Bpr Business Process Reenigneering

CONTENTS Topics| Page No. | Introduction| 4| Overview| 5| History| 6| BPR Methodology| 7| Advantages and disadvantages of BPR| 9| Case study- I| 11| Case study- II| 13| Conclusion| 24| References| 24| 1. INTRODUCTION Business process re-engineering  is a  business management strategy, originally pioneered in the early 1990s, focusing on the analysis and design of workflows and processes within an organization. BPR aimed to help  organizations  fundamentally rethink how they do their work in order to dramatically improve  customer service, cut  operational costs, and become world-class  competitors.In the mid-1990s, as many as 60% of the Fortune  companies claimed to either have initiated reengineering efforts, or to have plans to do so. BPR seeks to help companies radically restructure their organizations by focusing on the ground-up design of their business processes. According to Davenport (1990) a business process is a set of logically related tasks performed to ac hieve a defined business outcome. Re-engineering emphasized a  holistic  focus on business objectives and how processes related to them, encouraging full-scale recreation of processes rather than iterative optimization of sub processes.Business process re-engineering is also known as business process redesign, business transformation, or business process change management. Fig 1 2. OVERVIEW Business process re-engineering (BPR) began as a private sector technique to help organizations fundamentally rethink how they do their work in order to dramatically improve customer service, cut operational costs, and become world-class competitors. A key stimulus for re-engineering has been the continuing development and deployment of sophisticated information systems and networks.Leading organizations are becoming bolder in using this technology to support innovative business processes, rather than refining current ways of doing work. Reengineering guidance and relationship of Mission and Work Processes to Information Technology. Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) is basically rethinking and radically redesigning an organization's existing resources. BPR, however, is more than just business improvising; it is an approach for redesigning the way work is done to better support the organization's mission and reduce costs.Reengineering starts with a high-level assessment of the organization's mission, strategic goals, and customer needs. Basic questions are asked, such as â€Å"Does our mission need to be redefined? Are our strategic goals aligned with our mission? Who are our customers? † An organization may find that it is operating on questionable assumptions, particularly in terms of the wants and needs of its customers. Only after the organization rethinks what it should be doing, does it go on to decide how best to do it.Within the framework of this basic assessment of mission and goals, re-engineering focuses on the organization's business processes†”the steps and procedures that govern how resources are used to create products and services that meet the needs of particular customers or markets. As a structured ordering of work steps across time and place, a business process can be decomposed into specific activities, measured, modeled, and improved.It can also be completely redesigned or eliminated altogether. Re-engineering identifies, analyzes, and re-designs an organization's core business processes with the aim of achieving dramatic improvements in critical performance measures, such as cost, quality, service, and speed. Re-engineering recognizes that an organization's business processes are usually fragmented into sub processes and tasks that are carried out by several specialized functional areas within the organization.Often, no one is responsible for the overall performance of the entire process. Re-engineering maintains that optimizing the performance of sub processes can result in some benefits, but cannot yield dr amatic improvements if the process itself is fundamentally inefficient and outmoded. For that reason, re-engineering focuses on re-designing the process as a whole in order to achieve the greatest possible benefits to the organization and their customers.This drive for realizing dramatic improvements by fundamentally re-thinking how the organization's work should be done distinguishes re-engineering from process improvement efforts that focus on functional or incremental improvement. 3. HISTORY In 1990, Michael Hammer, a former professor of computer science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), published an article in the Harvard Business Review, in which he claimed that the major challenge for managers is to obliterate forms of work that do not add value, rather than using technology for automating it.This statement implicitly accused managers of having focused on the wrong issues, namely that technology in general, and more specifically information technology, has be en used primarily for automating existing processes rather than using it as an enabler for making non-value adding work obsolete. Hammer's claim was simple: Most of the work being done does not add any value for customers, and this work should be removed, not accelerated through automation. Instead, companies should reconsider their processes in order to maximize customer value, while minimizing the consumption of resources required for delivering their product or service.A similar idea was advocated by Thomas H. Davenport and J. Short in 1990, at that time a member of the Ernst & Young research center, in a paper published in the Sloan Management Review This idea, to unbiased review a company’s business processes, was rapidly adopted by a huge number of firms, which were striving for renewed competitiveness, which they had lost due to the market entrance of foreign competitors, their inability to satisfy customer needs, and their insufficient cost structure.Even well-establi shed management thinkers, such as Peter Drucker and Tom Peters, were accepting and advocating BPR as a new tool for (re-)achieving success in a dynamic world. During the following years, a fast growing number of publications, books as well as journal articles, were dedicated to BPR, and many consulting firms embarked on this trend and developed BPR methods. However, the critics were fast to claim that BPR was a way to dehumanize the work place, increase managerial control, and to justify downsizing, i. e. major reductions of the ork force, and a rebirth of Taylorism under a different label. Despite this critique, reengineering was adopted at an accelerating pace and by 1993, as many as 60% of the Fortune 500 companies claimed to either have initiated reengineering efforts, or to have plans to do so. This trend was fueled by the fast adoption of BPR by the consulting industry, but also by the study Made in America, conducted by MIT, that showed how companies in many US industries had lagged behind their foreign counterparts in terms of competitiveness, time-to-market and productivity.Development after 1995 With the publication of critiques in 1995 and 1996 by some of the early BPR proponents, coupled with abuses and misuses of the concept by others, the reengineering fervor in the U. S. began to wane. Since then, considering business processes as a starting point for business analysis and redesign has become a widely accepted approach and is a standard part of the change methodology portfolio, but is typically performed in a less radical way as originally proposed.More recently, the concept of Business Process Management (BPM) has gained major attention in the corporate world and can be considered as a successor to the BPR wave of the 1990s, as it is evenly driven by a striving for process efficiency supported by information technology. Equivalently to the critique brought forward against BPR, BPM is now accused of focusing on technology and disregarding the pe ople aspects of change. 4. BPR METHODOLOGY BPR methodology is a structured sequence of activities that constitutes the typical BPR project. BPR refers to a re-design of business processes by using IT.Its methodology is to give a guideline or progress of how the business process to be re-designed. There are number of methodologies for an organization to practice. According to S. Muthu, L. Whitman and S. Hossein Cherahhi , there are 5 examples of BPR methodologies. To be simple, a consolidated methodology has been developed from those 5 methodologies. That is similar to the 5 phases mentioned in class: visioning, mobilization, process redesign, implementation and monitoring & maintaining. Fig 2 Phase 1: Triggering & Execution VisioningThis phase is to design the visions and directions that a company should go with in order to improve efficiency of the targeted business processes and customer satisfaction. In this stage, the organization should identify the reengineering opportunities, enabling technologies and direct impact on customers. Phase 2: Mobilization In this phase, a reengineering team should be formed. The team should outline the performance goals, BPR plan and budget. Processes to be redesigned should be selected. IT people are involved to make assessment on IT infrastructure and provide information for better business process redesign.Phase 3: Process Redesign This stage is to analyze and compare AS-IS processes and TO-BE processes. After identifying the potential improvements of the existing processes, modeling methods can be used to develop the TO-BE models. Integration can be done afterwards. Phase 4: Implementation Training programs are initiated in this stage to provide the skills of fitting the TO-BE processes. IT infrastructure and the organization are also need to be adjusted to fit the TO-BE processes. Phase 5: Monitoring and MaintainingThe new processes should be monitored and modified on a continuous basis, especially the progress of actio n and the results. To carry out a good BPR methodology, organizations are recommended to consider each phase carefully. Each phase should be comprehensive enough for execution to drive for a success in achieving the organization’s vision and strategy. Business Process Reengineering Principles * Organize around outcomes, not tasks . * Have those who use the output of the process perform the process. Subsume information-processing work into the real work that produces the information. * Treat geographically dispersed resources as though they were centralized. * Link parallel activities instead of integrating their results. * Put decision points where the work is performed and build controls into the process. * Capture information once and at the source. 5. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF BPR Business process reengineering (BPR) is a program that systemically breaks down the process a business uses and starts over with new, more efficient methods — basically a redesign o r a reboot.A business process is a collection of procedures, steps or activities the business uses to get the product from development to the customer. Businesses use BPR for various reasons, including cutting costs and improving overall production. Nevertheless, BPR also has its drawbacks. * Identifies Waste and Encourages Ideas The aim of BPR is to help businesses pinpoint obsolete steps, items or workers in a business process. For example, if four workers perform a task, the business may discover only two workers can get the job done during reengineering. BPR encourages employee input and participation.The workers who have familiarity with the processes under study can point out flaws and voice ideas for improvement. * Requires Investment and the Right Business Types BPR typically requires an investment, particularly in technology. Outdated methods, such as doing a task by hand, face replacement by computer programs. The programs improve efficiency and reduce errors, but the comp any must invest in the software and training, a costly option for companies looking to cut expenses immediately. Not all business types benefit from BPR. For example, a manufacturing company may not have the option of edesigning processes without sacrificing safety or product quality. * Cuts Costs and Improves Functionality Removing unnecessary steps cuts down on time and confusion among workers. Assigning tasks that multiple workers would typically handle to one worker gives customers a clear point of contact for help or service. Even by investing more money in technology at the start, companies typically save money over time with the redesigned methods. For example, improving or updating electronic components incurs an up-front cost, but saves money over time by eliminating errors due to outdated components. Lowers Worker Morale Some workers may not adapt to the BPR changes, and those assigned new responsibilities can become overwhelmed. Other workers become obsolete if their prim ary function is eliminated as part of a process overhaul. Management must provide support and guidance during BPR. Failure of the management team to assist workers and set an example during the BPR process may lead to failure, disorganization and staff problems. RISKS IN BPR * Advocates report failure rates of 50% to 70% * Sutcliffe [1999] reviewed difficulties * Employee resistance to change * Inadequate attention to employee concerns Inappropriate staffing * Inadequate tools * Mismatch of strategies & goals * Lack of oversight * Failure of leadership commitment 6. CASE STUDY- II Mahindra & Mahindra: Implementing BPR Abstract: The case examines the reasons behind automobile major Mahindra & Mahindra's decision to implement a Business Process Reengineering (BPR) program. The case explores in detail the implementation procedure at the company and the benefits that accrued from the BPR program. In addition, the case discusses the concept of BPR, its benefits, and the steps that need t o be taken to ensure the success of such initiatives.Issues: Examine the benefits that a BPR program can offer to an organization when it is effectively implemented M;M's Problem Plants In the mid-1990s, India's largest multi utility vehicle (MUV) and tractor manufacturer M;M was facing serious problems at its Igatpuri and Kandivili plants in Maharashtra. The plants were suffering from manufacturing inefficiencies, poor productivity, long production cycle, and sub-optimal output. The reason: highly under-productive, militantly unionized, and bloated workforces.The company had over the years been rather lenient towards running the plants and had frequently crumbled under the pressure of union demands. The work culture was also reportedly very unhealthy and corruption was widespread in various departments. Alarmed at the plant's dismal condition, Chairman Keshub Mahindra tried to address the problem by sacking people who allegedly indulged in corrupt practices. M&M also tried to imple ment various voluntary retirement schemes (VRS), but the unions refused to cooperate and the company was unable to reduce the labor force.During this period, M&M was in the process of considering the implementation of a Business Process Reengineering (BPR) program throughout the organization including the manufacturing units. Because of the problems at the Igatpuri and Kandivili plants, M&M decided to implement the program speedily at its manufacturing units. The program, developed with the help of the UK-based Lucas Engineering Systems, was first implemented on an experimental basis at the engine plant in Igatpuri. Simultaneously, an exercise was initiated to assess the potential benefits of implementing BPR and its effect on the unions.M&M's management was not surprised to learn that the unions expressed extreme displeasure at the decision to implement BPR and soon went on a strike. However, this time around, the management made it clear that it would not succumb to union demands. Soon, the workers were surprised to see the company's senior staff come down to the plant and work in their place. With both the parties refusing to work out an agreement, observers began casting doubts on the future of the company's grand plans of reaping the benefits of BPR. Background NoteMahindra ; Mahindra Ltd. (M;M) was the flagship company of the Mahindra group, one of the top ten industrial houses in India. The company's history dates back to 1945, when two brothers, J. C. Mahindra and K. C. Mahindra, decided to start a business of general-purpose utility vehicles. The brothers formed a company, Mahindra & Mohammed Ltd. , in association with their friend Ghulam Mohammed. In October 1947, the first batch of 75 jeeps was released for the Indian market. In 1948, the company was renamed Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.Over the next few decades, the group promoted many companies in areas as diverse as hotels, financial services, auto components, information technology, infrastructure de velopment and trading to name a few (Refer Exhibit I for M&M's history). Though M;M had established itself in the markets and was among the leading players in many of the segments it operated in, it realized that some of its businesses were not closely related to its core business. This realization marked the beginning of the biggest change exercise since the company's inception. In 1994, a major restructuring exercise was initiated as part of a BPR program.M&M introduced a new organizational model, in which various divisions and companies were regrouped into six distinct clusters of related businesses, each headed by a president. M&M's core activities, automotive and tractors were made autonomous business units. The other activities of the group were organized into infrastructure, trade and financial services, telecommunication and automotive components. According to company sources, the whole exercise was intended to develop a conceptual map to provide direction for the future gro wth of various business lines.It was decided that, in future, the group would confine its expansion to the identified thrust sectors. The two main operating divisions of the company were the automotive division, which manufactured UVs and LCVs, and the farm equipment division, which made tractors and farm implements. The company employed over 17,000 people and had six state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities spread over 500,000 square meters. The plants were situated at Kandivili (MUVs and Tractors), Nasik (MUVs), Zaheerabad (LCVs, Voyager, three-wheelers), Igatpuri (Engines) andNagpur (Implements and tractors) Excerpts About BPR The concept of BPR was popularized in the early 1990s by Michael Hammer and James Champy in their best-selling book, ‘Reengineering the Corporation. ‘ The authors said that radical redesign and reorganization of an enterprise was necessary to lower costs and increase the quality of service. According to them, IT was the key enabler for that rad ical change. Hammer and Champy felt that the design of the workflow in most large corporations was based on assumptions about technology, people and organizational goals that were no longer valid.They recommended seven principles of reengineering for streamlining work processes and, consequently, achieving significant levels of improvement in quality, time management and cost (Refer Table I)†¦ M;M's Experience with BPR By the mid-1990s, BPR had become a popular tool globally, with many leading organizations implementing it. However, when M&M undertook the exercise, it was still a new concept in India. M&M's workforce, as mentioned earlier, resisted this attempt to reengineer the organization.Soon after the senior staff began working on the shop floors, the first signs of the benefits of BPR became evident. Around a 100 officers produced 35 engines a day as compared to the 1200 employees producing 70 engines in the pre-BPR days. After five months, the workers ended the strike an d began work in exchange for a 30% wage hike. As the situation returned to normalcy, BPR implementation gained momentum. M;M realized that it would have to focus on two issues when implementing the BPR program: reengineering the layout and method of working, and productivity†¦ The FutureSumming up the company's BPR experience, Anand Mahindra said, â€Å"Let me put it in a simple way. If we have facilities in Kandivili today, which are not just surviving but thriving, it is all due to BPR. 8. CONCLUSION The reengineering profoundly changes all aspects of business and people. Part of the organization is easy to change by reinventing a way to work. However, the other part, people, is very difficult to change. In particular, it requires not only jobs and skills change but also people's styles – the ways in which they think and behave – and their attitudes – what they believe is important about their work.These are indispensable factors to determine whether ree ngineering succeeds or not. Leaders must help people to cope with these changes. 9. REFERENCES * Business Process Change: Reengineering Concepts, Methods, and Technologies by Varun Autor Grover and William J. Kettinger * Business process reengineering: breakpoint strategies for market dominance by Henry J. Johansson * Business process reengineering: an executive resource for implementation by Harold S. Resnick * www. bus. iastate. edu/ for case study references.

Incident of the Life of a Slave Girl Essay

The autobiographical narrative â€Å"Incident of the Life of a Slave Girl† unveils casualties of life faced by black women during 19th century. A special attention Harriet Jacobs gives to a sexual relationship with Mr. Sand and moral values of black women. Thesis An â€Å"illicit† sexual relationship with Mr. Sand described in the Narrative does not reinscribing the stereotype of the black woman as lascivious and hypersexual, but proves that the black women are loving and sympathetic creatures seeking for a relationship based on romantic love. Love and romantic relations between a man and woman has played a crucial love in their lives. For Linda Brent, an â€Å"illicit† relationship with Mr. Sand means pure relations free from social statuses and financial gain. Harriet Jacobs stresses that love and passion are typical for the black woman even if she is engaging in the â€Å"illicit† sexual relationship. As the most important, Harriet Jacobs underlines that the black women could not move beyond the constrictions of the ideology. The existence of the institution of marriage, in which men played the dominant role and wielded control, placed women at the mercy of their male counterparts. At the beginning of new millennium, there are more and more people who prefer not to get marriage, but living together for many years trying to keep or preserve their personal freedom and independence. The example of Linda Bret shows that in spite of all the negative life lessons Linda understands what it is to be an individual and loving woman. The autobiography portrays that the black women are not promiscuous or lascivious, but loving and sympathetic creatures. In this case, it is important to take into account the epoch and economic system of slavery which deprived black women their rights and freedom. Linda Brent is a person who uses love as her emotional guide. But love symbolizes psychological state of Linda who becomes more passionate and sympathetic. The problems, unveiled in the autobiography, are received much publicity, because for some people these problems are too intimate or dedicated, they touch personal feelings and human soul. Linda Brent is suppressed by the norms and circumstances, her own narrow worldview and personal low spirits which make her dependant upon life situations. One of the secrets of Linda Brent is her natural beauty, which lies in the way she perceives the world. Through the character of Linda Bret, Jacobs depicts that that to the black woman who had survived the illusions that freedom and marriage would provide lifelong companionship and identity, and who had come to recognize the existential solitude of all human beings, feminism became a kind of credo. For the black women love means dream which comes true. In this sense, she is a victim because she needs to escape from realities of life which she cannot change. She is a victim of social structure and class conflict which destroy human relations and hopes. The autobiography suggests something of the historical loss for women of transferring the sense of self to relationships with men. Her sexuality is still her life, just as it made her on the pillory superior to her disclosed lover. Jacobs associates shame over her ancestors with the guilty excitement she felt in taking up the story. Her love throughout is maternal compassion for what is vulnerable to the passage of time. But her mind does not recoil from such pain; Linda Bret never avoids disquieting realities. But it is precisely an indiscriminated change, this stream of undifferentiated ran ­dom perceptions, which is called â€Å"life†.   The â€Å"illicit† sexual relations create a feeling of guilt being one of the reasons that her sexual freedom does not take her very far. It is possible to say that despite their efforts to escape the rituals of femininity, the black women seems fated to reenact them, even though, as Jacobs recounts these scenes and revises their conventions. The values and nature of black women described by Jacobs are not lascivious or hypersexual. Modern values and realities of life support behavior and choice of Linda who wants to love and be loved. References Jacobs, H. Incident of the Life of a Slave Girl. 2003. Available at: http://docsouth.unc.edu/jacobs/jacobs.html   

Justin Martyr Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

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Why is there a higher prevalence of lupus SLE found among females of Literature review

Why is there a higher prevalence of lupus SLE found among females of Afro Carribbean origins - Literature review Example These hormonal imbalances have the capability of changing the genetic makeup of an individual, resulting to the development of Lupus SLE. However, it is important to explain that genetics alone is not the factor responsible for the development of Lupus SLE amongst women. Another important factor is the environment. The environment plays a role in the development of Lupus SLE because of the ultra violet rays of the sun. Research indicates that women, who are heavily exposed to the ultra violet rays of the sun, are always vulnerable to developing Lupus SLE. In terms of ethnicity, Lupus is more common in people of African descent. One of the major reasons advanced, is because of the high rates of poverty amongst these people, making them to be unable to afford medical treatments in regard to the type of contraceptives to use. In as much as this is information that has been given, this fact is disputed, because hormonal changes are not the only factors responsible for the high rate of Lupus amongst women. This paper is a critical analysis of the ethnic and sex differences in the epidemiology and clinical course of lupus. This paper will analyze the ethnic and sex differences in the clinical and epidemiology course of Lupus. In meeting the objective of this paper, there will be a need of understanding the genetic predisposition of Lupus. This is important in helping us to understand why women and people of African origin are vulnerable to an attack by Lupus. Furthermore, for purposes of understanding this disease, and its epidemiological and clinical cause, there will be a need of identifying its causes. These are well explained in this paper. This paper would also identify and explain the neuropsychiatric consequences of lupus, and an example is the Lupus fog. It would further explain the epidemiology of this disease, and this is in relation to

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Developing Countries and Financial Liberalization - Essay Example Asia has long been home to world’s most dynamic economies. The last decade has shown us a broad flowering of entrepreneurship throughout Asia in the face of different challenges. Factors attributed to this trend include a huge wave of private equity and venture capital funding, but more importantly, regulatory laws for financing and capital acquisition were eased and the less stringent rules governing the listing of young companies at the various stock markets helped in many companies getting the money they need for business (Robinson, 2005). The ease of getting loans and the financial liberalization process helped the growth of Pacific Rim for countries such as China, India, Hong Kong, Taiwan and even Japan. In particular, after the Second World War, Japan came to represent a model of economic development. Of course the massive gains made by the economy were based on the manufacturing of electronics and automobiles but the financial liberation process certainly helped the cou ntry gain its footings after the destruction it experienced (Herring, 2006). Similarly, Hong Kong has always been rated as one of the more free economies and even though it went through a change of government i.e. from Britain to China, it has retained the financially liberal attitude of the British economy rather than the controlled system of the Chinese. Taiwan can also be put on the list of countries benefiting from financial freedom. Although it has had a share of political instability and outright threats of invasion from China, it has led the way in semiconductor and IC manufacturing (Bremmer & Zakaria, 2006). Perhaps the biggest surprises resulting from the process of financial liberation are the giants that started emerging in the early 1990s, China and India (Hubbard, 2005).

Starbucks Marketing Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Starbucks Marketing - Research Paper Example In 1992, there was no focus on advertising and Labor force but with the growth of retail outlets, the company was still reluctant in increasing the Labor force, which is the company's major expense. Starbucks didn't spend any money on advertising. So, during the early 1990s, the company had no promotion. The only promotion made was through opening many retail outlets and boosting the sales promotion. 2. Starbucks has picked up an additional target segment of customers by 2002. Who were these customers What is Starbucks' position for this new segment relative to its position for its earlier customers What are the implications of this new target and position for Starbucks' marketing mix Starbucks positioning changed with the expansion in the target market. Starbucks established itself as a dominant specialty-coffee brand and its objective was "To become the most recognized and respected brand in the world." This was achieved through: Starbucks introduced a wide range of product variety including whole bean coffees, rich brewed coffees, Italian style espresso drinks, cold-blended beverages, premium teas, pastries, sodas, juices, sandwiches and salads. The product mix varied depending on a store's location and size. The biggest driver of company's growth was product innovation. New products were launched regularly and a new hot beverage was introduced during every holiday season. Brand name was establi... Starbucks introduced a wide range of product variety including whole bean coffees, rich brewed coffees, Italian style espresso drinks, cold-blended beverages, premium teas, pastries, sodas, juices, sandwiches and salads. The product mix varied depending on a store's location and size. The biggest driver of company's growth was product innovation. New products were launched regularly and a new hot beverage was introduced during every holiday season. Brand name was established and this again contributed to the position of the company. Starbucks had the Size advantage over its competitors and its goal was opening 15000 stores world wide. Service was the distinguishing factor and the employees were trained and empowered to provide good quality service, which was evaluated on service, Cleanliness, Product quality and speed of service criteria. Service innovations along with technology functionalities like T-Mobile HotSpot wireless internet service was an added advantage. Price Discounts were given at stores. Spilt drinks were replaced without any additional charge. Regular customers were given sample free drinks if they didn't have cash and provide cheque. Starbucks established itself as a premium-priced player in the market but service overwhelmed price in this aspect.Place Channels were used very effectively and Starbucks opened licensed stores world wide. Nearly 77% of the sales came from these stores. Starbucks also sold its products through non-company operated retail chains called Specialty Operations which accounted to about 15% of net revenues. Starbucks operated domestic and international licensed stores. Starbucks also had a joint venture with Pepsi-Cola to distribute bottled beverages. Starbucks had plans to open 15000 international locations. This will

Ancient Rome Essay Example for Free

Ancient Rome Essay †¢ It is not acceptable to simply say â€Å"the two civilizations were similar and different† – specify specifically how they are similar and different †¢ Possible Prompt: Analyze similarities and differences in techniques of imperial administration in TWO of the following empires. – Han China (206 B. C. E. –220 C. E. ) – Mauryan/Gupta India (320 B. C. E. –550 C. E. ) – Imperial Rome (31 B. C. E. –476 C. E. )Example †¢ The political system of Han China is similar to the Guptan Empire in that both included strict laws and stressed the importance of your role in society. A major difference between these administrations is that in Han China the king was fully in charge, even revered, while in the Mauryan/Guptan Empire priests were at the top of the hierarchy. Example †¢ The imperial administration of Han China and Imperial Rome were similar because they were both headed by an emperor. However, they differed in their treatment of the emperor. In Han China a ruler’s decisions, if detrimental to society, could be questioned. While in Rome, what the emperor decreed could not be questioned. What do I need for my thesis? †¢ You must address 1 specific similarity and 1 specific difference. †¢ i. e. Both the Empires of China and Rome were ruled by an emperor who maintained imperial control, however, the Chinese instituted a system of scholar bureaucrats that gained their position through merit, while the Romans never achieved such an elaborate bureaucracy. What is a direct comparison? †¢ This is a comparison that is not split between paragraphs or by other sentences. It must be one or two sentences that compare one subject of the comparison to another. †¢ Your comparisons should be supported by evidence to support your statement. Example Direct Comparison: While both the Roman and Han (or Gupta) Empires left behind many achievements, the Han (or Gupta) were much more technologically and culturally creative. Evidence: The Romans took much of their culture from the Greeks, such as their religion, artwork and architecture. While the Romans had aqueducts, roads and other great works, much of this was taken from others and improved upon. The Gupta on the other hand came up with the concept of zero and a base 10 number system that is still in use today. The Romans relied on slavery for their source of labor, while the Chinese relied upon free peasants. This led to technological stagnation on the part of the Romans, while the Chinese were able to (insert pieces of specific evidence here). What is analysis? †¢ This is where you explain why. †¢ You tell the reader what caused this similarity or difference to occur. †¢ This is usually a because sentence and the most difficult part of the comparison essay. †¢ The reason that the Guptan bureaucracy was never as elaborate as that of the Chinese was because†¦. View as multi-pages TOPICS IN THIS DOCUMENT China, Difference, Ancient Rome, Han Chinese, Qing Dynasty, Similarity, Roman Empire, Imperial examination RELATED DOCUMENTS China Essay From 1403 to about 1492 China participated in numerous voyages led by Zheng He, the leader of their maritime operations, including the visiting of 37 countries and traveling through the Atlantic Ocean around the tip of Africa and beyond Europe (pg 202). Countries such as Ceylon, India, and the Persian Gulf were a few of their stops along the way. These voyages proved that China was the supreme world sea power whose shipbuilding techniques and navigational 471   Words | 3   Pages READ FULL DOCUMENT Rome vs. Han China Research Paper Han China Vs. Imperial Rome The Han Dynasty and Imperial Rome were both large and powerful empires that existed during the Classical Period. The Han Dynasty and Imperial Rome had some major similarities as well as differences. 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Issues addressed included how to retain McDonald’s’ image of cultural Americana, yet adapt to satisfy pallets and appeal to patrons in Chinese culture. 1. What is the purpose of conducting an external environmental analysis? What are the general environmental forces that could influence or have influenced McDonald’s 471   Words | 6   Pages READ FULL DOCUMENT China and Japan Essay China and Japan From 1500 to 1800, China and Japan tried to politically and economically established their countries in very different ways. Japan fought war after war for a century before they changed their ways. China on the other hand slowly established a government and used education as a tool to be politically and economically strong. Japan would later do the same. China was one of the most politically and economically strong 471   Words | 3   Pages READ FULL DOCUMENT China Doll Essay may be looking to China to ‘contract manufacture’ for them as the price there were very competitive. HCF is not match to China growing economy and this new development will definitely cause the downfall of HCF. Jeffrey had garnered the assistance of his senior management team to brainstorm on possible options HCF can look at. Although acknowledging that looking into China is in inevitable, the team was divided in the approach to be taken. First 471   Words | 4   Pages READ FULL DOCUMENT CITE THIS DOCUMENT APA (2012, 11). Han China. StudyMode. com. Retrieved 11, 2012, from http://www. studymode. com/essays/Han-China-1218267. html MLA MLA 7 CHICAGO.

Muslim Women Essay Example for Free

Muslim Women Essay The more and more I study about Muslim Women and the obstacles they face, I become angered. In writing this paper, I’ve found that there is no substantial evidence in any Muslim or Islamic writings that states that women should be treated as slaves or insubordinates. Women are to be respected, protected, and loved; no matter what religion or color they may be. So, my paper will focus on these three things, but the lack of it. What is the definition of respect? Respect is a positive feeling of esteem or deference for a person or other entity. When you respect a person, you will show it through actions and deeds; without any conjuring. I’ve noticed that Muslim women aren’t respected too well within their own religion. The Sharia Law is the moral code and religious law of Islam which deals with many topics such as prayer, fasting, diet, sexual intercourse, hygiene, etc. It is considered the infallible law of God; there is no human interpretation. The two sources of this law are the Quran and Mohammed; the last source is part of the human interpretation that many state the Quran doesn’t possess. According to the Sharia, women aren’t equal to men unless it is in religious duties such as prayer, fasting, and making hajj. Contrary to what most Muslim men believe, a woman is not created for the purpose of a Muslim man. Rather, they are both created for each other. They are to help, support, and cleave to one another through their life and Islamic religion. Some Muslim men have taken the Quran and made it to be a falsity to their perception and added to it. This addition has caused many Muslim women to be disrespected and abused. Many Islamic religions are filled with much domestic violence. Take Bibi Aisha’s case, her husband was part of the Taliban and she never had a chance to see him. During his time away, her in-laws beat her, tortured her, and made her sleep with the livestock. The abuse became too much, so Bibi ran away, but her father returned her back to her in-laws. Due to her disappearance, her husband returned and he proceeded to torture her in front of the community by removing her ear and nose. She was left in the desert to bleed to death. She ran to her uncle’s house and he turned her away, but her father-in-law took her to the Americans (military) where they tended to her wounds and protected her. You can find her picture on my blog for this class. When I see her, I see a woman of strength and perseverance. It’s said to say, but this incident which brought her much pain, seems to have blessed her. It is because of the mutilation of her face that she is free and in a better place. It is well known within the Islamic culture that domestic abuse is hardly unique. Many Muslim women deal with this atrocity daily, due to the thoughts of Muslim men. Most Muslim males believe that Muslim women are slaves or property. Most husbands believe its right to beat their wives and treat her with disdain. An often-quoted verse in the Quran says a husband may chastise a disobedient wife, but this is open to several interpretations. What is the definition of protection and love? Protection is to cover or shield from exposure, injury, damage, or destruction and love is a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person. I can’t say that I see these actions practiced within the Muslim culture. If anything, Muslim women are caused to feel scared, unsafe, unprotected, and abused. The most common form of abuse is emotional and mental abuse. This can include verbal threats, intimidation, neglect, extreme jealousy and possessiveness. The worse of the two is the mental abuse which causes severe psychological harm. It destroys her self-esteem, self-worth, and causes many to have nervous breakdowns and become suicidal. Some of the factors that make Muslim men abusive Muslim women are: 1. Economic hardship, political oppression experienced outside the U.S., problems with the children, or an inferiority complex. 2. Some Muslim men accept the idea that its normal for a man to hit his wife and that she is no more than a piece of his property. 3. It’s generational; habits are picked up after watching their own fathers abuse their mothers. 4. Some abuse their wives because they want them to be more modern and less Islamic. SO they have their wives remove their hijab (Islamic dress), while others turn to abuse in order to keep their wives traditional; which is the exact opposite of the former. In a marriage, the Quran is very clear on procedures in discipline for Islamic wives. First, there’s peaceful discussion between the two about the problem and resolutions. If this doesn’t work, the next step is for the husband to be more stern and focused. If the disobedience persists from the wife, the husband will leave the bed which is a form of punishment for not only the wife, but also the husband. If that doesn’t work, then other family members will become involved and try to help in resolving the issues and being fair to both parties. This is not totally true because the Muslim religion is male dominated and gender-controlled. The males within the family will be the first and last to define choices of resolution. Remember, Muslim women really don’t have rights. Whether it’s within their family, job, mosque, or society. There is no balance when it comes to gender or to resolving life’s issues in the Muslim culture. During this whole process, Muslim women keep quiet due to feelings of depression and hopelessness. They began to feel like no one will help them and they are constantly aware of their co-dependence to their husbands. Financial independence is something that is always in the forefront of their minds, but it’s always tainted by the images of control in the Muslim culture. So, they make a decision to stay in bondage to keep their homes, children, and the love of their husbands; the latter is questionable. Some Muslim women see the abuse as a fact of life and learn to live with it. So, what does the abuse and control have to do with Women’s Studies? Well, throughout the class we focused on many different types of situations that involved women; whether good or bad. The control and abuse that is present in the Muslim culture reminds of gender prejudice and gender discrimination. Both are one in the same, but speak of different influences. Gender prejudice is a belief that women are the weaker of the sexes emotionally and physically and must be protected from the world outside. I know that males are expected to be the providers and to dominate the decision making in the home, but there sh ould still be some form of balance. Balance is needed in everything; whether it’s life, work, or play. We all need to have a sense of structure or rules, but there must be a state of adjustment. In reviewing gender discrimination, you will find prejudicial treatment based upon groups or individuals due to their gender or sex; there is no protection factor involved. Gender discrimination can affect both men and women, but women are usually at the receiving end, since most cultures in the world are patriarchal and male-dominated. This isn’t a far cry for religions because mostly all religions are male-dominated. You will find women aren’t seen as being equal to men within the scope of religion. It is partly due to how man has interpreted their religious readings or scriptures, and twisted it to be a form of evil and disdain. Yes, there are places within scripture that speak of women being unclean due to their monthly or being untouchable after childbirth. But is it because the woman is evil, or is it a form of protection for her and anyone that she may come into contact with? All in all, I see the Islamic religion as being so gender biased that it causes me to become angered. This religion seems to prevent Muslim women from nurturing their true identity and blossoming into women of self-worth and self-esteem. Hiding one’s face can make a person feel unworthy and disconnected. It’s a joy to feel positive about yourself and who you are. Being able to feel good about your looks and your body can be very uplifting to the psyche and soul. What puts a damper on that? Having a father, brother, husband, or any male to make you feel that your very essence is despicable and dirty. Hopefully, in the 21st century, things will change and get better. Until then, it’s up to us to become more aware of the many differences of cultures and religions. These differences could cause or society to become cold, unloving, and aloof. I don’t believe our world should be this way. If anything, love should prevail and the worship of a power stronger than you should cause you to love everyone even the more. Bibliography Roald, Anne S. (2001). Women in Islam: The Western Experience. Routledge. Suad Joseph, Afsaneh Najmabadi, ed. Encyclopedia of Women Islamic Cultures. Brill Academic Publishers. Women and Violence. Welcome to the United Nations: Its Your World. United Nations Department of Public Information, Feb. 1996. Web. 07 Dec. 2011 American Muslim Women Unveil, and Explain Why: NPR. NPR: National Public Radio. 19 Oct. 2011. Muslim Clerics on the Religious Rulings Regarding Wife-Beating. Jihad Watch. 15 Nov. 2011.

Literature Review on Mortgage Default

Literature Review on Mortgage Default Literature review The evolution of mortgage default studies is characterized by Quercia and Stegman (1992) into three types of studies. The earliest work dating back to the 1970s focuses from a lenders perspective on simple correlations and regression models capturing important borrower characteristics that can forecast bankruptcy. Home equity, income variability, loss of employment, death, and divorce are found to be the most important predictors of default risk (Von Furstenberg, 1969; Herzog and Early, 1970; Vandell, 1978). The second generation of default research, rooted in consumer behavior theory, models the behavior of households, who rationally decide to default, in a more structural way. Papers by Jackson and Kasserman (1980), Campbell and Dietrich (1983), and Foster and Van Order (1984) explicitly formulate net-equity maximization models of default. Such `ruthless default models predict immediate default if a propertys value drops a small margin below the level of the mortgage. These models emphasize the financial aspects of the mortgage default decision, ignoring borrowers characteristics. Towards the start of the 1990s, several models began examining transaction costs and crisis events that may delay, expedite, or eliminate the need to default. Quigley and Van Order (1992) find that transaction and reputation costs make the default option on mortgages less ruthless than in other frictionless financial markets. While transaction costs by themselves do not explain observed behavior, reputation costs in particular are consistent with observed default behavior. These second-generation studies constitute the basis for the current state of the theory. The examination of the default decision as an option and the central role of net equity constitute the dominant view in studies of default. Conceptually, the basic theory postulated by second-generation studies has not been revised since. The recent financial crisis has stimulated a revival of the academic interest in mortgage default, and the birth of a third generation of research models. Specifically, there have been attempts to integrate mortgage default into more general equilibrium models of consumer behavior. Campbell and Cocco (2014) model mortgage foreclosures structurally and find negative equity, borrowing constraints, high debt-to-income ratios and income growth as important determinants of foreclosure. Goodhart et al. (2011) and Foote et al. (2008) use a two-period model to show that households choose to default and lose their homes to foreclosure, if the net implicit rents from owning plus the expected net equity position over their tenure horizon is negative. They find that expected house price appreciation, and the size of the mortgage payment are the main factors in determining default. Corradin (2012) builds a life-cycle continuous-time model of household leverage and default in which the agents opti mally choose the down-payment, abstracting from inflation and interest rate risk. Garriga and Schlagenhauf (2009) also solve an equilibrium model of long-term mortgage choice and default to understand how leverage affects the default decision. Forlati and Lambertini (2011), the closest paper to this thesis, builds an infinite-horizon DSGE model with housing, risky mortgages and endogenous default. They introduce idiosyncratic risk in housing investment and the possibility for loans to be defaulted on, which results in an endogenous borrowing constraint exactly as the one for firms in Bernanke, Gertler, and Gilchrist (1999). Their model does not feature any penalties for the households that choose to default. This assumption is unrealistic, as in the United States as well as in other countries, defaulters incur reputation and credit score penalties which affect their possibility to borrow in the future, in addition to collateral losses. Hence, introducing non-pecuniary default penalties is useful when thinking about an equilibrium with default. The Forlati and Lambertini (2011) model also does not include a financial sector, therefore the financial accelerator mechanism is absent, in particular the banking side. There is no role for negative feedback loops operating through the banking sector as rising bad loan books and bank insolvencies, amplified by a liquidity crisis, can lead to a sharp credit contraction. This thesis builds a model incorporating some of these missing links. The literature review indicates a continued interest in mortgage default. While most empirical studies are well-advanced in their discoveries of the determinants of default, the theoretical literature is lagging behind developing models able to capture these determinants. I attempt to bridge the gap between the empirical determinants of default and the theory, by constructing a dynamic optimization model of borrower choice with housing market frictions and endogenous mortgage default, that will feature default centered around negative net equity, reputation penalties, and house valuation shocks. Refining the current DSGE models with the introduction of financial and micro-founded consumer behavior frictions is essential for the study of business cycles and financial stability. Theoretical Model This thesis builds a DSGE model drawing on a number of contributions in the literature on credit markets, housing markets, and debt default. The starting point is a model with financial frictions on the demand-side for credit (i.e. Kiyotaki and Moore, 1997; Iacoviello and Neri, 2010), to which I add a housing sector, a financial sector and endogenous debt default. The idea of default comes from the asset pricing literature, which allows for the existence of default as an equilibrium phenomenon (Dubey et al., 2005; Geanakoplos and Zame, 2013). A stylized representation of the model is depicted in Figure ref{fig8}. The economy operates in discrete time over an infinite horizon and combines five elements: 1) two types of households, namely textit{savers} and textit{borrowers}, who consume manufactured goods, accumulate housing, and work; 2) a financial sector collecting deposits and extending collateralized mortgages; 3) a large set of real (consumption habits, adjustment costs) and nom inal (price and wage) rigidities; 4) financing frictions in the housing and financial sector; and 5) a rich set of shocks, essential in taking the model to the data. The economy is populated by patient (savers) and impatient (borrowers) households. Patient households consume, accumulate housing stock, save, and work. They own the productive capital of the economy, and supply capital funds to firms on the one hand, and deposits to banks on the other. Impatient households consume, accumulate housing stock, borrow from banks, and work. Both patient and impatient households supply labor services through labor unions, which set their wages subject to a Calvo scheme. On the supply side, the non-housing sector combines labor and capital to produce consumption and business capital for both sectors. The construction sector produces new homes combining labor and land with business capital. The two groups of households have different discount factors. Discount factor heterogeneity between households induces heterogeneity in the marginal utility of saving across households. All else equal, borrowers have a lower $beta^*$ and a higher marginal utility of immediate consumption relative to savers, inducing a desire to trade inter-temporally. Borrowers obtain collateralized mortgages from banks, while savers have a high discount factor $beta$ and invest their resources into bank deposits. The availability of loans to borrowers is subject to a borrowing constraint linked to the market value of their housing stock and the ability of the lending banks to extend credit. Borrowers can experience negative housing value shocks that are only observed by the households themselves. When the value of their house falls below the value of their loan repayment, they choose to default on part of their mortgage. Default on secured debt is modeled through the partial loss of collateral and a non-pecuniary default penalty that enters the utility function of the households directly. In case of default, borrowers lose some of their housing stock which is repossessed by the bank, suffer a non-pecuniary default penalty, and re-enter the housing market in the next period as buyers again. Default is endogenously determined and, consistent with the literature on second-generation default models, triggered by shocks that are large enough to cause leveraged households to owe on their house more than the house is worth. Borrowers and savers are unable to directly write financial contracts. They do so through financial intermediaries. The financial sector is simply market-based: banks borrow from savers in order to give loans to borrowers. In this way, I layer two sets of financial frictions that interact in equilibrium: first, banks are constrained in how much they can borrow from ultimate savers, and second ultimate borrowers are constrained in how much they can borrow from the banks. Monetary policy is conducted by a central bank which faces a trade-off between output gap and inflation stabilization. The model provides a framework to understand the impact of house price fluctuations, monetary policy, demand shocks, and credit availability on the economy and the ways in which financial regulation can dampen boom and bust cycles in the housing market.

Holdens Cry for Help in The Catcher in the Rye :: Essays Papers

Holden's Cry for Help in The Catcher in the Rye Catcher in the Rye is a complicated book about a young man going through, what appears to be a nervous break down. This is a book about the boy’s negative self-talk, horrible outlook on life, and a life itself that seems to keep swirling down the toilet. He keeps trying to fill his life with something, but the reality of it is he doesn’t exactly now what he needs. It’s complicated to understand at parts, because all he does is think of things in the worst possible conditions. Holden is the main character of the book. He is a complicated boy how seems to get thrown out of boarding schools left and right. He is constantly thinking about depressive thoughts of his past, like times he was with his brother, who is dead. His thoughts of his brother bring serious rage for some reason. In one instance he tells about the day after his brothers death, and Holden was filled with such anger and loneliness, he punched through all the glass doors in his garage. This required him to go to the hospital, and unfortunately his stay at the hospital forced him to miss his brothers funeral. He also keeps thinking about his old girl friend Jane. Holden is reminded of past times with her, where her father upset her, and Holden was the only one there to console her. So with that in mind, he thinks he still may have a place with her, and Holden believes that all his happiness will rest with her. Holden is just a guy who is searching for something to get him out of his depression , but he has no idea what it is, and above all how to get it. The one thing that stands in the way of what Holden needs is himself. He continues to cut himself off from everything he had once loved. His negative self will not let him get close to anyone else, while trying to get distant from those he once was close with. Holden never looks to the positive side of anything. He is just stuck in a deep hole and he can’t find a way out. Whenever Holden believes that he has found something that could help him, he himself some how shuts the door to his own happiness. Pond of which Holden keeps referring to is a very important.

Human Rights vs. Sovereignty :: Human Rights Essays

The massive, protracted bombing of Serbia was "the first offensive action for NATO, and the first time that Allied armed forces were unleashed against a sovereign nation with which the United States was not formally at war or without express authorization by the United Nations Security Council," observes Stephen Presser, professor of law at Northwestern University. "What we were doing in the Balkans is part of the post-Vietnam creation of a new set of doctrines of international law. These doctrines lack clearly defined limits," he warns. "We may be witnessing the opening moves in the forging of a New Global order that fundamentally impairs national sovereignty and allows possessors of superior military force to dictate the basic terms of domestic life to other nations without even the formalities of conquest." In the current issue of Orbis, a quarterly publication of the Foreign Policy Research Institute (fpri.org), Presser argues that the real reason for NATO's bombing of a sovereign nation "appears to have been to compel Belgrade to cede autonomy, if not territory, to a minority ethnic group. What is there, then, in the United Nations charter or in international law that would authorize our action in the Balkans," he asks, "and what, if any, are the reach and the limits of our new doctrine of Humanitarian Intervention? The UN Charter seeks to secure both the protection of 'fundamental human rights' and the 'equal rights' of 'nations large and small,'" Presser notes. "The Charter clearly undertakes to protect the territorial integrity and the sovereignty of individual nations, and seems to preclude interference in a nation's domestic affairs unless the Security Council declares a situation a threat to 'international peace and security' and expressly authorizes int ervention. While the UN and its agencies expressed official concern about what went on in the Balkans," he affirms, "the Security Council did not authorize intervention in Kosovo by UN or NATO forces." Presser points out that "a series of international law doctrines wholly outside the UN Charter authorize interference by one state in another's affairs. These have included military actions to protect one's own citizens who are within another's borders, and there have been several armed interventions by individual or groups of nations purportedly to protect the rights of minorities in particular or human rights in general, whether or not the individuals to be protected were citizens of the intervening nations.

Reflection “The Boondock Saints”

Reflections on â€Å"The Boondock Saints† Directions: In three paragraphs write your reflections of the Movie â€Å"The Boondock Saints†, answering the following: 1) What are the ethical issues you see in the movie? List several and describe their ethical or moral concern. 2) How does the plot relate to â€Å"Utilitarian Ethics†? â€Å"Pluralism/Pragmatism†? â€Å"Social Contract Ethics†? Use examples from the movie and show a connection each (e. g. , Act vs Rule Utilitarianism and the value of consequences, Addressing multiple & conflicting values, Type(s)/theme(s) of Social Contracts evidencing, a la Hobbes, Rousseau, Locke, Gauthier). ) Utilitarian ethics, because people on the movie judge the rightness or wrongness of an act, so it produces consequences to the greatest balance of pleasure over suffering for everyone involved. Social contract, at the end of the movie people of the state agreed that boondock saints kill trash people, so their prim e motive being the desire for protection, which entails the surrender of some or all perosonal liberties. 2) The plot is related to utilitarian ethics, because we saw how the Boondock Saints judged people by making what they consider divine justice â€Å" kill people†.Pragmatism, because the Boondock Saints were putting their truths or beliefs in the term of action or parctical application by killing people. Social contract, because the society agreeded the Boondock Saint’s actions to get protection, to they the Boondock Saints were cleaning the society in the state. Act utilitarianism Vs. rule: the boondock saints did acts and rules judging rightness and wrongness that maximized pleasure and minimized suffering.An example of act utilitarianism is that when Connor and Morphy killed people from the mafia they were feeling pleasure judging wongness. An example of rule u. , they trusted that their own rules were right to God. Finally, this movie is an example of social co ntract and utilitarianism, during the movie we saw the boondock saints having conflicts values in the society when they killed the minister inside the church in front of many people. It created doubts for people about which is true righteousness from God or from the men.

Why Courage Matters

McCain mean by saying that â€Å"without courage all virtue Is fragile†? It means that If we lack courage to hold on to our beliefs In the moment of testing, no just when everybody agrees with our opinion but also when they go against opposition, then our beliefs are superficial and weak and add nothing to our self respect for our virtues. Explain the concept of moral courage using an example. Is it different from physical courage?Moral courage: Is the ability to act rightly In the face of popular opposition, shame, scandal, or discouragement. This is the courage many people face on an everyday basis, always doing what Is right regardless of the consequences faced. Most people have a hard time doing the right thing when doing the opposite Is easier matter how hard It Is, and regardless of being Judged. This Is mostly because of human nature to care for their selves before others. For example, a group of guys walk down the street and watch a man's wallet fall from his pocket.Th e right thing to do is pick it up and return it back to the man. Because, there are a group of guys the better option is to walk away with the wallet. Therefore, your moral courage is questioned. All it takes is one person taking a stand for doing the right thing. Physical courage is familiar to many people: is courage in the face of physical pain, hardship, death, or threat of death. For example, when a building is caught on fire, people call the fire department. Firefighters run Inside that building regarding their fatty to help and protect the people trapped Inside.Regardless of the situation they make sure the people are safe, and sometimes losing their lives to save a stranger. Putting their lives on the line, not to overpower or harm others, but to serve and protect them. In these actions they deserve much respect for their hard work and dedication to serving others. What does McCain mean by â€Å"doing one's nearest duty'? Does the fact that McCain is a high-profile politici an add an element to that idea? Explain why or why not?It means that we should always strive to comply with our responsibilities and duties in every aspect of life. For five years, McCain was a POP in Vietnam. At one point he was offered his freedom but chose to stay behind with his fellow soldiers. That decision resulted In torture by his captors. Evaluate Moccasin's decision In terms of physical and moral courage, and the concept of ones' nearest duty. † resulted on more physical pain and torture. This action shows and represents mental courage and a sense of responsibility towards his personal duties.

American Foreign Policy and the War on Terror

In the 21st century, the world is one in chaos- nations go to war for the slimmest of reasons, economies can topple overnight, and the ever-present threat of global terrorism holds the very real potential to kill thousands of innocent people in mere moments. Meanwhile, the United States holds the precarious position of being the largest and best established superpower in the world, generating an equal share of admirers and deadly enemies among the nations of the world.This being understood, the question begs as to what present day American hurdles such as the War on Terror have done to change American foreign policy? This research will attempt to answer this question through a comprehensive comparison of today’s foreign policy to that of the past, to the post and pre-9/11 world, and in conclusion, what all of this means for the future. American Foreign Policy Throughout History An excellent way to see how American Foreign Policy has seemingly evolved is to compare it in the mo dern day to how it functioned in earlier times of modern American history.For example, as the US recovered from the horrors and deprivations of World War II, a very real and stark situation emerged on the foreign policy front. Despite the eradication of Nazism and the defeat of the threat that the Empire of Japan had represented to the US on a global scale, the threat of Communism in the form of the Soviet Union essentially kicked the Cold War into high gear, from the late 1940s to the mid 1990s.With two superpowers- the US and USSR-both possessing the awesome power to literally destroy the planet through the use of nuclear weapons, there was a vested interest in both nations, while maintaining a defensive position against each other, avoiding armed conflict at all costs (Jenkins, 2006). Therefore, decades of stalemates existed until the Communist regime of the USSR collapsed under its own weight and unwieldy power. In contrast, terrorism is more of an invisible enemy, albeit just a s deadly as any opposing nation.Because of the difficulty in identifying exactly who terrorists are, from where they have come, and how they can be guarded against, it seems that the only way for a meaningful American foreign policy on this front to exist would be for the usual avenues of diplomacy, adherence to established rules and convention to be set aside- the governmental equivalent of taking off the gloves (Harding, 2004). Given such a scenario, it is possible to better understand the transformation of American Foreign Policy in a modern era of terror. Post and Pre- 9/11 American Foreign PolicyOn a clear, crisp day in September, 2001, the US was changed forever with the brutal terrorist attacks on New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, DC, the nation’s capital. This change not only effected the ways that Americans viewed each other and the safety level in their very own country, but the change also effected the way that the US created and carried out foreign policy. Ea rlier, the point was made that a fight against terrorists is vastly different than the battle against an organized, uniformed enemy and this calls for measures far different than ever carried out before.Perhaps it was easier for foreign policy to take shape in the days when the enemy was clearly identified and the US faced very little challenge to its power, anywhere in the world. However, once enemies began to come out of the shadows, and what were previously small, insignificant nations such as China, North Korea and India rose to levels of military, financial and diplomatic significance, the US was forced to reexamine foreign policy and adjust accordingly (Washington Times, 2007).With so many formidable nations on the international radar screen of sorts, every move that America made had to be studied before played out, much like a chess match, where each move could have a devastating response from an opponent. With such nations rising to prominence, their cultural, racial and rel igious differences also became more pronounced than ever before because in the past, these diverse nations were all somewhat insulated from one another due to the inability to lay claim to any kind of international clout.With the attainment of such clout, however, opposing nations began to clash on fundamental differences, and the US stood in the middle of it. In generations gone by, the US would have been able to merely step in and dictate how the disputes would be resolved, but that was essentially no more, and the US would essentially have to worry about retribution from both organized nations and the terrorists that hid in the shadows, ready to strike (Jenkins, 2006).This new era of American Foreign Policy would likewise bring forth another issue- aside from merely maintaining clout on the world diplomatic stage, how could a nation like the US promote democracy as it had in the past? American Imperialism, Pre and Post-Terror A key to the ongoing power of the American nation thro ughout its history has always been the ability to parlay military power into a means of spreading democracy across the globe, operating under the premise that if an opponent could not be defeated, they could be swayed more to the American way of thinking and thereby draw them closer to the alliance of the United States.After 9/11, however, all of this changed as well, as the US became diverted by the fight to protect its own native soil. Here, a great deal of controversy began to brew, and it continues today. The chaos that terrorism created in the US gave President George W. Bush and his administration the unique ability, under the premise of fighting terrorism and protecting the nation, to craft foreign policy with a dangerously sharp edge on it- policy, which essentially gave Bush permission to destroy any international haystack in search of a few small needles, as the search for terrorists often seems.Also, using the reasoning that the US needed to continue to have a free flow o f oil from the volatile Middle East, policy which put the US on the offensive rather than the defense of the past likewise made it possible for US troops to be deployed to any nation that supposedly harbored terrorists or posed some type of threat to American interests (Fouskas, et al, 2005). This has, in recent years, generated resentment not only from other nations, but from the American people as well, evidenced by President Bush having the lowest public approval numbers of any president in history. ConclusionTo sum up this research, what can be said about American Foreign Policy in relation to the War on Terror? In summary, what can be said is this- policy has seemed to derail as of late, focusing more on the interests of wealthy oil companies than the average American citizen and their need to be protected from terror. Therefore, what needs to be closely watched as the 21st century unfolds for America is that policy comes back to better mirror liberty and justice-for all. Works Cited Foreign Policy Adrift?. (2007, March 19). The Washington Times, p. A16. Fouskas, V. K. , & Gokay, B. (2005).The New American Imperialism: Bush's War on Terror and Blood for Oil. Westport, CT: Praeger Security International. Harding, B. (2004). An Orwellian Moment: The Myth of American Multilateralism Bruce Harding Reflects on the State of US Foreign Policy, in Terms of Its Self-Interest and Imperial Anchoring, as This Relates to the Current Administration's New Security Strategy and the War on Terror. New Zealand International Review, 29(3), 23+. Jenkins, G. (2006, June). From Kennedy's Cold War to the War on Terror: Gareth Jenkins Looks for Continuities in American Foreign Policy from the 1960s to the 2000s. History Today, 56, 39+.

A Schenkerian Analysis of Preludio from Bach’s Unaccompanied Violin Partita Essay

Very few theorists touch upon the topic of motivic and structural coherence in Bach’s dance suites. The keyboard and lute suites deservedly have more published analyses than the string suites – considering there are simply more of them – leaving the cello and violin suites pristine and practically untouched, and unjustifiably so. The most obscure are the violin suites, particularly the BWV 1006 in E major. With the exception of the well-known published analysis by Schenker of the Preludio, Carl Schachter’s analysis of the Gavotte en Rondeaux, no other analysis can be found of this partita. Building on Schenker and Schachter, I present my own Schenkerian analysis of the Preludio. With the help of David Beach’s book on unity in Bach suites and Joel Lester’s book on Bach’s solo violin works, I address motivic and structural coherence in this partita with some observations that apply to all of Bach’s violin suites. Bach composed six unaccompanied works for the violin in the year 1720, three Sonatas da chiesa and three Partitas. The â€Å"partita†, as understood during Bach’s time, was a set of variations; as one might infer, this definition implies that some or all movements of each partita are variations of each other. The BWV 1006 has seven movements and the only violin partita that begins with a prelude. David Beach addresses the first two of three violin Partitas in his book, observing the importance of the neighbor motion as a motivic pattern in the first and second Partitas. I wish to call attention to the great significance of the neighbor motion that is present in the third Partita as well. The Preludio opens with a lower-neighbor figure E-D#-E, and the figure occurs within every modulation. It’s noteworthy that Urlinie itself, in fact, contains an incomplete neighbor. The Gavotte en Rondeaux is the literal embodiment of the variation concept. Being the only violin partita with a Rondo movement, the notion that a partita is a set of variation is most evident through this partita. Regarding Gavotte en Rondeaux, Carl Schachter suggests that as the episodes increase in complexity, the ritornello seems more and more parenthetical. In a sense the two episodes can be organically linked over the ritornello, and thus the concept of the Rondo is realized even more so beyond its surficial sectionalized design. Continuing with this notion, I suspect that as a whole, the movements of BWV 1006 can be linked together specifically because it is a set of variations, despite its superficial differences. Structural coherence of the partita can be inferred from the Preludio. The piece is typically heard as two sections that are quite similar, while this division seems insignificant, it suggests a subtle element of variety. Being a prelude, it would not be presumptuous to assume either one the two things: the other movements will have similar two-part divisions, or other movements will also have varying sections. To facilitate an in-depth analysis of the Preludio, I have produced foreground and middle ground graphs. However, I made my graphs after consulting Schenker’s own analysis of the Preludio. As one of Schenker’s earlier analyses, it is noteworthy that he reads the Urlinie as an 8-line; this octave-line interpretation creates more problems than a reading from 3. However, the basic, fundamental idea Schenker presented provides a blueprint for a reading, which, in my view, is more accurate. Schenker offered FIG. 1 in conjunction with the 8-line Urlinie, without specifying exactly what the relationship is. I propose that Schenker intuited the significance of the neighbor motion in the Urlinie, and read 8 as a cover tone. From Schenker’s figure above I present my notion of the incomplete upper neighbor [FIG. 2]. The de-emphasis of the returning 3 as a passing tone from 4 to 2 lends importance to the incomplete upper neighbor A, supported by IV. This self-contained tonal area stretches over half of the Preludio. A reprise of an opening passage at the initiation of the A prolongation gestures its independence from its surrounding, indeed a smaller organism enveloped within the larger animal. This is evident through the internal auxiliary cadence to A that accompanies the tonal area IV. In retrospect, the IV is already a long-term goal from the beginning. The first 58 measures properly set the stage for the emergence of IV. The first step on the path to IV is the movement to VI as a short-term goal. This is done by first moving to G# (m. 39) through F# (m. 37), creating a third progression E-F#-G# in the process. The G# is employed first in the top voice as primary tone and then in the bass as pedal point, also the fifth to the incoming C# (m. 51) [FIG 4.  EX. 1]. The C#, in a sense, is a midway stopping point from E major on its way to A major. A# in measure 53 leads to B, creating yet another third progression G#-A#-B. The B is to be read not as V of E but as II of A, unfolding to tonic through two consecutive fifths B-E-A [EX. 2]. As we shall see, the contour of the bass forecasts what is to come; additionally this prelude within the Preludio presents the material for further elaboration and development. Now firmly in A, a memorable passage from measures17-28 is restated in the new key, as though a second beginning. This reiteration casts upon listeners a sense of home, even though the music has strayed to a new tonal area. As I stated before, the 58-measures prelude will matured and grow in its new environment. The bass progression moves in the similar contour as the early 58 measures. The F# (VI) in the bass being a third below A, serves as a short-term goal as a midway stopping point on its way to D# (V65). The long-term relationship between A and D# results in a tri-tone which intensifies the arrival of V [E, 4]. The midway F# is unfolded from G# the same manner as the unfolding of A from B, through two consecutive fifths F#-D#-G# [E, 3]. The internal Urlinie is initiated by C# over A in [E, 2], and falls upon an implied B above the D# as 2, the B is prolonged over the V in a 6-5 motion [E, 5]. The path between V on its way back to I is quite sophisticated. In the treble, a sequential circle of fifths is used to take the fifths (E-B) to the octaves (A-A) [E, 5. 5]. With an 8-7 motion, the A octave becomes a B7 chord. The B acts as pedal point at this point in the bass [E, 6]. As the seventh of B resolves to G#, B leaps a third to D#, which then is registrally shifted to a lower register through arpeggiation. The low D# then compose out a D#7 chord reaching a high A, thus the end of the internal Urlinie is reached. It should be noted that Schenker pointed out a large-scale voice exchange, consisting of B and D# between measure 120 and measure 128 [see foreground graph pg. 8]. The V in the bass arpeggiation is now approached with utmost anticipation as the weight of the entire Preludio shifts upon its imminent arrival; with only a few measures left, one has to onder in what magnificent way the V will be executed to counterbalance the monumental build to the IV? As the internal Urlinie is fulfilled in measure 131, two descending third progressions in parallel sixths [E, 7] bring forth the most dramatic, German style of violin execution: one dotted quarter B7 quadruple stop that brings the Preludio to a single halt, as the V is finally in place. The effective but swift gesture is sustained by A, the seventh, no longer an incomplete upper neighbor but supported by V. As the A moves through G# to F#, a 7-6-5 motion is created over V as Urlinie scale degree 2 is reached [E, 8]. The bass returns home to its original tonic E in measure 137, and the Urlinie is satisfied as well with E in the treble. The last two measures are coda, finishing the piece in a similar manner as it opened, unfolding itself back into the high E through two octaves. Extended bow technique is demanded to perform the Preludio, perhaps more so than the other movements; but that is not to say the big shifts and the frequent adjusting to unconventional positions is any more comfortable for the left hand. The consistent stream of sixteenth notes in a fast ? nvokes immediate association to a keyboard prelude. Furthermore, the multiple voices created through exploiting the full range of the instrument allows for keyboard features such as pedal point, register shifts. Combined with multiple subject entries and modulations, this piece contains mature Baroque characters of a Bach keyboard prelude. Ironically, Bach wrote such a prelude for a most unsuitable instrument, perhaps with the knowledge that only with correct and virtuosic execution can its full intended effect be achieved. As I begin to understand the purpose of each note, I play the piece better. Mindless playing and practicing is unfulfilling and futile, and can only produce the most stiff and lifeless imitations of music, if I may quote Schenker. As for the issue concerning unity in all of Bach’s work, both Lester and Beach discussed first two violin partitas at length but strangely failed to address the last partita, I think the research on this topic remains incomplete without consideration of this partita. It would be interesting, if not absolutely necessary to look into the rest of the partita to see what it has to offer.

Charles Dickenss Biography

Charles Dickens's Biography â€Å"Reflect upon your present blessings of which every man has many not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.† quote by one of the most influential author of English Victorian era, English novelist, Charles Dickens, who wrote numerous highly acclaimed novels. Dickens lived a life filled with happiness and sadness and everything in between. He left such amazing work which is the finest part of Victorian Era literature. Charles Dickens was born on February 7, 1812, in Portsmouth, England. His full name was Charles John Huffam Dickens. He was the second child of John and Elizabeth Dickens. As a child he always liked to put on plays in a family kitchen, and singing songs, standing on the table in the local pub. After that, John and Elizabeth moved to London. And the family moves there. John was a congenial man, he got into big debt. Charles Dickens started going to school at the age 9. His father was sent to prison because of bad debt. After that, Charles had to work in Warrens blacking factory and endured appalling conditions as well as loneliness and despair. This was a factory that handled blacking, or shoe polish. The conditions were really bad. Meanwhile, his family was sent to Marshalsea, to live near his father’s prison, and Charles was left alone. After three years, Dickens was sent back to school but his working experience was never forgotten and that experienced inspired the writing of two well-known novels, â€Å"David Copperfield† and â€Å"Great Expectations†. His father was able to pay the debt. Things turned around again, Dickens at the age of fifteen had to leave school again because he had to work in an office. In the following year, he became a freelance reporter and stenographer at the law courts of London. By 1832 he was a reported for two magazines. Dickens believed that writings can play a big role in fixing the problems of the world. Dickens became a journalist and began with the journals The Mirror of Parliament and The True Sun. After that, he became a journalist for The Morning Chronicle. He published his first book in 1836, â€Å"Sketches by Boz†. In April 1836, he married Catherine Hogarth who edited Sketches by Boz. In the same month, Dickens published â€Å"Pickwick Papers† whi ch was really successful. Catherine and Charles had 10 children. In 1836 Dickens began to publish The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club. This method of writing was really popular in the Victorian Era. After this, he began publishing â€Å"Oliver Twist†. He was also now editor of Bentleys Miscellany, a new monthly magazine. He continued publishing his novel in his later magazines, Household Words, and All the Year Round. Olive Twist kind of expressed Dickens life because this book is about a boy, an orphan, in London. Overall Dickens’s career was really successful but not in his first decade when he published work like Nicholas Nickleby (1838–1839), The Old Curiosity Shop (1840–1841), and Barnaby Rudge (1841). Dickens was also famous in America. He went on a five-month lecture tour of the United States. He spoke out strongly against slavery and in support of other reforms. When he returned from the United States he wrote the book â€Å"American Notes†, a book that criticizes American life as being culturally backward and materialistic. He also wrote another novel, Martin Chuzzlewit, which was about a hero finding that survival on the American frontiers is more difficult than in England. He also wrote, â€Å"A Christmas Carol and The Chimes†. Later on, he went abroad to Italy. Italy’s beauty inspired him to write â€Å"Pictures from Italy†. He also started to publish installments of â€Å"Dombey and Son†. Its full title was â€Å"Dealings with the Firm of Dombey and Son†. This completed the novel and boosted Dickens success. Dickens next novel was â€Å"David Copperfield†. This is an autobiographical novel fictionalized elements of Dickenss c hildhood, his father was an inspiration for the character of Mr. Micawber, his pursuit of a journalism career and his love life. This was Dickens favorite book. In 1850, he began a new magazine, Household Words. His editorials and articles touched upon English politics, social institutions, and family life. The 1850s were a gloomy time for Dickens. In 1851, he lost his father and one daughter within 1 week. After e few years, he fell in love with an actress so he separated from his wife. In response to his sadness, Dickens’s next novels were called his â€Å"dark† novels. These novels are considered the greatest triumphs of the art of fiction. He wrote the â€Å"Bleak House† which is considered to have the most complicated plot of any English novel, the narrative created a relation of all segments of English society. He wrote other novels such as â€Å"Hard Times† and â€Å"Little Dorrit†. Some consider the â€Å"Bleak House† to be the best novel he has written and others consider â€Å"Little Dorrit† since it portrays the conditions of England as he saw it and the conflict between the world’s harshness and all of these were expressed in a really impressive artistic form. In 1859 Dickens published a historical novel, A Tale of Two Cities, which was about the French Revolution. Dickens also published seventeen articles which later on appeared as a book entitled â€Å"The Uncommercial Traveller†. Next, he wrote â€Å"Great Expectations† which is sometimes also considered as his best work. It is a story of a young mans moral development from childhood to adult life. His last finished work was â€Å"Our Mutual Friend† which is about how he viewed London. Before death, Dickens started writing â€Å"The Mystery of Edwin Drood†, but he never finished it. For several years Dickens was sick. He had a railroad accident in 1865 from which he never recovered entirely. Dickens died of a fatal stroke on June 9, 1870.