept his life. He then stood up and said, ‘I am German. I will be ok, right after this quick nap'. Wolf then fell onto the ground and fainted. Wolf woke up stiff and cold. It looked as if it was the night. He could not feel a bone in his body. He had to inform everyone that he was still alive and that they should come and pick him up. He couldn't do anything sitting down so it only made sense to stand up. Once he stood up he realised that he had dislocated his ankle. It hurted too much and if he moved it would just get worse. There was nothing else he could do but just fall back to sleep, as calling for help would mean surrendering. He woke up next morning noticing that he was hungry. It felt like ages since he last had food. Somehow he had to get up and find some, but how. Then he realised what he could do. He reached down for his bad ankle and somehow he pushed it back into place. The noise it made would make someone sick. ‘That feels a lot better' Wolf told himself. Now to look for food. It turned out that he was lucky as he landed on a farm and that there was food virtually everywhere and while he got his strength back he could hide in the cornfields so nobody could see him. A week passed and Wolf was feeling a lot better. He was completely used to everything but there were two things that were still bothering him and both were to do with water. The lack of drinking water (he was beginning to run low on his emergency water) and that he really needed a shower. One morning Wolf decided that it was time he must go. He must begin his trip back to Germany now; if he came back any later they might accuse him of spying for England. First he must go to the nearest town and get some basic needs. Only then can he go back. Wolf checked in his map to find out which town was the nearest, Garmath. ‘Prepare to face the oblivion Garmath, prepare' he said. It took him ten minutes to get to the town of Garmath. He looked around to see anything that could be of use to him and then he saw it, the local shop. He entered the shop casually, closed the door and made his way to the counter. Everyone in the shop (about three people) were looking at him, must have been the odour that was with him. He the pulled out his silenced Lugar (his gun) and shot the cashier. Because of the silencer on the end of his gun, it did not make that that much noise, but enough to get the attention of everyone else in the shop. He was forced to shoot them too, if he did not they would call for help. Someone in the shop had a rucksack on. It would be useful so he emptied it out and filled it with some of the contents of the shop. After that he took all the money out of the shop's till and from the customers. He had no idea how much money it would cost to hire a boat. He then hid his gun and casually made his way out of the shop feeling great about himself. Now he had to look around, get familiar with the town and try to find the port. Surely this town must have one. While he was looking around he found a massive house. Actually, it was a destroyed by a bomb, massive house. A perfect hiding place. It looked like nobody was using the place so no one could possibly find him there. He went in to the grounds and dumped his stuff somewhere in the ruins where no one in the street could see. Then he saw a boy running towards the other side of the grounds. He must have spotted me. I must kill him! Wolf ran as fast as he could towards the boy. While he was running Wolf saw what looked like a disguised bomb shelter. The kid was fast; there was no way Wolf could catch up with him before the kid got to the shelter. Ten seconds later Wolf was running into the shelter but it was probably something that he should not have done. ‘Quick! It's a Jerrie!' The same kid quickly dived for a machine gun. What the hell was going on? Since when did the British give their children German machine guns? Wolf decided on putting his arms up. He did not want his brains blasted out of his skull; his country still needed him. ‘Unarm him' the boy said. He must be the leader of this gang. His gun and army knives were taken from him. Then he realised how stupid he had been, as the machine gun was not cocked. Thirteen year olds had outsmarted him. There were five boys and one girl there. The girl looked as if she acted like a boy, but at the moment she was behaving a like a girl (perhaps she had split personality?). ‘Chas, he looks tired, maybe we should let him sit down' the girl said. So that's what the gang leader's name is. ‘And perhaps I could give him something to eat too. He looks as if he hasn't had a decent thing for a month'. ‘Girls' all the boys apart from the big one said at once. Perhaps she is their maid. If she is then why is she wearing the clothing of a middle class girl? I must escape from here. It was almost as if the big kid could read my mind as he walked to the door and blocked it. ‘Alright, let him sit and eat, Audrey' Chas said. Another name I have found out. The big guy pointed the gun at me to make sure that I did not act ‘smart'. He cannot fire the gun in here. If he did the bullet will work like a pinball and we will all be killed. I cannot let that happen. The girl then gave me some soup. It has been ages since I had some warm food. I must warn them not to shoot the Lugar! ‘Please, do not shoot. The bullet will work as pinball' I informed them in a German accent. ‘We do not care. I will not miss if I do shoot' the big guy said. ‘Please put the gun away Clogger. It's not as if he can do anything anyway' a small guy said. WHAT! This cannot be right. He looks exactly like Ralph, my son. The resemblance is amazing. There is one difference however. This boy looks as if he has no one for him in this world. He does not look as confident as Ralph and looks weaker, both mentally and physically. How could this be? The odds against this happening are at least thirty billion to one if not an even lower possibility. Thinking about it was hurting my head. I had to somehow prevent these kids tell adults about me. First I have to make peace with them. ‘My name is Wolf. Wolf Schmidt. I come from Germany. My plane exploded a little while ago and I have been living in field since. I wish to get back to Germany but do not know how. Please help me' I told them after my soup was finished. ‘We shall have to think about that. Until then you cannot leave our fortress' Chas said. ‘My name is Chas. This is Audrey' he pointed at the girl. ‘And those four are Nicky, Clogger, Cem and Carrots. I will leave you to guess which one is which'. ‘What are we going to do with him' Cem said. Cem looked like a lanky boy. Being with the crowd he was with he was more than a lanky boy. As long as this gang were together and as long as they had the machine gun and the fortress it looks like they could do what ever they please. ‘We cannot let him go. He might tell someone about Fortress Capereto' Carrots continued. ‘But how can we keep him here? What if he outsmarts us? If he catches us off guard who knows what he will do' Audrey explained. I could tell that her boyish personality was in control now. ‘I shall do nothing of that sort. I am your prisoner now. It is all in the Geneva Convention' I told them. Little did they know that that was exactly what I was going to do? I had to get rid of Chas and Clogger, without them the group would fall to pieces and then I could do what I want to them. For the next couple of hours I told them about my life. I didn't tell them too much, just enough to let them know I was a good soldier. I never told them how good I was. I never managed to finish the story of my life, so I told them I'd finish it tomorrow. The little guy, Nicky, was growing on me. Out of all of the kids I met today I liked him best. I didn't know why but I was starting to feel something for him. Must be because he reminds me so much of Ralph. During the day I found out that he had nearly the same personality as Ralph as well. Over the night I thought over the plan I was going to use to escape. To escape I need to catch the children off guard and make sure they don't tell anyone about me. That was the obvious thing, but while I was in England I might as well have some fun. If the British managed to take out the best German fighter, (even if they did gang up on me) they could easily wipe all the fighters out. I need to weaken the British army while I'm here. Then I could escape and get back to Germany. ‘If there is one thing that I have learnt out of all this' I told myself. ‘Is that I am a genius'. It turns out that Clogger and Ralph, I mean Nicky are staying in this fortress with me. I was tired so I then fell asleep on a spare bed (if you would call it a bed) that they gave me. I woke up next morning by the sound of birds. Blast them! Couldn't they let me have some peace and quiet? Don't get me wrong I normally wake up early, but with the little sleep I've been getting it's getting hard to stay up. It turns out that everyone was already awake. It also turns out that Chas and the rest of the people who went home yesterday had already turned up. ‘What is the time?' I asked them. I had gone for a long time without having a proper idea of what the time was. ‘I would also like to know the date it is today'. ‘The time is 11 am and it is 4th January today' Cem told me. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. It had already been half a month since I took off from Germany. I really hope Ralph is ok. Another thing I can't believe. How could I not wake up till 11 ‘o' clock? During the day I carried on telling them my story and after I finished each one of them told me theirs. Clogger was the only one who never told us his life story. He didn't feel as if he had to. It turns out that Nicky's parents have all passed away, and that the wrecked home where I was going to make my head quarters was his home before his mother died. Wolf felt so sorry for him. It also turned out that he was apparently ‘dead. During the next month they got to know each other better. Wolf was still looking for the right moment to escape. He was so annoyed that he didn't have the chance already. The boys were even taking him out now. Having a prisoner cramped in their fortress was not a good thing to do so they decided that they would take him on outings. Places nobody else went so that nobody would see them walking around with a German. Another reason for that was that it would be suspicious for them to see Nicky if he is meant to be dead. One time when Carrots took me out I had my chance to escape, it was then that I realised that it would be better if I stayed with them for the time being. They might somehow get me a boat in the future. If I do escape they have already warned me that they will tell everyone about my existence in England. If they did that I would never be able to leave the country. Carrots and I were separated when this happened. By now I knew my way back to the fortress so I just walked back. I could've finished Carrots off but they knew I was with him and then I would be caught and I would never make my way back to Germany. Now they trust me a lot more. I have been living in Garmath for 3 months. They trust me enough to let me go out once a week by my self, but I had to come back by a certain time or they would raise the alarm. I had some respect growing for the kids. They were tough in their own way. Nicky was like a son to me and I was like a father to him. I had even told him about his resemblance to Ralph. He was pleased about that. Clogger still never trusted me. He could see right through me. He knew what my plan was. I had to get rid of him but I still have not had the chance to do that either. When I woke up next day it looked like I could go out by myself today. Clogger was also coming out too, but not with me. Just to make it even better I saw something unguarded. It was something was actually dangerous, my pistol. No one was looking so I quickly snatched it and hid it in my clothing. It was the chance that I was waiting for all this time. I can now get rid of Clogger. This all had to be perfect. I could not do this wrong. If I did I would probably never get another chance again. We left around the same time as each other and we were both heading for the woods in the ground. He was going to the town on the other side of the woods as he was meant to be in Scotland and I was going to the cliffs, which are also in that direction. ‘Hey Clogger, please come over here. I feel sick' I lied. He was actually falling for it. He was walking closer to me. ‘What's your problem?' he asked me. ‘You are' I replied. I got out my gun and I did it. It was all over in a couple of seconds. He never knew what was coming to him. I decided on burying his body so nobody would ever find him for a long time. I then carried on with my trip to the cliffs. Once I got home everyone was wondering where Clogger was. I told them that I had not seen him. They were all getting worried. Especially Nicky, I had never seen him like this before. ‘I'm sorry Nicky' I thought to myself. Clogger was like a brother to him. They all stayed at the fortress late but they all had to go, their own loved would be worrying about them now. I was told to keep a good eye on Nicky. Funny how there was a violent storm that night. Actually it wasn't, Nicky was getting really scared. I had to stay up and comfort him. After all, it was my fault that he is scared and he is like a son to me. Obviously, Clogger never came back. He was gone for good. Chas knew what I did. I could see it in the look in his eyes. What could he say though, his friend had murdered another friend and the only person he could tell was even more friends who wouldn't believe him if he told them. I had to get rid of Chas. This time for two reasons. As a friend, I should put him out of his misery, and as his enemy, I feel that he must die (he could get in the way of the Nazi cause in the future). I thought that Nicky's attitude would change but he missed Clogger too much. It had to be done. There was no other alternative for me. Chas remained cold to me. I could tell that the pressure was building up inside of him. He was going to tell someone soon and he had to be dealt with, quick. I really hated taking the lives from children but it had to be done. Chas was as easy to dispose of as Clogger was. I even buried them in the same place and had their own funeral, one that only I attended. There were tears flowing down my eyes, but the only thing that kept me going was the fact that sooner or later, I would go back to Germany. 1/2 a year passed and Nicky and I were more closer to each other than ever. The rest of the gang didn't come as often now. There was no point. I decided not to kill them in the end. I would not be able to live with myself. I could now do as I please. On one occasion I thought I should warm up before I go to Germany so I broke into a military base. Only a small one; I would have no chance in the bigger ones. Once I got in I decided on what I could do. Why hadn't I thought of it before? Was I going soft? I stole into the weapons hanger and I found the mother of all weapons. The latest explosives out and they had a lot of them. This is exactly what I needed. I refilled my Lugar wit ammo and I also took some other weapons including grenades. Now how was I to carry all of this? I know, I can ‘borrow' one of their vans. I got a van and filled her up with even more weapons. Then I drove the van out of the base. The mission wasn't over yet. I had to lay three explosives in the various buildings. I sprinted towards the buildings and planted them. Once I got back I realised that I only needed to detonate one so that's what I did. The explosion took out the building and set off the other ones. All three explosions had joined up with each other and were nearly as big as the base. This is what I lived to see, and was trained to do. It was time for me to take off. Mission accomplished. Bruno had been avenged. When I got back I hid the truck out of site from the fortress and the street. No one can know about it. Later that day everybody else came over. I was pleased. I waned to spend some time with my friends. What was even more important was what they had to say. According to them Winston Churchill was going to come to Garmath tomorrow. This was my chance. I could become a hero in Germany when I get back. Everybody was going to see him enter Garmath so I told them that so would I. I also told them that I would stay in the crowed so no one noticed. They were also talking about the base that I took out. Apparently their enemy, Boddser Brown, had a dad who worked there and was on duty at the moment of the explosion. I was busy that night working on my plan. This was probably the most important thing that I have ever done. I could not screw this up. All I have to do is plant a land mine where the car is going to drive over. Once it hits the mine, BANG, and he's gone. It's that simple. Little did I know that this was going to be the biggest mistake I have ever made. As usual I woke up before Nicky. I woke him and told him that I was going for a walk and that I would be back in an hour. Then I went to my weapons base and took a mine. This is it, I thought. I am about to become a hero. The man who took out the British single-handed. There was one bad thing I never noticed, Nicky was watching. I quickly ran towards the town hall where Churchill was going. I planted a mine right in his parking space. The crowds were gathering so it was unlikely that I was seen. After that I went home and got Nicky. His face was whiter than usual. ‘Are you ok, son?' ‘Yeah I'm fine. Let's go dad' he replied. Too bad I was too excited. Otherwise I would have known that he knew. ‘There's Winston Churchill's car Nicky. Let's wave and say hi' I told him. He wasn't in the mood to. ‘I know dad. Bye bye. I'll wait for you on the other side' he told me. What was he doing? S***! He was running towards the mine. It was all over. Nicky died a hero and a martyr, dying to save the country that he lived in. He was always remembered in England. They even named that day after. Wolf was in so much grief. He even handed himself in. Wolf was transported back to Germany. He was dying to see Ralph but when he saw him he grew even sadder. Ralph wanted nothing to do with him. General Wolf Schmidt later died of grief. That was the story of some of the bravest people ever to walk this planet. It is still remembered by all the family and friends of the story.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Diamond International Co-Corporation Essay

I. Executive Summary Diamond International Corporation (DIC) is one of the leading suppliers in the country. It is a trading company that imports thermoplastic (PVC) pipes, values and fittings. By 1990, the company has already grown to more than 50 employees. The company has identified its three major marketing areas: projects and major accounts, branches and dealership. It is also the major competitor in selling high-precision screws and bearings needed by the semicon industry II. Point of View (POV) President of the Diamond International Corporation III. Time Context Around the time when the company placed Mr. Robert Cruz being in-charge of the over-all shop operation of the ABC Steel Company and was appointed as the new shop manager. The same time when the company’s production backlog has reached its proportions that will lead to the halt of businesses with other companies. From the point of view of the new shop manager, the company may go bankrupt in five months time if the company keeps paying penalties. IV. Statement of the Problem To determine present and future manpower requirements of the organization in coordination with planning and job analysis activities. V. Objectives 1.To address the fair and justifiable hiring and selection of the future employees of the company. 2.To improve the working behavior of the employees and increase coordination in every aspect of their work. VI. Areas of Consideration By 1990, the company has already grown to more than 50 employees. It is now one of the leading suppliers in the country. It imports thermoplastic (PVC) pipes, valves and fittings. DIC’s main clientele is the semiconductor industry. It included Splash Island in Laguna as one of its major projects. It has a standing inventory of Php 15m+ located at its warehouse in Las Pinas. DIC is also a major competitor in selling high-precision screws and bearings needed by the semicon industry. The sales from this area constitute 10 to 15 percent of the company’s profits. Opportunities 1.The company’s assurance of the maintenance of quality 2.Improved productivity Threats 1.Company backlogs 2.Shortage of skilled manpower VII. Assumption 1.The organizational structure of the management creates discord in the effective operations of the company. 2.No effective HR program is present to handle the company’s manpower. 3.No harmony is present within the management, operations, production and logistics of the company. VIII. Alternative Courses of Action (ACA) 1. Team Building – designed for improving team performance advantages: a. encourage both individual and team development and improvement. b. helps individual to focus on group goals to accomplish more beneficial tasks. c. helps individual in decision making process. d. helps each employees to assess their personal effectiveness and strengths. disadvantages: a. difficulty in assessing the performance of an individual’s role in a team. b. coordination costs are very high (team building as a management has to spend a lot of costs.) 2. Monitor the performance of each employee advantages: a. targeted staff development – good performance management system can be positive way to identify developmental opportunities. b. rewards staff for a job well done. c.allows employees growth d. provide an opportunities to discuss issues and clarify expectations with their managers. disadvantages: a. Time consuming b. Biases occur when it comes to performance evaluation that lead to difficulty in assessing one’s work performance. IX. Conclusion and Recommendations The management should develop a just and fair hiring of their employees. They should follow the appropriate guidelines for the recruitment process so that they can hire the best candidates having the right potential for a particular position. X. Plan of Action a. The HR Department should develop a new strategy that will help them to assess the work performance of each employees. b. Everyone should be aware of the recruitment process. Ensure all staff involved with the recruitment and selection of staff are trained and aware of your recruitment policy and have the skills to ensure its effective implementation.