Gilgameshs True Identity Essay - 1145 Words

Gilgameshs True Identity Gilgamesh, who was made perfect physically, with all of the wisdom and secrets of the gods, shows he is not perfectly made on the inside as he struggles to find his true purpose and identity in the Epic of Gilgamesh. He, who proves good at heart in the conclusion of the epic, does not know why he was created and is frustrated at his mortal third in his early life. Made to bring strength and prosperity to the mortals of Uruk as an honorable king, Gilgamesh must first go on a journey to find out his true identity and mature along the way. Whether it is for everlasting life, fame, or his desire to be king- Gilgamesh searches for his true identity and purpose throughout the†¦show more content†¦After Enkidus passing, Gilgamesh develops a fear for death, believing his fate will be like that of his friend. When Siduri confronts Gilgamesh, he makes clear his overwhelming fear of death from Enkidu. Because of my brother I am afraid of death, because of my brother I stray through the wilderness and cannot rest. But now, young woman, maker of wine, since I have seen your face do not let me see the face of death which I dread so much. She answered, Gilgamesh, where are you hurrying to? You will never find that life for which you are looking. When the gods created man they allotted to him death, but life they retained in their own keeping. (102 Epic of Gilgamesh) After being told this, Gilgamesh still will not accept this fate, his fear of death and longing for eternal life too strong in his heart. Utnapishtim puts Gilgamesh to a test to become a god and upon failing, he begins to realize he is not worthy to be a god or have everlasting life. Again he is denied everlasting life when the serpent snatches the flower that restores youth from Gilgameshs grasp. After Gilgamesh is denied everlasting life when the serpent snatches the flower that restores youth from his grasp, the realization that he will never be immortal comes over him and he begins his journey home. Upon arrival to the city of Uruk, Gilgamesh swells with prideShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Epic Of Gilgamesh 932 Words   |  4 Pagespermanence. The opening lines 1-23 from Tablet 1 of the poem, The Epic of Gilgamesh, introduce us to the ancient Sumerian hero, Gilgamesh. These lines are arresting for their directness and simplicity; they briefly outline the ensuing tales of Gilgamesh’s adventures and achievements and emphasize the hero’s extraordinarily vigorous and powerful nature. The introduction hints at a more personal journey, one in which the hero â€Å"came a far road, was weary, found peace† (1,9) suggesting that GilgameshRead MoreThe Iliad, Odyssey, And Epic Of Gilgamesh1466 Words   |  6 PagesPolyphemos cave. After the confrontation with the Polyphemos, Odysseus and his men escaped by stabbing Polyphemos’ in the eye while he was asleep. Once Odysseus and his men were safe on board on their ship, Odysseus took it upon himself to reveal his true identity and proceeded to taunt Polyphemos. At the request of Polyphemus, Poseidon sent a large stone that nearly destroyed the ship in an a ttempt to kill Odysseus’ men and hinder his journey home. While this eventually fails, it does exemplify Odysseus’Read MoreGilgamesh : The Epic Of Gilgamesh909 Words   |  4 Pages â€Å"The Epic of Gilgamesh† is a didactic story set out to expose the inevitability of death. The true meaning of this story is sometimes overlooked because the story is told in heighten language not easily understood. The epic hero in this story is Gilgamesh; he undertakes a quest for knowledge which is overshadowed by his ignorance. The tragic death of Enkidu, Gilgamesh’s trusted companion forces the epic hero to change his perception of death. To overcome great obstacles one must be willing to putRead MoreThe Role Of Women In The Epic Of Gilgamesh1189 Words   |  5 Pages Gilgamesh and Enkidu’s journey would have ended a lot sooner, and Gilgamesh would have still rampaged in Uruk, never bringing peace to those who were below him. Aruru, Shamhat, Ninsun, Ishtar, S iduri, and Utanapishtim’s wife all contribute to Gilgamesh’s journey, and in the end, provide Gilgamesh with the necessary tools in order to transform his character. These women in The Epic of Gilgamesh are essential to the plot, and provide both wisdom and perfection, but can also bring temptation and destructionRead MoreAnalysis Of The Epic Of Gilgamesh And Odyssey Essay1548 Words   |  7 Pagesmajority of their knowledge from female characters. The authors of Gilgamesh and Odyssey both acknowledge females with intelligence. First, Lady Wildcow Ninsun, Gilgamesh’s mother, is described in the Gilgamesh as, [†¦] clever and wise, Well versed in everything, Epic of Gilgamesh I.260-261 Ninsun plays a crucial role in interpreting Gilgamesh’s confusing dreams of his future companion Enkidu. Multiple times she has told Gilgamesh what to do with his dreams of Enkidu, â€Æ' You lifted it up, set it downRead MoreBatman And Gilgamesh Essay1733 Words   |  7 Pagesloses a loved one. When Gilgamesh’s beloved friend, Enkidu, dies from an illness caused by the gods, Gilgamesh becomes afraid of death and decides to seek out Utnapishtim who would help him get immortality. Gilgamesh says: â€Å"Shall I die too? Am I not like Enkidu? Grief has entered my innermost being, I am afraid of Death, and so I roam open country. I shall take the road and go quickly to see Utnapishtim.† Just like Bruce receives help in his quest, Utnapishtim becomes Gilgamesh’s mentor who gives himRead MoreEpic Journeys towards Improvement in The Epic of Gilgamesh and Oedipus Rex670 Words   |  3 Pagesgods, both of the heroes’ stories would have had totally different outcomes. Gilgamesh would have probably died in his first fight with Humbaba. Oedipus might have been lucky enough to never find out about his past if the god’s prophecies never came tru e. Another major difference between the two protagonists is that Gilgamesh is born two-thirds divine and one-third human. He says, â€Å"If I fall on the way, I’ll establish my name: Gilgamesh†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (49). The hero of Uruk will do whatever it takes to leaveRead MoreThe Epic of Gilgamesh, King of Uruk2127 Words   |  8 Pageshis identity. Identity is imperative for Enkidu since he aligns himself with the animals. After he was made, he was tossed into the steppe where he only associates with animals. His home was the â€Å"home with the beasts† (7). He â€Å"knew neither people nor inhabited land† (6). As such, by teaching him the cultural practices of the city of Uruk, Shamhat is moulding Enkidu to see himself as a human and hence concretizing his identity as an individual from Uruk. This will give him a sense of identity; andRead More A Jungian Analysis of the Epic of Gilgamesh Essay3198 Words   |  13 PagesGilgamesh himself. While researching, I consulted the many translations of Gilgamesh found on the web. It seemed that the more sources I sought, the greater the amount of differing opinions and convoluted versions I uncovered. In an effort to remain true to the epic, I will mainly be referring to the book, World Mythology, written by Donna Rosenberg with a few inclusions from Kovacs translations. Although Rosenbergs version lacks the flair of the latter, it provides a simple doorway opening to aRead MoreA Leader Is Good And Ethics Essay1424 Words   |  6 Pagesdharma, showing the way by example. Rather than aspiring to be followed, he aims to serve; by developing the capabilities of others instead of accentuating his own skills. Compassion, a sense of justice, and courage are the qualities that define a true leader. A perfect example of someone who encomposses these qualities is Vince Lombardi, arguably the greatest football coach of all time. His ability to encourage, instruct and motivate players helped develop the Green Bay Packers into the National

Similarities Between Genesis And Creation Of Hymn Chapter 1

Did you know that religious texts are some of our most important documents in history serving as an idea of past. And two famous texts are The first chapter of Genesis and â€Å"Creation of Hymn†. These two documents are very similar than they are different, even though they are from different origins. The style, narration, and tone are very different in both texts, but there is a couple of things that they are in common. The idea of emptiness, the description and establishment of darkness, the setting of water, and the origin life. In Genesis chapter 1, is narrated by a third person point of view omniscient and formatted in a chronological order while establishing the setting of text. In Genesis, the very first verse begins â€Å"When God†¦show more content†¦I infer that the author was saying there was only darkness that you could tell day because of no sun nor night because of no moon. Together in both readings, darkness is viewed as a black or negative space. Next, the appearance of water or setting is brought up by both texts. In (Genesis 1:7), â€Å" God made the expanse, and it separated the water †¦.†, which gives the establishment of water in the story having water. While in the (Creation of Hymn: line 1,3) water is given a description as â€Å"... bottomlessly deep?† and water was also described as â€Å" The life force was covered with emptiness, all this was water†¦.†. Both articles, give statements where water is mystical, deep and empty. Lastly the origin of life and they way it started out. On (Genesis 1:11) the earth didn’t beginning with humans, but with vegetation as stated â€Å"Let the earth sprout vegetation: seed-bearing plants, fruit trees of every kind of earth†¦.†. As for (Creation of Hymn: line 4) talks about theâ€Å"Desire came upon that one in the beginning; that was the first seed of mind. Poets seeking in their heart with wisdom found the bond of existence in non-existence.†. Discussing about how the first minds were born and were curious. Both quotes talk about how each life began through their own texts, one is established by vegetation the other through the human mind. In the end, both texts had lots of things inShow MoreRelatedEssay on Religion, Creation Stories, and Creation Myths5429 Words   |  22 PagesReligion, Creation Stories, and Creation Myths One of the fundamental questions that religions seek to answer is that of origin. How was man put on earth? Why and from what was he created? Who created him? What does his creation imply about the status of human beings? Some or all of these questions are answered by a religion’s creation stories. Every religion’s creation myths attempt to give solutions to problems present to that religious society. Because of this, each religion may haveRead MoreAncient Egyptian Influence on Modern Religion Essay2829 Words   |  12 Pagesof early Egyptian religion date back to the Predynastic period, beginning with evidence of polytheistic worship. Many scholars have researched the development of Ancient Egyptian religion over the centuries and have studied the direct correlation between it and the modern religions of Judaism and Christianity. Questions arise as to whe Judaism developed because of social and political conditions of Ancient Egypt or rather through conscious ad aptation of Egyptian stories, values, and traditions. WasRead MoreBook Summary of John H. Walton, Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament:4623 Words   |  19 Pagesup into fourteen chapters. Those fourteen chapters are each part of one of five sections. This book also contains over twenty historical images. Before the introduction, the author gives readers a full appendix of all images used in this published work. The author then gives his acknowledgements followed by a list of abbreviations. Part 1- Comparative studies The first section of the book is titled comparative studies. This section is comprised of the first two chapters. Chapter one is aptly namedRead MoreAncient Eastern Thought and the Old Testament Essay10692 Words   |  43 PagesContents CHAPTER 1: HISTORY AND METHODS 3 CHAPTER 2: COMPARATIVE STUDIES, SCHOLARSHIP, AND THEOLOGY 6 CHAPTER 3: SUMMARY OF THE LITERATURE OF THE ANCIENT NEAR EAST 10 CHAPTER 4: THE GODS 14 CHAPTER 5: TEMPLES AND RITUALS 19 CHAPTER 6: STATE AND FAMILY RELIGION 22 CHAPTER 7: COSMIC GEOGRAPHY 25 CHAPTER 8: COSMOLOGY AND COSMOGONY 28 CHAPTER 9: UNDERSTANDING THE PAST HUMAN ORIGINS AND ROLE 31 CHAPTER 10: UNDERSTANDING THE PAST 34 CHAPTER 11: ENCOUNTERING THE PRESENT 38 CHAPTER 12:Read MoreI Am Eve: Emily Dickinsons Identification with Eve in the Genesis Narrative4242 Words   |  17 Pagespoetry grapples with and repeatedly explores. They are also themes that she found in the Genesis narrative of Adam and Eve in her King James Version of the Bible. As a central influence in Dickinson.s Nineteenth Century, Puritan, New England society, the Bible was a primary text at both Amherst Academy and Mount Holyoke, where Dickinson attended (Sewell 362). At home, Dickinson.s father read a chapter a day to his family (Sewell 694), and at age 14, he gave her a copy of the King JamesRead MoreOcd - Symptoms, Causes, Treatment131367 Words   |  526 PagesLibrary of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Clark, David A., 1954– Cognitive-behavioral therapy for OCD / David A. Clark. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN-10: 1-57230-963-6 ISBN-13: 978-1-57230-963-0 (hardcover: alk. paper) ISBN-10: 1-59385-375-0 ISBN-13: 978-1-59385-375-4 (paperback) 1. Cognitive therapy. 2. Obsessive–compulsive disorder. I. Title. RC489.C63C57 2004 616.85†²2270651—dc22 2003020283 To my parents, Albert and Ardith, for their support and encouragement

The Goal Free Essays

Jakeshia Moore Mktg 372 Alidee Nov 28, 11 The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement The Goal by Eliyahu Goldatt is a novel, regarding the management and accounting processes at a manufacturing plant. The book focuses around a perhaps older 30- early 40s something industrial engineer, Alex Rogo. With the description Goldatt gives of Rogo, he personifies the profile of a large number of people involved in business administration (Lui 1997). We will write a custom essay sample on The Goal or any similar topic only for you Order Now Alex is married, with two children and his lively-hood is in jeopardy, unless he can figure out exactly how to save his production plant, by understanding â€Å"the goal† of his company. In order for Rogo and the readers to even begin understanding that â€Å"goal†, Eli begins to unravel the novel by introducing the readers to Alex Rogo and apparent problems with his production plant. In the opening of the first chapter these problems meet Mr. Rogo at work, as a confrontation takes place between him and his immediate boss, Division Vice President of their company UniWare, Bill Peach. The dispute takes places over an overdue order number 41427, which happens to be fifty-six days behind schedule. Given this has become the norm for Rogo’s plant, Mr. Peach requires nothing less than for order #41427 to be shipped that day, since the plant is neither profitable nor productive. In fact so many orders, as of late, have been so far behind that it is becoming a major problem for the company and the lively hood of the workers. Therefore, Mr. Peach decides to give Alex three months to turn things at their plant, or he’s prepared to recommend the Bearington plant be shut down. With the amount of time order number 41427 is already late; the pressure is on to get the order out the door and shipped according to Mr. Peach’s specifications. Surprisingly the plant gets the order shipped that night, but not very effectively. All the hands in the plant are working on one order, with forbidden overtime to compensate. Only after dinner with Lou, his controller, does Alex develop a sense of determination to define his mode of constraints. His efficiencies are good, but he can not to put to a finger on what’s causing the problem; and without the Five Steps of Focusing this at first seems impossible. Alex has spent late nights pondering the future of the company. He attempts to identify â€Å"the problem† at his plant, the process he will have to go through to change it, how resistant his plant would be to that change, and how he intends to overcome their resistance. Alex does all of this just in time for Mr. Peach to call a plant managers meeting at the headquarters. On his way to the meeting, Alex learns the problems with efficiency and effectiveness are not only plaguing his plant, but it’s the entire industry. It’s been losing money since Japan entered the manufacturing market and stolen market share from companies in the United States, like their UniWare Division of UniCo. During the meeting with Mr. Peach and the other plant managers, Alex mistakenly comes across a cigar he received from and old friend; a physicist named Jonah, and has an epiphany. Two week prior to the meeting, by pure chance, Alex ran into Jonah and they began to catch up. Alex gave Jonah a run down of his job as plant manager at UniCo, and eagerly described how his firm’s investment in automation (ie. obots) had increased productivity by thirty-six percent. Jonah, in turn questioned Alex about some key identifiers of productivity such as: their ability to decrease inventory, reduce operational expenses, and selling more product. Jonah really asked some in-depth questions to help Alex understand his core problems. Until Jonah predicted their problems with high inventories and not meeting shipping dates, A lex was sure he was simply dealing with some routine problems, not the demise of his entire organizational structure. Jonah explained to Alex that there is only one real â€Å"goal† for any organizations, and anything bringing you closer to achieving that is productive and anything otherwise is unproductive. Productivity, according to Jonah, is defined as accomplishing something in terms of goals. Late for his flight, Jonah uses the Socratic Method to help Alex conclude what â€Å"the goal† of his plant really is. Alex struggles with the questions Jonah ask initially, but eventually discovers and internalizes the concept of the Theory of Constraints. Meanwhile at the meeting, . How to cite The Goal, Papers

Cultural Profile free essay sample

Country Cultural Profile: Arab Republic of Egypt Abstract The purpose of this study is to determine the cultural structures, variables and behaviors of the society in the Arab Republic of Egypt located in Northern Africa, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Libya and the Gaza Strip, and the Red Sea north of Sudan, and include the Asian Sinai Peninsula. The development of this analysis is based on the understanding of the characteristics and variables of the Egyptian culture. Section 1 – People Relationships 1. 1. Universalism versus Particularism Universalism is the degree to which people believe that various ideas and practices can be effective in all circumstances. People who are high in universalism believe they can develop rules and standards that can be reasonably applied to everyone in every situation. They tend to use contracts, formal systems, and procedures to convey what they expect from others. People who are low in universalism (i. e. , high in particularism) develop their expectations of others based on their personal relationships with them and their trust in them rather than on rules. When negotiating deals, people from highly particularistic cultures will want to develop a relationship with the other party before having substantive discussions toward making an agreement. People from highly universalistic cultures are prepared to proceed with substantive discussions much more quickly, but then expect to document their agreement with an enforceable contract. Because of their universalist approach, in a business situation Americans will want to rely on a contract to communicate the terms of an agreement and to define the relationship between the parties. Strong universalist cultures use the court to mediate conflicts. Therefore Americans have much more lawyers per citizen than any other country. The more universal a country is, the greater is the need to protect the truth. International operating businesses think more likely in an universalistic way. Egypt is a particularistic culture where people look at relationships and circumstances in a specific situation to decide what is right. For the Egyptian, the legal contract communicates a starting point for an agreement. As circumstances change so too should the terms of the agreement. For the Egyptian, the situation and the particular individuals involved are what define relationship. 1. 2. Individualism versus Collectivism Individualism focuses on the degree the society reinforces individual or collective, achievement and interpersonal relationships. A high individualism ranking indicates that individuality and individual rights are paramount within the society. Individuals in these societies may tend to form a larger number of looser relationships. A low individualism ranking typifies societies of a more collectivist nature with close ties between individuals. These cultures reinforce extended families and collectives where everyone takes responsibility for fellow members of their group. The lowest Hofstede dimension for the Arab World, including Egypt, is the individualism, compared to a world average ranking. This translates into a collectivist society as compared to individualist culture and is manifested in a close long-term commitment to the member group, that being a family, extended family, or extended relationships. Loyalty in a collectivist culture is paramount, and over-rides most other societal rules. 1. 3. Neutral versus Emotional In highly affective cultures, people tend to openly express their feelings. In highly neutral cultures, emotions are not expressed as openly and naturally. People from highly affective cultures are more likely to smile, talk loudly when excited, and greet each other enthusiastically. People from highly neutral cultures experience the same emotions, but are less inclined to express them, and they express them more subtly. Implications for behavior in the workplace include how demonstrative people are when showing appreciation and affection for each other and when celebrating successes. Egypt is an example of affective, emotional culture. 1. 4. Specific versus Diffuse In specific cultures, the whole is the sum of its parts. Each persons life is divided into many components: you can only enter one at a time. Interactions between people are highly purposeful and well-defined. The public sphere of specific individuals is much larger than their private sphere. People are easily accepted into the public sphere, but it is very difficult to get into the private sphere, since each area in which two people encounter each other is considered separate from the other, a specific case. Specific individuals concentrate on hard facts, standards, and contracts. People from diffusely oriented cultures start with the whole and see each element in perspective of the total. All elements are related to each other. These relationships are more important than each separate element; so the whole is more than just the sum of its elements. Diffuse individuals have a large private sphere and a small public one. Newcomers are not easily accepted into either. But once they have been accepted, they are admitted into all layers of the individuals life. A friend is a friend in all respects: tennis, cooking, work, etc. The various roles someone might play in your life are not separated. Qualities cherished by diffuse cultures include style, demeanor, ambiance, trust, understanding, etc. Egypt is an example of diffusely oriented culture. 1. 5. Achievement versus Ascription In highly achievement-oriented cultures, social status is largely derived from a persons achievements. In highly ascription-oriented cultures, social status is largely derived from personal attributes such as age, experience, social connections, or gender. In organizations, a persons status is reflected in his or her privileges such as access to resources and perks, deferential treatment, and input in decision making. The U. S. A. is an example of highly achievement-oriented culture. Egypt is an example of highly ascription-oriented culture. 1. 6. High versus Low Context The high versus low-context dimension of culture relates to norms of communication. In low-context countries, communication relies more heavily on the literal meaning of the words used. Meanings of written and spoken communication are more explicit. To people from high-context cultures, the bluntness and directness of low-context communication styles can seem insulting or aggressive. In high-context cultures, much more of the context surrounding the written or spoken communication is involved in conveying the message. Factors such as the social status of the communicators and the nature of the relationship between them are key. The meaning of everything said in high-context communication has to be interpreted in the context of the social relationship between the individuals. The U. S. A. is an example of low-context country. Egypt is an example of high-context country. . 7. Inductive versus Deductive In cultures with an inductive thinking style, people go from the specific to the general. They arrive at a theory or model only after amassing facts through experimentation and observation. People in cultures with a deductive thinking style are comfortable with abstractions. In an argument, discussion or written presentation, they p refer to go from the general to the specific and to deduce facts from general principles. Americans tend to be highly inductive. Egyptians tend to be highly deductive. 1. 8. Large Power Distance versus Small Power Distance Power distance index focuses on the degree of equality, or inequality, between people in the countrys society. A large power distance ranking indicates that inequalities of power and wealth have been allowed to grow within the society. These societies are more likely to follow a caste system that does not allow significant upward mobility of its citizens. A small power distance ranking indicates the society de-emphasizes the differences between citizens power and wealth. In these societies equality and opportunity for everyone is stressed. Large power distance is a characteristic for Egypt. This indicates that it is expected and accepted that leaders separate themselves from the group and issue complete and specific directives. The society is more likely to follow a caste system that does not allow significant upward mobility of its citizens. They are also highly rule-oriented with laws, rules, regulations, and controls in order to reduce the amount of uncertainty, while inequalities of power and wealth have been allowed to grow within the society. The high power distance ranking is indicative of a high level of inequality of power and wealth within the society. These populations have an expectation and acceptance that leaders will separate themselves from the group and this condition is not necessarily subverted upon the population, but rather accepted by the society as their cultural heritage. 1. 9. Masculinity versus Femininity This dimension pertains to the degree societies reinforce, or do not reinforce, the traditional masculine work role model of male achievement, control, and power. In essence it looks at the degree to which masculine values like competitiveness and the acquisition of wealth are valued over feminine’ values like relationship building and quality of life. In many cultures with a low masculinity rating, it is noticed that they also have low gender equality. The terms relate to nurturing (feminine) versus assertive (masculine) behaviors and ideals. The U. S. A. is an example of ‘masculine’ culture. Egypt is considered a ‘feminine’ culture. 1. 10. Strong Uncertainty Avoidance versus Weak Uncertainty Avoidance Uncertainty avoidance index focuses on the level of tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity within the society i. e. unstructured situations. A high uncertainty avoidance ranking indicates the country has a low tolerance for uncertainty and ambiguity. A low uncertainty avoidance ranking indicates the country has less concern about ambiguity and uncertainty and has more tolerance for a variety of opinions. This is reflected in a society that is less rule-oriented, more readily accepts change, and takes more and greater risks. Strong uncertainty avoidance is the predominant characteristics for Egypt. The society is highly rule-oriented with laws, rules, regulations, and controls in order to reduce the amount of uncertainty, while inequalities of power and wealth have been allowed to grow within the society. The society does not readily accept change and is very risk adverse. When strong uncertainty avoidance is combined with large power distance, it creates a situation where leaders have virtually ultimate power and authority, and the rules, laws and regulations developed by those in power reinforce their own leadership and control. It is not unusual for new leadership to arise from armed insurrection – the ultimate power, rather than from diplomatic or democratic change. 1. 11. Doing versus Being Americans are doers. Americans believe that they can achieve just about nything if we just ‘do’ enough (which generally means setting goals, making a plan and enacting every step of it with perseverance and dedication). People are evaluated by what they do and they are valued for their results. Other cultures also value ‘doing’, but, along a spectrum, not quite so highly. They leave more space for the role of ‘being’. ‘Who they are’ is often something people cannot ‘do’ anything about (from caste systems of various types to being European). This is the base of in-group, out-group systems. Americans join groups (as an individual) and leave them at will. In other cultures, people often simple ‘are’ part of a group that you cannot join nor leave (even if you really want to and work really hard at it with perseverance and dedication). The value of ‘being’ is predominant in the Egyptian society. 1. 12. Human Nature Trustworthy versus Not Trustworthy Human nature trustworthiness levels measure the degree people can be trusted or not trusted until proved otherwise. Egyptians can be considered trustworthy. They value personal relationships in a deep degree. A typical true example is the case of an expatriate loosing his wallet in a cab. A few hours later the expatriate would receive a call from the Egyptian who found his wallet with an invitation to go to his home to pick it up. The expatriate would then meet the whole Egyptian family and be invited to socialize with them. 1. 13. Individual in Control versus Fate in Control Some people believe that individuals can decide their own destiny, while others think that it is impossible to escape a predetermined fate. Egyptians strongly believe that fate in control. Events may change at ‘the will of Allah’. Such fatalism culture avoids change and slows down progress. Section 2 – Environment Relationships . 1. Control it - In Harmony - Controlled By The environment relationship with the people is measured with the degree by which it is controlled. The environment has enormous power in people’s lives in Egypt. Not only the mass of Egyptians, but even the fate of rulers and the elite have been subjects of the Nile Valley. Section 3 – Time Rel ationships 3. 1. Monochronic versus Polychronic Monochronic time is one-track linear: people do one thing at a time. Polychronic time is multi-track circular; it allows many things to happen simultaneously, with no particular end in sight. Monochronic time is tightly compartmentalized: schedules are almost sacred. Polychronic time is open-ended: completing the task or communication is more important than adhering to a schedule. People from polychronic and monochronic cultures have the same difficulties adjusting to one another as people from high-context and low-context cultures. In fact, polychronic time is characteristic of high-context people and monochronic time is characteristic of low-context people. Monochronic people tend to sequence communications as well as tasks. They would not be inclined, for instance, to interrupt a phone conversation in order to greet a third person. Polychronic people can carry on multiple conversations simultaneously indeed, they would consider it rude not to do so. The U. S. A. tend t have a monochronic view of time. Egypt is categorized as a polychromic culture. Egyptians consider time commitments an objective to be achieved only if possible, at the will of Allah. They are more concerned with relations (family, friends, close business associates) than with privacy. They change plans often and easily. . 2. Short-term Oriented versus Long-term Oriented Long-term orientation focuses on the degree the society embraces, or does not embrace long-term devotion to traditional, forward thinking values. High long-term orientation ranking indicates the country prescribes to the values of long-term commitments and respect for tradition. This is thought to support a strong work ethic where long-term rewards are expected as a resu lt of todays hard work. However, business may take longer to develop in this society, particularly for an ‘outsider’. A short-term orientation indicates that change can occur more rapidly as long-term traditions and commitments do not become impediments to change. Cultures differ in the emphasis that they place on the past, present, and future. North American countries tend to focus more on the present and the immediate future than other countries do. Most European countries have a more balanced focus on past, present and future. Many Asian countries focus heavily on what North Americans would consider the distant future. The implications of differing emphases on past, present and future may be most apparent in planning. North American managers primarily focus on achieving results within five years. Their long-term plans cover 5-10 years. In addition, employees hired in North America normally have from a few weeks to a couple of years to prove that theyll be successful. Employees who are unsuccessful in that time frame are normally asked to find another job or simply fired. In contrast, Japanese firms are more likely to hire employees with the intention of having a life-long employee. Egypt is considered to be in the long-term oriented ranking. Section 4 – Space Relationships 4. . Speakers Distance: Small - Medium - Large Speakers distance relates to the interpersonal space between communicators. In low-context cultures, people tend to be uncomfortable standing closer than three feet from each other when conversing. In high-context cultures, people tend to stand relatively close when conversing. They perceive a distance of three feet between communicators as something that interferes with thei r communication, and they will tend to step closer in order to be more comfortable. Egypt is considered to have a small speaker’s distance. A range of three inches is the norm in Arab countries. 4. 2. Private Space: Small - Large Private space relates to the distance perceived around personal possessions. One thing that is very common in Egypt is the idea of public versus private. It is the idea of how much should be shared with others and how much should be kept private. The problem in Egypt is that this division of public and private is reflected in almost all aspects of daily lives including homes. It is very common to live in an apartment that has two doors, one for the family members and one for guests. This is done because there is a desire to present an image to any guests coming in which may not be the most convenient or even functional for everyday use. The family entrance is very plain and simple, but the guest entrance may have a fancy chandelier and decorations. This part of the house almost looks too perfect, like something out of a magazine which suggests that in Egypt there is the need to lead or at least to appear to be leading perfect lives. The same is true of how much space is dedicated to everyday use and how much space is dedicated to guest use. It is fair to say that in most houses in Egypt up to half the space is kept aside for guests. This usually means that 5 or 6 family members would be crammed up in a small space so that guests would get the impression that the house is spacious with plenty of room. Of course how much space there is and how that space is furnished is a reflection of wealth. This seems to be an important issue in Egypt because of the large disparity between the social classes. Egypt is formed from a very large lower class, a slightly smaller upper class and a very small middle class. People who have some degree of wealth do not want to be mistaken for anything less than what they are, and people who have little but aspire for more, use the presentation of their homes as a means of social upward mobility. Section 5 – Visible Manifestations 5. 1. Symbols Language is one of the symbols of a culture. Arabic is the current national language of  Egypt and it is spoken throughout the Middle East and North Africa. Broadly speaking there are two kinds of Arabic. High Arabic is the formal, classical language used in the Koran. Each country  also has its own colloquial Arabic or street Arabic which can vary greatly. Egyptian Arabic is understood widely. This is largely due to its dominant movie and music industries which disseminate Egyptian Arabic throughout the Arab world. Egyptian Arabic is also known to be one of the most  melodic interpretations of the Arabic language. However Coptic language was the one spoken in ancient Egypt. Nowadays it is only preserved in Coptic Christian religious services. The way a society dress is consider as a symbol. Some Egyptians follow Islamic customs in their dress. Men grow beards and wear long, light colored gowns and skull caps. Women wear robes and cover their hair, ears and arms with a veil.

The Fairy Tales Of Gun Control Essays - Firearms, Gun Politics

The Fairy Tales Of Gun Control The Fairy Tales of Gun Control When a madman in Dunblane, Great Britain rampages and kills 16 children, it was the fuel politicians needed to fire the anti-gun movement. Great Britain banned the sale and ownership of handguns in 1997. But nobody expected the surge of violent crime that followed. Britains rate of assault, robbery, and burglary now exceed those in the United States. Murder and rape figures are now getting closer to U.S. rates. Between 1997 and 1999 were the highest murder rates in the past 10 years. According to Dr. Timothy Wheeler, American news media have virtually ignored this amazing change, even as politicians push more stringent, British-style gun-control. Gun control would not work in the U.S. because it would diminish public safety, raise crime rates, and boost the illegal sale of firearms. The public view of the gun is that it is used to commit violent crimes. But the truth is that the gun is also used everyday to protect the public. Every law officers and enforcement agent uses guns to control everyday criminal activity and protect the public. But public citizens to protect themselves and others also use the gun. One such case is the Pearl High School shooting. Joel Myrick, an assistant principal at the school, heard shoots and herded students into his office and locked up the door behind him. Myrick remembered that he had his .45 automatic in his car because he always takes a weapon whenever he travels. Myrick ran to his car and after getting his gun, he chased down the shooter, Luke Woodham, and forced him onto the ground as they waited for police to arrive. As Kenneth Smith reported, anyone reading the local paper would have known all about Joel Myricks heroics. But anyone watching a national evening newscast wouldnt have known that it took an armed man to stop the shooting. Another such case were a gun was used to protect the public was in Edinboro, Pennsylvania. In April 1998, a 14 year-old student walked into a school dance with a .25-caliber handgun and opened fire, killing a science teacher and wounding several students. When he fled the scene, the owner or the hall, James Strand, chased him down with a shotgun into a field and held him for 11 minutes until police arrived. Kenneth Smith reports that New York Daily News said only that Strand had persuaded the shooter to surrender and the shotgun was never mentioned. In May 1998, gun education stopped 15-year old Kip Kinkel from his shooting spree in the cafeteria of Thurston High School in Springfield, Oregon. At one time, he pointed a .22 caliber semiautomatic rifle at a students head and attempted to fire three times but nothing happened. Jacob Ryker, who was shot in the lungs, Charged 15 feet and tackled Kinkel and disarmed him. Kenneth Smith wrote ABCs Ted Koppel credited Ryker with halting the shooting, non-of the specific details were given and the program quickly turne d into another debate on gun control. Kenneth Smiths retaliation in his report was Ryker knew when to attack Kinkel because Ryker knew the gun was out of ammunition. Ryker and his family were hunters and target shooters and his familiarity with firearms helped to stop the shooting. Secondly, gun control would raise the crime rates in the U.S. The public would not be able to protect themselves against criminals with illegal firearms. Even Darrel Scott, whose 17 year-old daughter, died in the Columbine massacre, is skeptic of the new gun control measures. Scott argues, No amount of laws can stop someone who spends months planning this type of massacre. Furthermore, as reporter Kenneth Smith points out, a Florida State University study says Americans use guns to defend themselves as many as 2.5 million a year. In most cases, the gun were not fired but was used to deter the criminals. In addition, when Great Britain banned the sale and ownership of handguns in 1997, crime rates rose dramatically in the following year. As Doctor Timothy Wheeler point out, in 1998, BBC News reported that violence against a person rose by 16% and sexual offenses rose by 4.5%. The robbery

cloning is morally wrong essays

cloning is morally wrong essays Cloning is an issue that touches upon the most profound ethical issues. If humans even consider cloning each other then they should revise what is morally and ethically right and wrong. The cloning of any species, whether its human or non-human is by all means wrong. Denmarks Minister of Research agrees to the idea of cloning, or at least starting the cloning experiments. By votes of 11 to 5, the pro side has won the argument for cloning research. According to The Lancet magazine, researchers are about to be ready to start cloning as soon as legalization is drawn up. I personally think that should there be a universally unethical act, it should be cloning. If we want to look for a clear reason to why we should not clone, we should apply this to our selves. Imagine if there is a clone of you 20 or 30 years from now? Doesnt that shake the idea of the self? Identity is then no longer valid. On top of all, according to most religions, cloning would interfere with the will of God. Creation of human beings is a natural process that God has blessed us with. Interfering with this natural cycle is just like telling God: NO! Some people do not believe in morality in the first place. Others do not believe in the existence of God either. To those people, the simplest reason to why we should not clone humans would be the great risk of producing deformed humans. Then those who would survive will have to live with a defect for the rest of their lives without a reason. Secondly, if technology is able to develop human organs in animals, then what would be the line between human and non human. As a conclusion, cloning is interfering with lifes natural cycle and is a morally incorrect process. I think humans should start thinking of what they are doing before taking action ...

Nelson Surname Meaning and Family History

Nelson Surname Meaning and Family History Nelson is a patronymic surname meaning son of Nell, a form of the Irish name Neal, from the Gaelic Niall, which is thought to mean  champion. In some situations the surname could also be matronymic, meaning son of Eleanor, a female given name with the same origins as Neal. Nelson could also be an Anglicized spelling of similar sounding  Scandinavian surnames such as Nilsen, Nielsen, and Nilsson. Surname Origin:  Irish Alternate Surname Spellings:  NEILSON, NEALSON, NILSON, NILSEN, NILSSON, NIELSEN Famous People with the Surname Nelson Willie Nelson - American country music artist and songwriterHoratio Nelson - great English naval leader during the Napoleonic WarsJohn Allen Nelson - American actor Where the Nelson  Surname Is Most Commonly Found Today, the Nelson surname is most common in the United States, according to surname distribution data from Forebears, ranked as the 34th most common surname in the country. WorldNames PublicProfiler profiles Nelson as most popular in the northern midwest and northwestern states- especially Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana- possibly due to large numbers of Scandinavian immigrants to those areas. Nelson is also a fairly common last name in a number of African countries, according to Forebears, including Uganda and Mozambique, and in the Caribbean. Based on 1901 census data, Nelson was not very common in Ireland, with the exception of the Northern Ireland county of Antrim, followed by Down, Londonderry, and Tyrone. Irish surname mapping tools from John Grenham indicate that the Nelson surname is especially common in Northern Ireland, particularly in the counties of Down and Antrim. This was true in the mid-nineteenth century based on Griffiths Valuation (1847–1864), as well as into the twentieth century based on a mapping of Nelson births between 1864 and 1913. Genealogy Resources for the Surname Nelson 100 Most Common U.S. Surnames Their Meanings: Smith, Johnson, Williams, Jones, Brown... Are you one of the millions of Americans sporting one of these top 100 common last names from the 2000 census?Nelson DNA Project: Join up with other Nelson descendants who are using DNA to help sort out their various family lines.Nelson  Family Crest - Its Not What You Think: Contrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Nelson  family crest or coat of arms for the Nelson surname.  Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male-line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted.Nelson Family Genealogy Forum: Search this popular genealogy forum for the Nelson surname to find others who might be researching your ancestors, or post your own Nelson query.FamilySearch - NELSON  Genealogy: Explore over 11  million  historical records which mention individuals with the Nelson  surnam e, as well as online Nelson family trees on this free website hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. NELSON Surname Family Mailing Lists: RootsWeb hosts several free mailing lists for researchers of the Nelson surname.DistantCousin.com - NELSON Genealogy Family History: Free databases and genealogy links for the last name Nelson.GeneaNet - Nelson  Records: GeneaNet includes archival records, family trees, and other resources for individuals with the Nelson  surname, with a concentration on records and families from France and other European countries.The Nelson  Genealogy and Family Tree Page: Browse family trees and links to genealogical and historical records for individuals with the last name Nelson  from the website of Genealogy Today. References Cottle, Basil.  Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967.Dorward, David.  Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998.Fucilla, Joseph.  Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003.Hanks, Patrick, and Flavia Hodges.  A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989.Hanks, Patrick.  Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003.Reaney, P.H.  A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997.Smith, Elsdon C.  American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997

Managment and leadership development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Managment and leadership development - Essay Example In order to understand the value of management and leadership development, it is important to go to the roots of why and what makes management and leadership development under focus. Do we have the appropriate environment and systems to develop these Leaders? Why do we need success managers and success leaders? And then what makes success managers and leaders. What sort of influence does early childhood on leader's success? What critical channel must leaders follow on their Journey to success? How long will take them? What are the life experiences that contribute to leadership success? What must success Managers and great Leaders do exceptionally very well to become and remain outstanding? So is it education? Is it luck? Is it who knows how? Is it chance? †¦and so on. Years back when we talked about the old management theories such as the Scientific theory of Fredric Taylor and Henri Fayol – The Science Management concept and even Max Webber in Germany with his concept an d theories after the II World War as all military soldiers sent to work in the Civil Service offices as Supervisors, Managers and Department Heads. Unfortunately, these were wrong people at wrong jobs as they keep on practicing the Military rules by passing instruction like Father to Son and Supervisor and Subordinate. Such theories in my opinion have not developed effective management and success leaders, because there were no proper management development centre's or assessment systems such as 360 degree feedback, or key performance indicators (KPI) as of today. 2. Leadership – overview, definition The Common belief that leaders are born has come to be outdated. Continued studies and researches have come to conclusion that leaders are made rather than born. I and based on my analysis, reading and researching belief that yes leaders are made but also are born with certain characteristics, charisma and qualities of proper personalities example if a person is shy, weak, hesita nt, negative minded†¦etc will be difficult to develop him as a leader. Leadership is badly needed for Organizational success, as someone has to take the hard and tough decisions, take responsibilities during crises, lead the way forward. There is a say that one Lion leads thousands of Rabbits better than one Rabbit leads thousands of Lions. Various definitions have been developed for explaining the context of leadership. One of the most known definitions of this type is that of Kotter (1996). In accordance with the above theorist, the leadership should be described as follows: ‘Leadership defines what the future should look like, aligns people with that vision and inspires them to make it happen, despite the obstacles’ (Kotter 1996, p.25 in Wallin 2010, p.26). 3. Theories on leadership Leadership is influencing people to get things done to standard and quality above their norm and doing it willingly. Generally, leadership could be described as follows: lead more, M anage less, empower inspire and energize people and unlock their true potential. Also great leaders make a difference not only to themselves but also to those around them. However great leaders produce great results. In accordance with the theory of Mintzberg, the elements of the leadership can be made clear if the specific framework is explained using a metaphor; in the context of this metaphor, as Mintzberg notes, the leadership should be regarded as an art or craftsmanship (Koivunen et al. 2009, p.169).

Savings and Weath in Old Age Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Savings and Weath in Old Age - Essay Example The government is responsible in setting up policies that will help individual to accumulate resources that will aid them when they reach the retirement age or old age. For this reason one finds pension policies, taxation policies, housing policies and policies that govern homes where the old can live. The economy of America depends on the saving behavior of the people. To come up with this kind of behavior, one has to look at the patterns at which people are saving or view savings. Patterns of saving reveal the economic conditions of a country. High savings mean that individuals have high disposable income thus their living standards are better (Graham et. al., 2003). The saving rates of Americans have lately decreased to 5.3% from 7.6% annually. This is because very many Americans have a problem with household debt which has been on the increase. This is because Americans are spending more money in purchasing things that are essential for their existence. There is the problem of the wealth effect where the more an individual owns the more he or she needs to pay for it. The taxation policy really discourages savings and thus when such a wealthy person gets old; they have nothing to spend because he or she spent it securing the wealth. This reduces the accumulation of wealth for usage during the old age (Graham et. al., 2003). For the past ten years, there has been a great... People can quickly acquire liquid cash easily than before. This is increasing the inflation rate thus making things become more expensive and savings reducing completely. When one spends time purchasing goods and services for the use of that particular time, then it means that they have no more cash to keep for later use or for emergencies. Thus wealth is not accumulated and its abundance is a long gone story. This is a negative impact to the people because they have nothing to sustain them when they reach old age (Paul M. et al., 1996). Since the government sets the particular policies that affect the savings behavior of the people, it has the responsibility of coming up with public policies that will increase national savings. These can only be done by making good public policies. It can first of all make contractionary monetary policies to control the circulation of liquid cash within the economy. This will reduce the amount of liquid cash that is circulating within the economy. The action will reduce inflation by making money become scarce to the people. Thus expenditure in goods and services will reduce prompting people to save more (Paul M. et al., 1996). Savings can not be done by the government alone. Americans need to balance their purchase of things to enable them to save for their future which is mostly old age. These can be done through campaigns that are being used to educate individuals against high rates of purchasing. They need to learn to purchase the most important things and leave out those that are less important (Paul M. et al., 1996). The taxation policy by the government is a complete discouragement to saving by

Motivation Essay Example for Free

Motivation Essay 1. Define and discuss motivation. Which theory of motivation offers the best chance, if handled properly, of increasing productivity in your workplace? Motivation can be described as a process that accounts for an individuals intensity, direction and persisitence of efforts towards attaining a goal (Robbins, 2004). While general motivation is concerned with motivation towards the achievement of any goal, this paper will be discussing motivation in relation to organizational goals, as the focus is on work related behavior (Robbins, 2004). With regards to the definition, there are 3 key elements related to motivation. Intensity is concerned with how hard a person tries to achieve a goal. But in order for intensity to trnaslate into better performance it has to be channeled in the right direction. So, the quality of the intensity is very essential. Persistence is another dimension to motivation. It is a measure of how long a person can maintain his or her efforts. There have been numerous theories on motivation, devised and tested multiple times. But the theory I find most relevant and important to a workplace, the work be of any nature, is the expectacy theory, put forward by Victor Vroom (Robbins, 2004). Expectancy theory focuses on three main relationships. The effort-performance relationship, performance-reward relationship and the reward-personal goal relationship. In more practical terms, expectancy theory says that when an employee puts in effort o his job it is partly because he believes his effort will translate into better performance, but this performance alone would be useless to him, until and unless there are obvious benefits attached to better performance, i.e. rewards. These rewrds may be monetary or non-monetary and may vary from a promotion or pay increment to a pat on the back from the boss and a word or two of appreciation from the supervisor. This would motivate the workforce, as every individual will perceive that with this job he would be able accomplish his personal goals. 2. Define and discuss leadership. Which style is presently used in your own workplace? Which style is needed, or which style do you believe should be used to increase productivity? Leadership theories have great applications in business settings. For example, some organizations look for leadership traits when choosing a candidate for a leadership position.   Most organizations that we normally encounter look for specific personality traits of individuals such as their openness to experience, social behavior, extraversion etc. These are the traits that are associated with good leaders. Extraversion is a trait that is mostly associated with leadership emergence because extraverted people are quick to establish contacts, have usually good communication skills and are emotionally aware of others. Similarly, openness to experience is a good indicator of a leader’s ability to encounter and deal with new situations. Contemporary theories of leadership such as Charismatic leadership and Transformational leadership fit very well in the dynamic situation of the contemporary world. Contemporary leadership theories view leaders as individuals who inspire their followers through their words, ideas and behaviors. And this is so true of today’s successful leaders (Kotter, 1995).   Charismatic leadership theory can be applied to leaders such as New York mayor Rudy Guiliani, African President Nelson Mandela, and African-American leader Martin Luther King. Through his rhetoric, Martin Luther king was able to consolidate the civil rights movement and became one of the most inspiring leaders (Kotter, 1995). Contemporary leadership theories are forward looking as they emphasize on leader’s vision. A clear vision is described as one of the qualities of charismatic leaders because it is their vision that binds their followers and becomes the impetus for change. Moreover, contemporary leadership theories put emphasis on leader-follower relationship as in Leader Exchange Theory (Robbins, 2004). As employees become more empowered, leader-follower relationship becomes even more important and contemporary leadership theories provide valuable information in this regard. So, in essence, leadership has a huge role to play when it comes to the employees’ attitude towards work. Because, if a leader can inspire and motivate his or her followers, it may help bring out a more positive attitude from them, and ultimately this would have a positive impact on the productivity of the company.