Monday, December 9, 2019
Leading and Managing Organizational Change of PolyProd Company
Question: Discuss about theLeading and Managing Organizational Change of PolyProd Company. Answer: PolyProd is corporations that develops markets and produces a variety of outrageous technology products for both industry and home uses. Robert Jackson the project manager who is working in the headquarters suggests that the present information management practices are to be improved otherwise it will cost the company millions of dollars in their expenses (Brigham Houston, 2012). Along with it, there will also be decrease in the long-term market shares of the companys product. This essay thus, discusses about the barriers of the change to convince TMT not to have this change through the point of view of VP of Finance Department. The finance department mainly controls the monetary area of the company. It further include the five main domains that are planning, organizing, auditing, accounting and controlling the organizing the organizations finances (Bindseil, 2014). However, there are certain barriers, which also need to be understood so that a successful business strategy is identified, created and implemented as well. Change is at times important for all the aspects of the organization, but the rest of the time the shift from one state to another cause a huge burden for the finance department (Laudon Laudon, 2016). Barriers will always built a gap in between the present practices as well as the recommendations, which will further have a negative effect on the production processes of the company. However, to stop that from happening thus the major barriers are pinpointed to stay away from the change. The workforce is the most common barrier to change management. Workers always have the fear to change unless and until they are included in the changing process. However, it is common that even the loyal members of the employees will combat the change. The biggest mistake from the organizations side is not including their employees in the process of change (Aparecida da Silva, Pelogia Martins Damian Ins Dallavalle de Pdua, 2012). However, this projects an unknown fear, deficiency of desire to accept a new culture and finally a completely new barrier towards change. Getting the employees included in the process of change in the organizations means that their voices should be listened, considering for their output and convincing the change for the good in the organization including everyone. Thus, relevant and sufficient resources are provided to drive the workforce towards the change is an important thing to do to make them comfortable and prepare to adjust to the change in the organ ization (Cameron Green, 2015). The next barrier is deficiency in the strategy of effective communication. The silliest way towards a change is not having an effective communication strategy in the organization and thus forcefully resisting changing. Thus, only the top official leaders should not do announcing and introducing the strategies, the workers need to know more than just the change. They need to inform that how this change will affect them and how they can adapt themselves with the change with a proper and effective strategy of communication. The top officials often make a mistake of assuming that their employees will adjust and prepare themselves automatically to the change that they just announced and this is definitely a wrong way of introducing change (Goksoy, Ozsoy Vayvay, 2012). Another barrier is a planning that is of bad culture shift. Therefore, the planning team holds no idea, that how this change will affect the employees then it becomes the barrier for the chance. Apart from making the planning administration, responsibilities of work area and job responsibilities and structure of work reporting, the team fails to take decisions based on the employees feelings and intuitions. However, this completely overshadows how the employees feel, reason and work. Moreover, to avoid deeper bitterness in the organization, they must do whatever it takes by respecting the traditional and taboos at the organization. Therefore, when the organization is concentrating in the critical and objective thinking it is very essential to understand the feelings of the employees. In this way, a great barrier can overcome in organizational change. Change always becomes difficult to accept if there is no idea about the present state in the organization. Thus, when the organization is trying hard to implement and apply change without understanding the present state of the organization it becomes another barrier. The failure to evaluate the present companys blueprint will hinder with the changes that are thought by the organization to be introduced and implemented (Cummings Worley, 2014). Before suggesting, any change the organization must evaluate the present state of the organization so that once it has been understood it is much easier to plan and modify the current state to the altered one. The last barrier to any changes in the organization can be the growing complex processes within the organization itself. Therefore, when the organization comes up with complex processes including planning and implementing the change the environment inside become more complex. The complexities that are the real reasons behind the barriers are the complex processes, products and systems, these so complex because the employees find it difficult to understand them. However, to break this barrier it is important to introduce a focus and skilled approach that can tackle the organizational development and complexity. Thus, any change that can be too complex in the organization should be avoided so that it does not become difficult for the other members of the organization to handle th e complex changes (Burke, 2017). To conclude the essay it can be said that the new change in the organization can highly shook the current state and thus waste a lot of time as the employees needs time to adjust with the changes. However, the above paragraphs discusses about the barriers of the change that are enough to convince TMT not to have this change that has been proposed by the Project manager. Moreover, implementing changes in the organization will not only waste time but also act as a forceful modification upon the other branches that are located in the various geographical locations. References Aparecida da Silva, L., Pelogia Martins Damian, I., Ins Dallavalle de Pdua, S. (2012). Process management tasks and barriers: functional to processes approach. Business Process Management Journal, 18(5), 762-776. Bindseil, U. (2014). Monetary policy operations and the financial system. OUP Oxford. Brigham, E. F., Houston, J. F. (2012). Fundamentals of financial management. Cengage Learning. Burke, W. W. (2017). Organization change: Theory and practice. Sage Publications. Cameron, E., Green, M. (2015). Making sense of change management: A complete guide to the models, tools and techniques of organizational change. Kogan Page Publishers. Cummings, T. G., Worley, C. G. (2014). Organization development and change. Cengage learning. Goksoy, A., Ozsoy, B., Vayvay, O. (2012). Business process reengineering: strategic tool for managing organizational change an application in a multinational company. International Journal of Business and Management, 7(2), 89. Laudon, K. C., Laudon, J. P. (2016). Management information system. Pearson Education India.
Monday, December 2, 2019
The Case of Malala Is education a human right
Introduction Education is indispensable in a community that wants to prosper; therefore, it is a right. If certain obstacles exist to prevent equal access to this basic human right, then one should understand what causes them so as to eliminate them.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Case of Malala: Is education a human right? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The case of Malala illustrates how extreme views can perpetuate a cycle of oppression and inequality. The essay will look at female education through the Pakistani lens, and then apply it to other developing nations. Relevance of the issue It is imperative to address female education because without it women will not have the knowledge to make informed decisions. Childrenââ¬â¢s health status is at risk when women have no access to education. Furthermore, even the level of economic development will be compromised. Statistics indicate that whenever a soci ety increases womenââ¬â¢s education by 1%, the rate of economic development grows by 3%. This means that a society cannot get out of poverty unless it invests in the literacy of its female population. Conflict has an adverse impact on education. It causes governments to focus on other political issues and disregard education for women. Additionally, schools are easy targets for militant groups because they have a large population of defenceless targets. It is necessary to understand how conflict affects education using Malalaââ¬â¢s country as an example, and thus establish some possible solutions to the problem. Additionally, understanding the social and cultural dimensions of gender inequality in education allows one to determine the policy issues that cause the problem and thus establish a mechanism for preventing its reoccurrence in the future. Questions the essay will answer The essay will focus on female education as a human right. Therefore, the stance in this paper is t hat education is a right that must be accessible to all genders.Advertising Looking for essay on gender studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It will answer the questions ââ¬Å"Who is Malala and what does she stand for?â⬠, ââ¬Å"Why is education important?â⬠, ââ¬Å"Why do some communities deny females access to education?â⬠, ââ¬Å"What are some statistics to indicate this inequality?â⬠, ââ¬Å"How does an educated female class threaten male patriarchy?â⬠and ââ¬Å"What are some of the cultural, economical and political barriers to equal education access in the case study?â⬠Answers Malala Yousafzai is a fifteen year old Pakistani human rights activist. She has received numerous international and national awards for her activism in female education. The teenager started her work as a blogger for the BBC where she told the world about her plight in education. Sometimes she chronicled Taliban attacks in her province or her experiences as a girl who had been banned from attending school. Malala gained international recognition when the New York Times made a film about her. Thereafter, the adolescent started appearing on television and print media to talk about the problems of female education. For these reasons, she got nominated for the Nobel peace prize, and also won the national Youth Peace Prize. However, the world got to learn about her when two Taliban gunmen shot her on her way to school. She became unconscious and stayed in hospital for sometime before she moved to the United Kingdom for rehabilitation. The Taliban affirmed that they would continue to pursue her if she came back to Pakistan, and would kill her together with her father. Several renowned leaders spoke out against this injustice and used the incident to speak out against gender inequality in education (Fantz 15). Malala stands for womenââ¬â¢s right to education. She represents many women in Islam ic countries who have been dominated by extremist views. The human rights activist is one of the few courageous individuals in this country who want to defend girlsââ¬â¢ right to speak, interact, play and acquire knowledge. In 2010, The Taliban began a campaign to bomb schools that educated girls. Therefore, parents who feared for their childrenââ¬â¢s safety chose not to take them to school. Those who were brave enough to do so sometimes lost their lives or got injured in school. The country clearly needed a champion to advance their cause in an effective manner.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Case of Malala: Is education a human right? specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The situation in Pakistan is not any different from goings on in developing countries. Several communities ignore the importance of female education owing to cultural and legal structures that preserve male patriarchy. The Pakistani cas e can serve as platform for analysing inadequate female education around the world. It brings to bare the cruel social-economic forces that force women to remain illiterate. Literacy rates in Pakistan are alarming. Only 12% of the women are literate and 26% of its girls go to school. Overall, UNESCO states that 46% of the population is illiterate. Nonetheless, these figures are still not indicative of those who can fully read and write. A vast number of these individuals can only sign their names. In some parts of Pakistan, like Baluchistan, only 3% of the female population is literate. In a population of 32 million, only 13 million have been enrolled. Many of these pupils rarely attend class even after enrolling owing to some cultural and political reasons. Acid attacks against girls attending schools in Pakistan are not uncommon and so are beatings. In a population of 32 million, only 3 million girls attend higher secondary schools. Conversely approximately 0.5 million girls pursu e tertiary education. In rural areas, literacy rates are quite low. Some places like Dir District only have one school in which only boys are allowed to attend. When compared to regional contemporaries, Pakistan fareââ¬â¢s poorly. It has an education development index of 113 while countries like India, Egypt and Bhutan have an index of 102, 97 and 98 respectively (Latif 9). One of the social-economic conditions that cause this inequality is poverty. A number of families in Pakistan as well other developing nations require their girls to work for a living. Some of them start as early as six and may continue to do so until later in life. These girls will look for menial jobs such as housekeeping, which have low pay. Girls who have been enrolled in school may have to leave it in order to support their families. Another way in which poverty perpetuates this disparity is with regard to bride price. Some parents may consider the education of a girl as an unnecessary financial burden in their adult life. In a number of Asian communities, marriages are arranged.Advertising Looking for essay on gender studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The girlââ¬â¢s parents will have to look for a suitor and pay bride price. If a girl is educated, costs will escalate during this time. Therefore, some parents may be short-sighted and will keep their girls away from school. In the short term, some parents may be willing to take their girls to school but may lack the necessary funds to keep them there. Some of these parents cannot afford school fees or a number of them may not be able to buy school uniform or books, so they normally allocate the few resources they have to boys (Abbasi Saeed 335). A number of developing nations, including Pakistan, are patriarchal. Men get to make most of the decisions in their families. Females are encouraged to remain subservient and humble. Therefore, certain groups ideologically oppose the education of females. They feel that it will cause them to rebel against their cultural teachings. Persons with this point of view may not take their girls to school if they have them. Alternatively, those who do not share the same perspective may have to bear the brunt of moral crusaders who may attack girls for attending school. Such was the case with Malalaââ¬â¢s shooters. The Taliban are known for their opposition against girlââ¬â¢s education. These individuals base their assertions on a twisted interpretation of the Holy Quran. However, many Muslims believe that their holy scriptures does not prohibit female education, and that this is a right. The issue of male patriarchy also impedes female education. Individuals who are educated may question unfair laws regardless of who perpetuates them. The Taliban, alongside other conservative persons, believe that female education will upset cultural structures that have given their country its identity. Whenever one class of people are oppressed, another one always benefits from its prevalence. This is true for men in patriarchal societies. Education is a mechanism for preserving the privileged status of men in these societies. Illi teracy causes women to remain ignorant about their rights and this allows men to enjoy certain advantages (Phillips 94). Political reasons may also perpetuate unequal education for women. In Pakistanââ¬â¢s case, the government has been unable to contain the Taliban in certain regions of the country. Therefore, they have imposed extreme laws on civilians. Furthermore, the government has allocated insufficient resources towards the education of the girl child. There are scarce resources and budget shortfalls, which make education a non-priority issue. Additionally, the national government has failed to coordinate efforts with the provincial government. These issues are also prevalent in other parts of the world which share similar economic and cultural backgrounds (Chaudhry Rahman 180). Questions raised by the analysis and future prospects The analysis has shown that gender inequality in education is a complex issue, which cannot be attributed to one or two things. Malalaââ¬â¢s case highlights the cultural, political and security issues that come into play when tackling this problem. However, the attack against her has brought female education to the international spotlight. This analysis raises questions on the commitment of poor governments to girl education. Many of them do not take a stance on extremist groups thus allowing them to thrive. A feminist lens of the issue reveals that female illiteracy preserves male patriarchy. Therefore, since men dominate political positions, one wonders whether it is in their best interest to challenge that situation. It is evident that governments lack the willpower to change female education in developing countries. Therefore, nongovernmental organisations or other groups need to step in and take up this role. It is likely that dealing with conflict and educational inequality at the same time will be a challenge. Therefore, the international community needs to assist in dealing with conflicts so as to provide a stab le environment for female education. Works Cited Abbasi, Ghazala Ahmad Saeed. ââ¬Å"Critical analysis of the factors influencing female education in rural Sindh, Pakistan as viewed by primary school teachers.â⬠Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research in Business 4.6(2012): 334-339. Print. Chaudhry, Imran Saeed Rahman. ââ¬Å"The impact of gender inequality in education on rural poverty in Pakistan: An empirical analysis.â⬠European Journal of Economics, Finance and Administrative Sciences 15.15(2009): 174-189. Print. Fantz, Ashley. Pakistanââ¬â¢s Malala: Global Symbol, but still just a kid. 30 Jan. 2013. Web. https://edition.cnn.com/2012/10/15/world/malala-profile Latif, Amir. Alarming situation of education in Pakistan. 2013. Web. https://en.unesco.org/ Phillips, Melanie. The ascent of woman: A history of the suffragette movement. NY: Abacus, 2004. Print. This essay on The Case of Malala: Is education a human right? was written and submitted by user Anaya Tate to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.
Wednesday, November 27, 2019
Free Essays on New Sociology
MacBeth - Analysis of Fear Fear , this motivates people to do many things, no matter if they are right or wrong. In the play Macbeth it was fear that was the main motivating factor that influenced the outcome of the play. This can be proved by the subsequent murders that followed after Duncan's,... Teaching With Fear Uncertainty is a very unsettling feeling for the human psyche to manage. Nathaniel Hawthorne explores how insecurity can overwhelm even the most sensible people in his book The Ministerââ¬â¢s Black Veil. Mr. Hooper isolated himself from his community with a simple piece of cloth which in turn inspired... Homophobia Fear or Hate Homophobia, the fear , dislike or hatred of lesbians and gay men, is becoming a big problem in America today. Most people that have homophobia are uneducated about what goes on in the gay community. Since homophobes, persons who exhibit homophobia, are uneducated. They discriminate against peop... Elisabeth Kubler-Ross ââ¬Å"On the fear of Death,â⬠A few days ago in the class we read the article ââ¬Å"On the fear of Death,â⬠Elisabeth Kubler-Ross. I never thought about death before, because Iââ¬â¢m young and full of energy. After lesson I think about death all the time. This is a big desperation in my life. I feel so terrible and it seems to me that ... MacBeth - Analysis of Fear- MacBeth - Analysis of Fear - Fear , this motivates us to do many things no matter if they are right or wrong. In the play Macbeth it was fear that was the main motivating factor that influenced the outcome of the play. This can be proved by the subsequent murders that followed after Duncan's, ... Fear and Religion in Lucretius Religion is one of Lucretiusââ¬â¢ favorite topics to argue against in his poem ââ¬Å"On the Nature of Things.â⬠What religion does to man and the fear of the life after death that is instilled on the living is unjust per Lucretius. For while the nature of the gods must necessarily of itself enj... Free Essays on New Sociology Free Essays on New Sociology MacBeth - Analysis of Fear Fear , this motivates people to do many things, no matter if they are right or wrong. In the play Macbeth it was fear that was the main motivating factor that influenced the outcome of the play. This can be proved by the subsequent murders that followed after Duncan's,... Teaching With Fear Uncertainty is a very unsettling feeling for the human psyche to manage. Nathaniel Hawthorne explores how insecurity can overwhelm even the most sensible people in his book The Ministerââ¬â¢s Black Veil. Mr. Hooper isolated himself from his community with a simple piece of cloth which in turn inspired... Homophobia Fear or Hate Homophobia, the fear , dislike or hatred of lesbians and gay men, is becoming a big problem in America today. Most people that have homophobia are uneducated about what goes on in the gay community. Since homophobes, persons who exhibit homophobia, are uneducated. They discriminate against peop... Elisabeth Kubler-Ross ââ¬Å"On the fear of Death,â⬠A few days ago in the class we read the article ââ¬Å"On the fear of Death,â⬠Elisabeth Kubler-Ross. I never thought about death before, because Iââ¬â¢m young and full of energy. After lesson I think about death all the time. This is a big desperation in my life. I feel so terrible and it seems to me that ... MacBeth - Analysis of Fear- MacBeth - Analysis of Fear - Fear , this motivates us to do many things no matter if they are right or wrong. In the play Macbeth it was fear that was the main motivating factor that influenced the outcome of the play. This can be proved by the subsequent murders that followed after Duncan's, ... Fear and Religion in Lucretius Religion is one of Lucretiusââ¬â¢ favorite topics to argue against in his poem ââ¬Å"On the Nature of Things.â⬠What religion does to man and the fear of the life after death that is instilled on the living is unjust per Lucretius. For while the nature of the gods must necessarily of itself enj...
Saturday, November 23, 2019
Learn About College Scholarships for Homeschoolers
Learn About College Scholarships for Homeschoolers The cost of attending college can be staggering. With current averages putting the cost of one year of public college for an in-state student at over $9,000 annually and one year of private college at over $32,000 per year, most students will need some type of financial aid to offset the economicà burden of a post-secondary education. The good news for homeschooling families is that homeschooled students qualify for most of the same college scholarships as their public- and private-schooled peers. What Is a College Scholarship? There are several types of financial aid available to help students pay for college. Theà three main types are loans (federal, state, or private), grants, and scholarships. Loans are funds that are borrowed and must be repaid with interest. Some loans are based on demonstrated financial need while others are available to any student. Grants do not have to be repaid. These can be based on financial need, or they may be merit-based or student specific. For example, grants may be offered to minority students or those studying for a specific field, such as teaching. Scholarships are financial aid awards that do not have to be repaid. They are awarded based on a variety of criteria. Sometimes those criteria are based on academic or athletic performance, but they can also include military or community service, a studentââ¬â¢s heritage, unique skills and hobbies, and musical or artistic talent. What Types of College Scholarships Are There? Scholarships may be awarded by colleges, private organizations, or employers. State scholarships are often available to in-state students who meet grade-point average (GPA) requirements. Homeschooled students may have to submit SAT or ACT scores or complete one year of college with a minimum GPA to qualify. (Once a student has qualified for a state scholarship, it often pays retroactively.) Need-based scholarships are awarded based on a studentââ¬â¢s financial need. These are usually federally-à or state-funded scholarships that factor the cost of attendance minus the expected family contribution to determine the studentââ¬â¢s need. The first step in qualifying for a need-based scholarship is completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Merit-based scholarships are awarded based on student achievement in academics, athletics, or other areas such as art music or art. These may be awarded by the school, the state, private institutions, or organizations. Student-specific scholarships are those that are awarded based on criteria specific to individual students. There are scholarships for minority students, those with specific disabilities or religious affiliations, students of particular ethnicity, and those with aà military association through the student or his parents. Career-specific scholarships may be awarded to students pursuing a particular career field such as teaching, healthcare, engineering, or math. Where Can Homeschoolers Find Scholarships? To begin the search for potential college scholarships, tryà specialized search engines such as the College Boardââ¬â¢s BigFuture search orà FastWeb. If a scholarship description doesnââ¬â¢t specifically state homeschooled student eligibility, ask for clarification. Students may also wish to seek out scholarships through specific organizations. One of the best known academic scholarships may be the National Merit Scholarship, based on PSAT and NMSQT scores. Homeschooled students are eligible for this scholarship as long as they take the qualifying test at a local high school or another approved testing location. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) offers scholarships to student athletes and offers eligibility guidelines for college-bound homeschooled athletes. The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NCIA) also offers athletic scholarships for which homeschoolers are eligible. Female students pursuing a career in engineering, computer science or engineering technology can apply for scholarships from the Society of Women Engineers. Chick-Fil-A offers scholarships to its team members and homeschoolers are eligible. Homeschool curriculum publisher Sonlight offers scholarships to homeschooled students who use their curriculum. Homeschooled students (alongà with public- and private-schooled students)à with a documented learning disability and ADD or ADHD are eligible to apply forà a scholarship through theà RiSE Scholarship Foundation. Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) offers four annual scholarship contests for homeschooled students and maintains a list of scholarship opportunities that are open to homeschoolers.
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Assigment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3
Assigment - Essay Example sion for an industry that has spent millions to attract customers in the countrys growing Latino community and among the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants living in the United States. As a business owner, you sell to whoever comes into your store. You sell to whoever buys from you online. Its easy, normally, said Steven Camarota, director of research at the Center for Immigration Studies in Washington. Just in some cases where specific identification is needed, like in financial services, its more complicated. But getting less so Last month, Bank of America said it had started a pilot program in the Los Angeles area late last year that didnt require a Social Security number to sign up for a credit card. The Charlotte-based bank insists the card isnt specifically designed to attract illegal immigrants, and says that so far, it has not. The bank hasnt decided if it will offer the card elsewhere, but it would likely be popular with a population that generally lacks access to something as common in most American wallets as the dollar bill and a drivers license. Its a no brainer. Its a very large market, said Jim Johnson, director of the Urban Investment Strategies Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The bank is just the latest example of a major corporation recognizing the impact of doing business with Hispanics. ââ¬ËIn 2005, the nations 6.6 million illegal immigrant families had an average annual income of $29,500 and accounted for nearly $200 billion in purchasing power, a figure thats only expected to grow,ââ¬â¢ said Pew Hispanic Center demographer Jeff Passel. They are impacting the economy, Passel said. The unauthorized are explicitly coming for an economic basis. While credit card use among the nations 42 million Hispanics is on the rise, a substantial number of Latino households dont have access to credit, according a survey conducted by the National Council of La Raza, which found that 80 percent of American households use credit
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Letter to the grand duchess christina by galileo Essay
Letter to the grand duchess christina by galileo - Essay Example In explaining the concept of ââ¬Ëtwo truthsââ¬â¢, Galileo holds to the view that both the scriptures and science are true and the two truths do not contradict one another. Galileo supported his concept of two truths by giving examples that explaining how both science and scriptures reveal the truths about the universe and the nature of God. How Galileo supported his concept of the ââ¬Ëtwo truthsââ¬â¢ In order to support his statement that the scriptures and science are true and they do not contradict one another, Galileo states that the two truths proceed from the divine word. However, he makes it clear that discussions of physical problems has to start from necessary demonstration and sense experiences and not from scriptural experiences. in regard to science verses th scriptures, Galileo states that we should not believe anything any howly least we hold some prejudice against something that is later to be proofed not to be contrary to the scriptures. Galileo explains th at God is revealed first through nature and then again by doctrine. The revelation by nature comes through his works and revelation by doctrine comes through his revealed word (Drake 182).The scriptures explain that God is the creator of all. He made the heaven, the universe, earth and all in it. Galileoââ¬â¢s agreement with this is seen where he complains of having been accused as by other philosophers as if he has placed things in the sky to overturn sciences and upset nature. In essence, he meant that scientific discoveries are in no way a contradiction of the scriptural revelation of God as the creator but a proof of it. It helps to bring out the things he has created. Through the scriptures, we get to learn that God created man and this automatically qualifies human intellect, senses and reason as things given by God. The same God who granted the senses and reasons cannot deny the people the entrusted the intellect, senses and reasons not to use them. Galileo also argues tha t he does not believe the same God who gave us intellect, reason and senses has intended to forego their use and decided to give human beings knowledge through another means yet it is knowledge that they could have obtained through the use of the reason, senses and intellect (Drake 183). At the same time, God has revealed about the universe and nature through the scriptures. For example, he mentions oceans, clouds, deserts, animals, heavenly bodies like sun, moon and stars among others. It also reveals the functions or functioning of some for example the sun giving light. However, these revelations and explanation are not in totality. For example they do not explain how the heavenly bodies are positioned and move about relative to one another. This means there was a chance for men to use the reasons and senses entrusted to them to discover the details of these creations and therefore discoveries are never a contradiction of the scriptures. As seen above, science helps to explain to those who believe in the scriptures some of the truths that the scriptures does not bring out plainly. As Galileo reveals, some of these questions are those asked by believers of the scriptures for example the motion of heaven. One question that emerges from the brethren is, if heaven is fixed, then how do stars that are fixed to it move from east to west? (Taylor 93). It is obvious they mean how the stars move round the earth because the scriptures reveal that heaven is where God dwells and it is a spiritual place. This means that it is not visible with the mortal eyes and
Sunday, November 17, 2019
Travel literature Essay Example for Free
Travel literature Essay Travel literature took place around the 19th century. It was also known as the Augustan Age, the Age of Enlightens or the Neo Classical Age. The art of journeying is a process of self-discovery and to discover new destination, culture and place.During the Industrial Revolution in Europe, traveling became very popular. The Europeans especially the Portuguese, Dutch, English and Spanish started to explore new places in the East. The first expedition to the east was conquered by the Portuguese. In November 1497, Vasco da Gama led the first major European excursion into the Indian Ocean at Cape of Good Hope which was the gateway to South East Asia. The second expedition was led by Alfonso de Albuquerque who extended their power eastwards by gaining control of Malacca in 1511. When the Portuguese first arrived at the beginning of the sixteenth century, the leading emporium of western South-East Asia was Malacca. It continued the practice of other great ports of earlier years where ships from India, China and Java converged on Malacca. They usually will not come at the same time because each group had to plan an inward and a return voyage to fit the seasonal changes of the monsoon winds. The cultural observations made by various writers are what I am going to discuss and it is based on J.M. Gullicks Adventures and Encounters in South East Asia. The two stories that I have chosen to discuss are King Mongkut faces the Camera by John Thomson and Sultan Yusuf faces the Death and Turns Back by Hugh Clifford. John Thomson is a professional photographer who made his appearance in the second half of the nineteenth century. John Thomson (1837-1921) is a Scotsman, who arrived in Singapore in 1862 to join his brother William in the business of watchmaker and photographer. His travels brought him to Bangkok in 1865, and then went to Cambodia to take photographs of the ruins of Angkor Watt. Later he set up his business in Hong Kong and from there made trips to China to take photographs. He became a fashionable photographer in the West End of London, in later part of his life. Thomsons most reliable and outstanding writing was when he had a trip to Bangkok during the reign of King Mongkut (r.1851-68), where he photograph the palace and the king. John Thomson has talked about many cultural observations in his passage called King Mongkut Faces the Camera. Throughout his observations, Thomson has always compares the Local Culture to his own Home Culture. The Home Culture has become a kind of yardstick for his view and reasoning about the Local Culture. After Thomson was better acquainted with Krum-mun-alongkot, he was introduced to his family circle. He had, I believe, sixteen wives, although I never saw more than twelve at a time; some of these were young and pretty.1 The wives were usually engaged in embroidery. They also practiced the habit of chewing betel-nuts and smoking cigarettes. The children on the other hand were also born with cigarettes in their mouths2 According to John Thomson, he actually saw a child leaving its mothers breast for a smoke. In this observation of his, Thomson uses his Home Culture as a yardstick for the reason and view of the local culture. Therefore, he disapproves the idea of more wives, smoking cigarettes and chewing betel-nuts which cannot be found in his culture and consider that the westerns are more civilized. He even regards it as a pity by saying; I thought it a pity to see them smoking cigarettes, or chewing betel-nuts, the teeth blackened with the incrustation and their mouths disfigured with blood-red juice; they also perforce a nasty habit of spitting into golden vases which their slaves help up dutifully for the purpose.3 He regards their behavior has pity because as a member of the royal family, they are not portraying or setting a good example for others. Usually high rank monarchs set a good example to the public. On top of this, the idea of the children who were born with the cigarettes in their mouths is also considered uncivilized. Children at such a young age should not be exposed to bad habits like this. They are to be brought up in a healthy environment and thought the rightful things in life. Thomson also disapproves the way the servants were treated. They have to hold the golden vases for their mistress to spit their betel-nuts juice and crowd in their hands and knees behind their masters. Around his singular figure were grouped a number of his attendants and slaves, who crowded reverently on their hands and knees and they had also perforce a nasty habit of spitting into golden vases which their slaves help up dutifully for the purpose.4 Thomson regards the servant as Slaves because they do not have a social stand in the society. They are treated like slaves and when Thomson saw this, it came as a shock to him. Again, he finds it an uncivilized behaviour compared to his own country. I think that Thomson did not give a fair description on this matter because he is judging based on his home culture and therefore it has become a yardstick for his reason and view. He did not spend much time in Thai to observe and learn about the culture. He only comments on his observation through his short stay in Thai. He did not take the trouble to find out why they are practicing it. In other words Thomson is trying to affirm his superiority by saying the West is more civilized than the East. According to Thomsons point of view, Thai was a much modernized country. This is pictured through the observation that was done in the palace. The room in which we were received was filled with foreign machinery, scientific instruments and articles of domestic use. ..there was a telegraphic machine, backed by a statue of Buddha..There were also watch tools, turning-lathes and telescopes, guitars, tom-toms, fiddles and hand-saws; while betel-nut boxes, swords, spears, and shoe-brushes, rifles, revolvers, Windsor-soap, rat-paste, brass wire and beer bottles, were mingled in heterogeneous confusion.5 Although the Siamese have all the modern equipment with them yet they do not know how to use it or the purposes of it. They only display it to show that they too posses it. For example, in one corner there was a telegraphic machine, backed by a statue of Buddha.6 This shows that they do not know how to use a telegraphic machine and just display it like a statue of Buddha. From this passage we know that the Thai are very ignorant to the foreign instrument and Thomson feels what they really need is a practical use of knowledge. They simply accept the modernization with out knowing its practical usage. According to Thomson, the Thai monarch believes that by doing miracle to the country, the people will look up at him and he can become a very powerful person. In this point of view, Thomson has managed to give a fair and objective view of the Thai who are so ignorant in using the modern equipment. They simply display it without knowing its purpose. For example the entire room was filled with modern equipment together with betel-nut boxes, swords, spears and shoe-brushes7. This clearly shows that the Thai did not have any knowledge on the use of the equipment and they simply put it together with other unwanted or unimportant items. The idea of appropriation is due to the process of post colonial which takes over the local culture. Although Thai has never been colonilized by any foreign forces, yet it has the influence of westernization through the impact of modernization of the country by King Mongkut. Therefore the idea of appropriation has been adopted by the local people and it has a great impact in the local culture. The idea of appropriation in the Thai culture can be seen through many aspects such in the Siamese Kings English and also in the hybrid image of the Siamese Women. The idea of appropriating is to take one as its own. Therefore when the king of Thai speaks his Siamese English, we can say that he is appropriating the English. This is because, he not only mixing his own Thai language with the English but also speaks bad English. Mr Town-shun, ..Ah! you are Scotchman, and speak English I can understand; there are Englishmen here who have not understanding of their own language when I speak.8 The Siamese kings English is not only very amusing to the readers but also becomes as an dramatic irony because the king does not realize that he speaks bad English and at the same time was commenting to Thomson about his own Englishmen who could not understand their own language when he speaks. Therefore, what Thomson is trying to say is the West is appropriating the East by colonization yet here the king of Siam is appropriating the English by thinking that he speaks good English compare to the Englishmen and does not realize that his English is bad. The Siamese women who were trying to mimic the western ladies draws the attention of Thomson. The imitations of English ladies were particularly ludicrous, for while the contrast between the graceful, modest native costumes and the huge crinoline and chignon of the West, could not fail to strike every beholder.9 Thomson totally disapproves the idea of the Thai women who were trying to imitate the English women. According to him, it losses its value and draws the contras. He like the Siamese ladies to be Siam and not to mimicry the foreigners. The Siamese women dressed in western style create a hybrid image. It does not portray their culture and belongings. Therefore, the both examples that were mentioned above, Thomson has given a fair judgment and how it reflects a negative view on the Thai culture. The hair cutting ceremony or also known as coming to age ceremony is also an official ceremony carried out to the young Prince who has come to the throne. It is also known as the Tonsure or So-Kan Festival. I afterwards attended the great Tonsure Festival, or So-Kan, as the Siamese call it, when the heir-apparent, Prince Chowfa Chul-along-korn, who has since come to the throne, was deprived of the pride, pomp and circumstance of a sacred Brahminical rite.10 Thomson describes every procedure in full detail and in each he gives a full description of what was going on. He also gives a very positive and objective view of the local custom and culture which was carried out. Within the grounds of the first kings place, there is a large paved quadrangle ..known as mount Khrai-lat, and bearing a tiny shrine upon its summityoung Prince thrice around the sacred mount khrai-lat. Later two ladies, who was waiting belowbathe his feet in a silver urn. Thence he betakes himself to a temple hard by, where the top-knot is solemnly removed.11 Thomson gives a full description of the entire ceremony from the beginning to the end. He even commons by saying The entire ceremony is long and tedious and I was the only European who witnessed this important part of the Brahminical ceremony.12 In his observations on the hair cutting ceremony, Thomson has not only given a very lengthy description of the ceremony and its importance but also marks his present as a very important one. In this aspect, Thomson has list down his observation which was very unique to him. This was something new to him and he was so amused by it. He give a lengthy description about the entire observation and it gives the readers a better view of what a hair cutting ceremony is all about. Thomson was requested to company Krum-mun-alongkot a chief astronomer and the king Mongkuts royal brother. Thomson notices that he was dressed, when at home, in a light jacket, much too small to cover him and wore a band of silk around his loins. His shrunken limbs were bare and his feet encased in richly-embroidered slippers; but on other occasions, when he paid me a visit, for example, he assumed much more ample and costly attire.13 For a foreigner like Thomson, to see a monarch with Bare Limbs comes as a cultural shock. This is because the royal families in the west are very well dressed and very formal at all times. They do not choose to dress freely as they wish at home and quite formal for occasion. Therefore when Thomson saw Krum-mun-alongkot, in two different ways, it was like a kind of shock to him . Although kind and hospitable, the Prince was not a man calculated to inspire awe into his beholders.14 Indirectly, it also suggests that Thomson was affirming his superiority compare to the Thais. Therefore, he affirmers that although the Thai monarchs are kind and hospitable yet it does not give any positive impression about them compare to the westerns. In this point of view, I totally disagree with Thomson because he did not give a fair judgment. In the Asian society each country has its own traditional costume. Therefore, the Prince attire of a short jacket and silk might be their traditional costume and the Prince might be comfortable with it. Therefore, Thomson can not make his judgment comparing the Prince attire to his own monarch who dressed more formally. Hugh Clifford came much later and became a legendary figure. He had begun his colonial career at the age of seventeen. In a period of conflict between Malay resistance in Pahang and colonial expansion, he rose rapidly to the senior ranks of the government, becoming a Resident when he was under thirty five. He was then suspected to be poisoned but recovered to pursue a more prosaic middle career in other British colonies. In 1927 he realized his long cherished hope of returning to Malaya as governor. However, within a couple of years he was disabled by insanity which lasted to his death in 1941. Clifford was a prolific writer and often a powerful one. He likes to write about the Malay aristocratic and the village life of the Malay states in the late 19th century. One of his personal experiences with the local is Sultan Yusuf Faces Death and Turns Back. Hugh Clifford like wise John Thomson has talked about much cultural observation especially about the Malay aristocratic and the village life of the Malay States. His close relationship with the local monarchs is pictured in Sultan Yusuf Faces Death and Turns Back. Cliffords point of view on the cultural observations can be divided into some subtopic as well. In Cliffords passage called Sultan Yusuf Faces Death and Turns Back, the sultan of Perak called Sultan Yusuf was afflicted by a tumor of the brain, which the European doctors predicted would be fatal. However Sultan Yusuf and many of his Malay subjects, believe that his illness was the result of a curse laid upon him by Megat Pandia ( a withchdoctor).15 In the Malay society, top priorities are given to superstitious believe. In the passage of Sultan Yusuf, although the European doctors have confirmed that Sultan Yusuf is afflicted with brain tumor and predicted that he might live a day or two yet the locals did not believe it and think that his sickness is caused by a curse laid upon him by a witchdoctor called Megat Pandia due to some money problem. So, to break the spell upon Sultan Yusuf, a local medicine-man is called to perform the ceremony. So the medicine-men pattered charms and exorcisms unceasingly; and when the fits seized the King, the most daring and the most mendacious among them would cry out that he beheld the Bajang ( the Familiar One) and his horrible spouse the Lang Suir (the Weird Kite-Hag) sitting over against the body of their victim.16 After the medicine-man has performed his ceremony, the Sultan slowly regains conscious and started to live a normal life. Later, Clifford also explains that on the same day Megat Pandia was found death and the cause of his death is natural. Although we find it hard to believe of what had happen to Megat Pandia and Sultan Yusuf, yet the events that took place shows that the presents of supernatural elements are true and believable especially in the case of Sultan Yusuf. Hugh Clifford has given us of his personal observation and not his opinion. Therefore, although it is unbelievable, yet because he himself encounters it and have lived with the Malay society for many years, make us accepts his point of view which comes as a fact. According to the observation done by Clifford, the sickness of the King also became a national crisis. When the King falls sick, the people too felt the pain. According to Clifford, the people gathered around the balai where the King was laid to see, touch and feel by pressing their hand on him for the last time. Then we, who sat nearest to him, laid violent hands upon him to restrain his struggles and to shampoo his tortured limbsthey made this part of their duty serve as an occasion for touching and pressing the hands of one or another of the young Rajas whose devotion to their dying monarch.17 From the small description, Clifford has made the readers realize of how the Malay society thinks highly on the King and country. Clifford has explained to us of how they show their respect by spending their nights beside the Kings bed by shampooing him to restrain his struggles. Through this small passage, Clifford has made us realize how the locals are so loyal and faithful to their King. Through this, he has managed to give a fair and objective view of the local culture. There are also some minor aspects that Clifford has touch in the passage called Sultan Yusuf Faces Death and Turns Back. The influence of Islamic aspects is very much clear in their daily life. The locals are very much adapted to the religious terms like Ya Allah! Ya Tuhan- Ku and Lam-alif. Lam- alif here refers to a letter the wedded consonant and vowel which forms the first portion of the profession of Muhammadan faith.18 Lam-alif is a kind of holy word that often used when someone is in the sick bed. According to Clifford who has mentioned how Sultan Yusuf who was in the process of dying, confess Lam-alif At Last he said, Guru, I behold the Lam-alif!.19 This shows how the locals have adopted to the term that has become a part of their daily life and culture. Chewing betel-nuts also become a culture of the locals. Clifford has made an observation on this, when Sultan Yusufs guru smiled. The gurus smile widened till his red, betel-stained gash of a mouth extended almost from ear to ear.20 This shows how frequently they chew betel-nuts. Like wise in Siam, it is also a part of the Malay tradition to chew betel-nuts. From the above description, we can say that Clifford has observed very closely of the Malay culture and give an objective view of their practice and living style. As a result, the cultural observation done by John Thomson on King Mongkut faces the Camera and Hugh Cliffords Sultan Yusuf Faces the death and Turns Back has come out with their own perception and view. John Thomson gives his fair judgment in the things he agrees and eventually disagrees when he finds something that is contrast or that is unacceptable. For example he admires King Mongkut and the way he was dressed. I must confess that I felt much impressed by his appearance, as I had never been in the presence of an anointed sovereign before.. His dress was a robe of spotless white;I was admiring the simplicity and purity of this attire.21 Thomson being very frank by saying how he feels about certain things. In another example, when he finds the women are mimicry the western ladies, he gives a negative point of view. The imitations of English ladies were particularly ludicrous.22 Through out Thomsons observation in Siam is based on his Home Culture and therefore he agrees to certain accepts and disagrees in others. Where else in the Hugh Cliffords passage called Sultan Yusuf faces the death and Turns Back, he has given a full description of his personal observation only. Hugh Clifford did not make any commandments or give his personal opinion on his observation. His observations are mainly of what he sees. He gave two different account on the situation the leave it to the readers to judge and make their own stand between the death of the Sultan. The Europeans doctors explained that the growth of the tumor on the Kings brain had been suddenly arrested and the case was quoted as one of the unparallel interest but the Malays say that the King went near to lose his life at the hands of Megat Pendias Familiar.23 WORK CITED 1. Gullick J. M. , Adventures and Encounters Europeans in South East Asia, Oxford University Press, New York,1995. 2. Coedes G. , The Indianised States of Southest Asia, East West Center Press, Honolulu, 1968. 3. Pratt Mary Louise, Imperial Eyes, Travel Writing and Transculturation, Routledge, London, 1992. 4. Spurr David, The Rhetoric of Empire, Duke University Press, London. 1933. 5. Lecture Notes. 6. www.yahoo.com 1 Gullick J.M, Adventures and Encounters Europeans in South East Asia, Oxford University Press, New York,1995. Pg 84. 2 Ibid. Pg. 84 3 Ibid. Pg.84 4 Ibid. Pg. 82 and 84 5 Ibid. Pg. 82 and 83 6 Ibid. Pg. 82 7 Ibid. Pg. 83 8 Ibid. Pg. 84 9 Ibid. Pg. 88 10 Ibid. Pg. 87 11 Ibid. Pg. 87 and 89 12 Ibid. Pg. 89 13 Ibid. Pg. 82 14 Ibid. Pg. 82 15 Ibid. Pg. 96 and 97 16 Ibid. Pg. 100 17 Ibid. Pg. 99 18 Ibid. Pg. 102 19Ibid. Pg. 102 20 Ibid. Pg. 101 21 Ibid. Pg. 85 22 Ibid. Pg. 88 23 Ibid. Pg. 105
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