The Global Business Crisis and Consumer Behavior free essay sample

The Global Business Crisis and Consumer Behavior: Kingdom of Bahrain as a Case Study Durra Mansoor Akram Jalal January 2011 Summary: This research aims to learn how Bahrain consumers affected by global financial crisis since 2007. Additionally, it focuses on changes in consumer behavior after global crisis. The result of this research is based on questioner analysis which tries to measure knowledge about global crises to randomly selected consumers in Bahrain. The World is facing with economic challenges. America, powerful Europe and Asia affected by financial crises in some different levels. The global financial crisis affected all consumers in the World not only economically but also psychologically. This new financial situation increased panic and uncertainty on consumers in globe. In hard and stressful times such as economic crises, consumer behavior changes have occurred. Because of FC, consumers changed their behaviors by reducing their consumption. People became money-minded and they don’t want to spend money for premium products anymore, and they prefer cheapest products. We will write a custom essay sample on The Global Business Crisis and Consumer Behavior or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page They redefine â€Å"necessities† and â€Å"luxuries†. So, they only buy the things which are taking place on their shopping list. They’re comparing products and making their choices by compromising quality. Some of them started to manage their income by searching on e-commerce websites to catch best price. They are planning their purchasing by postponing expenditures like discretionary expenditure to make savings. Thus, their total expenditure amount decreased because of global crisis. According to Mansoor and Jalal (2011), the role that consumers play in these days is very crucial to business’ survival. It is driving force behind the success of many businesses, because most of the contemporary consumers spend major time on buying decisions. Consumers buying decision is changing person to person. However, after economic crises, consumer started to spend much time for information and decision making. By predicting consumer’s behavior, a business can understand consumer’s needs, and can work on fulfilling the needs and meeting the expectations of their customers (Mansoor and Jalal, 2011). Businesses should work hard for success of their businesses and try to strengthen their long-term strategies. They should personalize their products to earn consumers’ loyalty. Making investment to their brand and differentiating themselves against to their competitors are also crucial. Businesses should add new and irreplaceable products to their portfolios and build tight relations with their consumers to survive in financial crisis. Consumers in Bahrain adapted to new trends after financial crisis. They preferred to purchase less priced and substitute products compared by expensive products. They though that expensive products are not that much worthy by considering their high prices.

Zara Market Segment Essay Example

Zara Market Segment Essay Example Zara Market Segment Paper Zara Market Segment Paper Founded in 1975 in Spain, the clothing company Ezra owns over 2000 stores in 88 countries. Its parent company, Inedited, one of the worlds biggest fashion retailers with eight brands and more than 6390 stores worldwide, made a net profit of over 2. 3 billion euros last year. Ezra builds its global success on speed, which allows it to deliver the new designed product to different stores around the world within fourteen days. Ezra strategically opened its stores in leading cities with high population. Obviously it is related to Saras market segment. Though Inedited designs various similar fashion clothing brands like PullBear, Shoo and Strabismus, their targeted customers and market segments are not the same, but complementary. Ezra targets its own market segment and accordingly has separate design, production and positioning strategy. Demographic segmentation plays a vital role. Saras market segment focuses on women rather than men. Specifically, its targeted customers are between 18-40 with mid-range income. Most of them are interested in fashion and hold a hectic lifestyle. Though they are fashion freaks they might not be affordable to the luxury couture and they may not focus on the quality. Based on this, what they expect particularly from the market is the fancy and trendy clothing with medium-priced and rapid replacement, which means the speed of design, producing and delivery is crucial. In order to satisfy their needs, Saras designers get their inspiration and design and then stylish clothes can be presented in every Ezra store only fourteen days later, whilst, most fashion brands sell their clothes in four seasons. Lower price, moderate quality, fast and reliable delivery, wide range of fashionable products are the competitive factors of Ezra. Such competitive advantages rely on the continuous creation and fast speed of shipping new products. To achieve these, Saras young designers design around 40000 new clothes per year and launch 10000 of them. Most new designs are the latest trend but with a lower price, which helps Ezra beat its luxury fashion brands who provide the similar design products. Thus, lower cost, fast speed and reliable delivery are all order winners.

The Market Failure Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 1

The Market Failure - Term Paper Example A healthy market is one which acquires a balance between supply and demand. When an imbalance occurs between supply and demand, the market may consider as going through the failure phase. The market is not an absolute entity. It undergoes relative changes every time because of its association with so many internal and external parameters. In other words, the market fluctuates all the time when any problems may arise to the associated entities of the market. The market often fails when the individual interests try to dominate over the general interests of the market. For example, China is accused of implementing unhealthy strategies in the market. China is concentrating on mass productions of goods. They were able to sell their goods for cheaper prices because of the mass production. The cheaper prices will definitely attract the consumers and they will purchase more and more goods of Chinese origin. Even though the profit obtained from selling a single unit may less, China was able to overcome such problems by selling huge volumes of goods. Moreover, the huge volume of production may mobilize the economic resources of China and also the unemployed youths in China may get more employment because of the healthy movement of Chinese products in the world market. On the other hand, the consumers who purchased cheaper goods of Chinese origin may realize later that the goods they purchased were not adequate quality. When they face troubles with the products they purchased, they would try to look suspiciously at other genuine products also produced by other manufacturers. The reluctance of the consumers to enter actively in the market may cause problems not only for China but for other countries as well. In short, the market may fail in such cases because of the inefficient production and distribution of goods by even a single entity.

Coco Chanel & Vivien Westwood Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Coco Chanel & Vivien Westwood - Essay Example Modernism was not conceived as a style but a loose collection of ideas. Where and when it was born is anybody's guess, but it flourished in Germany and Holland, as well as in Moscow, Paris, Prague and New York. Modernists wanted to build a better world, a world that could achieve social improvement through technology. The modernist's principles were frequently combined with social and political beliefs which held that design and art could, and should, transform society. Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel belonged to this school of thought. (V&A, Modernism-Designing a New World 1914-1939, www.vam.ac.uk)1. Modernism which presume the existence of clear-cut distinctions between different types of aesthetic endeavors, are perceived as elitist in comparison with postmodernism, in which high culture is no longer viewed as aesthetically superior to popular culture and dominant cultures are no longer more significant than minority cultures. The shift from modernist to postmodernist styles is viewed as a consequence of social, political, and cultural changes that have altered the relationships between different social groups and the dominant culture, as well as the ways in which these social groups can be plausibly represented by cultural categories (An Excerpt from Diana Crane’s 1933- "Postmodernism and the Avant-Garde: Stylistic Change in Fashion Design", . The reign of Prince Regent (1820-1830) came to be known as the Regency era. Empress Josephine, during Emperor Napoleon’s (1804) time was a great fashion leader for the slender fashions of the day designed by Leroy. From fak e pearls and strass paste gems to parures and Cameos, these fascinating jewellery made under the influence of Greek and Roman architecture, came to be symbolic of the 18th and 19th century fashion world. The high waist styles of early 19th century known as the Empire style, evolved in the late 1700s. It began as a chemise shift gathered under the breasts and at the neck.It had a very dcollet low square neckline, a short narrow backed bodice and separate skirt. The small neat puff sleeves barely capped the shoulder. They were pulled back by the narrow cut of the bodice and this restricted arm movement. The fabric for Empire dresses was usually made of fine white lawn, muslin or batiste. The predominant styles followed during the regency fashion period were those of Spencer, Pelisse, and Redingote (Pauline Weston Thomas, Regency Fashion History, 1800s Costume History, for Fashion-era.com, www.fashion-era.com). 2.0 Definition of Modernism and Post-Modernism Between World Wars I and II, there was the rise of a puritanical style of design popularly called Modernism or the International Style. Many designs during this period represented a form known for its overall severity and geometry, combined with symmetry, order and simplicity. What was conspicuous was the absence of colour and applied decoration. When colour was applied, it was rarely spontaneous, and seen in geometrical formats and clear-cut,

American companies in Nazi Germany Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

American companies in Nazi Germany - Essay Example The need for automation of records plagued Hitler upon his ascent to power in early 1933. Hitler had a dream, to eliminate all Jews from Germany but he also needed to come up with a way to keep track of their deportation or their numbers in enslavement camps. International Business Machines (IBM)’s current technology had initially been produced for only one cause: to count. Whether it was people or company products, IBM had come up with a method to classify and enumerate (Black, Pp 23). It wasn’t long before IBM realized that the technology they had just given the world could do more than just count people or things. It could document data, process it, recover it and the most important part, it could analyze it. IBM had a subsidiary in Germany and the managers came up with an ingenious plan to customise these machines to tap into the furher’s needs; they had the Hollerith punch card technology and all they had to do was input the data that the third Reich wanted. In order to cash in on this opportunity they decided not to sell the machines but rather lease them to Hitler, making billions in the process. IBM knew that their products were being used for illegal purposes, and so to absolve themselves of any blame they would deny any collusion with the third Reich through structured denial of any oral agreements, contracts that were carefully crafted and using letters that had no dates on them (Black, Pp 35). It is important to note that Hitler persecuted and killed over 6 million Jews and that these numbers would not have been achieved had it not been for IBM’s technology. Upon achieving his dream of leading the Nazi, he made it his goal to identify and obliterate the country’s 6 million strong Jewish society. To everyone who followed Hitler, Jews were not just those who were practicing Judaism, but even those who had Jewish blood, in spite of their integration, whether it was due to them intermarrying, or even whether they had c onverted to Christianity. The first humane solution was to transport Jews out of the country’s ghettos using rail road lines. The next step was using the same to take them into death camps. They needed to do this with accurate timing such that the victims were able to be packed into a train and taken to execution facilities right on schedule. The coordination was such a multifaceted task, that it called for a computer Computers being nonexistent at that time, IBM had to use whatever technology they had at the time which happened to be the IBM punch card and card sorting system—a predecessor to the computer. IBM, primarily through its IBM’s subsidiary, made it their mission in life to make Hitler's program and dream of Jewish annihilation a technologic reality. The company knew people and companies the world over were in financial quagmires and with lots of profits in sight, they pursued this venture with unsettling success. IBM, using its own resources, designed , executed, and supplied this technology to Hitler's Third Reich. This was an under-taking that had never accomplished in the past the automation of human annihilation. IBM built more than 2,000 such machines that were sent off throughout Germany, and even more undocumented thousands throughout German-dominated Europe. At first the machines were used for subtle reasons of manipulation: food allocation for every location was organized in the order of databases, this allowed the Nazi to systematically starve the Jews. Where they required slaves for their factories such as ammunition companies, slave labour was easily identified, followed, and supervised largely through punch cards. Punch cards were so effective during that time that it is said that they even made the human ferrying trains run on

Christian Ethics And Secular Ethical Systems Theology Religion Essay

Christian Ethics And Secular Ethical Systems Theology Religion Essay In this essay, I will enumerate the differences between Christian and secular ethics. The role of theology on ethical decision making will be indicated, along with secular and diverse religious stands on ethical discourses on abortion and divorce. Miscellaneous Christian views which include those of: the Liberals, the Evangelicals and the Neo-orthodox will also be examined. Furthermore, I will explore the implications of the aforementioned ethical issues on interfaith dialogue involving Buddhism and the Abrahamic faiths. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CHRISTIAN AND SECULAR ETHICS Ethics is a word that originated from the Greek words: ethikos and ethos which respectively implies custom and character.  [1]  However, Collins dictionary defines ethics as a social, religious, or civil code of behaviour considered correct, especially that of a particular group, profession, or individual.  [2]   I found a clear-cut definition of Christian ethics by Dr Harkness (a professor of applied theology) as the systematic study of the way of life set forth by Jesus Christ applied to the daily demands and decisions of human existence.  [3]  It is the Christians code of conduct derived from the scriptures. While Christian ethics aim is to determine what conforms to Gods character and what does not it is more of a practical entity in comparison with theory oriented Christian theology.  [4]   Conversely, James Bernat in his book, Ethical issues in neurology defines secular ethics as the invention of human rational dialogue that assumes that mankind can create a comprehensive and world-wide structure of morality that is void of religious framework.  [5]  The main approaches to secular ethics are predicated on: reason, experience or moral sense.  [6]   Additionally, secular ethics consists of various models as: utilitarianism, egoism or hedonism, emotivism and cultural relativism.  [7]  These models form the framework for most ethical postulations. I will now examine the contrasts between Christian and secular ethics. A dissimilarity between Christian and secular ethics is that the latter serves as a basis for arriving at moral judgments as it appraises existing customs, while supporting the enactment of laws and policies. Secular ethics are used as a yardstick to evaluate religious doctrines by application of a determined set of moral principles.  [8]  Christian ethics are founded on godly revelations. BASES FOR CHRISTIAN ETHICAL DECISIONS Evangelical Christians base moral ethical decisions on Gods revelation which is from nature itself (the general) or from the scriptures (the special). An example derived from the scriptures is the Ten Commandments in Exodus 21-23. Biblical scholars emphasize that the natural law derived from nature itself is inherent in mankind and it is responsible for doing things right without Biblical guidelines. This is referred to in the book of Romans 2:14-15, where Apostle Paul mentioned the clarity of the human conscience in the decision making mechanism. Similarly, Jesus Christ affirms the same principle when he said men should do unto others what they will have done to themselves, (Matt 7:12). This particular view is upheld by renowned philosophers such as Immanuel Kant and Clive Lewis in their writings.  [9]  The application of moral decisions on ethical issues is subject to debate as will be indicated in subsequent paragraphs. SOME ETHICAL ISSUES This range from: abortion, divorce, homosexuality, same sex marriage, war, money, marriage, sexuality, death, forgiveness, euthanasia, business etc. I will be focusing on the ethical theme of abortion and divorce within the: secular, Christian and interfaith discourse. SECULAR VIEWS ON ABORTION Abortion is any artificial means to induce the loss of a pregnancy. An average pregnancy is for forty weeks or nine months. Pregnancy terminated due to natural causes during the first twenty weeks is called a miscarriage, while further than twenty weeks are pre-term delivery.  [10]   Nonetheless, abortion involves the moral choice of the mother, as well as the ethical right of the baby to live. Abortion might be inevitable in: rape, poverty, deformity of baby etc. Abortion supporters see it as a retroactive contraceptive while those against it see it as a little less than prenatal infanticide.  [11]  It has been established that moral justification of abortion is common in the secular world. Under the United Kingdom law (Abortions act 1967); abortion is endorsed within the first 24 weeks of pregnancy as long as certain conditions are fulfilled. It must be in an approved institution, the mother and childs health are considered, and decisions to be made with the consensus of two medical doctors.  [12]   CHRISTIANS ON ABORTION The Liberals are broadminded on abortion, as long as it is done legally and safely.  [13]  The woman has full rights over her own body when it involves the decision to abort or not.  [14]  The Liberals do not deliberate over ethical issues concerning the unborn baby, in contrast to evangelicals position. Evangelical Christians are on strict stand against abortion with scriptural arguments used to portray (babys) life in high esteem. They also support of all social aspects regarding pregnancy care and adoption issues.  [15]  The position of the Neo-orthodox Christians will be examined next. The Neo-Orthodoxy originated from Germany after the First World War when Karl Barth (a protestant theologian) advanced the theology of crisis. It was an era when people were disappointed from most beliefs.  [16]  Neo-Orthodoxy assumes that the scripture can be a faulty human invention, although Gods revelation is continuously present under personal experience.  [17]  Nevertheless, abortion is not allowed except if carried out to protect the pregnant woman. The Christian ethics of divorce will be examined next. CHRISTIAN ETHICS ON DIVORCE Jesus response to the permission given by Moses for the issuance of the bill of divorce to women was followed by the injunction that divorce is a direct covenant-breaking departure from Gods master plan for marriage, (Matt 19:6 Rom 7:2). Jesus also denounces divorce in the dialogue with his disciples in Mark 10: 1-11, while arguments resulting from the exception clause (i.e. Condition for divorce) is interpreted by some scholars in the context to mean fornication established against the wife during the betrothal phase of marriage according to Jewish tradition. Unfortunately, the biblical divorce law interpretation is diverse. Some scholars argue that the exemption clause means adultery which is a leverage to institute divorce. However, a suitable rejoinder is the reaction of the disciples who concluded that it is not advantageous to marry this is interpreted by some Evangelicals as voiding the powers of the husband to divorce a wife under any circumstance, as they are expected to forgive their spouse.  [18]  The ethical issue applicable to the Old Testament bill of divorce allowed by Moses is that the Bill is meant to protect the women from the frivolity of men, so that they can re-marry rather than be outcasts. Some Evangelicals justified grounds for divorce to be desertion (by either spouse) and evidence of physical abuse against the wife. There is also a Pauline privilege in (1st Corinthians 7:15) which allows a believing wife to be free from an unbelieving husband who wants a divorce. There are resultant Christian ethical debates concerning the modalities of the freedom, whether it allows re-marrying or remaining single till death. Contrastingly, Liberal Christians see the scriptural dialogues on divorce as being applicable to the historical contexts of their various times, hence divorce is permitted according to the merit of each case. Marriage characterized with physical abuse is seen as a marriage pledge violation, whereby divorce is granted.  [19]  The American inception of no fault divorce regulation in the 1960s and 1970s weakened the marriage institution, as spouses obtained divorces against their partners wish. Similarly, despite independence from the secular laws of the day, liberal Christians amidst their objective application of divorce laws was criticized for being pro-secular because of contractual approaches used instead of covenant obligation by some Christians.  [20]  The Neo-orthodox view turned out to be permissive. Neo-Orthodox Christians are permissive due to their existential system which sees Bible precepts as only relevant to the culture of when they were admonished; hence they could not be categorically applied to our times. Therefore they established no ethical grounds for opposing divorce.  [21]   THE ABRAHAMIC FAITHS AND INTERFAITH DIALOGUE The Abrahamic faith is used to make reference to Judaism, Christianity, Islam and other religions that trace their spiritual culture back to Abraham.  [22]  The platform which religions and cultures meet to exchange views for better understanding of each other is called the interfaith dialogue. The dialogue was prompted by the WCC (World Council of Churches) in 1961, when fledgling Asian Churches needed to coexist with diverse Asian religions.  [23]   Fundamentally, the existence of diverse social issues such as universal poverty has prompted the study and use of ethical approaches to interfaith dialogues. Examples are medical and economic ethics.  [24]  The Medical ethical considerations are evoked in several issues like Euthanasia, Abortion, Ecology, DNA researches etc. I will be examining the Islamic laws on abortion the next. ISLAMIC FAITH ON ABORTION AND DIVORCE Islamic faith which is based on the Quran and the leadership of Prophet Mohammed is guided by five pillars of faith, of which two are: faith in one God and at least one pilgrimage to Mecca. Other admonitions require taking care of orphans, prisoners and desisting from: adultery, unfair business practices and unwarranted killings.  [25]  Some Muslims prohibit abortion. The area of ethical contention is the actual time soul is given to a formed foetus. This is termed ensoulment which some Muslims take as 16 weeks into the pregnancy. However, abortion performed prior to the completion of 16th week is accepted if the health of the mother is endangered or if the baby is under the threat of mental or physical malformation. Another consideration is if the well-being of the family is not going to be properly sustained because of the child.  [26]  The Islamic religion takes abortion as being immoral in view the revered value of life as indicated in Surah 17:31 which states that: Slay not your Childrenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.killing of them is a great sin. Nevertheless, an Islamic consequentialism holds the mother answerable to the aborted child at judgement day; this is supported by verses from Surah 81, verses 7-14.  [27]  Surah is a supportive reference in Islam. Abortion applied to pre-marital pregnancy is allowed because the sin of having a child out of wedlock is considered worse than abortion.  [28]   Concerning divorce, Islam encourages the termination of irreconcilable marriages in good faith rather than co-existence of spouses in bitterness. There is an injunction for settling differences through relatives of spouses. Nevertheless, where this mediation fails then divorce can be instituted, (Quran 4:35). Mubarat is the term used to describe mutually divorce by couples without court proceedings. Procedures called fasakh or Khula are based on the initiation of divorce by the woman. However, talaq (meaning to separate) is used to denote the divorce instigated by the husband. This can be done without much official protocols but must be verbalized or documented.  [29]  The traditional laws of the Jews will be examined next. JUDAISM ON ABORTION AND DIVORCE Judaism as practiced by the Jews precedes Christianity which became distinct in the first Century at the time when Apostle Paul and Peter had contentions with the Jews. The Bible book of Acts Chapter 15, recorded the deviations of the gentiles from the Law of Moses. This caused an argument about the acceptance of uncircumcised Gentiles into the community of believers. Some scholars take the advent of Judaism to be the Biblical time of Abraham while others choose the time of Moses.  [30]   Nonetheless, two out of the many beliefs of Judaism are as follows: 1) God made a covenant with his people (the Hebrews) through Moses which is the Ten Commandments. 2) Abrahams offspring are to be the ideal model for all nations to emulate in preparation for the coming of the future Messiah who will rule the world in harmony and fairness.  [31]   In similarity to the Islamic faith, high regard is given to the value of life, but the safety of the pregnant woman remains paramount. Nevertheless, the law of Judaism on abortion assumes the insignificance of fertilized egg cells until the 40th day of pregnancy when it is taken as part of the womans body. Judaism allows abortion within the first 40 days of pregnancy but does not permit it thereafter, till full term. Judaism ethically upholds that the foetus is a part of the human body that must not be damaged.  [32]  The Jewish law allows sanction of persons who cause miscarriage due to a physical strife that involve pregnant women. Furthermore, intended abortion on an advance pregnancy that threatens the mother in any circumstances would have to be undoubtedly established. The baby is literally considered as trying to kill the mother, in which case severing the limbs of the baby and other similar acts is allowed to save the mother. A critical aspect of applying the abortion law by the Rabbis (who are in charge of the Judaism laws) is the equal importance given to the life of the baby and the mother at the moment the babys head is on the way out of the mother.  [33]   The issues of divorce cannot be addressed without talking about the marriage tradition of the Jews. Judaism upholds the sanctity and integrity of marriage to such an extent that the Talmud (sacred writings) states that even the altar sheds tears during separation of couples. Although formal grounds for divorce do not exist, it is recognized that some circumstances make it inevitable. The divorce is predicated on the agreement of the couple and it involves documentation called the get which is the certificate of divorce. There are no hindrances placed against divorced couples who want to get back together in marriage. However priests are prohibited from marrying a divorcee. The certificate of divorce (the get) specially written by a scribe (in the presence of a judge) is traditionally kept by the woman, and must be made available whenever she wants to re-marry. In modern times the rabbinic courts keep the get and issue the woman with a certificate in place of it. There is a serious ethical issue that the woman cannot re-marry if there is no evidence of the death of her husband. This situation is called Agunah, which implies that the woman is bound to the husband. It is generally expected that anyone who breaches divorce conditions are not allowed to be integrated into the Jewish community.  [34]   BUDHISM ON ABORTION AND DIVORCE This religion has its origin from India in the 6th Century with Siddhartha Gautama (Known as Buddha, the enlightened one). Buddhism is a spiritual way of life rather than a religion. Beliefs range from non-existence of a deity and that all things are being constantly transformed, hence the belief in re-incarnation, decency, understanding and reflection.  [35]   Over 300 million Buddhists worldwide have no doctrinal guidance on abortion. They however believe in re-incarnation which stands against abortion, therefore consider it ethically wrong, although not too keen on its total prohibition by law. Nevertheless, another Buddhist expectation is the decision of abortion to be exclusively that of the pregnant woman. In Japan abortion is rampant and there is a post abortion ceremony called Mizuko kuyo done by Buddhist priest to assist women in recovering from the after effect of abortion.  [36]  The following paragraph will cover the Buddhist view on divorce. Buddhism does not see marriage as a core religious matter. They view non-entanglement with basic family life as a path to greater levels of monkish Buddhist practice, rather than the low-grade lay position where one is free to raise a family. An example was set by the Buddha himself at 29 years of age when he left his family to remain celibate till the end of his life.  [37]   Buddhist tenets support moral chastity where marriages remain intact for the sake of the children. Separated couples are encouraged to re-unite. The man who chooses celibate life must renounce his wife so that she is free to remarry  [38]  . CONCLUSION Worldwide moral laws made from the Ten Commandments are somewhat entrenched in most religions and secular regulations  [39]  . Needless to say that ethics imparted through religion will have most impact on religious peoples behaviour. I discovered from my findings that most religions have some kind of diversity based on ethical principles (such as hedonism and consequentialism) considered in creating the creed of their subdivisions. Just as the Christians views vary, so is the specific application of certain tenets of the Abrahamic faiths in various countries. These variations are also present in the Buddhist faith where disparities in India, Japan and other countries are considered. All facts point to the use of ethical principles to determine religious creeds. The same fact is applicable to the current trend in interfaith dialogues such that participants unavoidably approach most themes brought forward, within the framework of ethical agendas. This has created awareness for the study of ethics by those already equipped with vast knowledge of their faiths.

Spanish Civil War Essay -- essays research papers

Spanish Civil War (1936–39), military revolt against the Republican government of Spain, supported by conservative elements within the country. When an initial military coup failed to win control of the entire country, a bloody civil war ensued, fought with great ferocity on both sides. The Nationalists, as the rebels were called, received aid from fascist Italy and Nazi Germany. The Republicans received aid from the Soviet Union, as well as from International Brigades, composed of volunteers from Europe and the United States. The war was an outcome of a polarization of Spanish life and politics that had developed over previous decades. On one side (the Nationalist) were most Roman Catholics, important elements of the military, most landowners, and many businessmen. On the other side (the Republican) were urban workers, most agricultural labourers, and many of the educated middle class. Politically their differences often found extreme and vehement expression in parties such as the fascist-oriented Falange and the militant anarchists. Between these extremes were other groups covering the political spectrum from monarchism and conservatism through liberalism to socialism, including a small communist movement divided among followers of the Soviet leader Joseph Stalin and his archrival, Leon Trotsky. In 1934 there was widespread labour conflict and a bloody uprising by miners in Asturias that was suppressed by troops led by General Francisco Franco. A succession of governmental crises culminated in the electi ons of February 16, 1936, which brought to power a Popular Front government supported by most of the parties of the left and opposed by the parties of the right and what remained of the centre. A well-planned military uprising began on July 17, 1936, in garrison towns throughout Spain. By July 21 the rebels had achieved control in Spanish Morocco, the Canary Islands, and the Balearic Islands (except Minorca) and in the part of Spain north of the Guadarrama mountains and the Ebro River, except for Asturias, Santander, and the Basque provinces along the north coast and the region of Catalonia in the northeast. The Republican forces had put down the uprising in other areas, except for some of the larger Andalusian cities, including Seville, Granada, and CÃ ³rdoba. The Nationalists and Republicans proceeded to organize their respective territories and to repre... ...rovinces in the summer of 1937 and then Asturias, so that by October they held the whole northern coast. A war of attrition began. The Nationalists drove a salient eastward through Teruel, reaching the Mediterranean and splitting the republic in two in April 1938. In December 1938, they moved upon Catalonia in the northeast, forcing the Republican armies there northward toward France. By February 1939, 250,000 Republican soldiers, together with an equal number of civilians, had fled across the border into France. On March 5 the Republican government flew to exile in France. On March 7 a civil war broke out in Madrid between communist and anticommunist factions. By March 28 all of the Republican armies had begun to disband and surrender, and Nationalist forces entered Madrid on that day. The number of persons killed in the Spanish Civil War can be only roughly estimated. Nationalist forces put the figure at 1,000,000, including not only those killed in battle but also the victims of bombardment, execution, and assassination. More recent estimates have been closer to 500,000 or less. This does not include all those who died from malnutrition, starvation, and war-engendered disease.

Psychology, Theology and the Spiritual Life in Christian Counseling Essay

1. This paper is a book review that will deal with the above work by McMinn and the nature of Christian counseling in general. The work is a whole is designed to be easily read, and reads very quickly at the price of sophistication. Its ultimate purpose is one of integration on wto levels: first, the integration of the â€Å"broken† person back into loving relationships, chiefly with God, who is a God of healing, and second, the immensely important integration of theology with the aims of counseling. Counseling without God is a far less complex affair than Christian counseling. The secular counselor can be safely utilitarian, whatever helps heal the person might be tried or advocated. However, with Christian counseling, the idea of integration is all important. Christians have a specific view of the personality that cannot be ignored in counseling. These ideas on the human personality is based around our inherent sinfulness and â€Å"brokenness. † (McMinn, 1996, 32). This is central, all of humanity is in need of counseling of some sort, but the final end of counseling, that of union with God in and by healthy relationships with other persons, provides far more difficult challenges than the more utilitarian secularist. Furthermore, the idea of the integration of the ego out of its sinful (yet natural) drive to self-sufficiency (cf. 35-40ff) is another specifically Christian idea when coupled with the important idea of Grace, the Grace that is, by its very function, a healing balm. Hence, the counselor must also know how to â€Å"give way† to grace, grace that is not in the control of the counselor. The notion of the â€Å"abuse of power† so important to the chapter on â€Å"Sin†is precisely not realizing the fact that the Christian counselor must act as a conduit of grace and not its â€Å"dispenser. † Thus, the counselor that does not realize this gap, the gap between the counselor and the will of God for the broken victim has failed in his duty. The grace for the believer is always present, and Christian counseling must have a sense that his duty is to help the victim find it. The basic thesis of the book is sound from a theological and a psychological point of view: the modern secular mentality stresses ego satisfaction and ones â€Å"control† over ones life. But this is little more than the institutionalization of original sin: this is the problem, not the solution. This desire, natural to fallen man, to be self-sufficient is the root of all psychological problems. Hence, the work takes this fundamental insight through the various ideas that develop in the process of counseling: prayer, scripture, forgiveness, etc. Each concerns itself with bringing the patient to a fuller understanding of the nature of his alienation, both from others an from God. 2. In the section on prayer, I was struck by several things, things that I recall myself going through. I was always taken aback by the attacks on prayer by both mainline psychology and society at large: why would one pray if God is all knowing? Of course this is not an easy question, and the church fathers dealt with it in some detail. I began to see prayer as being of 2 kinds: the intercessory prayer, or the literal meaning of prayer in the sense as â€Å"to ask. † This is not a part of Christian counseling to any great degree. But the second form of prayer, that of communion and oneness, is. The prayerful meditation of the ancient monks has healing properties even apart of belief. Prayer, as McMinn points out, reduces stress, creates a bond with the counselor, and places the problems of man in a theological context (66ff). The same might be said for his section on Scripture: is not Job an excellent case study for the Christian counselor? Is not David and his sins even better? (Cf. 100) It seems to me that the development of my own prayer life since being involved with counseling has more to do with dealing rather than asking. , In other words, it seems to me that pure prayer is not about asking for things: God knows what we need. Pure prayer is about dealing with that which God has given us in our own development. Suffering is no a bad thing with a prayerful attitude: it permits us to reject the world and its comforts, and to seek our rest in God alone. Christians involved in counseling should avoid, as my experience has shown, treating prayer as a means of â€Å"getting† things. This can lead to disappointment and a belief that God is merely a great cosmic vending machine that exists to grant wishes. I recall my older view that prayer was about â€Å"getting,† instead of â€Å"dealing. † Prayer as a means of communing with God in the midst of suffering is both a very Christian idea as well as a powerful tool in counseling Christians. 3. A major issue that arises from reading this book is the difficulty of the task. The author is writing for a popular audience, and hence, can not get into the deep psychology and theology necessary to make his this work. Theology is the highest of the sciences, and this is because the understanding of Christ as Logos gives both the efficient and final cause of creation, including our minds. The Logos is the being of all things so far as they exemplify a cosmic reason, an interconnectedness that makes nature understandable and law-abiding. But our problem arises, both as Christians and as counselors, when we are forced to deal with the affects of the fall: a nature that bears God’s energy (though not her person), but is only poorly reflected in our minds that have been darkened by sin. Christianity has been worried about this healing since St Gregory of Nyssa and Augustine, who have dealt with the church and the Christian life as primarily a psychological affair, an affair of the consciousness, but a consciousness whose own drives seek to obliterate God and his presence in the interests of self centeredness. The very nature of the book in question cannot get into these issues except in trite examples. The book needs to build upon Christ as Logos before any serious psychology can be done. Putting this differently, the point is that Christ is to be found in the human mind in that it bears traces, fingerprints of the creator, but the creator as the Son, the image of the Father. The cosmic reason found in all things. This is an ontological problem, one that needs to inform all Christian psychology. Th reality is that this book is far too simple, far to â€Å"easy† and cannot gt to th heart of the matter. 4. In terms of action, I want to take from McMinn’s section on Scripture. This is likely the most valuable part of the work, and Scripture, to say the least, is only rarely considered a bok of counseling or psychology. Yet, the scriptures are saturated with psychological insight. Hence, my action here is to begin bringing scriptural sources into counseling. Even with secular patients, the Bible, even if the patient does not necessarily believe its divine origin, still contains many positive and negative examples for people to consider. The sins of David, including murder, are helpful is showing the example of repentance and the fact that a spiritual giant like David can be so flawed. I might say the same of Noah, after his drunkenness. God can forgive anything. The prophets such as Jeremiah or Amos were all persecuted for their beliefs and complete refusal to compromise. For people to be treated harshly because of their faith is something Christ explicitly mentions as the lot of the Christian: scripture is about God’s presence amidst a world that does not recognize him, whether it be the establishment of Judah or the Jewish Pharisees. The Christian Will suffer–there is no getting out of that, it is built into the process of both living and counseling. Christ Himself is such an example. Therefore, in dealing with patients, the Scriptures will be the central component in counseling for the examples they contain: examples of righteous suffering, but suffering with a purpose. Suffering with a purpose is bearable, suffering for no reason is not,. There is not a major figure in the Scriptures that is not persecuted for one reason or another by a world that does not understand te godly life. For us as counselors, nothing can be more important, useful or inspiring.

Why do organizations continue essays

Why do organizations continue essays The world economy is moving away from the traditional economic system, where national markets were considered as distinct entities, towards a modern economic system where the national markets are merging into one huge global market. Therefore, as the development in the international business environment are forcing companies to think of the world as one vast market, the companies are being forced to set up their manufacturing and marketing facilities in different foreign countries in order to be internationally competitive. Large multinational enterprises and global organizations typically employ individuals from throughout the world. In this regard, there are in today's world a still increasing number of managers, namely expatriates, who are sent by international firms on foreign assignments to work in an overseas subsidiary for a period of time in order to broaden their horizons and to enhance their inter-cultural competence (K. Barham, 1991, pp.158 ). Nevertheless, as mentioned by J.F Hennart (1982, pp.82), operating overseas usually costs more than operating at home because a foreigner does not have the same contacts and knowledge of local customs and business practices as indigenous competitors". The potential losses associated with this latter point can be extremely costly for the ongoing success of the company. B.J. Punnett pointed out that the incremental cost (i.e., that over and above the amount incurred if the position were staffed locally) of sending an expatriate manager to a foreign location is in the vicinity of $200,000 (B.J. Punnett, 1997, pp.388). Hence the need to ensure the right people are going overseas for the right reasons at the right time is also central to the companys success. As the use of expatriates or parent-country nationals in multinational companies can seem confusing because of the cost involved in training and sending managers overseas, we therefore need...

The Formation of the Union of South Africa

The Formation of the Union of South Africa The politicking behind the scenes for the formation of the Union of South Africa allowed the foundations of apartheid to be laid. On May 31,  1910, the Union of South Africa was formed under British dominion. It was exactly eight years after the signing of the Treaty of Vereeniging, which had brought the Second Anglo-Boer War to an end.   Color Bans Allowed in New Union of South Africa Constitution Each of the four unified states was allowed to keep its existing franchise qualifications, and Cape Colony was the only one which permitted voting by (property owning) non-whites. While is it argued that Britain hoped that the non-racial franchise contained in the ​Constitution courtesy of the Cape would eventually be extended to the whole of the Union, it is hardly likely that this was truly believed possible. A delegation of white and black liberals traveled to London, under the leadership of the former Cape prime minister William Schreiner, to protest against the color bar enshrined in the new constitution.​ British Want Unified Country Above Other Considerations The British government was far more interested in creating a unified country within its Empire; one which could support and defend itself. A union, rather than a federalized country, was more agreeable to the Afrikaner electorate since it would give the country a greater freedom from Britain. Louis Botha and Jan Christiaan Smuts, both highly influential within the Afrikaner community, were closely involved in the development of the new constitution. It was necessary to have Afrikaner and English working together, especially following the slightly acrimonious end to the war, and the satisfactory compromise had taken the last eight years to reach. Written into the new constitution, however, was a requirement that a two-thirds majority of Parliament would be necessary to make any changes. Protection of Territories from Apartheid The British High Commission Territories of Basutoland (now Lesotho), Bechuanaland (now Botswana), and Swaziland were excluded from the Union precisely because the British government was worried about the status of the indigenous populations under the new constitution. It was hoped that, at some time in the (near) future, the political situation would be right for their incorporation. In fact, the only country which may have been considered for inclusion was Southern Rhodesia, but the Union had become so strong that white Rhodesians quickly rejected the concept. Why Is 1910 Recognized as the Birth of the Union of South Africa? Although not truly independent, most historians, especially those in South Africa, consider May 31, 1910, to be the most appropriate date to be commemorated. South Africas independence within the Commonwealth of Nations was not officially recognized by Britain until the Statute of Westminster in 1931, and it was not until 1961 that South Africa became a truly independent republic. Source: Africa since 1935, Vol VIII of the UNESCO General History of Africa, published by James Currey, 1999, editor Ali Mazrui, p108.

China's middle class Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

China's middle class - Assignment Example Within the discourse of this study, the role of the middle class in the political affairs and other national revolutions have been highlighted like the most recent protest of 2012 against the expansion of a petrochemical plant in Ningbo city. Furthermore, the study also puts forward reflections on a comparison between the middle class of China and other capitalist countries as well as an evaluation of Chinese middle class and Asian countries. China’s Middle Class Resistance against the Expansion of a Chemical Plant On October 28, 2012 thousands of Chinese people clashed with the police in an anti- government demonstration against the expansion of a chemical plant- a petrochemical factory in Ningbo city. According to the protestors, the chemical plant would risk the lives of common people while damaging the health of the public because of the increased chances of pollution. As a result of this protest, the government indulgence and concession in the matter indicate its motivati on to meet the demands of the rising protestors (Wong, 2012). This scenario also indicates a leadership transition which may prove to introduce a new rule in the Communist China. Since 1990s, various other similar events of resistance have been occurred in urban areas like Guangzhou, Beijing and Shanghai. Sometimes, homeowners’ resisted for their interests or emerging middle class stood against authoritarian regimes. Whatever, the reasons were, the ultimate goal was to bring change within existing political framework. In this regard, the role of the middle class cannot be denied at any level. Their role is most often regarded as a significant driving force towards democratization especially in a non- democratic- authoritarian regime (Dolven 2003, pp. 35- 37). So, here the matter of concern is that who is considered the middle class of China and how they are rising to bring forward a change? Who is the Part of Middle Class in China? Basically, middle class of china involves a section of households who have annual income between $10,000- $60,000. While cost of living in this region of the world greatly varies, however, by a rule of thumb a person is supposed to be a part of middle class if he/ she is able to spend one third of his income at his own discretion. The middle class of China is concentrated, mostly, in big cities where educated people can find better opportunities to maintain the standards of their lives. In this way the middle class is enjoying stable jobs at one end like white collar professionals as well as serving in multinationals and some people also offering their services in state owned corporations. Most of the people forming this section of society belong to age group between 25 and 45- the active population group of the society who wants to boost their lives on the same footings as Americans and European nations have gone through. However, this middle class section in China just appeared in the last 20 years because of continuous eco nomic growth and infrastructure development. This economic growth has developed a new social group that can enjoy, relatively, better facilities and higher income. The people of this section can own their property like cars and houses as well. Simply speaking, this group owns a societal stratum that is laying above the ordinary working class, however, still not the wealthiest (Dolven 2003, pp.

Pivot Tables Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Pivot Tables - Assignment Example Excel also allows you to generate charts from the data in your pivot table which can be very handy in comparisons. Similarly, Pivot Tables are interactive means of summarizing the data, allowing you to add or delete fields in the contingent (summary) tables. This is especially useful when a sample has to be chosen from a specific characteristic of the population which endows various other characteristic as well that are irrelevant. Pivot Tables are also dynamic which can automatically recalculate the data based on addition or elimination of new fields. This feature is really helpful in saving time and effort of the data collector. Pivot tables are also easy to change if the data from original source is changed. As a result, these tables are really important when the changes in data are quick and frequent. These tables can help you to keep your records updated at all times and can be used when the original data keeps on changing. Multiple worksheets are really handy in grouping and summarizing data. A collection of two or more worksheets is called group worksheet. In order to group two or more work sheets, you need to first click the tab of first worksheet, then you press and hold shift key and click the tab of the other worksheet that you want to group.