Saturday, August 31, 2019

Adam Capital Management

Adams Capital Management: Fund IV Joel Adams, founder and general partner of Adams Capital Management (ACM), a $700 million early-stage venture capital firm investing in the information technology, networking infrastructure, and semiconductor industries, glanced up as his fellow general partners trooped into his office on a brisk December morning in 2005 for their annual retrospective and planning meeting. The main topic on the agenda was a new one, ?would 2006 be the right time to launch their fourth fund?Since late 2000, ACM had been deploying its $420 million third fund, using its â€Å"markets first† strategy, an approach that identified and sought to take advantage of discontinuities within the three industry segments it targeted. Having invested in a company exploiting such a change, the general partners then guided the investment through a five-point structured navigation system. In November 2005, ACM Ill sold a portfolio company and made its first distribution to its l imited partners (Lips).The fund's portfolio also had 18 other operating companies that were showing steady growth, ND two new investments were in the due diligence phase and preparing for final negotiations. â€Å"The question as I see it,† said Adams to his partners, â€Å"is whether we need to exit more companies and generate additional distributions to our Lips before we start raising ACM Since Scam's first fund had closed in 1997, the investment environment had gone from robust to hysterical to deflated and now, finally, to what appeared to be a modest recovery. Likewise, Scam's performance had been whipped about.Fund I was almost top-quartile, Fund II could return capital with a few breaks, ND Fund Ill, a 2000 vintage fund was â€Å"too new to tell, â€Å"Adams noted (see Exhibit 1 for performance data). The firm had adopted its strategy in part to differentiate itself for potential Lips. But the partners also believed that the pure opportunistic approach of many vent ure firms?where each general partner was often given wide leeway in determining which, and how many, markets and business models to invest in?could cause the firm to lose sight of the portfolio as a whole.Without a â€Å"markets first† strategy, through which the entire firm agreed upon the markets of interest before engendering individual companies, the partners felt that firms would invest more on the basis of the fashion of the moment than on business fundamentals or market analysis. In Fund Ill, ACM had taken more significant ownership positions than in the past?typically 35% or more?led every deal, and held a seat on every board. In 85% of the fund's investments, it was the first institutional money in the company.Adams believed that this was the only way to respond to the sharply reduced volatility of the venture capital market: â€Å"build a collection of really good companies and own enough f them to matter. † Associate Ann Lemon wrote the original version of t his case, â€Å"Adams Capital Management: March 2002,† HOBS Case No. 803-143 which is being replaced by this version prepared by Professor Field Harmony and Senior Research Associate Ann Lemon. HOBS cases are developed solely as the basis for class discussion.Cases are not intended to serve as endorsements, sources of primary data, or illustrations of effective or ineffective management. Copyright 2006 President and Fellows of Harvard College. To order copies or request permission to reproduce materials, call -800-545-7685, write Harvard Business School Publishing, Boston, MA 02163, or go to http://www. Hobs. Harvard. Due. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted in any form or by any meaner?electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise?without the permission of Harvard Business School.This document is authorized for use only in FINDINGS Alternative Asset Classes – SSL/2013 by Jas on Zen at University of New South Wales from March 2013 to September 2013. 806-077 ACM knew this strategy was not without its risks. Fund Oil's portfolio contained some rinsing companies, but, Adams said, â€Å"When you own a significant chunk of the company and it doesn't do well, that hurts the fund. † Going to market with a good small early fund, a struggling second fund and a yet unproven third fund might not be easy. â€Å"The Lips may want to know why we don't go back to taking smaller positions in more companies,† he noted. L have to be able to give them an answer. † Venture Investing in 2005 The first half of the 21st century had truly witnessed the Dickens best and worst of times. The final years of the sass had seen an unprecedented run-up in venture activity. Everything had increased?the amounts of capital raised, the management fees paid, the amounts invested, the prices that companies could command, the exit valuations received, and the speed with wh ich investments became liquid. As the century changed, so did the venture environment.The NASDAQ reached its peak in March 2000 and by 2001, the party had come to a grinding halt. After a decade marked by continuously rising amounts of capital flowing into venture funds, 2001 raised half of sass's record of $71. 7, and 2002 and 2003 raised barely 10% ($7 billion and $8 billion, respectively). L (See Exhibit 2 for fundraising data). By 2005, the numbers of deals, their price levels, and the size of the rounds had all fallen considerably from their peaks in 1999 and 2000. Since the precipitous drop, though, they had steadied (see Exhibit 3 for trends).The initial decline, termed a â€Å"train wreck,† reflected the fact that almost three years of record-breaking venture activity had funded too many companies chasing too few customers in almost all technology customers had cut their capital expense budgets, and on top of that, were suffering from a backlog of earlier technology i nvestments that had not yet been fully implemented. Spending on technology fell off sharply. As a result, portfolio companies significantly underperformed expectations, often forcing their investors to resort to inside rounds for continued financing because all firms were trying to fix their own troubled portfolios.Thereafter, activity had resumed albeit at a lower level. A further complication for the venture capital (PVC) industry was the longer path to liquidity. The Initial Public Offering (PIP) market dried up in 2001, only to revive?at least to a degree–in 2004 and 2005. The number of venture-backed mergers and acquisitions had stayed reasonably steady in the vicinity of 300 transactions from 000 through 2004 and even looked likely to continue for 2005 based on first-half data, the number of Ipso had plummeted from 264 in 2000 to 41 in 2001 and a mere 24 and 29 in 2002 and 2003.Although this number had tripled in 2004, to 93, sass's first half saw an uninspiring 20 Ipso , a number nonetheless close to the total for all of 2002. 2 By mid-2005, though, glimmers of recovery pierced the gloom. PVC fund- raising for 2004, at $1 5 billion, equaled the sum of the previous two years' total. Firms had triages the worst of their problem companies, by selling them for the intellectual repertory, merging them with other weak companies, or shutting them down.Technological evolution provided market opportunities for young companies and some older ones, weaned off the easy-money of the bubble, had brought their products to market and were profitable. Disclosed prices for mergers and acquisitions rose to the highest average since 1 Abstracted from data from Private Equity Analyst and Asset Alternatives. 2 Thomson Financial/Venture Economics, Venture Backed M&A Volume Holds Steady,† www. Nava. Org, accessed December 8, 2005. 2 IQ 2002. 3 The door to the PIP market, blown off its hinges in 2004 by PVC-backedGoogle's debut, reopened, with new companies pricing their offerings almost every week. The pace and valuations of deals had risen, and with it, investor confidence. â€Å"It's not that PVC has become hard,† said one veteran venture capitalist. â€Å"It's Just gotten back to normal. † Adams Capital Management Joel Adams, founder of ACM, grew up in Phelps, New York, a small town between Rochester and Syracuse. â€Å"My dad owned a dairy farm,† recalled Adams, â€Å"and his and doing chores. † Adams was 15 when his mother passed away, leaving his father with no choice but to delegate most of his wife's responsibilities to the three children.Looking back on those days, Adams said: â€Å"At the time the confluence of events was a hell of a wake-up call for a teenager, but I learned invaluable lessons about money and time management. † After graduating from the University of Buffalo in 1979, Adams Joined nuclear submarine manufacturer General Dynamics, where he became a test engineer, the lead engineer re sponsible for starting and testing a sub's nuclear reactor and representing General Dynamics during the Navy's sea trials of the new boats. In 1984 he moved to Pittsburgh to attend the business school at Carnegie Mellon University (UCM), lured by its strong program in entrepreneurship.During Adams' second year at UCM, he worked part-time for Foisting Capital, a small PVC firm that invested on behalf of the Foster's, a wealthy Pittsburgh family. Adams Joined Foisting after graduation as a Junior partner, with the firm's new $14 million fund. Shortly thereafter, the firm and Adams became involved with PAP/Foisting l, a Joint venture formed with Patricia ; Co. To manage the $40 million fund that the state of Pennsylvania wanted to invest in PVC. In 1994 after nine years with Foisting, Adams, SCOFF Andrea Joseph, longtime secretary Lynn Patterson, and former partner Bill Hulled armed Adams Capital Management, Inc. O handle the Foisting portion of the $60 million PAP/Foisting II, raised in 1992. In 1997, ACM raised its first fund, the $55 million ACM l, with its markets-first investment strategy. Discontinuity-based investing Ever since he had Joined Foisting, Adams had been dissatisfied with what he considered a lack of focus and discipline in the firm's investment strategy. â€Å"Here's a nuclear engineer, walking into this industry, with a very small fund in Pittsburgh whose strategy was to be diversified by stage, by industry, and by geography,† Adams recalled. After about a year, I said, ‘This isn't a strategy at all? you could do anything. He was especially nonplussed by the method of developing deal flow. Rather than learning about markets and then targeting specific deals within them, he said, â€Å"The approach at Foisting was to open the mail in the morning† to see what business plans had arrived. Two of Adams' experiences at Foisting acquainted him with the power of targeted investing. The first was his involvement with Sharper Corpor ation, a developer of software applications for engineering product data management. â€Å"l understood the issues of engineering data management from my says at General Dynamics,† Adams said. L was a much smarter investor looking at an industry that I knew. † Not only was he a better investment manager and board member, he realized, 3 Ibid. 3 but he was also a better negotiator. â€Å"Entrepreneurs are passionate and biased about their businesses,† he said. â€Å"If the first time I hear about a market is from the entrepreneur, I'm at a big disadvantage. † His second revelation was even more powerful. Seeking a computer in 1987, Adams happened to learn about a mail-order operation in Texas called PC's Limited that custom-built personal computers and undercut retail prices.After speaking with the company's CEO, Adams invested $750,000 in the future Dell Computer's first outside venture round. Had the firm held this position, it would have been worth $382 m illion as of the end of September 2005. Adams realized that Dell had created such an explosion of value by exploiting a discontinuity ? a dramatic and sudden change in a large and established market. In this instance, the discontinuity involved distribution. The rise of direct distribution surprised the large personal computer manufacturers, which had highly entrenched outworks of retail dealers.These networks, Adams noted, â€Å"couldn't be unwound overnight. † Dell could build a multi-billion dollar business from scratch because his large and sleepy competitors could not respond to this distribution discontinuity in time. As ACM expanded, Adams resolved that any new partners would be engineers, and thus bring their technical training to bear in thorough examinations of a few promising markets (see Exhibit 4 for partner biographies). Scam's strategy evolved to focus on investments in markets that the partners already knew well and had already identified as attractive.A few i nitial prerequisites had developed over time. The first was that the companies in which ACM invested would sell to businesses, not consumers, and their value propositions would be driven by return on investment (ROI). â€Å"That's ROI for the customers, not us,† said Adams. â€Å"Our first question is, ‘If somebody is going to buy this company's product, what does the Chief Financial Officer's recommendation look like? † The second criterion was that the business was fragmentation applied technology,' or one of the first companies to use a specific technology for a specific application.Given the partners' engineering backgrounds, the firm focused on the information technology (IT) and telecommunication/ semiconductor industries, areas that were, in their view, experiencing significant discontinuities. The most important criterion was that, as in the case of Dell, Scam's portfolio companies would exploit discontinuities in existing markets, shifts that would creat e opportunities for start-up companies to become market leaders. In the IT industry, the partners anticipated that the need to create virtual enterprises on a global scale would force companies to look for highly adaptable systems.The telecommunications industry, faced with global expansion in bandwidth requirements for data, seemed to be faced with an entire rethinking of the existing technology and infrastructure, while reaching the limits of current silicon technology appeared likely to revolutionize the semiconductor industry. Within these areas, Scam's partners sought to identify four primary causes of discontinuities (see Exhibit 5 for more on discontinuities): 1 . Standards. Despite the emergence of a technology technologies in an attempt to preserve their captive customer base.Even as customers demented the standard, the existing manufacturers perceived it as a threat to their oligopolies market positions, and were reluctant to adopt it. One such example was FORE Systems, wh ich built communications devices that conformed to the ATM (asynchronous transfer mode) standard for communications in wide-area networks. The big players at the time, AT&T/Lucent and Northern Telecoms, each had proprietary protocols for those communications. These manufacturers clearly had the technical prowess and market muscle to 4 exploit ATM as well, but they were slow to do so for fear of cannibalizing their own racket shares.In April 1999, FORE was acquired by GEE Pl for $4. 5 billion. 2. Regulation. Unexpected regulatory changes could force market players to adapt quickly to a new market reality. An example of such a dislocation had occurred in the U. S. Cellular market where a host of new opportunities and networks had emerged after the government's creation of the PC'S spectrum. From a technology point of view, the new spectrum provided a chance for GSM, the cheaper and more easily-deployed base station technology popular in the rest of the world, to gain ground on the unw ieldy proprietary technology dominant in the United States.GSM equipment manufacturers and the upstart carriers who provided their services used their agility in the new regulatory environment to challenge the giants. 3. Technology. A technology-based discontinuity could take two forms. In one, it could appear as a whiz-bang package that took big competitors months or years to duplicate, such as Apple's Macintosh operating system. Alternatively, it could involve the convergence of technologies that had hitherto been separate, requiring innovation to allow these once-disparate systems to interact.An example here was the rise of corporate remote access, which forced companies to buy technology that would connect the public carrier telephone networks to the corporations' internal local area networks. 4. Distribution. Dell Computer in the earlier example provided the ultimate example of a distribution-based discontinuity?the rise of mail-order completely surprised existing personal comp uter manufacturers, to the great enrichment of Dell and its shareholders. This top-down approach to identifying markets was crucial in helping ACM achieve consensus about and control over where its partners would invest.Adams firmly believed, â€Å"Market due diligence is the only due diligence you can do independent of a transaction. If you present the partners with the industry and market dynamics ahead of time, then we can all talk about each other's prospective investment. † Scam's approach to identifying discontinuities included its Discontinuity Roundtable, a group of advisors that met periodically with the ACM partners to identify and discuss market discontinuities that could lead to fruitful investment theses. The 20-person Roundtable comprised industry experts and observers who attended meetings depending on the topic at hand.Among their number had been Clayton Christensen of the Harvard Business School known for his research on how innovation affected markets; Georg e Symmetry, inveterate entrepreneur and founder and backer of over 200 companies; Attic Razz, former CEO of MAD, the chip-maker that competed against Intel; and Mike Maples, former COT of Microsoft. The process required partners to write discontinuity white papers that advanced the investment thesis and to present them to a Roundtable of appropriate experts drawn from the pool.The group would discuss the merits of the thesis under consideration, usually greening to pursue two or three of the eight to ten papers presented in a meeting. The meetings would also identify other avenues for future exploration. Once an investment thesis was thoroughly vetted by the Discontinuities Roundtable, the ACM partners would systematically search for deals in that domain. Sometimes this took the form of identifying pockets of excellence in the appropriate technology and supporting entrepreneurs in forming a company.In other cases, it was a matter of identifying and sorting through several existing p otential investments. This process eve the partners deep knowledge of these companies' opportunities and therefore made ACM more attractive as an investment partner. 5 Structured Navigation In addition to a systematic approach for identifying markets, ACM also developed a system for managing its investments, called â€Å"structured navigation. † The system was born out of the observation that early-stage technology companies shared many of the same benchmarks and needed many of the same elements to succeed.Jerry Sullivan, who had Joined the firm from MAC, Tektronix and Phillips, explained: Our investments typically have high development costs coupled with the direct sales Orca characteristic of companies at these stages. The majority of our investments? 90%?are software-based, so resource planning and allocations are well understood by all of our general partners. We feel that our structured navigation strategy applies to all companies within the model. Aspects of the structu red navigation included : 1 . Round out the management team.Like most other PVC firms, ACM was deeply involved in helping its entrepreneurs complete their management teams. â€Å"Almost 85% of the management team without capital,† Martin Neat, a former executive vice president with IBM and now ACM general partner, said. People are going to Join a company that has some capital behind it, so we fundamentally believe that if you've got a great opportunity that's well-funded, you're going to attract a lot of talent. † ACM devoted significant resources to the creation of its Services Group, which helped its portfolio companies in this area. . Obtain a corporate partner or endorsement. The notion that an early stage company, hoping to exploit a sea change in a large existing market, could forge a partnership (an endorsement, a distribution deal, or an equity investment) with one of the very players from whom it hoped to steal market share mimed entirely contradictory. But the ACM partners believed that this should almost always be possible. From Scam's perspective, forging these relationships early would often create other exit opportunities. . Gain early exposure to industry and investment banking analysts. Industry analysts such as Garner, Gaga, and Forrester often created the first wave of market interest in a new technology. This group's validation could speed the acceptance or application of a new technology. While industry analysts could help create a market for the technology, analysts at investment banking firms could create an exit for the company, and ACM tried to make sure they met the portfolio companies early. First of all, the good analysts really do understand the businesses of these little companies,† N. George Sugars, a general partner in the Silicon Valley office, said. â€Å"But the second thing is, [bankers are] in the fee business, and they need to put marriages together. [Introducing the two parties early] is a tactic that w ill set you up for deals later on. † 4. Expand the product line. A first-generation applied technology company would be confronted by sigh initial costs of development and sales.In such a case, Bill Freeze, a general partner in Scam's Boston office, observed, â€Å"The marginal cost of the development for subsequent products or the next sale is much lower. † Once a new technology product had been developed and a base of customers secured, the costs of leveraging that technology into another, similar product and selling it into a base of existing accounts was comparatively small. But â€Å"sometimes the entrepreneur hasn't thought that out yet,† he noted. Our approach ensures that the companies are adequately focused on this value creation opportunity. 5. Implement best practices. Scam's partners felt that their entrepreneurs should focus on developing products and selling them to customers, not on structuring stock option packages or compensation 6 plans. After w orking with dozens of companies with similar structures, the partners felt that they should be able to provide boilerplate versions of plans that worked. ACM used these five â€Å"steps† (in no particular order) to manage its investments, complete.The process, the partners felt, not only made their investments more successful, but also provided the partners in four offices across the U. S. With a molly understood internal barometer of a company's progress (see Exhibit 6 for offices). â€Å"If ten months into a deal you can't attract talented people, corporations don't care, and you can't get the bankers interested?you're learning something,† observed Sullivan. â€Å"And maybe you ought to get out. † Defending the Strategy Was it really necessary to formulate such a rigorous strategy for investing in early- stage businesses?Adams admitted that, to a certain extent, the strategy was motivated by the practical necessities faced by a small firm based in Pittsburgh r aising a $55 million fund in 1997. We had to get ourselves above the muck, and the way you do that is with a well-defined, market-centric strategy that you execute in a disciplined manner,† he said. It had also given a small partnership, scattered among offices in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia (later Boston), and Austin, Texas (Silicon Valley was added in 1999) a common language and approach that facilitated communication.Adams balked at the conventional wisdom about PVC and venture capitalists?namely, that PVC was a personality-driven business, and that successful venture capitalists were all genius dealers whose vision turned everything they touched into gold. L just don't buy the ‘rock star' model that many venture firms promote,† Adams said. Instead, he wanted to build a venture firm in the same way that most businesses were built ? with a structure in which any of its employees were, in principle, replaceable. â€Å"We wanted to develop a system where you could th row anybody out of here and the thing will still cook along,† he said. We wanted to build a system for executing this business. We're engineers, we think that way. We're not rock stars. We have a system for finding areas that are of interest, getting deals, and making them valuable. That's what we do. † The Funds Since 1997, the partners felt that strict adherence to strategy, combined with the systematic portfolio management that navigation provided, had served the firm well. They had grown from a $55 million fund to managing $700 million and from one office in Pittsburgh to four in areas in which 68% of all PVC activity in the U.S. Occurred. Each fund had been invested according to plan, although the results had not been entirely anticipated. ACM I had invested in 15 companies for a total cost basis of $55 million. Information technology accounted for 49% of the portfolio; electrification for 30%, medical devices for 11% and networking infrastructure for 10%. As of Sep tember 2005, the fund was fully invested and had exited all but one company, distributing stock valued at $122. 7 million for a net IR to its Lips of 46% Oust below the upper quartile).The general partners hoped to achieve at least $140 million in total proceeds by the end of Fund Xi's contractual life. With its smaller size, ACM I had aimed for percentage ownership in the low teens. The firm had held a board seat in 67% of its original 15 companies, and its positions could get diluted if it as 7 unable to participate fully in subsequent rounds. However, as Adams said, â€Å"This was the home-run era of early stage PVC investing?significant returns were almost the norm. We had our share, with three acquisitions and three Ipso. That was a good fund. Based on the early success of Fund I and the frenzy around PVC, ACM had closed the $1 50 million ACM II at the end of 1999, followed quickly by the $420 million ACM Ill at the end of 2000 (see Exhibit 7 for fund statistics). In the over- heated environment of 1999 and early 2000, though, the partners found that the game had changed. At first it seemed that home-runs were still possible,† said Adams: †¦ Putting money to work was paramount. Unfortunately, this meant that we had less time to investigate new markets and we therefore had less diversification in the portfolio.If the big companies were looking for drop-add-multiplex-switches, that was what we backed as all of them were being bought because every big company needed its own drop-add-multiplicities. We ended up with a lot of similar companies. Our goal was to own around 20%, and we usually had enough money to keep our position, which was not always the best thing in retrospect. Fund II had stayed the strategic course. Of the 14 companies in the portfolio, three had been acquired, five written off, and six were still active and showing strong revenue growth.The firm had moved away from investing in medical devices though. Information technology made up 45% of the portfolio, semiconductors 38%, and telecommunications 17%. Although Fund Sis's value currently stood at a 40% discount to cost, Adams hoped that, with a few breaks, it could return the Lips' capital. Fund Oil's approach of taking larger position had been adopted in response to the changes that the partners noted in the market in particular, a reduction in volatility. As Adams explained,: The days of the consistent home-runs are gone.Reduced volatility meaner that we need to build portfolios that are more balanced and consistent in their performance. We're not looking for xx returns, although we certainly wouldn't refuse them. I Just don't think that's the norm anymore. Instead, we're looking to build a solid portfolio that yields xx to xx returns based on operating success?positive cash flow and net income. We look to own enough of each company that every deal is an impact deal, both for us and for the company. And here, because outcome volatility has fallen so substa ntially, we need to have diversity among our companies.You might say that beta has fallen so we must increase alpha. We had to assemble an interesting collection of really good companies that addressed significant discontinuities in the market and own enough of them to matter. We've done that. We've also added value to them through the ACM Services Group, which provides corporate partnering, recruitment and financial management guidance. By September 30, 2005, Fund Ill had called 74% of its committed capital. Information technology accounted for 59% of

Friday, August 30, 2019

Nature of Evil in Othello

The Nature Of Evil In Othello The Nature of Evil in Othello William Shakespeare’s Othello uses different and unique techniques in his language to express the nature of evil throughout the play. Verbal twists and the characters most importantly stress the act of evil. Iago, most of all is portrayed as the â€Å"villain† or â€Å"protagonist in the play. Shakespeare uses this character to set the basis of evil. Each plot point is spiraled further into tragedy due to the nature of Iago and his manipulative language towards the other main characters. Corruption overcomes the Venetian society as Iago uses his crafty skills of deceit. The plan to have Othello turn against the ones he loves is the perfect example of evil’s nature. The power struggle is evident between these two. This situation is the start to Iago’s plan to corrupt the society and take Othello’s place. The root of Iago’s â€Å"evil† is jealousy indeed, in turn changing into a power hungry manipulator. Iago is tired of acting like one â€Å"courteous and knee-crooking knave† like he always appears to be [I. i. 46]. Since Iago is reluctant to choose to be a master, he is the servant that bites off the fame and â€Å"keep yet their hearts attending on themselves,† still showing his service to his master but instead is more self-preserving with no attachments at all towards the master [I. i. 52]. Irony is used diligently in Shakespeare’s unique language style. Referred by Othello as â€Å"honest Iago†, the irony is very evident in this title. Iago is everything but honest but this proves how easily led and manipulated Othello is. The traits Iago possess are unexpected to a normal villain. He comes across as charming and smart, he can also be referred to a wolf in sheep’s clothing. For example, he knows Roderigo is in love with Desdemona and figures that he would do anything to have her as his own. Iago says about Roderigo, â€Å"Thus do I ever make my fool my purse. † [I iii. 355,] By playing on his hopes, Iago is able to conjure money and jewels from Roderigo, making himself a profit, while using Roderigo to further his other plans. He also thinks stealthy on his feet and is able to improvise whenever something unexpected occurs. When Cassio takes hold of Desdemona's hand before the arrival of the Moor Othello, Iago says, â€Å"With as little a web as this will I ensnare as great a fly as Cassio. † [II, i, 163] This language demonstrates the evil inside Iago’s goals of retrieving absolute power. He actually even says of himself, â€Å"I am an honest man†¦. † [II, iii, 245]    Iago slowly corrupts the character’s thoughts, creating ideas in their minds without implicating himself. His â€Å"medicine works! Thus credulous fools are caught†¦. † [II, i, 44] â€Å"And what's he then that says I play the villain, when this advice is free I give, and honest,† [II, iii, 299] says Iago. In turn, people rarely stop to consider the fact that old Iago could be deceiving and manipulating them; yet they are convinced that he is â€Å"Honest Iago. † From these quotes from â€Å"Othello† it is proven that the dialogue used between Iago and the others is manipulative causing an evil outcome. Iago’s complexity in character grows as the play comes closer to a conclusion. The tricky and crafty way Shakespeare uses the evil in Iago is to make him seem amoral as opposed to the typical immoral villain. At the climactic end of the play, Iago's plot and plan is given away to Othello by his own wife, Emilia. Iago kills his wife seeing her as a non entity to his vicious foresight. He kills her not out of anger but for more pragmatic reasons. She served no purpose to him anymore and she can now only hurt his chances of keeping the position he has been given by Othello. Iago's black hearted taking of Emilia's and Roderigo's lives is another proof of his amorality. The root of all evil stems from some would say money, but in this case it is power. To drive Iago to get the power he wants, he is fueled by jealousy. The way jealousy affects the other characters is uncanny. Othello is led down the same path as Iago which is exactly what he wants. The other characters all play off Iago’s misfortunes in turn making Iago’s manipulative plan a success. â€Å"Divinity of hell! When devils will their blackest sins put on, they do suggest at first with heavenly shows, as I do now. †(II, iii, 348) This is the first quote that it is evident Iago is jealous. He is the voice of jealousy in its entirety, giving way to the evil deeds that drive the play. There is a counter argument to the fact whether Iago is truly â€Å"evil.    In Richard Grant’s, Studies in Shakespeare, describes the dual aspects of the character of Iago, whose external demeanor is characterized by warm sympathy for his friends and apparent trustworthiness among his peers, but whose real and inner nature is amoral, heartless, and entirely self-interested. The fact that Iago was the youngest out of the group of characters, Grants theory on Iago’s evil nature i s that he adapted it by consciously adopting it. â€Å"Brave, and a good soldier, he was also of that order of ability which lifts a man speedily above his fellows. His manners and his guise were of a dashing military sort; and his manner had a corresponding bluntness, tempered, at times, by tact to a warm-hearted effusiveness, by the very tact which prompted the bluntness. † [Grant: Studies in Shakespeare, Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1886, pp. 258-79] Grants theory can twist the minds of what Iago has always been thought of to be. The typical villain is taken as something else in this scenario. Being in the military, in is in Iago’s nature to make his way to the top. His actions may not have been particularly â€Å"evil†, but yet understood. Another excerpt from Grants theory, â€Å" All the principal personages of the tragedy, Desdemona and Cassio included, thus regard him; although Cassio, himself a soldier, is most impressed by Iago's personal bravery and military ability. In speaking of him, he not being present, the lieutenant calls him the bold Iago, and in his presence says to Desdemona that she may relish him more in the soldier than in the scholar,† [II. i. 75, 165-66] [Grant: Studies in Shakespeare, Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1886, pp. 234] further explains how the soldier instinct in Iago has replaced his demeanor rather than â€Å"evil. The sheer importance of the character Iago is immense. The theory of Iago being â€Å"evil† or just jealous of a military position is up for debate. The interesting fact about Shakespeare’s characters is the relation they have in real life. As Grant explains, â€Å"In Iago Shakespeare has presented a character that could not have escaped his observat ion; for it is of not uncommon occurrence except in one of its elements, utter unscrupulousness. But for this, Iago would be a representative type, representative of the gifted, scheming, plausible, and pushing man, who gets on by the social art known as making friends. This man is often met with in society. Sometimes he is an adventurer, like Iago, but most commonly he is not; and that he should be so is not necessary to the perfection of his character,† [Grant: Studies in Shakespeare, Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1886, pp. 205] you can see the relations Iago has to a specific stereotype of a person in the real world. In another excerpt, â€Å"Thus far Iago's character is one not rare in any society nor at any time. Yet it has been misapprehended; and the cause of its misapprehension is the one element in which it is peculiar. Iago is troubled with no scruples, absolutely none. He has intellectual perceptions of right and wrong, but he is utterly without the moral sense. He has but one guide of conduct, self-interest. [Grant: Studies in Shakespeare, Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1886, pp. 205] Grant explains how Iago is just lacking moral sense. He may not in fact be â€Å"evil† at all. He can simply just be greedy and envious in result of not gaining the position in the military. â€Å"Iago, however, had no thought of driving Othello to suicide. Far from it. Had he supposed the train he laid would have exploded in that catastrophe; he would at least have sought his end by other means. For Othello was necessary to him. He wanted the lieutenancy; and he was willing to ruin a regiment of Cassios, and to cause all the senators' daughters in Venice to be smothered, if that were necessary to his end. But otherwise he would not have stepped out of his path to do them the slightest injury; nay, rather would have done them some little service, said some pretty thing, shown some attaching sympathy, that would have been an item in the sum of his popularity. There is no mistaking Shakespeare's intention in the delineation of this character. He meant him for a most attractive, popular, good-natured, charming, selfish, cold-blooded and utterly unscrupulous scoundrel. † (pp. 333-34) [Grant: Studies in Shakespeare, Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1886, pp. 205] This excerpt further explains Iago’s nature being exactly how Shakespeare intended yet a little different than what the average reader would think of him. The nature of evil is strictly evident as the play comes to an end, yet it is viewed as an opinion or a theory whether Iago is truly â€Å"evil. † Ironically, Iago’s words speak louder than his actions, proving how legitimate Shakespeare’s use of language for the character was. This dynamic use of language is significant because it can alter the thought of the reader whether Iago was truly evil or just using military tactics to better him. Iago and his use of language set the main plot for every characters outcome.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

A View of the Mexican- American Battle and the Reasons behind the Involvement of the United States

A View of the Mexican- American Battle and the Reasons behind the Involvement of the United States U.S. History Honors The Mexican-American War DBQ â€Å"Was the United States justified in going to war with Mexico?† This is a trigger phrase similar to watching two siblings fighting over who gets to play the Xbox. â€Å"It’s MY Xbox.† â€Å"But you ruin the whole game.† In this case, Mexico owns the land of dispute and the US is eager to take it. In my opinion, the US should not have gone to war with Mexico for these reasons: the US provoked the war; gaining Texas was another way to spread slavery; and the annexation of Texas would make America a bigger threat, scaring Mexico along with other countries. The â€Å"US Invasion† was just part of the US’s plan to gain land in the early 1800s, once again because of the same excuse, Manifest Destiny. Mexico’s idea of convincing American settlers to move in to even out the contrasting social population of rich and poor backfired and right after winning their independence from Spain: a Mexican horror story! â€Å"[T]he troops commanded by General Zachary Taylor arrived at the Rio Grande†¦ (Doc. C)† From Mexican perspectives, the border between Mexico and the United States was the Nueces River. When the Americans crossed over to the Rio Grande, which was below the Nueces River, Mexico burst into flames. This means that the US initiated the war, forcing the Mexicans to the last straw until they had to finally start defending themselves. â€Å"Polk saw Mexico’s treatment of [the envoys] as an opportunity [to go to war]. He felt America’s honor had been challenged. When word arrived†¦ that Mexican soldiers had fired upon Americans on the ‘Texas side’ of the Rio Grande, President Polk had a reason for going to war (BE).† I think this is full of baloney because previously, the quote implies that the US had a reason for going to war, so why would Mexico attack first? This unlikely event intimates a few element changes of the history of the war . â€Å"A current of emigration soon followed from the United States. Slaveholders crossed the Sabine (river between Louisiana and Texas) with their slaves, in defiance of the Mexican ordinance of freedom. (Doc. D)† This quote makes the US seem very ironic since the US was â€Å"the land of opportunity and freedom† that many people of ethnic groups rushed to yet many slaves did not have opportunity nor freedom. In Mexico, slavery was illegal, so in a way, Mexico was even more free than the US. The Mexican-American War was just another product of Manifest Destiny, an excuse from â€Å"God† to gain land from the Atlantic to the Pacific to spread democracy which eventually turned into an excuse for spreading slavery. If the Americans took over Texas (which happened anyway), the territory would be back to square one: slavery. Considering the fact that Texas was still theirs, Mexico tried to prevent the slavery opposition from being obsolete. â€Å"The combination of American troops at the Rio Grande and the attempt to buy a large part of their country angered the Mexican government. [Polk’s envoys] were asked to leave Mexico City (BE).† How casually the author mentioned that the envoys were asked to leave may hint that the US doesn’t want to admit to looking like a bad guy. This also illustrates that Polk was ambitious to gain this land and maybe even pushy when the offer was bluntly rejected. The quote: â€Å"Imbecile and distracted, Mexico never can exert any real governmental authority over such a country†¦ (Doc. A)† shows how highly the US thought of itself. They shouldn’t be so quick to rise conflict, the US and Mexico being young countries alike. Having Texas secede wasnt so terrible in Mexican eyes, but having Texas secede to join the US was a major problem. Mexico was content if Texas was its own country since Texas alone wasn’t much of a threat; however, the annexa tion of Texas to the US would mean more land, meaning more power. Every other country would rather have the US care for itself and be uninvolved in matters outside of their business. This is the way people thought about England, which means the US eventually became what the Founding Fathers feared. Furthermore, â€Å"America’s wars have often been controversial [with small approval rates] (BE).† The idea I’m getting is that although in many wars citizens opposed going to war, the government doesn’t listen and goes to war anyway, which isn’t being very representative like the way it is defined. So who are the US to say that Mexico can’t govern themselves properly? All in all, I support the Mexicans’ viewpoint on the war. The US deliberately had shots fired at Mexico to own Texas and California. The United States clearly had no business in trying to take over land that originally belonged to the Mexicans. The USs pushiness, impatience, want for more slaves, and rising reign of terror connected to their were not valid reasons to go to war with Mexico. Even though I am American, I have to say that at the time, the US was being a bit snotty for wanting to take over as much as they possibly could. The war is shameful to our history, acknowledging the fact that the US always seemed so glorified and perfect when really, we have committed some of our own sins and went back on our words of equality and justice for everyone.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Earth's atmosphere, Clouds, and Air pressure and Wind Assignment

Earth's atmosphere, Clouds, and Air pressure and Wind - Assignment Example It keeps the temperature balanced within 24 hours as well. At different temperatures, the atmosphere is further subdivided into layers beginning from the Earth’s surface where troposphere lies between 7 to 14 kms followed by the stratosphere reaching the 50-km altitude. This layer is conducive for airplanes due to stability and with increasing temperature, only minimal amount of water vapor and other components may be detected. On top of the stratosphere is the mesosphere about 30 km in thickness which, due to unstable winds and temperature, experiences a certain degree of coldness. Within 80 to 85 kms from the ground begins the region of the thermosphere that spans a width of about 560 km or greater where it is possible for radio waves to be reflected during communication via radio system. Types of Clouds Clouds are generated every time the atmosphere becomes saturated with water vapor to the point they are unable to contain it in excess that phase change from vapor to liquid for water necessarily takes place during condensation stage of the water cycle. These clouds are massive by several millions of tons in weight and are classified based upon their physical appearance and altitudes. On the basis of the way they look in the sky, stratus clouds refer to the type which may be seen as flat sheets among low to high-level clouds. Another type under this classification are the cumulus clouds which are puffy, lumpy, or wavy and when enormous in size could form into towering vertical clouds with a potential to generate thunderstorm. Cirrus clouds, the third type, are known to be high and thin and cold at high levels, being made of ice crystals rather than water droplets. With reference to how high they could get from the ground level, clouds come in five types namely – high-level clouds, medium-level clouds, low-level clouds, moderate-vertical clouds, and towering-vertical clouds. It is quite interesting to find out that heavy rain, snow showers, and s now can be created with both the towering-vertical clouds and the moderate-vertical clouds. Air Pressure and Wind Systems When air exerts force on a particular area of the Earth’s surface due to the air’s weight then an atmospheric pressure emerges. This pressure increases as the layer of air becomes thick and this occurs at low altitudes whereas high places encounter low atmospheric pressure for having thin air around. A mercury barometer is the device used to measure air pressure in inches or millimeters. Wind, compared to still air, is identified with gases in motion and in our living planet, the mere flow of air is called wind. A ‘solar wind’, however, is caused by the flow of gases or particles from the sun in the outer space. Winds go by different names depending on their speeds and how long they stay on a particular spot. Gusts, for instance, are known as short bursts of fast winds, breeze for the light ones, whereas squalls are those with great str ength that last in a minute. Typhoon, hurricanes, storms, tornadoes, and cyclones are some other names given according to the wind’s nature of existence and they normally take place with high pressure differences beyond 200 miles per hour. Either hot rising air with low pressure or cool dropping air with high pressure

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Team and Teamwork Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Team and Teamwork - Essay Example With the suggestions that teamwork increases business activities, there is no clear empirical support as to such evidence. However, according to managers and employees the effectiveness of teamwork is great (Allen & Hecht, 2004). There are numerous articles that state about the term team, which consists of two or more individuals, who are entitled to specific assignments and roles, and whose task is to perform interdependent tasks. However, being adaptable to numerous changes within the organization and outside it, they are able to follow and share a common goal. To work effectively together, team members should have specific knowledge, skills, and attitudes, such as the ability to monitor the performance of others, knowledge of own and teams responsibilities and a certain attitude toward being as part of a team. Such skills are crucial for teamwork. Moreover, according to the extensive research on teamwork showed that along with the skills necessary for the effective teamwork, there also should be a set of interrelated skills that assist performance of all the tasks of the organization. Teamwork differs from task work, for example, a surgical skill. However, teamwork and task work require teams to be effective in complex environments. In addition, knowledge and skill at the task are not enough in health care system for example. Teamwork depends on each team member’s ability to meet the needs of others, to be able to adjust to others actions and have a general realization of how a certain goal should be achieved (Baker,  Day &  Salas, 2006). It is also important to mention that skills are all individual acquisition of team members and can be opposed to team-level competencies. It means that team members bring personal skills to their teams engaging in the work. Competencies are not unique to the team.To bring up the positive and working environment within the team, there are many ways that leaders and team members can use to increase their contributi on. The first and the main factor are to have a responsible and effective leader of the task or the project. The person who is in charge should be not a micromanager and use its excessive power to dominate others. The ability to be tactful and to encourage others is important traits of the effective leader and should be a must. Such leader will be able to values each team member and everyone’s contribution to true consideration. There is also a need to invite a stakeholder in the task or a project because it will bring the team feeling of meaningfulness toward the people and sides engaged in the process. The other important factor for the team to work efficiently is to praise the team and its individuals as well. Every piece of work and every contribution should be appreciated and recognized in the form that each member would consider good for one. Some credit toward teamwork and its members will motivate people to more accomplishments.

Monday, August 26, 2019

Hospitality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Hospitality - Essay Example Although some hotel rooms may offer two or double rooms, timeshares offer queen or king beds set up in private rooms. Hotels only offer television sets in rooms while for timeshares, television is found in bedroom and living areas. Other amenities offered by timeshares but not offered by hotels include Jacuzzi tub in bathroom, fully equipped kitchen and washer suites. Customers may consider investment initial investment involved in buying a timeshare. Although this could be high, with time, they become cheaper. Six types of timeshares are available for buyers in the market in relation to their tastes, affordability, time and period of ownership, capacity, luxury, and availability. During their early days of invention, most developers provided a fixed one-week unit annually meaning the buyer could only occupy the unit once a week every year. However, many developments and modifications have come into place and flexibility in the product has been rising with increased demand and customer tastes. Until recently, developers did not spend enough time and money in making the structures. It is worth noting, â€Å"Most early timeshare resorts were conversions of old hotels, motels, rental-apartment complexes, or unsold condominiums† (Schreier 3). She further stresses that conversion typically undergo extensive renovation, and they may involve adaptive reuse of historic structures. Today, more time and resources are spent on constructing structures for timesharing purposes. Deeded timeshares gives the customer freedom of owning and using the property until the time of passing to the next party. This means that a title deed is issued to the owner to prove ownership of the property which could also be handed down to an heir if the owner so wishes. Life property timeshares allows the buyer to use the property every year for the rest of his life from the date of ownership. The disadvantage is that their benefits end at the time of death of the owner,

Fair and Equitable Treatment on Foreign Investment and its Effects Essay

Fair and Equitable Treatment on Foreign Investment and its Effects - Essay Example tle to the School of Law at Oxford Brookes University in 13th of February 2012, there are two significant issues that have been discussed by a plethora of scholars. The first issue is on the field of the concept of the FET standard. Some scholars discussed the difference between â€Å"fairness† and â€Å"equity†. In other words, whether the FET standards contains two standards, namely â€Å"fair† and â€Å"equitable† with independent meaning for each one or the FET standard appears as an unified standard. Scholars examined this question, due to the fact that arbitrators always make their decision on international investment dispute according to their notions of â€Å"fairness† and â€Å"equity†.4 As a result, the first argument of the dissertation is to analyse the meaning of the FET standard in order to know whether it contains two standard or not. The second issue is on the field of the interpreting the FET standard. Several scholars critic ized the heterogeneity of the FET standard language in investment treaties and illustrated how that could affect on the extent of the standard.5 In other words, they argued that whether the FET standards reflect the international minimum standards of treatment? Such as national treatment and most favoured nation treatment, or it works as an autonomous standard or independence from other standards. Scholars observed this issue because some treaties state the FET standards as equivalent to the international minimum standard required by customary international law. Therefore, the second argument on the dissertation is whether the FET standard is measured the international minimum standard required by customary international law or it is an absolute or an autonomous standard. A Literature Review In order to gather relevant information to the... The researcher started searching for information by using secondary sources first, such as books and journal articles on order to gather relevant information to the FET standard. Dolzer and Schreuer book is the first source that he has read. The authors discuss in their book the meaning of the FET according to tribunals practise in a number of cases. For instance, in the TECMED v Mexico case the tribunal presented the most comprehensive definition of the FET when it said that: The foreign investor expects the host State to act in a consistent manner, free from ambiguity and totally transparently in its relations with the foreign investor†¦ The foreign investor also expects the host State to act consistently, i.e. without arbitrarily revoking any preexisting decisions or permits issued by the State that were relied upon by the investor to assume its commitments as well as to plan and launch its commercial and business activities. The investor also expects the State to use the leg al instruments that govern the actions of the investor or the investment in conformity with the function usually assigned to such instruments, and not to deprive the investor of its investment without the required compensation. Therefore, the authors conclude that there is no a specific meaning of the FET standard owing to the fact that the concept of the standard in investment treaty is a broad and depend on different circumstances. Moreover, they analyse the history of the FET standard by illustrating multilateral investment treaties and bilateral investment treaties that contain the standard.

Sunday, August 25, 2019

The relationship between Benedick and Beatrice in the Play and the Essay

The relationship between Benedick and Beatrice in the Play and the Film of Much Ado About Nothing - Essay Example Two other characters stand out as important elements in the dramatic development of the play. Beatrice is a fiery, outspoken cousin of Hero, who is intended no doubt to provide a contrast to Hero’s gentle and quiet character. Benedick is a witty and disrespectful courtier who so far has not consented to be romantically tied to any woman. Claudio and Hero are the unwitting victims of deception, showing one potential reaction to this turn of fate, while Benedick and Beatrice are examples of an entirely different, and more feisty response. As the title of the play suggests, it all comes right in the end, but the main point of the play is to explore the different paths that can be followed in leading two individuals to the traditional â€Å"happy ending† scenario of the Elizabethan comedy genre. Love wins out in the end, despite the posturing of the human characters in the play, and this is the main message that both film and play project. Benedick and Beatrice are like male and female versions of the same character type. They predictably get into arguments with each other, partly to amuse their friends, but partly also because they have so much in common with each other, and make such equal and entertaining sparring partners. While Hero and Claudio play the role of the star crossed lovers, whose path to true love is interrupted by villainous subterfuge, Benedick and Beatrice represent a lively contrast, as two arch enemies who are brought together by the same villainous plotting. This criss-crossing plot device is an example of Shakespeare’s complex commentary on the shifting roles of the sexes in Elizabethan England. One of the features of Branagh’s film that has attracted much critical attention is the fact that there is a mixture of British and American actors in the film, with a consequent erratic mix of accents. This was no doubt a consequence of UK/US collaboration on the production side, but also a reflection of marketing aspirations which were truly global. The kind of Shakespeare being produced here is deliberately international, with an ironic kind of inter-textuality that appeals to a post-modern audience. The casting of comic superstar Denzel Washington as Don Pedro, for example, adds modern layers of connotation to the original meanings intended by Shakespeare himself. Seen in this light, the relationship between Benedick (Kenneth Branagh) and Beatrice (Emma Thompson) appears as a commentary on relationship issues faced by modern globetrotting professionals. Certainly Emma Thompson’s Beatrice is reminiscent of the articulate, at times even stridently feminist, modern wom an who will not succumb to traditional notions of female subordination in marriage. Don Pedro’s comment to Beatrice â€Å"In faith, lady, you have a merry heart† (Act 2, Scene 1, line 293) underlines the potential that she has to lighten every scene and distract attention from her inner loneliness to her outer display of wit. There is more to Beatrice than meets the eye, and only in the presence of Benedick does she truly shine. This chemistry between the two characters is brought out to perfection in Branagh’s film, as the two often stand back to back, facing away from each other and firing off remarks into the surrounding crowd of onlookers. They studiously avoid intimate contact at first, but everyone knows that they are a fine match for each other, romantically as well as intellectually. The underlying tension between the two sets up a slow burning suspense that carries on throughout the play and film until it reaches its fulfilment in the closing scene. The

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Human Resources Management slp Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Human Resources Management slp - Essay Example Human resource management aims to set meaningful goals and ensures that these goals are met for the future growth and success of an organization (Kaushik, 2009). Before hiring an employee, it is important for the human resource person to have a written job description on hand. A good job description includes the detailed information about the job such as the duties and responsibilities of the employee, the qualifications needed to fit in the job, and the experiences and general skills needed to be carried out by the chosen candidate. A job description is an important aspect in hiring employees since it serves as a guide for determining if an employee is well suited for the job, it ensures that the qualifications needed are matched with the potential candidate, and it serves as the foundation in constructing possible interview questions (Wolf, n.d.). Developing a good job description is a significant task for the human resource people. It serves as communication tools for the success of the organization since employees get to learn and be aware of their duties and functions. Without it, employees will tend to be confused of the workplace they are in because they do not know what is expected from them. With job descriptions, employees are provided with a clearer view of the picture about the company thus paving the way for a better communication between them and the organization. Aside from that, it also tells employees where they fit in the picture so they could perform their duties effectively (Heathfield,

Friday, August 23, 2019

Difference and Similarities between Warhol's Films and Art Essay

Difference and Similarities between Warhol's Films and Art - Essay Example The paper "Difference and Similarities between Warhol's Films and Art" discusses Andy Warhol's films and art. As told earlier, Andy’s films quite went against the rules of movie making the Classical Hollywood Cinema especially. He produced films that were characterized by boring long sequences that lacked a change in image or focus. His films did not have a clear path like usual films; he made use of sloppy camera work, and the sound was far from better. In addition, his films had superstars acting with exaggerated gestures and sense of clumsiness. This is contrary to his visual paintings that done distinctly by experimenting with different contexts and colors. Unlike his films where he could repetitively focus on one image and subject, his pop art dealt with subjects that ranged from the everyday mundane objects such as â€Å"Campbell’s Soup Cans† to celebrities such as â€Å"Marilyn Monroe.† It is also important to note that his artwork embraced the use of cartoons for his subjects. Warhol’s art was also characterized by creativity and mass-produced, unlike his films, which hardly got any creativity. One of his films, Sleep produced in 1963 provides a clear picture of his filmmaking characteristics. The film was comprised of one continuous shot of Warhol’s close friend John Giorno depicting his as sleeping for 8 hours. It is critical to note, however, that the shooting took only twenty minutes with the rest of the film being characterized by repetitions of the film’s opening sequence and silkscreen pictures.

Thursday, August 22, 2019

The Road Not Taken Essay Example for Free

The Road Not Taken Essay Every adult faces challenges and life-altering decisions. In â€Å"The Road Not Taken† by Robert Frost this dilemma is brought to life. The character in the poem has free will to choose whichever path he wants. He is completely unaware of what his choice will bring but he leaves it to chance. He knows he has to make a choice and that it is impossible to know whether or not it is the right choice. He knows that no matter what his choice is he will always wonder what his life would have been like had he chosen the other path. In reality there is no right or wrong path. There are only decisions and outcomes. The theme of decision making in this poem takes a â€Å"seize the day† approach. No matter the outcome the traveler knows he still must make a decision and make the best of it. The setting of the poem takes place in the woods. The character is standing there studying a forked path. It is ironic that both paths are seemingly the same, they are both intriguing to the traveler and he wishes that he could travel them both. The forked path is symbolic of life and all of its many choices that must be made. Just as the character is unaware of what his choice may bring, outcomes of adult choices do not always turn out as expected. The title of the poem â€Å"The Road Not Taken† is significant. The poem is named after the path that was ultimately not chosen, leaving the reader to believe to think it was written with regret. In stanza 4 the regret is brought to light with a metrical device. â€Å"Sigh† is an onomatopoeia that emphasizes the characters regret or relief. That one word makes the reader want to go back and reread the poem to make sure the theme is understood. The traveler is either regretting his decision that he made or he is relieved that he made the best choice for himself. It is left up to the reader’s interpretation to discover what the poet was trying to say. Some other metrical devices used are imagery, symbolism, personification, rhyming, alliteration, and allegory. The reader is presented with imagery in â€Å"two roads diverged in a yellow wood† and again in â€Å"And both that morning equally lay in leaves no step had trodden black†. This gives the reader something to visualize. Personification is used in â€Å"because it was grassy and wanted wear. † A road cannot produce a feeling to want wear. The rhyme scheme of ABAAB in this poem produces interest and makes for an entertaining read. Alliteration is used when the poet writes â€Å"wanted wear†. Allegory presents itself when the poet writes about the two paths when his ulterior message is about choices. All of the devices used in the poem support the poets overall theme. Out of all of the â€Å"roads† faced in life the roads not chosen to take have just as much impact as the roads that are chosen. There is no way of knowing the outcome of a decision unless you make the decision and see what happens. You may be happy with that choice, or you may sigh and wish you had made a different choice. Some of the choices you make are final, the poet makes light of this when he writes â€Å"I doubted if I should ever come back†. It is as if he knows that he will not ever be returning to â€Å"The Path Not Taken†. The poet allows the reader to come to their own imaginations, ideas, and outcomes in this poem. This is a poem that can be interpreted many different ways.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Bill Gates and I Have the Same Property Essay Example for Free

Bill Gates and I Have the Same Property Essay The government does not have the freedom to interfere into the property of an owner and the owner’s right to exercise power on the property. This statement may be evaluated with the following example. An anti-trust action was passed against Microsoft Corporation by the Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department who challenged that the company cannot make it mandatory on customers to install the internet browser of Microsoft while installing the Microsoft 95 operating system. The Government also upheld the notion that it is not necessary for consumers to use one product of a company simultaneously when another product is installed. The court ordered the separation of Microsoft 95 and Internet explorer. In continuation to this verdict, the Assistant Attorney General further demanded the unusual freedom to scrutinise all future products of Microsoft Corporation to check their marketing strategy. Microsoft retaliated that if additional facilities in the computer indicate unfair trade practice, the manufacture of computer itself would be like posing threat to the manufacturers of products like calculator, typewriter and the like. Though the Assistant Attorney General justified that the anti trust motion is aimed to stimulate innovation and competition there were several obstacles to substantiate its stand to stop Microsoft from gaining market control (Labaton, 1997). According to Bill Gates, the separation of the operating system and the browser would mean producing products with lesser value and reducing the demand for the operating system in the market despite enhancing the quality (Thibodeau, 2008). In the Second Treatise of Government, John Locke justifies that man can have a right on property based on the amount of work he has done to transform the resources provided by God. The amount of work done by a person enables him to partition the common resources provided by God and own a part of it by himself. Thus private ownership of property is related to the amount of work done by man. The spoilage proviso limits the amount of resources a man can reserve when the resource is wasted and the sufficiency proviso limits the amount of resources to be owned and the balance to be left with the nature for others. And when there are no more resources available, people are required to work on the available resources for sustenance. According to Locke, when individuals own resources or land, they take better care of it rather than when the land is not owned by anyone. When land is owned the productivity is estimated a ten times its actual value and it will pave way for the betterment of life. Here labor is given more importance than on resources. When a person works on a resource it is automatically transformed into the workers property. It is the duty of the government to protect the right of a person towards a property (Meinhardt, 2007). James Madison has defined the ownership and rights to use a property. He has stated that when a person has a right to property, it is equal to having a property in his own rights. Hence the government’s interference into the affairs of a property or business owned by an individual when the business is meant for public use is not fair. Therefore the government should make it clear that the property owned by a person or corporate may be put into full use according to the wish of the owner if the use of the property adds values and the deletion of certain facilities reduce the value of the property. When certain use of a property is taken away by legal and governmental restrictions, the owner cannot exercise his fundamental freedom to exercise his right on the property (Pilon, 1995). In conclusion, governments do not have the authority to interfere into the rights of a property owner if the owner is a multi billionaire or a common person. Reference Labaton, S. December 22, 1997. Bill Gates, Meet Your Adversary, the Antitrust Chief. Available: http://query. nytimes. com/gst/fullpage. html? res=9D04E7DF143EF931A15751C1A961958260sec=spon=pagewanted=1. Accessed on September 8, 2008 Meinhardt, E. F. May 22, 2007. Critical Analysis of John Locke’s theory on Property Rights. Available http://www. scribd. com/doc/93360/John-Locke-on-Property-Rights. Accessed on September 8, 2008. Pilon, R. February 10, 1995. Protecting Private Property Rights from Regulatory Takings. Breathe New Life Into the Takings Clause. Available: http://www. cato. org/testimony/ct-pi210. html. Accessed on September 8, 2008. Thibodeau, P. June 30, 2008. For Bill Gates, antitrust fight was a personal crucible. http://www. thestandard. com/news/2008/06/30/bill-gates-antitrust-fight-was-personal-crucible? page=0%2C1. Accessed on September 8, 2008.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Significance Of The Cultural Homogeneity

Significance Of The Cultural Homogeneity How significant is any process of cultural homogenization to the development of the global hospitality industry is going to be the topic under analyses on this assignment. We will give definitions of culture, homogenization and globalization and what these terms mean. Will follow to analyze to what extent, are people from around the world becoming more similar in their patterns of consumption of products and services from the hospitality/tourism industry. And if so what does this mean to the development of the global hospitality/tourism industry and evidence of the fact that people are becoming the same and how has the industry respond to such demand. Finally we will be showing what the overall evaluation is regarding the topic and a conclusion summarizing all the findings. Customer commodities are turning homogenous all over the world with this fact comes the definition of homogenization. People use the same type of things: from planes and cars, holidays destinations and way of dressing and living. With this goes a strong consumerist way of living and structure of principles that focus on the material world and on substantial comfort. Marx (1977) in his dependency theory saw that the political-territorial boundaries remain intact and will disappear under a future proletarian supremacy. Wallerstein (1974) focus is studies on the economic view of the definition of globalization as an increasing level of interdependence between national systems by way of trade, military Robertson Roland explains globalization in the cultural domain. In is text, Globalization as a Problem in The Globalization Reader says, globalization as a concept refers both to the compression of the world and the intensification of consciousness of the world as a whole Cited in Frank Lechner and John Boli (2004) According to Giddens globalization is seen as the intensification of worldwide social relations which link distant localities in such a way that local happenings are shaped by events occurring many miles away and vice versa Giddens (1990). These local happenings were said to be influenced by distant events and not just the local events, whi ch all have been influenced by the forces of globalization. Looking at Giddens (1990) and Robertsons (1992) definitions, Giddens believes modernity has come as a result of globalization. For Giddens globalization is said to have started during the sixteenth century onwards and in Europe in particular. However, in Robertsonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸s opinion, the problem of globalization is not new. He believes the social compression of the world has begun before the sixteenth century as predicted by Giddens. He predicts modernity and the rise of capitalism to be the cause of the rise of globalization. That is for Robertson, modernization has an influence on globalization. Culture with its very broad nature have always been without a precise definition, referred by Geertz (1973) culture is said not to exist in some ones head. That is, when we are born as we grow, through learning from either our parents or schools or the environment we grow, we know culture. Giddens referred culture to be the way of life of the members of the society or of groups within a society Giddens (2002). He believes that culture is inherited and it comprises both intangible aspects of life like the beliefs, ideas and values, which form the content of culture. In addition, the tangible aspects like the objects, symbols or technology, which represents that content. An example of this is the present day American cultures of Americanization and McDonaldization, described by Ritzer as the fast food restaurants Ritzer, (2003). Geert Hofstede views culture as a communal psychological programming of people. The software of the mentality, or how we think, make us different from additional groups. It refers to a shared fact of mutual principles and meanings and we get it from the social environment. We are not born with a public set of morals and attitudes; we discover and gain them as we develop. E. T. Halls wrote about High- and Low-Context Cultures theories with Low-context cultures we count on complicated verbal explanations, transferring more importance to verbal words, communication is straight and open, meaning is uncomplicated with the High-context cultures we highlight nonverbal communication and use communication as a way to support soft, pleasant associations for example in East Asia and Japan; nonverbal signs and body language are often used as they prefer an indirect, polite, face-saving style that shows a shared sagacity, concern and respect for others. Globalization in the tourism context can be thought in several ways which include the following: Americanization through McDonalds , KFC and Starbucks ,McDonalds fast food outlets can now even be found everywhere in the world. Experiencing the diversity of building styles, dishes and cultures was once a main reason to visit cities. Today as one travels around the world one finds that many airports, hotels and cities are more or less the same this takes the fun out of traveling because you know already how your room is going to be like in certain hotel chain. Globalization is felt particularly in less developed countries, many of which see tourism as an important development option. Unfortunately developing tourism can require that poor countries have to take out billion dollar loans to build the necessary infrastructure for tourism development and this can be a problem because they may not be able to pay their debts. International tourists demand international style hotels, food and drinks and hence developing countries have to import this items, this is called leakage because the money leaks out of the local economy and it cant be used to benefit local people. Cross-cultural exchange promotes innovation and creativity. The belief that increased globalization entails cultural homogenization, most commonly in the guise of Americanization, is a popular one. It is a belief enacted by tourists who travel to far-off lands only to stay in Sheraton hotels, eat at the local McDonalds, and watch big Hollywood pictures in the evenings. The gist of such tourist reports, anthropological findings, and American advertisements has been theorized in models of cultural imperialism (Mattelart 1979; Schiller 1976) that contend that Western, and largely American, culture is exported around the world to the effect of global homogenization. As Featherstone (1995) describes the process, capital clears the way for culture. Along these lines, corporate logos become icons of American ideologies for everyone outside of the center. But are these examples a clear process of cultural homogenization? Benjamin Barber (1995) would respond positively with is process of MacW orld is one of soft hegemony, an easy way to export American capitalist ideologies to the world, thereby making the world safe for the free market. Stuart Hall (1991) responds affirmatively to the question of globalization as cultural homogenization, his thoughts on the subject are much more nuanced. Hall defines a new form of globalization in contrast to the earlier globalization of colonization, particularly that of the British empire, and this new globalization is distinctly American with its emphasis on television and film, and by the image, imagery, and styles of mass advertising (1991). In this regard, Halls conception of the globalization process is similar to Barbers. However, where Barber understands MacWorld as a totalizing force intent on Americanizing everyone and everything in its path, Hall sees a very peculiar form of homogenization, a homogenization which does not strive for completeness but rather thrives on particularities. For Hall this new form of globalization h as made it chic to eat fifteen different cuisines in any one week (1991). Hall contends that by presenting a world of neutralized difference, a world of commodified and consumable difference, capitalism is able to maintain its global dominance. As he remarks, It is working to make up a nation in which things are diverse. And that is the enjoyment of it but the differences do not matter. (Featherstone 1990) questions the basic premise of Americanization upon which both Barber and Hall build their theories of global cultural homogenization. To begin with, such theories depend upon a notion of cultures behaving as substances which flow intact and easily dissolve the differences they encounter (1995). Yet beyond this distinction, Featherstone contends that the world can no longer be perceived as extending out from one central point such as the United States but rather from many global centers. Like Hall, he highlights the contestatory, confrontational nature of globalization; however, f or Featherstone, the contestation is external rather than internal, a global field in which differences, power struggles and cultural prestige contests are played out. As such, globalization emphasizes cultural heterogeneity and difference of a massive scale: Globalization makes us aware of the sheer volume, diversity and many-sidedness of culture. Featherstone also dismisses the cultural homogenization thesis as premised on ethnocentric ideas about local cultures. When people move around, they carry with them the things that travel bestcultural traditions with sensory power like music, folktales, food ways, and festival. At the same time, it is the sensory power of these traditions which brings them to market, which incorporates them into multicultural policy work, which allows them to serve as somewhat superficial points of cultural exchange. In some senses, the local is globally homogenized in the same way that American (or western) culture is said to homogenize all other culture s: not only does one find McDonalds, Coca-Cola, and Nike around the world; one also finds Chinese food, African music, and May Day celebrations. As the world grows more interconnected and emergent technologies allow more of us to experience more of this global interconnectedness, the global cultural homogenization thesis may seem like an attractive one. Globalization has both constructive and pessimistic impacts on the hospitality business the positive impacts of globalization are: the contact with different cultures makes the ones taking care of the hospitality business to be gifted to discover about diverse cultures as they obtain the option of mixing with people from various countries; becomes a bigger market and the customer base has increased greatly. Community now move not only for holidays, but commerce, physical condition and different other reasons; increases the economy of the area in question, visitors come in and spend money; improves technology advancement since they want to catch the attention of as many tourists as they can, organizations continuously need to improve and develop their goods and services using quicker and new techniques in hotels to so that the consumer is pleased; promotes creativity as organizations are all the time creating innovative ideas to attract tourists; important more job opportunities are c reated as more visitors come into the country and therefore more natives are needed to serve tourist needs; increases the travel industry, people move around and to make possible this the business needs to develop as well, per last a wide variety of international cuisines is created since there are a lot of diverse guests with different origins, customs, food habits, and languages, the hospitality/tourism industry incorporates recipes and diverse supplementary services and makes them accessible to the locals too. The pessimistic impacts of globalization on the hospitality industry are in this situation more dramatic issues: language barriers, the industry can employ people from diverse countries, they might have problems in communicating with the customers; cultural barriers, as there are people from different cultures whats adequate by one culture may be a insult by another; employment during busy times of the year, a good amount of jobs are available but almost immediately as the clients leave, the jobs vanish jointly with the income; use of tools to communicate due to intercontinental separations, there has been a firm raise in the use of equipment for contact and this removes the human touch; developing countries are not capable to keep up with the expansion in technology and have a propensity to lose out, they always need to work to get better conditions; or else tourists have other areas to choose from; increase in crime with the increase in tourists, crimes raise also; ecological exhau stion: globalization causes an disproportion in the eco system, people regularly throw their rubbish on the floor which could cause sicknesses and loss of cultural and national values to go with along with customer needs. Following critically examining the entire evidences provided can conclude that may be complicated to define even though the fact that studies have stated globalization as a back and forward process of development as business expansion will continue with the search of new markets and cultures will be affluently influence by western part of global economy. Societies will inevitably borrow heavily from these cultures however it doesnt mean that they will be completely transformed. Cultural diversity will have to be protected and defended. In the modern worldwide cultural pluralism may still be less and less physical, even if certain geographical roots of most important cultures will stay. We exist in a multicultural humanity in which citizens live a practice of various experiences, characterized by a diversity of associative groups. Consequently cultures possibly will no longer be local in the conventional sense, but still diverse linked together in a complex network.

Comparing Christianity and Buddhism :: Papers Compare Contrast Religion Essays

Comparing Christianity and Buddhism This paper is a comparison between two very different religions. Specifically Christianity and Buddhism. Coming from opposite sides of the globe these two religions could not be any farther apart in any aspect. I will discuss who Christ is for Christians and who Buddha is for Buddhists. I will also get into the aspects of charity, love, and compassion in both religions and I will be looking at the individual self and how christians see resurrection where the buddhists feel about the afterlife. One thing to keep in mind is that the two religions are very different but they seem to have a very similar underlying pattern. Both believe that there was a savior of their people, Buddha and Christ, and both believe that there is something good that happens to us when our time is done here on earth. This is a very generalized summarization but in order to go in to depth I need to explain the two religions more to fully convey this theory. The Christian religion, like all other religions has its strengths and weaknesses in our modern society. Perhaps the strengths out weight the weaknesses as this is one of the largest religions in the world. Hundreds of people follow the Catholic/Christian religion yet still a greater number follow yet other religions. Perhaps this is because they see the weaknesses or perhaps it is simply because their parents have taught them that it is a sin to follow this religion. The Christian religions do however present much more of an appealing atmosphere than such other religions which are as large as the Christian. The Christian religion is one of few religions where punishments for sins are not severe. In the Christian religion, even if you have lived a life of sin, so long as you repent in the end, you will be saved and given eternal life. This is not so in other religions. Such religions as Hinduism for instance do not believe this. For everything you do wrong you will be punished. For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction, if not in this life, then the next. Hindu's also believe that punishing the body is part of the path to salvation. Christianity is nothing like this. Many Christians live in high class society. Christianity is one of the most appealing in that any sins may easily be corrected and that Christians may live comfortable, if not wealthy lives without guilt.

Monday, August 19, 2019

Dracula :: essays research papers

Overview Dracula has appealed to readers for almost a century, at least in part because it deals with one of the great human conflicts: the struggle between good and evil. Stoker acknowledges the complexity of this conflict by showing good characters attracted to evil. For example, Jonathan Harker, the lawyer who journeys to Transylvania, is almost attacked at Dracula's castle by three young female vampires. In fact, he seems to be actually welcoming the attack before it is interrupted by the count. In this scene, as well as others, Stoker suggests that evil, represented by the vampires, is an almost irresistible force which requires great spiritual strength to overcome. It eventually takes the combined forces of a band of men, representing different countries, to defeat the vampiric count. Stoker's novel is a symbolic exploration of a conflict which has long troubled humankind. Dracula also has considerable cultural importance. Stoker was not the first writer to make use of the vampire legend. Throughout the 19th century vampires appeared in a number of works, including Sheridan LeFanu's Carmilla (1872), which Stoker read as a young man. But it is Stoker's version of the vampire legend that has had the most enduring popular appeal and the greatest influence on modern writers and filmmakers. In his book Vampires Unearthed, Martin Riccardo tells the story of a survey taken by Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum to determine the world's "most hated person." Dracula ranked fifth. Clearly, Stoker's creation continues to capture readers' imaginations. SETTING Stoker uses a circular structure for his novel, incorporating two settings. Transylvania is the setting for the beginning and end of the novel, and, since he had never been there, Stoker had to rely on research for his description of the country and its people. The rest of the novel takes place in England, a setting familiar to Stoker and his audience. The novel begins with Jonathan Harker's journey to Transylvania on May 3 of an unspecified year. Harker later states that seven years elapse between the events themselves and his compilation of them, so we may assume that the action of the novel takes place from May to November in 1890. Harker's initial enjoyment of a country filled with wonderful new sights, people, and food contrasts sharply with his apprehension as he approaches the count's castle and his terror when he finally realizes he is Dracula's prisoner. This section, the first four chapters of the novel, has been highly praised for its accurate descriptions of the region and its use of those descriptions to create suspense and terror.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Benefits of Indian Gaming and its role in Global Development of Tribal

Benefits of Indian Gaming and its role in Global Development of Tribal Nations Indigenous peoples throughout the world have suffered and continue to suffer ever since white people stepped foot onto their lands. In the Americas, countless incidents of genocide and blatant violations of human rights have occurred time and time again. Those indigenous to North America, known commonly as Indians or Native Americans, have faced an immense amount of racism, hatred, and oppression on the very same land that was once their own, before it was stolen by the colonists. Native Americans have faced economic hardships that are unmatched by any other race in the United States; the statistics are absolutely staggering and horrifying to know that such impoverished communities and hardships still exist in America, the land of opportunity, a country that has surpassed all others in virtually all aspects. Fortunately, within the past decade there has been a significant rise in political participation and economic growth within Indian communities, which is largely contributed to by the rise of Indian Gaming, perhaps the most controversial subject affecting Indian country today. However, Indian Gaming, through economic development, proves to be a gateway to international and national recognition and affirmation of tribal sovereignty, encouraging self-determination among Native American tribes. The three objectives of this essay are to provide summaries of Federal Indian policy and the special federal-tribal relationship that allow Indian Gaming to take place, to describe the benefits of Indian Gaming on tribal economies and politics, and to discuss how this has contributed to participation of Native Americans on an international level and the fair... ...W. The Vanishing American. Wichita: University Press of Kansas, 1982. 5. Thornton, Russell. American Indian Holocaust and Survival: A Population History Since 1492. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1942. 6. Horsman, Reginald. Expansion and American Indian Policy: 1783-1812. Detroit: Michigan State University Press, 1967. 7. Orfield, Gary. A Study of the Termination Policy. Denver: National Congress of American Indians, 1964. 8. Wilkins, David E. American Indian Politics and the American Political System. Lanham: Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, Inc., 2002. 9. Lobo, Susan, Talbot, Steve. Native American Voices, A reader. Upper Saddle river, NJ: Prentice Hall, Inc., 2001. 10. Johnson, Troy R. Contemporary Native American Political Issues. Walnut Creek: Alta Mira Press, 1999.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Walking in Someone Else’s Shoes

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Rabbit Proof Fence by Phillip Noyce, and Martin Luther King Jr’s speech I have a Dream, all explore the lesson that Atticus teaches Scout. The lesson of Walking in someone else’s shoes. The metaphor of walking in someone else’s shoes indicates the understanding of a person by seeing things from his or her perspective. These three texts are set in the 20th Century, during a time of great racial inequalities and discrimination in society. To Kill a Mockingbird explores the idea – walking in someone else’s shoes, through the issue of racism. Rabbit Proof Fence ponders the idea – walking in someone else’s shoes, though the subject of prejudice. I have a Dream speech by Martin Luther King Jr. examines the lesson – walking in someone else’s shoes, through the use of the themes, freedom and a thirst for change. In t the novel To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus teaches his daughter Scout, and his son Jem, that â€Å"you can kill all the blue jays you want,†¦ but remember it’s a sin to kill a mocking bird. † The mockingbird symbolises Tom Robinson, as he has done nothing wrong, yet he is slowly being ‘destroyed’ by the racism shown towards him, by the white townspeople of Maycomb. When Tom Robinson appears in court due to Mayella Ewell’s accusation of him raping her, Tom Robinson is not giver a fair trial. The jury is display racism as they ignore the evidence which is supporting Tom Robinson, and instead jump straight to the conclusion, which is Tom Robinson is guilty. â€Å"The evil assumption – that all Negroes lie, that all negroes are basically immoral beings, that all negroes are not to be trusted around our women†. In the film Rabbit Proof Fence one main form of prejudice is demonstrated. Mr Neville’s is prejudice towards the aboriginals, as he believes they are incompetent to care for themselves and their families. Seeing as Mr Neville is the legal guardian of all â€Å"half-cast† children, he sees it as his duty to separate the children from their families and situate them at Moore River to allow the nuns working at Moore River to raise these children as Christians. Mr. Neville had a plan to breed out the â€Å"†¦ unwanted third race†¦ †- which is the aboriginals – by simply arranging for each generation of â€Å"half-caste† children to marry white Australians. â€Å"†¦ he aboriginal has simple been bred out. † The lesson of walking in someone else’s shoes is important in this film because if Mr. Neville had placed himself in the situation that all the children at Moore River were in, he would have been unmistakable to him that these children are unhappy at Moore River, as well as there not being any ma jor reason to remove the children from their family unit and habitat. In 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his speech, I Have a Dream in Washington DC. Martin Luther King Jr. understands that the American nation as a whole has a thirst for change. The urgency to change for the better. Throughout the speech there is a considerable amount of chronology used. When Martin Luther King explains how even after a long period of time after the Emancipation Proclamation the only thing that has changed is that there is no longer slavery but segregation, discrimination and racism still occurs. â€Å"One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacle of segregation and the chains of discrimination. † The word freedom is repeated several times throughout the speech. The effect of this technique used, (anaphora) is that the key word contains much meaning, and repeating it emphasises and enforces the meaning and message. â€Å"Let freedom ring†¦ † When Martin Luther King Jr. refers to freedom, he does not only mean physically, but psychologically too. To Kill a Mockingbird, Rabbit Proof Fence, and I have a Dream speech all explore the need to learn the lesson – walking in someone else’s shoes. These three texts show how there was a great injustice in society in the 20th Century. It is because of this injustice in society that there is a need to see things from another person perspective.

Friday, August 16, 2019

Business and Consumer Protection in Islam

Modern business is a very complex reality. Many factors influence and determine the business activity. Among other organizational factors managerial, scientific technological and socio-cultural-political, the business complexity of social activities, business with the complexities of modern society. For social events, business in many ways intertwined with the complexities of modern society. All the factors that make up the complexities of modern business has been frequently studied and analyzed through a scientific approach, especially in economics and management theory (K.  Bertens: 2000). In the myth of modern business business people are required to be professional people in his field. They have the skills and business skills beyond the average person, he should be able to show that performance is above average business performance amateur. What's interesting is not only about the performance aspects of the business, managerial, and technical organizations alone but also about the ethical aspects. Performance becomes prasarat business success also involves a moral commitment, moral integrity, discipline, loyalty, unity of moral vision, service, attitude give priority to quality, respect for rights and interests of relevant parties concerned (stakeholders), which over time will develop into a business ethics in a company. Conduct an honest Prophet transparent and generous in doing business practice is the key to success in managing the business Khodijah ra, is a concrete example of the morals and ethics in business. (Http://uika-bogor. ac. d/doc/public/etika% 20bisnis% 20islam. pdf) If we trace the history, the religion of Islam seems a favorable view of trade and economic activity. Prophet Muhammad was a merchant, and the religion of Islam spread primarily through the Muslim traders. In the Qur'an there is a warning against the misuse of wealth, but not prohibited from seeking wealth by lawful means (QS: 2; 275) â€Å"Allah has made trade and prohibits usury. † Islam puts trading activity in a very strategic position in the center of human activity seek sustenance and livelihood. This can be seen in the words of the Prophet Muhammad: â€Å"Pay attention by all your trade, real commercial world it is nine out of ten the door of sustenance. † Dawam Rahardjo precisely suspect Weber thesis on ethics of Protestantism, which cites business activities as a human responsibility to God quoting from Islamic teachings. The following business activities that are prohibited in sharia: 1. Avoiding business transaction that is forbidden in Islam. A Muslim must be committed to interact with things that are made lawful by Allah SWT. A Muslim businessman should not be doing business in the things forbidden by sharia. And a Muslim businessman claimed to always do the good business and society. Business, food is not halal or kosher not contain ingredients, liquor, drugs, prostitution or all of which relate to the world of sparkling like night clubs discotic cafe where mixing of men and women accompanied by a stomping songs, treats and drinks and the food is not kosher Other (QS: Al-A'raf; 32. QS: Al Maidah; 100) is a business activity that is forbidden. 2. Avoiding how to obtain and use property is not kosher. The practice of usury is miserable to be avoided, Islam prohibits usury with severe threats (QS: Al-Baqara, 275-279), while speculative transactions are very closely related to the business that is not transparent such as gambling, fraud, violated the trust so it will most likely harm. Hoarding of money to turn off the function to be enjoyed by others and the narrow space of business and economic activity is a disgraceful act and being rewarded to the most severe (Sura: At-Tauba: 34-35). Redundant and a waste of money for purposes that are not useful and dissipate all the excesses. All properties are prohibited because it is a trait that is not wise in the use of property and contrary to the commandment of God (Surah: Al A'raf; 31). 3. Unfair competition is denounced by God as mentioned in the Quran surat Al-Baqarah: 188: â€Å"Do not you eat some of the treasure of you in a falsehood. † Monopoly also includes unfair competition Prophet denounced the act was: â€Å"Whoever is doing then he is guilty of monopoly†, â€Å"A wholesaler was given sustenance by God as for someone who did that accursed monopoly. Monopoly done to gain market control by preventing the other players to compete in various ways, often in ways that are not laudable goal is to memahalkan price for these entrepreneurs have a huge advantage. Prophet said: â€Å"Someone who intentionally do something to memahalkan price, Allah will promise to the throne made from the Fire later in the day of Judgement. † 4. Forgery and fraud, Islam strictly prohibits falsifying and decepti ve because it can cause harm, injustice, and can lead to hostility and strife. Allah says in Surah: Al-Isra: 35: â€Å"And full measure when ye measure, and weigh with a right balance. † The Prophet said: â€Å"If you sell it you shall not deceive people with sweet words. † In the modern business at least we see in ways not commendable by some businessmen in its product offering, which is forbidden in Islam. In essence, the consumer contains a very broad sense, as expressed President of the United States, John F. Kennedy, â€Å"Consumers by definition include us all† (By definition, all of us including the consumer). (Shidarta, 2000: 2). Consumer Protection Act No. 8, 1999 Chapter I, article 1, number 2, the consumer defines as, â€Å"Every person users of goods or services that are available in the community, both for the interests of self, family, others, as well as other creatures and not for trading†. (Government of the Republic of Indonesia, 1999: 5) Consumers in the economic laws of Islam are not limited to those SAJ war, but also includes a legal entity (al-syakhshiyyat al-ma'nawawiyyah), such as endowments or foundations of certain companies and institutions. Islamic economic laws there is no difference between the end user with a medium user. Muslim jurists did not distinguish between goods kondumsi property, goods production, and intermediary goods, as contained in the general economics. This brings the influences on consumer definitions that must be protected in Islam because in Islam, including consumer goods all users, whether the goods were used directly, so exhausted, used as a tool for intermediaries to further prosuksi justice belongs to everyone, whether he is domiciled as individuals, groups or the public. Advances in technology and the development of economy and perdangangan volume demanding extra supervision of the risks that might arise from the use of certain products. Poor environmental conditions caused by business actors in general, should also get serious attention because every living being is a consumer of the environment. Muhammad, 2004: 180) In Islam there are five things that must be kept kemaslahatannya become key objective of sharia (al-necessities al-repertoire), the religion (al-din), reason (al-‘aql), descent (an-NASL), and property ( al-mal), while some Islamic jurists there is also adding to the al-‘ardh (honor), but according to honor the author is already covered in the custody of al nafs (soul). When associated with the risk caused by defective products or irresponsibility of a product, the main objectives of the fifth yag more focused on guarding the soul, mind and wealth. Muhammad, 2004: 181) However, if the risk of such usage caused by â€Å"negligence† of producers, then this should be linked also with the theory of liability contained in this kejahatab jinayah in Islamic Jurisprudence. In theory the responsibility of Islamic Jurisprudence crime, crimes and violations that occur on human rights can not be invalidated by reason of mistake, not intentional acts. Therefore, the perpetrators of these acts must bear the loss of property or life with fines that have been determined shari'ah.