Francis Drake Essays - Francis Drake, , Term Papers

Francis Drake Francis Drake was an experienced and daring seafarer. Among many adventures, the'famous voyage', his successful circumnavigation of the world between 1577 and 1580 ensured that he would be one of the best remembered figures of Tudor England. In his own lifetime, he was thought of with mixed feelings, both at home and abroad. Some English people regarded him as a hero, but he was distrusted by others, who saw him as having risen 'above his station'. Although he was feared and hated by the Spanish, he was also regarded by some with secret admiration. What was England like at the time of Drake? For most of Drake's life, Queen Elizabeth I ruled the country. It was a time when England was growing in population, power and wealth, and was also becoming more outward looking. New markets and colonies were needed, so that English produce, especially wool, could be traded. England was also keen to gain from the huge profits to be made from the 'New World' of the Americas and from the Eastern spice trade, as Spain and Portugal were already doing. It was a time when religion was extremely important to people, especially the question of whether England was to be a Protestant or a Catholic country. Arguments about religion and trade meant that England was at war with Spain for much of Drake's life. Where was Francis Drake born? Francis Drake was born in Tavistock, Devon, sometime between 1541 and 1543. What sort of family did he come from? A very ordinary family, certainly not rich or powerful. His family was a devoutly religious one. When Francis was still a small boy, the Catholic Queen Mary came to the throne, and there were religious disturbances in Devon. The family left, and moved to Chatham in Kent where for a time they lived on an old, laid-up ship. Drake's father became a Protestant preacher. These early experiences had a profound effect on the young Francis. The Protestant religion was to be one of the most important things to him throughout his life. On his voyage around the world he led religious services on board ship twice a day. When did Drake first go to sea? He first started going to sea while living in Chatham, at the age of twelve or thirteen. He was an apprentice on a small trading ship which was left to him when the master died. After selling this ship, he returned to Devon and sailed with his relative John Hawkins. Together, Hawkins and Drake made the first English slaving voyages, bringing African slaves to work in the 'New World'. Did Francis Drake marry? Yes. He married twice. When he was twenty-five he married Mary Newman, who died in 1583. He married again in 1585. His second wife, Elizabeth Sydenham, came from a much more influential family. He did not have children with either of his wives. What was Drake looking for on his voyages? Spanish ships, sailing back from their new conquests in South America were extremely attractive, as they were laden with silver. Drake attacked such ships, and if he was successful in capturing them, took their treasure for himself and for his queen. He also raided Spanish and Portuguese ports in the 'New World' and the Atlantic. On Drake's voyage to Panama in 1572-3, he was helped by cimarrones. The cimarrones were former slaves, who had escaped to live in the forest and mountains as outlaws. Many were prepared to help the English as they blamed the Spanish for their position. One cimarrone in particular, named Diego, became especially close to Drake, accompanying him to England and later around the world. How long did it take Drake to sail around the world? The circumnavigation took three years, from 1577 to 1580. Originally, the voyage was probably planned as a raid on Spanish ships and ports. Five ships, manned by 164 seamen, left Plymouth, with Drake himself sailing in the Pelican. Nearly all the crew thought they were heading for the Mediterranean. After reaching America, Drake was worried that his ships might get separated from each other, so he gave orders for two of them to be destroyed. Then the Marigold was lost, with all her crew, and the Elizabeth turned back and sailed home. By October 1578, as the company started up the western coast of South America, there were just 58 left, all on the Pelican. Drake renamed his ship the Golden Hinde. What did Drake find out on his voyage around the world? Drake's

The Role of France in the American Revolutionary War

The Role of France in the American Revolutionary War After years of spiraling tensions in Britain’s American colonies, the American Revolutionary War began in 1775. The revolutionary colonists faced a war against one of the world’s major powers, one with an empire that spanned the globe. To help counter Britains formidable position, the Continental Congress created the Secret Committee of Correspondence to publicize the aims and actions of the rebels in Europe. They then drafted the Model Treaty to guide negotiations of alliance with foreign nations. Once the Congress had declared independence in 1776, it sent a party that included Benjamin Franklin to negotiate with Britain’s rival: France. Why France Was Interested France initially sent agents to observe the war, organized secret supplies, and began preparations for war against Britain in support of the rebels. France might seem an odd choice for the revolutionaries to work with. The nation was ruled by an absolutist monarch who was not sympathetic to the principle of no taxation without representation, even if the plight of the colonists and their perceived fight against a domineering empire excited idealistic Frenchmen like the Marquis de Lafayette. In addition, France was Catholic, and the colonies were Protestant, a difference that was a major and contentious issue at the time and that had colored several centuries of foreign relations. But French was a colonial rival of Britain. While it was arguably Europe’s most prestigious nation, France had suffered humiliating defeats to the British in the Seven Years War- especially its American theater, the French-Indian War- several years earlier. France was looking for any way to boost its own reputation while undermining Britains, and helping the colonists to independence looked like a perfect way of doing this. The fact that some of the revolutionaries had fought France in the French-Indian War was expediently overlooked. In fact, the French Duc de Choiseul had outlined how France would restore their prestige from the Seven Years War as early as 1765 by saying the colonists would soon throw the British out, and that France and Spain had to unite and fight Britain for naval dominance. Covert Assistance Franklin’s diplomatic overtures helped prompt a wave of sympathy across France for the revolutionary cause, and a fashion for all things American took hold. Franklin used this popular support to help in negotiations with French Foreign Minister Vergennes, who was initially keen on a full alliance, especially after the British were forced to abandon their base in Boston. Then news arrived of defeats suffered by Washington and his Continental Army in New York. With Britain seemingly on the rise, Vergennes wavered, hesitating over a full alliance, though he sent a secret loan and other aid anyway. Meanwhile, the French entered negotiations with the Spanish. Spain was also a threat to Britain, but it was worried about supporting colonial independence. Saratoga Leads to Full Alliance In December of 1777, news reached France of the British surrender at Saratoga, a victory that convinced the French to make a full alliance with the revolutionaries and to enter the war with troops. On February 6, 1778, Franklin and two other American commissioners signed the Treaty of Alliance and a Treaty of Amity and Commerce with France. This contained a clause banning both Congress and France from making a separate peace with Britain and a commitment to keep fighting until the independence of the United States was recognized. Spain entered the war on the revolutionary side later that year. The French Foreign Office had trouble pinning down â€Å"legitimate† reasons for France’s entry into the war; they found almost none. France couldn’t argue for the rights that the Americans claimed without damaging their own political system. Indeed, their report could only stress Frances disputes with Britain; it avoided discussion in favor of simply acting. Legitimate reasons were not terribly important in this epoch and the French joined the fight anyway. 1778 to 1783 Now fully committed to the war, France supplied arms, munitions, supplies, and uniforms. French troops and naval power were also sent to America, reinforcing and protecting Washington’s Continental Army. The decision to send troops was taken carefully, as France was not sure how the Americans would react to a foreign army. The number of soldiers was carefully chosen, striking a balance that allowed them to be effective, while not being so large as to anger the Americans. The commanders were also carefully selected- men who could work effectively with the other French commanders and the American commanders. The leader of the French army, Count Rochambeau, however, did not speak English. The troops sent to America were not, as has sometimes been reported, the very cream of the French army. They were, however, as one historian has commented, for 1780...probably the most sophisticated military instrument ever dispatched to the New World.† There were problems in working together at first, as American General Sullivan found at Newport when French ships pulled away from a siege to deal with British ships, before being damaged and having to retreat. But overall the American and French forces cooperated well, although they were often kept separate. The French and Americans certainly were quite effective when compared to the incessant problems experienced in the British high command. French forces attempted to buy everything from the locals that they couldn’t ship in, rather than requisition it. They spent an estimated $4 million worth of precious metal in doing so, further endearing themselves to the Americans. Arguably the key French contribution to the war came during the Yorktown campaign. French forces under Rochambeau landed at Rhode Island in 1780, which they fortified before linking up with Washington in 1781. Later that year the Franco-American army marched 700 miles south to besiege Cornwallis’ British army at Yorktown, while the French navy cut the British off from desperately needed naval supplies, reinforcements, and complete evacuation to New York. Cornwallis was forced to surrender to Washington and Rochambeau. This proved to be the last major engagement of the war, as Britain opened peace discussions soon after rather than continue a global war. The Global Threat From France America wasn’t the only theater in a war, which, with France’s entrance, had turned global. France threatened British shipping and territory around the globe, preventing their rival from focusing fully on the conflict in the Americas. Part of the impetus behind Britain’s surrender after Yorktown was the need to hold the remainder of their colonial empire from attack by other European nations, such as France. There were battles outside America in 1782 and 1783 as peace negotiations took place. Many in Britain felt that France was their primary enemy, and should be the focus; some even suggested pulling out of the American colonies entirely to focus on their neighbor. Peace Despite British attempts to divide France and Congress during peace negotiations, the allies remained firm- aided by a further French loan- and peace was reached in the Treaty of Paris in 1783 between Britain, France, and the United States. Britain had to sign further treaties with other European powers who had become involved. Consequences Britain quit the American Revolutionary War rather than fight another global war with France. This might seem like a triumph for France, but in truth, it was a disaster. The financial pressures France faced at the time were only made worse by the cost of aiding the Americans. These fiscal troubles soon spiraled out of control and played a large role in the start of the French Revolution in 1789. The French government thought it was harming Britain by acting in the New World, but, just a few years later, it was itself harmed by the financial costs of the war. Sources Kennett, Lee. The French Forces in America, 1780–1783. Greenwood Press, 1977.Mackesy, Piers. The War for America 1775–1783. Harvard University Press, 1964.

Industry, Ideology, and their Global Impact, 1700-1912 Assignment

Industry, Ideology, and their Global Impact, 1700-1912 - Assignment Example Thirdly, the period also experienced the development of new working tools and equipment. Lastly, there was the development of new energy sources as well as innovation of production processes that maintained efficient use of power. During the Industrial Revolution, the textile industry was adversely affected in terms of capital invested, employment and the value of output obtained. Most scholars believe that the industrial revolution began in the Great Britain. In this regard, the revolution was initiated by agricultural transformations (in form of changes in the methods of stockbreeding and farming) resulting in increased agricultural output. The British government was able to feed its citizens by providing food at lower price while using less labor (Hatch, 1998). Eventually, there was fast increase in population that provided surplus labor. Ultimately, the British government introduced new industries, such as cottage industries that provided employment to rural workers. Additionally, Britain also had excessive capital for investment in new machinery. The capital accumulation also included profits obtained from the cottage industry. In addition, the well-developed British Central Bank provided flexible credit facilities that provided essential capital to prospective investors. The bank facilitated capital transactions through paper instrument, a service that was novel and was not offered elsewhere in Europe. Additionally, Britain had developed a culture where individuals were solely interested in making profits, business expansion and accumulation of wealth, individually or as a group (Hatch, 1998) . In this regard, most business organizations were often risky, open (hardly considered experience and skills) and were very profitable. Britain was highly endowed with essential minerals such as iron ore and coal. These minerals provided raw materials for the established manufacturing industries. Britain was a small country

U.S. Involvement in the military coup against Hugo Chavez Essay

U.S. Involvement in the military coup against Hugo Chavez - Essay Example The coup was later given up by Hugo Chavez which had taken 16 lives and resulted in injuring of 60 individuals. Chavez spent his life in jail for 2 years before being pardoned. He later reorganized his movement turning from a military officer into a Politician. [3] The opposition has been striving to oust the president through legal legislation methodology since 2002 accusing him of imitating the communist Cuban State but in 2004 it managed to secure a referendum on his leadership which only helped in Mr. Chavez getting more strength, winning the referendum won by a large majority and went on to win the 2006 presidential elections. Hugo Chavez has also been the first world leader who has attacked the US president on the floor of the United States; Nikita Khrushchev of the former Soviet Union, threatened the West in 1960, but he did not personally attack President Eisenhower. He said, "The devil came here yesterday," Chavez said, referring to Mr. Bushs address on Tuesday and making the sign of the cross. "He came here talking as if he were the owner of the world."[4] On 9th of April 2002, a two day strike was called by Carlos Ortega by CTV (Confederation of Workers of Venezuela) in which scored of hundred of thousands of strike suporters took to the street of the capital [5] and marched towards the headquarters of Vanezuela’s State owned oil Company Petrà ³leos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA) on the 11th of April 2002. The mob was supporting the recently fired management of the oil company. A demonstration in support of the President Chavez was also being staged at the presidential palace and the organizers of the strike supporters decided to re-direct the mob to the presidential palace which resulted in severe violence eruption between the supporters of the two demonstrations. While the action was on, the head of the venezuelan army Lucas Rincon Romero announced the resignation of the Chavez from the

Cultural Gap Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cultural Gap - Essay Example Raised in a Christian family. My parents lived by the church doctrines. Something to do with the relationship was out of the question, especially at our tender age. Going to LGBT meeting was a big decision I made. Many of the online discussions about the meeting seemed appealing. The encouragement I received from online friends gave me hope; I had to find out what I did not know. I focused on finding self-fulfillment. At first, I was nervous and at the same time excited. I never knew what was in place for me. It was like going to another planet. It seemed something intimidating and a scary one to walk into a room and be sincere over something I could barely admit. The truth looked fantastic, but from hiding in it, it ended up being the scariest thing. As I joined college, I sent an email to the LGBT coordinator concerning where and when the meeting could occur. Unfortunately, at that time, I failed to turn up for the meeting due to some reasons I could not avoid. On this occasion, I was confident and focused on attending it, though felt scary than before. On the initial day of the meeting, I walked to the building and found the room number. My nerves took held of me. How I wished, I knew it was okay to be who I am and to feel the way I felt. I had spent years denying who I was. It is so ridiculous to feel so at the place where I should have called home. I had no idea of having people around me who cared and who could understand me. I took a friend to the meeting with me. I was too nervous to go alone. The environment inside was nothing I expected. At first, I felt it would not work. In some few minutes, the room was with young men who were open, smart, fantastic, and very welcoming. The room was so welcoming and open. Afer introducing myself, I talked about how I felt. I had to accept myself and come out. With time, I am glad to have learnt a lot about LGBT people and myself. I wished I had involved myself

International Business Skills

International Business Skills International Business Skills In modern business, what makes some people more successful than others and more valuable to the company is not only their knowledge in the field but most importantly their competence in using certain soft skills. These skills can be developed and learnt so as to facilitate an organization to thrive towards success but also to enhance personal characteristics and capabilities of people. The module in International Business Skills has given me the opportunity to develop skills I already had so as to enable me succeed in my future career but also in my academic performance. The eight topics studied are complementary to each other and have therefore provided a solid foundation for development. This learning log introduces the topics by stating how they are relevant to international business; it then emphasises how the seminars have been beneficial to me and how I will be able to develop and apply the skills I have acquired during the sessions. Emotional Intelligence Over the past years, corporations have started to look for more varied qualities in the people they employ. Emotional intelligence is important as it is relevant in people working at different parts of international business such as in management development, recruitment interviewing and selection, customer relations and service. It provides a way of understanding and assessing people thus it is vital where it concerns human resources. Reflecting on the seminar, I believe that I can now separate between two main areas of competencies. On the one hand there is a personal aspect, which requires competencies such as self-awareness, self-regulation and motivation. On the other hand, there is a social aspect, which concerns bringing humanity and compassion at work by conveying empathy. Learning how to manage both personal and social capabilities will help me become more successful in my work but also in my everyday life. Being a very emotional person, I have sometimes found that my emotions keep me back from my work when faced with certain challengers who affect me emotionally. The seminar has taught me how to manage my emotions and motivate myself, be more adaptable but most importantly on how to suspend judgment, be optimistic and try to find ways in bettering myself and becoming successful. I have learned above all to understand myself and then understand others and their feelings. As emotional intelligence is vital in developing many skills such as networking, teamwork or leadership I had the opportunity to put into practice what I have learned. In teamwork, I was able to show self-awareness by assessing my behaviour and how this would affect others, and then by exercising self-management by being adaptable, optimistic and having emotional self-control. By showing social awareness I was able to meet my teams needs and also understand their emotions and their perspective. Learning about emotional intelligence will help me when it comes in employment opportunities. For example if I establish good rapport and a strong relationship with my manager and show him that I do not only have good training or expertise in my domain but I can also handle myself as well as others, then this will increase my opportunities of getting promoted to higher levels in the company. Cross-cultural teamwork Working in teams has proven to be essential in contemporary business due to increased competition in the global arena. In the module â€Å"Issues in Management† I have learned that especially in knowledge based businesses, the collective practice of people on a certain task has demonstrated better outcomes than individual work since with the interaction of people there is better exchange of knowledge and efficiency in task completion. However, in cross-cultural teams certain barriers such as language, clash of personalities, cultural backgrounds or different ways of approaching problems may restrict members in integrating in a team. Dealing with different people from diverse backgrounds and cultures may cause problems but the need to work collectively for the achievement of the same task can make people come together and bring about compromising for the mutual benefit of the group. The cross-cultural teamwork seminar has proven to be vital for my understanding of how teams are formed, how they function and the different stages of team development they undergo. The four stages of team development provided insight to the common traits of relationship building I had observed in previous teamwork. Learning about the storming stage gave me confidence to confront uncooperative behaviour in a positive way by trying to bring balance and harmony in the team so as the team will undergo successful development. My personal academic experience always had to deal with teamwork. Throughout the years I had noticed that in a team each person would always take up a role, for example that of a decision-maker or an implementer. Learning about Belbins team roles validated my observations by illustrating how each member contributes to a team through certain roles they adopt. This has helped me in dealing with my â€Å"Issues in Management† assignment where each team member was assigned a particular task based on his/her abilities. Moreover, through the Belbins Self- Perception Inventory I had the chance to assess my â€Å"best team roles† and as a result raise my awareness of the informal roles I adopt within a team and how they might be valued by other team members. This gave me an explanation as to how I contribute in a team and why I react in specific ways, especially in situations where there are no effective leaders in the team and I automatically take initiative. It is indubitable that the knowledge I have acquired through this seminar will help me in my next teamwork assignment since above all I now know myself better but I am also more aware of others. After working with a multicultural team in the practical exercises I now have a better understanding of the different particularities of each culture. I have also learnt to adjust my behaviour so as to facilitate the smooth collaboration towards the successful completion of a task through effective team working. Therefore, I will be able to overcome any difficulties that may arise with ease when working in an international business environment which will involve interacting and working with people from different cultures. As a result, this practical session gave me the opportunity to put theory into practice by being conscious of my behaviour and the different development stages we underwent as a team. Cross-Cultural leadership In international business working with and leading groups of people from different cultures is common in multinational projects. For me, being an effective leader means directing successfully the people you work with by the means of motivation towards the accomplishment of a mission. Knowing how to do things right is what characterises a leader and having the capability to be both an effective manager and leader in a business will undeniably lead a business towards success. The importance of emotional intelligence in successful leadership cannot be refuted since leaders have to deal with other people and relationships. As a result, effective leaders primarily need to have self-awareness and self regulation in order to be able to lead a group of people. The seminar taught me that the key to earning someones trust and to building a relationship with a team is to show empathy and to understand their emotions. This knowledge will facilitate me as a leader in managing relationships effectively and in implementing change where needed. Leading a multicultural team is not an easy task. I came to know this when working with a multicultural team this year. After the seminar, I realised the mistakes I had made and how I had been sending across the wrong messages to them unintentionally. Even though I tried to communicate with respect, the fact that I was not flexible in my way of working to fit in with their culture preferences created stress and panic in the team. They felt under pressure and that they could not work by the hectic working plan that I had set. After the seminar I had the chance to remedy my actions by recognising that my own perceptions and opinions may not be shared by others but also made me realise how differently some cultures might perceive power and leadership. I therefore became less assertive and I motivated them to co-operate and show commitment by satisfying their psychological needs. I achieved this by giving them more responsibility and by letting them make choices more often. I then showed my appreciation and recognised the significance of their work. In the future I will aim to strengthen my emotional leadership by being conscious of the particularities found in other people and also by constantly practicing and gathering feedback from peers. In this way I will be able to identify my strengths and weaknesses and try new ways to improve myself. I will then be able to correct my mistakes on the spot so as to become an effective leader. Win-Win Negotiations Negotiations are considered to be an integral part of our everyday lives, particularly of our jobs. It is a skill that everyone may possess to some degree, however, it is essential to develop and cultivate this skill through learning and practice. In business, negotiation skills are constantly tested through completing contracts, sales, team building but also negotiating on salary issues. Win-Win negotiations refer to both parties emerging as winners from their negotiation. Therefore, knowing how to persuade but also please the other party is essential for a successful and rigid negotiation process. The seminar has been vital in improving my negotiation skills by teaching me what makes a good negotiator. It has helped me correct my biggest mistake by emphasising that an effective negotiator does not only think of what he wants out of the negotiation but is also capable of identifying the needs of the other party. Learning how to use specific tactics but also being able to change them in order to facilitate the negotiation process has been the main competence I have gained. This has reinforced my creativity as well since finding different methods of negotiation and possible solution requires creative thinking in order to produce unique ways of persuading. My creativity was put into practice during the case study exercise when I had to make a decision which would result in mutual benefit and when I had to find different methods of solving the problems raised. In summary, the further development of this skill will help me gain lifelong success in my life and career in business. I will be able to apply my negotiation and communication skills when having to influence people with regard to salaries and contracts or be able to increase the sales and profit of the company. My learning will be supported through further developing my negotiation skills when working in teams in my academic work. When working in such an environment I will implement and develop a plan with possible scenarios that could be followed to reach my objectives and at the same time satisfy the others needs. As a result, my skills will be strengthened to such a degree that in the future I will understand my opponents position ahead of time and be able to use different tactics to reach my goals. Numerical Skills One of the reasons people go into business is to make money hence when working in a business environment, you are bound to come across numbers at some point; that may be the profits of the company, balance sheets, interest rates or exchange rates. Having only a literature background, I have not had much exposure to numbers. My numerical skills have been fairly poor since the last time I had to do work with numbers was in high school. Undeniably, I could not build on any skills I previously had or on any knowledge since this was completely new to me. However, the two sessions of Financial Mathematics have proved to be of valuable importance since I have now developed some abilities in calculating basic financial mathematics equations which will be necessary in my future career. The exercises we had to complete have given me the ability to apply and use numerical skills within a business context. I can now do exchange rate calculations which will be vital when working in an international business environment which might involve transactions between different companies across different countries using various currencies. This session has prepared me to interpret business information with ease since I am now familiar with the diff erent terminology and with the different formulas needed to calculate potential investments. Moreover, this session has complimented on the theory of finance which was taught in Issues in Management. My interaction with numbers has made me more confident since I now feel that I can manage basic financial numerical exercises which I will come across in my future career in business. As a result, I will be able to support and keep developing my learning by interpreting the Markets Data column in the Financial Times which will also keep me up to date with the world economy and finance. Networking Networking is considered to be an essential way of creating contacts and connecting with people in order to share information and build a mutually beneficial relationship. Working in a business will require networking skills since employees may have to attend conferences, seminars or even some social events where making good personal contacts is essential in building the business. As an extrovert and a social person, I have never faced any particular problems when interacting with people. I have always found it easy to talk to people that I have never met before. Nevertheless, the seminar on networking has helped me improve the communication skills I already have by emphasising the importance of body language and outlining the ways we can establish non-verbal rapport. I have learned to use small actions that we make unconsciously, such as smiling or nodding, in a conscious way so as to build and maintain rapport effectively. In this way, I will ensure that I am expressing interest in the matter discussed. Moreover, I have learned how to control my body language so as to transmit efficiently the desired messages to other people. This has been managed and further developed by continuous observations of interaction in between others and myself. Furthermore, the people bingo exercise was a successful way in conveying how people move from one person to the other in search for information but also how they build relationships based around a mutual benefit. It is indubitable that the networking skills seminar has taught me how to get prepared before a networking session and how to research on the desired future contact so as to make a good impression when conversing with them. I had the opportunity to practice and improve this skill in the â€Å"Executive Insight† session which brought me into contact with senior level directors from a range of international firms. The skills I developed through this session will be essential in building my future career in business but will also help me reach my targets through building relationships with important people. Presenting with presence Usually managers consider presentation skill as a desirable quality in employees. It is of vital importance in a business since if an employee representing the firm does not have the presentation skills to explain an idea, a project, a service or a product to others, then these ideas or projects may remain in the conceptual stage and the service or product may not be sold. Throughout my education, I have had to prepare a number of presentations. However, I always have difficulty in presenting with ease in front of an audience. Not knowing the correct method of delivering and structuring my ideas makes me less confident and nervous when presenting. The presentation skills sessions made me realise that having to do a presentation is not only about presenting ideas in a structured way but it also has to do with capturing the audiences attention using different techniques. The main concern in presentations is having the audiences complete attention until the end. The seminar taught me how to overcome the problem of loosing the audiences attention by getting them involved in the presentation but also by using power point presentations in an amusing way. After this experience, I had the chance to put my knowledge into practice in the daily seminars by consciously monitoring myself and others when presenting. Whenever I felt that the audience lost concentration I used a â€Å"hook† such as a real life example or a rhetorical question to grab their attention. The seminar presentations also helped me become confident when having to do a presentation unexpectedly which could happen in any company. Moreover, I am now more aware of what is expected of me when I am put on the spot, how to control my body language so as not to show my nervousness to the audience and also how not to lose the aim of the presentation by being clear and concise. Presentations are based on how effectively and efficiently the presenter delivers the main ideas concerning the topic presented. What is therefore required on my behalf is to continue developing my communication skills by observing other presentations and thinking of ways to improve them but also by keeping up to date with technology so as to make attractive presentations using appropriate means such as power point presentations. Art and Business As demonstrated in the module â€Å"Global Shift†, today more than ever, globalization is forcing businesses to be more transnational, multi-cultural and increasingly competitive. In order for an international business to confront the global challenges it constantly faces, it needs to be innovative by developing unique and original ideas. Therefore, art and creativity play an essential role for successful markets to stay ahead. This seminar taught me how creative thinking and success is born when the environment you work in is equally creative. This was conveyed through the example of â€Å"SOL† and â€Å"Red Bull†. By having a creative atmosphere at work, creative thinking is promoted in employees resulting in unique ideas being generated. By attending the seminar I learned to be a risk-taker since by doing so I will have the possibility to innovate. In the past, I always feared to express an idea that I had in my mind because I considered it to be silly. Now I know that often good ideas are initially considered to be as such. As a result, I now always express my ideas in class when we are asked to deal with a problem. I have learned to think from different perspectives and always re-think things during breaks because creative and imaginative thinking usually comes at a time when people are more relaxed. In the future I will use brainstorming more often since as it has been portrayed in the s eminar, simple ideas can be developed through innovation into successful new business ideas, such could be the case of the iPhone. Even though in my opinion imagination cannot be taught, it can certainly be promoted when working in a creative and more flexible environment. Creativity might also arise by listening to the ideas of other people and trying to connect them with your own. In past work experience I have had, seeing miserable faces in companies made me think of ways I could change this if I had to manage the workforce. After researching some creative businesses such as Google, the seminar gave me the incentive to aim in inspiring and making a difference in the working environment of my colleagues when attaining this future career goal. I will achieve this by creating an exciting environment for them to work in so as to motivate them to come to work with pleasure. This will certainly promote hidden talent which will contribute towards success.

Position Paper on Amr Moussa :: Essays Papers

Position Paper on Amr Moussa I am Amr Moussa. I am currently Secretary General of the League of Arab States. Time magazine has described me as â€Å"being the most adored public servant in the Arab world.† A U.S. war against Iraq would â€Å"open the gates of hell in the Middle East.† (On-line Pravda, 2002; 1) I have declared that the Arab League is in favor of the â€Å"total implementations† of the UN Security Council resolutions. I have urged to allow the U.N. weapons inspectors to resume with their searches in Iraq, in a bid to head off a U.S. attack. Since the United States has accused Iraq of trying to develop nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons in violation of U.N. resolutions dating back to the 1991 Persian Gulf War. (Middle East Information Center, 2002; 1) I have stated â€Å"An action against Iraq, with the general opposition of the world, I believe would lead to serious repercussions in this region and perhaps beyond.† (Middle East Information Center, 2002; 1) Along with myself, the Arab world has said that they will not stand for any attack on Iraq as an extension of the U.S. â€Å"war on terrorism.† Washington has stated that such Arab countries, Sudan, Libya, Iraq, and Syria are potential supporters of terrorism. (People’s Daily, 2001; 2) I am against any attack on Iraq or any Arab country for that matter. â€Å"Launching military action against any Arab state would spell the end of consensus in the international alliance against terrorism.† (People’s Daily, Arab League Warns Against Attacking Iraq, 2001; 1) No matter what the comments of president Bush, my standpoint will not be changed. If an attack from the United States on Iraq were to occur, I believe that it would â€Å"lead to destabilizing protest among ordinary Arabs already angry at the United States for its perceived bias in favor of Israel in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.† (Fox News, Arab States Declare Allegiance to Iraq, 2002; 1) Since the United States is backed by Britain, it has said that it wants a â€Å"regime changed† in Baghdad. Even though the U.S. has not decided if it will use military force in Iraq, the Arab League will not tolerate any excessive force, or any force for that matter in Iraq.

Participant Observation and Grand Theory Essay

Bronislaw Malinowski, with his ground-breaking field work of the Trobriand Islander community in the beginning of the 20th century still today counts as a pioneer, if not the founder of the British Social Anthropology. In his famous book Argonauts of the Western Pacific. An Account of Native Enterprise and Adventure in the Archipelagos of Melanesian New Guinea that was first published in 1922 he develops an elaborate methodological framework for ethnographical research, also known as ‘participant observation’. This method will highly influence the anthropological way of approaching its field of study and hence its theoretical landscape from then on. Looking at Malinowski’s description of the clan system of the Trobriand community, his descriptive and specifying style of formulation becomes apparent: â€Å"Each of the four clans has its own name: Malasi, Lukuba, Lukwasisiga, Lukulabuta. (†¦) There are special combinations of the clan names with formative roots, to descrive men and women and the mixed plurality belonging to the same clan: Tomalasi – a Malasi man; Immalasi – a Malasi women; Memalasi – the Malasi people (†¦). Near the village of Laba’I, on the northern shore of the main island, there is a spot called Obukula, which is marked by a coral outcrop. Obukula is, in fact, a ‘hole’ (dubwadebula), or ‘house’ (bwala); that is to say, one of the points from which the first ancestors of the linage emerged. † (Malinowski 1929: 496 f. , italics in original) This very nuanced and case specific example of the material gained from his methodological approach gives rise to the question if Malinowski’s heritage of participant observation has forever distanced Anthropology from bringing forward grand theories? To be able to consider and discuss this question, it is important to first define what Malinowski circumscribed when he laid out his dogma for ethnographical research by the term participant observation. Secondly, a closer inspection of the dictum ‘grand theory’ is indispensable for our purpose and will be clarified in the second section of this essay. Subsequently, we will look at these two concepts and their relationship to one another in section three in order to approach the question whether Anthropology can be viewed as a science able to produce grand theories. I. Participant observation In the foreword to Argonauts of the Western Pacific Malinowski states that he has â€Å"lived in that [Trobriand Island] archipelago for about two years (†¦), during which time [he] naturally acquired a thorough knowledge of the language. [He] did [his] work entirely alone, living for the greater part of the time right in the village. † (1966: xvi). This statement already contains the essence of participant observation in fieldwork. The hallmark of this methodological way of collecting data is the immersion of the researcher into her or his field of study over a long period of time and the personal part taking in the interactions of the people in the community studied. When Malinowski defined this new approach of ‘first-hand’ observation he broke with the, at that time prevailing tradition of ‘armchair’ ethnography. In this prior approach, ethnographers compiled data gained from historical sources to deduce theories about certain aspects of a usually ‘native’ community (Osterhoudt 2010). One of the main contributions of Malinowski’s new method to anthropological theory was that by participating and observing behaviour in the sample community he found out that a discrepancy between actual behaviour and narrative statements exists. â€Å"The smoothness and uniformity, which the mere verbal statement suggest as the only shape of human conduct, disappears with a better knowledge of cultural reality. † (Malinowski 1979: 83). This discovery in itself already composes a point of criticism towards the preceding ethnographical ‘arm-chair’ approach to data collection and evaluation. Even though participant observation is based on a seemingly broad and intuitive research design, it would, however, be incorrect to assume that this approach would be free of any directive principles on how to collect relevant data. Therefore, Malinowski describes how first, the researcher must â€Å"possess real scientific aims† (Malinowski 1966: 6) and be familiar with the theoretical background of anthropology. Further, the researcher should live in the field among the natives all by herself/ himself, and lastly the researcher has to stick to special and strict scientific methods, such as drawing â€Å"tables of kinship terms, genealogies, maps, plans and diagrams† (idib. 1966: 10) to collect, prepare and record her/his data. The previous example of the clan system provides a sense of the detailed and case specific information that is obtained by the application of participant observation. Besides the kind of the data collected, it should also be looked at the area of research and Malinowski’s suggestion of the subject to be studied. He proposes that the â€Å"field worker observes human beings acting within an environmental setting, natural and artificial; influenced by it, and in turn transforming it in co-operation with each other. † (Malinowski 1939: 940). Thus, he focuses on the individual as a starting point and its relation to, and mutual dependence on a social group. The inquiries of a researcher will hence have to include a â€Å"specific study of the individual, as well as the group within which he has to live and work. † (idib. 1939: 950). The collective life within that group or society is widely to be seen in certain types of activities, ‘institutions’ such as the â€Å"economy, education, or social control and political system in place† (idib. 1939: 954). These institutions, as he points out, can be seen as a fruitful base to investigate the individual’s motives and values and they will provide â€Å"insight into the process by which the individual is conditioned or culturally formed and of the group mechanisms of this process. † (idib. 1939: 954). II. Grand Theory In the following, the dictum ‘grand theory’ will be specified and by doing so distinguished into two different tendencies of understanding the concept. Wiarda (2010) defines a grand theory in his book Grand Theories and Ideologies in the Social Sciences as â€Å"those large, overarching explanations of social and political behavior—liberalism, Marxism, socialism, positivism, corporatism, political culture, institutionalism, psychoanalysis, rational choice theory, environmentalism (Jared Diamond), sociobiology, and now chemistry and genetics—that give coherence to the social sciences, help us to organize and think about change and modernization, and give us models to understand complex behavior. † (Wiarda 2010: x) This definition of grand theory as an ‘overarching explanation’ is in line with Anthony Good’s (1996) understanding of a ‘generalizing science’ that produces â€Å"universal, descriptive and predictive laws† (idib. 1996: 34). Here a grand theory is understood as a theorem providing a universal and structural framework that gives meaning to particular and individual phenomena ‘on the ground’. In this process the â€Å"importance of the local and the contingent, (†¦) the extent to which our own concepts and attitudes have been shaped† (Skinner 1985: 8) builds also a part of the universal framework. The second tendency to conceive the idea of grand theory goes a step further and is mainly characterized by C. Wright Mills application of it. He vigorously criticised the concept in his book The Sociological Imagination (1959): â€Å"The basic cause of grand theory is the initial choice of a level of thinking so general that its practitioners cannot logically get down to observation. They never, as grand theorists, get down from the higher generalities to problems in their historical and structural contexts. This absence of a firm sense of genuine problems, in turn, makes for the unreality so noticeable in their pages. † (idib. 1959: 33) As this quote shows, Mills’ understanding of a grand theory goes beyond our first definition. In this second understanding Mills implies that scientists generating grand theories are engrossed in their endeavour to build abstract, normative and all-embracing frameworks and thus neglect the study of the ‘meaning’ behind their constructs. The individual with its particular values and interpretations, as well as variety on the scale of the actual area of research fall behind. III. Participant Observation and its relation to Grand Theory Taken the just outlined conception of grand theory influenced by Mills and putting it in relationship with Malinowski’s methodology of participant observation, the answer to our question whether or not Malinowski’s heritage barred the way of Anthropology to ever produce grand theories appears unambiguously to be ‘yes’. Participant observation in its very nature is close to the individual and aims to explore, over a long period of time, which social and cultural forces influence the human being in a specific setting. Therefore, with regards to Mills conception of grand theory, Anthropology has a birth defect called participant observation that will always prevent it from producing highly abstract grand theories, which stand in no relation to the circumstances from where they were deduced from. A closer look reveals that Malinowski’s understanding of the anthropological formation of theory aligns with Mills criticism towards highly abstract grand theories: â€Å"It would be easy to quote works of high repute, and with a scientific hall-mark on them, in which wholesale generalisations are laid down before us, and we are not informed at all by what actual experiences the writers have reached their conclusions. (†¦) I consider that only such ethnographic sources are of unquestionable scientific value, in which we can clearly draw the line between, on the one hand, the result of direct observation and of native statements and interpretations and on the other, the inferences of the author, based on his common sense of psychological insight. † (Malinowski 1966: 3) Here Malinowski differences between two approaches of data processing. One approach leads to mere ‘wholesale generalisations’ and the other approach also includes the ‘actual experiences’ the researcher faced on the local level that explain on what assumptions and observations her or his generalizations are based on. He hence supports the notion of Anthropology as a science of producing generalisations, as long as they are comprehensible and in direct relation to the reality on the ground. Malinowski’s ethnographies exist to a vast amount of descriptive details that are very specific to certain social groups or individual preferences and he has hence often been criticized as an ‘empiricist’ (see Firth 1957). Also, one could argue that his attempt to put his findings in a neat structured box with columns, as he has done in his article Group and Individual in Functional Analysis (1966) seem rather compelled. Nevertheless, he was able to provide social science with universal and generalizing frameworks on, inter alia, on how social institutions function in relation to society. He states that â€Å"social institutions have a definite organisation, (†¦) they are governed by authority, law and order in their public and personal relations, while the latter are, besides, under the control of extremely complex ties of kinship and clanship. † (Malinowski 1966: 10). Malinowski’s suggestion to use institution as a starting point for social and cultural analysis has â€Å"produced integrated descriptions instead of loosely classified catalogues of traits, and has stimulated the fuller recording of case material from actual behavior as a supplement to the listing of ideal patterns. † (Murdock 1943: 443). Following Malinowski’s ethnographic method and theory construction therefore aims to create a firm framework of the â€Å"social constitution† that â€Å"disentangle[s] the laws and regularities of all cultural phenomena from the irrelevances. † (Malinowski 1966: 10f. ). His approach is thus far more that only an accumulation of meaningless observations of an individuals life in a very specific society. Considering these arguments, Malinowski approach can, indeed, be seen as congruent with our first tendency to understand grand theory. The answer to our initial question should hence be that Anthropology is a science that can certainly produce grand theories in the sense of generalized frameworks and universalistic theories, without neglecting the importance of the â€Å"local and the contingent† (Skinner 1985: 12). Furthermore, Anthropology can be viewed as an established science with its own field of study being the human being and its social group as well as their mutual dependencies and influences. â€Å"Anthropology stands in a clear relationship to the other basic science, because it is concerned with studying phenomena at one clearly discriminate level vis-a-vis those other sciences. † (Good 1996: 32) IV. Conclusion and Outlook As just set out, if the question is, if participatory observation was the downfall of grand theory in the anthropological work field, my answer to it would be ‘no’, depending on the definition of grand theory. The science of Anthropology certainly had to withstand some rough winds of criticism, for instance as Wood (1996) lays out, with its strong focus on ‘meaning’ and â€Å"actors’ understanding of ‘facts’ rather than ‘facts’ themselves† (idib. 1996: 31). Some might even buy into Radcliff-Browns (1977) proposal that due to its inconsistency of attribution of meaning to commonly used scientific terms â€Å"social anthropology reveals itself as not yet a formed science. † (idib. 1977: 28). In my opinion, however, it was not the launch and implementation of participant observation as introduced by Malinowski in the late twenties of the 20th century that caused a rupture in Anthropology as a grand theory producing science. A more significant menace came 50 years later when Malinowki’s diaries that he wrote, while he was conducting research at the Trobriand Islands were published. These diaries unveiled the he spend a lot of time with Europeans during his fieldwork, and it unfolds the emotional difficulties that Malinowski as fieldworker experienced. Statements such as â€Å"this drives me to a stage white rage and hatred for bronze-colored skin† (Malinowski 1989: 261) imply that he was a man thinking in discriminating racial terms, who did not have such a good rapport with the people he studied after all. These disclosures and inconsistencies between his ethnographies and his emotional encounters raised serious doubts on the validity of Malinowski’s theoretical conception and methodological approach of participant observation, and thus questioned the anthropological stance as an established science in general. Especially James Clifford’s critique on Malinowski and his later to be published book Writing Culture: The Poetics and Politics of Ethnography (1986), together with George Marcus has created a controversy and critical debate with a strong impact on the anthropological work field. The writing culture debate resulted in a ‘crisis of representation’ that implied to question every ethnographical voice. This shaped a new postmodern â€Å"genre of self-reflective research report† (Clifford 1993: 119; trasnl. C. R. ), where the unanimous voice of the author has to be subject to a consistent reflexion process and the emphasis is put on polyphony and complexity. In my opinion, this postmodern ‘angst’ of the anthropological author to be too determinate in her or his statements and conclusions, led to a trend that was far more hazardous to Anthropology as a grand theory producing science, than the introduction of Malinowski’s participant observation methodology. To make myself clear, I am not claiming that the criticism on Malinowski’s diaries and the postmodern episode was in itself a curse on Anthropology. I highly value the positive impact it had, such as, inter alia, the sensitization of the ethnographer. He or she has to be aware of her or his own position of power in the society studied, and her or his mutual influences on the informants. However, when it comes to extracting and generating universal laws, I believe it is majorly important for Anthropology as a science to not dwindle in a postmodern bulge of relativizations, but confidently create grand theories with regards to the actual phenomena observed. Thus, I strongly agree with Anthony Good (1996) who states that â€Å"if anthropology is not a generalizing science, it is not worth doing. † (idib. 1996: 30; italics in original). Bibliography Clifford, James; Marcus, George E. , (1986) â€Å"Writing Culture. The Poetics and Politics of Ethnography. †, Berkley,: University of California Press Clifford, James, (1993) â€Å"Halbe Wahrheiten† In: Rippl, Gabriele (Hg. ): Unbeschreiblich weiblich: Texte zur feministischen Anthropologie, Frankfurt am Main,: Fischer-Taschenbuch-Verl. Firth, Raymond, (1957) â€Å"Man and Culture: An Evaluation of the Work of Malinowski†, New York,: The Humanities Press. Good, Anthrony, (1996) â€Å"For the Motion: Social Anthropology is a Generalizing Science or it is Nothingâ€Å" from Ingold, Tim (ed. ), Key Debates in Anthropology pp. 30-36, Oxon,: Routledge.

The Right to Life essays

The Right to Life essays Abortion, the termination of pregnancy before the fetus has attained the ability to live independently, is morally wrong. The decision of pro-life or pro-choice has been society's most controversial topic for years. Those who support pro-life believe that life itself begins at conception, and that abortion is the actual killing of a human life. Those who support pro-choice, on the other hand, believe that the child's mother has every right to carry out or end a pregnancy, and that the child in the womb is not a person until it is born. This has been proven wrong. The child is a person as soon as it is conceived, it is distinct and different and has its own heartbeat. The moment the sperm unites with the egg, the cells begin to divide into genes that will make the child unique and this can never be duplicated again. Abortion ends the lives of living, breathing, and moving children, and therefore I think it is murder. In 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court decided that as long as the baby lived in the womb, it was the property of the mother. Because of this, one out of every three babies in America is killed by abortion, which is 1.5 million per year. In 1969, the abortion laws were changed in Canada, so that it became legal for a doctor to perform an abortion if a committee of three other doctors deemed that continuation of the pregnancy would cause a threat to the health of the mother. Imagine how many potential scientists, teachers, or just unique individuals have been killed by this There are several different forms of abortion, all of which are disgustingly violent and indecent: 1) Vacuum curettage is a powerful suction tube inserted through the cervix and into the womb. The fetus is torn apart by the force of the suction, and the body parts and placenta are then sucked into a jar. 2) Mifepristone is a chem ...

How to Use Agile Project Management to Organize Your Marketing

How to Use Agile Project Management to Organize Your Marketing Are you sick of emergencies, of last-minute deadlines, and the stress of messy workflows? If so, agile project management might be just the strategy you need to use. Chances are great that you’ve heard of it before, but do you know how to use agile methodologies in your marketing? Today we’re going to talk about just that with Andrea Fryrear, the president and lead trainer at Agile Sherpas. She’s going to talk to us about what agile marketing is and how you can use it to prioritize your projects. Sit back, relax, and get ready to learn some high-value information that will help your business succeed. Information about Agile Sherpas and what they do. What agile marketing is, what it focuses on, and what the most popular methodology is. The difference between Waterfall and agile marketing. How agile marketers prioritize their projects. The concept of boundaries and why multitasking doesn’t work. Andrea also talks about the importance of saying no. How agile marketers can focus on the projects that make the most impact. How to build obstacles and roadblocks into your workflow. Tips on using Scrum, Kanban, and Scrumban for agile marketing. What you can do first if you are a marketer who would like to start using agile project management as part of your marketing strategy. Links and Resources: Agile Sherpas Scrum Kanban Scrumban podcast@.com If you liked today’s show, please subscribe on iTunes to The Actionable Marketing Podcast! The podcast is also available on SoundCloud, Stitcher, and Google Play. Quotes by Andrea: â€Å"Limiting our work and focusing is the only way we’re gonna get to the point of doing really good, high-quality work that’s focused on the audience.† â€Å"Scrum has the best PR agency of any of the agile methodologies.† â€Å"I would say don’t try to eat this whole elephant in one big bite.†

Media Literacy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Media Literacy - Essay Example The imagery of the video is rather provocative, though it isn’t deprived of aesthetic value and adherence to design principles. The very first visual feature to be mentioned is a peculiar color scheme including no too bright or light hues, with the overall atmosphere of the video being a little bit sombre. The depicted venue is the bar – or even a brothel – hosting rather strange and extravagant characters: a cardinal in a red robe, a priest, prostitutes, musicians playing live, several oddly dressed women, a supposed sinner lashing himself with a whip and a beggar outside the bar. Dominating black, burgundy, white and various yellowish shades endow the color appearance with certain aristocraticism, which is then purposefully supported by other elements of video design such as style of interior, lighting and costumes. Moreover, the imagery contains balanced repetition of dominating colors and shades, which makes the video look like a whole and seamless piece and creates unity. Also, a design principle used in the video design is opposition, as opposite visual concepts are drawn together here (Bartel, 2012). A mysterious white-veiled woman, which seems to symbolize purity, is opposed to a weary prostitute dressed in black; moreover, the opposition of clergymen and prostitutes, i.e. sinners, arrests one’s attention. In addition, a very significant image used in the video is the imitation of a Renaissance painting, which is virtually â€Å"imbedded† in the ending of the video, yet, with a pinch of mocking. The visual imagery used in ‘The Next Day’ obviously serves to communicate a rather profound yet daring message – along with the lyrics of the song, it serves to express Bowie’s radical criticism of Catholic church and its corruption. Clear and hidden religious symbols as well as actions of the featuring actors depict the most unpleasant sides of clergy and church

Discretion Granted to National Courts in Relation to the EU Legal Essay

Discretion Granted to National Courts in Relation to the EU Legal Order - Essay Example The body that was named as the European Court of Justice (ECJ) that enables the national courts to refer to it. The preliminary reference procedure has been essential in designing the fundamental principles of the national legal system, the unity of the member countries, and the development and maintenance of the national laws. In Article 234, the Court has the powers to give preliminary rulings in a request from the national courts. The preliminary rulings might be about the interpretation of the Treaty, the legality and the interpretation of the actions of the member countries and the European Central Bank. The national courts have therefore a vital role to play in the administration and how the community law is implemented. However, the European Union Treaty does not precisely define â€Å"the national court or tribunal†. Nevertheless, it is vital to know that the national laws of the member states do not depend upon the definition of the tribunal or national courts by the European Court of Justice. The Court has the role to define the national laws of a given community. ... Moreover, different cases shall be looked upon in the preliminary ruling procedure (Arnull, 1989). The Right and Obligation to Refer Cases The case of Vaasen- Gobbel came up with the decision to define the national court in order to find a way to refer to the ECJ. The case was held by stating that any body making a reference to the European Court of Justice must satisfy a number of criteria: It first need to be established by law, must have a permanent existence, it must be in a position to practice a lasting jurisdiction, must work under the rules of the Community law and its procedures and should apply the rule of law. The Court therefore had to extend the stated criteria to apply to the national courts so that they would be independent (Komarek, 2005). Several other cases including the De Coster Case, enabled the college which previously had the powers concerning the local tax proceedings and never operated on its own nor made its own decisions regarding the process later satisfie d the criteria to operate as an independent body. The De Coster and CLIFIT cases demonstrate the national courts that have the powers to give judgment in relation to article 234 of the European Court of Justice (Komarek, 2007). Even though the case regarding the definition of the court or tribunal that satisfies the previously defined criteria for an independent body is at times inconsistent and therefore provides a room for some critics to disagree on which bodies are to refer cases to the ECJ. However, in order to solve this problem of disagreements, the European Court is coming up with the preliminary reference procedure that would be used by all judicial bodies while they might be dealing with cases involving the Community law (Maher, 1994). On the facts of the case, the De Coster and