Theme Of Dualism In Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde - 972 Words

In 1886 Robert Louis Stevenson wrote a best selling novel, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. It told the terrifying story of the power of addiction and the monsters that lurk within all of humanity. In this story many readers are intrigued by the psychological depth that Stevenson puts into the duo of Dr. Jekyll and his alternate personality Mr. Hyde, and even today the names of this alternating couple have become a kind of parable for any â€Å"devil in disguise†. The theme of dualisms main role is proven in this story as the theme when Jekyll undergoes radical changes in his emotional state and personality and assumes the character of Hyde. Through these changes, Stevenson portrays the duality of human nature and moral standard, and as Henry Jekyll†¦show more content†¦In the novel, Hyde is repeatedly described as not human, and is associated with satan strictly because he differs from all other humanity. Hyde is an unmixed essence of evil, unlike all other humanity in whic h they posses degrees of both good and evil. Stevenson emphasizes the evil side of Mr. Hyde, which caused the â€Å"imprint of deformity and decay† in his appearance. Even Jekyll describes Mr. Hyde as a â€Å"child of Hell† in whom â€Å"nothing lived but fear and hatred†. Jekyll denies any responsibility for Hyde‘s actions, yet recalls his faint awareness of each experience. In retrospect, Mr. Hyde was not the antagonist. He had just slowly been transformed into a slave of the disgraceful pleasures of Dr. Jekyll, and given a name. What really sets Hyde’s identity apart from the rest of humanity is that he is engulfed in Dr. Jekyll’s evil and it consumes his personality leaving him with nothing but wickedness. In that sense, he is a full personality. Jekyll makes a clear account of being aware that Hyde was within him, even though Hyde is utterly aloof to Jekyll. In an article, Gish states that, â€Å"Hyde is neither unconscious nor represse d, and Jekyll does not create him; Jekyll merely allows him to be released† (â€Å"Jekyll and Hyde†). Therefore, the character is doubled, not halved, since Hyde has none of his character. Later in the story, Jekyll begins toShow MoreRelatedJekyll And Hyde Dualism Essay1315 Words   |  6 Pageswould be â€Å"The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.† This novella deals with many themes that intertwine together to form a complex idea of dualism. It has aspects from personality division and the ultimate question of how good and evil can tie into Victorian society’s view of public and private life. Stevenson the personalities of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, with evil and good aspects as well as the public and private life to demonstrate a clear understanding of dualism. In the novella Stevenson drawsRead MoreJekyll And Hyde Character Analysis968 Words   |  4 PagesStrange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, explores the duality of human nature. He writes this novel to show us that humans have split personalities, and that there are two sides to human’s personality: good and evil. In the late-Victorian literature, duality appears to be a common theme; serving as a way for modern readers to analyze late-Victorian literature and culture. Stevenson weaves throughout the novel a theme of duality + which appears in the characters of both Jekyll and Hyde as well as inRead MoreThe Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde1012 Words   |  5 PagesRobert Louis Stevenson’s â€Å"The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde† is a classic Victorian tale of good and evil. The novel tells the story of Dr. Henry Jekyll, a respected scientist who so desperately needs to separate his morality from his self-indulgence. Aware of the evil side of his own being, he seeks to be free of it through scientific experiments resulting into the â€Å"bestial† Mr. Hyde. It’s a simple tale about the good and evil that exist in all of us. Through his brilliance, StevensonRead MoreGood Vs Evil : Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde1724 Words   |  7 Pagesbut instead the mirror hails Snow White. Then, the Queen transforms into a witch in order to be the fairest of them all, similar to the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde transformation. Dr. Jekyll transforms to Mr. Hyde in order to change identities. Both stories, share the idea of dualism or the idea of being two different people and both characters, the Queen and Dr. Jekyll, have one side presenting good acts, and other side presenting evil acts. These stories are also similar because they both written inRead MoreThe Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde1619 Words   |  7 PagesCase of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde† by Robert Louis Stevenson, published in 1886, is a glimpse back in time to the Victorian era. The novella highlights the Victorian morality and the Victorian model of life. The key features of Vic torian morality include a set of moral values pillared in sexual restraints, low tolerance policies on crimes and a strict social code of conduct. Dr. Jekyll is a respected member living in the Victorian society, who abides to all the rules and regulations. Mr. Hyde is hisRead MoreThe Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde : Literary Review1515 Words   |  7 PagesThe Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde: Literary Review The Romantic era was plagued with class conflict, poverty, and labor issues. The Victorian novel allows those who had access to them discover and focus on moral issues with society. Among the novel that were created during the era, the genre of a gothic novella emerged. Well knowns gothic novellas included Frankenstein, The Picture of Dorian Gray, and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Robert Stevenson’s gothic novella The StrangeRead MoreDuality Of Human Nature949 Words   |  4 PagesOne of the most predominant themes in literature is the duality of human nature. According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, dualism is a view of human beings as constituted of two irreducible elements. Many pieces of literature concentrate on how every human possesses an animalistic and barbarous nature. In the novel The Strange Case of Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson, the play Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare, and the short story William Wilson by Edgar Allan Poe, the ideaRead MoreThe Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde1147 Words   |  5 PagesIn the Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde it is regarded that these identities are two different persons but this is not the case, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are one in the same. There is much confusion when reading this literary work by Robert Louis Stevenson; this piece is regarded as horrific and disturbing in many ways. But the biggest twist is when it is reveled to the reader that these two people are the same and that below the surface of Dr.Jekyll is an evil man who enjoys committing evil

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ( Ocd ) - 1726 Words

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) was once considered a rare disease, but today, it is one of the most prevalent psychological disorders present among society. OCD is described as â€Å"intrusive thoughts or images (obsessions), which increase anxiety, and by repetitive or ritualistic actions (compulsions), which decrease anxiety† (Stein, 2002). In the DSM-IV, Obsessive compulsive disorder can be diagnosed through observable behaviours or repetitive mental habits. Symptoms include; the constant washing of hands, and/or fears concerning danger to others or to self – resulting in frequent paranoia. OCD has been linked with lesions in various neurological circuits of the brain due to the consumption of dopamine agonists (for example, cocaine). In order for obsessive compulsive disorder to take clinical significance, dysfunction and distress must follow symptoms. The treatment of OCD was initially developed in the Freudian era, as psychoanalytical treatment was seen as th e most effective treatment at the time for mind management. Conversely, recent empirical evidence proved otherwise. Pharmacological therapy and cognitive-behavioural therapy, also known as systematic desensitization are nowadays the most prominent remedies used in treating obsessive compulsive disorder. Pharmacological treatment is based on the evidence that serotonin is a key chemical involved in obsessive compulsive disorder. Studies have proven that serotonin based antidepressants have been evidently effective.Show MoreRelatedObsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)1756 Words   |  8 Pages Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a disorder that can affect children and adults. In order to fully understand OCD, many different areas of the disorder must be reviewed. First, OCD will be defined and the diagnosis criteria will be discussed. Secondly the prevalence of the disorder will be considered. The different symptoms, behaviors and means of treatment are also important aspects that will be discussed in order to develop a clearer understanding of the implications of obsessive compulsiveRead MoreEssay on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)875 Words   |  4 Pagessevere Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is an anxiety disorder that triggers people to have unwanted fixations and to repeat certain activities again and again. Everyone has habits or certain ways of doing something with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder these habits severely interrupt the way they live their lives (Familydoctor.org Editorial Staff). About one in 40 people suffer from some form of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (ABRAMOWITZ). Obsessive Compulsive Disorder oftenRead MoreLiving With Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)1190 Words   |  5 Pagesdifferences between both symptoms and experiences of six different authors who have been personally affected by obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).   Since OCD is not very well understood by many members of the public (Escape), I hope that the experiences of the authors that I researched will be able to paint a vivid picture of what life with OCD is like. Obsessive-compulsive disorder involves a chemical imbalance in the brain. This chemical imbalance is thought to be the main reason for obsessionsRead MoreObsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Essay2901 Words   |  12 Pages   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, or OCD, affects an average 1.7% of the population according to the Stanford University School of Medicine.  Ã‚  The recognition of this psychological disorder has grown in the recent years.  Ã‚  As the knowledge of this disorder becomes more prevalent, those suffering have become more willing to seek help (OCDA).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  OCD is a condition â€Å"in which people experience repetitive and upsetting thoughts and/or behaviors† (OCDA).  Ã‚  While there are many variationRead MoreObsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Essay800 Words   |  4 Pages Obsessive Compulsive Disorder And Its Effect On Life Obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD, involves anxious thoughts or rituals one feels and cant control. . For many years, OCD was thought to be rare. The actual number of people with OCD was hidden, because people would hide their problem to avoid embarrassment. Some recent studies show that as many as 3 million Americans ages 18 to 54 may have OCD at any one time. This is about 2.3% of the people in this age group. It strikes men and women inRead More Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Essays2616 Words   |  11 Pagesis a very powerful piece of structure; it is truly limitless when speaking about its potential. With a functional organ comes a dysfunctional possibility. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, (OCD), for instance, is nervousness in the mind. OCD is an anxiety disorder caused by repetitive intrusive thoughts and behaviors. It is a mental disorder marked by the involvement of a devotion to an idea or routine. Essentially, it is a false core belief which is believing that there is something wrong, causingRead MoreEssay on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)3370 Words   |  14 Pages Obsessive compulsive disorder is a disease that many people know of, but few people know about. Many people associate repeated washing of hands, or flicking of switches, and even cleanliness with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), however there are many more symptoms, and there are also explanations for those symptoms. In this paper, I will describe what obsessive compulsive disorder is, explain some of the effects of it, and explain why it happens. I will also attempt to prove that while medicationRead More Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Essay1758 Words   |  8 PagesOCD: Whats in Control? Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder that is the fourth most common mental illness in the U.S. (8). OCD affects five million Americans, or one in five people (3). This is a serious mental disorder that causes people to think and act certain things repetitively in order to calm the anxiety produced by a certain fear. Unlike compulsive drinking or gambling, OCD compulsions do not give the person pleasure; rather, the rituals are performed to obtainRead MoreObsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Essay examples1375 Words   |  6 PagesObsessive Compulsive Disorder â€Å"I know my hands are clean. I know that I have touched nothing dangerous. But†¦ I doubt my perception. Soon, if I do not wash, a mind numbing, searing anxiety will cripple me. A feeling of stickiness will begin to spread from the point of contamination and I will be lost in a place I do not want to go. So I wash until the feeling is gone, until the anxiety subsides. Then I feel defeated. So I do less and less, my world becomes smaller and smaller and more lonelyRead MoreEssay about Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)474 Words   |  2 Pages Obsessive Compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental illness that effects nearly 5 million Americans, and half a million children. Its a disease that fills the brain with unwanted ideas, and worries. OCD is a diseases that effects the Cerebral frontal cortex. Unfortunately there is no cure for OCD. Obsessive compulsive disorder can start developing as early as age five. In most cases OCD controls your life. Through out the rest of this paper I hope to inform you on Obsessive compulsive Disorders

Homosexuality in America Free Essays

Despite the United States progress toward homosexual liberation in the past few years, anti-gay and lesbian attitudes are still showing their ugly faces. Violence towards homosexuals is on the rise, conversion groups are popping up everywhere, conflict over homosexuality innateness is high, religious and personal discrimination is rampant: all this in a time when more and more gays and lesbians are coming out and their coming out at younger ages. It is a time in America when we need to support the homosexual community. We will write a custom essay sample on Homosexuality in America or any similar topic only for you Order Now Jamie Nabozny, now an openly gay man, was a troubled teenager who ttempted suicide three times and had frequently stayed in psychiatric wards. In high school he was tortured with emotional and physical violence from his peers. On one occasion in his freshmen year, two boys attacked him in the bathroom. He fell into the urinal and the boys proceeded to urinate on him. I just remember sitting there, waiting for it to get over with, recalled Nabozny (Jerome, 1). The school did nothing to prevent the harassment. Later, in his junior year, he was beaten so severely that he had to undergo exploratory abdominal surgery. Nabozny decided to sue the school district. The case was thrown out, but when he appealed to the federal courts, they decided a school could be sued for not preventing harassment. The district settled out of court, paying Nabozny $900,000 (Jerome, 5). Willi Wagner, a gay teenager who came out in ninth grade, was also harassed. Most of the time the abuse was verbal, and he was always ready with a comeback. Theyd call me a faggot and Id call them a hick, Wagner said. However, things did become violent. When Wagner and some friends were walking down the street, two vehicles stopped beside them and eight boys jumped out. Five of the boys formed a circle around Wagner, while the others beat him, leaving him with two black eyes, a broken nose and many bruises. I could feel my nose crack. It wasnt a good feeling, Wagner said of the incident. Two of the boys were put on probation for the incident; not near enough punishment for the crime (Jerome, 3). Incidents like these are quite common. In fact, one study showed that while the overall crime rate decreased four percent, anti-gay crimes rose seven percent (Peyser, 1). Another study, conducted by the Massachusetts Department of Education, found that, for homosexuals, the igh school years are filled with abuse, some of it self-inflicted. Gay and lesbian teenagers are five times more likely to use cocaine or skip school out of fear for safety than straight kids. Over thirty six percent of homosexual teens will attempt suicide each year (Jerome, 1). Conversion groups, usually run by religious denominations, are becoming more widespread. The goal of these groups is to convert homosexuals into heterosexuals, and in the meantime save them from the pits of hell. Conversion groups thrive on the idea that homosexuality is a choice, something about a person that can be changed. Some programs include butching up the men and feminizing the women. This is done by taking the males to sporting events and having make-up or shopping parties for females, or by pairing them with heterosexual mentors to show them the way to act. Others have gays and lesbians imagine members of the same sex as diseased, or perform exorcisms.. These programs say they have about a one-third success rate, success being when a homosexual is cured, that is when he or she no longer acts on urges (Schoofs, 2). Often, however, these therapies end up doing more harm than good, as hey did for Jeffrey Coates. He had been raised to believe that gay men go to hell. So after his first sexual experience with a man, Coates joined a twenty week conversion program called Desert Stream. He was recognized for making excellent progress in his group, even though he admitted that he felt absolutely no different inside.. He continued to try to become heterosexual until he finally decided suicide was less of a sin than same-sex relationships. He drank heavily one night and drove home on a narrow road, hoping to drive into the canyon. Fortunately, he made it home alive (Schoofs, 1). Now Coates is comfortable with his sexuality and does not regret his conversion experience merely because it helped him come to terms with himself. Another man, Brandon Bauer, could not be accepted as gay by his Mormon peers. He attempted suicide at age seventeen, and soon after, he was admitted into therapy under a Mormon psychologist. He told Bauer that he was under Satans influence, that Satan was making him believe that he could not change. Bauers parents were instructed to remove all magazines that might contain male underwear models and to time his showers to prevent im from masturbating. He was told that God could forgive a murderer, but He could never forgive a homosexual. It haunts me to this day, he said. Bauer began to live a double life, one as a heterosexual with kids and a wife, and another as a homosexual who drinks and has sex. Despite the fact that he now accepts his sexuality, he admits that conversion therapy has permanently scarred him (Schoofs, 3). Many people wonder if these therapies actually work. This issue was addressed by Ariel Shidlo and Michael Schroeder, two New York psychologists. In their study, they found that five out of one hundred and fifty people tested are happy with their conversion, but each of these people still have homosexual urges (Miller, 2). It may be concluded that homosexuals are not cured but merely suppressing their feelings. Often, as in the case of Kelly Kirby, the attendees end up meeting their future partners at the conversion meetings (Schoofs, 4). These ministries actually act as a transition place for many people to come out and accept their gayness, says Jeffrey Coates (Schoofs, 5). The gay curing movement is spreading because of actions like the Christian Coalition and the Family Research Councils joint effort in launching a $200,000 ad campaign. The full-page ads feature photographs of ex-gays, talk about the physical and spiritual consequences of sin and offer the solution of conversion therapy. This kinder, gentler homophobia was the brainchild of Janet Folger, who on Nightline, confessed to supporting laws that criminalize homosexual sex, proving to some the true anti-gay hate behind the facade of Christian love (Schoofs, 1). In a study administered by Gallup, only thirteen percent of Americans onsidered homosexuality as innate in 1977. By 1996, that number had climbed to thirty one percent. The study also found that Americans are twice as likely to accept homosexuality if they believe it was not a choice (Schoofs, 2). So, is it a choice Scientific evidence says no. The evidence we now have strongly suggests that this is determined. Its not purely genetic, but there doesnt seem to be any choice in the matter. One thing that is clear is that the brain of homosexuals and heterosexuals appear to be different. Studies suggest that homosexuals in many cases developed neurologically in a ay that made them more likely to become homosexual, reported University of Massachusetts (Amherst) professor of neuroscience Geert J. De Vries (Jerome, 2). More simply put, Ask some straight guy to imagine what it would be like if he was told, You cant love women and now youre going to have to love a guy. Tell em that, and then they get it, says Dave Lemon, a man who tried for years to become heterosexual (Schoofs, 2). If it were a choice, why would someone choose it Despite improvements in openness, such as the public coming out of Ellen Degeneres, many still say homosexuality is wrong. They might point to anatomy. Our bodies are not made for homosexual sex, says Michael Johnston, president of the Kerusso Ministry, The anus was not to be penetrated (Schoofs, 3). What most people dont seem to realize is that many heterosexuals practice anal sex, and that many gay men (not to mention lesbians) never do. Joseph Nicolosi, cofounder of NARTH, a secular psychological organization, said, I think the penis was made for a vagina: I dont think it was made for another mans rectum. When Nicolosi was asked if the penis was made for the hand or the mouth, other body arts where the penis is often found, he answered sharply, I dont want to get into that (Schoofs, 4). Some insist it is morally wrong or they point to the Bible, taking the Scripture literally, and say it is a sin. Many believe marriage and relationships are to be between a man and a woman. Some Americans are concerned that the homosexual community will encourage their children to be gay or lesbian. The Boy Scouts recently fought to ban gay scoutmasters. Scout spokesman Gregg Sheilds said, A homosexual is not a role model for traditional family values (Peyser, 2). As for the religious iscrimination, The gay and lesbian community is still the community you can blatantly attack and then hide behind the Bible, said Rebecca Isaacs, political director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (Revival of Hatred, 1). America is currently in a period of backward thinking, the one step back after our two steps forward. Tolerance is the only way the United States can become united at all. We must overcome our differences, end discrimination and join this fight together. No one deserves to be mistreated as homosexuals are today. Remember that all men were created equal- even gay men. How to cite Homosexuality in America, Essay examples

Training And Education In Area Of Cultural â€Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Training And Education In Area Of Cultural? Answer: Introducation Training and education in the area of cultural competence for nurses in the area of mental health nursing has been a priority. The impact of the education in cultural sensitivity has been positive and more people from ethnic minorities have been able to access culturally appropriate care. The stigma attached to mental illness in many cultures made this area a priority. Patient centric approach has made effective implementation of culturally competent care reality. But continuous evaluation and better policy inputs are needed to improve training and research in this area. The necessity of culturally competent nursing for mentally ill patients is important Business of their higher vulnerability. Linguistic barriers, different approaches to mental illness in different cultures makes health care delivery to people from diverse cultural backgrounds a challenge. Several educational interventions have been made to improve nursing in mental health so that culturally sensitive delivery of care becomes possible. The impact of these interventions on the quality of care and the change in skills and attitudes of staff towards the patients needs to be evaluated.(Bhui, Warfa, Edonya, McKenzie, Bhugra, 2007). There is more awareness among nurses to be culturally competent when delivering care to people from diverse cultural backgrounds. Factors other than education in cultural competence have also had a positive impact on patient outcomes. These are inclusion of interpreters and community health workers in the team that provides healthcare (Lie, Lee-Rey, Gomez, Bereknyei, Braddock, 2011). Studies on reduction in health disparities due to culturally competent healthcare services are required to see whether the training in this area is adequate. The responsibilities of a mental health nurse include proper communication, empathy with the patient, interaction with the patient's family and in case of the patient coming from an ethnic minority or another linguistic group, these tasks require more sensitivity and recognition of a complex interplay of cultural issues (de Aguiar, et al., 2012). The need for cultural competence in mental health nursing is understood since long and remains on the agenda of policy makers but there is little knowledge about the kind of training and its actual impact while treating patients. This challenge has increased due to the high incidence of mental health illnesses among immigrants from diverse cultural backgrounds. A study reports effective treatment of Latino immigrants suffering from depression through psychotherapy. Psychotherapy requires extensive verbal interaction in home therapy sessions by nurses trained in providing culturally adapted care. The success of the program in a US setting demonstrates that training in cultural competence has had a favourable outcome for patients. Better patient outcomes have been achieved in Latino mothers with young infants, through home-based, short term interventions by culturally trained nurses. Decrease in depressive symptoms was observed just four weeks after the intervention was started. The po sitive impact of cultural competence among nurses was clearly observed during the study(Beeber, et al., 2010). Improvement in skills and attitudes of the trained staff have undergone a change. But a study on the impact of training in cultural competence has suggested that more quantitative studies are needed on aspects of patient outcomes (Bhui, Warfa, Edonya, McKenzie, Bhugra, 2007). A multicultural mental health awareness scale was used to the assess whether the training for nurses in cultural competency among Portugese speaking nurses working to improve the mental health of immigrants was effective. It was found that it did have a positive impact on service delivery (De Almeida Vieira Monteiro, 2016). The literature has examples of negative experiences faced by patients with disabilities have been studied and based on the responses received from patients during personal interviews few examples of cultural disparities were summarised during a study (Roscigno, 2013). Truong et al. have reported that access to healthcare by the mentally ill people from ethnic minorities is more likely when t hey are sure that there is respect for their culture, values and beliefs (Truong, Paradies, Priest, 2014). The impact of culturally sensitive, patient centric care is likely to make healthcare within reach of people suffering from mental health issues in an unfamiliar country or state. The numbers of immigrants and people from other cultures are growing in several regions around the world, so their mental health needs are also public health issue. A lot of work in the re of culturally competent mental health care delivery is still required. It is clear that the impact of training when imparted has improved patient outcomes. But there is still room for improvement in understanding, regular demonstration and systematic teaching of the skills that lead to more well rounded cultural competence. The need to establish and raise standards in this area is a pertinent requirement. Differential and inequitable health outcomes and rising disease burden among the mentally ill from ethnic groups in different geographies will remain a problem if policy and delivery in this area is not strengthened through increased research funding(Nardi, Waite, Killian, 2012). In conclusion, it is true that the impact of cultural competence training in mental health care has been largely positive. Most nurses are trained in this aspect of nursing. But few areas continue to demand attention. The paucity of research in collecting quantitative evidence with regard to patient outcomes through patient feedback needs to be concentrated upon. Respect towards their culture has encouraged people from cultural minorities to seek treatment. Setting up of standards in the area of cultural competence education needs attention. The inequities in mental health care delivery that remain can be removed only when better policy on research and education is framed and implemented and there is global uniformity in this area. References Beeber, L., Holditch-Davis, D., Perreira, K., Schwartz, T., Lewis, V., Blanchard, H., . . . Goldman, B. (2010). Short-term in-home intervention reduces depressive symptoms in Early Head Start Latina mothers of infants and toddlers. Research in nursing and health, 33(1):60-76. doi: 10.1002/nur.20363. Bhui, K., Warfa, N., Edonya, P., McKenzie, K., Bhugra, D. (2007). Cultural competence in mental health care: a review of model evaluations. BMC Health Services Research, 7:15.doi: 10.1186/1472-6963-7-15. de Aguiar, M., Lima, H., Braga, V., Pinheiro, P., AKB, Ximenes, L. (2012). Nursing competencies for health promotion in the mental health context. Acta Paulista de Enfermagem, 25(2):doi.org/10.1590/S0103-21002012000900025 . De Almeida Vieira Monteiro, A. P. (2016). Cultural competence in mental health nursing: validity and internal consistency of the Portuguese version of the multicultural mental health awareness scaleMMHAS. BMC Psychiatry, 16, 149 doi.org/10.1186/s12888-016-0848-z. Lie, D., Lee-Rey, E., Gomez, A., Bereknyei, S., Braddock, C. (2011). Does cultural competency training of health professionals improve patient outcomes? A systematic review and proposed algorithm for future research. Journal of general internal medicine, 26(3):317-25. doi: 10.1007/s11606-010-1529-0. Epub 2010 Oct 16. Nardi, D., Waite, R., Killian, P. (2012). Establishing Standards for Culturally Competent Mental Health Care. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 50(7):3-5 DOI: 10.3928/02793695-20120608-01 . Roscigno, C. I. (2013). Challenging Nurses Cultural Competence of Disability to Improve Interpersonal Interactions. The Journal of Neuroscience Nursing?: Journal of the American Association of Neuroscience Nurses, 45(1), 2137. https://doi.org/10.1097/JNN. Truong, M., Paradies, Y., Priest, N. (2014). Interventions to improve cultural competency in healthcare: a systematic review of reviews. BMC Health Services Research, 14, 99. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6963-14-99.

Stoic Philosophy free essay sample

Which philosophy would you use as a guide for living? To look at the world through an emotional perspective is to look at the world in error. After learning the many different philosophies I can truly say that Stoicism made the most sense to me. If I had to choose one specific philosophy as a guide for living, Stoicism would be the one. The amount of past experiences where I can blame emotions for getting in the way of the right decision, or emotions stopping me from doing a certain task are endless, as Im sure it is for the average person. To make it plain and simple, Stoicism is to remove emotions completely. As we learned, emotions are what cause disturbance. I believe going through life and living by the Stoic philosophy, it will only benefit you and the way you handle situations. Without emotion your Judgment and thinking process will completely change. We will write a custom essay sample on Stoic Philosophy or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page You will become a clear thinker, and definitely unbiased. Pleasure nor pain will matter creating a monotone but overall better well being. I tend to agree that the removal of emotions and development of self-control to ife experiences could only benefit myself. From past experiences, I can say that your emotions can get the best of you. When emotions are in play, it can only alter your thinking process, creating confusion and error. For example, when I lost my older cousin at a young age due to a car accident, my emotions got the best of myself and my family. The fear of car accidents and traveling that was put into my head because of that tragic day stayed with me for years. Removing the emotion out of a situation ike that example I could have Just interpreted that death as Just the average Joe you hear about on the news or read in the paper, I wouldnt of had that fear stored in If I had to start living this lifestyle today, there are definitely a few things that you have to remember. Stoics presented their philosophy as a way of life, also a simple one. You have to remember the motivations of stoicism such as the things that have no moral value or the indifferents, virtue and control. A good example of indifferents s things that have physical value such as a house and clothing. Family and relationships have emotional value while your education and knowledge have intellectual value. And while those are things that you can have, virtue is something that must be done and myself must be virtuous while being in control. As I mentioned, we got to learn about multiple different philosophies. Everyone is entitled to their own answer to this test question, but after really getting to know the material, stoicism is the one that really clicked for me. Just from looking at some past xamples, or REALLY thinking about what matters and what is needed, stoicism can show the true purpose and meaning. Removing emotions doesnt mean youre a depressed person who doesnt care about life itself, but to have a different perspective on life and logic. Some might say Stoicism is not normal and that having no emotions isnt possible, but the removal of emotions would make certain things that you would get upset or excited over Just normal and the way life works. Now Im not saying I live by this every minute of my life but if I did have to choose one single

Ethical issues in US Immigration Policies essays

Ethical issues in US Immigration Policies essays The sun seems unrelenting as it beats down on the two families huddled together in a rickety makeshift boat. The rafters have been floating in the open sea for what seems to them like years. Their food and water supplies have run out and the littlest ones cry out of hunger. But the keep going. Because they know that once their feet touch the land of opportunity their prayers will be answered. Finally, their raft makes it to the ankle-deep waters and they are only a few short steps away from dry land and freedom. As quickly as the wave of relief and happiness rushes over the rafters, so does it disappear. The Coast Guard is there and telling them that they will be shipped back. So close to freedom. Other families know what its like to have freedom snatched away. After years of working six days a week for miniscule wages, sewing dresses or picking vegetables, they have had freedom and the opportunity of a better life taken away after being rounded up by Immigration Naturalization Services and deported back to Guatemala, Honduras, or Mexico. These are only two examples of the travesties that occur daily in the land of opportunity and freedom-the Unites States of America. The United States was built by immigrants, many seeking a new life in a new land. Before 1882, anyone could move to the United States. As the population grew, however, the Federal government decided to control immigration. But they have done this in a very inconsistent manner, letting some people in from one country more than others from another country. The current U.S. immigration policy is immoral, unethical and inconsistent in its dealings with immigrants. Early immigration laws aimed to preserve the racial, religious, and ethnic composition of the United States, which was then largely European (Wilbanks, 1993, p.1). The first immigration laws were aimed at nonwhites. In 1882, for example, the Chinese Exclusion Act suspended immigration from China for sixty yea...

UNIT 1 INDIVIDUAL PROJECT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

UNIT 1 INDIVIDUAL PROJECT - Essay Example Often legislation that is designed to provide equal access lacks resources at various state or regional levels to carry out its purpose. Oversight to insure that legislation is put into practice can be sporadic. These factors are among many others that explain why law is not an exact science. Those who are hired and elected to uphold the law possess their own views which can and do affect their own interpretation of the law and how they carry out their duties. Just as judges, legislators, police and others working to uphold the law can be biased, as can health care workers. Though OBRA89 was enacted in 1984 to include more children and pregnant women in the Medicaid program (Flint, 2006), this served to create more disparity in health care access. A comprehensive report by the Institute of Medicine in 2002 identifies health care worker bias as one of two major contributing factors in health care disparities (Watts, 2003). Specific prejudices include provider assumption of Medicaid pa tients in general to be less intelligent and more prone to substance abuse. Such attitudes create situations where patients are denied basic medical rights such as life support and pain medication, as they are deemed unworthy or undeserving. While law dictates that all patients be given equal and proper medical care, it is difficult in most situations, to determine if prejudice and subsequent malicious intent are the cause, as opposed to general overburden of a system. Practices in health care that are considered unlawful include use of excessive force, overmedicating, withholding medication, failure to provide adequate nutrition, selling prescriptions or any other act that causes further injury or general decline in health as a result of the action(Arkansas Attorney General).

What is data mining and how can it bring benefits to a business Essay

What is data mining and how can it bring benefits to a business organisation - Essay Example 2007).Data mining is incorporated for gaining in depth patterns for market intelligence from data warehouses containing massive amount of data. However, the issue that arises is not the quantity of data, as we already have massive amount of data to work with, it is the methodology that is required to learn data. Likewise, data provides all the attributes but how to utilize them for gaining benefit is another question. This is the area that is addressed by data mining, as it is used for extracting valuable information from large amount of data saved on periodic basis. Likewise, information that can be extracted may contain relationships and different patterns. For instance, a retail store may indicate that some products are more in demand in one channel of distribution, there may be two different products that are sold at the same time in a specific geographic location, some specific products are more in demand in some geographic locations and similarly, some products are more demandi ng in certain events may be associated with religious events. If we take an example of Wal-Mart, the store has found that if there is a probability of a hurricane, the demand of beet increases in that specific geographical area, therefore, stores have to stock more beers that usual in this sort of situation (Keating 2008). Employee associated with utilizing patterns of customer behavior from data mining, i.e. a financial analyst would seek facets of the store or organization that may become bankrupt, similarly, human resource managers would seek information of a successful potential employee, employees working in a credit card department would like to get information associated with credit card debts payments from potential customers and also to analyze the legitimate credit card transactions against the falsified ones, marketing department executives would like to extract information associated with product

The Term Equality in Regard to Animals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Term Equality in Regard to Animals - Essay Example In the following sections, I will first explain Singer’s view and show that I am against it in my own words in order to be more precise. I will also point out one main ambiguity related to my view in his argument in order to clarify which exact disambiguation I disprove. Then, I will propose my objection to his view and explain why I think it is a good one. The last section will include a strong response that I think an advocate of Singer’s view would possibly respond to my objection and the explanation why it does make a good point. In his article All animals are equal, Singer argues that if racism and sexism are wrong, then so does speciesism. He claims that if all humans should be treated equally, then, equality is not about equal rights based on the difference of â€Å"intelligence, moral capacity, physical strength, or similar matters of fact.† Instead, he argues that equality is based on equal concern. According to Singer, the Principle of Equality states that â€Å"the interests of every being affected by an action are to be taken into account and given the same weight as the like interests of any other being.† Moreover, in the article, Singer notes, â€Å"In other words, I am arguing that we extend to other species the basic principle of equality that most of us recognize should be extended to all members of our own species† (Singer, 2). Therefore, according to the combination of the two views, Singer claims that humans must give the same respect to identical interests of all beings t hat have the ability toâ€Å"suffer or experience enjoyment or happiness† (ability to feel pain and pleasure). He argues that the Principle of Equality is the only non-arbitrary way to treat other creatures.

Family Branding Or Umbrella Branding Marketing Essay

Family Branding Or Umbrella Branding Marketing Essay In this paper we have a short overview on the concept of brand, branding, retail brand, their definitions, classifications, branding strategy, brand positioning, brand integration etc. Here in this report we try to collect information from published books, journals, magazine and various reliable secondary sources. In the later part we will analyze the influence of branding in the retail business. The next part of this report focuses on issues for branding retail, especially the apparel industry. There are several definitions of brand: The main thing of brand are that it is not just only a mixture of design, name, symbol or other features it also distinguish it from the other product and services of the competitors. (Dibb1997) A Brand is: name, term, sign, symbol, design, or combination of these intended to identify the good or service, and differentiate them from those of competitors. (Jennifer Rowley 1997, pp. 244-250) Clyde C. Tuggle, Senior Vice President, Worldwide Public Affairs Communications, Coca-Cola says A brand is a distinguishing name or symbol intended to identify goods or services of a seller and to differentiate those goods or services from competitors. Sicco van Gelder says: (1) Sometimes products and services become so similar that it becomes hard for the customer to distinguish them according to their quality, efficacy, reliability, assurance and care. Brands help the customer to identify these qualities and add emotion and trust to the product and services. (2) This emotion and trust help the organization to build a good relationship with the customers and make them loyal to their products and services. (3) Sometimes brand creates aspiration to the lifestyle and transfer these onto the lifestyle of the consumers. (4) Branded lifestyle has an effect on the other product or service category of that brand which allow marketers for vertical integration and save the troubles and costs of developing new brand. (5) The combination of lifestyle, emotions, relationship, and values allows the marketers to charge a higher price than the other non-branded product or services. Characteristics of brand name A good brand name must be short, sweet and easy to pronounce and remember. It should suggest something about the products benefits and quality. Unique within the industry. Do not used by any other and legally defensible. Good alliteration, especially if a longer name. Does not lend itself to abbreviations. Flexible and expandable. The name should translate easily into foreign languages. Should not age quickly. Fits within companys brand portfolio. Classification of Brand Individual product branding In this branding approach the marketer try to introduce a product by assigning new names and that has not any connection with the existing brand of the company. In this approach the marketer have to try hard to establish the brand in the market place. Family branding or umbrella branding In this approach a new product is placed under existing brand of the organization. The major advantage of using this approach is to use the image of the organization and expand the product rapidly in the marketplace and gain market share. Product branding Sometime suppliers produce products for other companies and also place another companys brand name onto their product this is product branding. Co-branding In this branding approach two different companys brand name are used on same product. No brand or generic branding Sometime suppliers produce their product without any brand name, generally for basic commodity products. Branding licensing In this branding approach one company allows others to produce and supply products carrying the brand name through a contractual arrangement. Advantages of Branding Through a brand name consumer can easily recognize the product and also have an idea what will be the product. As for example: in the radio advertisement consumer will hear the sound and recognize the product. Consumers who frequently purchase product of a particular brand become brand loyal which is the ultimate goal of marketer. Sometime customers want to purchase branded product, brand names make it easier for the customers to identify the appropriate the actual product. Brand name also help in positioning the product to the market, and gain a market share, sometime it also helps to gain competitive advantage for the product. Firms that successfully establish a brand in the marketplace it also help them for launching a new product to the market by declaring it as a family brand. Sometime firm can also use its corporate image in marketing a product. Brand Positioning According to Philip Kotler and Gary Armstrong, 2005, Marketers need to position their brands clearly in target customers minds. They can position brands any of three levels. At the lowest level they can position the brand on product attributesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Attributes are the least desirable level for brand positioning. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. a brand can be better positioned by associating its name with a desirable benefit. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. the strongest brands go beyond attribute or benefit positioning. They are positioned on strong beliefs and values. Brand Equity According to Kotler and Armstrong, 2005, Brand equity is the positive differential effect that knowing the brand name has on customer response to the product or service. For determining the brand equity company has to find the brand valuation of the organization that means how much customers are paying more for the brand. Brand development Strategies While a company will think about brand development four types of situation can be arise. The situations are shown in the figure below: Product Category Existing New Line extension Brand extension Multibrands New brandsExisting Brand Name New Source: Kotler, Philip Armstrong, Gary, 2005, Principles of Marketing, Prentice-Hall of India Pvt. Ltd., 11th edition, New Delhi, India. Figure: Brand Development Strategies. Line Extension: According to Kotler and Armstrong, 2005, Line extension occur when a company introduces additional items in a given product category under the same brand name, such as new flavors, forms, colors, ingredients, or package sizes. Line extension can be use for existing brand names extended to new forms, sizes, and flavors of an existing product category. Brand Extensions: According to Kotler and Armstrong, 2005, A brand extension involves the use of a successful brand name to launch new or modified products in a new category. This strategy may be used on existing brand names extended to new product categories. Multibrands: According to Kotler and Armstrong, 2005, Companies often introduces additional brands in the same categoryà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. Multibranding offers a way to establish different features and appeal to different buying motives. It also allows a company to lock up more reseller shelf space. This strategy may be used in case of company want to new brand name in the existing product category. New Brands: According to Kotler and Armstrong, 2005, A company might believe that the power of its existing brand name is waning and new brand name is needed. Or a company may create a new brand name when it enters a new product category for which none of the companys current brand names is appropriate. This strategy may be used in case of company want to new brand name in the new product category. UNDERSTANDING RETAIL BRANDING As per our above discussion it is clear that brand is the most valuable intangible asset to the organization and also the matter of most priority of the top management. As brand is highly competitive in nature and for its advantages it becomes very much important towards the retail industry for attracting and influencing the customers decision and build loyalty. In this paper I tried to integrate branding with retail business and also try to find out the strategy for managing a retail brand. RETAILERS AS BRANDS Though many important principles go with the retailer brand but they are different form product brands and actual application of principles may be varied. Retailers brand is much sensitive and it builds on the rich customer experiences, their impact and equity. Retailers may also create their brand images on many ways such, delivering quality service, uniqueness on association, pricing, credit policy, product assortment, merchandising etc. The image of retailers brand depends on the images and equity of manufacturer because these help to gain customer interest, patronage, loyalty of the customers. Manufacturer brands operate almost as ingredient brands that yield significant consumer pull, often more than the retailer brand does. THE DIMENSIONS OF RETAILER IMAGE Retail image depends on: access in-store atmosphere price promotion cross-category product/service assortment Within-category brand/item assortment. Access For customer, convenient location is a basic criterion in their store choice decisions. Beginning with gravity models (e.g., Huff 1964) store choice and the optimization of retail site location attracted a lot of research attention in the eighties (e.g., Achabal, Gorr, and Mahajan 1982; Ghosh and Craig 1983; Donthu and Rust 1989). Store Atmosphere Mehrabian and Russell (1974) note that the response that atmosphere elicits from consumers varies along three main dimensions of pleasantness, arousal, and dominance. This response, in turn, influences behaviour, with greater likelihood of purchase in more pleasant settings and in settings of intermediate arousal level. Different elements of a retailers in-store environment, e.g., color, music, and crowding, can influence consumers perceptions of a stores atmosphere, (Bellizzi, Crowley, and Henderson 1983; Milliman 1982; Eroglu and Machleit 1990; Grewal et al. 2003). Price and Promotion Price represents the monetary expenditure that the consumer must incur in order to make a purchase. From the vast literature on pricing, we highlight three areas that are of direct relevance to consumers image and choice of retailers. Store price perceptions: A retailers price image should be influenced by attributes like average level of prices, how much variation there is in prices over time, the frequency and depth of promotions, and whether the retailer positions itself as EDLP or HILO. Retailer pricing format: A retailers price format, which is on a continuum between EDLP (Every Day Low Price) and HILO (High-Low Promotional Pricing), also influences consumers store choice and shopping behaviour. Bell and Lattin (1998) show that large basket shoppers prefer EDLP stores whereas small basket shoppers prefer HILO stores. Price promotion induced store switching: The third research area studies whether retailer price promotions result in store switching by consumers. Bucklin and Lattin (1992) show that retail promotions in any one category do not directly influence a consumers store choice decision, but they indirectly affect where the category is purchased .Because the longer consumers stay in a store, the more likely they are to notice promotions and buy more than planned during the shopping trip. Cross-Category Assortment The branding literature, however, suggests some potential pitfalls of broad assortments, apart from the rather obvious downside that increasing assortment breadth brings with it significantly higher costs for the retailer. Inman, Shankar, and Ferraro (2004) show that certain types of product categories have signature associations with specific channels, e.g., supermarkets with food, drug channel with medications and health products, and mass merchandisers with household items. But, research has shown that a brand that is seen as prototypical of a product category can be difficult to extend outside the category (Farquhar and Herr 1993.). Within-Category Assortment Consumers perceptions of the depth of a retailers assortment within a product category are an important dimension of store image and a key driver of store choice. As the perceived assortment of brands, flavors, and sizes increases, variety seeking consumers will perceive greater utility (McAlister and Pessemier 1982; Kahn and Wansink 2004). Kahn and Wansink (2004) shows that the organization and symmetry of an assortment moderate the impact of actual assortment variety on perceived variety and consumption, with organized and asymmetric assortments having a more positive effect. BRAND ASSORTMENT One specific aspect of the retailers assortment strategy, brand assortment, has become particularly important in the last decade as a tool for retailers to influence their image and develop their own brand name. One motivation for offering private labels is the higher percent margins that they provide to retailers (Hoch and Banerji 1993); another is the negotiating leverage they provide over manufacturers (Narasimhan and Wilcox 1998); and a third is the implicit assumption that providing a private label brand engenders loyalty to the retailer (Steenkamp and Dekimpe 1997). OVERVIEW This literature highlights the brand and branding concepts. Significant studies were gone through to gather abundant information on branding and brand. Writer reviews different secondary sources such as journals, online materials and discusses with the giant brand personalities of different local and international brand. The literature review focuses areas of defining brand, types of brand, brand positioning, brand equity and giving emphasize on retail branding. It also reflects ideas of different brand strategies. It clearly depicts the difference between product and retail brand. This literature discusses different retailers dimension that has impact on brand positioning and as well as strategies. It also suggests some strategies for the retailer to establish brands and enhance image of retailing.

Clothing Or Concept :: essays research papers

IZOD: Clothing or Concept Every day, billions are spent on advertising with the intention of selling some product of one kind or another. Every day, even more people come in contact with these ads and are affected by them. As the number of ads continues to rise, the percentage of those that are misleading and manipulative also increases. As a result, we have become more skeptical about what we see and hear, and we have begun to acquire distaste for the marketing world. The IZOD â€Å"Extreme Leisure† clothing ad is a perfect example of why this distaste for today’s marketing industry is ascending at such a dramatic rate. The image that IZOD portrays is one of popularity, fun, sex appeal, and excitement (â€Å"Extreme Leisure†), and is presented in such a way as to mislead the reader into believing that he will attain this image by wearing IZOD clothing. This misrepresentation occurs in many ways within the ad. The ad’s picture shows a group of male and female friends all sitting around socializing, drinking beer, laughing and smiling, all with a whole-hearted carefree attitude, all while wearing IZOD clothing. In fact, they aren’t just socializing, but are also playing strip poker. This is where the sex appeal comes in; â€Å"Hey, wear IZOD clothing and you’ll be in this situation too—half naked women, beer, and more fun than you can handle.† Yeah right. Reality check! Although consciously we know this to be untrue, this concept is what the ad inscribes into the reader’s brain, and is what the reader walks away with - a pretty sleazy deceit. IZOD’s ad also promotes not only immoral acts, but a theme that is damaging to society. Firstly, it promotes immoral acts by making a connection between fun and happiness to nudity and sex appeal. By showing only partly dressed men and women in a festive environment, the ad sends the message that this is the â€Å"cool† thing to do. If you want to be in with the â€Å"in† people, this is the way to go. Have fun! This way of thinking is the wrong message to send and is a negative side effect of this ad. Second, is the alcohol issue: IZOD’s ad backs one of the most hazardous ideas of our time--that beer means fun. IZOD not only illustrates this with beer drinking taking place, but also comes out and says it in plain English.

Courage can be applied and used in almost every aspect of life Essay

Definitions are meant to help us understand different concepts all around us. A definition allows us to communicate something that needed to be said. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the definition of the word definition is â€Å"the action of defining, or stating exactly what a thing is, or what a word means† in a sense where it will help us understand its meaning. Definitions provide insight to the meaning of something. At times we may feel like we know a word but cannot clearly come up with a way to define it and that is when definitions come into play providing clarity for a word. They help us understand everything around us, from peoples ideas to their feelings, to all sorts of concepts of ideology and life. Without definitions we would not know what anything would be, mean, act for, and so on. Definitions are an essential part of life that helps us cope with many things by helping us understand a broader perspective of objects and ideas. As a freshman in English class, one of our assignments was to read â€Å"Solitude and Leadership† by William Deresiewicz which is an extended definition of the words solitude and leadership. William Deresiewicz used different methods to define the two words including quotes, examples, characteristics, and reference to Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, which in my case was one of the hardest novels I had to read. One of the definitions Deresiewicz gives us is â€Å"solitude means being alone, and leadership necessitates the presence of others†, both words contradicting themselves. Deresiewicz uses a series of characteristics to define the words, which included words such as courage, independence, thinking, creativity, honor, concentration, honesty, introspection, friendship, and morality among others. Courage was one characteristic that stood out to me. Courage can be interpreted in many ways. According to the Oxford English Dictionary one way, courage is defined as â€Å"the heart as a seat of feeling, thought, etc.; spirit, mind, disposition, nature.† Another definition that was provided was that courage is â€Å"applied to a persons spirit† and yet another definition was â€Å"spirit, liveliness, lustiness, vigor, vital force or energy.† All three definitions contained the word â€Å"spirit† in them, and I believe that ones spirit is really important in relation to courage because it is what keeps  us going. I can say that courage drives our spirit because without courage we would not do the many things that we have done and will do. For example, we would not talk to someone we really like without having the courage to go up to him or her right? According to the essay by Deresiewics, there is two types of courage one being â€Å"physical† which he says we â€Å"all possess in abundance† and â€Å"moral courage†, which is the courage that allows us to â€Å"stand up† for what we â€Å"believe† (175). Courage drives us to the many things we do in everyday life whether it is something simple like having â€Å"the courage to argues† our â€Å"ideas† or something adventurous like skydiving (175). To myself, courage contains some of the same characteristics, but I can out it into different words. Courage is a quality of mind or spirit that leads one to make certain decisions. Defining courage this way makes much more sense to me. Courage is very important because without it we probably would not be in certain situations we are in. For example, without courage I would not be three hundred ninety four miles away from home all on my own living with someone who was once a complete stranger to me. I believe that that took tons of courage from me. Without courage many of us would not be away home our homes starting our college careers, which will prepare us for our future careers. Courage is a drive one must have to keep our spirit going. As a freshman in college, I have set goals that I hope to achieve by the end of the year. I believe that courage can help achieve many goals. For example, one of my goals is to leave here with the courage to take up more rigorous classes next year. Taking up more challenging courses is definitely going to require courage because college can already be difficult for some and taking up more can be a harder task. Another goal I wish to accomplish is to learn from all that will be done this year and apply it to the future. This goal can also take a bit of courage because learning from mistakes and applying the experience onto the future can be difficult. Courage is a really important characteristic to contain. No matter what age or situation, courage is extremely important, just having the mentality of wanting to do something and being able to do it says a lot about a person’s character. After reading the â€Å"Solitude and Leadership† I suddenly realize that there  are many things that take part in building character. Courage goes a very long way. It helps us decide on certain ideas, gestures, etc. Being able to take the essay and go onto defining a word in my own terms, like in the essay, took courage because many people can judge my ideology but having that courage the author spoke about and arguing for my own idea took courage. Courage can be applied and used in almost every aspect of life. Sometimes all you need in life is a bit of courage to get you through a certain situation in life because â€Å"at such moments, all you really have is yourself† (182). Works Cited â€Å"definition, n.†. OED Online. 2012. Oxford University Press. 29 October 2012 . â€Å"courage, n.†. OED Online. 2012. Oxford University Press. 29 October 2012 . Deresiewicz, William. â€Å"Solitude and Leadership.† The Best American Nonrequired Reading 2011. Ed. Dave Eggers. New York: Houghton, 20122. 169-182. Print.

Organizational Knowledge Essays

Organizational Knowledge Essays Organizational Knowledge Essay Organizational Knowledge Essay We live in an information economy in which the major source of wealth and prosperity is the production and distribution of information and knowledge.An era in which the key economic resource is knowledge is startlingly different from an era in which the key resources were capital, raw materials, land and labor. Emerging service economy trend lead many organizations towards the information base strategies to face and fight with the current business competitions. In that case knowledge plays a major role in every organization. In an economy where the only certainty is uncertainty, the one sure source of lasting competitive advantage is knowledge. (Harvard Business Review) Therefore an organization? s most valuable assets are the people it employs.The ideas, experiences, expertise and knowledge contained in the mind of an individual may be worth more to an organization. In this case, Knowledge can be recognized as an important weapon for sustaining competitive advantage in organizations and many companies are beginning to manage organizational knowledge. Any organization that dynamically deals with a changing environment ought not only to process information efficiently but also create information and knowledge. (Lee Choi, 2003) 3 Organizational Knowledge It is often said that an organization? s most valuable assets are the people it employs.The ideas, experiences, expertise and knowledge contained in the mind of an individual may be worth more to an organization than can be quantified with respect to how that knowledge is applied each day to save time, reduce costs, and advance the organization? s initiatives. How can an organization capitalize on individual knowledge? How do individuals contribute to subunits or groups within the organization to build and perpetuate group knowledge? How does individual and group knowledge become organizational knowledge that can be captured, reused, and applied to achieve measurable positive effects for the organization?When might extraorganizational knowledge be used to further increase or enhance the capabilities of an organization? In line with the topic; Organizational knowledge, we have to explores these questions, first by defining each knowledge ty pe, then by examining how knowledge moves through an organization and becomes valuable organizational intellectual capital. Defining Knowledge Knowledge is a cognitive, a spiritual, event that take place inside people? s heads. There are two primary definitions of the knowledge as the Tacit Knowledge and the Explicit Knowledge.In simply knowledge residing in the minds of employees that has not been documented is called tacit knowledge, whereas knowledge that has been documented is called explicit knowledge. Tacit Knowledge Tacit Knowledge can be defined as knowledge that has not yet been codified from the outside the individual? s mind. On another words, knowledge that comes from experience and is difficult or impossible to communicate. It is intangible and consists of knowledge which is difficult to express and to communicate to other people.Also it is more difficult to transmit than codified knowledge and hard to formalize due to belonged personal qualities. Examples for tacit kno wledge are; Awareness Mental models Wisdom Skills Expertise Corporate memory 4 Explicit Knowledge Explicit knowledge, in contrast, is the knowledge that can be codified and is transmittable in formal systematic language. (Nonaka 1994) It consists of knowledge which can be expressed in symbols, and which can be communicated through these symbols to other people. Knowledge can reside in e-mail, unstructured documents, hand books, manuals can be listed under this category.Examples for explicit knowledge are; Databases, statistics, collections Books, publications, reports, documents, correspondence Photographs, diagrams, illustrations Computer code, expert systems, decision support systems Presentations, speeches, lectures Recorded experiences, stories Materials for education, teaching and training Laws, regulations, procedures, rules, policies Individual Knowledge Individual knowledge can be defined simply as knowledge possessed by the individual. This knowledge is most often tacit unless the individual possesses explicit knowledge that is not shared with anyone or any organization other than the individual.A private journal or private blog might be considered explicit individual knowledge. Individual knowledge can be acquired through experiences, and at times it can be acquired without language. When an individual is acquiring knowledge from observing another person? s actions, and once the individual applies his or her own experiences and background to what is learned it becomes individual knowledge. The creation of new „individual? knowledge derived from observation, imitation and practice is called socialization, or tacit to tacit knowledge sharing. Individual knowledge can certainly develop from explicit knowledge.What a person reads, for example, can contribute to new thoughts and ideas in the mind of the individual. This method of knowledge creation is referred to as internalization – turning explicit knowledge into 5 tacit knowledge. By re ading or acquiring explicit knowledge, independent thought and analysis can develop into new, individual knowledge. An individual can make a greater contribution to the knowledge sharing and creation process by allowing their knowledge to be internalized by others or socializing their knowledge with others, which leads to the creation of group knowledge. Group KnowledgeGroup knowledge might be defined as individual knowledge that multiple individuals rely upon as truth, share and understand. Group knowledge is broadcast information (Correa da Silva Cullell, 56), but is not necessarily information shared „publicly? (i. e. common knowledge). Group knowledge can be generated and disseminated through socialization and often results in the transformation of tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge, or externalization. When groups come together and exchange ideas, individual knowledge is synthesized to arrive at group knowledge, which eventually becomes routing at the organizational level.Thus, the transformation of individual knowledge into organizational routines leads to complex and embodied organizational knowledge. When group knowledge from several subunits or groups is combined and used to create new knowledge, the resulting tacit and explicit knowledge can be called organizational knowledge. 6 Important Dimensions of Knowledge Knowledge is a firm asset Knowledge is an intangible asset. Knowledge is not subject to the law of diminishing returns as physical assets, but its value increases as more people share it.Knowledge has different forms Knowledge can be either tacit or explicit (codified) Knowledge involves know-how, craft and skill Knowledge involves knowing how to follow procedures Knowledge has a location Knowledge is a cognitive event involving mental models and maps of individuals There is both a social and an individual basis of knowledge Knowledge is sticky, situated, and contextual Knowledge is situational Knowledge is conditional: Knowing wh en to apply a procedure is just as important as knowing the procedure Knowledge is related to contextSOURCE: Laudon and Laudon, 2008. Management Information Systems Knowledge Creation New knowledge always begins with the individual. Making personal knowledge available to others is the central activity of the knowledge creating company. It takes place continuously and at all levels of the organization. Organizational knowledge creation may be explicated by the interchange between tacit and explicit knowledge. According to Nonaka and Takeuchi (1995), tacit knowledge is highly personal and hard to formalize, making it difficult to communicate or to share with others.Subjective insights, intuitions, and hunches fall into this category of knowledge. On the other 7 hand, explicit knowledge is more easily transmitted as it is characteristically codified. As such, explicit knowledge is more easily processed and shared with others. According to the theory, the process of knowledge conversion proceeds through four different modes: 1. Socialization (the conversion of tacit knowledge to tacit knowledge) 2. Combination (the conversion of explicit knowledge to explicit knowledge) 3. Externalization (the conversion of tacit to explicit knowledge) and 4.Internalization (the conversion of explicit to tacit knowledge) Socialization During the socialization mode, tacit knowledge is transferred through interactions between individuals, which may also be accomplished in the absence of language; individuals may learn and gain a sense of competence by observing behavior modeled by others. For example, mentoring and apprenticeships instruct tacitly through observation, imitation, and practice. Combination The combination mode of knowledge conversion embodies the aggregation of multiple examples of explicit knowledge (Nonaka, 1994).Explicit knowledge may be exchanged during meetings or conferences in which a diversity of knowledge sources combines to shape a new and enhanced conceptio n. Externalization The externalization mode of the knowledge conversion spiral references the translation of tacit knowledge into explicit. Metaphors are recommended as a way to facilitate this translation (Nonaka, 1994). Metaphors assist individuals in explaining concealed (i. e. , tacit) concepts that are otherwise difficult to articulate by assisting individuals in forming impressions based on imagination and intuitive learning through symbols.Internalization The conversion of explicit to tacit knowledge, i. e. , the internalization mode occurs through a series of iterations in which concepts become concrete and ultimately absorbed as an integral 8 belief or value. Where externalization utilizes metaphors to facilitate knowledge conversion, internalization represents an active process of learning. Nonaka (1994) describes this as participants†¦.. sharing explicit knowledge that is gradually translated, through interaction and a process of trial-and-error, into different aspec ts of tacit knowledge.It is found most commonly at highly successful Japanese companies such as Honda, Canon, Matushita and Sharp are in focusing to the knowledge creation. Managers in these companies recognize that creating new knowledge is not simply a matter of mechanistically Processing objective information. The knowledge creation process The mutual exchange of tacit and explicit knowledge that describes the knowledge creation process is initiated at the level of the individual employee or organizational member. Because individuals are an integral component of this conversion process, their commitment to knowledge creation is critical.According to Nonaka (1994), knowledge creation may be activated when organizational members have freedom and sufficient purpose to pursue new knowledge. A continuous process of questioning and reconsidering existing premises by individual members of the organization fosters organizational knowledge creation (Nonaka Takeuchi, 1995). Knowledge Mana gement For hundreds of years, owners of family businesses have passed their commercial wisdom on to their children, master artificer have taught their trades to followers, and workers have exchanged their knowledge on the job.Therefore knowledge management is nothing new, but until the 1990s that managers were not talking about knowledge management. (Harvard Business Review) When the industrialized economies have shifted from natural resources to intellectual assets, managers have been constrained to censor the knowledge underlying their businesses and how that knowledge is used. At that same time rice of technological devices using; mainly computers has made it possible to codify, store, and share certain kind of knowledge more easily than ever. In current business environment, Knowledge management has become an important theme at many large business firms as managers realize that much of their firm? s value depends on firm? s ability to create and manage knowledge. (Laudon Laudon ). Studies have found that a substantial part of a firm? s stock market value is related to its intangible assets, of which knowledge is one important component, along with brands, reputations, and unique business processes (Gu and Lev, 2001).Well executed knowledge-based projects have been known to produce extra ordinary returns on investment, although knowledge-based investments are difficult to measure (Blair and Wallman, 2001). Knowledge Management is the process of leveraging organizational knowledge to deliver longterm advantage to a business. This, in turn, requires technology to capture, codify, store, disseminate and reuse the knowledge. Any organization, before framing a strategy, should analyze the industry and should understand all relevant parameters of industry growth.This analysis would yield results on the industry parameters like growth/ recession buyer/supplier power leading to determining the attractiveness of competition. The competitor analysis would reveal the strategy adopted by the competitors and identify the possible future movements of the competitors and to predict the strategies that are likely to be adopted by them. An organization can gain competitive advantage and sustain it only if it is able to understand the needs of the customer and track the changes in the customer needs.In this context, the analysis of the needs of customer gains importance. An organization should assess the resources and capabilities, before formulating a strategy, since the resources and capabilities should aid the operationalization of the chosen strategy. The right combination of resources and capabilities in the context of a strategy can be discovered through the process of knowledge management. Knowledge Management Value Chain Knowledge management increases the ability of the organization to learn from its environment and to incorporate knowledge into its business processes.Knowledge value is very difficult to measure and it is extracted when knowled ge is used. Knowledge sharing increases the value of knowledge with abundance. Knowledge management value chain is a sequence of intellectual tasks by which knowledge workers build their employer? s unique competitive advantage and social and environmental benefits. There are four main value adding steps in the knowledge 10 management value chain; each stage adds value to raw data and information as they are transformed into usable knowledge. Acquisition Storage Dissemination ApplicationFigure 02: Knowledge Management value chain Knowledge acquisition Organizations acquire knowledge in a number of ways, depending on the type of knowledge they seek. In a way, organizations acquire knowledge by developing online expert networks so that employees can find the expert in the company who has the knowledge in his or her head. Other than that firms have to create new knowledge by discovering patterns in corporate data or by using knowledge work stations where engineers can discover new know ledge. A coherent and organized knowledge system also requires systematic data from the firm? transaction processing systems (sales, payments, inventory, customers etc. ), news feeds, industry reports, legal opinions, scientific research and government statistics as well. Knowledge storage Knowledge storage generally involves the creation of a database. Expert systems also help corporations preserve the knowledge that is acquired by incorporating that knowledge into organizational process and culture. Management must support the development of planned knowledge storage systems to update and store documents properly. 11 Knowledge DisseminationPortal, e-mail, instant messaging and search engine technology have added to the existing technologies for sharing documents, data and graphics. Training programmes, informal networks and shared management experience communicated through a supportive culture help managers focus their attention on the important knowledge and information which is really important for their decisions and their work. Knowledge Application Knowledge that is not shared and applied to the practical problems facing firms and managers does not add business value.To provide a return on investment, organizational knowledge must become a systematic part of management decision making and become situated in decision support systems. An organizations can do this is to build online information databases that employees can access which works as an online knowledge bank. Other than this some knowledge management experts have suggest that organizations create communities of practice, which are groups of people who share a concern, a set of problems or a passion about a topic and who deepen their knowledge and expertise in that area by interacting on an ongoing basis.Out of the four steps in knowledge management value chain, knowledge sharing is considered to be the most important one, and it is said Knowledge sharing is the power instead of Knowledge is the Power. In order to do this an organization must have a knowledge supporting culture, that management can support the knowledge creation and sharing. In line with that perfect human resource management is a prior functional area in an organization. Top management provides employees with a sense of direction by setting the standards for justifying the value of knowledge that is constantly being developed by the organization? members. Deciding which efforts to support and develop is a strategic task. (Harvard business review on Knowledge management, 2008) 12 Knowledge Applications in the Technological Aspect Business Problems ? ? ? Monitor service levels and costs Develop document access rules Management ? Document intensive business Fragmented information in legacy systems and manual processes ? ? ? Coordinate Documents and maintenance data Develop Document Access procedures Revise repair and maintenance procedures Organization Information systems Business solution ? ? Reduce time Red use cost ? ? ? ?Implement oracle database Deploy laptops Technology Immediately access Equipment maintenance information Figure 03: Use of Technology in Knowledge Management Process The diagram shows how organizations can use technology in solving business problems and how an organization can reduce the time consumption and the cost by using information systems. These information systems would include transaction processing systems, management information systems, decision support systems, expert systems and intelligent systems etc. Knowledge Management Strategies There are mainly two types of knowledge management strategies.In some companies, the strategy centered on the computer. In that c knowledge is carefully codified and stored in databases, where it can be easily accessed and used by anyone in the company. This is called Codification Strategy. 13 Codification Strategy Codification strategy implies the theme; people to documents, pointing to develop an electronic document syst em that codifies, stores, disseminates, and allows reuse of knowledge. The companies that follow codification strategy rely on the economics of reuse. Once an organization invests in knowledge asset; they can reuse it many times.The reuse of knowledge saves work, reduces communication costs and allows a company to take on more projects. And the strategy focuses on generating large overall revenues. And also the organizations always think in the point of human resource management to hire new graduates who are suited to reuse knowledge and the implementation of solutions, to train people in groups and through computer based learning, to reward people for using and contributing to document databases. Earnest Young is an organization which uses this strategy as their knowledge management strategy.In other companies, knowledge is closely bounded to the person who developed it and is shared mainly through direct person to person contacts. In those companies main purpose of the computers is to help people to communicate knowledge, not to store it. This is called Personalization Strategy. Personalization Strategy And this strategy implies that person to person fact which points to develop networks for linking people so that tacit knowledge can be shared. In contrast to the codification strategy, the personalization strategy relies on the logic of expert economics.It focuses on maintaining high profit margins. But on the other hand the process of sharing deep knowledge is time consuming, expensive and slow. It can? t be made much efficient. The companies that applied this strategy as their knowledge management strategy; wish to hire people who like problem solving and can tolerate ambiguity and to reward people for directly sharing knowledge with others. Choosing the knowledge management strategy is not an arbitrary thing, it depends on the economics of the company, the way it serves its clients and the people it hires.Experts believe that the choice between codificat ion and personalization is the central one facing virtually all 14 companies in the era of knowledge management. However an organization? s strategy for knowledge management reflects its competitive strategy; it creates value for customers; how that value support for customers; how that value supports an economic model and how the company? s people deliver on the value, because it is the leading fact and the base of all other functional areas in the organization for gaining the competitive advantage in the dynamic economy. Types of Knowledge Management systems in an OrganizationThere are essentially three major types of knowledge management systems namely; enterprisewide knowledge management systems, knowledge work systems and intelligent techniques. Figure 3 shows the knowledge management system applications for each of these major categories. Enterprise-Wide Knowledge Management Systems Knowledge Work Systems Intelligent Techniques Structured knowledge systems Semi structured kn owledge systems Knowledge network systems Computer aided design (CAD) Data mining 3 D Visualization Virtual reality -Neural networks Expert systems Intelligent Agents 1. Enterprise-wide knowledge management systems are general purpose firm wide efforts to collect, store, distribute and apply digital content and knowledge. They provide databases and tools for organizing and storing structured and unstructured documents and other knowledge objects for locating employees with expertise in a particular area including web based tools for collaboration and communication. Structured knowledge systems: These systems perform the function of implementing the tagging, interface with corporate databases where the documents are stored and 15 reating an enterprise portal environment for employees to use when searching for corporate knowledge. Semi structured knowledge systems: These systems track, store and organize semi structured documents (folders, messages, proposals, e mails, slide pr esentations etc) Knowledge network systems: Knowledge network system addresses the problem that arises when the appropriate knowledge is tacit knowledge residing in the memory of expert individuals in the firm. Because such knowledge cannot be conveniently found, employees expend significant resources rediscovering knowledge.Knowledge network systems provide an online directory of corporate experts in well-defined knowledge domains and use communication technologies to make it easy for employees to find the appropriate expert in a company. 02. Knowledge work systems (KWS) are specialized systems built for professionals and other knowledge workers charged with discovering and creating new knowledge for an organization. The development of powerful networked work stations and software in the discovery of new knowledge has led to the creation of knowledge work systems. 03.Intelligent techniques have different objectives from a focus on discovering knowledge (through data mining and neur al networks) to distilling knowledge (through expert systems and fuzzy logic) in the form of rules for a computer programme in order to discover optimal solutions for problems. Knowledge Portals Many organizations have integrated their content and document management capabilities with powerful portals and these will provide access to external sources of information, such as news feeds and research, as well as to internal knowledge resources along with capabilities for e mail, chat, discussion groups and video conferencing.Organizations are now using blogs, wikis and social book marking for internal use to facilitate the exchange of information between individuals and teams within organizations. 16 A learning Organization In more recent times, managers seem to be searching for new approaches to management. Fuelling this search is a range of new issues that modern managers face but that their historical counterparts did not. These issues include a concern about the competitive decline of western firms, the accelerating pace of technological change, the sophistication of customers, and an increasing emphasize on globalization.A new approach to management that is evolving to handle this new range of issues can e called as the learning organization approach. Organizational learning means the process of improving actions through better knowledge and understanding. Therefore under the organizational knowledge title organizational learning is another important fact which can be identified as a supportive term for the organizational knowledge. A learning organization is an organization skilled at creating, acquiring and transferring knowledge, and at modifying its behavior to reflect new knowledge and insights.Learning organizations emphasize systematic problem solving, experimentation, learning from their own experience and past history, transferring knowledge. These activities leading the organizations towards the fact of gaining competitive advantage by relying on t he scientific method and data rather than assumptions, searching for and testing of new knowledge, reviewing their successes and failures, learning from others; specially from immediate environment, and spreading the knowledge throughout the organization quickly and efficiently.Actually the most important thing is that the using and sharing the knowledge which has collected. Otherwise there is no any created benefit from the knowledge to the organization, peculiarly learning from others and spreading the knowledge throughout the organization is become more important in this case. Learning occurs in two forms, those are single-loop and double-loop. Single loop learning asks a one dimensional question to expose one dimensional answer. Double loop learning takes an additional step or several additional steps.It might also ask why the current setting was chosen at the first place. In other words, it asks questions not only about objective facts but also reasons behind those facts. 17 A learning organization is focusing to create, acquire and transfer knowledge continuously from the environment and there by modify its behavior to reflect new knowledge and insights. This involves mainly three areas. An organization has to follow ongoing programmes, designed to produce incremental gains in knowledge.An example to indicate that an organization can import new ideas from outside and apply it to daily operations; a case study, General Electric’s impact program originally sent manufacturing managers to Japan to study factory innovations, such as quality circles and kanban cards, and then apply them in their own organizations. This program was one of the major reasons that General Electric recorded productivity gains averaging nearly 5 % over the last four years. (Harvard business review on Knowledge Management, 2008) Successful ongoing programmes also require an incentive system that favors risk taking.Employees must feel that the benefits of experimentation exceed s the costs; if not they will not participate. This is challenging for managers, since they must maintain accountability and control over experiments without stifling creativity by unduly penalizing employees for failures. Companies must learn from past experiences and should review their successes and failures, assess them systematically and record the lessons in a form that employees find open and accessible. 18 Learning and the Knowledge Management The knowledge continuum shows the process of transforming data in to knowledge and wisdom.The knowledge continuum In this continuous process organizations acquire knowledge throughout its life cycle. Therefore learning plays very important role in the knowledge management process. Its probably appropriate to develop some perspective regarding this stuff called knowledge, which there seems to be such a desire to manage, really is. Consider this as a basis for thought relating to the following diagram. ? ? ? ? A collection of data is not information. A collection of information is not knowledge. A collection of knowledge is not wisdom.A collection of wisdom is not truth. The idea is that information, knowledge, and wisdom are more than simply collections. Rather, the whole represents more than the sum of its parts and has a synergy of its own. 19 8 Average Time (Hours) 4 6 Learning curve 2 10 20 quantity 60 30 40 120 180 240 Figure 07 – Learning Curve 20 Conclusion Organizations can achieve competitive advantage by focusing their knowledge Management efforts in harnessing their assets and competences in their core areas of operation, which can be identified by the value chain analysis approach.An organization progressively discover that value creating activities change over a period of time, and helps to identify value-creating activities faster thereby providing a strategic direction. As organizations evolve into more effective and efficient knowledge creators and knowledge consumers, the effects of knowled ge management efforts should be measurable as knowledge management itself requires an investment of time, resources and manpower.Perhaps organizations will continue to create their own frameworks for valuation or be able to rely on a common methodology for such measurement regardless of the type of organization doing the evaluating. On the other hand, any organization, before framing a strategy, should analyze the industry and should understand all relevant parameters of industry growth. This analysis would yield results on the industry parameters like growth/ recession buyer/supplier power leading to determining the attractiveness of competition.The competitor analysis would reveal the strategy adopted by the competitors and identify the possible future movements of the competitors and to predict the strategies that are likely to be adopted by them. An organization can gain competitive advantage and sustain it only if it is able to understand the needs of the customer and track the changes in the customer needs. In this context, the analysis of the needs of customer gains importance. An organization should assess the resources and capabilities, before formulating a strategy, since the resources and capabilities should aid the operationalization of the chosen strategy.The right combination of resources and capabilities in the context of a strategy can be discovered through the process of knowledge management. In short, today? s organizations act with the theme of Knowledge sharing is the power instead of Knowledge is the Power, in order gain competitive advantages, by keeping a knowledge supporting culture, that management can support the knowledge creation and sharing, maintaining a perfect human resource policy which lead to minimize the employee turnover for the purpose of securing organizational memory in the organization.

Confucius And Confucianism Essays - Confucianism, Chinese Philosophy

Confucius And Confucianism Essays - Confucianism, Chinese Philosophy Confucius and Confucianism LIFE OF CONFUCIUS Confucius was believed to have been born in 551 BC., in the state of Lu, known today as the Shandong province. His parents, who died while he was a child, named him Kong Qui. Confucius was derived from the Latin word Kongfuzi which means Great Master Kong. Confucius was the most influential and respected philosopher in Chinese history. His ideas were the single strongest influence on Chinese society from around 100 BC. to the AD. 1900's. The Chinese government made his ideas the official state philosophy and many nearby countries honored his beliefs. Confucius wanted to gain the position as an adviser to a wise ruler, but he failed. He hoped to do this in order to be able to employ his ideas for reforming society. If it wasn't for the disciples of Confucius his teachings would have never been spread around China, and he would have never been made known. His teachings were never written down by him, but his conversations and sayings were written down by his disciples in the analects. CONFUCIANISM Confucianism was the single most important thing in Chinese life. It affected everything in China; education, government, and attitudes toward behavior in public and private life. Confucianism is not a religion, but it is more a philosophy and a guide to morality and good government. At the time Confucius was born, China was in a conezt state of war, and rapid political change altered the structure of Chinese society so much that people no longer respected the established behavioral guidelines. Confucius stated that the ideal person was one of good moral character. The ideal person was also truly reverent in worship and sincerely respected his father and his ruler. He was expected to think for himself, guided by definite rules of conduct. As Confucius said, he was expected to take "as much trouble to discover what was right as lesser men take to discover what will pay". Confucius believed that this type of behavior by rulers had a greater effect on the people than did laws or codes of punishment. So when these types of people were rulers, their moral example would inspire the people to lead good lives. Confucius died sometime around 479 B.C., and his philosophy was not very well known. If it weren't for his disciples his ideas would probably still be unknown. Confucius never wrote anything down himself; his disciples wrote all of his sayings down in a collection of books called the Analects. These contain all that modern day man knows about Confucius. There existed two important Confucian philosophers-Mencius (390-305 BC) and Xunzi (mid 200's B.C.). They held beliefs similar to Confucius but they were somewhat different. Mencius's viewpoint was that people were born good, and that they had to "preserve the natural compassion of the heart". Xunzi opposed this by saying that people could be good and live peacefully only if their minds were shaped by education and conduct. Both of these ideas parallel Confucius', in that they both state that people can be good. Confucianism was concerned primarily with the needs of society, and unlike Buddhism and Taoism, not the ability for a person to live in harmony with nature. Beginning in the 200's B.C. Buddhism and Taoism began to affect and reshape the ezdards of Confucianism, and things such as nature came into play. Around A.D. 200 to 600, there was a rapid decline in the Confucian Beliefs in China. This was partly because Confucianism now had to compete with Buddhism and Taoism, which were developed around this time. These religions were to Confucianism as night is to day, in other words, they were exact opposites. Buddhism and Taoism were largely concerned with the meaning of suffering and death, while Confucianism largely ignored these. The revival of Confucianism began around the 600's and was fully revived by the 700's. In the 1100's, there was a movement lead by Zhu-Xi called the Neo-Confucianism movement. He developed a branch of this movement known as the rational-wing, it dealt with the study of Li, the relationship between humans and nature. Another branch was called the intuitional-wing and it dealt mostly with enlightenment by a combination of meditation and moral action.In the 1900's there was a