Global Business and Political Forces Case Study Essay

Walgreens Corporation â€Å"C-Level Executives† will have to consider the Global Business and Political Forces associated with their Global International Expansion plans into the Country of Brazil during the period of (2014-2016). Analysis The key issues Walgreens Corporation â€Å"C-Level Executives† pose to face would be attempting a massive global expansion and creating new value innovation within that new global market. The want and need to expand internationally into Brazil might potentially cause the Company to lose its current top rated status quo and therefore could risk their Company’s name and future success rate if prior strategic planning is not done properly. Current competition in the same U.S Market looking to expand internationally such as CVS could also pose and cause a potential threat to Walgreens expansion plans. However, the Brazilian market is even more competitive because Brazilian Company’s already know how to operate in that country and are already familiar with the areas region. Therefore, their capabilities of gaining access to information and expertise about where the high demand for property expansion location sites would be at to open a new booming business, stands to be greater than that of other countries outsourced investors or foreign Company’s looking to expand. Related assumptions Walgreens would have to be able to maintain a competitive advantage point globally, so creating an exclusive brand pertaining to that specific region of the country, as well as, maintaining or improving their current Prescription Savings Club program and product line seems essential to their international expansion success. In order to stay ahead of the game and beat out any competition Walgreens â€Å"C-Level Executives† will need to focus on its core competencies and strengths. These practices are going to be critical when serving a diverse Country, while maintaining Walgreens longstanding tradition of fairness, trust and honesty. ((2013). Company Overview). Alternatives There are several alternative actions the C-Level Executives can take that would include the following: First, management must actively evaluate and manage any potential political risks involved when making global expansion investment decisions and then continue to monitor those associated risks on a routine basis. Political forces and risks that could impact Walgreens are going to be subject to change, so it won’t be considered enough to evaluate those risks only once before the decision to invest has been made. Executives of Walgreens must take an active approach and monitor political risks all the time and use those findings to their advantage by applying those methods strategically towards any other investments, operational plans and any other future decisions. Therefore, management over political forces must be implemented into Walgreens operating business practice and processes, in order to protect their investments. (PwC Advisory and Eurasia Group.) Secondly, obtaining reliable, accurate information and interpretation of international business risks tend to be roads blocks at times for executives seeking to better their decision making through evaluation of political risk. Therefore, the use of multiple world-wide sources in which provide up to date, extremely accurate information that has not only been analyzed but also prepared by top risk managers should also be considered as part of an ongoing systematic approach to political risk management. (PwC Advisory and Eurasia Group.) Thirdly, To avoid any future setbacks from competitors such as CVS and similar Drugstore/Retail chains, Walgreens will need to create and invest in a new value of innovation to enhance their diverse customer’s experience. I believe Walgreens strengths lies in the fact that they have their own unique branding style and a high level of ethical quality in the way they perform their business practice, so by enhancing their current U.S. loyal customer connections over into their potential new global customers they stand a better chance to set themselves apart from CVS and any other competitors they might be faced with along the way. Evaluation International partnerships increase challenges but also create new ideas in new markets that can then be translated back to US markets. Because all companies, even primarily domestic ones, are affected by politics to some  degree, all need a baseline of political risk management activity. At a minimum, company management should be aware of how political risks affect business processes, and they should factor these risks into both investment decisions and general risk management. Recommendation My suggestion would be that the â€Å"C-Level Executives† when operating internationally should carefully analyze their current approach to political risk management and determine whether it is contributing to their current business performance strategy as efficiently or effectively as it could and should be or having and adverse effect, taking away from it instead. Once carefully reviewed and evaluated they should find areas for improvement and make changes accordingly to ensure a better business development plan for the following (2014-2016) timeline. Implementation Long-term sustainable success internationally depends in good part on a company’s ability to grasp the implications of political risk and apply them to business risk. By embedding political risk considerations in normal business processes, companies enable management to make better decisions regarding global expansion, sourcing, branding, intellectual property protection, community and government relations, operational structures, and other business issues that arise in complex international markets. (PwC Advisory and Eurasia Group.) Conclusion Ultimately, any company looking to expand globally has to be willing to take risks, but it’s also essential to their future developmental successes that before taking that huge leap to expand internally that they become extremely aware of the high stacks and potential risks involved. In general, the more a company ventures beyond its home country physically or through outsourcing the more it increases its exposure to political risk. Companies should keep in mind, however, that even a minor investment involving a major risk or opportunity can have a material impact. Sustainable success internationally depends in good part on a company’s ability to grasp the implications of political risk and apply them to business risk. Mark Wagner, Walgreens Executive Vice President Operations & Community Management had this to say: â€Å"Our customers come from all walks of life, and it would be impossible for us to serve them well if we developed identical, instead of individual needs. I’ve found the best way to recognize individuality is by taking time to learn about diverse interests and their background. Everyone has needs, wants and expectations and as managers, it’s our job to develop that strategy and exceed those expectations.† (Walgreens outlines strategy to analysts.)

Inter-Professional Working Essay

The intention of this essay is to explore inter professional working and the impact it has on the quality of health care delivered within a mental health setting. For this purpose I have reflected on a previous placement where I worked in an acute mental health treatment ward and on the formative assessment assigned to me within this module. Inter professional working in a health care setting involves different health care professionals working together in a collaborative fashion, this ensures the highest quality of care is delivered to service users (Day, J 2005). It is suggested that the collaborative nature of inter professional working will lead to information and knowledge being shared amongst professionals within a team, which will ultimately lead to improved judgement when providing care and creating a higher bench mark for quality care (DOH 2007). In the NHS, it is stated that quality is defined by doing the right thing in the right way at the right time in the right place with the right result (NHS 2012). Lord Darzi’s High Quality Care for all (2008) states that delivering quality healthcare includes providing patients and the public with effective safety, cleanliness, delivery of care as well as a good patient experience and the consideration of patient dignity and respect . To assure that quality care is being provided, quality is externally and internally measured and evaluated. Within a healthcare setting it is measured at three levels. The national level includes audits, staff surveys, patient surveys and mortality and morbidity rates. The strategic level includes clinical governance, benchmarking and meetings amongst high level staff. The clinical level includes protocols, care pathways, complaints made by patients and infection control (CQC 2011). Within the NHS another element in the provision of quality, is the implementation of national service frameworks. These are implemented to make sure clear quality requirements are set and that the most up to date evidence based practice is working effectively in a given setting (DOH 2011). Following exploration of the literature for interprofessional working, three key issues identified are communication, culture and knowledge of professional roles (Pollard, K et al 2005). In regards to communication with in the team, to be able to provide holism in regards to a patients care all professionals within the team must engage in clear and open communication (Ellis. R et al 2003). It is essential that all of the professionals’ views and perspectives are heard and taken into consideration when implementing care. Although there are clear advantages to open communication there are often barriers that inhibit this practice. Lack of knowledge or the stereotyping of other professions can lead to ideas, recommendations and perspectives of an individual not being heard or taken into consideration. This can ultimately affect the quality of care delivered to a service user (Barret,G et al 2005). In order to overcome such barriers, trust and respect of fellow professionals must be present. If the environment is lacking in trust and respect, it may result in professionals protecting their roles and justifying actions. This can then result in a closed working environment, where professionals do not learn from shared experiences and constructive criticism is not welcomed. Collectively this can impede on the holistic and collaborative nature required in the delivery of healthcare (Day, J 2005). In order to approach care holistically, each member of the interprofessional team must have awareness and knowledge of the different professional roles within the team. This is due to the fact that conducting a holistic assessment is beyond the scope of any individual professional. Lack of knowledge of the roles of other professions and the boundaries of an individual’s role can lead to specific areas of care not being delivered to its highest quality (Wilcock, M et al. 2009). Professional culture can affect the delivery of quality care as the norms and values of different professional groups maybe in contrast with one another. This can lead to a disagreement or conflict when discussing and planning the approach when devising a plan to deliver patient care. However these differences between professional s can have a positive effect on the formulation and direction of service delivery (Day, J 2005). Taking into account the different ideals and perspectives can lead to a comprehensive and thorough assessment of a service user needs thus optimizing the quality of care provided. Within professional cultures there is often the use of unique jargon. Amongst an interprofessional team this can lead to barriers to effective communication which could ultimately lead to a lesser quality of care delivered. In order to overcome this obstacle members within the interprofessional team need to be self-aware of the language they are using to avoid causing confusion amongst professionals (Ellis. R et al .2003). On consideration of my placement in an acute psychiatric ward, I reflected on the interactions amongst the members of the interprofessional team. The role of the acute psychiatric ward was to provide treatment to service users aged eighteen to fifty five with conditions ranging from schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, schizoaffective, depression, mania, eating disorders and borderline personality disorders. Due to the wide range of disorders and the complex care that is often required to treat service users holistically there were often more than one professional within the interprofessional team that was involved in a service users care (NICE 2011). The professionals that were involved in this wards care whilst I was on placement were Nurses, Occupational therapists, Psychiatrists, Pharmacists, Social workers, Dietitians and Psychologists. Due to the differing nature of each of these professions, unique perspectives of the service user and their needs are assessed and an adequate and holistic care plan could be implemented. Key information was often passed on, an example I observed was in regards to eating plans from the Dietitan passed on to the nursing staff for eating disorder patients. From my perspective as a student mental health nurse whilst on the ward it became apparent that professional culture and ideologies of the professions often came in conflict with each other. I observed this when decisions needed to be made, there was often a professional that had to compromise their views. Interprofessional working at times also had a negative effect on the service users. In one instance a patient was on continuous observations by two staff due to recent multiple suicide attempts, it was agreed amongst nursing staff that the service user only had essential items and was not allowed anything that could be potentially harmful to herself. Although this was agreed amongst nursing staff the policy did not state any specifics that were not allowed, it did however state that it would be at the discretion of the professional at the time that is carrying out the continuous observation. This ultimately led to conflict when the occupational therapist allowed the service user to use paints, pencils, and paint brushes. On reflection this was not conducive to the recovery or mental state of the service user due to lack of consistency from staff that were looking after her. Barrett, G et al (2005) states that the power share amongst the interprofessional team is an important issue as an unequal power share amongst the team could lead to professions oppressed and unable to have a significant input. However it is also argued that without strong leadership and direction there is no true direction to the care being delivered and professionals within the team will rely on others to take charge (DOH 2007). On the acute ward as a student nurse I found that on the surface level there was an equal power share with all the professionals having equal input. However at times it became apparent that if a decision was made that certain professions did not like, the former hierarchy system came to fruition and the grievance was taken directly to the consultant and their decision would be final. On placement I believe that professional culture was a boundary to effective communication and collaboration amongst staff. Although all patient notes were stored on RIO which is readily available to any staff involved with patient care information was never discussed openly, formally or informally between professions unless something of significance happened. The driving factor for the interprofessional team to congregate was at that point to discuss blame instead of collaborative working. Professional identity also contributed to the quality and the effectiveness of the care given in the placement setting. The very nature of the training of each professional automatically assigns a skill set, codes of practice and standards from their governing body for example the NMC (2012) or HPC (2012). Thus meaning the very nature of this governing body can often conflict with collaborative nature of an interprofessional team. My personal suggestions for my acute mental health placement would be that there are clear guidelines and policies that need to be implemented in order for seamless clinical care to be delivered amongst the professionals. This could set clear boundaries to the remit of staff’s responsibilities. I would also suggest that time for interprofessional education be available for staff so there is a sound knowledge between the professions which can lead to a greater appreciation of the care that is delivered. On reflection of my formative group assessment it became apparent that the interpretation of the task at hand was different between each of the four members of the group, this could have been due to the fact that amongst the group there were different specialities of nurses. Once this was realised the group had to meet in order for each member to be fully aware of what was expected of them. Once there was clarity in the roles of each of the members a co-ordinator was appointed for the work to be collected and arranged appropriately for the presentation. It was agreed amongst the group the order of speakers and this translated seamlessly to the presentation. It became evident after the assessment had ended that if we had not of congregated beforehand the presentation would have not been as organised and coherent as it was (appendix). In conclusion it is clear that interprofessional working plays a vital part in the effectiveness and quality of care delivered to a service user. The literature has stated that in able for quality care to be delivered there must be willing and open participation form all members of the interprofessional team to work collaboratively. Although there are many barriers to effective interprofessional working, regulating bodies such as the NMC and organisations such as NICE have initiatives and guidelines for guidance in overcoming differences and conflicts. Clearly defined roles is an importance for professionals to be able to deliver high quality care, however he very nature of interprofessional working can sometimes hinder this as the views and perspectives of a situation between different professionals conflict with each other thus potentially leading to lack of clarity when delivering care (Wilcock, M et al. 2009). These factors were often present in my own experience in the above mentioned clinical setting. It became apparent that although there was an interprofessional approach to delivering quality healthcare, there was no clear structure to the composition of the team thus leading to conflict occurring more often than effective collaboration. Reference list: Barret, g et al . (2005). The process required for effective interprofessional working. In: Barret,g et al Interprofessional working in health and social care . Hampshire: Palgrave. P8-18. CQC (2010). Mental Health five year action plan. London Day, J (2005). Being Interprofessional . UK: Nelson thornes . P1-161. DOH (2007). Creating an Interprofessional workforce. UK: London. 1-72. DOH (2008) High quality care for all. NHS next stage review final report. London DOH (2011) The NHS Performance framework: implementation guidence. London Ellis. R et al . (2003). Improving communication . In: Ellis. R et al Interpersonal communication in nursing . 2nd ed. Hampshire: Elsevier. HPC. (2012). Your duties as registarnts . Available: http://www.hpc-uk.org/assets/documents/10001BFBSCPEs-cfw.pdf. Last accessed 9th Apr 2012 NHS. (2012). Quality. Available: http://www.clinicalgovernance.scot.nhs.uk/section2/definition.asp. Last accessed 7th Apr 2012. NHS. (2012). Quality. Available: http://www.clinicalgovernance.scot.nhs.uk/section2/definition.asp. Last accessed 7th Apr 2012. NMC. (2012). The Code. Available: http://www.nmc-uk.org/Nurses-and-midwives/The-code/. Last accessed 07th Apr 2012 Pollard, K et al . (2005). The need for interprofessional working. In: Barret,g et al Interprofessional working in health and social care . Hampshire: Palgrave. P5-7. Wilcock, M et al. (2009). Health care improvement and continuing interprofessional education . Journal of continuing education in the health professions . 29 (2), p84-90

Introduction to Law: Law Firm Expansion Essay

When considering the expansion of a law firm, it is imperative to consider a number of different factors that can influence the success in new states. Primarily, the firm needs to determine the exact state/states that shall be targeted along with an analysis of the weaknesses and threats that exist for the company and the strengths and opportunities that the company can utilize to make the most of them. The extension of the firm has to be one that its clients can rely upon to provide them with the same credibility that they are accustomed to at the original establishment. In order to do so without any hindrances, it is highly essential to ensure that the firm does not come into conflict with the laws of the state in which it is planning to expand. This paper shall attempt to highlight some of the most essential factors that a law firm should consider when expanding within the US. With regard to expansion in multiple states in the US, the firm needs to pay special attention to income allocation methods, determining presence and nexus, sales tax on professional services and personal property tax amongst others (Quinn, 2007). Each state has specific laws regarding these areas of business operations with respect to law firms. Laws that influence these elements are designed to address the process of contracting parties to support the expansion and to allow the law firm to adapt to the legal and taxing infrastructure. Also, it is just as essential to consider laws that have implications on the engagement of external parties in the state where the firm is considering expansion. Taxing laws and prerequisites defined in state laws are to be given special concern in this regard since they may serve to dictate the very policy that the firm chooses to adopt in its expansion.

Two-Criteria, Two-Alternative Decision Template Essay

Two-Criteria, Two-Alternative Decision Template - Essay Example It will feature originality of growing organics, herbs and flowers that would attract the large population of Bedrock as people are getting to be health conscious. It has an assurance of flow of customers because of location. The flow of customers generates new needs and new markets. Thus, it creates competences to arrive at ideas to promote its products and services. There is no competition in the farmhouse location and French cooking is a new dining experience Traffic is not much a problem. The extra 15 minute drive to the farmhouse compensates the time between beating downtown traffic. The local critic can become a word of mouth in advertising the place and could be a possible source of capital. [$1,200 x 5 years = $72,000 vs. $600 x 5 years =$36,000] =$36,000. The savings on lease could be devoted to development of the landscape, garden, and open door dining. It will also be a good place for family gathering and children. Besides, option to buy is a good proposition. Option B is recommended because of the originality of ideas that is designed to meet customer demands. It also answers your requirement for a modest capital, a steady flow of customers, and for a quick income. On Option A – the growth potential in downtown area is limited because of the stiff competition that saturates the area. There are other restaurants offering French cuisine which is the attraction of Flintstone restaurant. Because it is in downtown, customers have many choices and establishing a new restaurant in the area needs more attractions to develop interest of customers. It has to do a lot of advertising and promotion to create awareness of people passing by. Cost of operations in downturn area is a big challenge as it is more expensive. Lease in downturn is higher that is complemented by higher cost of supplies and labor. Option A is not a good selection

Donald Greenbergs achievement in the field of computer graphics(Term Essay - 1

Donald Greenbergs achievement in the field of computer graphics(Term paper ) - Essay Example The term Computer Graphics has numerous values like: Today computers and computer-generated images stroke many features of our every day life. Computer images are found on television, in newspapers, in weather reports, and during surgical dealings. A well-constructed graph can present multifarious information in a form that is easier to understand and understand. Such graphs are used to illustrate papers, reports, theses, and other presentation material. A range of tools and conveniences are available to facilitate users to visualize their data, and computer graphics are used in many disciplines. (Hill, 2001) As an educational discipline, computer graphics studies the manipulation of visual and geometric information using computational techniques. It focuses on the mathematical and computational foundations of image generation and processing rather than purely aesthetic issues. Computer graphics is often differentiated from the field of visualization, even though the two fields have many similarities. (Xiang ,Plastock, 2000) Charles Csuri is well known for pioneering the field of computer graphics, computer animation and digital fine art, creating the first computer art in 1964. Csuri has been acknowledged as the father of digital art and computer animation by Smithsonian, and as a leading pioneer of computer animation by the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and The Association for Computing Machinery Special Interest Group Graphics (ACM-SIGGRAPH). (Lewis, Luciana, 2004) Donald P. Greenberg is an internationally recognized pioneer in computer graphics. Greenberg has written hundreds of piece of writings and served as an educator and adviser to many prominent computer graphic artists and animators. Five previous students have won Academy Awards for Scientific or Technical Achievements, five have won the SIGGRAPH Achievement Award, and many now work for Pixar Animation Studios. In 1991, Greenberg was the

Cost of Turnover Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Cost of Turnover - Research Paper Example e increased level of employee turnover within an organization can result in incurring costs related to recruitment and selection of new employees along with inviting training costs associated with the new hired staff. At the same time, the article further revealed that increased employee turnover has significant and much adverse impact on the overall productivity as well as competiveness of an organization (Ebodey, n.d.). In this regard, it can be affirmed that the role of staffing is considered to be extremely vital for any organization in order to attain greater competiveness within an industry and reduce the turnover rate. The recruitment, selection along with hiring of skilled and competent candidates with an organization can largely ensure the success and enhanced performance of the organization which in turn can enable it to attain greater sustainability (Ployhart, 2011). Performance management is another important aspect that drives worker behaviors to align with the goals and the objectives of an organization. Efficient performance management facilitates an organization to develop and foster its employees (Resurreccion, 2012). It has been observed that monetary and non-monetary incentives along with compensation can largely facilitate an organization to foster and retain skilled employees. If adequate and on-time compensation is offered to employees then it can motivate them to render sustain ed dedicated efforts towards the accomplishment of organizational goals and objectives. This in turn can enable to reduce the rate of employee turnover by a considerable extent (Agba &Ushie, 2010). Agba, A. M. O., & Ushie, E. M. (2010). Motivational incentives and staff turnover in the hospitality industry in cross river state, Nigeria. Global Journal of Management and Business Research 10 (8), pp. 18-28. Resurreccion, P. F. (2012). Performance management and compensation as drivers of organization competitiveness: the Philippine perspective. International Journal of

How is Nagarjuna's concept of emptiness different from original Essay

How is Nagarjuna's concept of emptiness different from original Buddhist philosophical teaching - Essay Example In this way, he argued that emptiness does not represent a thing since it is not something one can point at and identify neither can one grasp it with the hand. The idea of emptiness means that things lack the element of natural being or in other words they have no soul or natural being. Nagarjuna argued that there is nothing in the world that possesses a soul or essence which means that they have no permanent unique base (Olson 167). This shows that if things do not have a natural existence or essence, it means they are not independent. Emptiness in this respect clarifies that things are fundamentally relative and therefore, cannot exist on their own. This philosophy of Nagarjuna goes against original Buddhist philosophies that identified the soul as an intrinsic being that can exist on it own even after death. Nagarjuna additionally, states that emptiness is not superior and does not judge other views because in itself it is empty. For instance, Nagarjuna touches on the issue of ex istence or non-existence and concludes that human beings overlay a personality on things that are not there. He says that the ideas of existence and non-existence are only formed in the minds of human beings which mean that emptiness destroys ignorance, gullible and blind concepts. In this way, the Four Noble Truths like knowledge and truth exist in the mind and are able to eliminate the issue of ignorance (Olson 168). It is clear from Nagarjuna viewpoint that emptiness is meant to destroy the erroneous human perception to ensure that people see things and experiences as they truly should be. He adds that emptiness is not a self-proven reality that is meant to object the issue of non-emptiness. He cites that human should therefore, not get attached to the constituent of emptiness in itself, because it is not something substantial that people need to cling onto. In Nagarjuna’s ideas, human beings should detach themselves from mental and emotional inventions since they lead peo ple to transcend their personhood. In this respect, humans are required to free themselves from any ideas or events which include the concept of emptiness. The natural nature of emptiness is emptiness which leads to the ultimate truth instead of the ultimate truth by itself (Olson 168). Nagarjuna believes that emptiness is not a concept that can be proven or defended because it is not a position at all. The concept of emptiness means that all questions end since there is no position to defend. The question of nivarna (spirit or heaven) arises and does it mean that it does not exist? In Nagarjuna explanation, there is no suggestion or intention that is legitimate in absolute sense. It is a philosophy where Nagarjuna ensures that humans understand that they need to eliminate mental and emotional attachment to extraordinary concepts and take up simple insight to the nature of things. In this respect, it is possible to understand nivarna from Nigarjuna philosophy since he says that all extraordinary things are empty which shows that nivarna is also empty. This conclusion clarifies that nivarna is devoid of any forms of unfairness, particularities and even of definitions (Olson 169). In addition, nivarna is devoid of all sorts of representations and verbal differentiations which mean it is not independent. It is clear that Nagarjuna says that nivarna and the idea of

Employment Law Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Employment Law - Case Study Example The 2004 Regulations clearly state that "it is unlawful for an employer to discriminate against a person . . . on the grounds of religious belief". The exact nature of "religious belief" was much debated in the drafting of the Act, but it was apparently kept deliberately vague in order to cover as many cases as possible. If the religious belief directly effects a person's performance on the job (or lack thereof) then it would appear that an employer cannot be held liable for discrimination if the employee is fired. Two recent cases are very relevant to Sandeep's possible action. In Hazmi vs. Headfield Church of England Junior School a recent employment tribunal dismissed three claims of discrimination and harassment on religious grounds made by a Muslim woman, Aishah Azmi, who refused to remove her veil in the classroom. The school she was working ofr sacked herThe main thrust of Azmi's argument was that she was prepared and even willing to remove her veil in front of children, but not when male colleagues were present. The tribunal agreed that she had been victimized, but disagreed with her other claims. It said that her sacking was legitimate. Another case, Eweida vs. British Airways involves company policies regarding a dress code. Naida Eweida is a devout Catholic who wore a crucifix pendant on her uniform. British Airways asked her to remove it if she wanted to work in the check-in area, but she refused. The airline offered Eweida a job behind the scenes. She again refused. Eweida lost two levels of appeals against her sacking, but British Airways has since changed its dress code policy to allow the wearing of crosses. This case has yet to be fully resolved. Advice to Sandeep He could bring a case for discrimination based on the 2004 Act, but ethical obligations would require me to advise him that he would be unlikely to win the case. First, the problem of whether his "cult" would be regarded as a real religion for the provisions of the Act to take place would be a problem. Second, the wearing of pink, long hair and an earring would clearly interfere with his ability to conduct business as a salesman. This is a legitimate concern of his company and it would probably be irrelevant whether his attire was based upon his religion/cult beliefs or not. The fact is that he could not function as a successful salesman because of his clothing beliefs. Sandeep should ask for a job within the same company that does not require contact with the public/customers. If the company refuses to rehire him under these circumstances (assuming there are jobs for which Sandeep is qualified) then a discrimination suit might be brought. Mike, who works as a receptionist and porter, was diagnosed as suffering from osteoarthritis two years ago. He has never told anyone at work about this. However, his condition is getting worse and it is taking him increasing amounts of time to carry out the portering part of his job. The Head of Customer Relations complains about Mike to Phil, who is Mike's line manager and Phil institutes disciplinary proceedings against Mike. Legal Principles The major legal principle here is whether Mike is being discriminated against because of a disability. The fact that he has told no-one about his condition, which is disabling him, makes any chance of winning his case rather remote. The Law Under the Disability Discrimination Act of 1995 it is unlawful to

Aspects of Cultural and Racial Differences Annotated Bibliography

Aspects of Cultural and Racial Differences - Annotated Bibliography Example The paper "Aspects of Cultural and Racial Differences" talks about the realism as a unique approach in addressing the characters in Jean Rhy’s wide Sargasso Sea. The aspects of cultural and racial differences as displayed in the main book are discussed in this paper. â€Å"Empty spaces† is a term used to show the themes of racial prejudice.Winterhalter is credited for having intelligent views on many topics that touch on gender aspects in the society. In this article, she provides an analysis of the stylistic devices that Jean Rhy uses in her novel. Unlike many of the articles that concentrate on themes and characters in their analysis, she presents her thought from a third-party point of view. This creates an alternative view of the book and readers can develop an independent analysis of the books in question. Her technique of narration and explanation of major themes as viewed by independent thinkers is admirable. Among her articles that discuss these themes, this is the best explained and objective according to many pundits.By choosing this article as a reference point of Wide Sargasso Sea essay, one can borrow a lot of aspects from the writer's view. It is qualified because it demonstrates the essence of discussing various social issues such as racism and gender prejudice. She succeeds in narrating various strong points which form the basis of the novel. The article too can be criticized because of its strong views which at some point, discredit and portrays the weakness of the novel.

What is the difference between dumping and subsidies And what is to be Assignment

What is the difference between dumping and subsidies And what is to be established in every subsidy and dumping investigation - Assignment Example Some of the common subsidies may include loans at low interest rates, grants, and tax incentives. The amount of goods that have been subsidized may be offset through applying the countervailing duty (Giannakopoulos, 2004). In every subsidy and dumping investigation, it is to be established whether an industry has been injured or threatened with a material injury by the imported products. In addition, it must establish whether the industry has become materially retarded because of the imports that are under investigation which have been sold at lower prices than the fair value in the local market or subsidized. In case the investigations turn negative, the case is terminated. However, in case the investigations turn negative, the extent of injury is determined whether it is negligible (Bentley & Silberston, 2007). In case it’s not, a countervailing duty is issued and enforced by the custom Service. Bentley,  P., & Silberston,  A. (2007). Anti-dumping and countervailing action: Limits imposed by economic and legal theory. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar. Retrieved from: https://books.google.co.ke/books?id=G9hj0R3iqqMC&pg=PA2&dq=Anti-dumping+and+countervailing+action:+Limits+imposed+by+economic+and+legal+theory&hl=en&sa=X&ei=2fJvVeD8EOiX7QbKyYPoAg&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Anti-dumping%20and%20countervailing%20action%3A%20Limits%20imposed%20by%20economic%20and%20legal%20theory&f=false Giannakopoulos,  T.  K. (2004). Safeguarding companies rights in competition and anti-dumping/anti-subsidies proceedings. The Hague: Kluwer Law International. Retrieved from

Disscus the challenges that global warming presents to both Essay

Disscus the challenges that global warming presents to both governments and business - Essay Example The purpose of this paper is to describe the challenges that global warming represents to both businesses and governmental institution around the world. Global warming is a problem that concerns the entire society across the world including the public and private sectors. Some of the dangers and consequences associated with global warming include ocean circulation disruptions, desertification, flooding of low-lands due to higher sea levels, hurricanes, extinction of species, mass disruptions of agriculture, and mass movement of people away from coastal cities (Bionomicfuel, 2011). Global warming is hurting the earth’s ecosystem and is putting at danger the well-being of our future generations. The gas that is responsible for the majority of global warming is carbon dioxide (CO2) (Nationalgeographic, 2011). Based on the fact the CO2 is the primary reason for global warming corporations and governments have to implement solutions to limit the release of CO2 into the atmosphere. There are five others gases which are considered by the Kyoto Protocol of 1997 as contributors to global warming. The six greenhouse gases that are targeted by Kyoto are CO2, N2 O, HFC, PFC, and SF6 (Sudgen, 2011). The Kyoto Protocol was created in 1997 with the purpose of establishing standards in order to reduce air pollution. The treaty set environmental standards in industrialized nations. Developing countries were not included in the Kyoto protocol. The fact that developing countries were not included in Kyoto made this international regulation a bit ineffective in the battle against global warming. The treaty forced countries to meet their national targets through their own initiatives. There are three mechanisms that help countries achieve their environmental goals. The three mechanisms included in the Kyoto protocol were emission trading also known as carbon trading, development mechanism, and joint implementation. Emission trading limits and trading rules in each country va ries which makes every emission trading market operation different (Sudgen, 2011). The way emission trading works is that companies that fall below the set environment standard receive credits. These credits can be sold to companies that exceed their limits so that the buying company can comply with Kyoto. One of the most active and effective carbon trading systems in the world is the European Emission Trading Scheme (EU ETS). Since the scheme includes the participation of many countries the EU ETS is the largest trading system in the world. The capacity of the EU ETS is 2 billion tonnes of CO2. The clean developing mechanism is the second mechanism provided by the Kyoto protocol. The developing mechanism allows companies with subsidiaries in developing countries to implement emission reduction projects in a developing nation such as Argentina. The reduction in emissions of these projects gives the companies carbon credits that can be used in their operations in industrialized count ries. The joint implementation system allows companies that have subsidiaries in other industrialized countries to interchange the carbon reduction credits earn in either country. A problem with the Kyoto Protocol was that the most powerful nation in the world, the United States, never acceded to it. A new governmental

The argument of whether God exists or not Essay Example for Free

The argument of whether God exists or not Essay The argument of whether God exists or not is a long debated argument spanning the centuries. In David Humes Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion this topic is addressed through a dialogue and debate between Humes fictional characters Cleanthes and Philo. Cleanthes presents the argument that Gods existence can be confirmed to man and presents this argument in the form of the Argument from Design. Philo then offers several objections as to why this argument fails. This paper will discuss Cleanthes Argument from Design and detail Philos criticism of Cleanthes stance. This criticism will include the analogy related to the inference of Gods existence based on observation of our universe as well as Philos criticism that spontaneous order found by generation and vegetation fail to support evidence of a creator. To lend further support to Philos argument, it is important to determine if the universe is, in fact, in a state of order, and whether or not God, being generally accepted as mysterious and unknowable by the religious, is absolutely knowable through inference as suggested by Cleanthes. These arguments presented by Philo lend support to why the Argument from Design fails. David Hume presents through his character, Cleanthes, the argument that the nature and existence of God can be proven through inference based on observation of our universe. Cleanthes attempts to prove this in his Argument from Design, which states that by witnessing the natural beauty and orderliness of the universe, its complexity and intricacy, that we can infer assuredly that a supreme designer created the universe. To further clarify, as found in the online encyclopedia concerning this argument, Wikipedia states, Although there are variations, the basic argument can be stated as follows: 1) Every design has a designer; 2) The universe has highly complex design; 3) Therefore, the universe has a Designer (Wikipedia, Section: Argument, par 4). Cleanthes stance is that the nature and existence of God can be confirmed through inference of our seemingly orderly universe. An analogy to attempt to solidify and prove this stance is often used by empirical theism by stating that similar machines invented by man are likewise often very complex and it therefore naturally follows that because man made machines are complex and have a designer then it is safe to conclude that because the universe is also complex it, too, has a designer. Empirical theism claims there is a designer and creator responsible for our environment and that the existence of God can be confirmed by reason through inference. These premises form the major points of the Argument from Design Hume relays in the text through his character Cleanthes position. Philo offers rebuttal arguments, one of which claims that the analogy of the orderly universe and machines is a weak one and it follows that any reasoning done based on the analogy will also be weak (Spark Notes, Par 4). For this analogy to be successfully used, the machine that is described must not be a part of the universe but exist outside of the universe. Both the universe and the machine must be mutually exclusive of each other and not one a part of the other for the analogy to work. The question lies in whether all things are created by a supreme creator. A machine is part of the universe and it is being suggested by Cleanthes that the universe was created by God. Granted a machine may have been created by a man but the man may or may not have been created by a supreme creator. The machine must exist independently and outside the boundaries of the universe to be a plausible analogy as to whether or not it was created by a supreme designer or not. Because of this fact, reason cannot be used to conclude with this analogy that inference will reveal absolute knowledge of Gods existence resulting in the Argument from Design being faulty. Along with this argument Philo makes against Cleanthes Argument from Design is that all order that we can witness is not necessarily the result of intelligent design and cannot be confirmed by inference or our senses. Philo states that some order, such as that found in organic bodies, is caused by generation and vegetation (Spark Notes, par 5). It is this argument that supports that the Argument from Design is incorrect. Exploring Philos argument, some apparent order as found among species and vegetation may be the result of the correct conditions to exist wherein the order has come about by the laws of the universe that dictate the processes. The Big Bang theory is one example of this. Evolution is another. Conditions existed naturally to bring about the chaotic explosion toward the formation of the solar system governed by the laws of the universe that exist. Earth conditions made it suitable for life to evolve. Science has long accepted the theory of evolution and the Big Bang theory and support is growing as science advances in support of these theories. These scientific theories lend support to Philos argument that order found among organic bodies is due to processes that naturally occur and not by any intentions of a designer. Cleanthes claims that inferences made when witnessing the universe and the Earth upon which we live and the processes that govern our existence such as the laws of nature and the universe confirm the existence of God. We can assume that the order we perceive is the result of a divine creator, but that inference is nothing more than a hunch and is not, therefore, absolute assuredness. It is what is known as an educated guess. Educated guesses are guesses based on inference. Sometimes they are correct. Other times they are not. Regardless, educated guesses are not absolute knowledge of something, and in this case it is not absolute knowledge of the existence of God and the Argument from Design fails. Philos argument that these natural processes that exist on our planet and throughout the universe do not lend absolute knowledge of a divine creator is correct. The key words are absolute knowledge. While there may have been a creator behind the processes of formation of the universe or the laws that govern the apparent orderliness of it, it is not absolute assuredness that that is so through inference alone and that is what the Argument of Design purports to claimThat absolute knowledge of Gods existence can be inferred. Thirdly, with regards to Philos argument that many processes are the result of generation and vegetation one can also question whether the earth, solar system, or universe is, in fact, a state of orderliness. It may be a mistake to assume that we live in an orderly universe or on a planet of order. It is possible that our solar system and planet are in a state of disorderliness and chaos. Because we exist and can survive in our environment, we assume that this is orderly. Humanity lives in a bubble or aquarium, the planet earth. Some order caused by generation and vegetation may very likely be the result of the correct conditions spontaneously being present for life to survive; however, we are susceptible to chaotic activity, the natural movements of the tectonic plates of the earth causing earthquakes, Tsunamis and tornadoes, outside influences in our solar system and the universe such as asteroids and comets, disorderly, random, chaotic events that threaten our own existence. Just because life exists and can survive on this planet does not constitute a state of order. For Cleanthes to be able to infer from orderliness that a divine creator was the cause of the order, one must first of all determine whether or not the universe, solar system, and our plant, in fact, are in a state of order. If these things are in a state of chaos and disorder, then no inference as to design can be made nor can the existence of a designer be inferred correctly or confirmed with absolute knowledge. Finally, in support of Philos argument against the Argument from Design, it is impossible to logically conclude by inference that a supreme creator is behind the creation of our universe or planet and this is evidenced by the general religious popular belief that God is mysterious. As defined by Dictionary. com, the word mysterious carries the meaning of Of obscure nature, meaning, origin, etc. , puzzling, inexplicable (Dictionary. com, par 3). To be mysterious is to not fully be knowable. If God works in mysterious ways as is commonly claimed, then the very nature of God and what he has or has not created is just that, mysterious and not fully knowable as defined. This also lends support to Philos argument that the Argument from Design fails. The argument of whether God exists or not is a long debated argument spanning the centuries. Philos argument that the analogy used by Cleanthes comparing a machine and the universe is weak lends support to the fact that inference is not absolute knowledge of a divine creator. The reason for this is that a machine is part of the universe or whole. For this analogy to work, they must be mutually exclusive. Secondly, Philo points out that some natural processes are the results of generation and vegetation, natural processes that are independent of any creator but happen naturally. If such phenomena occur spontaneously without intervention or creator, then it is possible the universe came about in a similar fashion. Thirdly, in order to be able to infer with absolute knowledge of a divine creator based on observation of an orderly environment, we must determine whether, in fact, the environment in which we live is in a state of orderliness or if we are part of a chaotic universe. If we are not part of an orderly universe but it, in fact, is chaotic and disorderly, then the question of whether a divine creator is involved is a moot point. Finally, popular religious belief agrees that the very nature of God is one of a mysterious nature. If God is mysterious, by definition he is unknowable and not fully comprehensible and the Argument from Design fails. Works Cited Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion 2006. Spark Notes, LLC. Retrieved on April 11, 2007. http://www. sparknotes. com/philosophy/dialogues/summary. html Hume, David. Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion. 2006. David Banach. Retrieved on April 11, 2007. http://www. anselm. edu/homepage/dbanach/dnr. htm Mysterious. 2007. Lexico Publishing Group, LLC. Retrieved on April 11, 2007. http://dictionary. reference. com/browse/mysterious Teological Argument. 2007. Wikipedia Foundation, Inc. Retrieved on April 11, 2007 http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Teleological_argument

Agama Buddha ialah agama dan falsafah

Agama Buddha ialah agama dan falsafah Pengenalan Agama Buddha ialah agama dan falsafah yang berasaskan ajaran Buddha ÅšÄ kyamuni (SiddhÄ rtha Gautama) yang mungkin lahir pada kurun ke-5 sebelum masihi. Agama Buddha menyebar ke benua India dalam 5 kurun selepas Baginda meninggal dunia. Dalam proses perkembangan agama Buddha, agama ini praktis telah menyentuh hampir seluruh benua Asia. Agama Buddha terus menarik orang ramai menganutnya di seluruh dunia dan mempunyai lebih kurang 350 juta penganut. Agama Buddha dikenali sebagai salah satu agama yang paling besar di dunia. Dalam dua ribu tahun yang seterusnya, agama Buddha telah menyebar ke tengah, tenggara dan timur Asia. Kini, agama Buddha telah dipaparkan sebagai tiga aliran utama, iaitu Theravada, Mahayana, dan Vajrayana (Bajrayana). Latar Belakang dan Kehidupan Buddha Menurut tradisi Buddha, tokoh historis Buddha Siddharta Gautama dilahirkan dari suku Sakya pada awal masa Magadha (546-324 SM), di sebuah kota, selatan pergunungan Himalaya yang bernama Lumbini. Sekarang kota ini terletak di Nepal sebelah selatan. Ia juga dikenal dengan nama Sakyamuni. Setelah kehidupan awalnya yang penuh kemewahan di bawah perlindungan ayahnya, raja Kapilavastu (kemudian hari digabungkan pada kerajaan Magadha), Siddharta melihat kenyataan kehidupan sehari-hari dan membuat kesimpulan bahawa kehidupan nyata, pada hakikatnya adalah kesengsaraan yang tak dapat dihindari. Siddharta kemudian meninggalkan kehidupan mewahnya yang tak ada ertinya lalu menjadi seorang pertapa. Kemudian Baginda berpendapat bahawa bertapa juga tak ada ertinya, dan lalu mencari jalan tengah (majhima patipada ). Jalan tengah ini merupakan sebuah kompromis antara kehidupan berfoya-foya yang terlalu memuaskan hawa nafsu dan kehidupan bertapa yang terlalu menyeksa diri. Di bawah sebuah pohon bodhi, Baginda berkaul tidak akan pernah meninggalkan posisinya sehingga menemui Kebenaran. Pada usia 35 tahun, Baginda mencapai Pencerahan. Pada saat itu Baginda dikenal sebagai Gautama Buddha, atau Buddha(secara harafiah: orang yang telah mencapai Penerangan Sempurna). Untuk 45 tahun selanjutnya, Gautama Buddha telah menyebarkan ajarannya tanpa berhenti di merata-rata tempat. Sejarah Buddhisme di Malaysia Sejarah Buddhisme di Malaysia boleh dibahagikan kepada 2 peringkat: 1. PERINGKAT AWAL: Pada awal kurun Masihi, seperti yang disebutkan oleh Dr. Coedes dalam bukunya, Indianized States of South East Asia, Warisan kebudayaan Orang India di Asia Tenggara dapat dibuktikan daripada corak kebudayaan yang terdapat di Semenanjung dan Tanah Besar Asia Tenggara; Bahasa Sanskrit telah menjadi ansur bahasa tempatan; dan unsur-unsur tradisi orang India masih terdapat di negara-negara yang bertukar kepada Islam. Tetapi Prof. D.G.E. Hall, dalam bukunya A History of South East Asia, percaya bahawa kebanyakan tradisi India telah mengubahsuai apabila bertentangan dengan tradisi tempatan, misalnya sistem kasta tidak pernah dipraktikkan di sini. Akan tetapi fakta ini tidak boleh dihapuskan iaitu aktiviti perdagangan dan perniagaan telah menarik ramai pedagang India datang berdagang di Asia Tenggara. Pedagang-pedagang ini membawa bersama kebudayaan, ugama serta kesenian mereka ke rantau ini. Banyak barangan yang digali dari tanah oleh ahli arkeologi membuktikan bahawa bahagian utara Tanah Melayu, iaitu Negeri Kedah, pernah dipengaruhi oleh kebudayaan awal Buddhisme. Pada pertengahan kurun ke 3 sebelum masihi, selepas Kausil Buddhis Ketiga, Maharaja Asoka telah menghantar dua orang Bhiksu, iaitu Ven. Sona dan Ven. Uttara datang ke rantau ini untuk menyebarkan agama Buddha. Pada kurun yang ke 5, Buddhisme telah berkembang dengan baik di Semenanjung Melayu. Exkavasi arkeologi bukan hanya terhad di Kedah sahaja, tetapi didapati di Kuala Selinsing, Tanjung Rambutan, Lembah Kinta, Bidor dan Sungai Siput di Perak, di Perlis dan juga di Pahang. Langkasuka merupakan sebuah negara Buddhis yang pertama, ia ditubuhkan pada kurun masihi ke 2 dan berpusat di Banjaran Gunung Jelai, kemudian ia mengembangkan kuasanya ke bahagian Selatan Negeri Thai. Pada kurun ke 7, Buddhisme Mahayana telah menjadi sistem Buddhisme yang lebih diterima oleh rakyat Semenanjung Tanah Melayu. Pada masa itu, Tanah Melayu berada di bawah kuasa Srivijaya, sebuah empayar Buddhis yang berpusat di Pulau Jawa. Agama Hindu telah mengalami kebangkitan semula di India pada kurun ke 10, maka Agama Buddha kehilangan sokongan yang diberi oleh istana serta golongan bangsawan. Kejatuhan pengaruhnya di India telah mempengaruhi kekuasaannya di Asia Tenggara. Pada akhir abad ke 12, empayar Srivijaya mengalami kejatuhan, begitu juga halnya dengan pengaruh Buddhisme. Pada awal kurun ke 10, Parameswara mendirikan Empayar Melaka. Apabila Parameswara dan Raja-Raja lain menganuti Agama Islam, agama tersebut telah menjadi agama utama di rantau ini. Sehingga abad ke 15, Islam telah berjaya mengambil alih kedudukan Buddhisme sebagai agama yang utama diterima oleh istana dan rakyat biasa, lantas Buddhisme di Tanah Melayu pada masa itu mengalami kemerosotan. Walaupun begitu, masih terdapat banyak peninggalan kebudayaan Buddhisme di Kedah, Perlis dan Kelantan akibat pengaruh Negeri Thai. Unsur-unsur Buddhisme masih terbukti dalam drama Menora dan wayang kulit. 2. PERINGKAT KOMTEMPORARI: Penghijrahan beramai-ramai orang China ke Tanah Melayu pada abad ke 17 merupakan arus ombak yang kedua. Pada masa itu, Buddhisme hanya merupakah upacara amalan yang penuh dengan kepercayaan dan kebudayaan Cina. Hanya pada tahun 1950, barulah terdapat penganut Buddha yang cuba meningkatkan status dan kedudukan Buddhisme. Dengan tertubuhnya banyak organisasi buddhis, termasuk YBAM (Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia) dan MBA (Malaysian Buddhist Association), maka wujudlah satu suasana yang baru yang menyatupadukan para Buddhis. Satu perkembangan lain yang penting ialah terdapatnya pengaliran masuk bentuk-bentuk Buddhisme yang dipengaruhi oleh kebudayaan-kebudayaan Thai, Sri Langka, Burma, Jepun dan Tibet. Ini telah membentuk Buddhisme di Malaysia yang pelbagai rupa bentuk. Kesimpulan Buddha adalah benar sama rata kepada semua. Setiap lapisan masyarakat tidak kira kaya atau miskin, semuanya dianggap sama rata dalam mata Buddha. Agama Buddha tidak mengabaikan agama lain atau mengutuk agama lain sebagai agama jahat. Dalam ajaran agama Buddha, kenyataan dan ilmu yang diajar bukannya perintah yang mestinya dituruti. Sesiapa yang tidak faham boleh mengemukakan soalannya dan soalan ini akan dijelaskan sehingga mencapai kefahamannya. Buddha pernah berkata: Keraguan yang besar akan mendapat lebih banyak pengajaran, keraguan yang sedikit akan mendapat pengajaran yang sedikit, manakala jika tiada keraguan, maka tiada pengajaran yang boleh dicapai. Rujukan http://ms.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agama_Buddha http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sejarah_agama_Buddha http://wapedia.mobi/id/Buddhisme http://www.slideshare.net/katherine0111/agama-buddha-2047661 http://dhamma-bm.tripod.com/am/sejarah.htm http://wapedia.mobi/id/Sejarah_agama_Buddha?t=4. .http://74.125.153.132/search?q=cache:fe_ATowMUWAJ:images.fazaly.multiply.multiplycontent.com/attachment/0/So-PAQoKCJEAAAyqlHw1/zTugas%2520Sejarah.docfzl.doc%3Fnmid%3D277222991+sejarah+agama+buddhacd=200hl=enct=clnkgl=my

Islamic Economics and Secularism

Islamic Economics and Secularism Secularism is the assertion that governmental practices or institutions should exist separately from religion and/or religious beliefs. In other words, secular system is based on the materialistic and individualistic views with less socio economic justice and only concern to the worldly matters. Meanwhile, Islamic economics is a system that identifies and promotes an economic order that conforms to Islamic scripture and traditions. Thus, the above statement of differentiation between Islamic economics and secularism by only certain characteristics is untrue as both of them are mutually exclusive. The Islamic economics differs from secular system not by prohibition of interest, gambling and other unjust transaction only, but it is more than that. Islam is a way of life, and since economy is also a part of mans life, thus, the Islamic principles is absorbed and fully utilized into the economic transaction and practices. Therefore, the statement of Islamic economics as a discipline is nothing more than the secular system without interest, gambling and other unjust transactions where value creation is of the halal kind is not valid; and the justification will be discussed here. The justification To emphasize the difference, the following points underline the key difference between Islam and this secular system, in particular, and other social and political systems, in general are highlighted. The first point is, Islam differs from secularisms theories and perspectives in its ideological and doctrinal bases. Islam is a Divine Message with a special conception of the universe, life and man. It basically disagrees with secular views, which have their roots in their materialistic vision that has no religious base, nor any belief in Allah. Capitalism is merely concepts on devoid of spiritual and moral values. The difference between it and Islam is obviously great. Islam has an all-embracing ideological and legislative make-up. In it, no barriers are to be found between morals, laws, worships, concepts and existence. There are significant differences among them in terms of emphasis they place on material or spiritual goals and the role of moral values and government intention in ordering human affairs. While material goals concentrate primarily on goods and services that contribute to physical comfort and well-being, spiritual goals include nearness to God, peace of mind, inner happiness, honesty, justice, mutual care and cooperation, family and social harmony, and the absence of crime and anomie. These may not be quantifiable, but are, nevertheless, crucial for realizing human well-being may lead to a neglect of spiritual ingredients. The greater the difference in emphasis, the greater may be the difference in the economic disciplines of these societies. Besides, in its aims and objectives, Islam is distinguished from secularism on the basis of contents and the legal organization of life. It treats related subjects in separate ways with specific points. The ultimate goal of Islam is to worship and seek the pleasure of Allah. In implementing the divine law and adhering to the divine order, a Muslim demonstrates he is a worshipper. His objective is to seek the reward and pleasure of Allah, the Exalted. Even in the context of economy activity, men should obey the guideline of ethical behavior so called Akhlaq which emphasizes on the real spirit of Islam over and above legal limits. Contrarily, the human objective in capitalist society is purely a materialistic one, expressed in terms of materialistic gain regardless of the cost and fall out on society. Even though there is a sort of analogy between Islam and other systems in certain respects, Islam has its own way and method of implementing its economic concepts and objectives. For example, Islam believes in social justice and so it adopts just principles in distribution and production growth. Capitalism attempts to call for similar concepts, which can be seen as generally logical and which man, by no means, can shun. But in trying to develop the conceptions and implement them, we will find the difference between Islam and secular systems in both method and way. In capitalism, freedom knows no boundaries. In theory, individuals can do what they desire to. In doing so, it believes that the non-existence of limits or restrictions results in economic freedom, in competition and the increase of production. But to achieve a suitable and satisfactory economic level is for all people, makeshift and inexorable laws have to be enforced, based upon such theories as the laws of wages, supply and demand etc. Unlike this, Islam adopts its own methods. It never opens the gates for individual selfishness to flourish like in capitalism. Islam believes in individual ownership, community ownership and state ownership, as it is expounded in the books of fiqh, traditions and in the Holy Quran. In case selfishness and urges of greed prevail, and to prevent exploitation and economic injustice from sweeping over the community, Islam has laid down lawful and moral restrictions related to ownership, investment and consumption in defense of manipulation and deprivation. Besides, Islamic economic takes great emphasize on the role of the market, families, society and government in determining a success in economy. The market is not the only institution where people interact in human society. They also interact in the family, the society, and the government, and their interaction in all these institutions is closely interrelated. There is no doubt that the serving of self interest does help raise efficiency in the market place. However, if self-interest is overemphasized and there are no moral restraints on individual behavior, other institution may not work effectively family may disintegrate, the society may be uncaring, and the government may be corrupt, partisan, and self-centered. Example if both the parents try to serve just their own self-interest and not willing to make sacrifices for the sake of proper care and upbringing of children demands, this family may disintegrate and children not get enough love from them. Lack of willingness to make such sacrifice can lead to a decline in the quality of the human input of all other institutions, including the market, the society and the government. It may also lead to a fall in fertility rates below the replacement level, making it difficult for the society not only to sustain its development but also its social security system. Furthermore, while secular economics generally considers the behavior, tastes and preferences of individuals as given, Islamic economics does not do so. It places great emphasis on individual and social reform through moral uplift. Moral uplift aims at the change in human behavior, tastes and preferences and, thereby, it complements the price mechanism in promoting general well-being. Before even entering the market place and being exposed to the price filter, the consumers are expected to pass their claims through the moral filter. This will help filter out conspicuous consumption and all wasteful and unnecessary claims on resources. The price mechanism can then takes over and reduce the claims on resources even further to lead to the market equilibrium. The two filters can together make it possible to have optimum economy in the use of resources, which is necessary to satisfy the material as well as spiritual needs of all human beings, to reduce the concentration of wealth in a few hands, and to raise savings, which are needed to promote greater investment and employment. Without complementing the market system with morally-based value judgments, we may end up perpetuating inequities in spite of our good intentions through inaction, non-choice and drifting. The other distinction that differentiate between these two is Islamic economic emphasize on the importance of the Hereafter. This is where the concepts of the innate goodness of human beings and of the Hereafter come in concepts which conventional economics ignores but on which Islam places a great deal of emphasis. Because of their innate goodness, human beings do not necessarily always try to serve their self-interest. They are also altruistic and are willing to make sacrifices for the well-being of others. In addition, the concept of the Hereafter does not confine self-interest to just this world. It rather extends it beyond this world to life after death. We may be able to serve our self-interest in this world by being selfish, dishonest, uncaring, and negligent of our obligations towards our families, other human beings, animals, and the environment. However, we cannot serve our self-interest in the Hereafter except by fulfilling all these obligations. This serves to provide a motivating mechanism for sacrifice for the well-being of others that conventional economics fails to provide. The innate goodness of human beings along with the long-run perspective given to self-interest has the potential of inducing a person to be not only efficient but also equitable and caring. Therefore, as a guideline, Shariah is designed as a set of rules and regulations that aims of protecting public interest and the welfare of the people in this life and hereafter. The objective of the Shari`ah is to promote the well-being of all mankind, which lies in safeguarding their faith (din), their human self (nafs), their intellect (`aql), their posterity (nasl) and their wealth (mal). Whatever ensures the safeguard of these five serves public interest and is desirable. The guideline of Islamic economics is in the discipline of muamalat, which presents a framework for conduct in the civil arena. It deals in part with economic functions in an Islamic society but not comprehensively with factors impacting upon economic behavior since it is concerned solely with legal relationships between members of the society. In fact, the goals of the Islamic economics include fulfillment of the basic needs for food, clothing, shelter, medical care and education for all humans, ensuring equal ity of opportunity to all preventing concentration of wealth and reducing inequality in the distribution of income and wealth so as, among other things, wealth does not become a means of domination of man by man, ensuring to all the freedom to pursue moral excellence, and ensuring stability and economic growth to an extent necessary for realization of the above-mentioned goals. Conclusion Islam is a way of life. Being a Muslim means one will absorb the whole philosophies of Islam in everything he does in life. So do economics. The difference between Islamic economics compared to secular ideology is not just on prohibition of interest, gambling and other unjust transactions where value creation is of the halal kind. The unique principles that make Islamic economics differs lies on its ideological and doctrinal bases, the, basis of contents and the legal organization of life, the way Islam implements its economic concepts and objectives, the emphasize on the role of the market, families, society and government, the value on individual and social reform through moral uplift, and the importance of the Hereafter. Question No. (2) Introduction Worldview can be defines as a set of implicit or explicit assumptions about the origin of the universe and the nature of human life. Meanwhile, from Islamic point of view, worldview is a metaphysical survey of visible as well as the invisible worlds including the perspective of life as a whole, is not a worldview that is formed merely by the gathering together of various cultural objects, values and phenomena into artificial coherence, or can be considered as vision of reality and truth. Islamic worldview is in fact a dual worldview, this world of action and accountability for the actions in the next, while the secular worldview is focusing on worldly rather than spiritual. The core elements of Islamic and Secular worldviews: A comparison. There are a few similarities between Islamic and Secular worldview in general, even though there will be differences if we look in depth. Both are concern on the allocation and distribution of resources and both emphasize the fulfillment of material needs, even though in Islamic economics there is an equal emphasis on the fulfillment of spiritual needs. Besides, both recognize the important role of market mechanism in the allocation and distribution of resources, but in addition, Islamic economics argues that the market may not by itself be able to fulfill even the material needs of all human beings. This is because it can promote excessive use of scarce resources by the rich at the expense of the poor if there is undue emphasis on the serving of self-interest. Instead of some similarities, there are a lot of differences between these two worldviews, and we will be discussing through it here. Firstly, the secular and materialist worldviews attach maximum importance to the material aspect of human well-being and tend generally to ignore the importance of the spiritual aspect. In contrast with this, Islamic worldviews give attention to both the material as well as the spiritual aspects of human well-being. Islam sees both these aspects material and spiritual of human existence as unitary wherein the material and the moral considerations as well as the here (Now) and Hereafter of human life are inextricably entangled. Apart from that, the secular worldview looks at happenings in the world from a rationalistic viewpoint, while excludes religious or ethical considerations. It promotes pursuit of self-interest as guiding human behavior and saw no conflict between individual and social interests. Besides, it makes a distinction between reason and revelation as the source of knowledge. It considers reason alone as its source, including economics. The secular worldview is conditioned by science alone i.e. any subject that goes beyond the limits of human reason is not acceptable. Furthermore, and more fundamentally, the secular man-made worldview can change infinitely at the discretion of man as his external stimuli and attitude change. However, Islamic view does not necessarily reject the role of reason in human development. They, however, recognize the limitations of reason and wish to complement it by revelation. Islamic worldview is based on the Quran and the Sunnah it is has a moral code of conduct. It grants freedom of action within the Shariah boundaries. It also emphasizes on justice and moderation as well as gives priority to social interest if it is in clash with individual interest. Islam invites people to observe and think but within the framework of Shariah. Thus, the Shariah, although flexible in certain areas is not replaceable and therefore, cannot be influenced by any human whim, while, at the same time; it promotes change and aims to influence human intentions, conduct and behavior towards the Straight Path. In addition, the Islamic worldview values reason as a source of knowledge, but in addition it assigns a role to sapience and revelation as inalienable sources. It is not a product of human tho ught resulting from any scientific inquiry: it is a divine direction leading to a unique way of life. It links the life in this world with life in the Hereafter. Thus, the Islamic worldview, although it respects the rational mind, is not confined to the limits of human reason or to observable scientific investigations (reality): it contemplates both, the observables and the non- observables. In other words, material science is the ultimate word under the Secular worldview, whereas under the Islamic worldview it is not. Furthermore, secularism often argue that maximum material well-being can be best realized if individuals are given unhindered freedom to pursue their self-interest and to maximize their want satisfaction in keeping with their own tastes and preferences. In their extreme form they do not recognize any role for Divine guidance in human life and place full trust in the ability of human beings to chalk out a proper strategy with the help of their reason. In such a worldview there is little role for values or government intervention in the efficient and equitable allocation and distribution of resources. When asked about how social interest would be served when everyone has unlimited freedom to pursue his/her self-interest, the reply is that market forces will themselves ensure this because competition will keep self-interest under check. Differently, for Islamic worldview, they do not totally reject the need for individual freedom or the role that the serving of self-interest can play in human development They, however, emphasize that both freedom and the pursuit of self-interest need to be toned down by moral values and good governance to ensure that everyones well-being is realized and that social harmony and family integrity are not hurt in the process of everyone serving his/her self-interest. Looking from the economic point of view, the secular economics claims to be value free, which in fact it is not because not to have a value is itself a value. Conversely, Islamic economics has moral and ethical values of which it cannot brook any violation. In Islam freedom to choose values is restricted, yet it had already been properly aligned in the Holy Quran and the prophets Sunnah. While pursuit of self-interest is the invisible hand that regulates economies in secular economy, Islamic economists mostly reject this view out of hand and equate it with selfishness. This does not seem valid. Islam approves the pursuit of self-interest because it is instinctive with human beings. Muslims perform their religious obligations in their own interest. It need not equal selfishness, especially if Shariah norms were observed. In addition, secular economist claimed that if available resources are scarce they must avoid waste and maximize production. As a consumer they should attempt to derive maximum satisfaction from their limited incomes. Islam is not opposed to maximization per se. however, maximization is value-neutral; what is maximized, how and to serve what ends are the deciding factors. While the profit maximization is the main intention in doing business in secular economy, Islam is aiming towards primacy of justice and social welfare. Besides, while conventional or secular economics generally considers the behavior and tastes and preferences of individuals as given, Islamic economics does not do so. It places great emphasis on individual and social reform through moral uplift. Moral uplift aims at the change in human behavior, tastes and preferences and, thereby, it complements the price mechanism in promoting general well-being. Conclusion In sum, the concept of worldview that guides and regulates an economy is visionary, contextual, and flexible within limits. The basic differences between the secular (capitalistic) and the Islamic economic worldviews center on the issues concerning the foundation and ideology in the system, reason-revelation interface, the sort of values entertained and promoted, as well as how it differ in economic contextual. Question No. (3) Overview The economic problem is one of the fundamental economic theories in the operation of any economy. It asserts that there is scarcity, or there are finite resources available that are insufficient to satisfy all human wants. The problem then becomes how to determine what is to be produced and how the factors of production (such as capital and labor) are to be allocated. In short, the economic problem is the choice one must make, arising out of limited means and unlimited wants. The economic problem is most simply explained by the question how do we satisfy unlimited wants with limited resources? The premise of the economic problem model is that human wants are constant and infinite due to constantly changing demands (often closely related to changing demographics) of the population. However, resources in the world to satisfy human wants are always limited to the amount of natural or human resources available. The economic problem, and methods to curb it, revolves around the idea of choice in prioritizing which wants can be fulfilled. Concepts of Economic problems There are three concepts that associated with the economic problems discussed above: (1) needs, (2) wants, and (3) choice. Human needs are material items that people need for survival, such as food, clothing and some form of housing. In Islamic point of view, needs comprehend five foundations, namely (a) Religion, (b) Physical self, (c) Intellect or Knowledge, (d) Offspring, and (e) Wealth. Until the Industrial Revolution, the vast majority of the worlds population struggled for access to basic human needs While the basic needs of human survival are important in the function of the economy, human wants are the driving force which stimulates demand for goods and services. In order to curb the economic problem, economists must classify the nature and different wants of consumers, as well as prioritize wants and organize production to satisfy as many wants as possible. One assumption often made in mainstream neoclassical economics is that humans inherently pursue their self-interest and the market mechanism best satisfies the various wants different individuals might have. These wants are often classified into individual wants, which depend on the individuals preferences and purchasing power parity, and collective wants, those of entire groups of people. Things such as food and clothing can be classified as either wants or needs, depending on what type and how often a good is asked for. Wants are effective desires for a particular product, or something which can only be obtained by working for it. The economic problem fundamentally revolves around the idea of choice, which ultimately must answer the problem. Due to the limited resources available, businesses must determine what to produce first to satisfy demand. Consumers are considered the biggest influences of this choice, and the goods which they want must also fit within their budgets and purchasing power parity. Solving the economic problems from Islamic perspective. The first point is about the concept of ownership of wealth in Islam. It states that all wealth belongs to God, and human beings hold them as trustees of God. It is up to the individual to decide how much of this excess he should give back for the cause of God. In other word, after earning wealth through fair and lawful means, one should satisfying their personal genuine and legitimate needs in a moderate and prudent way. After doing so, they should spend it for the cause of Allah; example is for the welfare of the poor and less fortunate people. Besides, payment of zakat that is obliged to each Muslim gives the same function here. Thus, helping others in such ways would at least fulfill the basic human needs; our first economic problem discussed above. Furthermore, because of Islam differentiates between the basic needs and luxuries, thus, there exists no concept of relative scarcity of resources in Islam. The resources available on earth are sufficient to secure the basic needs (food, clothing and shelter) of fifty billion human beings. Such a misunderstanding has concealed the reality that starvation, poverty, and economic backwardness, result from misdistribution exasperated by man-made laws and systems. Proper distribution of resources will be sufficient enough to satisfy the basic needs of human, yet, Islam teach the followers to be grateful on what he has or own. In Islam, public revenue from oil and natural resources would be used to secure the needs of the whole Muslim ummah. The Khilafah would provide public and vital resources without charge to cover the needs of every individual and family, and monopolies that multinational corporations maintain to dictate the lives of the people would dissipate. Its contribution in developing the Islamic societies Implementing those principles discussed above can contribute in development of Islamic societies, as well as for the nation as a whole. When every Muslims contribute with the intention to help others, let say the contribution is gathered by the state, thus, with sufficient funds, the state would be able to provide for basic necessities of life such as food, clothing, shelter, education and healthcare to every citizen at a reasonable standard. The state would also discharge all of its duties of state welfare and would set up all big projects for economic development. Indirectly, it would provide employment to all those who are jobless. Besides, the state can performs such welfare activities like maintains social services, wages Jihad against the foreign aggression, maintains facilities like railways, road, waterways, bridges, as well as provides protection to the individual in respect of his life, honour and property. So whatever remains with a person after satisfaction of his needs in a moderate way, he would hand over this surplus to the state. Furthermore, because of Islam differentiates between the basic needs and luxuries, thus, teach the Muslim to fulfill the basic needs, and in the same time, must moderate in luxuries. Wealth is a test by God, and Muslims should strive to pass this test by not becoming worshipers of hoarded wealth. By passing this test, will increase ones faith and godliness. In addition, the affectivity with which the Islamic economic systems correctly defines economic problem and secures the needs of every individual, and eliminates all forms of economic and social corruption, would enable fuel for Islamic policy of the state that would enable the Khilafah to easily spread Islam ideologically throughout the world. Conclusion The economic problems that basically arise from scarcity are faced by all humans in this world. Human, by his nature, always has unlimited wants, yet own limited resources to fulfill his needs and wants. Choices must be made in accordance to his own preferences and priorities. However, Islam, as a unique religion, found some ways to control, if not totally solve this economic problems by its principles and guidelines to be practiced by Muslims as a way of life. Cooperation and implementation by the governing bodies such as state can help in the development of Islamic societies. Question No. ( 5 ) What is poverty? Generally, poverty can be defined through two distinct concepts: the absolute and the relative poverty concepts. The absolute poverty is usually associated with some income level required to sustain a minimum standard of living. That income level, defined as poverty line income is often used to determine whether an individual is poor or otherwise. The individual is considered poor if his income is below poverty line income. Meanwhile, the relative poverty concept is associated with the existence of an income gap between the poor and the non-poor. As long as there is a difference in income levels of any two individuals or groups, those with a lower income are considered poor. However, in Islamic point of view, one is considered poor if he does not possess sufficient necessities to fulfill his basic needs in each of the five foundations for good individual and social life, namely: (a) Religion, (b) Physical self, (c) Intellect or Knowledge, (d) Offspring, and (e) Wealth. All the five foundations or needs must be fulfilled, and if only one of the needs is not fulfilled, then one is still considered poor. In addition, poverty is also associated with the concept of nisab, which is one of the two prerequisites for a Muslim to pay the zakah. Using Below Poverty Line (BPL), this method functions as the basis of ownership of nisab, which limit makes one eligible for the payment of zakat. Anyone with wealth on or over the nisab is responsible for the payment of zakat. Thus, for those who wealth is below nisab are zakat recipients and they are treated as poor. Causes of Poverty. Several causes that may lead to poverty are considered, as follows: Exploitation of Economy Economic exploitation can be defined as the act of using another persons labor without offering them an adequate compensation. Thus, when the compensation received is inadequate to support life, one is unable to fulfill one or more of basic needs, and this can lead to poverty. Political Poverty can happen when one major party, usually politician or region that have authority or power on decision-making through out the country that often causes development problems. For example, in these situations politicians make decisions about places that they are unfamiliar with, or lacking sufficient knowledge about the context to design effective and appropriate policies and programs, leads to political instability. Interest/Riba/Corruption Unreasonable rate of interest due to loan made can burden borrower. Example is when International Monetary Fund (IMF) donors keep the exchange rates in their favor, it often means that the poor nations remain poor, or get even poorer. Meanwhile, corruption inhibits development when leaders help themselves to money that would otherwise be used for development projects. As a result, poverty can exists when people lives in scarcity due to not getting development that supposedly enjoyed by them. Warfare The material and human destruction that caused by warfare is a major development problem. Drop in average income due to strike in the well-being of the average Iraqi citizen in the aftermath of the war, leads to damages to the infrastructure and social services, such as health care and access to clean water. Agricultural Cycles People who rely on fruits and vegetables that they produce for household food consumption (subsistence farmers) often go through cycles of relative abundance and scarcity. For many families that rely on subsistence production for survival, the period immediately prior to harvest is a hungry period. During these periods of scarcity, many families lack sufficient resources to meet their minimal nutritional needs. Natural Disasters Immediate destruction caused by natural events such as hurricanes, droughts, earthquake, flooding as well as environmental forces often cause acute periods of crisis by destroying crops and animals. Thus, people may loss their homes and properties, and lack of resources even to fulfill their basic needs of living. Developing countries often much more suffer at the hands of natural disasters, because limited resources inhibit the construction of adequate housing, infrastructure, and mechanisms for responding to crises. Prohibited industries Prohibition industries such as gambling, alcohol and tobacco can encourage one to waste their money for these unlawful activities. Worsen situation, one may borrow money in order to satisfy this bad habits, and this can lead to poverty. Role of Citizen in Alleviating Poverty from Islamic Perspective. Being Muslim every citizen has some responsibilities; Muslims in the world are some of the richest. If this wealth is used as per the direction of Allah we can alleviate poverty. Islam as system and way of life is based on collective responsibility of society, ethics and principles. If  we follow it we will be able remove the poverty from the society. Some of the citizens roles in alleviating poverty are as follows: 1.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Zakah- Zakah is the fourth of five pillars of Islam and hence is obligatory on every Muslim, who fulfills the stipulated conditions, to pay. Being a pillar of Islam, it has to be paid and collected whether the destitute and the poor exist in society or not. As such it is indeed a permanent source of revenue for the alleviation of the destitute and the poor. 2.  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚  Ãƒâ€šÃ‚   Sadaqa Sadaqat is a very wide term and is used in the Quran to cover all kinds of charity. It is as simplest as when one gives smile, acts of loving kindness, utters a kindly word to others or even greeting

Educational Goals and Philosophy :: Teaching Teachers Education Learning Essays

Philosophy of Education It has taken me many years to decide on what profession that I want to pursue. I enlisted for four years in the Air Force and enjoyed this very much, but the time away from my family was too much. After getting out of the Air Force, I decided I wanted to go into the financial arena and started selling insurance for New York Life Insurance Company. I did not have the personality to sell life insurance for this involved being really pushy. Later I found what I thought was the perfect job, assistant manager at a credit union. I still was not happy. While all these career changes were going on, I was coaching a club soccer team consisting of high school boys. This gave me the vision of what I really wanted to do, become a teacher. The biggest reason why I want to become a teacher is that a teacher has the ability to influence and shape the future Albert Einstein, Bill Gates, or just the average Joe down the street. We all can remember that one teacher who shaped or changed our lives as we progressed through our schooling and what better way to honor them than by trying the accomplish the same things they did for us. This is a very powerful ability to possess and while your influential you must not let your prejudices interfere with the rounding of the student. What important qualities will I need to possess to be an effective high school teacher? I will need to have patience as I already see how important this is with my own daughter. Intelligence is important in your area of expertise because students will be able to tell if you know what you are teaching. Honesty with students because this will build trust among the students and yourself. Sharing life experiences with your students is important because this also builds trust among yourself and the students. Being well organized is another quality that must possess and at this time I need work in this area. Caring is an important quality because sometimes we forget that our students are human and has ideas and opinions of their own. Being fun and interesting builds wonderful memories and helps the students learn. My goals as a teacher include the things above, but also many more. First and foremost I want to receive my master’s degree, but while doing this I also want to be teaching in a high school.

The Beard Makes the Man :: Ancient Greece Greek Essays

The Beard Makes the Man For the ancient Athenians, the beard was a common sign of manhood. The coming of a beard signaled a male’s transition from boyhood into manhood. Men who lost their beards did not suffer loss of political rights or loss of privileges, but they were mocked and shamed. The beard, not height or body shape, interestingly, was considered the initial marker of manhood in the plays of Aristophanes. A beard is an easily recognizable and observable, and the lack or presence of a beard is easily changed for the stage by covering the actor’s beard with a mask or giving him a fake beard. The beard was clearly a particularly meaningful secondary characteristic for the Greeks. For the ancient Greeks, the beard was incredibly closely tied to the idea of manhood. In some cases, the word for beard could even be interchanged with the word for man. Men grow hair on their faces, women do not, but a man’s facial hair is easily removed by shaving. For this culture, the removal of the beard was a removal of a crucial element of manhood. Without a beard, a man was woman-like, despite any other characteristics that might distinguish him as a man. To become like a woman, a man merely had to remove his beard, but to become like a man, a woman had to disguise herself in many more ways. The beard, as a cultural way to distinguish men, is based on the biological phenomenon that males begin to grow hair on their faces during puberty. Despite seemingly being an easy way to separate men from women and children, the presence of a beard is not an all or none situation. A pubescent male will not go to bed bare-cheeked and wake up the next morning with a full beard. Puberty is a gradual process occurring over many years, and some men may never grow a completely full beard, even in maturity. As today, some women of ancient Athens must have themselves been quite hairy around the hair line, jaw, and upper lip. The beard is not as clear a man/boy or man/woman differentiation as it may initially seem. The beard is not a completely clear physical or biological trait, but it was clearly a significant characteristic for the ancient Athenians. In Aristophanes’s play Women at the Thesmophoria, the kinsman of Euripides tries to pass for a woman by shaving his beard and singeing his pubic hair.

Hawthornes Young Goodman Brown †Poverty in the Tale and in the Life o

â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† – the Poverty in the Tale and in the Life of the Author  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚        Ã‚   Henry Seidel Canby in â€Å"A Skeptic Incompatible with His Time and His Past† mentions of Hawthorne that â€Å"human failures and their causes were more interesting to him than prophecies of success, one might truly say than success itself. †¦He was not, I think, really interested in escape, except in moods of financial discouragement. . . . (57). Nathaniel Hawthorne’s â€Å"Young Goodman Brown† embodies traits of the modest lifestyle which the author had to subject himself to because of inadequate finances through most of his life. In addition to the monetary impoverishment there was an additional artistic impoverishment which sorely restricted the materials from which he could choose for his literary works.    Hawthorne’s financial impoverishment probably began with the untimely death of his father, and continued for most of his life. Gloria C. Erlich in â€Å"The Divided Artist and His Uncles† states that â€Å"Robert Manning made the essential decisions in the lives of the Hawthorne children and is well known as the uncle who sent Hawthorne to college† (35). After graduation from Bowdoin College, Hawthorne spent twelve years in his room at home in an intense effort to make something of himself literarily. The Norton Anthology: American Literature states:    Hawthorne’s years between 1825 and 1837 have fascinated his biographers and critics. Hawthorne himself took pains to propogate the notion that he had lived as a hermit who left his upstairs room only for nighttime walks and hardly communicated even with his mother and sisters (547).    Sculley Bradley, Richmond Croom Beatty and E. Hudson Long in â€Å"The Social Criticism of a Public Man... ... Press, 1996.    Erlich, Gloria C. â€Å"The Divided Artist and His Uncles.† In Readings on Nathaniel Hawthorne, edited by Clarice Swisher. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press, 1996.    Hawthorne, Nathaniel. â€Å"Young Goodman Brown.† 1835. http://www.cwrl.utexas.edu/~daniel/amlit/goodman/goodmantext.html    James, Henry. Hawthorne. http://eldred.ne.mediaone.net/nh/nhhj1.html    Lewis, R. W. B. â€Å"The Return into Time: Hawthorne.† In Hawthorne – A Collection of Critical Essays, edited by A.N. Kaul. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1966.      Ã¢â‚¬Å"Nathaniel Hawthorne.† The Norton Anthology: American Literature, edited by Baym et al.   New York: W.W. Norton and Co., 1995.    Swisher, Clarice. â€Å"Nathaniel Hawthorne: a Biography.† In Readings on Nathaniel Hawthorne, edited by Clarice Swisher. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven Press, 1996.