An oral history of the zombie war Essay

Though perhaps not as â€Å"academic† as the other sources in this bibliography, the oral history of the zombie war is an important side note to the whole genre. In Brooks’ book, there are several moments, while recounting the battles with the zombies, where they are told from the point of view of the liberators. In fact, in his story, he coins the phrase â€Å"LAMOE† which stands â€Å"Last men on earth†. These individuals, much like the character played by Will Smith, had been left behind, the infected zones to fend for themselves. Often, as the story is told, these people left behind, were not all too happy to be â€Å"liberated†, as they had conditioned themselves to the isolation of being, and believing they were the last â€Å"people† on earth. In this sense, the film version and incidentally the book, deal with these concepts from the point of view of the isolated; but, what if they were to be told from the point of view of the liberators? Campbell, Joseph. â€Å"The Hero with a Thousand Faces† Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1949. Joseph Campbell’s book, is an overview of legends and the masks our heroes wear. Both in the film version and the book version of I Am Legend, the Robert Neville character must go through various trials; which, ultimately in the film version, leads to his transformation from this plane of existence to another. (Mainly, by dying) The first trial, is simple isolation, which Campbell explicitly describes as one of the most common trails of mythology. Additionally, in the film, the main character exhibits a certain arrogance, which ultimately turns around on him. I. E the way he had caught the other zombie, the trick sort to speak, was used against him later in the movie. Giglioli, Palo Pier. Language and Social Context. New York: Penguin. 1972. It should be of note: the original book written by Matheson, had a lead character who was white; whereas the film version cast the lead character as black. Setting aside the box-office appeal of Will Smith for a moment, what were some of the other reasons for the change of race? Could the film be taken as an commentary of the plight of successful African-Americans, being isolated, though working desperately to help their friends, family and peer group? If the film is viewed in this light, one could most accurately argue that it is in fact a commentary on racial issues within a particular racial group. Hellekson, Karen Ph. D. The alternate history (Refiguring Historical Time). Kent: Kent State University Press, 2001. Through out her review of the alternate history genera of story telling, Karen Hellekson, makes not of the function of the story being told. If one were to apply her same method of criticism to the movie version of I AM Legend, we would find that it too is an alternate history. Obviously, fictions, the film I Am Legend, begins with the initial out-break, due to the cancer fighting drug. Although, this is told in a â€Å"present† narrative, the inclusion, of these scenes are to create an artificial history in the story’s time line. Matheson, Richard. â€Å"I AM LEGEND† London: Orion Books, 1954. Naturally, the movie version starring Will Smith is radically divergent from the original book published in 1954. An example of one such divergence, is in the role of the main character. In the original works, the main character, was a former Marine, whereas in the film version, he is a current Marine working with the CDC. Another divergence, which actually changes the nature of the title, is found at the ending of both the book and the film. In the film version, the main character becomes legendary, due to how he dies; whereas the book version, Robert Neville, is legendary due to him being the last non-infected â€Å"human† or in essence the last man on earth. Twain, Mark. â€Å"On the Damned Human Race† A collection of Essays Edited by Janet Smith. 1962. An argument could be made that both the film and the original fiction, had been a commentary on the human condition, the human race. Twin’s wit and insight into the social conditions apply aptly to both the film version and the book. The fact Robert Neville takes it upon himself to â€Å"cure† the world is manifestly anti-twian-ian. â€Å"it is the ghost, of fool-hardy chivalry† as Twain would say, about the lengths the character goes to rid the world of something, that it seems more than happy to live with.

Chinese Literature Essay

2000 by Andre Levy All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in. writing from the publisher. The Association of American University Presses’ Resolution on Permissions constitutes the only exception to this prohibition. The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39. 48-1984. Manufactured in the United States of America Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Levy, Andre, date [La litterature chinoise ancienne et classique. English] Chinese literature, ancient and classical / by Andre Levy ; translated by William H. Nienhauser, Jr. p. cm. Includes index. ISBN 0-253-33656-2 (alk. paper) 1. Chinese literature—History and criticism. I. Nienhauser, William H. II. Title. PL2266. L48 2000 895. 1’09—dc21 99-34024 1 2 3 4 5 05 04 03 02 01 00. For my own early translators of French, Daniel and Susan Contents ix Preface 1 Introduction Chapter 1: Antiquity 5 I. Origins II. â€Å"Let a hundred flowers bloom, Let a hundred schools of thought contend! † 1. Mo zi and the Logicians 2. Legalism 3. The Fathers of Taoism III. The Confucian Classics 31 Chapter 2: Prose I. Narrative Art and Historical Records II. The Return of the â€Å"Ancient Style† III. The Golden Age of Trivial Literature IV. Literary Criticism Chapter 3: Poetry 61 I. The Two Sources of Ancient Poetry 1. The Songs of Chu 2. Poetry of the Han Court II. The Golden Age of Chinese Poetry 1. From Aesthetic Emotion to Metaphysical Flights 2. The Age of Maturity 3. The Late Tang III. The Triumph of Genres in Song Chapter 4: Literature of Entertainment: The Novel and Theater 105 I. Narrative Literature Written in Classical Chinese II. The Theater 1. The Opera-theater of the North 2. The Opera-theater of the South III. The Novel 1. Oral Literature 2. Stories and Novellas 3. The â€Å"Long Novel† or Saga Index 151 Translator’s Preface. I first became- interested in translating Andre Levy’s history of Chinese literature, La litterature chinoise ancienne et classique (Paris: Presses Universitaires de France, 1991), in 1996, after finding it in a bookshop in Paris. I read sections and was intrigued by Professor Levy’s approach, which was modeled on literary genres rather than political eras. I immediately thought about translating parts of the book for my graduate History of Chinese Literature class at the University of Wisconsin, a class in which the importance of dynastic change was also downplayed. Like many plans, this one was set aside. Last spring, however, when the panel on our field’s desiderata headed by David Rolston at the 1998 Association for Asian Studies Meeting pronounced that one of the major needs was for a concise history of Chinese literature in about 125 pages (the exact length of Professor Levy’s original text), I revived my interest in this translation. I proposed the book to John Gallman, Director of Indiana University Press, and John approved it almost immediately-but, not before warning me that this kind of project can take much more time than the translator originally envisions. Although I respect John’s experience and knowledge in publishing, I was sure I would prove the exception. After all, what kind of trouble could a little book of 125 pages cause? I soon found out. Professor Levy had originally written a much longer manuscript, which was to be published as a supplementary volume to Odile Kaltenmark-Ghequier’s La Litterature chinoise (Paris: Presses Universitaires de France, 1948)’ in the Que sais-je? (What Do I Know? ) series. This concept, however, was soon abandoned, and it ‘Several decades ago Anne-Marie Geoghegan translated this volume as Chinese Literature (New York: Walker, 1964). x Translator’s Preface was decided to publish the Levy â€Å"appendix† as a separate volume-in 125 pages. Professor Levy was then asked to cut his manuscript by one-third. As a result, he was sometimes forced to presume in his audience certain knowledge that some readers of this book-for example, undergraduate students or interested parties with little background in Chinese literature-may not have. For this reason, working carefully with Professor Levy, I have added (or revived) a number of contextual sentences with these readers in mind. More information on many of the authors and works discussed in this history can be found in the entries in The Indiana Companion to Traditional Chinese Literature (volumes 1 and 2; Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1986 and 1998). Detailed references to these entries and other relevant studies can be found in the â€Å"Suggested Further Reading† sections at the end of each chapter (where the abbreviated reference Indiana Companion refers to these two volumes). I also discovered that re-translating Professor Levy’s French translations of Chinese texts sometimes resulted in renditions that were too far from the original, even in this age of â€Å"distance education. † So I have translated almost all of the more than 120 excerpts of original works directly from the original Chinese, using Professor Levy’s French versions as a guide wherever possible. All this was done with the blessing and cooperation of the author. Indeed, among the many people who helped with this translation, I would like to especially thank Professor Andre Levy for his unflinching interest in and support of this translation. Professor Levy has read much of the English version, including all passages that I knew were problematic (there are no doubt others! ), and offered comments in a long series of letters over the past few months. Without his assistance the translation would never have been completed. Here in Madison, a trio of graduate students have helped me with questions Translator’s Preface xi about the Chinese texts: Mr. Cao Weiguo riftlal, Ms. Huang Shu—yuang MV and Mr. Shang Cheng I*. They saved me E, from innumerable errors and did their work with interest and high spirits. Mr. Cao also helped by pointing out problems in my interpretation of the original French. Mr. Scott W. Galer of Ricks College read the entire manuscript and offered a number of invaluable comments. My wife, Judith, was unrelenting in her demands on behalf of the general reader. The most careful reader was, however, Jane Lyle of Indiana University Press, who painstakingly copy-edited the text. If there is a literary style to this translation, it is due to her efforts. My thanks, too, to the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation which supported me in Berlin through the summer of 1997 when I first read Professor Levy’s text, and especially to John Gallman, who stood behind this project from the beginning. Madison, Wisconsin, 16 February 1999 (Lunar New Year’s Day) Chinese Literature, Ancient and Classical Introduction Could one still write, as Odile Kaltenmark-Ghequier did in 1948 in the What Do I Know series Number 296, which preceded this book, that â€Å"the study of Chinese literature, long neglected by the Occident, is still in its  infancy? â€Å"‘ Yes and no. There has been some spectacular progress and some foundering. At any rate, beginning at the start of the twentieth century, it was Westerners who were the first-followed by the Japanese, before the Chinese themselves-to produce histories of Chinese literature. Not that the Chinese tradition had not taken note of an evolution in literary genres, but the prestige of wen 5 signifying both â€Å"literature† and â€Å"civilization,† placed it above history-anthologies, compilations, and catalogues were preferred. Moreover, the popular side of literature-fiction, drama, and oral verse-because of its lack of â€Å"seriousness† or its â€Å"vulgarity,† was not judged dignified enough to be considered wen. Our goal is not to add a new work to an already lengthy list of histories of Chinese literature, nor to supplant the excellent summary by Odile Kaltenmark-Ghequier which had the impossible task of presenting a history of Chinese literature in about a hundred pages. Our desire would be rather to complement the list by presenting the reader with a different approach, one more concrete, less dependent on the dynastic chronology. Rather than a history, it is a picture-inevitably incompleteof Chinese literature of the past that this little book offers. Chinese â€Å"high† literature is based on a â€Å"hard core† of classical training consisting of the memorization of texts, nearly a half-million characters for every candidate who reaches the highest competitive examinations. We might see the classical art of writing as the arranging, in an appropriate and astute fashion, of lines recalled by memory, something ,’Odile Kaltenmark-Ghequier, â€Å"Introduction,† La litterature chinoise (Paris: Presses Universitaires de France, 1948), p. 5; â€Å"Que sais—je,† no. 296. 2 Chinese Literature, Ancient and Classical that came almost automatically to traditional Chinese intellectuals. The goal of these writers was not solely literary. They hoped through their writings to earn a reputation that would help them find support for their efforts to pass the imperial civil-service examinations and thereby eventually win a position at court. Although there were earlier tests leading to political advancement, the system that existed nearly until the end of the imperial period in 1911 was known as the jinshi A ± or â€Å"presented scholar† examination (because successful candidates were â€Å"presented† to the emperor), and was developed during the late seventh and early eighth centuries A. D. It required the writing of poetry and essays on themes set by the examiners. Successful candidates were then given minor positions in the bureaucracy. Thus the memorization of a huge corpus of earlier literature and the ability to compose on the spot became the major qualifications for political office through most of the period from the eighth until the early twentieth centuries. These examinations, and literature in general, were composed in a classical, standard language comparable to Latin in the West. This â€Å"classical† language persisted by opposing writing to speech through a sort of partial bilingualism. The strict proscription of vulgarisms, of elements of the spoken language, from the examinations has helped to maintain the purity of classical Chinese. The spoken language, also labeled â€Å"vulgar,† has produced some literary monuments of its own, which were recognized as such and qualified as â€Å"classics† only a few decades ago. The unity of the two languages, classical and vernacular, which share the same fundamental structure, is undermined by grammars that are appreciably different, and by the fact that these languages hold to diametrically opposed stylistic ideals: lapidary concision on the one hand, and eloquent vigor on the other. We conclude by pointing out that educated Chinese add to their surnames, which are always given first, a great variety of personal names, which can be disconcerting at times. The standard given name (ming Introduction 3 is often avoided out of decorum; thus Tao Qian Miff is often referred to En We will retain only the by his zi (stylename) as Tao Yuanming best known of these names, avoiding hao at (literary name or nickname), bie hao ZIJM (special or particular literary name), and shi ming (residential name) whenever possible: When other names are used, the standard ming will be  given in parentheses. The goal here is to enable the reader to form an idea of traditional Chinese literature, not to establish a history of it, which might result in a lengthy catalogue of works largely unknown today. We are compelled to sacrifice quantity to present a limited number of literary â€Å"stars,† and to reduce the listing of their works to allow the citation of a number of previously unpublished translations, inevitably abridged but sufficient, we hope, to evoke the content of the original. The chronological approach will be handled somewhat roughly because of the need to follow the development of the great literary genres: after the presentation of antiquity, the period in which the common culture of the educated elite was established, comes an examination of the prose genres of â€Å"high† classical literature, then the description of the art most esteemed by the literati, poetry. The final section treats the literature of diversion, the most discredited but nonetheless highly prized, which brings together the novel and the theater. Chapter 1. Antiquity Ancient literature, recorded by the scribes of a rapidly evolving warlike and aristocratic society, has been carefully preserved since earliest times and has become the basis of Chinese lettered culture. It is with this in mind that one must approach the evolution of literature and its role over the course of the two-thousand-year-old imperial government, which collapsed in 1911, and attempt to understand the importance (albeit increasingly limited) that ancient literature retains today. The term â€Å"antiquity† applied to China posed no problems until certain Marxist historians went so far as to suggest that it ended only in 1919. The indigenous tradition had placed the break around 211 B. C. , when political unification brought about the establishment of a centralized but â€Å"prefectural† government under the Legalists, as well as the famous burning of books opposed to the Legalist state ideology. Yet to suggest that antiquity ended so early is to minimize the contribution of Buddhism and the transformation of thought that took place between the third and seventh centuries. The hypothesis that modernity began early, in the eleventh or perhaps twelfth century in China, was developed by Naito Konan NAM 1 (1866-1934). This idea has no want of critics or of supporters. It is opposed to the accepted idea in the West, conveyed by Marxism, that China, a â€Å"living fossil,† has neither entered modern times nor participated in â€Å"the global civilization† that started with the Opium War of 1840. Nor is there unanimity concerning the periodization proposed in historical linguistics, a periodization which distinguishes Archaic Chinese of High Antiquity (from the origins of language to the third century) from Ancient Chinese of Mid-Antiquity (sixth to twelfth centuries), then Middle Chinese of the Middle Ages (thirteenth-sixteenth centuries) from Modern Chinese (seventeenth-nineteenth centuries), and Recent Chinese (18401919) from Contemporary Chinese (1920 to the present). 6 Chinese Literature, Ancient and Classical. In the area of literature, the beginning of the end of antiquity could perhaps be placed in the second century A. D. Archaeology has elevated our knowledge of more ancient writings toward the beginning of the second millennium B. C. , but this archaic period, discovered recently, cannot be considered part of literary patrimony in the strictest sense. Accounts of this archaic period are traditionally divided into six eras,2 but to honor them would be to fall into the servitude of a purely chronological approach. I. Origins Since the last year of the last century, when Wang Yirong . 1. 6M (1845-1900) compiled the first collection of inscriptions written on bones and shells, the increasing number of archaeological discoveries has allowed the establishment of a corpus of nearly 50,000 inscriptions extending over the period from the fourteenth to the tenth centuries before our era. Dong Zuobin (1895-1963) proposed a periodization for them and distinguished within them the styles of different schools of scribes. Scholars have managed to decipher a third of the total of some 6,000 distinct signs, which are clearly related to the system of writing used by the Chinese today-these were certainly not primitive forms of characters. The oracular inscriptions are necessarily short-the longest known text, of a hundred or so characters, covers the scapula of an ox and extends even over the supporting bones; the shell of a southern species of the great tortoise, also used to record divination, did not offer a more extensive surface. Whether a literature existed at this ancient time seems rather doubtful, but this scriptural evidence causes one to consider whether eras are the early Chou dynasty (eleventh century-722 B. C. ), the Spring and Autumn era (722-481 B. C. ), the Warring States (481-256 B. C. ), the Ch’in dynasty (256-206 B. C. ), the Western or Early Han dynasty (206 B. C. -A. D. 6), and the Eastern or Latter Han dynasty (25-A. D. 220). 2These Chapter 1. Antiquity 7 the Shu jing Efg (Classic of Documents), supposedly â€Å"revised† by Confucius but often criticized as a spurious text, was based in part on authentic texts. The presence of an early sign representing a bundle of slips of wood or bamboo confirms the existence of a primitive form of book in a very ancient era-texts were written on these slips, which were then bound together to form a â€Å"fascicle. † The purpose of these ancient archives, which record the motivation for the diviner’s speech, his identity, and sometimes the result, has been ignored. Of another nature are the inscriptions on bronze that appeared in about the eleventh century B. C. and went out of fashion in the second century B.C. They attracted the attention of amateur scholars from the eleventh century until modern times. Many collections of inscriptions on â€Å"stone and bronze† have been published in the intervening eras. The longest texts extend to as much as five-hundred signs, the forms of which often seem to be more archaic than those of the inscriptions on bones and shells. The most ancient inscriptions indicate nothing more than the person to whom the bronze was consecrated or a commemoration of the name of the sponsor. Toward the tenth century B. C. the texts evolved from several dozen to as many as a hundred signs and took on a commemorative character. The inspiration for these simple, solemn texts is not always easily discernible because of the obscurities of the archaisms in the language. An echo of certain pieces transmitted by the Confucian school can be seen in some texts, but their opacity has disheartened many generations of literati. II. â€Å"Let a hundred flowers bloom, Let a hundred schools of thought contend! † This statement by Mao Zedong, made to launch a liberalization movement that was cut short in 1957, was inspired by an exceptional period in Chinese cultural history (from the fifth to the third centuries 8 Chinese Literature, Ancient and Classical B. C. ) in which there was a proliferation of schools-the â€Å"hundred schools. † The various masters of these schools offered philosophical, often political, discussion. The growth of these schools paralleled the rise of rival states from the time of Confucius (the Latinized version of the Chinese original, Kong Fuzi TL-T- or Master Kong, ca. 551-479 B.C. ) to the end of the Warring States period (221 B. C. ). The â€Å"hundred schools† came to an end with the unification of China late in the third century B. C. under the Legalist rule of the Qin dynasty (221-206 B. C. ). This era of freedom of thought and intellectual exchange never completely ceased to offer a model, albeit an unattainable model, in the search for an alternative to the oppressive ideology imposed by the centralized state. Much of what has reached us from this lost world was saved in the wake of the reconstruction of Confucian writings (a subject to which we will turn shortly). The texts of the masters of the hundred schools, on the periphery of orthodox literati culture, are of uneven quality, regardless of the philosophy they offer. Even the best, however, have not come close to dethroning the â€Å"Chinese Socrates,† Confucius, the first of the great thinkers, in both chronology and importance. 1. Mo Zi and the Logicians. The work known as Mo Zi (Master Mo) is a collection of the writings of a sect founded by Mo Di g, an obscure personage whom scholars have wanted to make a contemporary of Confucius. It has been hypothesized that the name Mo, â€Å"ink,† referred to the tattooing of  a convict in antiquity, and the given name, Di, indicates the pheasant feathers that decorated the hats of the common people. Although we can only speculate about whether Mo Zi was a convict or a commoner, he argued for a kind of bellicose pacifism toward aggressors, doing his best to promote, through a utilitarian process of reasoning, the necessity of believing in the gods and of practicing universal love without discrimination. Condemning the extravagant expense of funerals as well as the uselessness of art and music, Mo Zi Chapter 1. Antiquity 9 wrote in a style of discouraging weight. The work that has come down to us under his name (which appears to be about two-thirds of the original text) represents a direction which Chinese civilization explored without ever prizing. Mo Zi’s mode of argument has influenced many generations of logicians and sophists, who are known to us only in fragments, the main contribution of which has been to demonstrate in their curious way of argumentation peculiar features of the Chinese language. Hui Shi Ea is known only by the thirty-some paradoxes which the incomparable Zhuang Zi cites, without attempting to solve, as in: There is nothing beyond the Great Infinity.. . and the Small Infinity is not inside. The antinomies of reason have nourished Taoist thought, if not the other way around, as Zhuang Zi attests after the death of his friend Hui Shi: Zhuang Zi was accompanying a funeral procession. When he passed by the grave of Master Hui he turned around to say to those who were following him: â€Å"A fellow from Ying had spattered the tip of his nose with a bit of plaster, like the wing of a fly. He had it removed by [his crony] the carpenter Shi, who took his ax and twirled it around. He cut it off, then heard a wind: the plaster was entirely removed without scratching his nose. The man from Ying had remained standing, impassive. When he learned of this, Yuan, the sovereign of the country of Song, summoned the carpenter Shih and said to him, â€Å"Try then to do it again for Us. † The carpenter responded, â€Å"Your servant is capable of doing it; however, the material that he made use of died long ago. † After the death of the Master, I too no longer can find the material: I no longer have anyone to talk to. (Zhuang Zi 24) Sons of the logicians and the sophists, the rhetoricians shared with the Taoists a taste for apologues. They opposed the Taoist solution of a 10 Chinese Literature, Ancient and Classical detached â€Å"non-action,† involved as they were in diplomatic combat. Held in contempt by the Confucians for their â€Å"Machiavellianism,† the Zhanguo ce Vg (Intrigues of the Warring States) remains the most representative work of the genre. It was reconstructed several centuries later by Liu Xiang gj 1-(4] (77-6 B. C. ), but the authenticity of these reassembled materials seems to have been confirmed by the discovery of parallel texts in a tomb at Mawang Dui gUttg in 1973. A great variety animates these accounts, both speeches and chronicles; they are rich in dialogue, which cannot be represented by this single, although characteristic, anecdote—it is inserted without commentary into the â€Å"intrigues† (or â€Å"slips†) of the state of Chu: The King of Wei offered the King of Chu a beautiful girl who gave him great satisfaction. Knowing how much the new woman pleased him, his wife, the queen, showed her the most intense affection. She chose clothes and baubles which would please her and gave them to her; it was the same for her with rooms in the palace and bed clothes. In short, she gratified her with more attention than the king himself accorded her. He congratulated her for it: a woman serves her husband through her carnal appeal, and jealousy is her nature. Now, understanding how I love the new woman, my wife shows her more love than I—it is thus that the filial son serves his parents, that the loyal servant fulfills his duties toward his prince. As she knew that the king did not consider her jealous, the queen suggested to her rival: â€Å"The king appreciates your beauty. However, he is not that fond of your nose. You would do better to hide it when he receives you. † Therefore, the new one did so when she saw His Majesty. The king asked his wife why his favorite hid her nose in his presence. She responded, â€Å"I know. † â€Å"Even if it is unpleasant, tell me! † insisted the king. â€Å"She does not like your odor. † â€Å"The brazen hussy! † cried the sovereign. â€Å"Her nose is to be cut off, and let no one question my order! † Chapter 1. Antiquity 11 The Yan Zi chunqiu *T-*V( (Springs and Autumns of Master Yen) is another reconstruction by Liu Xiang, a collection of anecdotes about Yan Ying RV, a man of small stature but great ability who was prime minister to Duke Jing of Qi (547-490 B.C. )-the state that occupies what is now Shandong. Without cynicism, but full of shrewdness, these anecdotes do not lack appeal; some have often been selected as anthology pieces, of which this one is representative: When Master Yan was sent as an ambassador to Chu, the people of the country constructed a little gate next to the great one and invited him to enter. Yan Zi refused, declaring that it was suitable for an envoy to a country of dogs, but that it was to Chu that he had come on assignment. The chamberlain had him enter by the great gate. The King of Chu received him and said to him: â€Å"Was there then no one in Qi, for them to have sent you? † â€Å"How can you say there is no one in Qi, when there would be darkness in our capital of Linzi if the people of the three hundred quarters spread out their sleeves, and it would rain if they shook off their perspiration-so dense is the population. † â€Å"But then why have you been sent? † â€Å"The practice in Qi is to dispatch a worthy envoy to a worthy sovereign; I am the most unworthy. . . .† 2. Legalism. The diplomatic manipulations and other little anecdotes we have seen in the Yan Zi chunqiu were of little interest to the Legalists, who took their name from the idea that the hegemonic power of the state is founded on a system of implacable laws supposing the abolition of hereditary privileges-indeed a tabula rasa that rejects morals and traditions. In fact, historians associate them with all thought that privileges efficacy. From this point of view, the most ancient â€Å"Legalist† would be the artisan of Qi’s hegemony in the seventh century B. C. , Guan Zi (Master Guan). The work that was handed down under his name is a composite text and in reality contains no material prior to the third century B. C. Whether or not he should be considered a Legalist, Guan Zi 12 Chinese Literature, Ancient and Classical embodies the idea that the power of the state lies in its prosperity, and this in turn depends on the circulation of goods. In sum, Guan Zi stands for a proto-mercantilism diametrically opposed to the primitive physiocraticism of Gongsun Yang (altV (also known as Shang Yang ), minister of Qin in the fourth century. Shang jun shu 1 (The 2 Book of Lord Shang), which is attributed to Gongsun Yang, gives the Legalist ideas a particularly brutal form: It is the nature of people to measure that which is advantageous to them, to seize the best, and to draw to themselves that which is profitable. The enlightened lord must take care if he wants to establish order in his country and to be able to turn the population to his advantage, for the population has at its disposal a great number of means to avoid the strictness that it fears. Within the country he must cause the people to consecrate themselves to farming; without he must cause them to be singly devoted to warfare. This is why the order of a sage sovereign consists of multiplying interdictions in order to prevent infractions and relying on force to put an end to fraud. (Shang jun shu, â€Å"Suan di†) Shang Yang’s prose is laden with archaisms, which hardly lighten the weight of his doctrine. It is in the work of Han Fei Zi 4-T- (ca. 280-233) that Legalism found its most accomplished formulation. The book Han Fei Zi contains a commentary on the Classic of the Way and of Power of Lao Zi in which the ideal of Taoist non-action is realized by the automatism of laws. The â€Å"artifice† of the latter may go back to the Confucianism of Xun Zi (Master Xun, also known as Xun Qing ,Ajja, ca. 300-230 B. C. ), a school rejected by orthodox Confucianism. Xun Zi, who happens to have been the teacher of Han Fei Zi, developed the brilliant theory that human nature inclines individuals to satisfy their egoistic appetites: it was therefore bad for advanced societies of the time. The â€Å"rites†-culture-are necessary for socialization. Xun Zi’s Chapter 1. Antiquity 13 argumentation was unprecedentedly elaborate, examining every facet of a question while avoiding repetition. In a scintillating style peppered with apologues, Han Fei Zi argues that the art of governing requires techniques other than the simple manipulation of rewards and punishments. The prince is the cornerstone of a system that is supposed to ensure him of a protective impenetrableness. The state must devote itself to eliminating the useless, noxious five â€Å"parasites† or â€Å"vermin:† the scholars, rhetoricians, knights-errant, deserters, and merchants (perhaps even artisans). 3. The Fathers of Taoism. A philosophy of evasion, this school was opposed to social and political engagement. From the outset Taoism was either a means to flee society and politics or a form of consolation for those who encountered reversals in politics and society. The poetic power of its writings, which denounced limits and aphorisms of reason, explains the fascination that it continues to hold for intellectuals educated through the rationalism of the Confucians. These works, like most of the others from antiquity that were attributed to a master, in fact seem to be rather disparate texts of a school. The Dao de jing ittitg (Classic of the Way and of Power) remains the most often translated Chinese work—and the first translated, if one counts the lost translation into Sanskrit by the monk Xuanzang WM in the seventh century A. D. This series of aphorisms is attributed to Lao Zi (Master. Lao or â€Å"The Old Master†), whom tradition considers a contemporary of Confucius. He is said to have left this â€Å"testament† as he departed the Chinese world via the Xian’gu Pass for the West. In their polemics against the Buddhists, the Taoists of the following millennium used this story as the basis on which to affirm that the Buddha was none other than their Chinese Lao Zi, who had been converting the barbarians of the West since his departure from China. Modern scholarship estimates that the Lao Zi could not date earlier than the third century B. C. The 1973 discoveries at Mawang Dui in Hunan confirmed what scholars had suspected for centuries: the primitive Lao Zi is reversed in respect to 14 Chinese Literature, Ancient and Classical  ours: a De dao jing â€Å"1,M1# § (Classic of Power and the Way). Its style, which is greatly admired for its obscure concision, seems to owe much to the repair work of the commentator Wang Bi . T3 (226-249). Thus it is tenable that the primitive Lao Zi was a work of military strategy. Whatever it was, the text that is preferred today runs a little over 5,000 characters and is divided into 81 sections (9 x 9). The Taoist attitude toward life is expressed here in admirably striking formulae, which lend themselves to many esoteric interpretations: He who knows does not speak; he who speaks does not know (#56). Govern a great state as you would fry small fish! (#60). Practice non-action, attend to the useless, taste the flavorless. (#63) The Zhuang Zi ate, written by Zhuang Zhou 4. -B1 or Zhuang Zi (Master Zhuang), was apparently abridged at about the same time as the Lao Zi, but at the hands of the commentator Guo Xiang # -IM (d. 312), who cut it from fifty-two to thirty-three sections. Scholars cannot agree whether the seven initial sections, called â€Å"the inner chapters,† are from the same hand of Zhuang Zhou as the sixteen following, called â€Å"the outer chapters,† and the final ten â€Å"miscellaneous chapters. † It is in the final ten that we find a characteristic arrangement of reconstructions from the first century, works of one school attributed to one master. In fact, it is the first part which gives the most lively impression of an encounter with an animated personality whose mind is strangely vigorous and disillusioned: Our life is limited, but knowledge is without limit. To follow the limitless with that which is limited will exhaust one. To go unrelentingly after knowledge is exhausting and c.

Offshore oil in gulf of mexico Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Offshore oil in gulf of mexico - Essay Example However, oil production is an activity that can highly affect the environment, an issue, which has not been taken into consideration by those managing oil production activities in the Gulf of Mexico. Indeed, up to now, the oil production activity in the Gulf of Mexico has been stigmatized by a series of accidents, which have led to severe environmental damages, as explained below. The responsibility of the firms managing the particular activities but also of the local authorities is high. The need for measures for ensuring the limitation of risks related to oil production in the Gulf of Mexico is emergent. The oil spill caused in the region because of the accident occurred in 2010 in BP’s platform has been characterized as the worst environmental damage in the history of USA; measures should be taken in order to ensure that similar damages would not be developed in the specific region. The economic and social benefits of oil production in the Gulf of Mexico cannot be ignored b ut they should not be considered as of higher importance compared to the local natural environment the damages on which because of oil production can be long term. The Gulf of Mexico covers an area of about 172580 miles (Pinet 494). There are two main entryways for the specific region; ‘the first one is located between Yucatan and western Cuba and the other between Southern Florida and northern Cuba’ (Pinet 494). ... developed in 1987 the amount of oil available in the specific region was estimated to 9 million barrels but a later research indicated an extremely high amount of oil trapped in the Gulf of Mexico, i.e. about 45 million barrels (Gertz 2008). Because of its importance in terms of energy but also in terms of the natural environment, the region has been set under the close control of USA government which has promoted appropriate legislative texts for ensuring the protection of the region from over-exploitation (Humphries 2); the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act of 2006 is such text (Humphries 2). The above text, which was introduced by President Bush, bans leasing in regard to the major part of Eastern Gulf of Mexico (Humphries 2). Still, there are certain pieces of the Gulf where no limits exist in regard to their exploitation through drilling projects. In ‘April 17, 2009, the USA court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit’ (Humphries 2) held that existing lea sing scheme related to the region should be cancelled and reviewed by the relevant USA authorities as its terms were not clearly defined. It is clear that oil production in the Gulf of Mexico has to be aligned with the legislation of the countries having interests in the particular region, such as Mexico, the USA and Cuba. Since the accident of April 2010 in BP’s platform in the Gulf of Mexico, drilling activities in the region have been temporarily banned in order for the damages on the environment to be controlled. Recently, US regulators approved BP’s new drilling plans for the Gulf of Mexico (Economic Times 2011), a fact indicating that oil production in the particular region is difficult to be terminated, despite the severe effects of 2010 oil spill. The significant interests in terms of

Should Government be responsible for forecasting Tornado Research Paper

Should Government be responsible for forecasting Tornado - Research Paper Example Tornadoes can have a maximum wind speed of about 483km/h and a minimum wind speed of 177km/h (Byars and Doron 23). Tornadoes are too dangerous, and they cause damages and they can lead to death. It is unfortunate that no one except the weather forecasters and other organizations know when a tornado will come. If it comes with people not knowing and not taking the precautions, many people will have to count their losses including property damages and even loss of lives. With this in mind forecasting is necessary for such situations. An organization should forecast and see what is to come like for some few weeks so as to let people know when and where the tornado will appear. This will help citizens take precautions and defend themselves against the tornado (Weems 21). There is no other country that is subjected to tornadoes other than the United States of America. This is because of the clash between arctic winds and tropical winds that happen in the Midwestern states. Due to this man y Americans have lost their lives including loved ones as a result of unpreparedness. There has been an argument as to whether the government should be responsible for forecasting and giving warnings about tornadoes. But there are several facts that counter the possibility of the government taking up the responsibility. There are other organizations such as National Weather Service and National Severe Storm Laboratory that are also able to give predictions on matters about tornadoes and the precautions.

Marine Pollution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Marine Pollution - Essay Example VI. Conclusion A. Marine pollution is a significant and complex problem whose consequences extend far beyond marine environments. B. Marine pollution adversely impacts human health and coastal economies. Ours is a water planet with the implication being, as R.B. Clark insists, that the health of our environment is intimately connected to the health of our waterways, oceans and seas (Clark, p. 185). Numerous environmentalists and scientists, as Hertsgaard emphasizes, have confirmed the aforementioned, insisting that marine pollution directly impinges upon the health and long-term survival of our planet (Hertsgaard, pp. 7-8). Should that be the case, then our planet appears to be in dire straits as levels of marine pollution escalate and continue to reach alarming levels largely due to oil pollution. Oil pollution poses a serious threat to the marine environment, hence to our planet, with available evidence indicating that it destroys the marine ecosystem, negatively impinges upon human health and deleteriously impacts the economy of surrounding regions. Environmentalists and marine scientists maintain the impossibility of exaggerating the negative impact of oil pollution on marine environments. As Professor R.B. Clark explains, "Oil pollution may take the form of hazards to human health, interference with human activities, reduction of human amenities, or harmful effects on living resources" (Clark, p. 185). Concurring with the stated, Kildrow explains that oil pollution impacts marine environments through three distinct ways. The first is through the overseas transportation of oil. The second is through transportation accidents. The third is through the offshore extraction and...7-8). Should that be the case, then our planet appears to be in dire straits as levels of marine pollution escalate and continue to reach alarming levels largely due to oil pollution. Oil pollution poses a serious threat to the marine environment, hence to our planet, with available evidence indicating that it destroys the marine ecosystem, negatively impin ges upon human health and deleteriously impacts the economy of surrounding regions. Environmentalists and marine scientists maintain the impossibility of exaggerating the negative impact of oil pollution on marine environments. As Professor R.B. Clark explains, "Oil pollution may take the form of hazards to human health, interference with human activities, reduction of human amenities, or harmful effects on living resources" (Clark, p. 185). Concurring with the stated, Kildrow explains that oil pollution impacts marine environments through three distinct ways. The first is through the overseas transportation of oil. The second is through transportation accidents. The third is through the offshore extraction and excavation of fossil fuels (Kildrow). In other ways, three distinct human activities function to expose marine environments to oil pollution. Oil pollution has both short and long-term

Organizational Structures Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Organizational Structures - Research Paper Example The transnational structure on the other hand incorporates the aspects of the two structures mentioned above in order to ensure its success locally and internationally (Claver-Cortes, Pertusa-Ortega and Molina-Azorin, 2012). A Worldwide Product Structure is more decentralized and hence encourages diversification and autonomy of the products being processed by a company. This encourages growth and creativity without constant nagging and blockages from the headquarters. This is the opposite of what happens in a Worldwide Area Structure which centralizes its powers on the headquarters hence making it hard for the other branches of the product in other areas to develop autonomy or even creativity. A company that would choose the first structure is the one that is adamant on diversification and it previously had its domestic structures being based on division of products. A company choosing the worldwide area structure is the one which values centralization and has a diversification degree that is too low (Hempel, Zhang and Han, 2012). One type is the divisional structure where a company is grouped in divisions that depend on the products and the geographical area. The advantage of this type of structure is that each geographical area gets the products that it uses mostly and hence ensuring that the sales remain high and the company’s product has a competitive edge in that geographical area. The other type of complex organizational structure is the matrix structure. This is complex because of the different type of matrix that are present and which largely depend on both the employees and the products. It works well and succeeds in companies where employees work in teams to promote their products. In case there is no team work, this structure does not work well. Claver-Cortes, E., Pertusa-Ortega, E. and Molina-Azorin, J. (July, 2012). â€Å"Characteristics of

The Yellow Wallpaper - Trauma of Charlotte Gilman Essay

The Yellow Wallpaper - Trauma of Charlotte Gilman - Essay Example Charlotte Gilman casts an almost cynical eye on the social structure as she highlights how some women have themselves set and incorporate these definitions in their livelihood. This is evident as she comments on the attitude of the doctor’s sister, â€Å"There comes John's sister. Such a dear girl as she is, and so careful of me! I must not let her find me writing. She is a perfect and enthusiastic housekeeper, and hopes for no better profession. I verily believe she thinks it is the writing, which made me sick!† (Gilman, 4) She is not allowed to cultivate her talent and passion for writing. This put an imaginary iron bar around her life which is practically enclosed in a room with yellow wallpaper. Dr. Mitchell, a neurosurgeon prescribes the ‘Rest cure’ process that brings out the belittling gesture of men towards women. The doctor always asks his wife to rest in order to be cured and makes this a weapon which can prevent her from nurturing her writing tal ents. This gradually crushes her self-esteem as he gains dictatorship over her life. This cure requires total rest, feeding and isolation. One instance of his sweet talk may be quoted as follows: â€Å"He says no one but myself can help me out of it; that I must use my will and self-control and not let any silly fancies run away with me† (Gilman, 6). She talks about the dominating care of her husband as she says, â€Å"He is very careful and loving, and hardly lets me stir without special direction†¦ There comes John, and I must put this away, --he hates to have me write a word. We have been here two weeks, and I haven't felt like writing before, since that first day. I am sitting by the window now, up in this atrocious nursery, and there is nothing to hinder my writing as much as I please, save lack of strength† (Gilman 2) She illustrates how, despite having the perfect ambience to write, her husband’s domineering presence makes her weak to pursue the same . She is nervous and cannot gather the strength to take out the paper and pen to write. Gilman highlights the growing nervousness that is brought about through constant loving domination rendered by her husband at home. Owing to the fact that John would not encourage her writing, let alone appreciate them, she gradually suffers from low-self esteem. The following lines bring this out: â€Å"But these nervous troubles are dreadfully depressing. John does not know how much I really suffer. He knows there is no REASON to suffer, and that satisfies him. Of course it is only nervousness. It does weigh on me so not to do my duty in any way! I meant to be such a help to John, such a real rest and comfort, and here I am a comparative burden already!† (Gilman, 3) She has to wear a facade and cannot even let out her frustration in front of her husband. This adds to the pain. The work represents the Cult of Womanhood, which ties up the women folk to the ambience of the home and family. Here women have been confined to the defined parameters that have been set by men. Gilman talks about the time when constant domination is negatively affecting her creativity, as she has to put in the extra effort in order to overcome the mental set back and arouse the self-encouragement within her. The following lines make the state of her mental condition clear: â€Å"I did write for a while in spite of them; but it DOES exhaust me a good

Healthy Grief Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Healthy Grief - Essay Example The five stages are: This stage involves an individual bargain with God to postpone his death. This stage is marked with a hope to achieve any position in the bargain with a promise of reformed lifestyle (Kubler-Ross, 1969). Ross model does not involve any interaction with joy at any stage. However, as it acknowledges the individuality of individual it does not ignore the chance of any joy. A unique individual may not necessary deny his death but welcome it with joy. It all depends upon the individual. The story of Job is about how a devoted Christian survived God’s test when Satan took away all of his life luxuries, his off springs and gave him a fatal skin disease. Job suffered great loss and so had great grief for his misery. However, he in his grief never cursed or blamed God for anything (Kroll, n.d.). This story exhibits that trails are God tests to gauge our love for him and are an opportunity for us to exhibit our faith in God (Kroll, n.d.). Job’s story indicates that joy is for those who remain strong and patient during God’s trial for them. Joy is the reward for passing the test. In this story, joy interacts at the end in the form of reward for Job. In Buddhism, there is no appreciation for grief and it does not allow to celebrated grief. Buddhism advice that grief and sufferings are bad things and one should eliminate its causes. According to Buddhism teachings, one should have equal love and compassion towards all sentient being so that strong affection will not work together to cause grief (Autumn, Workman & Newkirk, 1999). The research that I have conducted on grieving process strengthen my belief that grieving is a very personal experience. Personally, I like to celebrate grief alone so that it does not hurt or influence other people around me. I face grief with a headstrong approach and do not deny it. This research has not changed my views on handling grief but has strengthened

Individual Development Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Individual Development Paper - Essay Example The ability to understand what the other is going through helps in all the segments of our waking life and livelihood like management, sales, marriage and parenthood. Strengthening this aspect of my emotional intelligence would really mean that I have already taken care of the earlier three aspects of emotional intelligence. Goleman opines that empathy builds on self-awareness. People who cannot read their own emotions are alexithymic, they are confused and bewildered about their own and other peoples' feelings. I suspect that I am a bit of an alexithymic myself. Once during my adolescence my house was flooded, I remember that I did not react at all and continued doing whatever I was doing instead of panicking and controlling the situation. At that time I thought I was rather cool, but now I realize that I was too detached and cold (not cool as I had earlier thought). Had I been empathetic I would have perhaps cried yet swung into action for either throwing out the water or stemming the source. This cold trait has surfaced time and again in my dealing with my business employees as well. I am not able to comprehend when they drop work due to personal emergency. It seems to me that work has less priority in their life than their domestic troubles. I am able to now understand why my subordinates find it difficult to confide in me, why I am usually am the last to know about the problems brewing in the environment. Root cause of this shortcoming is that I need to have empathy towards others. The plan is to improve my cognitive skills which will include: Set a role model. There are a number of people I know who are naturally empathetic towards others. I will have an inner voice mapping my emotions or lack of them against those of the role models. It would be easy to emulate them initially whenever I feel emotionally blank. Self-motivation- I will reinforce my behavior by constantly conducting an inner conversation with myself, to help me manage challenges or difficult situations. Learning social cues - I will try to see my self as part of a larger social fabric and try to react to situations from community's point of view. Recognize facial expressions, tone of voice and gestures and anticipate other person's state of mind. Others too- Try to understand from others perspective too and see if my state of mind is broad enough to take a just decision or too narrow that I am considering only myself in the outcome. Listen sympathetically - Not to interrupt or contradict till the speaker has finished and his /her message is understood completely. Maintain eye contact, gesture warmly and keep relaxed at all times. The key to know if my plan has worked is the enhancement of following traits in my personality: More responsible and assertive without being abusive More popular and dynamic Enjoy meeting others and help in solving their problems Greater understanding of others perspective and being more concerned Better at resolving conflicts, rather than being the cause of conflicts. Subordinates become friendlier and confide in me. The basic competency needed to develop empathy is self awareness. It means that I have to have the ability to recognize my own feelings. I have to be open and clear about my emotional reactions to different situations. I have to be motivated to develop empa

How Dangerous Nuclear Reactors Are Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

How Dangerous Nuclear Reactors Are - Essay Example The most important thing is to have a thorough understanding of exactly what happens inside of a nuclear reactor. The kind of physical process that occurs within a nuclear reactor is called nuclear fission, and it is one of two common forms of nuclear reaction. The other is called nuclear fusion, and that is what is used in most modern atomic bombs, and won’t be discussed extensively here. Each kind of reaction revolves around changing a single atom – fission is the splitting of one atom into two, whereas fusion is the combining of two atoms into a new one. Every atom is made of three parts: neutrons, protons, and electrons. Each of these has a charge – protons are positively charged, and attract negatively charged electrons. Neutrons have no charge. Neutrons are naturally occurring parts of atoms that exist in every element – usually, there are just as many neutrons as there are protons in any given element. They are very heavy and give most elements about half of their total weight. If you look at your body in terms of atomic weight, about half of it would be made of neutrons. The three parts of atoms, protons, electrons, and neutrons, exist in a balance of atoms that make up the things that we see around us. They exist in a balance because whenever they become unbalanced, they break down or recombine in a more balanced form. Think of a coin standing on its edge – in small change will cause it to fall so that one of the two sides is flat against the ground, but once it falls it won’t move or change as easily as it originally did. Atoms are like this – they are in a stable situation because if they weren’t, they couldn’t last very long. Changing one of the elements, either protons, neutrons or electrons, however, creates an unbalanced atom that wants to change to become balanced again.

A short story that is written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Essay Example for Free

A short story that is written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Essay This is a short story that is written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. At the time in which this short but very good story was written it was one of the first detective fiction story. This review of it will guide you through why it is a typical but very well written story. It includes the most famous detective in the world and is still a household name to this very day. The detectives name is Sherlock Holmes and has been written and read about for a number of decades. The main frame of the story is a lady called Helen Stoner who is worried about her life and comes to Sherlock for help and advice. Holmes with his partner Doctor Watson investigates Helens sisters death and hopes to find out the reason for this sinister crime. After looking and analysing the story it is evident that it has the right ingredients for a good detective fiction story. The ingredients that have been well placed into the story are a good opening. The opening starts with Sherlock waking up to his companion Watson and explaining that he is needed as a client is in deep worry. The other essential ingredients are drama, suspense a heroine or a such as Holmes as the hero and Helen stoner as the heroine. Detail is important in every story and detective fiction is no exception. Without detail the reader cannot properly understand what the situation the detective is in. Also the story has to have a good ending to it or maybe a twist like The Speckled Band does. The twist in this is totally unexpected as the killer is the father. The most important ingredients to a story, which I think is essential to the reader, are characters with good and believable characteristics. Without this ingredient the story is simply not a story. The reader has almost to know the character and then when this is accomplished they read on knowing that the person will follow the description that they have been given by the author. A good example of this is Dr Roylett. The words that are used here give a basic impression of him. violence of temper, ferocious quarrels with whoever might cross his path, shut himself up in his house. From reading these statements the reader can imagine that this Roylett man will be any help with Holmes investigation. If they read on from here then they find out that he is not.

What are The Benefits of Process Writing

What are The Benefits of Process Writing The writing process is an amazingly productive, constructive, and effective method of writing. This method is undeniably the best method in order to help a writer reach their full potential. The writing process is undeniable because anybody who has used this process has realized the benefits. The process is simple and only requires patience, revision, and the willingness to better ones work. It involves prewriting, revising and rewriting your work if necessary in order to ultimately achieve the best writing you are capable of. We almost never write to the absolute best of our ability on the first draft; which is why the writing process proves to be so successful. Process writing utilizes careful revision and rewriting techniques to effectively help writers compose their ideas into clear, concise, and well thought out statements that represent their style and passion for the subject. Any modern day writer should be familiar with this process because it is necessary to achieve quality writing. Many theorists and writers have written books on writing as a process and almost anyone who has tried the process would agree that it does in fact work. Initially, the first thing a writer should do to completely prepare themselves for the task at hand is organize their ideas. They should take the time to formulate a main theme or point which they are trying to convey as well as possibly do some prewriting activities such as brainstorming, drafting an outline, or free writing. This step is referred to as prewriting in the writing process and can be extremely useful to a writer that is trying to figure out their main idea or focus of the paper. Prewriting can be as simple as just writing your ideas out onto paper; it is important to remember to just keep writing and not to over analyze anything at this step in the process. The idea is just to get all your thoughts out onto paper so the best possible ideas can be formulated into a well written cohesive document. After prewriting has been completed the writer can now comprise a first draft. This draft can then be revised and possibly critiqued by other people as well as yourself. Revisi on is an essential part of the writing process because it gives the writer the chance view their paper threw someone elses eyes. It allows for criticism and discussion which eventually make the writing more powerful and meaningful. Since the writing process allows for revision over time the writers work transforms into something that is very well thought out and written much better than their first draft. After revision, comes probably one of the most challenging steps in the writing process which is known as rewriting (Flower). Donald Murray once said writing is rewriting (Murray). This short statement is as true today as it ever was. In order to create something that is well written you must write and then re write your thoughts which ultimately makes them well thought out and meaningful. Rewriting is such an imperative part of the writing process which is why Murray feels rewriting is just as important as writing the initial draft (Murray). The rewriting step in the process helps the writer narrow down their initial statements into what they truly want to say. Good writing or good English as described by William Zinsser is often the outcome of this step in the writing process. Writers often further relate to the audience as a result of this step by fabricating their ideas into something that most people can relate to and understand. Using common words that everybody can relate to can really help your reader feel connected or associated with the content they are reading. Ordinary everyday sentences are oft en clear, concise, and brief. These ordinary sentences push the writing forward by making the reader ask more questions about what is going to happen next. In order to write good English a writer must cease the use of unnecessary language and keep their sentences short, simple, and to the point so the reader can truly understand and relate to the content (Zinsser). Even though this may seem like the end of the process you should really repeat the revision and rewriting steps a few times in order to achieve the best possible results. Many writers including myself have seen the writing process work over and over again. I have seen the benefits of the writing process in my own writings many times. Every time I write something and just hand it in without any type of revision I always notice I could have written it much better if I had simply read through it and revised it. Also, whenever I do have the chance to get a peer revision on my writing I always notice that the final product is undoubtedly much better than the first draft. Sometimes I only want to write a single draft because I procrastinate until the last minute and dont have time for the writing process. If this is the case my final draft usually suffers in quality. Often times my lack of revision isnt hard to miss because the final draft usually ends up littered with typos or incoherent run on statements. If I had simply revised my work once the quality would have greatly increased. The writing process is also very important for students learning to write because it gives them the chance to critique and discuss their own writings as well a s other students writings in the class. Ultimately, one of the real reasons most people write is because they can not only speak out and express themselves to the world but they may also influence others with their ideas. There are so many great things a person can do with the power of word. Whether it is to persuade, inform, narrate, or inspire, good writing is something that can be appreciated by all and is a very powerful tool. If you aspire to write well then using the writing process correctly is something that must be on your top priority. After all, a well thought out meaningful sentence is a weapon of great power in our literary world.

Employee Empowerment on Customer Satisfaction

Employee Empowerment on Customer Satisfaction Employee empowerment and customer satisfaction is one of those terms that everyone thinks they understand, but few really do. Ask a dozen different people and youll get a dozen different answers to the question, What is employee empowerment? In fact, research a dozen organizational theorists and youll get as many answers to the same question. Some writers indicate that empowerment consists of sharing power and authority. Others say that empowerment occurs when the organizations processes are set-up to allow for it. If you keep in mind the secondary dictionary definition of to give faculties or abilities to: enable (Grove, 1971, p.744), with all that this word implies, then you will be on the right track for the purposes. Employee empowerment is a key feature of the modern management style. Empowered employees are expected to perform more effectively as compared to those working in traditional or authoritarian organizational cultures. Empowered employees are more motivated as compared to those who just follow the given lines. Employee empowerment creates sense of belongingness and ownership towards the parent organization. Empowered employee feel more confident and try to give their best to their employers, as a result, service quality improves. Improved product or service quality generally results into higher level of customer satisfaction. Higher level of customer satisfaction results into a bigger sales volume resulting into an improved profitability. Every business aims at earning profits; however profits and customer value go hand in hand. In order to give maximum value to a customer, the service provider is required to develop a sound understanding of the customer expectations. In the first part of this thesis, the authors will present the background to the problem, which will then be specified in the second part. Further, the delimitations of this study will be stated. After reading this first part, the reader will have gained a better understanding of the research subject which leads to purpose and related research questions guiding this study. BACKGROUND Global markets have built a competitive environment in business. If the organizations want to remain in the market, they must be inventive in lowering costs and value to customers. So it is essential for an organization to utilize the full potential of its people. But the employees need power and control to make decisions to fulfill the customers needs. According to (Cook, 1992) studies shown that people work with full energy when they feel happy, even they are ready to sacrifice for organizations and give their blood to the company. But when they feel valued and important. They show their involvement in the business. (R Maxwell, 2005) Employees in a service organization and particularly, those who have frequent contacts with the customer usually serve as representatives of both the Organization and their products or services to the customer at contact point. The quality of the service and the satisfaction the customer may derive will be an assessment of the entire service experience. Employees who are empowered in an organization can either portray a positive or negative picture to the customers. PURPOSE STATEMENT The purpose of this survey based quantitative research is to determine and identify the perception of employees about the employee empowerment in banking sector of Pakistan. At what extent these organizations are practicing employee empowerment, and how much this empowerment has impact on service quality and customer satisfaction. In matters concerning financial commitments, investments and spending customers, not only need reassurance that their finances are safe, but also that they are valued for committing their stakes with a particular financial institution. Customers of a bank rely on the services delivered to them by the bank whether they are saving depositing, taking loans, cashing cheques or buying funds, they count on the employees responsible for handling issues relating to them, to deliver high service quality in other to increase their satisfaction. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY This research will provide a deep view to the implications of employee empowerment to employees, government, employers, students and the general public who have an interest in the study. The readers will be able to understand new relations between different variables and conceptual understanding of these variables. They will read new concepts in the context of banking sector e.g. organizational image, effectiveness and efficiency and building trust. This research is targeted at the management of organizations within the banking industry, and industries producing highly intangible-dominant services, as suggestion regarding employee empowerment, which when practiced can enhance customer satisfaction and create a good customer- perceived service quality. OBJECTIVES Main objectives of the study is to determine the impact of employee empowerment on customer satisfaction in banking sector of Pakistan. General objectives: To determine the impact of employee empowerment on effectiveness and efficiency. To determine the impact of employee empowerment on service quality. To determine the impact of employee empowerment on organizational image. 1.5 RESEARCH QUESTION What is the impact of employee empowerment on customer satisfaction in banking sector of Pakistan? CHAPTER TWO LITRATURE REVIEW 2.0 INTRODUCTION Inside of todays unstable public and private sectors, external pressures from political, environmental, social and technological sources require management to seek out, evaluate and embrace, new planning, organizational and operating techniques to remain on track in pursuit of their associations mission and long-term goals. Among the myriad of proposed theories, models and plans submitted in the past decade to the managerial community for possible acceptance and implementation is the concept of employee empowerment. Within the spectrum of discussion on employee empowerment, rhetoric inevitably mentions the relevant success or failure of empowerment as a viable tool to upper management. According to (Kirkman, 1989) empowerment of employees is continuously growing today in Europe. Multinationals have a great concern on empowerment of employees. Empowerment increase employee motivation and positive orientation towards his work role and finally results in higher productivity.(Watson,2003)over the past few years, traditional management has gone and new democratic approaches has takes its place. Employee empowerment, which came up in 1990s, is known as one of the new management concepts. (Hanold, 1997) However, when the relevant literature is analyzed, this concept is understood to have a longer history than previously thought with its roots Human Rights Movement of 1950 and 1960s, empowerment has rather closely related to the various concepts and techniques designed to democratize the work-place. 2.1 EFFECTIVENESS EFFICIENCY (Conger, Kanangu, 1988) management researchers and practitioners have keen interest in concept of empowerment and related management practices. This interest is due to several reasons. First studies on leadership and managerial skills suggest that the practice of empowering subordinate is a principal component of managerial and organizational effectiveness. Second analyses of power and control within organization reveals that the total productive form of organizational power and effectiveness grow with superior sharing of power and control with subordinates. (Mayers, 1987) employees are effective performers when they are empowered. Because it is the fact that the employees who have authority to take decisions perform better. And utilize the resources of the organization efficiently. 2.2 SERVICE QUALITY In banking organizations, the general offering in a particular industry is averagely similar, even though they may engage in different approaches to achieving a differentiation from the others, to be able to gain more market share and customers in the industry. According to (Gooronos, 2001), that almost any retailing bank can provide an individual with retailing services, but not every bank manages to treat customers in a way that they are pleased with. Service providers therefore seek to differentiate themselves from their rivals by offering customers higher quality of services than their competitors, which makes the basis of their competition to be defined by their services. (K.Sen, 2008)The nature of services as being intangible, heterogeneous, perishable, produced, and consumed at same time makes it peculiar to deliver, and challenging to organizations to achieve a differentiation from the others. 2.3 CUSTOMER SATISFACTION (Spetz, Butler; 2008)In the past years the competition in the banking sector is increasing. There is more choice for the customers and thereby the banks have to work harder to attract customers. (Peter, Waterman, 1982) focused that good organizations align their strategies and goals to the requirement s of their customers .One way is to care employees and empower them. (George 1992)There exists an interaction between the desired results and customer satisfaction, customer loyalty and customer retention. CHAPTER THREE RESEARCH METHADOLOGY 3.0 INTRODUCTION Research methodology is defined as the analysis of the principles of methods, rules, and postulates employed by a discipline or the development of methods, to be applied within a discipline or a particular procedure or set of procedures. It should be noted that methodology is frequently used when method would be more accurate. Methodology includes the following concepts as they relate to a particular discipline or field of inquiry: A collection of theories, concepts or ideas. Comparative study of different approaches. Critique of the individual methods. Methodology refers to more than a simple set of methods; rather it refers to the rationale and the philosophical assumptions that underlie a particular study. This is why scholarly literature often includes a section on the methodology of the researchers. Another key, although arguably imprecise, usage for methodology does not refer to research or to the specific analysis techniques. This often refers to anything and everything that can be encapsulated for a discipline or a series of processes, activities and tasks. Research is the search for knowledge through objectives and systematic method of finding solutions to a problem. It is an original contribution to the existing stock of knowledge making for its advancement. It is also pursuit of truth with the help of study observation comparison and experiment and it is the science of studying how a research is done. This chapter outlines the various stages of the research methodology. Namely sampling procedures, data collection methods, questionnaire design and coding of questionnaire etc. 3.1 RESEARCH STRATEGY For the purpose of this research, questionnaire-filling strategy is chosen. Primary data will be collected through the survey questionnaire. The required information was collected from the selected areas of Lahore in Pakistan, in order to have a complete knowledge and insight about the activities of the banking. The study will involve a sampling of 130 individual customers of banking from a Lahore in Pakistan. CHAPTER FOUR 4.0 TIME SCALE The following Gantt chart represents the estimated time the researcher plans on covering the research. A time resource, available is approximately 3 months (Beginning from proposal approval) and its management has been planned as shown in the Gantt chart above, from the Gantt chart. 4.2 COST The cost of whole research is fully sponsored be researcher. This includes all costs incurred, inclusive of printing, transport, and communication costs. 4.3 OTHER RESOURCES Other resources that the researcher is planning to use are SPSS version 16.0 for this analysis and other statistic analytical tools.

Hitler Youth: The Future of Germany :: Nazi German Hitler History Essays

Hitler Youth: The Future of Germany The Hitler Youth (Hitlerjugend-HJ) were for Hitler the future of the Nazi party. Hitler’s dream of a thousand year Reich could only be accomplished through the youth, which were deemed the most important aspect of Germany's future as a powerful nation. "The future of the German nation depends on its youth, and the German youth shall have to be prepared for its future duties."(i) The youth were important because they would continue the Nazi legacy and spread propaganda to future generations. Hitler was so obsessed with his quest for the future of Germany, that he devoted most of his endeavors, such as the acquisition of Lebensraum and the elimination of the subhumans, for the purpose of gaining more land for the future generations. Hitler was not some all mighty God that was able to just snap his fingers and the youth would follow him, he was aided in the fact that the youth were on a quest of their own: independence. They were energetic, full of life, and had an overwhelming love for Germany along with spirit and a quest to find their position in life. Hitler recognized these characteristics of the youth and decided to incorporate them into his plan for the National Socialist German Worker's Party (NSDAP or Nazi Party) to flourish. These characteristics and Hitler's involvement became the leading tragedy and inspiration of the German youth movement. This youth movement began before World War I, was the result of the industrial revolution, and came to be known as the ‘Youth Revolution.’(ii) The Early Movement In the 1920's, the German youth were involved in about two thousand groups and organizations. The most popular organization was the Wandervogel, which was popular due to the involvement of sports. Boys were able to go on weekend retreats, where they would hike and learn to survive on their own in the wilderness. Organized sporting events of soccer and other various competitions kept the interests of the children. The Wandervogel were noted for their love of the land, not the new, modern conveniences of the cities. Hiking and skiing were chosen over activities such as watching a movie or going to a dance. The Wandervogel, which was formed November 4, 1901(iii), reflected the main attitudes of the of the youth movement. American Boy Scouts saluting Hitler Youth in Munich in 1935. Koch p. 196. In some ways the Wandervogel was a manifestation of the perceptible mood of boredom and restlessness appearance of Wilhelmian Germany was little more than a facade which

Violence, Terrorism, and the Interactions between Cultures Essay

Violence, Terrorism, and the Interactions between Cultures When humans from different cultures interact, the result is often bloodshed, domination and disease. Also, without exception, the exchange of ideas gradually occurs. All of these factors have shaped the course of history. While much of the spread of disease has been reduced since the Black Death, much bloodshed still comes from the interaction of cultures, possibly from physical contact without intellectual or rational interaction and understanding. Interaction itself is necessary and does result in good as well, especially in terms of technological advancements. The spread of disease is possibly one of the most dramatic results of interactions between cultures. The different ways of living in Europe and other parts of the world caused very different illnesses to develop in each. Europeans lived in close quarters in densely populated cities, which allowed crowd diseases, such as measles, to develop. These diseases quickly result in death, or recovery and immunity. Thus, they do not remain relevant in smaller communities; by the time victims have recovered fully, the disease is not around to be spread. In larger communities, the disease can shift from area to area, remaining in existence until there are babies to be infected in the original area. (Diamond) A leading theory maintains that these diseases developed from animal diseases that adapted to the environment of the human body when humans and animals were in close contact. In particular measles and smallpox came from cattle, and the flu came from pigs and ducks. (Diamond) Because this con tact with animals, the close contact with thousands of other humans in cities, and the connection of populations by trade, a... ...p. 1-35. Cipolla, Carlo M., Epilog from "Guns, Sails, and Empires: Technological Innovation and the Early Phases of European Expansion, 1400-1700" Sunflower Univ. Press, 1996, pp. 132-148. Diamond, Jared, "Ch. 11: Lethal gift of livestock," in "Guns, Germs, and Steel" W.W. Norton & Co, 1997, ISBN 0-393-03891-2, pp. 195-214 Ponting, Clive. Ch.11 from "A Green History of the World," St. Martins Press, NYC, 1991, pp. 224-239. Pursell, Carroll W. Jr., Ch. 1 and 2 in "Early Stationary Steam Engines in America: a study in the migration of a technology" Smithsonian Inst. Press, 1969, pp. 1-27. Schneider, Jane. Rumpelstilskin's Bargain: Folklore and the Merchant Capitalist Intensification of Linen Manufacture in Early Modern Europe. In Cloth and Human Experience, edited by Annette B. Weiner and Jane Schneider. Washington: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1993.

Looking Through the Eyes of the Faultless Painter Essay -- Adrea del Sa

Andrea del Sarto's title in Browning's eyes should be considered â€Å"the faultless painter†. For del Sarto, capturing something beautiful is worth almost anything. But del Sarto finds himself trapped between two identities: That of a husband to his wife, and that of an artist to his patrons. Andrea del Sarto recognizes that his work as a painter often distances him from his wife, but he also recognizes that his love for his wife has reduced his capability to paint subjects as they are. Of course, del Sarto himself is presenting only his side of the story, that of a man who is trying to support his wife with his work; it would be interesting to see Lucrezia's side of the tale. What is fascinating is that del Sarto's world view and explanation of his life, the narrative of his existence, seems to be totally sincerely held, yet it is also in many ways deeply contradictory: Resentful and loving, taking responsibility and passing on responsibility. In this sense, del Sarto's mono log is clearly a sincerely held view of the world, but is precisely the kind of view that a real person holds: Filled with inaccuracies and competing self-images. One of the crucial clues to the meaning of the poem is the superlative that Andrea del Sarto has earned: â€Å"Faultless Painter†. Del Sarto has interpreted this vision of himself to mean that he has managed to be technically perfect but emotionally limited, yet that superlative doesn't seem to just point to a flawless technician. Del Sarto has apparently achieved notoriety in his life, yet he is still unsatisfied with his work. In del Sarto's worldview, his wife has made it so that he is only technically proficient, not emotionally proficient. But it is quite clear that del Sarto is actually deeply emotiona... ... loving husband, and a strong man. Unfortunately, his real world is not perfect, so he finds that he is only a faultless but not exceptional painter, a husband who is married to a woman who spends his money, and a man who is unable to stand up to his wife. It is unquestionable that del Sarto honestly believes all of these things. The fact that his beliefs are based on mutually contradictory components does not change the fact that this is clearly the statement of a man's worldview. Browning gives us the image of a man walking through his own self-image, and invites the reader to share in the uncertainty about del Sarto. Without ever hearing from others, such as his peers, his patrons, and his wife, it is impossible to know the truth; the only thing we can know is what del Sarto thought and what his worldview was, and that is enough to understand the man and his art.

Organisation Behaviour Essay

Using the concepts that you have read in the book, describe what would be according to your personality the ideal job for you ? (Sessions 1 and 2) With noadays’ global and competitive environment, Organisation Behaviour look further in workforce diversity. It seeks to include different personnalities in an organisation to improve performances and increase organisation values. Personality is about determining a person’s reactions and interactions with others. Though a part of this fact is determined by heredity, it is also a process of change related to psychological growth and personal development. Finding a job that ideally corresponds to my personality is not as easy as it seems.  According to OB experts, a good job fit refers to  « the degree to which a person’s cognitive abilities, interests and personality dynamics fit those required by the job  » (Chuck Russell – Right Person Right Job, Guess or Know). So job fit is not only about matching technical skills, but it is also about matching my inner passion and talent with the job and with the organisation. It has been proven that a good job fit increases performances and attracts talent. On the other hand, a bad job fit can have a negative impact ; that’s why it is critical to success. To find my ideal job, there are many different tools based on personality traits to describe an individual’s behaviour and distinguish differences, but I have chosen two of them to analyse myself : †¢ Firstly, the MYERS-BRIGGS compares four type indicators : Extroverted vs Introverted, Sensing vs Intuitive, Thinking vs Feeling, Judging vs Perceiving. Personally, I think that I used to be an ESFJ person (called the Guardian Provider), but that I changed with time into an ESTJ person. (called the Gardian Supervisor). This change is maybe caused by my personal evolvment. Secondly, OB has also focused on big five factors related to job outcomes : Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Emotional stability, and Openness to experience. To have an outer opinion about my own personality, I have taken a test online (www.personalitytest.org.uk) by answering questions reflecting these five factors. My results were : ââ€" ¦ Extroversion : preference to social situations ââ€" ¦ Agreeableness : tendency to be trusting friendly and cooperative ââ€" ¦ Conscientiousness : methodical, well organized and dutiful ââ€" ¦ Neuroticism : tendency to feel insecurity and emotional distress ââ€" ¦ Openness : interest in creativity, culture and educational experiences After my self discovery through this analysis, and regarding the relationship between personality and performances, I cannot say that there’s a unique ideal job for me. But taking into consideration my personal preferences, I would like to work as a Marketing Brand Manager.. I think this job would fit me like a glove because : †¢ it requires a lot of organisational skills by planning the marketing process, and co-ordinating all the elements related to promotion and sales. †¢ It requires group work management, with open-minded and regular interactions and communication with the employees. †¢ it is also connected to creativity that adds value to the organisation, not only in advertising but in all the marketing process. †¢ It demand an ability to adapt myself to different situations through innovation †¢ It gives me satisfaction to have concrete results of my work that can have an impact on the company’s performance. These elements of the Marketing Brand Manager’s job fits well with my personality because they reflect what I am good at. There is no good or bad personality, because every person is different from the other, and so every person has its place in an organisation. Therefore, finding the best job fit is not only related to what we know, but it is more about what we are today and how we interact.

Explain how the following link to your practice Essay

Bullying In my work place there is an anti bullying policy in place also all the children and staffs are educated on bullying and how it can affect people differently. The school also takes bullying very seriously and any accusations are dealt with straight away. Cyber bullying In my work place we have an cyber bullying policy also we educate the children and the staff on signs to watch out for and how to prevent it from happening also what to do if it does happen to you. The school also has posters in the ict room about bullying and where you can get help from. The school also send out leaflets so the parents can read them and educate themselves. Rewards At my work they are different rewards for different year groups and tasks. Some off the reward systems are ; star chart, this is mainly used on a 1-1 basis to help the child concentrate on the tasks set for them. Cloud and rainbow this is a whole class reward as it is not just focused on one child, if a child is behaving well they can go on the rainbow but if the child is not completing a task they will go on a cloud. There is also house points when a child is doing well they will get a point for their team and at the end of the week the points are added up throughout school and the team with the most points are moved along in the race. The team at the end of the year who wins the race will get a reward each. Sanctions There are different sanctions depending on the severity of the situation. One of the main sanctions is that if you are told more than once about something your name will go on the bored and if you still continue to misbehaving you will get a tick against your name, three ticks and you will spend playtime and dinner time in class doing extra work. Impact on personal factors This all depends on the situation for example; A child could be going through bereavement and they may act out e.g anger,  lashing out, withdrawn. If the school knows about an incident occurring they will take the child to one side and explain what has happened and how they might feel but that they can always talk to them if needed. Managing pupil behaviour They are different methods when dealing with pupil behaviour depending on the situation. If the child has additional needs they may be behaving differently due to confusion or anger. Two of the methods that are used most in my school are setting up a 1-1 support and also have a reward chart. Inclusion In my work place we try and treat everyone with respect and try and involve everyone no matter what. One of the ways we do this is buy changing the lesson plan so it can fit to the needs of the individual also if there is any other additional equipment needed such as a chair cushion it will be provided. Training Training is provided to all members off staff. If there is any additional training that is needed it will be provided such as first aid and food hygiene.

Best Practices in Training and Development Essay

Training and development is the keystone of successful company’s operation. There are a lot of training methods today that can be used for staff training. Many of the training options that are easily available take too much time, are too high-priced, are curriculum and course oriented and do not match the needs of the company or enterprise. That is why it is very important to realize all pros and cons of these methods. Instructor – Led Classroom Training. Pros: High quality delivery; Immediate Q & A; Leverage student questions. Cons: Costly student/trainer expense; Costly one-to-few training; Training often too soon/too late; Trainer must be knowledgeable of multiple applications. Best for: Multiple students of similar skill level; Training in single location; Observable performance Interpersonal skills/feedback; Highly interactive knowledge sharing. Worth for: Students of widely-varying skill levels; Training for large system/process rollout; Consistency across learner groups. Asynchronous Web – Based Internet/Intranet Training. Pros: Just-in-time training; No travel costs; Self-paced learning; Remedial training at no cost; Consistency; Possible increased retention; Easily distributed/updated training materials. Cons: Self-directed motivation can be problematic; Lack of classroom collaboration; May be viewed as â€Å"done on your own time†. Best for: Basic training; Students in multiple locations; As part of instructor-led training course. Worth for: Observable interpersonal skills/feedback; Real-time knowledge sharing. Synchronous (real-time) Web – Based Internet/Intranet Training. Pros: High quality delivery; Immediate Q & A; Leverage student questions; Rapid, low-cost content. Cons: Cost-per-student higher than asynchronous training; Network connection needed. Best for: Basic training; Students in multiple locations; Highly interactive knowledge sharing; Hands-on application training. Worth for: Students of widely-varying skill levels Observable interpersonal skills/feedback. What training method is the most useful and productive? Jim Campbell, Hudson’s Bay Company’s organizational management senior manager, said on the Canada’s Learning and Development Conference, that e-learning is not the be-all and end-all solution. His preferred approach is blended learning, where technology-assisted learning is integrated into more traditional training methods. â€Å"E-learning staff learned an important lesson when 5,000 binders of material meant as support for the online courses were distributed to employees†, said David Wright, TD learning and development senior manager. â€Å"About a year later, when we’d travel to the different branches, we’d still see people holding on to those binders. † Wright said some employees were simply choosing to print out all of the online material and study it in paper form anyway. He says the company acknowledges that not everyone learns in the same fashion, adding e-learning is best combined with peer-assisted training and one-on-one coaching. A blended approach to learning is not always an easy sell. Banks are conservative organizations and many TD employees had a hard time getting over a â€Å"computer-phobia,† Wright said. To this day, the company has to use scare tactics to get some of its employees to complete online courses, for example, when an online course is a pre-requisite for a seminar. In most midsize or large companies, internal training and development is viewed as a strategic imperative. â€Å"I’m all for the renaissance person,† says Lee Dailey, director of executive and management development at United Technology Corp. Dailey heads the Hartford, Connecticut, conglomerate’s Employee Scholar Program, a legendarily generous plan under which every one of UTC’s 200,000-plus employees is eligible for 100 percent reimbursement of all educational costs, including tuition, registration fees and books. Courses do not have to be directly related to the participant’s job. â€Å"If you’re an engineer for our Pratt & Whitney division and you want to study Middle Eastern religion, go ahead,† Dailey says. In addition, employees are given three hours off each week to work at their studies or attend class. When employees earn a degree, they are awarded $10,000 worth of company stock. Currently, 15 percent of UTC’s workforce is enrolled. Last year the company paid out $60 million, and it has spent $400 million since 1996, when the scholar program was instituted in its current form. The program, Dailey says, has never been evaluated for ROI. â€Å"Inherently, people understand that a better-educated workforce is a more productive workforce. † This is the philosophy of longtime UTC CEO George David, Dailey adds. â€Å"He wants the best-educated workforce on the planet. † Training and continuing education are tracked at General Motors, says Jeff Johnson, director of benefit operations worldwide for the auto company. Under the firm’s Salaried Employees’ Tuition Assistance Plan, managers must get approval from their supervisors before enrolling in courses that will earn them a desired undergraduate degree or advance their technical or managerial skills. â€Å"They’re very rarely turned down,† Johnson says, adding that few employees want to waste their time or GM’s money on irrelevant courses. The yearly limit at GM is $6,400 per individual for undergraduate education and $10,000 for postgraduate courses. Generally, large companies are the most generous with tuition dollars, but small and medium-sized companies do their best to keep up. Washington Trust Company, a 16-branch bank in Westerly, Rhode Island, gives tuition assistance to 70 of its 450 employees. Undergraduates must obtain a grade of at least C in their courses, and graduate students a B. Last year the company spent $73,000, and Kristen DiSanto, vice president for human resources, considers it money well spent. 1. Workforce Management on the Web 2004. Pros and Cons of Training Modes. 17 Oct. 2004 2. Rola, Monika. â€Å"Don’t forget the human touch: enterprises swap horror stories and best practices with their e-learning initiatives – IT Training & Careers. † Computing Canada 25 Apr. 2003. 17 Oct. 2004 3. Meisler, Andy. â€Å"A Matter of Degree. † Workforce Management May 2004. 17 Oct. 2004