Pychology in Daily life Experiences Essay

Introduction Many people might doubt that how can psychology relate to our life? There come up with the answer to support everybody’s confusion. The psychological research has indicated that the cause of every experience: your physical and mental health, ability to form close relationships endurance, capacity for learning and personal growth.(Richard J.Gerrig & Philip G Zimbardo , 2008)All of these are related to our daily life. Though the psychological theories, we are able to learn ourselves by scientific explanation. Stress -Changes Hans Selye defines stress ass the nonspecific response of the body to any demand on it.;the arousal ,both physical and mental ,to situation or event that we perceive as threatening or challenging. In our daily life, stress might come from the on-set situation or off-set situation.( Hans Selye,2011) For example, even lecturer mentioned the date of exam, when the day is near ,I will feel very stress also. On the other hand, if lecturer sudden announces that we are going to have pop-quiz immediately. With no doubt ,it will be the causes of my stress. As you can see, the root of stress is changes in life. Even the changes are kind of positive things. When I knew I was accepted by UCSI University, at the moment I was very happy. Latter on, all the possible situation come up in my mind. Am I able to adapt the new environment? Am I able to pass all the subjects? We all wish to have smooth life, but these positive or negative changes are the challenges to our life. Sensory adaptation Sensory adaptation is repeated or constant stimulation decreases the number of sensory messages sent to the brain ,which causes decreased sensation.(Living psychology )For example, the things happened at the moment after the PE class,all the students with sweating body go into the class room with air conditioning room.The body odor will full fill with the room gradually. People in the room might not aware of the smell, but when I came in the class room , I complained the uncomfortable smell. After I stayed in the class for a while, my sensory was tired of the odor. Then I won’ complain the smell anymore. Controlled process The controlled process is the mental activities requiring focused attention that generally interferes with other ongoing activities ( Huffan. K,1999.). Whenever I have performed on the stage, I have to concentrate on myself. Pay attention on what is the next step,what is the next posture .There is no time and strictly not allowed to think of other things such as how does audience response and how do judges score. Only until the end of performance I can think f these things. Automatic process Automatic process is activities requiring minimal attention and having little impact on other activites.( Huffan,K ,1999).I have an experience that working at restaurant cashier. The restaurant I worked has a cash machine .The first month of work was terrible. I was so scary to touch the button.It made me frustrated all the time. The amount of money numbers full of my mind .I dare not to count wrongly to company’s property.Whenever I stand in front of cash machine I always sweating. All these thing I got though it after I worked there for eight months. Later on,I was not only can control the cash machine easily but also can talk to the customer in the same time. Gate-control theory The theory that the spinal cord contains a neurological â€Å"gate† the blocks pain signals from the brain when flooded by competing signals.(Saul Kassin,1995) Ex. Wearing high heels actually killing me so much, but the pain didn’t bother us during I wear them out to show off my beautiful high heels. Another experience is monthly period. Whenever our â€Å"Best friend â€Å"coming, it is a difficult time for girls. Most of the girls will not to focus on the pain instead of keep thinking the pain. Conclusion To sum up, finding myself by psychology theories is somehow interesting. Just discover the reasons that why is my behavior acting so. Describing by science method is more convictive. After learning the basic psychology, now I start to observe people surrounding in my life. Try to explain their behavior and discuss with my friends. I found myself can tolerant people more than before. I can understand the people whose behavior are not accepted by me .Actually everyone has their different childhood background or genetic reasons. Learning psychology is not only learn the knowledge but also improve our self-development. Reference Richard J.Gerrig & Philip G Zimbardo .(2008).Psychology and life.(8th ed). United State of America.:Pearson Education Hans Selye. (2011). In Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica. Retrieved from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/533770/Hans-Selye Huffan,K(1999).Living psychology. America .US Palomar College Saul Kasin(1995)Pychology.U.S. William Collage

Turner (1997) continuously emphasizes the connection

American nation was developing in unique conditions, peculiar in both cultural and geographical sense: ‘The existence of an area of free land, its continuous recession, and the advance of American settlement westward, explain American development’ (Turner).European nations were developing within a limited territory; expansion of a nation occurred through conquering other peoples and subjecting them to the nation’s rule. On the contrary, American institutions and society were themselves evolving to meet constantly changing conditions: the ‘expansion westward with its new opportunities, its continuous touch with the simplicity of primitive society, furnish the forces dominating American character’ (Turner).American institutions were therefore facing the pressure to expand in order to meet demands of people migrating westwards (Lind). This phenomenon continued and intensified as long as Americans were finding new homes in the west.Frontier is characteriz ed as the line of fast and enduring Americanization. The philosophy of early American development implies changing ‘primitive economic and political conditions of the frontier into the complexity of city life’ (Turner).However, Slotkin (97) notes that the frontier provided Americans with opportunity to illustrate their fast adaptability to changing lifestyle and environment. This is illustrated by the willingness to face the challenges that were being faced in the new lands out west, where human settlement had never been in such huge scale.Therefore, the central conflict of the frontier era is between nature and culture, between savagery and civilization. This conflict is also central to the classical frontier romance ‘Last of the Mohicans’ by James Fenimore Cooper. This paper will separately explore the dynamic of ‘Americanization’ of male and female characters.Male characters will be analyzed along the continuum from the character stuck in th e European values and way of seeing the world (Gamut) through a character that is ready to accept and to learn from the frontier experience (Major Heyward) to the character that feels comfortable with the hybrid identity (Hawkeye). As concerns female character, Cora and Alice will be analyzed as an opposition of a new mixed American identity and classic European whiteness.

Cause and Effects of Drug Use in High Schools

Cause and Effects of Drug use in High schools The use of drug is becoming prevalence in today’s society. Drug abuse is referred to as intake of drugs by over does of the prescribed drug given by medical personnel or taking drugs on an individual’s personal interest or influence by some groups of people. Indeed, the term drug abuse is used to indicate excessiveness and frequent consumption of drugs regardless of whether an individual is depending on it or not. Drug abuse is chemical substances that exert mood-altering effects on the brain and which are capable of producing addiction.They are abused for the feelings they produce. Drug use commonly begins in high school, usually with nicotine from cigarettes. The first cause is simple curiosity. Many teens have heard about drugs can be fun, can make a person feel and act different, and they are curious to experience them for themselves. Peer group influence is also one of the causes. The type of friend individual associate and relate with could lead one to partake in drug abuse. Young people take drugs to feel cool and impress their friends. Some teens will do whatever their friends do, just to fit in and follow the crowd.They don’t want to be the only one not doing something; even it is something dangerous. Another reason young people take drugs is to escape their reality. Maybe their home life is not happy, maybe they have a boring job, or under lots of pressure in high school. In this case, they take drugs to get away that unhappy reality. They can feel a little braver, stronger, smarter, more beautiful or more important. Of course this doesn’t last long, but that doesn’t matter. For the brief time that the drugs are taking affect, the user can forget about the problems, responsibilities and limitations of everyday life, and escape to a fantasy world.This is why they are so attractive to young people and despite their dangers. However, drug abuse can lead to drug dependence. I t can damage the systems in the body, lead to nervous problem, and causes other health hazards. Internal organs could be equally affected by drug and substance abuse. The symptoms are increase heart and breathing rates and blood pressure, and decrease appetite. Side-effects can include sweating, dry mouth, blurred vision, insomnia, and dizziness. In addition users can feel restless, anxious and moody, become excitable and have a false sense of power and security.Moreover, complaints of indiscipline in the school are mostly because of drug abuse. Drug abuse could also causes mental illness with the consequence of drop-out of school. It could cause decline in the societal moral and cultural values. The violent tendencies are also associated with drug abuse. According to those, abuse of drugs affects a person's physical or emotional conditions, even both. Drug abuse can lead to poor performance of the students in the schools. Since majority of drug abuse among youths start in high scho ols, the facilities can have early detection and prevention by teach students the effect of drug use. Word count: 504

Role in the society of the entertainment industry Essay

Role in the society of the entertainment industry - Essay Example The various variables that define each of the three are highlighted in detail by evaluating and assessing the environment that the company undertakes its business in. Introduction Entrepreneurship opportunities have consistently kept rising all over the world especially with globalization and internationalization of most businesses across countries. The world markets are gradually becoming a global village in the process. On a more specific ground, the entertainment industry is a key industry the world. Globalization and entrepreneurial opportunities have opened up the entertainment industry markets both locally and international. In this regard, business aspects of any given entertainment organization have flourished, enhanced by creativity and exploitation of the emerging opportunities in the market. S.M. Entertainment is one of the most entrepreneurial companies in the world entertainment arena. Basing its foundation on a humble beginning, the company has successfully become one o f the world leading companies in the entertainment industry. Definitions relating to entrepreneurship have similar features in that they tend to suggest that it involves planning and starting a business, taking the risks involved, taking the opportunities that come with the business and producing innovations that can be measured (Barbara, 2009, p.67). Arthur Cole one of the professors in Harvard defines entrepreneurship in the conceptual way as a purposeful event to initiate, maintain and come up with an enterprise that is profit oriented (Peter, 2006, p. 103).On entrepreneurial basis, the company has consistently evaluated social and economic factors in a bid to establish its operational environment. Innovation is a critical aspect to consider in this pursuit. Creativity and innovativeness is a crucial component of doing business. The company has from time to time developed different product and service packages of its market share. This has been enhanced by exploitation of contemp orary and emerging technologies that best suited for the entertainment industry. This report therefore is basically an assessment and an evaluation of the entrepreneurial and innovativeness aspects of the company and an assertion of the company’s position in domestic and international business. One of the outstanding business ventures whose impacts have been noted and whose technological advancements have taken the world at a storm is the S.M. Entertainment. The individual who bears the ability, energy and the vision to create a new business is actually the cornerstone on which the entity begins and thrives (Acs and Audretsch, 2008, p.171; Acs and Audretsch, 2008, p.128). However, the person should be equipped with a variety of factors and important resources so as to create a meaningful enterprise. This has been the driving spirit in S.M Entertainment. To enhance meeting the interests of this report, both qualitative and quantitative research methods will play a significant role. However, limitations that pertain to the inadequacy of vast information about the company may be lacking. This is due to the fact that many studies concentrate on the entire industry and thus makes general arguments that may or not apply in the context of S.M Entertainment.

The United States and the floundering war on terror Essay

The United States and the floundering war on terror - Essay Example The War on Terror which was initiated as a response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States initially showed great promise in ridding the world and the United States of the risks associated with terrorism. As the war on terror wore on without any definite progress being gained in fighting terrorism and in bringing the terrorists to justice, it became more apparent that the war was becoming an ineffectual means to resolve the terrorist issue. The war against terror appeared to be floundering. This chapter shall discuss the US and the floundering war on terror. This chapter shall also discuss the challenges being confronted by the Obama Administration and the way forward which can be gained from the years of war. Discussion The September 11 attacks resulted in the launching of the War on Terror and a support for President George W. Bush’s war against terror. Prior to the attacks, Bush’s administration was criticized for its international military policies. In the wake of the attacks however, a worldwide condemnation for terrorism was seen. And the war on terror raged over Afghanistan and over Iraq for years. It claimed many lives and caused the destruction of many communities and structures in Afghanistan and Iraq. As the war went on for years without much progress being gained in managing the terrorist issue, debates and rumblings on the war were slowly being expressed from various interest groups, countries, and organizations. And like another Vietnam War, the war on terror started to flounder and lose popular support. The terrorist attack in 2005 in London which was reportedly initiated by the Al Qaeda group was just one of the indications which pointed to the glaring truth that the War on Terrorism was not working. In 2004, the Bush Administration cancelled its publication of the yearly â€Å"Patterns of Global Terrorism† report which would have manifested that the terrorist attacks increased significantly from 17 5 in 2003 to 625 in 2004 (Gregory, 2005). Throughout the years, the War Party has been claiming that the War on Terrorism has successfully minimized the number of terrorist attacks throughout the globe; however, all other data seem to oppose this claim (Gregory, 2005). Other groups supporting the war on terror were also firm in their support for the war, even when Rumsfeld’s leaked report indicated the limitations of the US in fighting the war on terror. Rumsfeld’s report indicated that â€Å"the US is putting relatively little effort into a long-range plan, but we are putting a great deal of effort into trying to stop terrorists. The cost-benefit ratio is against us! Our cost is billions against the terrorists’ costs of millions† (Gregory, 2005). Analysts pounced on the implications of this leaked report and they effectively pointed out that the war on terror could only be a failure because even with the necessary precautions taken against the war on ter ror, these terrorist attacks cannot really be stopped altogether. These analysts also point out that only by evaluating the US and Western policies in the Middle East which triggered violence, could any progress in the fight against terrorism be gained (Gregory, 2005). Critics of the war on terror also condemned Bush’s policy of preeminent strike or â€Å"strike first before anyone strikes us.† This attitude has been criticized for giving rise to policies which have been wholly ineffectual. â€Å"Behind the hype, there’s a long list of failures to tackle key issues, and not much prospect of improvement† (Plesch, 2002). For one, the government of Saudi Arabia expressed that it did not support the war on terror. Some Saudi citizens are actually members of the Al-Qaeda group or are supporting their efforts financially; and yet Bush is not aggressively dealing with Saudi Arabia (Plesch, 2002). US Special

Dodge Charger SRT8 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Dodge Charger SRT8 - Essay Example Dodge has made apologies to its customers and followers for Chrysler 200 in the form of presenting a new and mean version i.e. Dodge Charger SRT8 as the car can be tuned to 470 hp which is quite larger as compared to that of Hemi V8. The new Dodge Charger SRT8 has achieved efficiency such that there has been an increase from 6.1 liters to 6.4 liters only in terms of mills along with the torque of the car that can be pumped up to 465 lb-ft. The new Dodge Charger SRT8 has come into limelight in the fall of previous year as the 2012 model. Overall, the price of 2012 Dodge Charger SRT8 is slightly higher than that of 2010 model of the same car amounting to around $41,000. Slight modifications can also be observed in the shape and body of the new model. Snarkier grille along with the blacked-out parts, the crosshair of the new Dodge Charger SRT8 seems to weaken a bit, which is more of a brand personality Dodge Charger SRT8. The wheels used in the car are gaudy 20-inch wheel and a domed se tup has been introduced in the car in place of the hood scoop. The interior of the car has bees been marked with the firm and comfortable seats with adjustment capacities. Steering wheel is more of flat-bottomed style including more electronic mechanisms that can track from 0 to 60 mph times. The center touch screen of the car is supported by lateral g-force. The other features of the new Dodge Charger SRT8 are also quite interesting as well as quite beneficial for the customers. The car has introduced a carryover with a automatic five-speed but at the same time the most significant innovation is that the new Dodge Charger SRT8 will have the facility of paddle shifting. The active suspension of the car is designed in such a manner that both the auto and sports settings facilities are provided simultaneously as well as the introduction new active exhaust feature that helps car in consuming lesser fuel as compared to previous models of SRT8. There is also a new feature built in the ca r which has the ability of dropping down to four cylinders from eight cylinders when fuel economy needs to be maintained. The new Dodge Charger SRT8 is manufactured keeping in mind the environmental issues in mind such that there might be improvement of around 15 percent in figures of city EPA and 26 percent in the highway EPA that can be experienced. The CEO of Dodge and boss of Chrysler design, Ralph Gilles showed his expressions regarding the personality of Dodge Charger SRT8 to the AutoWeek as, "The car has the ability to change personality on the fly," Dodge has the ability of meeting the demands of new Dodge Charger SRT8 and it has also successfully addressed the previous issues that came up with the harshness of the previous other models of SRT. Dodge makes a claim of touching a top speed of 175 mph for Dodge Charger SRT8. The Hemi of Charger SRT8 is the same as of the Challenger SRT8 which can be measured to 392 cubic inches. Gilles also added the fact about the new Dodge Ch arger SRT8 that he can enjoy its ride all over the country, moreover, he the left open the future likelihood of manual transmission of the new Dodge Charger SRT8 as well and anticipating to enter into yet another dispute. "We're listening to our customers very closely," as Gilles keeps an eye on the latest preferences of the Dodge Customer and plans for the upcoming

Gender Discrimination Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Gender Discrimination - Term Paper Example There are different contexts that sexual  discrimination  may  arise  (Ayres, p 65). For example, an employee attending an  interview  may be asked discriminatory questions, or an  employer  wrongfully terminated or did not  promote  an employee based on their sexual affiliations, an employer failing to hire an employee, or an employer pays  unequal  remunerations based on gender. Another instance is in an educational  setting  whereby there might be claims of a student  being left  out on  educational  institution, opportunity, program, student loan, scholarship, or student  group  due to their gender. In a housing setting, instances may be declined the right to negotiate on seeking a  house, leasing or contracting a  house  based on their sex. In a bank setting, an individual may be offered  unequal  loan terms or their  plea  for loans rejected based on their gender. Whereas there may be assertions of non-physical disparity bet ween men and women, academic  literature  based on gender find only a limited  amount  of characteristics that are similar psychological differentials, between women and men, these are directly in relation to experiences pegged on biological discrepancies (Gunderson, p129). There are  psychological  variations regarding to how problems, emotional reactions and perceptions relating to hormones, and the relevant characteristics of each sex during the long-term  function  in  historic  primitive  lifestyles. According to the United Nations, women more often than not  face  a â€Å"glass ceiling† and that no societies are available whereby women enjoy equal opportunities as men (Gregory, p82). The term describes a  distinguished  barrier  to progress in employment based on sex discrimination. In 1995, the Glass Ceiling Commission, a United Sates government financially funded group regardless of the fact that women  are awarded  over 50% of all masters degrees, 95% of senior managers, of over 1000  industrial  and 500 service companies are of the male gender. The  commission  recommended affirmative action in their report which considers employee’s race and gender.  while hiring and promoting employees, This is to  eradicate  this discrimination (Gregory p83).  In 2008, as a result of this move, 51% of all workers in well- paying professional, management, and related occupations were women. They were a larger number than men in occupations such as  financial  managers, public relations managers, and human resource managers. Transgender individuals, both female to male and male to female face difficulties which  eventually  result  to underachievement, dismissals,  difficulty  in job searching, social isolation, and sometimes violent attacks (Cohn, p74). However, gender discrimination is not only revealing itself with women or in transgender individuals. Men are also sometimes victimized on the basis of sex in certain fields of  employment  such as office administration and childcare settings conventionally assumed to be â€Å"women’s jobs†. Other ways in which gender  discrimination  may reveal itself is through an employee claims that a manager or another individual in power makes statements or jokes that are  insulting, demeaning, or offensive to women (McLean, Sheila, and Noreen, p68). Another instance is a  case  of a  manager  who clarifies through his words or actions that he has

Definition Of The Profession Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Definition Of The Profession - Assignment Example Despite the fact that management is not a profession does not mean that the job does not entail a lot of preparation and experience to master the craft. The job of a manager requires the utmost professionalism. The managerial position is responsible for the employees of the company and their dealings with customers. In the past, I have been involved in work experiences that required that I utilize professionalism in order to get things accomplished in the workplace. I once worked in a company that was violating state work laws. The firm paid the employees late, did not obey overtime laws, and it exploited its employees with excessive production quotas. Within this work environment, the workers were able to form an informal work union. The employees got together and discussed their problems and looked for solutions. Everything was done with professionalism in order to gain strength against the administration.

Nut wk7 assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Nut wk7 assignment - Essay Example However, I took the initiative to put into practice the activities recommended by â€Å"Mypyramidtracker.† The most interesting activity was to carry out various body exercises and then calculate the corresponding energy expenditure from the calculator. I also developed the habit of being nutrition conscious and took control of my eating habits. The first time I did a food nutrition evaluation, I found that my diet consisted excessive energy-giving foods. Most of my diet consisted of deep fried potato chips, crumbled bread, almonds roasted with honey, chocolate milk, and cornflakes among others. The results from the calculator indicated that I was taking approximately 3210 Cal which was the above my daily recommended intake of 2630 Cal. Particularly, I was taking an excess of proteins, saturated fats, and carbohydrates. However, I was meeting the daily-recommended intake for total fiber, which I was able to maintain at 25. Vitamins and mineral elements requirements varied from one vitamin to another. Whereas the diet was exceeding the required daily intake for vitamins A, C, E, and riboflavin, it was falling short of thiamin, potassium, and zinc. After reading and understanding about the various health effects of taking less or more of one nutritional requirement, I decided to change my diet. I primarily reduced the amount of carbohydrate foods I was taking in a day and supplemented the same with vegetables and fruits. The changes were hardly noticeable within the first week but I began to record some changes in the third week. It was challenging at first since some of the substitutes were costly and difficult to choose from the food stores. For instance, I would not know what type of fruits or vegetables would help me meet or at least maintain the daily-recommended nutrient intake for some vitamins. Therefore, I had to exercise patience and do a lot of trial and

Difference between healthy people and unhealthy people Essay

Difference between healthy people and unhealthy people - Essay Example Nordqvist (2009) states that the word ‘health’ has been derived from an old word ‘hale’ that means ‘well being’. Health is the state of a human being in which his body is functioning at the best level without any disease or irregularity. World Health Organization (as cited in Nordqvist, 2009) defines health as â€Å"a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity†. Thus, there are two conditions that define health for a person: body and mind’s perfection, and absence of disease. In order to better understand the difference between healthy and unhealthy people, it is important to give the reader an idea regarding the characteristics of healthy and unhealthy people. People who are blessed with perfect health and do not suffer from disease or abnormality, are regarded as healthy people. But health is not just confined to bodily health; it also includes a normal brain and soul. When the body is functioning properly producing, for example, the right kind of hormones at the right time, the brain is also working normally, and the thoughts are normal too, then that person is a healthy person. Staying healthy is an art that pays. Contrarily, unhealthy people are those who are not blessed with health, physical or mental. They are either suffering from a disease that shows, or if they are perfectly normal bodily, then they insist on staying unhealthy when they possess negative thoughts for themselves and for others which are harmful in nature. Thus, physical and mental disorders account for a person’s unhealthiness. A relationship is a state in which two or more people connect with each other. Healthy people tend to maintain healthy relationships because they are themselves happy which enables them to socialize with people (Center for Yong Women’s Health, 2010). This increases their acceptance in the society. People want to meet them

Mao's propaganda with arts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Mao's propaganda with arts - Essay Example Art propaganda was based on the cult of Mao and his unique vision of communist China. As a charismatic leader, he directed propaganda to mass publics and mass media amplified political and social messages. Mao's art propaganda was a product of the more egalitarian, participant forces that emerged in the communist China (Cheek 82). Unlike members of mass cultures, who were almost wholly dependent on their leaders for propaganda, members of the popular culture have gained the ability to initiate messages as well as respond to them. The aim of art propaganda was to remold the individual (Brady 98). Art propaganda was a part of new mass culture created by Mao. On the domestic front, the new government introduced a system of rationing cards to purchase food, clothing, and other scarce commodities essential for everyday living. Curbing and eliminating social ills also loomed large on the agenda, prompting government officials to crack down on black marketeering, religion, and the sale of opium (Cushing and Tompkins 43). In the case of opium, the government imposed stiff criminal penalties, including the execution of suppliers and dealers. By 1951 addiction to opium had fallen off sharply, enabling the government to focus more on the social consequences of drug abuse and on educational and rehabilitation programs for victims and users. The most extreme of this art propaganda was that which went under the name of the new republic and new social order established by Mao (Cushing and Tompkins 45). Art propaganda was one of the most effective and simple ways to influence Chinese society and form national ideals and values. The propaganda was grounded in the needs of totalitarian society to create and exploit mass cultures. Art propaganda flowed from the leader, Mao, to the led, from a few to many, not from many to a few (Cheek 81). Posters and wallpapers were used to educate the peasants in the political process by making them aware of their political power and encouraging them to seize the land and kill their landlords. Following Knight (2002): "He [Mao] recognized and admired the revolutionary potential of China's peasants that had resulted from centuries of feudal exploitation and oppression. He recognised, too, that conditions were deteriorating in the countryside due to the economic effects of imperialism and the political instability resulting from the collapse of the Qing dynasty and the division of China between hostile warlords" (29). In fact, estimates of the number of counterrevolutionaries executed during the early period of Mao's domestic revolution range between 1 and 3 million people, figures that raised the specter of a government-sanctioned reign of terror (Cheek 80). Emotional appeal was made in every major section of art propaganda, and even legal arguments were fundamentally based upon emotionalism. The effort was constantly made to arouse fear and hate of the capitalists, and pity, love, and admiration for the workers and communist regime. A most important phase of this technique was the practice of exploiting idealism. The Chinese

Yukio Mishimas novel The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With the Sea Essay Example for Free

Yukio Mishimas novel The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With the Sea Essay How does Fusako and Ryujis first encounter foreshadow the dynamics of their future relationship? In Yukio Mishimas novel The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With the Sea, first encounters between characters are fundamental in developing their relationship dynamic. When Fusako Kuroda and Noboru are led onto the ship Rakuyo, Ryuji-its second officer in command-is appointed as their guide. Mishima uses dominant diction and invigorating imagery to immediately introduce the romantic nature of their prevailing relationship, and to foreshadow the future sacrifices both characters will have to endure in the name of love. After both having been deprived of close social interaction for many years, Fusako and Ryuji are at first uncomfortable when dealing with each others presence. Initially, Ryujis eyes confronted her. The attention does not flatter Fusako- instead she feels as though Ryuji is challenging the independence she has worked so hard to develop ever since her husband died. Unable to compose her emotions, Fusako blames the uncomfortable(30) moment on Ryuji, for his eyes had no business piercing that way(29). Mishimas diction in the words ravaging, piercing, shudder, disconcerted, oppress and probed continues to highlight the invasive tension of their interaction. While Fusako struggles to explain her emotional reaction to Ryujis presence, it slowly becomes clear to the reader that the tension created is one of excitement, rather than distaste. The attention is overwhelming, but the opportunity for desire, and being desired, overweighs the unnaturalness of the initial confrontation. As she then opens up her parasol against the sun(30), she discovers something unexpected in the shadow of his heavy brow(30-31). It is as if the oppressive broad light of day(31) forces Fusako to maintain a socially accepted persona, and by protecting herself from its scrutiny, she finds comfort in the shades non-judgmental darkness. It is in this freedom that Fusako discerns a deeper emotional understanding in Ryujis similarly dark shadows of his brow-perhaps a glisten in his deep-set(29) eyes. Mishima builds on this emotional connection with the introduction of chemistry. When standing side-by-side, the heat of his body in the sultry chart room(31) becomes almost too much for Fusako to handle-she faints. Mishima uses the imagery of heat to add to the energy of their physical attraction. Although sudden, it is no longer a shock to the reader when Fusako proposes Ryuji join her for dinner the next evening. Although spoken coolly(35), these were the words of a woman stricken with heat(35) the heat of the now undeniable attraction. The emotional development of Fusakos character during her first encounter with Ryuji is reflected in the extensive imagery of the cargo being hoisted out of the ships hold. The hold in which the cargo was kept is a large, dark fissure in the steel plates of the deck(34). This cargo has a double entendre since it also symbolizes Fusakos emotional baggage. In the large, dark fissure, the emotionally suppressed Fusako has lived isolated from the world of love, happiness, and opportunity, and held captive by the steel plates of societys expectations. When lifted, the slats of sunlight slipped nimbly over the crates as they wheeled through the air(35). This recurring light imagery refers us back to the idea of light revealing the cargo, in the same way Fusako feels scrutinized by the strong sun; light sheds all the imperfections that shadows mask. But, faster even then the shattered light the cargo sped(35). This shows that Fusako, by letting go of the strict independence that has limited her life, is able to dominate over societys supposition. The light is shattered by the strength of Fusakos true emerging character. Ryuji is the one that has allowed her to take this terrifyingly deliberate prelude and the sudden, reckless flight(35). It is as if after years of independently brooding her husbands death that Fusako finally sees the chance to re-enter the world. Mishima uses the contrast of the organization insinuated in deliberate prelude and the carelessness associated with reckless flight, to mark the turning point in the development of Fusakos character. She feels load after heavy load of freight being lifted from her and whisked away(35), releasing her from the emotional stress burdening her freedom. Although liberating Fusako, the marvel was also an indignity(35). A disgrace in the sense that it had taken so long for Fusako to admit to her social demise. If she had not experienced the catharsis, she could have accumulated a cargo so large it could have held her down forever. Mishima portrays the scene as an emancipation-saving Fusako from an inevitably empty future. Thus, the encounter with Ryuji presents her with the opportunity to take a risk a risk of becoming dependent on something other than herself. Mishima uses sea imagery to insinuate an equally significant affect of the first encounter on Ryuji. Lacking fulfillment from his life at sea, Ryuji sees Fusako as his new ship on the horizon. The life of a sailor is one of solitude, for Ryuji it was one of an empty solitude at that. It is not surprising that his eyes, catching Fusako in their gaze, sought her out as though she were a tiny spot on the horizon(29). Deprived of social interaction, sailors constantly search the horizon in hope of sighting another ship another companion. For Ryuji, Fusako is a tiny spot emotionally distant and out of his reach. But, as if waiting for her to come nearer, his eyes are focusing so sharply without leagues of sea between them(29). The sea was always a protective barrier between Ryuji and offers of stability on land. Now, without the sea to shield him, Fusako represents everything that he has been denied. He is finally able to focus, and realize what he wants in life love, companionship, security. Not only does Ryuji reveal a strong interest in Fusako, but he expresses doubt concerning his current lifestyle at sea. He refers to it as a miserable business(31) and fails to emit professional pride(30). By allowing Fusako to take the role of Ryujis sighted vessel(29), Mishima is foreshadowing the replacement of Ryujis interest in Fusako for his dedication to his ship, and essentially the triumph of Fusakos presence on land for his lonely existence at sea. Mishima manages to uncover the complex nature of Fusako and Ryujis relationship within just the brief moments of their first encounter. He marks the beginning of a dominant romantic connection that fuels the novels plot as both characters continue to make sacrifices-Fusako in surrendering her independence and Ryuji in giving up his dream of achieving glory at sea. However, although portrayed as love throughout the novel, both characters are motivated by a requisite to fill a certain void of affection. The reader is made to wonder whether it was really true love that was discovered at their first encounter, or a mere mutual greed for intimacy.

To what extent is Marxism still relevant today

To what extent is Marxism still relevant today In communist society, where nobody has one exclusive sphere of activitysociety regulates production and thus makes it possible for me to do one thing today and another tomorrow, to hunt in the morning, fish in the afternoon, rear cattle in evening, criticise after dinner, just as I have a mind, without ever becoming hunter, fisherman, shepherd or critic. (Marx/Engels The German Ideology) I love talking and thinking about politics and to imagine a better society, where I can reflect on what to write in my essays, but the quality of these activities would change very much, if one was not forced to do it, to pass exams, to get a degree, and eventually to find a job to survive in the capitalist society. Everyone knows the difference between self-fulfilling activity and the obligation of wage labour, what we normally call work. When we are looking at the quotation above, we see that Marxism is rather a social utopia than a political program. The utopia of a society without exploitation of people by people, a society where concurrence is abolished and the voluntary cooperation of men and women is the motor of production. The precondition for this view is the idea, that the individual is a social being and for that reason must be analysed in its social and historical context and that is continually in development. The fundamental difference in the history of political thought between the left wing and the right wing is based on the view of the human being. Hobbes for example describes the condition of archaic societies as a bellum omnium contra omnes2, that is why the main fear of men comes from its similars so to protect people from people, there is the need of a strong state and law and order. You ca not change mankind, there is no development There were always these two views of humans that built the basics of ideologies and it seems to be more a matter of belief than a fact that you can prove. In the last decades we experienced a dominance of what I call new liberal thinking, conservative think tanks began to describe human behaviour with the rules of the neo classical school of economics, that sees the person as a advantage maximising individual, all aspects of life are tried to explain as economic behaviour. In 1989 the concurrent system to capitalism lost its last battle of the cold war; the right celebrated the victory of capitalism and liberal democracy and the left was paralysed. The well-known Francis Fukuyama described the End of history as the end point of mankindà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ²s ideological evolution and the universalisation of Western liberal democracy. (National Interest, 1989, 16) In the same article Fukuyama says that it will be a sad time, because there is not going to be any ideological struggle any more, idealism would be replaced by economic calculations, the endless solving of technical problems environmental concerns and the satisfaction of sophisticated consumer needs. The right wing ´s argument against Marxism today is the breakdown of communism and the dark sides of the soviet system, although we know from an Marxist point of view, that the system in Russia had not anything to do with the ideal and the utopia of Marxism. It was state capitalism without any form of democracy that failed because of social movements in Eastern Europe, for example Solidarinosc in Poland. The problem is that left wing intellectuals fell into agony after 1989 because they shared the feeling that capitalism had won and the world is bad, many of them stopped to think about alternatives and lost their utopia, went fishing, or some orthodox ones lost their belief and became new liberals, others searched for third ways. The dominance of new liberalism also colonised the social democracy, for example the words of the social democratic Austrian chancellor, who said in the eighties, that somebody who has visions needs a doctor. The theory of the third way left the road of Marxism as a result of 1989 and is defined by Anthony Giddens as a way between old social democracy and new liberalism. The question is: is the third way a road that leads to nowhere? It is very likely so because there is no final perspective. I would explain it rather as a parking lot of conservative and liberal political ideas, than as a way. Ten years after the transition in the east we are facing a growing social movement with a big scepticism about the economic globalisation, more and more people experience the negative effects of capitalism and more and more people are claiming for alternatives. Social utopias are still relevant because naturally an other system comes to your mind, when you are not satisfied, even if they are only wishes sort of dreams, the next step is the thinking process to realise your dreams. You cannot kill utopias. Marxism is still relevant as an utopia to reach a society of free and equal. The function of ideologies is to conquer the minds, because the actions of people are led from their view of the world and their wishes. Ideology only has an influence on a personality if there is a belief in it. The task of the academic left (if there is still one) today is to win back the hegemony at the battlefield of ideas. 2. Marxism as an instrument of critique I think it is incontestable that Marxism is still relevant as a critique of capitalism the state and liberal democracy. Marxism is a child of the Industrial Revolution and was born as a reaction to the bad effects of proletarianisation, dependency on wage labour, the new mode of production, which caused hunger and oppression. The theory that the development of the capitalist system, with a growing number of wage labourers leads more or less automatically to a revolution forgot, that capitalism was able to react to social and economic changes very fast. So the ruling class understood how to bring more and more wage employees on their side (ex. white collar employees). Nevertheless a big majority in Europe has to live with their income through wage labour, and when we look to a world perspective, we find a massive proletarianisation in the world. (compare Callinocos, 1992, p. 113), In a world perspective we also see growing differences between the south and the north, which makes Marxà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ²s theory in a global perspective very plausible. Globalised capitalism with its new liberal face, hasnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ²t found an answer to the exploitation of nature and the growing social inequalities. The waste of resources and the economic crisis canà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ²t be abolished through capitalism. The principle of profit is the principle of exploitation. The regular breakdowns of the stock markets with their destructive effects on states, is a good example. Marx knew that the state couldnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ²t be neutral, because the state represents the interests of the ruling classes and the owners of the resources, thatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ²s why liberal democracy could not be a real democracy, it leads to a passive citizenery in the 1988 presidential elections in the US, upper-income electors were twice as likely to vote as lower income electors: the displacement of parliamentary institutions by unelected centres of power [.]; structural constraints on the piecemeal transformation of capitalism it was above all the massive flight of capital from France which forced the Mitterand administration to abandon the program of reforms on which it was elected in 1981. (Callinicos, 1992, p. 109) Variables like class, gender and income are very important for a sociological description of the society, the marxist point of view, played always an important role for class analyses and the question, who has the power in a society, who owns the production means and so on. 3. Marxism as an alternative First we have to define our aims even if they are utopian, first we have to know what we want, then we can search for ways to reach our aims. We will see that there are many ways that lead in the same direction, so the main difference between Marxists, are the means they are using. Marx conceived the post capitalist future as an association of all workers, an association in which freedom and equality were combined through (1) the democratic regulation of society; (2) the end of politics; (3) the planned use of resources; (4) efficient production; and (5) greater leisure. (Held, 1999, p. 147) These are the aims shared by all Marxists to overcome capitalism, to abolish the state and the power and to introduce democratic self-government. What they all have in common is the utopia. The differences between them are the way to come closer to these aims. Libertarian Marxists reject all forms of compromises with organisations of the capitalist society, authoritarian leadership, division of labour. They refuse party organisation. They believe that progress can only be made with democratically organised mass movements. Pluralists are using the institutional framework of the liberal democracy to win control of the state for restructuring it. They believe in the necessity of party organisation, using power to abolish it and extension of participation. Many social democratic parties, some communist parties come from this tradition, green movements can be subsumed under this category too. The orthodox Marxist branch belief in a strong party organisation with professional leadership and cadre discipline, but rejects compromises with the capitalist democracy, which only represents the interests of the capital. (compare Held, 1999, p. 148 150) So Marxists are fighting in many places, in parliaments (pluralists), in basic movements (libertarians), in hidden places (planning the revolution), but they all meet on big demonstrations against globalisation. They donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ²t like each other, but every branch plays its role. The orthodox Marxists lost influence, but the forces of the traditional democratic left in the parliaments could come closer to libertarians, because of the growing movement against new liberalism. In the so-called civil society we will find libertarian Marxists. The main difference between these two factions is the question of reform or revolution. Pluralists wanted to get control of the state to transform capitalism, but they became part of the state and of the capitalist system, many lost their ideologies (Third Way), but there are still some left in the institutions. They won ´t bring innovation, what they could remobilize is a strong democratic, anti capitalist basic movement, that is inspired by libertarian Marxist ideas. If this movement is strong enough, it could be the beginning of a new age of a sustainable transformation of capitalism to something different, what seems not realistic at the moment, but who knows. In any case the libertarian branch with its allies in the civil society could wake up the old pluralists in the parliaments and party machines to start a new offensive against new liberalism, to improve democracy, to concentrate on redistribution and to get back or defend important public resources and so on. My theory is, that social movements are a motor of reform, even if they don`t manage to bring revolutionary changes. Marxism always was a threat for the capitalism, that forced capitalism to adapt, but not the theory brought a welfare state or socialist elements to capitalist states, it were always the social movements in connection with the utopia that brought the change. I believe that Marxism is an alternative, because of the weak sides of capitalism and liberal democracy, the exploitation of humans and the nature, the waste of resources and the social inequality, but as long as we don`t have Marxism as an practical alternative, it has three functions: As an utopia it shows us an aim a direction, as an analysing method helps it to show us the contradictions of capitalism and it is a threat for the free market system and liberal democracy, that could lead to an permanent reform of the system. Perhaps we need no revolution. Perhaps capitalism will reform as long as it turns into a communist society, and if not, the revolution will come, Marx said. Bibliographie Callinicos, A: The Revenge of History: Marxism and the East European Revolutions (Polity Press, Cambridge, 1992). Duncan, G.: Democratic theory and practice (University Press, Cambridge, 1983) Held, D.: Models of Democracy (Blackwell, Cambridge, 1999) chapter 4. Levin, M: Marxism and Democratic theory in Duncan, g. 1983. Journals: Booth, W.J.: Making Sense of Marx concept of Communism (1989, Political Theory, 17/2). Fukujama, F.: The End of History? (1989, National Interest, 16) Halliday, F.: An Encounter with Francis Fukuyama (1992, New Left Review No. 193). Milibald, R.: Fukuyama and the socialist Alternative (1992, New Left Review No. 193) Milibald, R.: The Plausability of Socialism (1994, New Left Review No. 206). Pierson, C.: Democracy, Markets and Capital: Are there Necessary Economic Limits to Democracy? (1992, Political Studies, Special Issue). Rustin, M.: No Exit from Capitalism? (1992, New Left Review No. 193). 1 Utopos means nowhere, a place that doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ²t exist; an utopia is the birth of a wish. 2 War between all

Value Management Strategy Evaluation

Value Management Strategy Evaluation During the value management module students have been introduced to different skills, tools, techniques and principles needed to conduct a systematic VM strategy. Students were asked to work in groups to suggest proper tools and techniques to undertake and design a full VM strategy for the Old Cross Community fitness Center project case study. Therefore, the main purpose of the essay is to critically evaluate and assess group three teams value management strategy. The discussion and evaluation of the VM strategy proposed by the group team will be supported by various literatures and researches. The essay starts with introduction to the value management concept and background and follows with brief description of the project brief and its key stakeholders. It then discusses the value opportunity point where the VM study can take place in the project. The full VM process including tools, techniques, duration, attendees and output in each phase of VM study will be will explored and discussed in detail. 2. Value management definition and background: The following paragraphs introduce the concept of the value and the value management. 2.1 The concept of value: In the context of value management, the value can be expressed as the relationship between satisfaction of need and the resources used to realize this satisfaction (EN 1325-1). SAVE INTERNATIONAL (2007) define value as a fair return or equivalent in goods, services, or money for something exchanged. Value can be viewed in different ways by different parties in different situations. Grater value can be achieved if the fewer amount of resources are used which resulted in higher satisfaction. 2.2 Value management: Value Management is a style of management which is used to motivate people and develop skills and innovation to increase overall performance of the organization. it is about enhancing value not cutting cost (OGC,2007). Value Management is a method for maximizing value for money which is the best combination of whole life cost and quality to meet the clients requirements and objectives. According to Dallas (2006), the application of VM approaches on average accomplish cost savings opportunities of 5-45%, with improvements in overall performance. Connaughton and Green (1996) highlighted that using value management will help the client to achieve value for money for their projects by making sure that: (i) project main objectives evidently discussed in details, (ii) the need for the project is clearly verified, (iii) the design is obtained from the decided framework of the project main objectives and goals. Other benefits of value management include a better understanding of the business needs, improved team working, increased innovation in design, and the reduction of unnecessary cost (OGC, 2007). (VM history in US UK- more outside references-) 3. Old Cross Community fitness Center project 3.1 Project summary and brief The Chief Executive of Newtown Council highlighted that the old cross district had been classified by a recent medical report as one of the least healthy area within England. To overcome this problem, a working party was formed consisting of members from three authorities namely the local area health, Leisure and Recreation, and Social Work and they decided to build fitness center which fit the whole community. The main project mission is to improve the health and fitness of the Old Cross district by providing adequate leisure facilities. The proposed fitness center comprise of summing pool, sport hall, general purpose hall, indoor tennis center, dance studio, health suit, staff accommodation and car park. The total cost of the project is estimated to be  £14.3 million, and the available for capital spend which is been granted from the awarding bodies is  £ 9.1million. It is clear that the project encounters some serious funding problems. The money required for the project is mor e than what is available. Therefore, a systematic value management study will be implemented in order to keep the project back on track. This will help the clients to achieve value for money for their project (OGC, 2007). 3.2 The project main stakeholders Stakeholders are those individuals and groups who are involved or have interest in its activities and outcomes. Before staring any project, it is important to clearly identify the client and the stakeholders requirement (Dallas, 2006). It is essential that the stakeholder represented by senior individuals who have the authority and can make decision on their behalf and who will contribute in aggressively in the workshop (Connaughton and Green, 1996). Male et al. (2007) outlined that Value management as a management style focuses on value system evolution and resolution within projects and this can be done by bringing the right team of stakeholders together at the right time. The group agreed that identifying the key stakeholders is very crucial issues for the success of the project. According to Baguley (2005), bringing the key stakeholders together in workshops will make best use of their contribution, increase the benefits of group dynamics and makes sure the most cost efficient use is made of members time. The key stakeholders identified by the group are the funding bodies, client representatives including the Chief Executive, Director of leisure and Recreation, Director of Housing and the technical team. However, the group didnt suggest any classification for the mentioned stakeholders. They all can be considers as a primary stakeholders since they have the authority and the power to influence the projects. According to Moodely (2002), the primary stakeholders on any project are those parties that have direct influence, or influenced by, the project. In other hand, examples of some secondary stakeholders which havent been mentioned by the group may include the local communities, and the local football and tennis club users. Although these parties may not involve directly in the project, they can still exercise a great deal of influence (Moodely, 2002). 4. Value management intervention points. The benchmarking research study done by Male, et al. (1998b) has identified six value opportunity points throughout the project life cycle were value management studies can be useful. These value opportunities can be taken at single or multiple intervention points throughout the project cycle. The six value management opportunity points are strategic briefing study, project briefing study, Chartte, concept design workshop, detail design workshop, and operations workshop (Kelly, Male and Graham, 2004). Figure 1 shows the six value management opportunity points. There was a large debate between groups members in determining value management intervention points. The group agreed that the client think that they are in the stage between design and construction in the project life cycle. This supported by the Director of leisure and Recreation statement when he mentioned in the interview that they should be one the site getting the project build. Also, the group agreed that the current project brief and concept design is not clear and the client should be taken back to the strategic brief stage to bring them forward. Therefore, the group believed that the project is in the stage between pre-concept and concept design. This indicates that there is a value management gap between where the clients think they are in the project life cycle and where the group thinks they are. To overcome this gap, the group decided to conduct value management study at point (C) the Charette to allow review the strategic brief and improve the concept design. In this particular project and according to the benchmarking research, the appropriate intervention points could be either at point (3) or point (C). According to Male et al. (1998b), the purpose of the concept design workshop is to review the initial plans, specification and cost plan. It is clear that this type of study-at point 3- concentrate mainly in technical aspects of the project without discussing the strategic and project brief. The interview with project Architect highlighted the problem of the lack of the clear project brief. Also, the Chief Executive of Newtown Council mentioned that there is shortage of money to fund the project. With these issues in mind, undertaking the VM study at point (3) is not a proper choice where in other hand; point (C) offers some valid solutions since it allows reviewing the strategic brief which will result in a clear project brief, better concept design and full understanding with client value system. In the Charette workshop all of the phase of strategic brief and project brief are combined into one workshop. Kelly et al. (2004) noted that the Charette study is usually the first study on the project and it is commonly undertaking after the client has taken the decision to build, completed project brief and selected the design team. According to the case study, no such value study had been done before for this project. Therefore, the group made the right decision to undertake the VM study at the point C, the Charette. 5. Value management process: Value Management may be described as a structured, analytical process for developing innovative, holistic solutions to complex problems (TAM 2004). It makes use of a controlled decision-making process to make sure that the complete scope of the value management study is covered in the greatest likely sequence (Venkataraman and Pinto, 2008). Norton and McElligott (1995); Dallas (2006) highlighted that the systematic procedure adapted during a value management study, include three phases which are the pre-study, workshop, and post-study activates. The group agreed to use the generic value management process which was adopted by Male et al. (1998a). The group chose this approach for many reasons. This process and framework is understood by most of the professionals and the client in the construction industry especially in the UK. Also, the authors of this process have adopted it after revision of over than 200 studies conducted with clients, design teams and contractors under range of different procurement route. Consequently, the process uses structured, team-oriented to evaluate and generate solution to the problems. The main components of the generic value management process and the workshop are shown in Figure (2). The generic value management processes consist of three phases which include the orientation and diagnosis phase followed by the work shop and implementation phases. The group proposed that whole VM study will take eight weeks (see section 5.4 ). 5.1 Orientation and Diagnosis phase The Orientation and Diagnosis phase starts by gathering the most important information which allows the value management team to determine the main strategic objectives of the project by identifying the stakeholders objectives and needs to deliver the project in most effective way Also, in this phase the value management teams prepare them self for the study by preparing and understanding the related information, such as project specifications, cost data, and project constraints (Shen and Liu, 2003). The information that is collected, evaluated, and consolidated in this stage, forms the foundation for all following analysis (TAM 2004). The agenda for the workshop and the attendance will be determinate at this phase (Younker, 2003). Male and Kelly (2004) describes this phase as very crucial. It is the only opportunity for the value manger to fully understand all aspects of the projects such as the key stakeholders, the participants, and the value problem. For addition, Orientation meetings allow every one involved in the project to fully understand the issues, barriers and constraints which the project faces as well as allowing those how have to give decision to give and receive information (Kelly and Male, 1993). The desired outcome of this stage is an obvious understanding of the clients needs which have to be addressed, and what the strategic priorities are (SAVE INTERNATIONAL 2007). The group discussed this phase in details and decided that more information is needed to prepare for the VM study. This information includes project documents, organization structure, client requirements, conduction more interviews. According to Norton and McElligott (1995), the most concern at this stage that all parties which related to the study are well coordinated and there is sufficient information for reviewing during the study. Also, the group agreed that this process will highlight some important issues such as value management challenges and problems as well as identifying of where the project is in its life cycle. It is clear that the group did not assign time to each individual activity in this phase. Also the group didnt mention the name of main stakeholders who should be interviewed and the reason for their choices. In the following paragraphs critical analysis will be conducted to the four main activities of the orientation and diagnosis phases which are the interview, site tour, document analysis and duration. 5.1.1 Gathering information and document analysis: The group underlined that more information is need in this phase before conducting the VM study. This will help the value manger and VM team to have better understanding about issues around the project (Ellis et al., 2005). Shen and Chung (2000) noted that lack of information is the most often encountered difficulty in VM studies. According to Norton and McElligott (1995) typical information such as the project brief, drawings and specifications should be gathered from the design team and the client. Some other extra documents stated by Male et al. (1998a) include clients business case issues and previous reports including VM workshop reports. It essential that value manger should make good relations with the source of information to ensure their support in various stages of volume management study. Once this information is gathered, it can be circulated to value management team to review them before conducting the next stage of the study. 5.1.2 The interview Male et al. (1998a) highlighted that by conduction interviews with main stakeholder, the facilitator or the value manger will be able to take general idea about the strategic and technical issues which surrounded the project. Understating these issues will help the facilitator to identify the mismatches and as well as selecting of appropriate tools and techniques to be used during the workshop. Building commitment to the VM study is other benefit of conducting interviews with key stakeholders and top management (Woller, 2005). It is very important that interviewees must be sure what all what they say and their discussions stay confidential (Male and Kelly, 2004). Male et al. (1998a) recommended the facilitator to use the check list techniques when conducting interview with key stakeholders. The checklist addresses some key issues surrounding the project. This may include issues around project environment community, organization, project duration, people skills, and stakeholder analysis and project constraints. The group emphasised that more interviews should be conducted. This is due to two reasons: unclear brief and different stakeholders interests and agenda. The group did mention the people that should be interviewed by the facilitator. Apart from the people already interview in the case study, some of the key stakeholders should be interviewed to understand their needs and requirements. These key stakeholders may include representative of: (i) NHS Drug and Addiction Committee, (ii) Local Area Health authority, (iii) Local Football clubs, (iv) Fitness Specialist, (v) Police Community Constable. After conduction these interviews, the value manger will be able to understand the value system of the client and well be more prepared for the work shop phase. 5.1.3 Site visit The group did consider that site visit is important for the VM study. However, in this project, the site visit seems to be very important. According to Norton and McElligott (1995) , site visits at earlier stage of the study can help the value management team to understand some aspects of the project such access, topography and site density more easily, hence it help them in understanding the physical context of the project. If the site visit can not be done for any reason, the site photographs should be provided. 5.1.4 Other techniques More helpful techniques such as questionnaire could be conducted in this phase. However, in this project, the time is very critical issue. There is a possibility that the awarding bodies could withdrawal the money for the project if the construction got late. Therefore, the value manger could stick to previous techniques in order to save time. 5.1.5 Who should attend the workshop The group decided that eleven members should attend the work shop. These participants include representatives of the key funding bodies, a member of Newtown Council- the Chief Executive, architect, cost consultant, and mechanical and electrical engineer. Multidisciplinary composition of can be considered as one of the most important prerequisite for the VM team structure (Kelly and Male 1993; DellIsola, 1997) The team number looks acceptable since Male et al. (1998a) stated that the number of participants is generally between five to fifteen. If the number is more than that, it is advisable to divide the team to smaller sub team. For addition, the quality and the structure of the VM team and are very important for the success of the value management study a (Baguley, 2005). One of the key reasons why the group has chosen these people is that these people can have great impact of the success of the project. According to Shen and Liu (2003), team members should include all applicable disciplines and key stakeholders in order to cover the project issues under the study. Therefore, Representatives from each funding bodies play important role in funding the project and thus their attendance are very curial. The power of the chief executive to take decisions will influence the effectiveness of the workshop. With reference to Woller (2005), top management support is one of element of success of the VA study. For addition, architect, cost consultant, mechanical and electrical engineer have valuable technical background of the project which is not available to other team members. They can help in sparking new useful proposals by using their experience and knowledge in reviewing the brief, the concept design, specifications and other aspects of the project. Some of the stakeholders were excluded from the work shop attendance. The reason for this is that the value management team becomes relatively difficult to control (Norton and McElligott , 1995). For example, inviting Dr Jamie Macdonald to participate in the workshop event will have limited benefit. However, he can be interviewed in the pre- study phase. In other hand, Keith Bonnet should be invited to participate in the workshop since. He supported the project by managing a funding package and by introducing new ideas. Thus, he will helpful in the brainstorming session and creativity phase during the actual workshop. According to Shen and Liu (2003), it is better to have VM members who are open-minded and who have a positive attitude toward new ideas with strong desire to be innovative. 5.1.6 Total duration of the Orientation and Diagnosis phases The total duration of these phase decided by the group range from 15 days to 20 days and with two weeks separating this phase from the workshop phase. Bolton (2005) highlighted that a period of two weeks should separate the pre-work shop requirement and the actual workshop. The group did mention the duration for each activity such as information gathering, document analysis, interviews and other activates. This phage could be divided in two sub stages: information gathering stage and evaluation stage. The first stage will take 10-15 days and will include the interview with the key stakeholder, document analysis and the site visit. The next stage is the evaluation stage which will take from 5 to 10 days. The facilitator will identify and confirm the workshop attendees and prepare the full agenda for the actual workshop phase in this phase (Cook, 2005). 5.2 Workshop phases The workshop phase is considered as the most important phase in the value management process. This phase should be properly planned and executed otherwise it will be expensive and time consuming. It emphasises the need to accomplish a time commitment from the VM team for the full workshop process. The Workshop process benefit from the chance to discover the over lapping areas of knowledge between the various disciplines (TAM 2004), as shown in the Figure 3. To enhance the success of the workshop, an isolated environment should be provided for the participants (Male et al. 1998a). The workshop can be hold in off-sit meeting room, and if not be possible a conference room at hotel can suitable solution (Norton and McElligott, 1995). Throughout this phase the agenda which was already prepared in the orientation and diagnosis phases would be discussed in details by the VM team. The group discussed these agenda and proposed two days workshop which will be conducted in a hotel. According to Hunter and Kelly (2007), in UK, it is normal to have one day workshop. Lenzer (2001) highlighted that there is an increasing pressure to conduct a workshop with shorter duration. Therefore, the two days proposed by the group seems to be reasonable. In other hand, However, it would be better if the group give accurate time for each single activity during constructing the agenda for the workshop. The agenda proposed by the team, he role of the facilitator, and the workshop process will be discussed in the next sections. Table (1) shows the duration of activities for the two days workshop proposed by the group. Day one from: 9.00am 12 pm Activities Introduction on roles and responsibilities Issue Analysis T/C/Q Client value matrix Project driver Strategic timeline LUNCH 1 pm to 4 pm Strategic function Needs and wants VM and VE separated two teams for brainstorm: Team1: Functional space analysis and User flow analysis and Team2: Element component function Close and dinner Day two From: 9 am -12 am Information review 2ndand 3rdsort LUNCH 1 pm to 5 pm Review development plan Prepare action plan Report sing off Table1: two days workshop activities proposed by the group. 5.2.1 Workshop facilitator According to Kaufman (2000), the main role of facilitator is to educate the team on the guiding principles, tools, techniques and methods of value management before and throughout the process of facilitating the project team. The facilitator involved before the project starts to determine the disciplines required on the team and the team size. For addition, skilled and experience facilitator is important for the successful of the workshop. The facilitator should have some skills which include setting the workshop agenda, mangling the workshop process, and producing the VM report (Baguley, 2005). The group decided that one facilitator would be used for the value management study. However, it will be more beneficial for the client if dual facilitators are used to. According to Dallas (2006), two facilitators are recommended option since they can help each other during the study and they can work for longer days, thus the clients can be sure that they will get value for money. Nunamaker et al. (1997), highlighted that many things can go wrong with teamwork, therefore, the group decision-making process may suffer from many difficulties and become unproductive. Thus, with dual facilitators this problem can be eliminated. The climate of the VM study and the workshop will not be collaborative. Many funding bodies and other stakeholder have different agenda and interests. With this issue in mind, the gap in funding the project is strong reason to assume adversarial climate of the workshop. More money is needed to cover this gap. This make the VM study much difficult since and a major surgery is needed to keep the project in truck. For those reasons, it is very important that a representative from each funding bodies attend the workshop phase. Consequently, two facilitators are needed to mange the VM study especially when the workshop becomes more intense due to large attendees especially during discussion of the function analysis which is the core of the workshop (Dallas, 2006). 5.2.2 The workshop agenda and process As stated before, the group decides that the total duration of the workshop is two days which are shown in details in table (1). According to Male et al. (1998a), the Charette type workshop may take from two to three days to fill the mind of the team with knowledge and then go through the process to generate solutions. Therefore, with two days schedule, some activities should be given more time and some techniques should be introduced or canceled. Table (2) and Table (3) show in details the authors proposed schedule for the first and second day of the workshop. The group divided the workshop process into four main stages. The first day of the workshop will include the first two phases which are information and creativity (back to basic) stages. The other two phases which are evaluation and development and action planning stages will be included in the second day. This framework is used by many researchers (Clancy and Dennis, 2004 ; Kelly et al., 2004). However, the techniques and tools adopted by the group during the above phases should be changed or re-shifted to allow sufficient time for some activities. For example, in the first day, it would be better to discus the project drivers as a part of issue analysis then starting TCQ analysis since the project drivers technique precedes TCQ analysis (Male et al. 1998a) Also, it would be better to extend the time for the first day up to 18:00 to give sufficient time to discus and construct the strategic function diagram and associated actives. In the second day, the group proposed to take the full mooring period to evaluate the new proposals and ideas. It would be better if the VM team starting developing the ideas after the tea break. First day of the workshop as proposed by the author At the first day of the workshop, the facilitator begins with introducing the agenda to the VM team. This will be followed by discussing issues analysis, identifying the client value system, then closing with applying function analysis. Below is the schedule for the first day of the workshop proposed by the author followed by discussion of the main agenda. 5.2.2.1 The information gathering stage. The group suggested to use some of the following activities in this stage during the mooring session .However, the author has re-shifted some major activities. Presentations and team building. Being the initial stage of the workshop, participants of the workshop introduce themselves and their knowledge and responsibilities to the VM team. According to Norton and McElligott (1995), it is good idea if the representatives of the client give brief introduction to the main objective of the VM study and show their commitment to the whole process The facilitator then will introduce the agenda and the main principles for all members of the VM study to bring them to the same level of knowledge of the key project issues (Baguley, 2005). Issues analysis and priorities. At this activity the facilitator will ask the VM members about all the issues which have great impact on the project. These issues will then ranked and prioritize by the VM team according to their degree of impact. According to Kelly et al. (2004) issues that can be addressed in this stage are those issues related to: funding, politics, project location, project parameters and constrains, community, time, and environment impact. (iii) Client value system. The group emphasised that client value system should be clearly identified and understood by VM members. The clients should give clear view about their value system. The clients value system consists of a number of interrelating parts which are derived from the client strategic management process. It is important that the representatives of the client speak at this activity where other members keep silent and listen (Kelley, et al., 2004) Time/Cost/ Quality analysis By forcing the client to consider the three issues of time, cost and quality in the VM study, project priorities can be established. This simple visual technique can lead to many different opinions. Once the triangle of Time/Cost/Quality constructed, procurement strategies and option can be reviewed (Male et al., 1998a). At this stage and before going for lunch, all critical issued and critical success factors should have been identified. Also client value system should be clearly determined and agreed with client representatives and VM members are conscious of its implication and consequences (Male and Kelly, 2004). 5.2.2.2 Back to basic stage (creativity and generating ideas) Function analysis is the methodical process of identifying functions and their related costs, and based on established criteria for the product or service, the need of those functions are evaluated. It can be considered as the core process of the VM study (Spaulding, 2005). When applying function analysis, the value management team will ask the question of why it is that the item exists rather than what it is than being reviewed (Norton and McElligott, 1995; Connaughton and Green 1996). As group mentioned, three techniques of function analysis will be applied. The first one is Function Analysis System Technique (FAST) which will be used directly after the lunch. For the other two techniques the VM team will be divided into two separate teams. The first team will apply the space analysis and second team will apply the element component analysis. FAST (Function Analysis System Technique) The group decided to establish the project FAST diagram since it is the core of the VM process. The duration of this activity is one hour. FAST is defined as a system which display functions in a rational sequence, prioritise them and test the dependency (Kaufman, 2003), Constructing the project FAST diagram begins with randomly brainstorming functions to generates ideas. This then followed by prioritizing the important functions. Once the dependency between function are established, project FAST diagram can be constructed (Male et al., 2004). Consensus is the main out put of the multi-disciplined team involved in a FAST exercise. To perform the next activates, the VM team will be divided into two teams. The first facilitator will be responsible for the functional space analysis activity. The attendees in this workshop include the key funding bodies and the Chief Executive. The second team will perform the element component analysis and will be facilitated by the second facilitator. The attendees of this activity include beside the facilitator the architect, cost consultant, and mechanical and electrical engineer The functional space analysis In this stage the VM team investigate that all space within the project or the building should performs a function, otherwise the space will be a waste of money and has no value. It essential

Displays of Love in Endymion and Tamburlaine Essay -- Marlowe Lily

Comparing and contrasting the kinds of love represented by Tellus and Endymion in Lyly’s comedy of errors, Edymion, and the love between Tamburlaine and Zenocrate in Marlowe’s Tamburlaine show similarities where passions drive lovers to capture suitors, but differ in one couple desiring the unattainable, and another taking action to attain. Love is presented in different ways, specifically in Lyly’s play the love is unattainable and unreal, as opposite in Marlowe’s play the love is attainable. Both, couples also have similarities when lovers are driven by their passions. We can judge Tellus by her actions and their consequences. If she loves Endymion, she has a strange way of showing it. Tellus in the end is responsible for arranging a sorceress to put him into a deep sleep that lasts decades and robs him of his youth. When confronted by Cynthia in 5.4, Tellus confesses her wicked actions and professes her love for Endymion. Tellus’ love for Endymion is so intense that it made her dangerously possessive of him. She tells Cynthia of a â€Å"not-to-be-expressed yet always-to-be-felt love.† (5.4.71) Tellus’ love sickens her, and when she realizes her lover loves another, her love turns into hate. Perhaps hate and love are similar in this play. They are similar in the way that they are intensely the extreme. Extreme love makes Tellus sick, and extreme hate makes her act on revenge to hurt her love. Her excuse for wicked ways is that her body was becoming sick from this kind of love. Her feelings are psychologically re al, but incredible unhealthy. She rationalizes her actions by pleading a kind of self-defense. Tellus is a dangerous, possessive woman, who probably never really experienced love that is kind, gentle a... ...n unattainable love, but Tamburlaine wins it through battle. Though Tamburlaine captures Zenocrate, he does not rape her. Instead, he professes to win her love and her heart with the only means he knows how – through battle. In conclusion, the lovers in Marlowe’s Tamburlaine and Edymion and Tellus in Lyly’s Endymion are all consumed and controlled by their passions. Both couple are relatively young in the psychologically stages of their love and both couples initially victims and capture love. Perhaps the greatest difference is that Marlowe has written a love story that ends in victory. Just as Tamburlaine is a great conquer in the battlefield, he, too is a great conquer in love. His prize is Zenocrate and her heart opens to him. Whereas Tamburlaine is victorious, our lovers, Endymion and Tellus, reach for the unattainable, and lose in the end.

Man the Hunter Revisited Essay -- Anthropology, Hunting

Man the Hunter: Revisited In 1966, a group of about fifty anthropologists met in Chicago for a conference that would later known as the â€Å"Man the Hunter† meeting. The meeting contrasted with earlier scholarship and presented a Hollywood approach to the topic of early man, one where our ancestors were strong, powerful, and in control of their environment. Anthropologists Sherwood L. Washburn and C.S. Lancaster (1968), both present at the conference claimed, â€Å"our intellect, interests, emotions, and basic social life—all are evolutionary products of the success of the hunting adaptation†. The book Man the Hunter that emerged from the conference forced a re-evaluation of human subsistence strategies and the role of the hunter in human society. Although the idea of man as hunter, and thus exclusive provider, was initially disproved when it was shown that humans also relied on scavenging and were indeed hunted, the theory maintains relevance in modern anthropology. The theory itself p ushed researchers to challenge prior assumptions regarding the role of females in society and helped develop the hunter-gatherer by sex theory that remains in place today. Importantly, whereas the original man as hunter thesis was groundbreaking because it challenged the scientific communities’ prior belief in an ancient man who was primitive and weak, modern researchers have built off of the man the hunter thesis and now debate the motivations for men to hunt. While our human ancestors may not have been the strong, bloodthirsty, killers once imagined by Raymond Dart, new studies conducted by modern anthropologists have revived this famous, yet once discarded theory. The authors who contributed to the Man the Hunter text (1968) concluded, â€Å"to assert th... ... from a more balanced perspective. Given the importance of the theory and its affect on how modern humans view our ancestral past, the studies themselves have exposed the depth of which cultural bias can affect scientific outcome. The male dominated research of the 1960’s produced an image of ancestral man akin to a comic superhero, large, brawny, and dominant. In response, the female literature of the 1970’s and 1980’s discredited the ideas and placed emphasis on the woman gatherer in early society. Likewise, modern research has attempted to distance itself from the bias of the past, however even today assumptions make there way in to the research. While the man the hunter theory may not be headline news in this modern era, present day research approaching our past from a more scientific approach appears to have restored credibility to the once tarnished model.

Disneyland: Now and then

I remember being a child and enjoying the smallest bit of happenings here and there. I remember watching cartoons and laughing till my stomach ached. I remember being innocent and lively. I remember going to Disneyland. My memories from back then are very clear and crisp in my mind even today. Disneyland is the dream world for kids and a place for perfect retreat. I can still think of the day when I was eleven and I was about to see Disneyland for the first time. I couldn’t restrain my enthusiasm and excitement as we entered the main gates of the land filled with magic and amazement.That’s how I perceived Disneyland when I was eleven; a land of wonders. I couldn’t wait to see Mickey and Donald smiling back at me. All the fun and frolic came alive to me, as I stepped in to the magical land of fairy tale. Today when I think about Disneyland, I do not contemplate it as a magic land or a land of wonders. For me, it is just any other amusement park or theme park, noth ing added. But what surprises me is the way my perception has changed towards the same thing in due course.Disneyland is the same; in fact it is believed to have grown for better in these years. But for me, it no longer remains a place of magic or enchantment. It only tells me one thing, I have moved far ahead and my childhood is still behind, lost in the memories of Disneyland. Disneyland meant to me, making the world of animation and cartoon come alive. Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy and Bugs Bunny were one of my favorite cartoon characters ever and watching them alive was like a dream come true.I remember being excited by the thought of seeing those characters in front of me. Like, when I was eleven, I ran with exhilaration to shake hands with the legendary Mickey Mouse. I couldn’t let his hand go; moreover, I hugged him and curled into his arms like he was my teddy bear. I asked my dad to take bundle of pictures with Mickey and Donald. Later, I framed those photographs and hung them up on the wall of my room. Moreover, for a long time, I thought of the moment I met Mickey, when I watched cartoon back at home.However, today, when I think of it, I feel a tinge of embarrassment. I would never hug Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck for that matter. Although, sometimes, I watch Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck cartoons on television, I do not think of those characters as real cartoons. I understand the fact that they are real people under the disguise of these famous cartoons trying to woo kids and entertain them to their best. I feel taking pictures with them as a laughable act and something only kids would want to do.My excitement level is as normal as it would be when I am at home, watching those cartoons. Additionally, when I first went to Disneyland Park, I had enjoyed and jumped in high spirits even for the all the small rides. The miniature circus train with cars designed as wild animal cages, the crazy tea cup ride, the chip and dale tree house, exploring Goofy’s house, the flight to fantasyland with jumbo, the merry go round, all made me roar out in laughter and eventually, I enjoyed every bit of my ride.The rides were long, simple but very enchanting. The joy found in those simple things was incomprehensible and ceaseless. The moments seemed to be so prized and exceptional, that even a camera couldn’t bind it in its flashlights and tape. When compared to the latest trip, the experiences, however, beg to differ. The rides seem to be ordinary, just like any other ride, in another amusement park. Every ride tries to test the patience by making us fall from huge heights, in dangerously simulated situations and backgrounds.All thrill rides seem to endow with higher risks, higher heights, more velocity and more twists. Even after finishing a single ride of few minutes of length, there is no sense of delight or bliss. The feeling of joy in the small things seems to have lost. It’s just not about having fun anymore. I t is only about moving from one ride to another, trying to finish as many rides as possible. Furthermore, when I was young, I remember being excited about the main street parade. I was so keyed up to watch the parade that I blocked seats an hour before the parade actually began.I was overwhelmed with the stunts and performances of all the characters. Consequently, I struck my eyes all along, without moving an inch. I waited till the end of the parade and not for a moment, thought about leaving early. Each character performing in the parade was special in its own way and I admired them all equally. Nonetheless, now when I think of it, it doesn’t seem to be as astonishing as before. Even though the performance of the artists remains of high caliber and incredible excellence, I do not seem to be attracted towards it.I remember the last time I visited Disneyland, my concerns were more towards driving back home. I didn’t want to block seats an hour before; neither did I wan t to stick till the end. I was getting late and I was more worried about the traffic. As a Conclusion, I believe that things change with times. Also, the way we perceive things, changes with changing times. When we are young, innocent children, we are ignorant to worries and responsibilities. Also, life seems much dreamier and everything looks like a play area.As we grow older, we seem to intertwine in the complications of life and start losing the small joys we can experience in moments of life that may seem insignificant and diminutive. The moments that are filled with immense joy and blissful entertainment are no longer observed. Life becomes fast with growing age and even a beautiful thing passes by, without being noticed. A place like Disneyland, that meant so much to me at one time in my life, no longer holds the meaning it used to. I seem to have lost my innocent childhood in the fast life, in the race to achieve something more.

Essay on Indiaâ€an Emerging Power in the World Essay

Rare are the moments in history when a nation suddenly captures the imagination of the world. For India, those rare moments have arrived. The country is achieving a high economic growth of over 8 per cent of its GDP annually, on a consistent basis. In fact, India’s economic growth rate is second highest in the world-next only to China. The developed world has been left behind. The two Asian giants-India and China have today turned the leaders of growth of the global economy. One can get the measure of India’s resurgent economy from the fact that the world GDP growth is around 4 per cent. For advanced countries, the growth rate is around 3. 5 per cent, while India is maintaining its GDP growth around 8. 5 per cent of its GDP. The economic experts feel that the average world’s growth rates could have been dismal if they had not been boosted by the resurgent economies of India and China. It is the high growth rates of these two Asian giants that are keeping the global economy floating and preventing it from sinking in deep depression. India’s growth rate, though quite remarkable at present is about two per cent lower than that of China. But the country is fast catching up with its eastern neighbour, and the predictions are that India will soon overtake China-which started its economic reforms in 1979-full 12 years earlier than India. India started its economic reforms in 1991 amidst deep economic crisis. The process of reforms was halted with the exit of Narsimha Rao’s government in 1996. By late 1990s and the early years of the new millennium, the reforms were slowed down as the Left parties in the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) were against privatisation and globalisation of Indian economy. However, the process of reforms gathered momentum when Dr. Manmohan Singh-the Finance Minister in Rao’s government and the author of economic reforms became the Prime Minister in the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance. Though the compulsions of coalition politics prevent him from putting reform process in full swing, yet the reform process is being accelerated. The industrial production has been achieving high growth- in the vicinity of 15 per cent year-on-year. The production has covered large-scale medium, small-scale and tiny industries. There has been a balance in various types of industries like mining and quarrying, steel and cement, primary industries as well as secondary industries. The range of production has been very vast including electronics, textile, transportation, pharmaceuticals, power generation, electricals, various types of consumer durables, etc. As a result of high production, the local business in these items has flourished leading to increased corporate profits, a high rate of saving and investment and hence, capital formation. The revenue that the government earns in the shape of taxes-direct as well as indirect has increased many-fold. With this increase in revenue the government has been able to set up new projects for development, and complete already started projects. Many sick industrial units have either been merged with other healthy units or have been rehabilitated with additional grants. Development in the industrial sector has given new opportunities in trade and employment to millions of people. Our computer software and Information Technology have progressed by leaps and bounds during the last decade. Many computer software parks and IT-enabled services parks have been set up in different cities such as Bangalore, Chennai, Gurgaon, Hyderabad, Noida and elsewhere. The number of companies doing such business has increased more than 100 per cent during the last ten years. India has become an expert in computer technology. Several companies from Europe and America are outsourcing their business through India. Our major IT companies like Infosys, TCS, Wipro, Satyam Computers, Tech Mahindra and HCL are generating profit of millions of rupees every year. A number of call centres have come up in major cities to cater to the needs of outsourcing business. Our exports have almost doubled during the last four years. The foreign exchange reserves have crossed US $ 200 billion which have given India a great financial strength. Our rupee has become very strong against the other international currencies- notably dollar, pound and euro. However, there is poverty amidst plenty in many areas. Millions people live in poverty and destitution. They do not have even the basic amenities of life, viz. ood, clothing and shelter. This is because of the large size of our population, illiteracy, poor public distribution system and corruption. But, things are improving fast in India. Centuries of exploitative rule by the British had drained India of its wealth. After achieving independence, the country had a great task of rebuilding the basic infrastructure, spread education and bring new technology. The planned growth put the country back on track. Today, the literacy rate has improved to over 75 per cent, the per capita income has rossed Rs 25,000, health care facilities are available in every part of the country, and employment opportunities are growing. The large size of the population is actually a great source which can lead the country to dizzy heights. Nearly fifty per cent of our population is young which means a great working potential, which, if properly utilized can increase production and eradicate poverty. India is the biggest democracy in the world. The governments at the centre as well as at the states level are elected on the basis of universal adult franchise. Although the country is a melting pot of different communities, religious and languages, all enjoy equal rights and share the same responsibilities. There is no distinction between people on the basis of caste, creed and religion. The political structure is well laid down in the tenets of the Constitution so that there is no political crisis. There has been a stable political atmosphere in the country right from independence. The political deadlocks, if any, are resolved peacefully. Such stability and system has served as an abject lesson for many other countries and enhanced India’s stature in the world at large. India’s foreign policy also has been open and clear-aiming to develop friendly relations with other countries, including its neighbours. At international meetins and conferences, India is given a pride-of-place. The developing countries look to India for guidance and help. Militarily, India is one of the strongest countries in the world. Having the third largest army in the world, it has a huge arsenal of weaponry including nuclear weapons. Its Army, Navy and Air Force are always ready to meet any challenge. India believes in having peaceful relations with other countries, but in today’s world of changing equation, it is necessary to have a military might to deter other countries to do any mischief. During the last decade or so, India has shown a tremendous all-round progress. Its economy has grown at face pace; the social life of people has in general been peaceful and progressive. The main indicators like literacy, per capita income, employment, etc. have been positive. The rights of people are well protected. The world is now looking at India with a renewed respect-as it is an emerging power in the world.