Lenin had a greater impact on Russia’s economy and society than any other Ruler. How far do you agree with this view of the period from 1855 to 1964? Essay

Lenin had a greater impact on Russia’s economy and society than any other Ruler. How far do you agree with this view of the period from 1855 to 1964? Over the period from 1855 to 1964, Russia saw various reforms and policies under the Tsars and the Communist leaders that had great impacts on its economy and society both positive and negative. Lenin definitely implanted polices that changed society and the economy for example with war communism. However whether his policies had the greatest impact is debatable and in this essay I will be assessing the view whether Lenin had the greatest impact on Russia’s economy and society than any other ruler between the period from 1855-1964. The Russia economy in terms of industry fluctuated over the period from 1855-1964. It is key to note that under all the leaders, industrialisation and modernisation was always seen as an essential economic aim. Under Alexander II, with Reutern as his Minister of finance who adopted an approach t hat revolved around continued railway construction, attraction of foreign expertise and foreign investment capital. As a result modernisation and expansion occurred within the staples as well as newer industries which show the impact that alexander II made on industry. Reutern achieved a sevenfold increase in the amount of railway and the capacity of railway to carry break bulk at speed increased which gave a major boost to industrial output Russia seemed to be finally moving towards industrialisation and keeping up with the West. This approach was similar under Nicolas II who also managed to have a great impact on Russia’s industrial economy. This was through the work of Sergei Witte whom at the time of his appointment the Russian economy still resolved predominantly around agricultural production further showing that under Alexander II impacts was limited. Witte continued the idea of foreign expertise as well as taking out foreign loans, raising taxes and interest rates to boost available capital for investment in industry. Another major development was the placement of the rouble on the gold standard in 1897. The impacts of Witte’s policies were great. Coal production doubled and that of iron and steel increased sevenfold while the total amount of railway track opened rose from 29,183 km to 52,612 km in 1901. Much of this stimulated the stupendous growth in capital abroad. There was an indication that income started to even catch up with other industrialised nations seen and income  earned from industry rose from 42 million to 161 roubles by 1897. This period of industrial success has even been named the ‘Great Spurt’ and the increase in industrial production of 7.5% far exceeded Russian achievement for any comparable period before 1914 which shows that Nicholas II had the greatest impact on the industrial economy than any other Tsar. This focus on heavy industry was continued under Stalin who implanted his five year plans; industrialisation was to be stimulated through the settin g production targets. The effects were great increase in industrial output which hard to state specifically as much of the production figures were falsified. Khrushchev mostly continued Stain’s centralisation with greater diversion as he wanted to produce more consumer goods. There was however a slowdown in growth under Khrushchev but it wasn’t a huge impact and illustrates a negative impact. This however didn’t compare to negative impacts seen under Lenin. By November 1917 Lenin stated implemented War Communism by introducing state capitalism. This involved the state taking complete control over the economy until it could ‘safely’ be handed over to the proletariat. Nationalisation by itself did nothing to increase production; military needs were given priority so that resources to those industries not considered essential were denied. The situation was made more serious by the factories being deprived of manpower as a result of conscription. The problem for industry was deepened by hyperinflation. The government’s policy on continuing to print currency notes effectively destroyed the value of money and by the end of 1920 the rouble had fallen to 1 per cent of its worthin1917. Although Lenin’s NEP started to impact industry positively and indeed industrial output increased rapidly it only ever reached the level of output in 1914. Overall, the greatest positive impact on industry arguably is under Nicholas II. Industrial output over doubled under him, railway construction expanded rapidly and his policies impacted the people as well people saw living standards increase unlike under Stalin that despite growth living standards actuall y deteriorated and Russia could have seen to be on its way to true industrialisation. Whilst under Lenin it is clear that he had the greatest negative impact on the industrial economy. There was no industrial growth and Lenin only benefited through tighter control of Russia through the economy. As well as impacts on industry it is also important to consider impacts on agriculture. The issue of land ownership can be seen to  be handled differently under each leader. Alexander II, Lenin and Stalin all pursued that effectively had negative impacts on agriculture. With the emancipation of the serfs in 1861 the peasants were ‘free’ and no longer tied to the land. The impacts however were reversal. Peasants were allocated poor quality land and received less on average than they had been farming before emancipation. Furthermore peasants were forced to pay redemption dues that were higher than what they could achieve. In the end, the impacts on the peasants were they were worse off and able peasants had no incentive to produce surpluses and were reluctant to improve the land as decisions about what was to be produces and how crops were to be cultivated were decided by the village Mir, which resulted in a slight fall in grain overall. These effects however were more severe under Lenin and Stalin as they sought to increase grain production by coercion. While Lenin under War communism used grain requisitioning to forcefully collect peasant surpluses from them Stalin used collectivisation to force peasants to collaborate to produce as much food as possible. Similarly in both cases the peasants refused to conform; knowing that any surplus would be confiscated the peasant produced the barest minimum to feed themselves and their family and even less food was available for Russia. One of the greatest imp acts were the famines that occurred in 1921 under Lenin where the grain harvest produced less than half the amount gathered in 1931 and Russia had international help from countries such as the USA. However these impacts were the greatest under Stalin. The amount of bread produced fell from 250.4 (kilograms per head) in 1928 to 214.6 in 1932. The impacts of collectivisation were at its worst in 1932-32 when occurred what many people describe as a self-made national famine. Stalin’s ‘’official silence’’ of the situation meant it wasn’t addressed and thus collectivisation killed between 10-15 million peasants and failed to increase agricultural output. Though a similar devastating famine occurred under Alexander III in which he adopted the Peasant land banks to try and alleviate the impacts and encourage farming again and in fact famines occurred over Russian history its severity was the worst under Stalin. Alexander II’s attempt to pacify the peasants to increase agricultural levels was similarly adopted under Nicholas II through the reforms of Stolypin and further under Khrushchev. Stolypin’s ‘wager on the strong’ saw that in that period peasants were paying increasingly higher taxes a sign  that their new farming was producing higher profits. The provision of land backs, abolition of redemption dues and being urged to replace inefficient strip system created a wealthier group of peasants later labelled the kulaks by communist leaders signifying that Nicholas II enjoyed higher agricultural profits. The schemes for larger-scale voluntary resettlement of peasants are a continuation under Khrushchev whos e Virgin Land Campaigns encouraged the increase in the amount of land being cultivated. In 1950, 96 million acres of land were given over to the production of wheat and by 1964 this increased to 165 million acres. His policies seem to have even impacted citizens as urban dwellers started to feel that their food requirements were at last being adequately met. Thus Khrushchev can be seen to have the greatest positive impact on agriculture as the Russian people had finally felt that the food was enough for them and the amount of land and grain cultivated increased. While the greatest negative impact was prominently under Stalin, his collectivisation was met by peasant unrest and grain and livestock destruction that lead to a damning national famine. Both the Tsars and the Communist leaders had their impacts on the Russian society. Religion and the idea that the Tsar was Gods own appointed continued under all three Tsars, so there was no real impact by any on the tsars on religion as they sought to keep this religious through the aid of the Russian Orthodox Church; the Russian people truly believed that the Tsar was appointed by God and referred to him as their ‘little father’. Despite Lenin coming into power and issuing the’ decree on the separation of the church and state’ which meant that the church was no longer to have central organisation with authority over local organisations, religious teachings in schools being forbidden and the attempt to eradicate religion Peasants continued to pray and worship as their forebears had but they could no longer risk doing it so publicly. Hence showing the Tsars had a greater impact in terms of religion than the communist leaders as all their efforts to eradicate religion and enforce atheism effectively failed. Both the Tsars and the communist attempted to expand the provision of education at all levels. Alexander II is seen to make attempts that increased the number of Russians in education. In 1864 Alexander II introduced a major education reform. This had an immediate impact in the number of available school places, especially in more isolate places and raised the quality and variety of provision which  improved. Such continuation can be seen under Khrushchev who scrapped school fees and the creation of specialist academies and the spread of correspondence courses sought to increase the quality of education in Russia. Nicholas II and Stalin’s educational policies can be seen as similar in that they both impacted society similarly by raising the number of students attending school. The number of primary schools rose from 79 thousand in 1896 to 81 thousand in 1914 under Nicholas II ( work of the fourth duma) while in 1929 only 8 million pupils were attending primary school and in 1930 this rose to 18 million pupils. Furthermore under Stalin emerged the cult of personality that aimed to control all aspects of Russian life. Censorship and propaganda increased drastically under Stalin; however whether Stalin truly had an impact on the culture and the way of thinking is debatable. The applause that greeted his every appearance in public is more likely to have been a matter of prudence than o f real affection. In comparison to the leaders already mention Alexander III sought to limit university autonomy. Under him elections to the university councils were scrapped and placed by an appointment system but nevertheless universities continued to flourish. Overall although Alexander II can be seen to have stimulated educational growth participation the greatest impacts were seen under Nicholas II and Stalin which participation increased immensely. Although the Communist leaders tried to eradicate the church from society many of the Russian population remained orthodox but secretly illustrating the strong impacts the Tars had over religion. In conclusion, it can be seen that different rulers had various impacts on many parts of the economy and society. Industrially Lenin did have the greatest negative impact as the Russia didn’t see any real economic growth and saw a great famine. However under Nicholas II Russia enjoyed the great Spurt which arguably could have seen to have a greater positive impact as it even filtered to the Russian citizens that enjoyed better standards of living and many historians express that Russia was well on its way to industrialisation. Lenin again had a great negative impact on agriculture but that of Stalin was more severe and was worse on agricultural produce. Overall, though Lenin had great impacts of different aspects of life other rulers can be seen to have had a greater impact whether positive or negative and Lenin never truly managed to have a true impact on Russian society and culture though attempted.

Corruption of Love Within the Inncocent Essay

Within the works of William Shakespeare’s Othello, Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein the concept of love is found within characters that are innocent and filled with good intentions. In all three works, love fills specified characters with joy and gratefulness towards the other characters who they claim to love. Unfortunately, the characters that experience love are only satisfied with its graces until it somehow gets corrupted. The minds of the victimized characters are filled with anger, hatred, and some with the idea of vengeance. Corruption of love within Othello, Dracula, and Frankenstein come with causes and effects. In the two works Frankenstein and Othello, both Frankenstein’s creation and Othello were in love. The creature was in love with the cottagers and Othello was in love with Desdemona. When being presented with evidence to no longer feel love towards the people they claim to admire- it causes them to hate. The corruption in the relationships of Jonathan Harker from Dracula and Victor Frankenstein from the novel Frankenstein is primarily caused by the supernatural beings working against them. Frankenstein’s love (Elizabeth) is murdered by the beast he creates, and Jonathan’s love (Mina) was corrupted when she is bitten by Dracula. The effect of love being corrupted in the works Frankenstein and Dracula results with the characters to seek revenge and to stop Frankenstein’s creature and Dracula from causing more pain to humanity. As a result of the characters Othello and the monster created by Frankenstein having their love corrupted, they murder the people who they see as the motivation for all of their actions. Once these characters come to a realization of their mistakes, it is too late and they commit suicide. Thus the works of William Shakespeare’s Othello, Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein all focus on the causes and effects of love being corrupted within the innocent and how it changes its victims for the worst. The creation of Frankenstein from the novel Frankenstein and Othello from the play Othello are b oth affectionate towards the ones they love. The creature loves the cottagers and Othello is in love with Desdemona. They put their loved ones on a pedestal and admire them for the many things they do. The cottagers taught the creation of Frankenstein how to socialize; how to speak, how to show affection towards others, to work with others, how to be humble, etc. By fascinating him and impressing him with the ways they lived their lives, he grew to love them without having to make a personal appearance. Othello is in love with a woman who he believes is forever loyal to him. Desdemona proves her love for Othello when she agrees to elope with him. As a token of Othello’s love, he presents Desdemona with a handkerchief that belonged to his mother. However, when the creation of Victor Frankenstein and Othello are given evidence that the ones they love are no longer worthy of their affection- their attitudes change completely and they let go of all previous feelings. Frankenstein’s creature had bad encounters with humans in the past, but from his observations of the De Lacey’s, he assumes they are different and won’t reject him. After discovering that he would undergo the same harsh treatment from his beloved cottagers as those from the other village, it is stated by the beast himself, â€Å"I could with pleasure have destroyed the cottage and its inhabitants and have glutted myself with their shrieks and misery† (125). He then changes his feelings of love towards humanity into hate, and swears to get revenge on the man who created and abandoned him to be tortured and neglected. Othello is told that his wife has been having affairs with one of his most trusted companions (Cassio). He dismisses the thought immediately and sees no threat until he is provided with visual proof from Iago. After seeing Cassio with his mother’s handkerchief, Othello perceives the innocent Desdemona as guilty. â€Å"Ay, let her rot and perish and be damned tonight, for she Shall not live† (4.1.172) exclaims Othello. The situation makes him so enraged that he no longer cares for her existence and he is now willing to get prepared to execute her. Therefore, the characters Othello and Frankenstein’s creation are filled with hatred and the need for vengeance once they feel that they are victims whose love has been corrupted and abused. The supernatural beings Count Dracula from the novel Dracula and the monster produced by Victor Frankenstein from the novel Frankenstein work as the main forces that contribute to the corruption of the relationships of Jonathan Harker and Victor Frankenstein. Jonathan constantly shows his affection towards Mina by portraying her to be his motivation to stay alive in Dracula’s castle. Both he and his betrothed are anxious to be reunited. Growing up together, Frankenstein has always been very fond of Elizabeth. Both characters come to the conclusion that they share mutual feelings of love towards one another and decide to get married. Both couples remain happy until they have encounters with beings that have selfish intentions of destroying their relationships for their satisfaction. It is stated by Count Dracula, â€Å"Your girls that you all love are mine already; and through them you and others shall yet be mine— my creatures, to do all my bidding and to be my jackals when I want to feed† (332). The quote implies that the female characters in the novel Dracula- like Mina Harker are no longer bonded with their lovers but are enslaved by The Count. When being held under the power of Dracula, Mina is not in her right state of mind and she no longer prioritizes her love for Jonathan. Victor Frankenstein is given an ultimatum by his creature to create a companion. However, Victor is unwilling because he does not want to be responsible for more chaos that could potentially be caused. After being denied of his request, the monster threatens, â€Å"I will be with you on your wedding night† (Frankenstein, 158), and the thought alone tormented Frankenstein. On Victor’s wedding night, the words of the monster were no longer a threat, but reality. Elizabeth was found murdered in their room. Therefore, when Count Dracula bites Mina and the monster created by Frankenstein murders Elizabeth; they corrupt the love of both couples by preventing the women to love their partners back. When love is corrupted in the two works Frankenstein and Dracula, outcomes are characters who want to seek revenge and to defeat both fiends before they cause more chaos and pain. The creature created by Frankenstein has proved itself to be dangerous to humanity. At first, the people who hadpersonal encounters with him just assumed he was a threat because of his appearance. After being so tired of being rejected, the beast shows himself as someone who would kill innocent people for satisfaction. Specifically, he targets Victor’s loved ones as a punishment for creating him and abandoning him in an atmosphere that does not accept him. In the novel Dracula, The Count is seen as a hazard as well. In one of his many forms, he approaches the innocent and attacks them with a bite so he can use them for his selfish needs. After the loss of practically everyone he holds dear to him, Victor decides that he has been through enough. â€Å"I devote myself, either in my life or death to hi s destruction† (191), concluded Victor confidently. By saying so, Victor made the commitment to devote the rest of his life to finding the beast that destroyed the lives of so many innocent people. The warning, â€Å"We must either capture or kill this monster in his lair; or we must, so to speak, sterilise the earth† (261), is said to inform that it is requirement to put an end to Dracula in order to save the rest of the human race from becoming his slaves. With that being said, Van Helsing and the other male characters eagerly set out on the hunt for Dracula. Therefore, results of love being corrupted within the works Dracula and Frankenstein are the affected characters feeling obligated to avenge the death of their loved ones and destroy those who inflicted pain so they can not hurt anyone else. Committing murder is a result of corrupted love in regards to the characters Othello from the work Othello and the monster created by Frankenstein from the novel Frankenstein. The two types of murders that occur are ones directed towards people seen as the cause for feelings of being Victimized, and suicide from guilt and regret. Being persuaded that he has been betrayed by the innocent Desdemona, Othello is enraged by the idea and declares, â€Å"Yet she must die, else she’ll betray more men† (5.2.6). Determined to put an end to his wife, Othello does not realize that he is falsely accusing Desdemona, and is making a huge mistake by bringing her to her death bed. At first, the beast feels remorse for being responsible for personally taking two innocent lives. However, after being denied a companion, the monster of Frankenstein is filled with hatred and believes that it is essential for his creator to feel just as lonely as he does. He is not satisfied until all the loved ones in the life of Victor Cabildo Frankenstein are dead. After finally being revealed the truth about Desdemona’s innocence by Bianca, Othello is filled with shame, misery and regret. To punish himself for being responsible of destroying the love of his life, he kills himself to join her in the afterlife. Once the beast discovers the recent death of his creator he says, â€Å"What does it avail that I now ask thee to pardon me? I, who irretrievably destroyed thee by destroying all thou lovedst† (Frankenstein, 209). Feeling guilty and responsible of the situation, like Othello, the beast also decides to join the deceased by murdering himself. Therefore, the characters in the works Othello and Frankenstein who act as villains commit suicide because of the shame and regret that overwhelms their consciences when they realize they have murdered innocent people. Corruption of love in the relationships of the innocent characters in the works of William Shakespeare’s Othello, Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Mary Shelly’s Frankenstein are based on the causes and effects and how it alters its innocent targets to becoming their worst. Characters like Othello and the creation of Frankenstein freely showed their affection until they were provided with reason to express hatred. Thanks to the supernatural villains in the works Dracula and Frankenstein, love was corrupted in the relationships of Jonathan Harker and Victor Frankenstein when they could no longer approach their loved ones in the same way. When love was corrupted in the works Dracula and Frankenstein, the affected characters felt obligated to seek revenge and prevent any harm towards the rest of humanity by putting an end to the villains that posed a threat. By being affected by corrupted love, the characters Othello and the monster of Frankenstein even resorted to murdering innocent lives. Unfortunately they did not identify the mistakes that were made until it was too late. Out of guilt and shame of their actions and the villains commit suicide to join the ones they killed. With so many lives being lost throughout the three works, it can be seen as a tragedy. The love of those lost can never be expressed or brought back; and that defines the situation as turning out for the worst. Therefore, negative interferences in any shape or form contribute to the corruption of love within the innocent characters from the three works- which leads to the motivation for revenge and killing. Work Cited: Shakespeare, William. Othello New York: Washington Square Press: 1993. Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein New York: Bantam: 2004. Stade, George. â€Å"Introduction†. Dracula New York: Bantam, 2006 v-xiv. Stoker, Bram. Dracula New York: Bantam: 2004.

On Site Wellness Programs in Corporate America Essay

On site wellness programs are now focal points in major corporate organizations in America, as company managers attempt to improve the health and well being of their employees, in order to control health care costs. Some health conditions can be diagnosed early by building health awareness among employees, and carrying out screening campaigns. Early diagnosis also ensures that health problems are treated on time, to decrease the risk of complications arising, thus reducing overall health care costs, and improving or maintaining employees’ optimal health status, and work performance. In the early 1990s, managed care plans were implemented, which helped in the control of increasing health care costs. Organizations continued throughout the 1990s to upgrade their health care plans, in an effort to further reduce health care costs. As we entered the beginning of the millennium, it became increasingly difficult for these modifications to contain the continuous rise in health care costs. It became clear that it was necessary have additional measures in place. Wellness in a corporate environment begins with a conscious decision to shape employees’ habits to fit into a healthy lifestyle. This conscious effort is a much better alternative in the long run, than dependency on drugs and doctors. This encompasses employee education, fitness, adequate and proper nutrition, stress reduction and mental health. Most times, employees in a corporate organization are plagued by Poor exercise habits, High stress levels, High cholesterol, Former or current use of tobacco products, and extreme weight (either too high or too low body weight). Employees whose lifestyles include health risks like smoking, drinking, and who get little or no exercise become overweight at a rate that is 75% higher than those of employees who participate in wellness programs and activities. High-risk employees at this Grand Rapids, Michigan-furniture manufacturing company who improved their health habits through the company’s health promotion program and became low risk cut their average medical claims in half thus lowering their medical insurance costs by an average of $618 per year. If all high-risk employees (20% of the total employee population) in one location changed their lifestyles to become low risk, the projected savings could total $20 million over three years. The Steelcase study that correlated health risk and lifestyle assessments with medical claim costs showed that employees who were high risk in 1985 but had shifted to a low risk profile by 1998 had much lower medical claims from 1988-1990. (2004). In 1985, Average annual claims increased from $1,155 to about $1,677. Medical claims also remained at approximately the same level for low risk employees, both in 1985 and 1988. But those who went from low risk to high risk in the same period saw an increase in their medical claims from about $655 to $1,513. Ten years into a 20-year study of Steelcase Inc, a conducted by the University of Michigan, the following results were evident — high-risk employees who dropped to low-risk through participation in health and fitness programs at work decreased their average annual medical claims by 54 percent. In contrast, high-risk individuals who remained high-risk increased their costs by 26 percent. And low-risk employees who became high-risk increased their annual claims by 130 percent. To establish and continue with a corporate lifestyle that is consistent with wellness principles of wellness and well-being on a daily basis, is not an easy task . Most people who do not indulge in exercise and wellness activities say that they simply don’t have time to exercise. Indeed, various work-life surveys have shown that about 84. percent of employees in corporate organizations are in a constant struggle to maintain their fitness levels and their health. In 1999, a study on corporate wellness was carried out by the Lewin Group. This study confirmed that obesity among corporate employees greatly increases the risk of developing chronic heath conditions, and it was also discovered that about 22% of the working adult population have obesity related problems. Obesity and excess weight are directly responsible for 31% of health care costs in corporate America. The fifteen ailments involved in the study included breast cancer, arthritis, endometrial cancer, colorectal cancer, Type II diabetes, end stage renal disease, gall bladder disease, heart disease, hypertension, renal cell cancer, sleep apnea, liver disease, low back pain, urinary incontinence, and stroke. People with a BMI (Body Mass Index) that is above 35 are 6. 61 times more at risk of having Type II diabetes than people with a BMI that is less than 25. employees with high BMI are also 3. 77 percent more at risk of being hypertensive. Lifestyle related conditions are disorders that can be positively or negatively impacted by lifestyle behaviors such as eating habits, wellness checkups, exercise, safety habits, and alcohol and substance abuse. Other behaviors such as adherence to physician prescribed therapies and medication have a direct impact on outcomes and utilization. By practicing healthy lifestyle behaviors and adhering to prescribed plans of care, individuals can improve their health and decrease risk of illness, accident or injury. By doing so, related health care costs can be significantly reduced. Lifestyle Related Conditions also account for over 50% of health care related costs (CDC). Research indicates that early detection and/or practice of health promoting behavior can significantly decrease the severity of Lifestyle Related Conditions (hypertensives can be removed from medication, etc. ) or even prevent their occurrence (cancer, heart disease, etc. ). There are effective programs available that use the latest behavior change techniques that are designed to reduce risks and associated costs for illness, prevent illness, and help individuals develop patterns of behavior that enhance their health. It has also been found that one in every four Americans suffer from have high blood pressure but 35% are undiagnosed (AHA). Undiagnosed individuals sometimes end up in emergency situations or when diagnosed, their illness is at a more costly, critical stage like bone fracture, stroke, heart attack, late stage cancer, blindness, and so on. 50% of men and 33% of women are going to get cancer in their lifetime; and 2/3rds of the time it could have been prevented. Research indicates that approximately 13% of women and 9% of men fail to get the care they need.

This article, titled On Being an Atheist, was written by H. J Essay

This article, titled On Being an Atheist, was written by H. J. McCloskey - Essay Example While any person pursues earnest efforts for the purposes of ensuring pursuit of law of Karma that only with limited faith in God entails good results. The case for presentation of arguments is based on comments that would amplify the light of approach on various aspects of building up points to ponder. It is also applicable whether or not it is essential that the following of God should be pursued and to what to extent. Sometimes in too much pursuit of God an impediment is caused for not establishing belief and being practical for getting the desired results. The time should be balanced between prayer and actual achievement of results by putting in the desired level of efforts in accomplishment of work. (McCloskey, 1968) The cosmological arguments as the name stands amplifies equivalent to the philosophy for building up an argument that would derive the existence of a world order. This accentuates spelling out an argument for an illustrious connotation. This exemplifies honorable virtues for bringing about a grand finale to the ensemble that is replete with abundance of pursuits. The awakening that would mastermind myriads of aspects that opens up vistas for sharp acumen for not withdrawing relentless pursuits. The endeavor is on the threshold of a balanced approach in philosophy as well as achievement oriented magnificence of an approach that is commendable. The author McCloskey (1964) is created with an emphasis on various aspects for creating an ambience that would exonerate the various awakenings in the process of healthy achievement that would ensure happiness. The capability would accentuate an approach that is thorough with a knowledge enriched with myriads of ideas invoking knowledge explosi on in the right perspective and direction. It should be ensured that an attraction bereft of minute analysis invoking knowledge that would exemplify the performance for ensuring a positive thrust emboldening wisdom. A balance of mind and

Three advantages of having globalization in Islamic Societies Term Paper

Three advantages of having globalization in Islamic Societies - Term Paper Example Globalization's flourishing of education has numerous advantages to Islamic Societies. First is the benefit of education that will not only make Muslims educated but will also enable them to fulfill their duties of attaining education (IslamiCentre 1). Through globalization, education will also become accessible to everybody and this will include the poor who would hugely benefit from a universal education because it would become affordable (if not free) and accessible to them (YaleInsights 1). Education will suddenly be transformed from being only available to the few and the elite to the general masses of Muslim. Globalization will also become education cheaper and thereby, affordable for almost every Muslim. The Muslims who never saw a classroom or a teacher can now be reached through globalization's global village that the day will come that every Muslim will become educated making Islamic society the center of learning again. Globalization’s advantage will also help propa gate the proper teachings of Islam. Its scholars would be able to reach more Muslims and this would result to more educated Muslims understanding the Quran and in the process helping them to become better Muslims and better persons. The proper teaching of Islam will also prevent its misuse where evil deeds are committed its name. Through the proper teaching of Islam, the extremists can no longer justify their acts because Muslims will find it unacceptable having understood the Quran well for they are properly educated. In the same manner, the West can no longer blame Islam for its terror because it will understand that Islam is never a religion of conflict and ignorance but a rather religion of peace and learning. A globalized environment will also increase the cooperation and collaboration between Islamic nations and it can lead to economic success in different Islamic countries. This can be done through increased trade, mutual protection and greater cooperation. Thus, poverty in t he Muslim world will cease and Islam can no longer be blamed for poverty. This will strengthen Islamic societies because when they are no longer poor, they will have more time and energy for study and self-development. In the process it will make Muslims closer to one another and in so doing, strengthens the bond between them making them brothers and sisters in Islam. This bond brought by globalization can address the common issue of Islam's fragmentation that Shininy stated in his study that there is lack of unity between various Arab nations. With globalization, there will be more opportunities for Muslims around the world to interact thereby making Muslims united again. In addition, globalization will make the mobility of people faster and this will help Muslims visit each other to foster unity. This unity can also counter the influence of the Western world and preserve the culture and tradition of Islam which had been assailed since (Shibiny X). In addition to the preservation o f Islamic culture and tradition from the influence of the West, globalization's trade can also lead to the strengthening of the ties of different nations in the Islamic world

Consumer behaviour report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Consumer behaviour report - Essay Example Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 List of Figures and Tables 4 Introduction 5 Problem Statement 5 Research Background 5 Research Limitations 7 Literature Review 8 Theory of Planned behaviour 8 Automobile Industry 8 Key Insights 11 Research Methodology 12 Research Design 12 Research Methods 12 Data Collection 12 Primary Research 13 Secondary Research 14 Findings and Analysis 15 Findings 15 Primary Research 15 Secondary Research 19 Proposed Marketing Strategies 21 Conclusion 25 Reference 26 Appendix 1 Questionnaire 28 List of Figures and Tables Figure 1 Theory of Planned Behaviour 8 Figure 2 Age 15 Figure 3 Gender 16 Figure 4 Source of Information 16 Figure 5 Factors influencing buying decision 17 Figure 6 Preference of Hybrid car 18 Figure 7 Reasons of hybrid car selection 18 Table 1 Secondary Desk Research 14 Introduction Problem Statement To understand the factors affecting consumer behaviour and consumer decision making process for the hybrid car products. Research Background A utomobile market is flooded with various choices of models to cater needs of consumers of different categories. There are many companies like Toyota, Ford, GM, Honda, Suzuki and others operating in the global market place and serving varying needs of consumers and markets. ... Ford is a well established brand name in the premium segment. The trend of manufacturing of environment friendly hybrid cars which reduces the level of pollution resulted from the traditional cars and engines have increased. Increasing awareness created demand for such environmental friendly products. Toyota has launched maximum number of successful variants in this category. At the same time other companies are following Toyota to gain from this growing segment by developing their own hybrid products. Lesser carbon di-oxide emission and higher environmental friendly nature increases the social acceptance of such cars. However there are technical limitations of these cars where researches are continued. The main hybrid variants available in the market place are the Toyota Prius, Honda Insight, and the Honda Civic Hybrids. Research Aims Research aim is to study consumer behaviour of the prospective automobile buyers for the hybrid cars in the Australian automobile sector. Research obj ectives: To understand the factors that affects the consumer decision making process To explore the marketing mix strategies adopted by the marketers in the marketing of different hybrid cars. Research Rationale This research helped in studying various aspects of the consumer behaviour for the hybrid car segment and developing a better strategic approach for the marketing of these products. Research Limitations Time, resource and location based restrictions are the primary set of limitations. Within the scope of study, researcher tried to fulfil the research aim and objectives. This study can be furthered for in-depth study on deep analysis of the focus of companies in hybrid car segment and capturing changing trends in

Aramex Product Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Aramex Product Strategy - Essay Example For a very long time, the company had focused its attention on the areas of international and domestic express, freight forwarding, and logistics. But due to the need to retain its stage on the product lifecycle as a maturing company, there has been the introduction of the shopping and shipping system as a new product development to match up the new class. With this new dimension, the company is able to deal with a larger population size without thinking of proximity as a limitation2. This is said against the backdrop that the company is fired up now to use the power of technology not only to make customers visit their shops to buy products, but to shop online and have their products shipped to them. As far as the new paradigm is concerned, it can be said that the major core physical service offered by Aramex is electronic commerce, which is commonly called e-commerce. This is actually imbedded in the shop and ship system of business whereby customers are enabled to make purchases online via the use of the internet. Judging from the modern business trend, there is no way that Aramex could exempt itself from this new dimension and expect to see any forms of phenomenal growth3. This is because the birth of modern technology is making all stakeholders begin to look for the easiest ways out to achieve the same kind of results that they attained in the past years. There is no denying the fact that the use of electronic system of commerce reduces the staff-customer personal and face-to-face interaction4. This notwithstanding, Aramex has not been enticed to forget about the importance of customer service and the need to ensuring customer satisfaction. The company actually guarantees customer service and customer satisfaction through a 24 hour customer support unit where all complaints and questions of customers are addressed on an instantaneous and live basis. These customers also have a feedback system

An assessment of the role of personality in the development of Essay

An assessment of the role of personality in the development of leadership qualities - Essay Example After that, in the age of information, leadership is seen as shared decision making and consulting. Leadership role is argued to be derived from a certain set of attributes that reflect the willingness and motivation of an individual to lead in an organization. The personality attribute of leadership is supported by Attraction-Selection-Attrition (ASA) model designed by Schneider (B.M. Bass and R. Bass, 2009; Mumford, 2009; Ciulla, 2008). This model has argued that due to different mixes in the attributes of personality, individuals are seen to be differentially attracted towards the organization and career. This study focuses on the role of personality in the development of leadership qualities among the individuals. Research Objective Deciding on the objective to be accomplished by the research plays a vital role in the study. If the objective of the research is clearly defined, then it will be easier for the researcher to plan the study and accomplish the objectives within a speci fied time frame. The main objective of this research is to unearth the role and contribution of personality in developing leadership qualities in an individual. ... For instance, meta-analysis, in order to determine the relationship between emergence of leadership effectiveness and Big Five traits of personality, had found that all the four factors, except ‘Agreeableness’, share a robust relationship with the leadership outcome of an individual (Judge, et al., 2002). In recent times, a meta-analysis that was conducted to determine relationships between specific individual differences such as, energy, self-monitoring, self-confidence and need of power and effectiveness in leadership, concluded that these personality traits hugely support the effective outcome of the leaders (Hoffman, et al., 2011). Though there is huge amount of literature related to the impact of personality on leadership, there is limited amount of literature related to the influence of personality on the changes in the effectiveness or development of leadership over time. Leadership development involves changes in the patterns of behaviour, perception, competencie s and motivations of the individuals in the leadership position, so that they can function more efficiently in their present roles. These changes can be achieved in both formal and informal manner which may involve several years or even few minutes. Although there are several literatures that stress on the fact that the rate of leadership development differs from one individual to another, many of these literatures have ignored the importance of personality as a moderator of this change (R. Hogan, J. Hogan and Kaiser, 2010). Certain personality traits are associated with the rate of leadership development such as, uncooperative individuals, who are seen to be less eager to change their behaviour as a response to the

Australian History (see topic below) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Australian History (see topic below) - Essay Example It had played significant role that is uniquely vibrant Australia as written in history. The making of Australia which was heading to be as it was in the first half of the twentieth century would have never been possible if not of its British influence which was obtained from its mother empire, Great Britain. It cannot be argued that there was willingness in the part of Australia to embrace dependent relationship within the British Empire. Its best option was to rely on its British Empire so as to survive and not lost its identity. It can be noted that Australia did not seek independence from British control but Britishness was embraced in order that it can have its identity (Evans et al. 1997). Dependence of Australia on its ‘mother country’ lies in the fact that it had to establish its cultural influence and economic and security link (Morkel 2001). This was for initial survival that for over the span of time was the foundation of Australia in its establishment. From a dictionary definition, dependence is synonymous to reliance, trust and subordination. Within the course of Australian history, its reliance to the power of Great Britain meant power, security and survival in its end. It ended up to a deeper trust and mutual agreement which Australia had to take, for collaboration with Great Britain in their quest to conquer the other part of the globe. Australia’s active participation in Britain’s quest to win the world can be clearly manifested in its participation to world wars. The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps day or also known as ‘Anzac’ day is a national celebration in Australia that is viewed sacred and also an act of heroism (Inglis 1997). This only signifies the impeccable support that Australia was willing to give for its mother country. As part of its subordination to mother country, Australia never condemned Britain for their quest to dominion over the

Faustus and Conflict Essay Example for Free

Faustus and Conflict Essay Christopher Marlowes play Doctor Faustus presents a story that is filled with various forms of significant philosophical conflict. While, on the surface, the play is intended to focus on the form of Faustus fortunes, the scope of the play includes commentary on several other important themes (Prologue.8). Marlowe uses Faustuss position to demonstrate a sharp contrast between the values of the medieval time period with the developing values associated with the Renaissance movement. Faustuss story shows a direct conflict between the traditional and the modern in its form, its ideology, and its view of religion. Since Marlow maintains an ongoing struggle between these various elements throughout the play, a struggle also exists between the tragic and comedic elements of the story. Marlowes ambiguity toward the primary direction of the play creates a situation in which the ultimate purpose of the plays comedic scenes remains uncertain even after Faustuss final moments. The content of Faustuss story superficially focuses on Faustuss struggle to maintain control over the destiny of his own soul. Faustuss desire to become a mighty god leads him to make a deal with Lucifer, in which he exchanges his soul for twenty four years of demonic power (1.62). Throughout the play Faustus struggles with repentance and disbelief, and he is eventually condemned to Hell for his actions. Symbolically, Faustuss story is more appropriately a representation of the struggle, evident during Marlowes time period, between the traditional ideas of the medieval period and the modern ideas of the Renaissance. This conflict is evident within the first few lines of the play. Marlowe begins the play by having Faustus announce that he has given up on the traditional schools of thought, such as the study of religion, law, and medicine. Instead, he plans to study that damned art of necromancy or black magic (2.29). While traditional medieval thought encouraged the unquestioning acceptance of ancient philosophy, Renaissance thought encouraged experimentation and a rethinking of previously accepted beliefs. While Faustuss actions may show his support of these Renaissance beliefs, his ultimate demise suggests that Renaissance thought may also be imperfect because it does not include a belief in God. This dualism between modern and traditional thought is also evident in the structure of the play. Marlowe employs elements that would be common in most traditional plays, such as the use of a chorus. He also uses mythical comparisons, depicting Faustus as another Icarus, a man who will eventually mount above his reach (Prologue.21). Faustus is also depicted as a tragically flawed character. Faustus is portrayed by the Chorus as being swollen with cunning (Prologue.20). Like Achilles, Hercules, or other traditional Greek heroes, Faustus has a character flaw that will mostly likely lead to his demise, but the eternal damnation of Faustus, to the Elizabethan audience, would be the equivalent of damning great Greek heroes, and thus creates artificial traditional expectations of the play. Simultaneously, Marlowe also ignores many of the important characteristics of traditional tragedies. While most tragedies depict historically important characters, Faustuss story is a tale of an ordinary man, not of the courts of kings or the pomp of proud audacious deeds (Prologue.4-5). By focusing on the common man and also by writing in blank verse, a style that was uncommon during this period, Marlowe breaks away from the traditional expectations of a tragic play. Faustuss view of religion also constantly vacillates between a traditional acceptance of Christianity and a modern rejection of it. When Faustus initially reads that [t]he reward of sin is death, and that [i]f we say we that we have no sin, / We deceive ourselves, and there is no truth in us he suggests that Christianity is a futile endeavor and decides that What will be, shall be! Divinity, adieu! (1.40-43, 48). He mistakenly characterizes Christianity as being based on punishment rather than on forgiveness, a mistake that he repeats throughout the play. Later, he believes his heart has become so hardened that he cannot repent! (5.196). While he initially suggests that Hell is nothing but a fable, Faustuss religious convictions continue to grow. Upon seeing Lucifer and Mephistopheles, he cries out, O Faustus, they are come to fetch thy soul! and even murmurs Consummatum est, meaning it is finished, which were Christs dying words on the cross, after signing his deal with Lucifer (5.264, 74). In this manner, Marlowe remains ambiguous throughout most of the play as to his position on the various conflicts he has depicted. For the audience, Faustus position as a modern man and Marlowes portrayal of religion remain in doubt. For this reason, the comedic scenes also remain ambiguous throughout the play. The audience remains uncomfortably unsure as to whether the comedy is intended to garner support for Faustus as the ultimate hero of the story or to mock Faustus by foreshadowing his own demise. The conclusion of the play demonstrates that the comedy depicted in the play, in addition to its theatrical purpose of providing a comedic interlude, provides a critical depiction of Faustuss fall from grace. One of the first comedic scenes in the play occurs when Faustus asks the demon Mephistopheles to reappear in the habit of a friar since [t]hat holy shape becomes a devil best (3.26). While the depiction of a devil in the garb of a Catholic friar would have undoubtedly been hysterical to Marlowes staunchly Protestant audience, the scene also carries significant meaning. By having Mephistopheles disguise his true figure, Faustus, despite his fearless speech, seems unable to stomach the true nature of Hell. Even when Mephistopheles seems to warn Faustus that his own pride and insolence have forever barred him from the face of heaven and that he is now tormented with ten thousand hells, Faust clings to his own diluted version of Hell (3.67-68, 79). He delusionally envisions Hell as a continuation of an earthly existence, and criticizes Mephistopheles for his lack of manly fortitude (3.85). The comedy within the play is continued by the antics of the characters Wagner, Robin, Rafe, and the Clown. Most of these comedic actions seem to foreshadow Faustuss own downfall. The first depiction of Wagner and the Clown mirrors Faustus signing his soul over to Lucifer. During this scene, Wagner convinces the Clown to become his servant for seven years, and the Clown jokes about how he would sell his soul for a shoulder of well-seasoned mutton. While represented in a comedic fashion, this scene foreshadowing the triviality of the power Faustus has obtained in exchange for his soul. As suggested by Mephistopheless unwillingness to discuss things that are against our kingdom, Faustus soon discovers that there are severe limitations placed upon the power wielded by Lucifer and his minions (5.247). In another comedic scene involving these characters, Robin, the stable hand, and Rafe steal a cup from a tavern and are pursued by the tavern wine-maker. Robin summons Mephistopheles to frighten the vintner, and is chastised by the demon for being summoned for a practical joke. Mephistopheles threatens to turn the two men into a dog and an ape. While Mephistopheles is obviously angered by the triviality of Robins request, his anger also reflects his own suggestion that Faustus abandon his frivolous demands (3.81). This scene foreshadows how Faustus will eventually abandon his own lofty goals and will also use his power primarily to play practical jokes. Much of the comedy in the play is related to the digression of Faustuss goals and the ways in which he employs his power. Faustus begins the play with many lofty goals. With his powers, Faustus plans to have spirits bring him jewels from around the world, teach him vast secrets of the universe, and make him king of Germany. He planed to change the course of the Rhine River and remake the entire map of Europe. Initially, Faustus appears to be on the path toward reaching these goals. Wagner tells how Faustus has ridden through the cosmos on the back of a dragon learning the secrets of astronomy from Mephistopheles. But Faustus quickly losses momentum, and, upon reaching Rome, decides to use his power to play practical jokes on the Pope. While this idea would, once again, be extremely funny to Marlowes Protestant audience, it represents the beginning of Faustuss digression. As time progresses, Faustuss audiences also decrease in their level of importance. Following his time with the Pope, one of the most influential figures during this time period, Faustus meets the German Emperor Charles V, who is also an important figure but not as important as the Pope. During this meeting, Faustus, unable to fulfill the requests made by Charles due to more limitations on his powers, embarrasses a disrespectful knight in the Kings court by placing antlers on his head. This digression continues as Faustus final audience is with a simple nobleman and his wife. Faustuss display of power consists of fetching out of season grapes for the noblemans wife. The comedy during these scenes primarily includes a practical joke Faustus plays on a horse-courser. Like Robin and Rafes practical joke, Faustus now uses his power to play jokes on people his has already angered. Like many other aspects of the play, the comedy depicted by Faustuss gradual demise also remains ambiguous. For many, this demise can be seen as a failure in Renaissance thought. Faustuss search for power and knowledge has left him disconnected from God, the ultimate source of both. By not including God or morality in his search for truth, Faustus has become corrupted by the influences of power and no longer retains his somewhat nobler purposes. But Faustus also simultaneously fails in his attempts to incorporate a more traditional view of religion into his life. He recalls that Christ did call the thief upon the cross, believing that he too will be brought into paradise. Faustus, particularly during his last hours on Earth, seems to exhaust every possibility of incorporating religion into his life. He offers to make deals with God, begs for mercy if not redemption, and even turns to Helen of Troy, a representation of feminine virtue or Mother Mary, for reprieve. Faustuss condemnation demonstrates how Faustus has been simultaneously failed both by traditional religion and by the beliefs held by modern Renaissance thinkers. In conclusion, the comedy within this play serves a variety of purposes. Like many of the other elements in the play, the comic and tragic elements seem to struggle with one another throughout the play. This struggle is also seen in Faustuss struggle between Renaissance thought and form and a more traditional view of life and religion. When coupled with these various forms of conflict, the comedic scenes within Doctor Faustus cause the play to constantly waver between tragedy and comedy, leaving the audience without any knowledge of how the play will ultimately end or of the true meaning of the play. Most of the comedy seems to mock Faustuss decision to embrace a modern philosophy toward life, but, when religion ultimately fails him as well, Faustus seems to be a completely hopeless representation of man. The plays comedic scenes are another method, employed by Marlowe, to create confusion and veil the true significance of the play.

Sleep Disorders in College Students | Annotated Bibliography

Sleep Disorders in College Students | Annotated Bibliography Cukrowicz, K.C., Otamendi, A., Pinto, J.V., Bernet, R.A., Krakow, B., Joiner, T.J. (2006). The impact of insomnia and sleep disturbances on depression and suicidality. Dreaming, 16(1), 1-10. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of sleep disturbances and insomnia on depression and suicidality in a non-treatment seeking sample of college students. Results indicated that insomnia and nightmares were significant predictors of symptoms of depression, while only nightmares significantly predicated suicidal ideation. Further analysis indicated that participants with high levels of insomnia, nightmares, or both experienced differing levels of depression and suicidal ideation. The discussion elaborates on a number of different treatment implications for the findings of this study. For example, the high correlations between sleep disturbances and depression and suicidality indicates the need for patients and therapists to monitor sleep regularly as a part of the assessment process and treatment plan. In addition, sleep hygiene and daily rhythm monitoring may aid in identifying phases from each of these disorders by identifying issues of sleep (nightmares in part icular) as specific risk factors for depression and suicidal ideation. Koffel, E. (2011). Further validation of the Iowa sleep disturbances inventory. Psychological Assessment,23(3), 587-598. This study wanted to understand whether visual attention impairment contributed to the distraction that is caused by talking on cell phones while driving. The idea is that selective attention causes individuals to only to be able to focus on certain stimuli and ignores others. The fact that talking on the phone requires a certain amount of attention one cannot give their complete attention to driving. In this study, the numbers of participants were not discussed but they were volunteers who were compensated $10 an hour for their time. The studies were done in a simulated laboratory. The study cannot generalize to the population because the participants were not randomly selected. Furthermore, the study did not explain where did they got their volunteers so that is problematic, which may affect the results. This article fits into the research proposal because it explains how driving and talking on the phone can affect attention and memory. This study provided evidence that attention c annot be shared evenly because one stimulus takes more of the attention. Koffel, E., Watson, D. (2009). The two-factor structure of sleep complaints and its relation to depression and anxiety. Journal of Abnormal Psychology 118(1), 183-194. This research examined the effects of cell phone usage on simulated driving. The study examined whether age had an effect on divided attention while driving and using hands free cell phone conversations. The study was conducted using a PatrolSim driving stimulator. The stimulator provided real life traffic situations and conditions. The participants in the study were 20 younger adults were between the ages of 18 to 25 years old. The study also included 20 older adults who were of the average age of 70 years old. The study also included a questionnaire about their health. Each participant conversed on the cell phone while the participants were driving. The sample size should be a little larger because it makes their results more valid and reliable. The results indicated that the distraction of the cell phone while driving equally negatively influenced older and younger adults. Surprisingly, the study showed that the reaction time was the same as the older adults when the younger adult s were on the phone as older adults, reaction time when not conversing on the phone. The research indicated when an individual gaze or stare at an object in the external environment they do not see them when they are engaging in a conversation on the phone because it diverts their attention to internal cognitive framework associated with the phone conversation. MacFarlane, J.G., Wilson, T.L. (2006). A relationship between nightmare context and somatic stimuli in a sleep-disordered population: A preliminary study. Dreaming 16(1), 53-59. This research examined the effects of cell phone usage on simulated driving. The study examined whether age had an effect on divided attention while driving and using hands free cell phone conversations. The study was conducted using a PatrolSim driving stimulator. The stimulator provided real life traffic situations and conditions. The participants in the study were 20 younger adults were between the ages of 18 to 25 years old. The study also included 20 older adults who were of the average age of 70 years old. The study also included a questionnaire about their health. Each participant conversed on the cell phone while the participants were driving. The sample size should be a little larger because it makes their results more valid and reliable. The results indicated that the distraction of the cell phone while driving equally negatively influenced older and younger adults. Surprisingly, the study showed that the reaction time was the same as the older adults when the younger adult s were on the phone as older adults, reaction time when not conversing on the phone. The research indicated when an individual gaze or stare at an object in the external environment they do not see them when they are engaging in a conversation on the phone because it diverts their attention to internal cognitive framework associated with the phone conversation. Murdock, K.K. (2013). Texting while stressed: Implications for students’ burnout, sleep, and well-being. Psychology of Popular Media Culture 2(4), 207-221. This research examined the effects of cell phone usage on simulated driving. The study examined whether age had an effect on divided attention while driving and using hands free cell phone conversations. The study was conducted using a PatrolSim driving stimulator. The stimulator provided real life traffic situations and conditions. The participants in the study were 20 younger adults were between the ages of 18 to 25 years old. The study also included 20 older adults who were of the average age of 70 years old. The study also included a questionnaire about their health. Each participant conversed on the cell phone while the participants were driving. The sample size should be a little larger because it makes their results more valid and reliable. The results indicated that the distraction of the cell phone while driving equally negatively influenced older and younger adults. Surprisingly, the study showed that the reaction time was the same as the older adults when the younger adult s were on the phone as older adults, reaction time when not conversing on the phone. The research indicated when an individual gaze or stare at an object in the external environment they do not see them when they are engaging in a conversation on the phone because it diverts their attention to internal cognitive framework associated with the phone conversation.