Designing New Clothes

Islam and Fundamentalism essays

Islam and Fundamentalism essays The impact of Islamic Fundamentalism on the World as it relates to terrorism. Muhammad was born into the trading society of Mecca in 570. He was a part of one of the dominant tribes, the Qu'raish.1. Mecca was a great trade city and was a stopping place for merchants and businessmen of all races, religions, and countries. In general, it was open to the world. Although Mecca continually struggled for supreme power and went through many leaders, Mecca's strength was the ability of the people to form a common mind for the "common good" . Not much is known about this man during the first forty years of his life other than the fact that he married a rich widow and later they had a daughter, Fatima, who became the wife of the great warrior, Ali. However, around 610, Muhammad claimed that after meditating in the desert God had revealed many messages to him concerning life. These revelations came from the angel Gabriel, who Muhammad claimed God had used to call him to publish his religion . Muhammad's revelations were written shortly after his death and they are now called the Qur'an. After these experiences in the desert, Muhammad claimed to be a prophet of God with the great desire to guide others by God's message. So, he began to preach to those around him in. The people of Mecca at this time were involved in a religion called Ka'aba meaning "black stone," in which they literally worshipped a black stone. Those following this religion believed that many objects, other than the black stone, possessed spirits and power. Therefore, Muhammad's message asserting the lordship of Allah was not well received at first. The people called him a sorcerer and false prophet and claimed that he was possessed2 and in 622 Muhammad was forced to flee Mecca. He had been condemned by Meccan authorities who held to Ka'aba3 (Guillaume, p.124). This escape is now called the year of the Hegira ("Flight") and marks the first year on the Muslim calendar1 (A...

Management 3010 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Management 3010 - Essay Example lity, alignment and engagement should also be assessed as they are three competencies that every company requires to succeed in the current business environment. Jean Martin (2013), further states that talent management drives tremendous business results and points out some of the associated trends. The first trend that she considers is the changes in the complicated new work environment as far as the structure of the organization is concerned which has resulted in a shift in the manner in which work gets done. There have also been shifts in the number of people who are required to make decisions in companies in the past several years as well as changes in demographics in the workforce with has resulted in the workforce of organizations having three to four generations of workers working together. These different generations may have varying preferences, knowledge backgrounds and work styles. Additionally, employees have to deal with the new complicated work environment of organizations while at the same time seeking more from what they have creating a difficult changed environment. With the changes in the environment of the organization, th e demands for better performance from the workers have increased straining them with newer realities like changes in the amount of work that needs collaboration with other workers. According to Jean Martin (2013), four generations constitute the current workforce. These generations include the veterans, who are those that were born prior to 1946 and are associated with a strong work ethic. Majority of them served in the military and thus usually respect their seniors, while being associated with dedication and self-sacrifice. The baby boomers are those who were born in 1946 and 1964 and are thought to have come up with the sixty-hour workweek whilst being too competitive in some instance. This generation of workers turns endings to beginnings and they consider retirement as the beginning of their career’s transition. The

Building a marketing website for bed & breakfast outline

Building a marketing website for bed & breakfast - Outline Example well structured and probing questions which are asked to various clients and other stakeholders in order to obtain useful information helpful in the development of the system. Questionnaires give the developer a chance to ask his/her respondents questions that are vital for the design of the website but the stakeholders are not aware of. Care should be taken in the construction of the questionnaire to avoid inappropriate questions that may not necessarily show the opinion and views of the stakeholders (Inflectra, 2010). The questionnaire should not be too long or take much of the respondent’s time as this might lead to the respondent to answering superficially. The questions should also flow sensibly in order to make the respondent enjoy answering them. This is the most appropriate way to determine the contents of a website. It involves observing the stakeholders of the business as they engage in their day to day activities and then recording the events. Observing is critical as the developer is able to know what he/she will require in developing the website from first hand information. It also ensures that the stakeholders will be able to use the site with ease. This method also helps in validating information gathered from other methods like interviews. A disguised observation is preferred as the respondents (customers and the management) are unaware that they are being observed and therefore will act in their natural way (Requirements, 2010). An interview is valuable in getting the background information about the business problems and position currently and also to have a wider perspective of what other bed and breakfast websites includes. The interview should be wide enough to cover all the stakeholders of the business so that the website will have all the information required by any stakeholder. Interviews are essential as they will provide the developer with a chance to probe further for more information (Nancy, 2008). Unstructured interview is more

Education Business Partnership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Education Business Partnership - Essay Example Schools on the other hand supported the initiative unanimously. At the time of the bid, Newham was the most deprived local authority in England, and deprivation in three of the wards in the zone was worse than elsewhere in the Borough. Consequently the aim of this paper is to assess the effectiveness of partnership and the quality and impact on education in Newham. Burke J (1995) By establishing a strong working relationship with a wide range of partners. The business partners are committed to improving education in the area and also making a vital contribution to the zone's work. Schools are frequently working in clusters and as a result head teachers and governors are increasingly responsible for deciding how the zone's resources should be used. This has led to an increase in the number of initiatives, despite justifiable complaints from teachers that there are already too many. Although communications between clusters are not as good as they should be, attainment is improving at a better rate than elsewhere in the country, even if results remain well below national averages in external examinations for 16-year-olds. This improvement is, in part, the result of zone initiatives. Buss D (1995) Attendance is now close to the national average in primary schools and teachers are confident about the improvement in behavior that has been achieved substantially by the zone initiatives. At the secondary school attendance is improving, even among pupils with a history of persistent absenteeism. Green away D & Tuck J (undated) Professional development includes training in lesson observation, and this is improving the quality of teaching and learning in general. Attainment in ICT has improved because teachers are better trained and pupils have access to more and better equipment. At first the activities to promote social inclusion were unsuccessful but the new arrangements are having more impact. Modest expenditure on the arts has raised standards and improved pupils' attitudes to education. Zone support for its one secondary school has been substantial and helped move it out of special measures. Buss D (1995) Increased Enrolment Over recent years there has been a significant change in the population of the area, with a growth in the number of families of minority ethnic background and of refugees and asylum-seekers. One zone school, for example, has over 60 languages represented. At the same time there has been substantial regeneration, including a new exhibition centre and housing redevelopment, bringing with it a mix of residents. From the outset the zone included two nurseries, one infant, 16 primary, and one secondary school. Three of the primaries are church schools. A new primary school, Britannia Village, was added in June 2000, shortly after it opened. Burke J (1995 At the time of the bid three of the primary schools and the secondary school were in special measures and one primary school was judged by its inspection to have serious weaknesses. At the time of the inspection three different schools were in special measures and four had been judged to have serious weaknesses. When the zone started, attainment in its schools was below the national average but broadly in line with those in other LEA schools for pupils aged seven. At ages 11, 14 and 16 attainment was

Business Have Social Responsibility Other Than Maximizing Profits Philosophy Essay

Business Have Social Responsibility Other Than Maximizing Profits Philosophy Essay Companies do not operate in vacuum, according to Times of Malta (2010), yet they are a necessary part of society in which they operate. As a result, like any other responsible social citizen, businesses also have certain social responsibilities to fulfill such as maximizing profit without which the very existence of the businesses would be in jeopardy. There is of course another very vital reason as to why businesses should be considerate about fulfilling their social responsibility. If they perform as socially responsible citizens they would gain social approval that would enhance their goodwill among prospective customers and this in its turn would increase their sales. Moreover, they would not attract governmental penalties that would be their business in any risk of shutting down. Any form of unethical social acts will make it that much more difficult for them to convince prospective customers and impact will be more severe and more damaging to their organization than one can ima gine and can jeopardize their business to close down. The added problem of penalties imposed by the government, which would make it even more difficult for them to survive. At this stage, the difference between charity and social responsibility must be clarified. For example donating funds to a hospital is sure a creditable act it cannot be called as fulfilling social responsibility as a business does not fulfill any responsibility by doing charity. It is not obliged to do an act of charity but it is obligated to the society to fulfill its social responsibility. Carrying this similarity a little further, if a businessman earns money through illegal means and uses that money to open and run a hospital that treats poor patients free of cost, still that businessman cannot be said to have carried out his social responsibility. A business is said to be socially responsible if it does not engage in any activity that might harm the society even if it increases profit in the short run. Soci al responsibility of businesses implies nonparticipation in cheating customers through false advertisements and eliminating dishonesty to society itself. Social responsibility also includes decent working conditions to employees and taking care of their health and welfare. Profit, not social responsibility, should be the sole motive of business Profit itself should be the main aim of businesses. It might apparently sound rather outrageous, especially if we view this statement from the perspective of distancing profit from ethics and morality. Society may tend to view profit by itself as something unethical and immoral and any attempt at making profit is looked upon as being manipulative to society Milton Friedman illustrates, The Social Responsibility of Business is to Increase its Profits (Friedman 1970), tries to put things in proper perspective by discussing certain very basic and relevant issues in regards of businesses increasing profits as the initial goal. Before society look s into what is exactly meant by social responsibility of corporations one has to admit that corporations initial goal have a long prosperous future and are not expected to have similar social responsibilities that are not involved in the business aspect. At the most, one might admit that these businesses can have social responsibilities that would, quite obviously, be different from real social responsibilities of real persons that do not own businesses. Honoring social responsibility therefore falls on managers of those corporations as they are persons that implement and execute policies and activities. This brings us to another important aspect, that is, the relationships between managers and their stockholders, who are the real owners, of a corporation. Managers are responsible of any action on their part to fulfill so-called social responsibility. However, this does not mean that managers being individual citizens cannot do anything to fulfill what they might perceive as social responsibility. But they can do so with their own money and not with companys funds whose money and utilization has to be done according to the wishes and desires of their stockholders as they are working as a team for their business. Stockholders on the other hand can also with their own money engage in any form activity that they may believe to fit as fulfillment of social responsibility. Freidman also explains that That is why, in my book Capitalism and Freedom, I have called it a fundamentally subversive doctrine in a free society, and have said that in such a society, there is one and only one social responsibility of businessto use its resources and engage in activities designed to increase its profits so long as it stays within the rules of the game, which is to say, engages in open and free competition without deception or fraud.(Freidman, 1970) So, it is perhaps clear that the whole concept of corporate social responsibility is more of a controversial nature rather than hav ing a solid and logical base. But does that mean corporations should never engage in any activity other than profit maximization? The answer obviously cannot be in the No. According to Cosans in his scholarly article The Coperate Stake in Social Cohesion, a corporate has to operate within the legal and ethical norms of the society in which it operates and any violation of those norms would surely invite executive penalty and social censure and consequent loss of goodwill. Therefore, no corporation can take such a risk and can never engage in any activity that is either illegal or unethical (Cosans 2008). A corporation can surely set free the concepts of social responsibility if its investors decide so. A donation for a charitable purpose can be considered as an act of social responsibility, it can also be seen as an act that is motivated by genuine unselfishness to unwell and ill organizations less privileged individuals. Yet, it is perhaps needless to state that such attempts are t riggered purely by profit maximization motive and surely not social responsibility. As Freidman states if businesses to want to be socially responsible they must do it at their own expense The difficulty of exercising social responsibility illustrates, of course, the great virtue of private competitive enterpriseit forces people to be responsible for their own actions and makes it difficult for them to exploit other people for either selfish or unselfish purposes. They can do goodbut only at their own expense. (Friedman, 1970) So, however one may look at it, the main objective of corporations firmly remain maximization of profits. Corporations must fulfill their social responsibility John Steinbeck in his classic Grapes of Wrath had described profit making in such an controversial viewpoint that any one reading that text would instantly become a hater of large corporations. The setting is indeed overemotional where we find the bank on one side and the unfortunate starving farmers o n the other. The bank can be seen as such a monster that it cannot survive without making profit and it is prepared to oust people from their homes on to the roads where an uncertain future stares at them simply because it has to earn profit by some means or the other. The bank is owner of hundred thousand acres of land and is evicting small and marginal landowners from the only land they have simply because these poor farmers could not pay interest on small amounts borrowed from this bank (Steinbeck 1988). Steinbeck illustrates profit making in such harsh and dishonest ways in which the bank tries to make profit from the farmers who cannot afford to pay the bank. Just because they are poor quite obviously does not give them the right to usurp the money they had taken as loan. Steinbeck though very expressive in describing the sadness of these poor people is however silent on why should investors in these banks suffer due to the inefficiencies of these poor farmers. Though it did no t rain that year and farmers were unable to grow cotton for no fault of theirs but this definitely cannot be a justification for denying investors of the rightful due. The bank workers suggest the farmers to choose for social security measures and leave to West California, but the farmers remain stubborn on refusing to vacate the land Grampa had acquired after killing Indians and snakes. Steinbeck illustrates no remorse for the bank who had lent out money to these farmers and the employees of the bank and rather he remorses for the farmers. One might say, the author remains focused on describing in graphic detail the agonies and deprivations of these poor farmers and not understand the banks point of view as an organization and its duties. Even through the farmers harsh and immoral comments saying bring one war and once the cotton prices get high they would be able to repay all the money they owe to the bank (Steinbeck 1988). Possibly Steinbeck also realized the emptiness of the exp ression he had used to describe the vulnerability of the farmers and he tries to bring some balance through the driver who caustically remarks that such language might bring praise for the tenant man but would not be enough to earn three dollars per day the tractor driver is earning. The sorrow is sensitive by the unrealistic attempt by the tenant man to defend his dwelling from collapsing by lifting his rifle but not being sure who to aim at. It seems Steinbeck was also not sure who exactly to blame for this unpleasant situation and he chose the most convenient enemy the faceless profit eating monster called the bank. Such an outcome of profit making will only raise eyebrows rather than any serious thoughts (Steinbeck 1988). Moses Oketch however presents an highly balanced and reasonable view of why corporations should fulfill their social responsibility. While admitting that earning of profit is essential for the survival of a business and unless it survives it cannot perform any responsibility in terms of social or otherwise, Oketch speak out that for any business to prosper it needs to earn the trust of the community wherein it operates. This trust can only be earned if the corporation works towards social consistent that looks beyond the narrow imprison of shareholders to the wider ground of stakeholders. If it can execute unbiased and reasonable norms of corporate governance it would win unqualified support of its employees and who does not know that motivated and committed human resource is the greatest asset any corporation can ever possess. Oketch terms transparent and fair governance as one example of how corporations can fulfill their social responsibility. Zero tolerance of corrupt practices also would paint the organization in very favorable light in the eyes of society and it would consider the organization to be even more trustworthy. Other examples of social responsibility include engaging in partnership with governments and non-governmental or ganizations to undertake programs that might not have any direct bearing with its line of business but are burning social issues nonetheless like fight against HIV and AIDS. The main thrust of Oketchs argument is that a business must undertake socially cohesive measures as part of its social responsibility if it wants to survive and prosper (Oketch 2004). Conclusion If we keep the viewpoint of Steinbeck aside and look into the positions taken by Friedman and Oketch we find that there is hardly any difference between the two approaches. Both these authors endorse the primacy profit making and while Friedman does not elaborate more than mentioning that every business should operate within the legal and ethical framework of the society they are functioning in, Oketch goes on to detail the various steps a corporation should take to fulfill its social obligations and responsibilities. He further elaborates the extent of corporate attention from only shareholders to all stakeholders. But Friedman also hints at it when he mentions legal and ethical obligations. All the actions that corporations should initiate for social consistent have a single aim that of increasing mutual trust with society as a whole. Friedman termed it as goodwill and I guess was not very far off the mark. Therefore it can be concluded that if a corporation takes all necessary steps to make certain a steady long term profit, it is clear to carry out all those activities that are termed as corporate social responsibility not out of any social or ethical or even moral compulsion but out of pure and complete profit motive.

Philosophical and Political Aspects of Lord the Flies Essay -- Lord Fl

Philosophical and Political Aspects of Lord the Flies      Ã‚  Ã‚   Is easy enough to make a broad generalization about philosophical, political or even religious interpretations on each book ( even if we consider religion in some way vinculated to philosophy), but in reality the issue is an extremely complex one. It would be so comfortable to reduce a story to a mere source of external references and to lose all the nuances that make literature a special phenomenon; I ´m not saying literature is only style but it must not be subdued to its content. And, unfortunately, that is a typical contemporary quirk.      Ã‚  Ã‚   This not only happens in literature; for example, in children ´s films, where the content is supposed to be political unexisting, there always appears somebody who tries to give the movie a second political reading, trying therefore to measure its value by any subjective comment. It would appear then that some creations do not have enough interest if viewed from a neutral point of view.      Ã‚  Ã‚   The fact of the matter is that literature is not a mere moral eulogistic topic. In this essay we shall try to contrast several interpretations, mainly focusing on philosophical and political aspects, including religion if necessary.      Ã‚  Ã‚   A number of key issues arise from the simbology of the book. The story is an allegory traced with great skill and allows the reader to give the book second readings.      Ã‚  Ã‚   Firstly, we would like to explain some possible meanings of the islands as a metaphor. When framing the book on an island, the author ´s purpose is to freely experiment with the characters and the ... ...oo when he does not want to recognize being implied on Simon's murder.      Ã‚  Ã‚   Perhaps the reason to be learned from this book is that we all hide a tyrant, or an evil, or a dark instinct which must be sacrificed in favour of living in society. Maybe those features are natural; but the human being is also social by nature, and so the fatal conflict could be intrinsic and unavoidable within ourselves. 'The Lord of the Flies' could not be a great question but a mere explanation of what we are. An explanation of human history and a pessimist message for those who believe in utopia. Anyway, if pessimism is an obstacle, it is also a challenge to be faced; and by facing trouble, if you are not destroyed, you will surely check out that there is a lot of truth in this simply, known but overwhelming phrase: whatever does not kill you makes you stronger.