Dialogue over the Interfaith Christian and Buddhist perspectives

Comprehension of an interfaith dialogue as well as its relevance is the first point that should be considered before answering the question. Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Dialogue over the Interfaith Christian and Buddhist perspectives specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In understanding this, we will all be able to have a clue on what the topic of argument is all about. We will consider Buru Dede’s perspective as the leader of our discussion. According to Buru Dede, all the discussions whose major intention is to encourage joint considerate between two or more religions can only attain his intention by only tackling his or her own religion. As long as we all concentrate on the scope of our spiritual mores, we will not be capable of articulating in a language that can be interpreted by the participants in our discussion. We are all obliged to reveal to the fullest the genuine theology only by exceeding th e customary teachings and policies. In this case, there will be higher chances of occurrence of an interfaith dialogue. For a victorious interfaith discussion, there must be an individuals tackling using his personal religious conviction. In addition to this, the participants’ religion should also be tackled. The interfaith discussion will thus be satisfactory and successful too. The joint disclosure of each person’s religion encourages mutual understanding among the participants. To begin with Tom’s idea on the existence of the sharing of certain perspectives among both the Christians and the Buddhists, I think the outlook is true. Assuming that you all know Pope John Paul II, he was a great Christian who also took part in publishing work. During his ‘Crossing the Threshold of Hope and His Holiness’ he emerged with some annotations on a Christian perspective. As stated in (Cobb 50), The Holy Father reminded us all, that â€Å"what unites us is m uch greater than what separates us †¦ It is necessary †¦ to rid ourselves of stereotypes, of old habits and above all, it is necessary to recognize the unity that already exists.† This is acceptable too among the Buddhists. Given that, you are well informed about the account of inter-religious discussions, I don’t intend to tire you by repeating its review. I think it is better to make ourselves remember certain aspects of the interreligious discussion. First the term ‘step back’ as it has been used in the context refers to reminding oneself the far one has gone some few decades back. A proof that identifies a Pope’s perspective is ‘unity that already exists’ is quite heartening.Advertising Looking for essay on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More While I was busy searching for some information on the guidelines when an individual is writing a dialogue in a WCCs booklet. The author to this book put up a suggestion as cited in (Sernett 27), â€Å"it is easy to discuss religions and even ideologies as though they existed in some realm of calm quite separate from the sharp divisions, conflicts and sufferings of humankind†. Nearly all the Christians agree to this statement. However, the reverse is true to the Buddhists. The Buddhists claim that they could only agree to the statement if â€Å"religions and ideologies often contribute to the disruption of communities and the suffering of those whose community life is broken† (Sernett 27). These differences in perspectives concerning religious doctrines have entrenched into other peoples activities. However, it is probable that individuals from the Buddhist will with time regret why they don’t do what is expected. The Christians have a holy book that is written the Holy Father in which the features are given in some kind of sequence and also emphasizes on some topics which the Buddhist can find it rough on disagreeing. The book also has opinions on which the dialogue can proceed: â€Å"†¦.there is basis for dialogue and for the growth of unity, a growth that should occur at the same rate at which we are able to overcome our divisions — divisions that to a great degree result from the idea that one can have a monopoly on truth (Smith 37). However, the faith of the Buddhist does not correspond to the dialogue the way other religions do towards the dialogue. Buddhism is not a doctrine that has salvation. Buddhists were discouraged from blind fellowship in faith matters. He advised his followers to be listening to teachings keenly and assessing personally whether they are convinced if it is the truth or not. I think Megan has a point. On building on it, I can say Buddha offers knowledge in academics as well as spiritually so that this proficiency can be applied in all fields of life both individually as well as in a group. In spite of t he fact that most of the spiritual teachings offered are anticipated to be the same in other religions, it is extra ordinary in this case. According to Buddha as cited in (Smith 37), â€Å"One is indeed, one’s own savior, for what other savior could there be? When one is in control of oneself, one obtains a savior difficult to find†. According to Buddhists perspective, one has to move into the spiritual world for his own benefit.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Dialogue over the Interfaith Christian and Buddhist perspectives specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More We may also consider another aspect which is eclecticism. This may be viewed in two outcomes. Firstly, the dissimilarity between faiths should never be rejoined where it has ceased existing. The Pope in most books exemplifies the Buddhists attitude towards salvation as being completely negative. The following is what he explains, â€Å"We do not free ourselves from evil through the good which comes from God; we liberate ourselves only through detachment from the world, which is bad. The fullness of such a detachment is not union with God, but what is called nirvana, a state of perfect indifference with regard to the world. To save oneself means, above all, to free oneself from evil by becoming indifferent to the world, this is the source of evil. This is the culmination of the spiritual process.† The Pope’s assurance is what unites all the people and its superior than what isolates people. This can help in creation of a strong foundation of faith in ones heart. Buddhism is concerned with day to day sufferings that human beings experience. According to Buddha, â€Å"it is suffering I teach and the cessation of suffering†. Christians also talk about suffering. According to Pope’s perception, â€Å"The cross remains constant while the world turns.† Buddhist is only concerned amount the r eality of evil and suffering. I would like to complete by looking at the suggestion made towards Buddhism, â€Å"the Catholic Church rejects nothing that is true and holy in these religions. The Church has a high regard for their conduct and way of life, for those precepts and doctrines which, although differing on many points from that which the Church believes and propounds, often reflect a ray of that truth which enlightens all men†. The Buddhist should thus be given a chance to be wished with a happy feast of Vesakh as we are not only taught to be tolerant but also to love one another.Advertising Looking for essay on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Works Cited Cobb, John. Beyond Dialogue: Toward a Mutual Transformation of Buddhism and Christianity. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1982. Print. Sernett, Milton. â€Å"Religion and Group Identity: Believers as Behavers,† in Introduction to the Study of Religion. New York: Harper and Row, 1978. Print. Smith, Huston. â€Å"Accents of the World’s Religions,†: Introduction to the Study of Religion. New York: Harper and Row, 1978. Print. This essay on Dialogue over the Interfaith Christian and Buddhist perspectives was written and submitted by user Willie O. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Statistics as Evidence Scaring Us Senseless

Calligrammes essays

Calligrammes essays The song settings of Guillaume Apollinaires ideographic Calligrammes demonstrate Francis Poulencs exceptional ability to unite poetry and music, without compromising the integrity of either medium. The graphical notation of the poetry presents a formidable challenge to Poulenc, requiring that he convey both the visual implications and the spirit of cubism that are fundamental to their interpretation. By creating his own musical calligram, he succeeds in synthesizing his music with the visual elements of the poetry. After modulating through Poulencs medium, the poignant symbolism of the poetry resonates with a greater intensity. Together with his profound connection to the poetry, Poulencs, Calligrammes empower a readers voice that would otherwise strain to convey the visual implications of the poetry. This analysis begins with an examination of the poetry and the implications of the ideograph; I will discuss the influences of cubism in Apollinaires poetry, the ability of Calligrammes to capture the spirit of cubism, and the appeal of the poetry to Poulenc. Next, I provides an analysis of Il Pluet (It rains), Aussi Bien que les Cigales (As Well as the Cicadas), and Voyage. The analysis will reveal that, although their mediums differed, the composer and poet employed analogous compositional techniques. Before exploring how Poulencs music successfully reflects the spirit of Apollinaires Calligrammes, one must first understand the influence of cubism on the poetry. Surfacing from the chaos of World War I, cubism was a reaction to modernism, globalization, and the subsequent increase of information that waylaid the population in the early 1900s. During the incipient throes of globalization, people struggled to process the inundation of information by juxtaposing the new and ambiguous with the preconceived and familiar. Cubism emerged d...

Case Study Sample on Honeywell International and Social Media

Case Study Sample on Honeywell International and Social Media Honeywell international and social media The firm operates in diversified technology and manufacturing processes In this regard, it serves the global community with aviation products and services as well as building technologies and motor vehicle products. The presence of the firm is widespread across the globe. This necessitates development of a forum greater than contemporary mailing that is more interactive and value-added to allow sharing of knowledge and increased efficiency in achieving corporate values of ensuring customer satisfaction. The use of social media by companies that desire excelling is emerging in the contemporary world of business. Honeywell has significantly employed this tool in its adventure of becoming the leading firm in the engineering services provision. Ideally, the firm has developed a corporate I.T team that enhances collaboration and knowledge sharing among its over one hundred and twenty thousand global work force (Meetup, 1). The use of Facebook and twitter has significantly improved efficiency, enhanced productivity and improved sharing of knowledge (Meetup, 1). All these are significant facets of Honeywell’s corporate strategy. Ideally, social networks have become Honeywell’s corporate intranet enhancing improvement of flow of work as well as provision of a framework for alliance of ideas. It is necessary to note that Honeywell social networking is not limited to the two popular sites of Facebook and twitter. The firm has discovered the power of net. In this case, it has launched some more customized versions like SharePoint which is a discussion forum. Moreover, yammer which equivalent to twitter allows employees to informally collaborate in certain ideas. Rich Hoeg has been instrumental in guiding Honeywell in its adventure to significantly revolution the use of social media towards enhancement of achievement of corporate objectives. The versatile metabolism of the use of web is credited to Rich Hoeg. Mr. Hoeg had initiated Honeywell computer training two decades ago which converted into internal and external web services in the 1990s (Meetup, 1). The contemporary development at Honeywell thanks to a completely developed e-learning and implicit library threshold is knowledge sharing. The basis and development of Honeywell is enhancement of practicability of in-house engineering blogs, labeling/social net engines as well as knowledge podcasts (Meetup, 1). This is to allow knowledge management and content development that allows collaboration of versatile knowledge among a wide spectrum of workforce spread across the globe. Once this is developed, solutions and innovations will drive Honeywell into the helm of corporate success. The baseline of the revolution of social networking is that harnessing the thinking and knowledge of this persons connected by internet is a very powerful tool which imagination may only quantify its potential in developing solutions. In conclusion, Honeywell international is a case study of how social networking may efficiently be customized into more formal uses rather than the traditional forums of interacting socially. Ideally, Honeywell has successfully used social networking sites including Facebook, Twitter and blogs to successfully allow knowledge collaboration among its over one hundred and twenty thousand employees spread across the globe. This has increased the firm’s efficiency, led to enhanced productivity and improved sharing of technical knowledge. This makes Honeywell a mega piece in offering just-in-time solutions to customers. It is mind blogging to understand the synergy that Honeywell has generated by revolutionizing social networking into systems that formally enhance knowledge sharing to give customers solutions. The future at Honeywell is developing internal engineering blogs and knowledge podcasts. Finally, the sky is the limit as to the value that Honeywell will derive both financia lly and market share and company goodwill from revolution of social networking system. Our custom essay writing service can provide you with a custom written essay on any topic and discipline. All essays are written by professional writers.

Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 92

Assignment Example Friedan wrote about the way American women who were housewives felt. They felt that they never defined themselves as to whom they were. The women felt that they had no career to identify themselves with; they needed to adjust their role as housewives. Cleaver argued that the White woman-Blackman sickness/problem needed to be brought to the open, dealt with and resolved (Cleaver 27). He concluded that, black men who had been brought up in America could experience the problem of not preferring their fellow black women, but instead prefer white women. He says that in the end, the black may feel as if he betrayed his race, and end up hating the white women. According to Friedan, the nameless problem was that of women housewives not defining whom they were, instead they engaged themselves in housewife business all the time. This problem made them seek medical intervention, only to find that the cure was adjusting their role as housewives (Friedan

What I believe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

What I believe - Essay Example However, let me affirm that no one comes to this world with any ruthless behavior, but we all acquire it from friends, peers, and the environment. I know that not all of you agree with this statement and this is the reason why I am here to elucidate on this matter. I am going to give you enough reasons to believe that everyone is kind they are born so that any skeptical person can understand the basis of my belief. In essence, the world is a very corrupt place to live in, especially for those who have no principles or loose morals. I vividly remember that when I was a young child, I did not know many of the evil things such as fighting, gossiping, and stealing but after a while, I encountered my friends doing the same. It means that people come into the world with empty and open mind but again, it all de pends on how you handle various issues and situations that come around. I assure you that everyone who portrays any outrageous behavior such as a child who beats up other children, do so because of the circumstances under which they were brought up. Certainly, you might have come across people who are well-mannered form their childhood and those who managed to change their behaviors to the better. The only inference that you can draw from such scenarios is that unkindness is an acquired and not an innate character. Neither is unkindness a personality that a person can claim to be a definition of who they are. In this respect, it is worth noting that all the bad character that you see people exhibiting are acquired and not inherent. I say this with a lot of emphasis because you have seen many people giving excuses that they behave the way they do because they were born that way. To be honest they simply acquired such behaviors from their respective environments. Before I conclude my speech, allow me to high light some of the factors that

Video news release Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Video news release - Essay Example Through undertaking a survey of 77 television stations that broadcasts to 50% of the USA population, the CMD found that there were 36 video news release that were aired by these television stations incorporated and disguised as part of their own news, without disclosing to the audience the authentic source of the video news (). However, the major problem associated with the video news release is that the television stations that broadcasts these types of news fails to balance the clients news with their own independently researched footages, so as to present to the clients the actual status of the clients. More than 75% of the USA adult population depended on television news to be informed on what is happening around the world. Therefore, the television news that is aired on a daily basis has a great influence on the ability of the people to evaluate everything, ranging from consumer products to government policies (). The government has also been known for contributing the highest p ercentage of video news release that are aired by the television news, while political parties and other politically-based organizations are keen to broadcast their opinions to the public though the use of the video news release. There has been a recent controversy over the state of the video news release being incorporated within the normal news broadcast by televisions to the public, but the controversial debate has not deterred the television stations from continued airing of the fake news (). The controversy has led the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to investigate the conduct of the television stations that incorporates corporate clients or the government released video news release as their own news. This resulted to the issuance of the FCCs April 2005 Public Notice, which provided that the television stations must always disclose the sources of their news

Legal advice ( case study) Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Legal advice ( ) - Case Study Example This will include statutes and regulations that specifically define the use of such exclusion clauses in a contract. There are two situations involved in this case that would impact on the contractual obligations of Harpreet. The first involves the agreement between the hotel and Joseph and Rebecca. Their contract already involves Harpreet having received the monetary deposit. The cancellation of the wedding reception would, first and foremost, pose the question of whether Harpreet would be obligated to return the deposit given by the couple. In the second scenario, the question posed would be the liability, if ever, of Harpreet for the damage to one of the hotel guest's cars that was parked there. Let us first tackle Joseph and Rebecca's situation. The doctrine of frustration operates in situations where it is established that due to a subsequent change in circumstances, the contract is rendered impossible to perform, or it has become deprived of its commercial purpose by an event not due to the act or default of either party1. In Taylor v Caldwell2 Blackburn J stated that ""The principle seems to us to be that, in contracts in which the performance depends on the continued existence of a given person or thing, a condition is implied that the impossibility of performance arising from the perishing of the person or thing shall excuse the performance." In this case the reception did not push through without the fault of either of the contracting parties. Both Harpreet and the couple have already partially performed their obligations under the contract with the former buying flowers, decorating the room and looking for a particular wine while the latter paid the deposit. So on t his point, Harpreet no longer has any contractual liabilities to Joseph and Rebecca since the non-holding of the reception was not the hotel's fault. The second scenario requires a more elaborate understanding of contract law. Julie's success in demanding for compensation from Harpreet for the damage to her car would depend on, 1) the exact terms of the contract she entered into with the hotel when she booked a stay there and 2) the validity of the general exemption of the hotel for damage to cars at their parking lot as shown by a sign that was posted there. Furthermore, clauses that exempt a party from liability must pass the test of incorporation, reasonable notice and construction or interpretation. On the first point, contract law is based on the fundamental principle of party autonomy. This means that the parties to a contract are free to modify the nature and extent of their liability under the contract if they so wish on the assumption that the parties have equal bargaining power. It is not so obvious from the facts given whether the hotel contract itself stipulates for an escape from liability for damage to hotel guests' cars at their parking lot. We can safely assume that the sign in the parking lot warning car owners that they park at their own risk would refer to those persons who do not stay at the hotel but rather are mere transients. Going back to Julie, the contract that she signed with the hotel when she checked in contains all the stipulations that govern their contractual relationship. Should this

The Functions of Gendar and Power within our Society Essay

The Functions of Gendar and Power within our Society - Essay Example Because the body image is integral to identity, for a woman to protest that these expectations are not realistic and perversely adolescent is to admit she does not possess it. In The Beauty Myth, Naomi Wolf (2000) states that a womans compulsion to diet and wear makeup can largely be blamed on a society that assigns value to women in a vertical hierarchy according to a culturally imposed physical standard. It is an expression of power relations that has women competing for the privileges of employment and status that men have secured as rightfully theirs (Wolf, 2000), and in a comfortably patriarchal society is important to control those women whom second wave feminism would have otherwise made relatively uncontrollable. As long as women are compelled to wear makeup and conform to an elusive beauty archetype, the seeds of the feminine essence remain. The expectation firmly places women below men in the gender order, as the sex which must prove its femininity in order to enter the masculine realm of employment, politics and to gain power (Ragins, 1999). In conclusion, the power relations in the gender order still remain in favor of man. Early feminists believed that femininity contrasted many womens lived experience, but it was not exposed as a false ideology, rather the women who questioned it were exposed as unfeminine. Women across the world experience gender discrimination in different forms and cultural stages, and even though gender impartiality is becoming stronger by the decade, this social difference is still deeply in control of cultural practice around the world, particularly in Africa, the Middle East and oriental Asian states such as China. Inequity next to women in the developing world is an overwhelming authenticity. It consequences in millions of entity tragedies, which add up to lost prospective for whole countries. (Mullins, 2005) Worldwide studies have exposed there is a direct connection between financial growth and a countries

Challenges facing advocacy in nursing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Challenges facing advocacy in nursing - Essay Example Reluctance is also a factor to nursing advocacy; nurses are in most cases reluctant to become politically involved. They have failed to attain a strong legislative voice. Legislators and policy have been seen to be more willing to deal with nurses as a group rather than as individuals; thus supporting and joining professional organizations. In addition nurse’s professional organizations generally espouse standards of care that are higher than those required by the law thus voluntary controls are often forerunners of legal controls as explained by Marquis & Huston (2008 P.89) . They should let the media know when their portrayals of nurses are inaccurate or in other words insulting. Negative picture portrayed of the Nursing profession; the nurses should fight and ensure they bring out a positive picture of their profession to others rather than just a misinterpretation. Advocacy in nursing wont succeed if a negative side of them is out their in the public, they should speak positively. Lack of media coverage is also a factor to advocacy in nursing; Nurses represent a majority number of healthcare professionals and yet they only account for a smaller portion of the quotations in health coverage by news media. Constello et al (2010 P.240) argues that, lack of appreciation from the public is of the challenges facing Nurses advocacy. There are many virtues and qualities that most nurses hold. These include clinical expertise and sharp assessment skills but in return, they do not get full appreciation from the public. Hudak et al (2008 P.130) attributes quality compensation Patient safety as posing challenge to nursing advocacy; enlightening and educating nurses about what to expect and how to cope with changes imposed by sources as Medicare thus they can learn how to advocate themselves as professionals so that a crisis can be avoided and meet the needs of aging population. Readmission of patients is also a challenge faced by nurses as they try to advocate.

Thomas Sankara And The Revolution In Burkina Faso History Essay

Thomas Sankara And The Revolution In Burkina Faso History Essay The leadership case I will be presenting is principally concentrated on one of the ambitious and young African leaders Thomas Sankara, the transformational leader, who made it to the highest rank in Burkina Faso (August, 1983), and was later assassinated by one of his friends (October, 1987). More specific focus will be put on leadership qualities displayed by Sankara both during the coup for taking over the government, and the launch of post revolution regime: the initial popularity of Sankaras leadership started to shatter in the course of executing fundamental changes. On the one hand, Sanakara as a leader of his country was facing financial and economic dependency from Western countries and donor organizations, and on the other hand, his leadership was challenged by hierarchical and corrupt system deeply rooted into the society of Burkina Faso. Sankara is known as highly charismatic and transformational leader. He had the vision to make Burkina Faso independent, which was appealing to the majority of population and therefore he quickly gained the support of many Burkinabes. Sankara was obsessed with the idea to make his country economically self-sustainable and eradicate any form of dependency. Sanakra was confronting two sided transformation: on the one hand he was dealing with social, economic, political regime, and on the other hand he had to crack social norms, moreover he wanted to do it fast. A glimpse into the history of Burkina Faso, or in general into a commonly shared experience by most African countries reveals an on-going struggle against the yoke of Western Europe. The colonization of formerly named Upper Volta was undertaken by the French in 1890s. Colonization as a whole can be described as the state of dependency imposed by an elite, educated, strong country upon a weaker one. Upper Volta became independent in 1960, yet even after acquired independence most African countries were still under the influence and control of the Western Europe. Leadership of Sankara through Trait Theory Sankaras leadership is supported by a series of leadership traits showcased in different settings and environments. Signs of leadership were observed at earlier stages: as a kid Sankara was inspired with the dream to become the savior of Upper Volta. He followed his vision by joining military forces at the age of 19. Sankara also stood out with a number of heroic acts during the war with Mali, and at later stages was rewarded with the status of captain. Sankaras flexible style of leadership allowed him to make a shift from military sector to government, where he initially served as secretary of State for Information and later was assigned as prime-minister. Prior to becoming the president of Upper Volta, Sankara was already bearing the popularity of a leader both locally and internationally. By further analyzing Sankaras leadership through the lenses of trait theory we can see that Sankara possesses a high degree of all traits common to a leader, yet his visionary plan remained unfinished, since he was killed after four years of being the head of Burkina Faso. Some leadership traits encountered in Sankaras actions were: Intelligence: Thomas Sankara was an intelligent captain, yet his intelligence was not limited to military affairs only: Sankara was equally knowledgeable about his countrys political, economic and social conditions. By becoming the head of one of the poorest countries in the world Sankara started sketching reforms in order to make an outmost utilization of their own resources rather than seeking financial support from international donor organizations, such as World Bank and International Monetary Fund. Sankaras intelligence permitted him to think about issues that were not as intensively addressed during those times, such as gender equality and environmental issues. Sankara highly empowered womens participation in different ministerial positions. Despite the urgency of myriad economic issues Sankara did not ignore environmental protection and during his leadership he organized series of tree plantations. Sankara also realized that for the development of healthy economy he should pay attention to proper education and health, therefore he undertook preventive actions against the spread of different diseases. Confidence: not only quotes and comments made by people who had had direct interaction with Sankara, but also his speeches are a high evidence of confidence. The path that Sankara undertook was extremely based on confidence. To some degree Sankara was overconfident while thinking he would be able to gain sustainable and independent state without outreaching the support of external sources. Charisma: The most common trait prescribed to this leader is charisma; it was the charisma that accelerated such a rapid transformation during 1982-83. During the short period of being a prime-minister January May 1983 Upper Volta Sankara made rapid changes in the education system, labor market. Yet his aspiration for introducing a transformational change in Upper Volta was limited to the conservative approach adapted by the president of the country which in its turn led to another big transformation revolution in 1983. Determination: Sankara was ambitiously marching forth in his endeavor to radically change the prevailing system in Burkina Faso. Determination never abandoned this leader even when he was imprisoned by the former president in 1982. However, his determination was so strong on the way of his goal, that he started using power and authority against protesting masses during the post revolution period. Sociability: despite the tense schedule during his military service Sankara was finding time to play guitar with US Peace Corps Volunteers, and engage in discussions. Some sources mention that Sankara charisma was influenced since his involvement in a music band. Integrity: most of Sankaras actions were based on integrity. I would even say integrity was prevailing in this leader to such a degree that the society could not absorb it: Sankara was not afraid to speak up against big countries, international donor organizations, corrupt officials, and he made it clear from the beginning that for Burkina Faso to prosper they cannot afford allocating 60 per cent of the countrys revenue at only 0.3 percent of its population, that all layers of society had to be given equal chances. Transformational and Charismatic Leadership of Thomas Sankara What attracted my interest in Sankaras style of leadership was his unquestionable charisma, his visionary ideas that are current until now, his foresightedness toward the development of economically self-sustainable country, and the firm commitment to his plan. In the view of many people Sankara is embedded as a leader who in the 4th of August, 1983 successfully led his country to a long-awaited democratic revolution. While Burkina Faso was undergoing severe distress caused by weak economy, high level of illiteracy, astronomically high rate of infant mortality and extremely low income, it was a high time for a transformation to happen, and Sankaras charismatic personality and the solid vision allowed him to undertake the role of the change agent. Sankaras vision was perfectly aligned with the needs of large masses in Burkina Faso: he gained popularity among young students, trade unions that were supposed to become an integral part in the forthcoming transformation, and many other individuals who appreciated Sankaras open criticism toward corrupt officials and civil servants. Thomas Sankara can be considered as highly transformational leader, not completely though. Sankzara had accumulated respect of many of his followers, and a bright proof of that was the readiness of young officers to demonstrate when he was imprisoned by the president. However, his salvation plan was rather result oriented and did not consider inputs, willingness, opinions of many individuals, which in its turn was raising frustration and dissatisfaction of some of his followers. For instance, when trying to foster consumption of local production, Sankara put restrictions on clothes made in China. Leadership Style of Sankara When analyzing leadership style of Sankara we have to keep in mind that there was a notable difference at the time when he was attempting the revolution and when he was to transform the country. Prior to the revolution his actions involved a balanced proportion of consideration to support his followers and initiating structure such as gaining the support of youth and trade unions, while the post revolution era was accompanied with application of force, orders and rules. Thus in the latter case he can be described as highly task oriented. The major problem laid in the fact that Sanakara had put high goals in front of the country and every individual dwelling in Burkina Faso. It is also worth mentioning that Sankara was the first in Burkina Faso to undertake the burden of sacrifices for the sake of long-term success: among the decrease of public workers salaries he included his own, and at the moment of his death Sankara had no real property. The latter action can be described as quite participative, by serving as a change model for others. Even though most Burkinabes shared Sankaras vision to see Burkian Faso freed from foreign dependency, not everyone was ready to such a commitment, and that was one of Sankaras miscalculations. Taken the limited resources Sankara had, the lack of support, the ambitious goals, and the limited amount of time for such changes, Sankara used the power of authority, and many Burkinabes started calling him a dictator. Recommendations Sankara was highly oriented at seeing Burkina Faso purified therefore his actions to introduce the new regime were too rapid for civilians to embrace. What he could have done differently as a leader, instead of thinking that people would share his patriotic ideas; he should have introduced the transformation in a more strategic manner by applying a bottom-up approach. For instance, identifying influential individuals for each group/community and trying to win their sympathy for his ideas or conveying the long-term benefits caused by short-term limitations. Sankara as a leader was effective, yet he needed other charismatic leaders working directly with deeper levels of society. We also had to keep in mind that application of rule against well grounded norms was not going to help especially when no other benefits were offered instead. Sankara could have used incentives, not necessarily financial, rather in terms of locally produced goods, to compensate the decrease of salaries. Finally, I would have recommended Sankara slightly increasing the level of being a diplomat: sincerity and integrity was a big advantage, but in the international arena Sankara needed support of a big ally.

Change In The Organization Weatherford International Ltd Management Essay

Change In The Organization Weatherford International Ltd Management Essay This study is focused on the topic management of change in organization. The basic learning outcome of this assignment is related to understand the change management process in organization. For this assignment the company chosen is Weatherford International Ltd. First of all the background of change that exists in todays economies and organisations is discussed. Then the key strengths and weaknesses of autocratic organisation are given in bullet points. After that the last part of first task, organisational development and its alternative forms are discussed in detail. Then the key stakeholders are identified from the Weatherford International and some of the tools and techniques to involve them in the change management process are suggested. Under the change management model topic, comparison of three major change management models is given, and then Kotters change management was suggested and discussed in detail for the implementation of on-going change in Weatherford Internationa l. The last section of this assignment is for the conclusion and some of the recommendations for chosen company. Background of change From the last decade, the world is changing dramatically than ever before. A chain of interrelated national trades in which businesses compete with each other on a really global basis. Maximum organizations are experiencing considerable changes in the manner they are managed do trading. These changes are influenced by many factors such as the degree of globalisation, changing technology, political, social economic changes at numerous different stages. These changes are happening speedily, unwillingly companies would never be the similar in structure or practice as a consequence. The continuous advancement in technology such as internet, communications technologies has made the world as a global village. Because of the several communication and collaboration tools, concept of virtual organization has emerged and physical presence is getting less important. The other influencing factor is the changing role of international bodies like world trade organization and international monet ary fund (IMF). The IMF has forced many countries to go through economic reforms. Because of the increasing globalization, many multinational companies are choosing the strategic business options of mergers and acquisitions, strategic alliances which have changed the way of doing businesses. The chosen organization for this study Weatherford International has also been gone through many mergers and acquisitions activities over last two decades. Few other change factors are like change in the consumers lifestyles and taste, competitive pressure to cut costs through economies of scale, use of outsourcing strategies for operational activities to low cost countries etc. Bureaucratic Organisation Max Weber first used the word bureaucracy. According to him, bureaucratic organisation is an official business with standardized set of rules and procedures which everyone within the organisation should follow. Though Weber had advocated this form of organisation structure, there are some disadvantages as well. Some of the strengths and weaknesses of bureaucratic organisation are discussed below. Strengths Bureaucratic organisation has got more control and monitoring through centralization system of decision making. Decision making is easy process by top management As processes are standardized, everyone has to follow the procedures and rules. Defined hierarchy of organization structure and clear rules and norms Weaknesses Due to its rigid structure, lot of chance of inefficiencies. Lack of innovation and flexibility Lesser employee participation and involvement Poor channel of communication and it is time consuming Delaying change or adaption Organization Development Organization Development (OD) theoretically defined as the planned efforts to bring change in organization to control and manage processes and people more effectively. It is also defined by another theorist as the fundamental change to fix the problems or improving the process or procedure. This OD program is specific for organization such as one change which is more relevant for one company and it is totally irrelevant for the other. Thus, this OD program is specifically applicable for particular organization. These are few objectivise of OD programs which shows that these program vary according to specific situation, but the objective of OD program remain same consistent. The alternative forms of organisational development are discussed below Quality development The first form of organisational development is through continuous quality improvements. The quality development can be achieved through various quality management systems like Total Quality Management, Six Sigma, Kizen, Quality Circles. This form focuses on four areas including customer, employee involvement, result based decision making, and integrated quality improvements. Now a day many of the organisations are adopting this form of organisational development. Technological development The increasing use of Internet, electronic mail Web conferencing tools have formed the capability of working together through time space within among the organizations. The technological development has renovated the organizational atmosphere and also the arena of Organization Development. At present there are 3 generally known technology application in organisational development: 1. Measurable, database valuation tools, like surveys feedback from members of staff. 2. Communications, collaborations and teamwork, which also include information sharing, document management. 3. Development of employees management through online training. OD specialists using technology more and more in their everyday work. Structural development This form of organizational development include variations in how the whole work of an organisation is distributed into different parts, reporting structure, means of control, the structure and arrangement of tools individuals, work flow measures etc. The structural development also includes removing or adding layer of hierarchy in the organization, restructuring through downsizing or redundancy, centralization or decentralization. This form redesigns the structures of organization and creates new relationships which results into improved performances. In order to cope with the changes in external environments, organization has to respond with making appropriate structural changes. The various organisational development interventions are as follows- Survey feedback: Through this activity, managers can get the important information and data about the various aspects related to employees. The data and information received through this form on employees attitude, their salary/wages level, working hours and conditions and also the relations with the employees is provided to the upper management. The top executives analyse the data and catch out the problems, assess the outcomes develop the alternatives to solve the problem. Process Consultation: Under this organizational development activity the process consultant meets various work teams and department members, interacts with them and detects the problem solving ways. The process consultant then provides the team with the data, information gathered via interactions, coaching, individual counselling and observations for shaping the behaviour of team members. Setting Goals Planning: Goals and plans are set by every department within an organization for productivity profitability. They send these goals and plans to the upper level. The top management then send them back to each division for further modification and after some amendments the goals for the whole organization are thus set. Managerial grid: The managerial grid classifies a variety of management conduct depending upon the various means that how operations oriented workforce oriented statuses interrelate with each other. These OD intervention emphases on the observations of behaviour in trainings explicitly associated with work. The training participants are motivated assisted to evaluate their own decision-making style. Team building- This organization development intervention consists of an application of several methods of Sensitivity training given on the job to the real working teams in different divisions within the organisation. This training is formulated to develop the skill of workers to work together as team. The organisational development activities discussed above helps in making the change happen smoothly through one of the three organisational development forms (Quality, Technological and structural). My Chosen Company- Weatherford International Ltd Weatherford International Ltd is the public listed company having products and services related to natural gas wells and crude oil processing. It is a multinational company having presence in above 100 countries and more than 43000 workers throughout the Globe. From last twenty years the company has been acquiring many companies. It also had couple of mergers such as Enterra in 1995 and Energy Ventures in 1998. External Drivers of change in Weatherford International Merger and acquisition of so many organizations in past few years forces the company to pursue a change in operations. To follow the financial regulations of SOX, this automation process will provide sufficient security to its information system. To have better customer management and supplier management system the change is needed. Internal drivers of change in Weatherford International Staff utilization is leading Weatherford to change its internal policies. The company was lacking a system for control and status updates. They required an automated solution implementation of an agreement procedure development initiative to back up business process re-engineering develop the working atmosphere. (The Corptax, 2008). Stakeholders The word stakeholder means anyone that has interest in the outcome of a programme/project. A legal, moral or economic stake/interest in an activity. Some stakeholders have more interest than others, but that is also changing. Major stakeholders in Weatherford International Top management- This includes the board of directors Employees: One of the key stakeholders of Weatherford International is employees. This includes the senior managers at corporate offices and the operating staff. Customers: The customers are the key stakeholder group in Weatherford who will affect with the change process. Suppliers: Suppliers are also one of the key stakeholders as they play major role in effective utilisation of resources. Governments- Local authorities and national, international governments Investors- Small and large shareholders General public Environmentalists Among these classified stakeholders the most powerful and influential stakeholder is employees. Among employees there are categories in which, Senior Management at corporate office are most powerful but less impacted by the change. On the other hand the employees of regional division are less powerful and highly impacted by the change. To build the good productive working relationships with the stakeholders, the company first needs to understand the degree of interests and powers of each stakeholder. This can be done by using a stakeholders mapping tool. Secondly to establish a simple and effective communication system by keeping the message and information as simple and short as possible to avoid overload. Show trust and faith in all stakeholder groups. Listen to all the stakeholders carefully. Consulting with the stakeholders is another method by which management can gather information from others by discussing with others about what action to take in particular circumstances. It means finding out their views and opinions before deciding what to do. Effective management of stakeholder relations during a change process calls for early, clear, and consistent communications. All the stakeholders must be properly informed of potential impacts and benefits of the developments and get their engagement in various projects. To the degree possible, try to provide information on the purpose, timing, and nature of the changes proposed; the anticipated environmental and socioeconomic consequences of relevance to specific stakeholder groups; and the ways in which different stakeholder groups can participate in planning, implementation, and monitoring. The actual decision-making process needs to be made more participatory to ensure that all decisions regarding the development are widely supported and understood. Consultation can help the management to identify the priorities which stakeholders have. This can benefit management as it can highlight the factors which are likely to be most important to the stakeholders and to which management should pay most attention. Change management models There are many change models researched and documented by different scholars. For this assignment three change models are discussed including Kanters model, Kotters 8 step transformation model and Lucckes change model. The following comparison of all three models is taken form the Todnem research study. Source: Todnem research study Kanter defines the first step as the analysis of organization and needs for change, Kotters defined as the developing the urgency for change and lastly Luccke defined the identification of business problems. While, these steps are common in among all these three theoretical models shown in above diagram such as creating vision for change, leadership and create policy. Also, According to the research of Todnem organizational change management process is basically divided into following major phase of plan, action, implementation and measure change performance. John Kotters 8 step change model According to Kotters model, the following steps describe the change implementation procedure. Kotters 8 step Change model, Source: www.Leadershiphub.com Business Process re-engineering- This change model was first invented by the duo Michael Hammer and James Champy in 1990. According to them business process re-engineering is not for the smaller changes, rather it is for the radical change. It helps to dramatically improve the different business processes within the organisation such as customer service, reduce operational costs. The role of information technology is vital in implementation of BPR change model. The other change models include- ADKAR model for change- This model depends upon awareness, desire, knowledge, ability and reinforcement. Kubler Ross change model On-going changes in Weatherford International Changes in the business process operations Automation and integration of different processes and workflows Changes in organisations structure due to on-going merger and acquisition activities Implementation of Change Model for on-going change in Weatherford International Ltd Weatherford International Ltd can use either business process re-engineering change model or the Kotters 8 step model to implement on-going changes in the organisation. My suggestion is to implement the Kotters change model which is discussed in detail as below. Step #1: Create the sense of Urgency The step of Kotters model suggests creating sense of urgency among the stakeholders. Unless there is a genuine concern, and the purpose well perceived, the implementation process may not have great implications and the outcome would not match the desired expectations. Primarily, the stakeholders who have greater influence on the business operations, for example, some key employee of Weatherford International Ltd , and in general the rest of them should be motivated, encouraged to participate. Step # 2: Form a Powerful Coalition by identifying key power points. Every organisation has a common culture and values which is shared by almost all the stakeholders including the outsiders such as suppliers and even customers in certain extent. Within this board organisational cultural frame work, there exists sub culture of group of same standing or position. For example: a team of 15 members with its line managers. The line manager can identify a key employee within the team who are influential and have a certain commanding. The line manager can include these members of team and form a strong coalition to influence the others team members. Naturally such a formation would compel others in the team to oblige. Step # 3: Creation of Vision for the Change implementation As much its a fact that plans well drawn help in proper and systematic execution of a project, so is the psychological factor involved in the execution. Every person requires a sense of purpose and share a vision for self- motivation. Change management would not be effective unless a clear vision is shared among the participants. The vision should be associated with better results, improvement in the present system and the benefits that can occur to the participants, and in general. The leaders should consistently engage in sharing the vision, reinstating it through various means. Training can be provided regularly, update ad sharing of vital information on new developments , all these have to be undertaken quite effectively to see desired results. Step # 4: Communicating the Vision through effective channels to the stakeholders Once the vision is identified, it should be clear communicated to the stakeholders of Weatherford International Ltd. The vision should be easily comprehendible even by ordinary person of understanding. It should be able to be broken down or give the clear direction for future action plan, the expectations of the outcome. Training can be provided regularly, update ad sharing of vital information on new developments , all these have to be undertaken quite effectively to see desired results. Ineffective communication channel or vague message would back fire the entire effort, and lead to huge wastage of resources. Step # 5: Remove Obstacles Obstacles are evident to emerge very often, no matter how well the change implementation process in designed to its core. Obstacles should always serve an opportunity to learn more about the challenges of the change process. It would that the organisation remain focused on the design, make appropriate changes to the action plans without losing the focus on the pre determined goals. A proper framework for addressing problems should be setup, each one participating in the system should clearly understand the hierarchy of authority , roles and responsibilities , so that , in the event of unexpected occurrence they should easily be able to resolve or approach the designated forum. Obstacles can be due to changes in the internal factors or external factors influencing the Weatherford International Ltds business operations and organisation. Step # 6: Create Short-term Wins In the change process management, there are objectives which are short term and long term. Weatherford International Ltd should indentify short term tasks, which can be achieved in a shorter duration. When undertaking a radical change process, it always advisable to create short term wins. The wins situation should be communicated with all the stakeholders the small victories would reinstate the faith of the stakeholders in the change system and motivate them in participating actively. This said the system should have a proper framework for to compensate and reward the participants who have actively got involved and have achieved the desired results to promote the change management in the direction. The change management along with proper implementation procedure would also require that employees are recognized within the organisation and accordingly rewarded. As a result, a good performance and sincere indulgence would be associated with personal benefits. Step # 6: Building on the Change Change is not a onetime process, but a continuous effort starting from the day the organisation mandates it until the environment surrounding the organisation is in a state of rest, which is impossible given the dynamics of the factors that influence Weatherford International Ltds business operations. Change process is a continuous effort, evaluate the short terms wins and leverage on it for the next level. Success got at the initial stage should not be considered as the final victory. Step # 6: Anchor the Changes in Corporate Culture In a long term, change management should be imbibed into the main stream organisational culture. In a long and continuous effort of change management, the process should eventually be observed into the main stream culture of the organisation. For changes to be a part and parcel of the organisational culture, the leaders should regularly alert and create awareness about the existence of the change management that is deeply rooted in every organisational activity. The perception of change management should become an inseparable part of the organisational culture in a long run; this in turn would create a platform and facilitate any major undertaking in the future. Expected Improvement after successful implementation of change If the Kotters change model is implemented successfully in the Weatherford International Ltd for the on-going change, there would be some long term benefits. The very first improvement would be in the overall business operations of Weatherford including operational efficiencies, service quality, supply chain management, reduction in wastages and cost of production and thus increase in profits. The other major improvement would be in changing companys strategic vision. The company would have clear long term vision and direction. This would boost the confidence of all stakeholders. The last but most important improvement after the change programme would be the cultural change within the organisation. Basic values and ethics in business operations shaped alongside throughout the change process would be absorbed into the organisational culture. It would serve as motivation and sense of purpose for the employees and other stakeholders to achieve and contribute to the organisational goals. Conclusion Because of the mergers, acquisitions, globalisation, revolutions in information technologies, the world is changing so rapidly. Hence in order to stay competitive, every organisation has to adapt some sort of on-going change programme. It can be concluded from this study that, because of the vibrant nature of todays businesses and world economies, it is imperative for every organisation to implement one of the change models discussed for on-going changes. If the Weatherford International, successfully implements the change programme through Kotters change model, company would receive far more long term benefits and competitive advantages over its competitors. There are some barriers to change such as resistance to change by the stakeholders, not having clear vision for change. So in order to make it happen, company needs to engage its stakeholders through stakeholder mapping process. Stakeholder engagement is a challenge and a complex and time consuming process. Working with and lear ning from other partners and stakeholders can only serve to maximise impact, reduce fatigue and reduce cost. The company would also use the various organisational development forms to make the change process even easier. Recommendations Leadership; Leadership style shows the way the organisation will be managed. The multinational corporation like Weatherford International Ltd, the company leadership should develop a strong vision and positive attitude and culture within the organisation. Empowerment and Delegation- This involves the giving of power to your team members. At Weatherford International teams needed to be empowered by letting them use their own initiatives at tackling tasks that have been awarded to them. This form an effective global structure as it causes all team members to feel very well a part of the decision making process. Effective communication As the company operations are spread over 100 countries, they should develop a strong communication system across whole organisation. Electronic communication and collaboration technology can affect both task and social dynamics positively and negatively. The company need to opt for the latest gadget on the market to enable its team and network perform to standard or above.

Hamlet †the Wise Polonius :: GCSE English Literature Coursework

Hamlet – the Wise Polonius      Ã‚   The older gent in Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet, namely Polonius, is no type character. Rather he is quite rounded and complex. This essay will explore his character.    In the Introduction to Twentieth Century Interpretations of Hamlet, David Bevington presents Polonius as similar to Hamlet in various ways:    Polonius, his [Hamlet’s] seeming opposite in so many ways, is, like Hamlet, an inveterate punster. To whom else but Polonius should Hamlet direct the taunt of â€Å"Words, words, words†? The aged counselor recalls that in his youth he â€Å"suffered much extremity for love, very near this,† and he has been an actor at the university. Polonius too has advice for the players: â€Å"Seneca cannot be too heavy, nor Plautus too light.† When Hamlet jibes at â€Å"so capital a calf† enacting Julius Caesar, killed in the Capitol, he reinforces the parallel to his own playacting and anticipates the slaying of Polonius behind the arras. (4)    In â€Å"Shakespeare’s Nomenclature† Harry Levin discusses the name â€Å"Polonius’ and other names from the play:    The Latinism Polonius reminds us of the Polish question, moot throughout Hamlet, where the onomastics are polyglot. If Marcellus and Claudius are Latin, Bernardo and Horatio are Italian, and Fortinbras signifies â€Å"strong arm† not in Norwegian but French (fort-en-bras). On the other hand, the son of Polonius has a Greek godfather in Laertes, the father of Odysseus. The Scandinavian names, at least the Germanic Gertrude, stand out because they are in the minority. (79)    What’s in a name like Polonius? Polonius’ entry into the play occurs at the social get-together of the royal court. Claudius has already been crowned; Queen Gertrude is there; Hamlet is present in the black clothes of mourning. When Laertes approaches Claudius to give his farewell before returning to school, the king asks Polonius: â€Å"Have you your father's leave? What says Polonius?† And the father dutifully answers:    He hath, my lord, wrung from me my slow leave   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   By laboursome petition, and at last   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Upon his will I seal'd my hard consent:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I do beseech you, give him leave to go. (1.2)    So right at the outset the reader/viewer respects the lord chamberlain as a very fluent spokesman of the language, and respectful of his superior, the king. Later, in Polonius’ house, Laertes is taking leave of his sister, Ophelia, and, in the process, giving her conservative advice regarding her boyfriend, Hamlet. Hamlet – the Wise Polonius :: GCSE English Literature Coursework Hamlet – the Wise Polonius      Ã‚   The older gent in Shakespeare’s tragedy Hamlet, namely Polonius, is no type character. Rather he is quite rounded and complex. This essay will explore his character.    In the Introduction to Twentieth Century Interpretations of Hamlet, David Bevington presents Polonius as similar to Hamlet in various ways:    Polonius, his [Hamlet’s] seeming opposite in so many ways, is, like Hamlet, an inveterate punster. To whom else but Polonius should Hamlet direct the taunt of â€Å"Words, words, words†? The aged counselor recalls that in his youth he â€Å"suffered much extremity for love, very near this,† and he has been an actor at the university. Polonius too has advice for the players: â€Å"Seneca cannot be too heavy, nor Plautus too light.† When Hamlet jibes at â€Å"so capital a calf† enacting Julius Caesar, killed in the Capitol, he reinforces the parallel to his own playacting and anticipates the slaying of Polonius behind the arras. (4)    In â€Å"Shakespeare’s Nomenclature† Harry Levin discusses the name â€Å"Polonius’ and other names from the play:    The Latinism Polonius reminds us of the Polish question, moot throughout Hamlet, where the onomastics are polyglot. If Marcellus and Claudius are Latin, Bernardo and Horatio are Italian, and Fortinbras signifies â€Å"strong arm† not in Norwegian but French (fort-en-bras). On the other hand, the son of Polonius has a Greek godfather in Laertes, the father of Odysseus. The Scandinavian names, at least the Germanic Gertrude, stand out because they are in the minority. (79)    What’s in a name like Polonius? Polonius’ entry into the play occurs at the social get-together of the royal court. Claudius has already been crowned; Queen Gertrude is there; Hamlet is present in the black clothes of mourning. When Laertes approaches Claudius to give his farewell before returning to school, the king asks Polonius: â€Å"Have you your father's leave? What says Polonius?† And the father dutifully answers:    He hath, my lord, wrung from me my slow leave   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   By laboursome petition, and at last   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Upon his will I seal'd my hard consent:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I do beseech you, give him leave to go. (1.2)    So right at the outset the reader/viewer respects the lord chamberlain as a very fluent spokesman of the language, and respectful of his superior, the king. Later, in Polonius’ house, Laertes is taking leave of his sister, Ophelia, and, in the process, giving her conservative advice regarding her boyfriend, Hamlet.

The Count of Monte Cristo :: The Count of Monte Cristo

The Count of Monte Cristo    The Count of Monte Cristo is an interesting tale about a sailor named Dantes who changes his whole persona in order to get back at his enemies. Dantes becomes a number of different people in order to carry out his plans. The changes Dantes went through made his different stages as a sailor and later as a mastermind of vengeance seem like day and night. Although Dantes seems very naà ¯ve at the beginning of the story, he becomes very sharp during his stay in jail. By the amount of detail and preciseness in his plans, Dantes as the Count can be looked as a mastermind. Much of Dantes’ knowledge comes from the old, thought to be crazy, priest named Faria that taught him in prison. Faria was also responsible for much of Dantes character change due to his great power of reasoning. Because Faria had given him a treasure and a hunger for vengeance, Dantes was willing and had enough money and power to carry out revenge on his enemies.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Faria is the first person that opens up Dantes’ eyes so that he can see who his enemies really are. When Dantes first meets Faria, he is overjoyed because he hasn’t seen another person, other than the guard, for years. Faria reaches Dantes by means of a tunnel that took him 3 years to dig with his makeshift tools. Even though he had limited resources, Faria made matches, a lantern, a ladder, and a knife. Faria hid all these tools behind two separate rocks in his cell. All of these things show how smart Faria really was.   Faria’s intelligence is what helps Dantes make his transformation. â€Å"There is a maxim of jurisprudence which says,   ‘If you wish to discover the guilty person, first find out to whom the crime might be useful.’ To whom might your disappearance be useful?† This quote makes it apparent to Dantes that it wasn’t just a big accident that he went to jail. When Dantes foun d this out, you could see an immediate change in his character.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   After Dantes gets the treasure that Faria gave him, he starts to put his plot for revenge into action. The first thing Dantes does after he gets the treasure is to change into the Count of Monte Cristo.

Sonys Business Strategy In The Global Environment Commerce Essay

Since 1946, Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita founded Sony as Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering Corp in Tokyo. The company commenced researching with 20 employees with a budget lower than 200,000 hankerings. The company was fabricating telecommunication and measurement equipment. Within a twelvemonth, the first merchandise was launched, a power megaphone. In 1950, the Japan ‘s first tape recording equipment was distributed to a market. When Sony eyes on conveying their wares to the international market in the mid-1950s, it seemed to be a virgin name, at the interim, because the initials TTK were antecedently selected. The company combined its name from the Latin word for sound, â€Å" sonus, † and the American word â€Å" sonny † . Regard to a trade taging grounds, the company desired to hold a word that will non be found in any linguistic communication. Many inquiries came up from an internal harmonizing to the alteration because of the clip spent on implementing its former trade name known globally, but in 1958, the name was officially changed to Sony Corp. In 1960, Sony started out its U.S. subdivision, called SONAM ( Sony Corporation of America ) , known as SCA, and the first subdivision in the United Kingdom in eight old ages subsequently. First, the subdivision was named as Sony ( U.K. ) Ltd and was changed subsequently into Sony United Kingdom Ltd. The company spreads out into Spain and France in 1973 every bit good as in German in 1986. Sony has a long history of presenting engineerings. Sony novices, in 1950, the Japan ‘s first transistor wireless, the TR-55. In a piece, the company released a minor transistor wireless. For a decennary, Sony released the universe ‘s first direct-view portable Television, the TV8-301. The company persisted in developing the Television and in a twosome of old ages manufactured the tiniest all-transistor Television. In 1989, Sony released the Handycam, a portable, easy-to-use, 8 millimeter camcorder. Six old ages ago, the company brought the universe ‘s first Blu-ray phonograph record participant into the amusement market. In 2005, Sony upgrades the Handycam to the High Definition Handycam, making the universe ‘s smallest picture camera. The Walkman is the leader merchandise from Sony forcing the SONY trade name to the top. The first version was launched in 1979. The little, lightweight portable tape participant revolutionized the manner people listened to music. It besides allowed persons to do music truly personal by utilizing earphones. In 1984, Sony released the Discman, the company ‘s first portable Cadmium participant. Since March 2009, Sony employed more than 171,300 people. The one-year gross of company in 2009 was about $ 8 billion, with about $ 1.5 billion in net income. They remain headquartered in Tokyo and have about 100 attached companies outside Japan.Particular Critical Incident of SonySony has got assorted retail mercantile establishments around the World which ensures a uninterrupted supply of merchandises to the clients. However, from these retail mercantile establishments there are a batch of rivals such as Motorola which produce similar merchandises and use the same mercantile establishments to do the merchandises reach the consumers. Due to this there is a demand for Sony to come up with schemes which can do them win over their rivals merchandises. For illustration in the late 1990 ‘s Sony lost its leading place in most of its markets merely because of improper schemes. There are assorted grounds which led to this failure and they are farther discussed and supported by assorte d schools here under ;Mintzberg SchoolsHarmonizing to Mintzberg et Al ( 1998 ) there are 10 schemes which when divided into three groups can be applicable in transporting out strategic direction procedure. The three groups are ; normative, Descriptive and Configuration. Prescriptive describes how schemes should be made instead than how schemes are formulated ; descriptive describes assorted procedures involved in the formation of scheme and constellation includes description of both descriptive and constellation. For a company ‘s scheme to work best in a given concern environment, it has to place and utilize a mix of schemes. As referred to the instance survey, the failure of Sony to take in most of its market would hold been solved by looking as to whether the scheme behind the company was working or non. The company taking place in the market would hold worked on the longer footings by placing three Mintzberg schemes of entrepreneurial, cognitive every bit good as Power schools. The entrepreneurial school focal points on cognition and intuition which directors need to be cognizant of, in the procedure of transporting out their managerial activities ( Betz, 2002 ) . The success of any scheme is chiefly based on director ‘s vision, personal intuition, judgements, experience and wisdom. As referred to the instance survey, one of the ways which seemed to be solution to resuscitate Sony was to replace the bing Chief executive officer at that clip and Howard Stringer took over the company as a new Chief executive officer in 2005. Stringer was able to resuscitate the company through efficiency and reorganisation which made different section collaborating together to accomplish a common end. Another feature of scheme which needs to be seen at Sony Company is the cognitive schools which focus on strategian head. Harmonizing to Ginder at Al. 2002, scheme depends on single ‘s apprehension and how that single manages the information used to develop the scheme. The doomed of Sony ‘s leading place was due to failures of strategians to acknowledge the growing of new engineerings. This means the strategians did non hold adequate information related to market environment. This information would hold been obtained through SWOT analysis and could assist directors explicate the company ‘s schemes efficaciously. Power School as another Mintzberg scheme focuses on power relationships of where the scheme is created. The power school requires of import characters in the organisation to dicker persuade and comfort each other in the procedure of scheme preparation. ( Betz, 2002 ) commented on his survey that scheme can be used as a tool of doing partnerships. Having a new CEO, Howard Stringer Sony reported a loss which was caused by failure of the company to convey up advanced merchandises. The new CEO and directors of the company fail to look into alterations go oning in the competitory concern environment, and hence the alterations brought loss to the company sometimes subsequently.WhittingtonWhittington ‘s theory of scheme focal points on four schools of classical, evolutionary, processual and systemic. The school which relate to Sony Company is evolutionary theory. Harmonizing to Doty et Al ( 1993 ) the evolutionary school focal points on the environment as the chief factor instead than rational attack suggested by other schools. The Evolutionary attack believes that organisational environment is the biggest factor in the preparation of concern scheme therefore the preparation of scheme must be reflected to the environment since it is unpredictable and mutable. In add-on to that the theory supports on emphasizing that net income maximization is determined by markets and non directors. Whittington concludes that rational attacks can non find the endurance of houses in the selling environment but it is development which determines it. In development, competition is overcome by the battle and endurance of the house from which the rule of natural choice is translated into the scheme for the best public presentation. Sony failure to be a leader in the planetary market can be linked to the evolutionary school due to miss of market information. Bing a leader in the market, top direction was supposed to be cognizant of the conditions predominating in the market including invention and technological promotion which could assist the company keep its leading place. On the other manus, when the new CEO, Mr. Stringer took over the company he seemed to be less concern with the environment alternatively he focused on reorganisation. The sections in the company functioned independently and made the CEO to see it as a chief cause of the company ‘s failure to globalise. The Chief executive officer was supposed to look at what the company is bring forthing and do comparing with the merchandises available in the selling environment to keep the leading place of the company. Successful organisations are those that most efficaciously interact with their environments ( Hambrick 1982, Pfeffer and Salancik 1978 ) . Organizational Performance is dependent on the organisation ‘s ability to aline or fit its schemes, constructions, and processes to its environment. Alignment depends on the organisation ‘s ability to obtain relevant information about its current and future environment. Environmental scanning is the procedure by which an organisation collects environmental information, which is utilized in its strategic direction procedure. Therefore to be a leader and go success in its planetary markets it was suppose to scan its environment and any information obtained should be incorporated into the company ‘s scheme every bit good as constructions and procedures within the company. While making that, the top direction has to do certain that information is shared among assorted members of the company chiefly between the sections. Corporate CEO is a individual whose determinations take the company in the coveted way. Most of the CEOS are leaders in the environmental motion. It is clip to acknowledge that their committedness is critical to success. The universe economic system is now propelled by venture capital and proficient invention. Barney ‘s ( 1991 ) says that organisational resources are said to be embedded in the organisation, squad based, and capable to causal ambiguity. Such capablenesss are besides really much in line with the â€Å" modus operandis † . Here we focus on managerial accomplishments at running the concern or a portion of the concern. The success of the Sony, at the beggary was good known but later on the company experienced losingss merely because of its hapless organisational construction in which sections ‘ maps independently from each other. The results indicated that segmented and isolated work to team-based operations is important to organisational market leading. Organizations operations should be carried out in line with undertaking forces for short-run job resolution exercisings, and with cross-functional and cross-hierarchical squads to accomplish longer-term aims and specific undertakings of an ongoing nature. Moss Kanter ( 1983 ) argues that such squad mechanisms promote the circulation of resources, information and support. The tendency, hence, has been off from segmented and isolated constructions with small communicating and interaction between countries and different degrees, to a state of affairs where interaction and integrating are seen as being indispensable to operations. No longer do functional countries concentrate merely on their ain undertakings. Now they are made cognizant of the work of other countries and how they can be of aid to them. Interaction through squads and webs ensures that the wider image of the organisation is understood. Team-based work ensures a more flexible and adaptable attack to work makes possible the wider exercising of liberty and duty, gives rise to increased interaction, communicating and information flows, and makes work more gratifying for those involved.Strategic DecisionsGlobally, SONY is perceived as the trade name whose merchandises are of high quality, with the presence of rivals the company has to do certain that it has a tool of competitory advantage in or der to get the better of the approaching rivals and get larger market portion. In order to accomplish the planetary aspirations the company has to see the following cardinal strategic determination ; Harmonizing to Gupta and Govidarajan ( 2001 ) , any company wishing to function its markets globally will hold to do four nucleus determinations refering ; The markets the company wishes to run The merchandises to vie in the planetary market The manner of come ining the market Time/speed of entryPlague analysisOn the other manus SONY Company has to utilize PEST analysis to obtain the necessary information which helps the company to analyse and measure the competition it is confronting. PEST analysis involves ; Political forces such as Government policies and statute law Political stableness Public involvement groups ( consumer watchdogs ) Economic forces such as Exchange rates Inflation Social forces such as Changes in life style ( faster gait of life taking to a demand in products/services which enable people to make things more rapidly and handily ) Manner and tendencies Technological forces such as Fast gait of technological alteration Research and development ( a demand for increased budgets to maintain measure with the gait of technological alteration ) Opportunities for invention The cost of engineering ( reducing/increasing ) Increased ordinance ( wellness and safety facets of new merchandises )SWOT analysisBesides Sony ‘s SWOT analysis is one of the schemes which the company will hold to do in order to achieve its planetary aspirations. SWOT analysis will assist the company to fit its strength and failings against chances and menaces available in the environment in which the company operates. Strengths for illustration skilled work force, good systems and strong trade name Failings for illustration unequal resources, high cost base and decelerate internal determinations. Opportunities for illustration dining economic system and stylish merchandise Menaces for illustration – Global competition and industry repute.Porter ‘s five forcesIn add-on to that the SONY Company has to utilize Porter ‘s five forces analysis as a competitory scheme which postulates the impact that other organisations pose on the company. Porter ‘s five forces include ; New entrants, Sony ‘s planetary aspirations and High cost of entry to organize a barrier to entry rivals. Features of replacement merchandises as to whether they are, Cheaper, Different and better Existing participants chiefly competition within the industry such as Apple and Samsung. Suppliers ; Supplier concentration, Bargaining power, Supplier extension every bit good as Fixed/variable cost. Customers ; Buyer concentration, Customer trueness, Switch overing costs and Buyer motivations.Porter ‘s DiamondIn order Sony to accomplish its planetary aspirations, it must be prepared to get the better of strong competition in the planetary electronics concern market. Porter ‘s diamond theory concludes that the state in which the organisation is based can strongly impact the organisation. Harmonizing to Johnson et Al. 2006, the state in which the organisation is based can assist in making a tool of competitory advantage by supplying factors from which the organisation can explicate the advantages. The factors include factor conditions, demand conditions, house ‘s scheme, construction and competition and related and back uping industries. Beginning: hypertext transfer protocol: //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File: The_Porter_Diamond.svgThe Porter ‘s DiamondOrganization ‘s can derive competitiveness utilizing four factors presented in the Porter ‘s diamond scheme ( Matsuyama and Vanderbrink, 2003 ) . The conditions bing in the local environment clime and policies can be tracked utilizing the house ‘s scheme, construction every bit good as competition. Information about competition and local market influence can be collected utilizing demand conditions. If related to Sony Company, the lone factor conditions, which will assist to make competitory advantage, are invention and engineering betterments. Having produced assortments of electronics merchandises, invention will do the company to come up with new, good differentiated merchandises and quality merchandises. In order to accomplish its planetary aspirations Sony Company can utilize merchandise development scheme to ease its advanced patterns.Merchandise developmentNew merchandises in current markets – this may intend perfectly new merchandises or loops of other merchandises to do them more suited to the known market. The benefit to the administration is ; if the new merchandises are successful, the cost of marketing a broader scope of merchandises to the market is less in relation to the larger grosss generated. The hazard involved here is that new merchandises can hold a high failure rate.Execution Challenges in the Global MarketMichael, J. ( 1999 ) International relation of production mediated either by the market through internal minutess of the transnational corporation ( MNCs ) , are distributing quickly to the most parts of the universe. Porter, E ( 1998 ) Trade liberalisation has brought competition among enterprisers in the universe, as consequence ; invention remained the cardinal arm for concern to last within a market. However, alteration within an organisation is a measure frontward toward to acknowledgment of a concern menace. Menace of concern can be internal or external, whichever manner, Koontz and O'Donnell ( 1984 ) Contributed on the issue of direction within an organisation † Five countries were identified which makes directors to be proactive in their public presentations an compulsion with reactivity of clients, invention in all countries of the house, partnership – means sharing across stakeholders and derive connexion with all people around organisation † Harmonizing to the academic school, the Kurt lewin alteration was assumed to be a necessary within the organisation if at all a company mean to convey alteration. However, Howard Stringer ( CEO ) of Sony Company has made some necessary alterations into Sony Company, which lead to some sensible alterationThe jobFrom The company expert analyst major job for Sony was a awkwardness of oversing its merchandise. This job was associated with company civilization which prevented sharing information among other section. When main executive of Sony Company came to gain the job, new scheme was implemented to decide a job. The jobs were solved, but the major 1 was to reconstitute the whole administration. February 2009, in one of ( CEO ) his critical addresss he said â€Å" There is still a batch of the old Sony, and non plenty of the new which constraints our fight † . Haward Stringer said Mintzberg et Al ( 1998 ) the school theoretical account scheme prognosis to do certain that internal and external capableness are step. This means a scheme should be planed diligently from the top to the underside of the administration, by specifying the major obstruction to impede alteration. Otherwise, alteration starts inside, where member of the administration, their mentality should be influenced to get by with the alteration required. Kurt lewin theoretical account argued that alteration has a procedure ; this procedure starts to, dissolving ; traveling and refreezing Cummingss and Worley, ( 2002 ) . However other theoretical account described lewin theoretical account gaining the importance of whole people ( members ) of the administration to back up alteration.it is good thought to act upon bulk get downing from top side of the direction construction to the underside by explicating why alteration was necessary for the administration. This may cut down the impact of opposition for alteration. Ivancevich and Matteson ( 2002 ) There different types of alteration, but alteration of behavior and height and values are the most major which in bend consequences to travel the administration at different degree of production. Harmonizing to the proclamation made by CEO of Sony Company early 2009, foremost and foremost alteration was for organizational civilization, beliefs come from the perceptual experience and consequence it is fruit itself. If the company managed to alter staff beliefs, turn negative height to positive height the consequence is to do alteration happen. Harmonizing to Maslow ‘s Hierarchy of demands, as director should understand the complexness of human demands. If this was instance, â€Å" the inquiry which is raised that, how an employee can run into the organizational demands ( Objectives ) if the company director has non fulfilled an employee demands? † Maslow ‘s theoretical accounts recognised that, nevertheless a basic demands should be fulfilled at least so every bit far as you meet an employee demand from bottom to exceed of the hierarch, perceptual experience of many employees is security. Refreezing degree this is the degree whereby a company a company is looking to brace the alteration in a new manner, confidence to staff is made and they feel unafraid therefore they will be able to present the quality as required by the administration. Example is where by a company will come in into the market chest frontward with a merchandise which meets â€Å" beyond clients the outlook † such as laptops by Sony ‘s merchandise. Very little and easy to maintain into a little pocketbook in fact person with piece in head has to come up with this invention etc. Therefore motive is most of import if truly alterations are planned. The meet a end has been defined, a company will specify how far is looking to make in the market! This inquiry automatically will be answered by the SWOT ANALYSIS discussed in the text above. â€Å" Every civilization has their say! † Swahili linguistic communication acknowledges the usage of the word â€Å" the caput is a moist † significance every determination should be pass foremost to the caput of the administration. Kurt Lewin supported that by back uping to seek support from the caput of the administration.MentionsBurnes, B ( 2004 ) ‘Managing Change ‘ 4th edition, England: Prentice Hall. Cumming, T. G and Worley, C. G ( 2001 ) ‘Organization development and alteration ‘ United statess: South-Western College. Govindarajan, V. and Gupta, A. K. ( 2001 ) ‘Mastering Global Business ‘ Hrsg: Fiscal Time, Great Britain, p.98. Harris, N. ( 2000 ) ‘Business Economicss: Theory and Application ‘ Oxford: UK, p.132 Ivancevich, J. and Matteson, T. ( 2002 ) ‘Organizational Behaviour and Management ‘ 6th edition, North Amarica: McGraw-Hill. Karlof, B. and Gilderson, A. J. ( 1993 ) ‘Business Concept: A Concise Guide ‘ USA: Routledge, p.190.Mark Kennan ( 2010 ) ‘Sony Corporation History & A ; Background ‘ [ Online ] Available from: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.ehow.com/about_5176244_sony-corporation-history-background.html ( Accessed: 3 April 2010 )Michie, Jonathan and Grieve Smith, John ( 1999 ) ‘Global instability: the political economic system of the universe economic administration ‘ London: Ruthledge, p.112. Mintzberg, H. ( 1994 ) ‘The rise and autumn of strategic be aftering ‘ London: FT Prentice Hall. Mintzberg, H. et Al ( 1998 ) ‘Strategy Safari: The complete usher through the natural states of strategic direction ‘ New York: Prentice Hall. Mullins, L. J. ( 2002 ) ‘Management and organisational behavior ‘ 6th edition, England: Prentice Hall. Raynor, M. E. ( 2007 ) ‘The Strategy Paradox ‘ New York: Doubleday Business. Smartbrief.com ( 2010 ) ‘Sony Corporation ‘ [ Online ] Available from: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.smartbrief.com/news/cea/companyData.jsp? companyId=3938 ( Accessed: 4 April 2010 ) Sony Global ( 2010 ) ‘Sony Corp. Info ‘ [ Online ] Available from: hypertext transfer protocol: //www.sony.net/ SonyInfo/CorporateInfo/ ( Accessed: 2 April 2010 ) Sony UK ( 2010 ) ‘The History of the Sony Corporation ‘ [ Online ] Available from: hypertext transfer protocol: // www.sony.co.uk/article/id/1060176719725 ( Accessed: 2 April 2010 ) Usb4ever.com ( 2007 ) ‘The History of Sony Corporation ‘ [ Online ] Available from: hypertext transfer protocol: // www.usb4ever.com/Sony/sony-corporation.html ( Accessed: 4 April 2010 ) Whittington, R ( 2001 ) ‘What is scheme, and does it count? ‘ 2nd edition, London: Thomson.

Psy 375 Senior Interview Essay

1. What is the environment of your home like? Busy, before they got guardianship of their grandson, life was quiet and there was not very much that had to be done around the home. Once their grandson came to live with them at age 3, life became â€Å"a buzz† again. â€Å"Before our grandson came to us, we usually would get up in the morning, sit and relax as we drank our coffee and had a quiet breakfast together. Now, we (her and her spouse) are up early to get our grandson ready to go to school. † She also says â€Å"We had time for the things that we wanted to do in our later years of life, visiting family, traveling and such. Now our time is dedicated to raising our grandson who keeps us going and on our toes but we would not change the situations we are in now for the world. † 2. Has aging changed the home environment? Yes, when they were younger, they had the energy and health to do the things they wanted to. Sally says â€Å"With age came some small struggles to stay at the pace we had always had when we were younger. Things that were always easy slowly became more time consuming, housekeeping used to be something that I could complete pretty quickly; now, I am a little slower (with the help of my grandson). Otherwise, she says â€Å"life keeps us all busy. † 3. Do you rely on others for help with any activities in the home? Sally answers â€Å"No, we are still able and willing to do our chores and keep up with the necessary tasks that we have. Although, we do have â€Å"John† (grandson) visit family a few times a month so that we have time to recharge. † 4. Do you still drive? If so, how has aging changed how you drive? Sally answered, â€Å"Yes, we both (her and her husband Mike) still drive. Driving is something that you would think would stay the same as you grow old until you get old. When I am driving now, I feel like everyone is in a rush to get where they want to go and here I am taking my time, trying to be safe while all around me are probably cursing me and saying â€Å"Damn old lady is driving so slow. † (She laughed as she made the last remark. ) 5. What changes in your home do you face as you get older? Sally answers, â€Å"As my husband and I get older, we are starting to be slower at things that once took us very little time. I think as we continue to get older, we will continue to get slower. † She also says, â€Å"With having our grandson home with us, he is helping us when he sees us even struggle a little with even small things. I think as we get older, he will be the one to help us more than anyone else. Recreational Activities: 1. In the past, what did you do for recreation? What do you do now for enjoyment? Sally answers, â€Å"When we were younger and our children were at home with us, we would spend a lot of time outdoors. We loved to go camping, fishing and hunting as a family. As our children got older, they all had things that they were involved in that took that time away that we had for the fun things. † She then explained that as her and her husband grew older, that they became more focused on the things that they wanted to do like traveling and visiting family. Sally then explained â€Å"Now that we have our grandson, I go to the movies, library, and toy shopping an awful lot. † But then she explained that she takes pleasure in spending time with her grandson doing the things that he likes to do because she â€Å"loves to see the smile on his face. † Sally also explained that they are active members of a church that they go to twice a week (Wednesdays and Sundays) and they get great pleasure out of the service. 2. How often do you participate in these activities? Sally says â€Å"When â€Å"John† is a good boy at school and does what he is told here we usually take him out about once a week to do something special. † She then explains, â€Å"Church is a large part of our lives. We go to church not only to worship but also to have time with people that are around our age with and are like-minded. † 3. Have the things that do for recreation changed as you aged? As stated above, in their younger years, their recreation revolved around their family. As they got older, she says â€Å"The things we did slowed. We were not out all the time we possibly could have been. † Sally says, â€Å"We now spend time where we feel most comfortable, church and doing things with our grandson are what we do most now. † Social Support and Interactions: 1. Who do you interact with on a regular basis? Is this the same amount of contact you had in younger years of life? Sally says, â€Å"On a daily basis, my husband and grandson. I usually call my sister every couple days and see how she is doing and on a weekly basis the brothers and sisters I have at church. † She also says, â€Å"In the past, we had friends and neighbors that we were in contact with on a daily basis but as time went on, the friends we have kept are passing away or just losing contact with them all together. It is hard getting older and watching the friends you have start to pass away, it make me think that I will not always be here and then it makes me worry about who will keep our grandson when we are gone. † 2. Do you participate in any social clubs? Sally says, â€Å"The only real structured social club, if you can call it that, would be church activities. On Wednesdays, we go to church for bible study and social time where we talk with our friends there and on Sunday, we go to service that provides us with God’s word and time with our church brothers and sisters. † Meaningful Activities: 1. What gives your life meaning? Sally says, â€Å"My family is what gives my life meaning. I try to do as much as possible to stay in the loop of what is going on with my children and grandchildren. My children have always been the reason that we have worked so hard. We always wanted them to have the better things in life and we wanted them to be happy. † She also says â€Å"Now, my life revolves around taking care of â€Å"John† and making sure he feels that everything is okay and that he has a stable home to grow up in. † 2. Do you still engage in these activities as you did when you were younger? Sally says, â€Å"When we were younger, we had a lot more activities when our children were young. As they grew up, moved out on their own and had families of their own, our lives quieted down and the activities we were always doing changed into activities that â€Å"Mike† and I wanted to do until we got â€Å"John† and once we got â€Å"John† life became busy again with all of his activities. † Mental Stimulation: 1. In the past, what did you do to keep your mind sharp? Sally says, â€Å"In the past, I had my work to keep my mind sharp. I was a secretary at the middle school in the town we live for almost 20 years and was always busy with the tasks that were I had to do. My children also kept my mind going and I loved helping them with their homework because this helped me keep my mind working and remembering how to do problems like math and science. † 2. What do you do now to keep your mind sharp? Sally says, â€Å"Now to keep my mind sharp I do a lot of word and number puzzles. I love to do Sudoku puzzles and word find puzzles. Sudoku puzzles really keep my mind working because sometimes I feel like my hair is on fire when I am done with them (she chuckles.) I also spend time with â€Å"John† to helping him with his homework and I think this helps to keep me learning still because I have noticed that the way children are taught now has really changed from when I had my children in school. † Physical Activities: 1. In the past, what did you do to keep physically fit? Sally says, â€Å"In the past, when my children lived at home, we were always on the go. We would go places where we would walk and hike through the woods like when we would go hunting or fishing. We lives close to the corner store so we would also just walk to the store when we needed a few things instead of get in the car and drive. † She also says â€Å"I never was a really big health nut who was always worried about exercise because my weight was never an issue. I felt that is my weight was good then I was getting plenty of exercise. † 2. What do you do to keep physically fit now? Sally says, â€Å"Nowadays we love to take â€Å"John† for walks at the local trails. It’s nice to be out in the fresh air and be able to not only spend time with â€Å"Mike† and â€Å"John† but to get a little exercise because I have noticed that the older I get the less muscle I seem to have. † â€Å"It seems like the little things are more of a challenge than they were in previous years. Even just opening a jar is sometimes a challenge. † 3. Are you able to keep up with the daily physical stresses that you are tasked with on a daily basis? Sally says, â€Å"Yes, it seems like I am still doing a pretty good job keeping up with everything I have to do on a daily basis (as she looks around her living room. ) She also says â€Å"Keeping a house clean is a chore in its own when you have a grandson to pick up after everywhere he goes. † She also says, â€Å"I get around to the things I need to do now when I get to them. I used to try to make sure the house was perfect when my children and â€Å"Mike† would come home each day and thought that having a clean house for them, food cooking and clothes laid out for them daily was what I was supposed to do. Now that I think about it, I would have much rather of been having fun with them instead of being worried about the house. † Ending the interview, her last statement is, â€Å"Life now is a little bit harder than it was when I was younger. It seems like the older I get, the slower I am. † She then tells me, â€Å"Make sure that you spend your time doing what makes you happy. †