Visual Arts - David Henry Hwang Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Visual Arts - David Henry Hwang - Essay Example M. Butterfly is a persuasive Asian-American playwright, chosen by Hwang because of his familiarity with the pessimistic stereotypes permeating through his work. His text uses sarcasm as a literary instrument by using the extreme cliches that it basically confronted. Though the use of sexuality and change ambiguity, authority reversals in M. Butterfly efficiently illustrates the pessimistic effects of typecasts for sexuality and ethnicity. Through the creation of fiction of the Orient, the basic conflict of the playwright arises from the ultimate cause of the character collapse. Gallimard’s character serves as the main cause of the conflict in the playwright through the reflection of the West’s faulty supreme nature. Character comparison One of the most influential characters in the playwright is Cornelius Hackl. Hackl is a thirty-three years old leading clerk at a shop owned by Horace Vandergelder. In the first scenes of the play, Vandergelder pronounces to Hackl that h e has chosen to promote him to the status of the leading clerk in the shop after thorough deliberation. The declaration that the shop owner had promoted Hackl to the leading clerk previously held his position and made the rest of the store realize that he is in a groove. As a result, he persuades Barnaby to join him for a night of the town in New York. While persuading him, Hackl comes across Irene Molloy in her hat store whilst he is imagining being a well-off trendsetter for a hat and in the process, falls in love with her. To maintain Mrs. Molloy position from discovering that Hackl is a simple clerk, Dolly Levi makes up a prodigal tale regarding him being one of the most sought-out bachelors in New York illustrating that he originates from a well-off family. Dolly Levi also worked Vandergelder's shop because he desires. The moment Mrs. Molloy becomes aware of him afterwards; she persuades that he and Barnaby takes his assistant to a luxurious eatery. Hackl tags along with the ta ke and does not inform her of the real story. This guilt builds up inside him and is detained when he cannot afford to pay the bill until a stranger discovers wallet. His wallet is filled with money and offers it to Hackl presuming that it had fell. A series of the misguided personalities and characters caused Miss Van Huysen to spend majority of the time in the following scenes. Hackl believes that Ambrose Kemper takes the personality of Hackl and eventually reconciles to take hold of their actual personalities and roles in the playwright. When M. Butterfly was initially performed in 1988 in Washington D. C. and then on Broadway analyses were absolutely assorted. Majority of the critics realized that Hwang was a playwright of great talent. Nevertheless, the play has received much praise for the regularly strengthened by several strict criticisms. Positively, frank rich in the New York Times magazine defined M. Butterfly as a visionary work that connects the history and the traditio nal of two entities. At the same time, the play was referred to as the intricate of infinity of Chinese boxes. Hwang contributed to the fact that majority of appreciative that the playwright through the writer’s ambition produced and staged in Broadway. The other character being compared in the playwright is Dolly Levi. Levi is one of the main characters and the one following those who entitled it. She is an inciter who does not mind creating corporate cards that state that she is qualified in handling varicose veins. Her presumed skills enabled her

The Alamo 1877 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Alamo 1877 - Essay Example The Alamo became a battlefield between the Texan volunteer forces and the Mexican army troops in 1836. Before that in 1835 the Mexican army after taking over the church, changed it into a fort but was defeated by immigrant settlers and natives of Texas. This historical war for independence was fought with exemplary bravery against odds of limited number of soldiers sacrificing their lives, fighting against a powerful Mexican army. William Barett Travis – the leading hero of the war fought a heroic battle against Santa Anna’s powerful Mexican army – made an appeal to his people in one of his letters from the Alamo in 1836 for support. â€Å"I shall never surrender or retreat. Then, I call on you in the name of Liberty, of patriotism, and everything dear to the American character, to come to our aid with all dispatch. ...† proclaiming â€Å"VICTORY OR DEATH† (Page 2 William Barrett Travis Letter from the Alamo, 1836). As no support reached at the site of battle, Santa Anna’s army attacked resulting in the death of the saviors of the Alamo. This historic fight took place on February 20, 1835. About 150 Texas fighters, under the command of William B. Travis got ready to save San Antonio fort – the Alamo – opposing Mexican General Santa Anna’s largely over-competitive army. Background: Since 1835, the Texans had been on a winning spree. Most of the Mexican army had left with the elimination of their garrison. As most of the volunteers of the war had returned back home thinking that war was over, the fight on the Alamo was still not over. There was lack of unity in the provisional government; as a result no fast supplies could be rushed to the Alamo. In this context, the message of the letter written by William B. Travis was important. There were only 100 fighters in January under the command of James C. Neil; about twenty five volunteers led by James Bowie joined later. William B. Travis reached the Alamo on February 3

Doris dorie miller

Doris dorie miller Not much people know about the name Doris â€Å"Dorie† Miller when you ask them. However he was listed as one of the bravest man doing the attack on Pearl Harbor. He was the first African American to be awarded the Navy Cross award, and it was the third highest honor awarded by the US Navy at the time. Who is Doris Miller? Miller was born October 12, 1919 in Waco, Texas to Henrietta and Connery Miller. Being the third of four sons, he grows up in a strong loving household. As a child he often helps around the house, cooking meals and doing laundry, as well as working the fields. He went to high school at Wacos A.J. Moore High School. There he was a good student and a fullback on the football team, they called him the â€Å"Raging Bull† because of his size which was five foot nine and was over two hundred Ibs. He worked on his father farm until the age nineteen. He then when to Dallas to enlist in the US Navy as Mess Attendant, Third Class in September 1939, in which was the only military job classification officially open to African Americans during the time. He had enlisted to travel, and earn money for his family. Miller was trained at the Naval Training Station in Norfolk, Virginia. He was later assigned to the ammunition ship USS Pyro where he served as a Mess Attendant. Then later he was t ransferred to the USS West Virginia. There he became the ships heavyweight boxing champion. Why is Doris Miller Famous? Doris Miller is famous cause of is braver during the attack on Pearl Harbor. He was a cook on board of a ship during the attack on Pearl Harbor. When the attack began he help carry wounded sailors to safer sections of the ship and help carried the ships wounded captain, Mervyn Bennion, off the bridge. He then manned a 50-caliber anti-aircraft machine gun on deck of the ship. He had never been trained to fire the gun at the time. However it was said he shot down as many as six planes before being ordered to abandon ship. A week after Pearl Harbor he was transferred to the USS Enterprise where Commander in Chief Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, pinned the Navys highest award for valor, the Navy Cross on is chest at the age 22. He was the first African American to receive this award. What Happen During the Attack? Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941 Miller was on deck collecting laundry at 7:55 a.m. Most of the other ship crew were either sleeping or spending the weekend ashore. On Sunday morning no one had expected the attacks. When the alarm for the general quarters sounded, Miller ran to his battle station but a torpedo had damage it already. He then was knocked down by an explosions but scrambled back to his feet to see many sailors was wounded by the explosions. He then tries to carry out the wounded sailors to a safer part of the boat. There where he saw the wounded captain and then carried him off the bridge. He then manned a 50-caliber anti-aircraft machine gun on the deck and began to shot down the Japanese aircraft. How Did Miller Die? Miller was aboard the Liscome Bay were they was called on to assist the flight crews who were preparing the planes for launching at dawn. There when no warning a Japanese submarine shot a torpedo and struck the carrier. The entire interior of the ship burst into flames. Within minutes the ship sank, taking down the captain, 53 other officers, and 591 crewmen. Only 272 men were rescued a Dorie Miller was not among them. Dorie Millers parents were later notified that their son was missing in action. The following year, on November 25, 1944, he and the other missing crew member were officially presumed dead. The carrier he was on received one battle star for its service in WW II. Where Are Millers Memorials? Dorie Miller has lots of memorial like the USS Miller a Knox- class frigate was commissioned in his honor. Also the Doris Miller Foundation was founded to give an annual award to the individual or group considered outstanding in the field of race relations. There is a lot more like the Doris Miller Drive, Doris Miller Center, Dorie Miller Houses, Dorie Miller Housing Project, the Dorie and Doris Miller Elementary School, the Doris Miller YMCA, The Doris Miller Park, The Doris Miller Community Center, and must more. Notes Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Vol. IV. Navy Department, 1969. Richardson, Ben. Great American Negroes, Crowell, 1956. Http://www.history.navy.mil/fags/fag57-4.htm â€Å"Mess Attendant Doris Miller.htm.† Medal of Honor.com USS West Virginia Action Report mentioning Miller http://www.answers.com/topic/doris-miller Bibliography Extracts from USS West Virginias 11 December 1941 Action Report, Relating to Doris Miller during the Pearl Harbor Attack African American in the U.S. Navy: A Bibliography The Pearl Harbor Attack, 7 December 1941 National Archives: War in the Pacific: Mess Attendant First Class Doris Miller

The Great Depression Essay -- Economics Finance History Economy Essays

The Great Depression The Great Depression was an economic slump in North America, Europe, and other industrialized areas of the world that began in 1929 and lasted until about 1939. There were a few main areas of focus during the Great Depression. The key areas were the Crash of the Stock Market, Unemployment Rate, the effect on the rest of the world, World War II and our political out look and the way different countries handle themselves today. The Great Depression was the longest and most severe depression ever experienced by the industrialized Western world. Though the U.S. economy had gone into depression six months earlier, the Great Depression may be said to have begun with a catastrophic collapse of stock-market prices on the New York Stock Exchange in October 1929, when President Hoover came in office. During the next three years stock prices in the United States continued to fall, until by late 1932 they had dropped to only about 20 percent of their value in 1929 (www.english.uiuc.edu). Some of the stock figures I received from (www.huppi.com) indicate the changes of the Gross National Product from 1930 until 1939. The Gross National Product, or GNP, for 1930 had a negative change of 9.4 percent. In 1931, the GNP continued to decline another 8.5 percent. In 1932 it dropped another 13.4 percent and continued to drop 2.1 percent in 1933. In 1934 the GNP made a turn for the better and started to increase by 7.7 percent and continued to rise in 1935 with an increase of 8.1 percent. During 1936 and 1937 the GNP rose for a combined amoun t of 19.1 percent but do to the beginning of recession in 1938 it had a drop of 4.5 percent. Once Recession ended the GNP went up 7.9 percent in 1939. (Www.english.uiuc.edu) tells us that besides ruining many thousands of individual investors, this precipitous decline in the value of assets greatly strained banks and other financial institutions, particularly those holding stocks in their portfolios. Many banks were consequently forced into insolvency; by 1933, 11,000 of the United States' 25,000 banks had failed. The failure of so many banks, combined with a general and nationwide loss of confidence in the economy, led to much-reduced levels of spending and demand and hence of production, thus aggravating the downward spiral. â€Å"The result was drastically falling output and drastically rising unemployment; ... ...its were contracting it; The Fed's inaction was the reason why the initial recession turned into a prolonged depression; The economy continually sank throughout Hoover's entire term. Under Roosevelt's New Deal, it rose five out of seven years. Attempts to blame Big Government for the Depression do not withstand serious scrutiny; The Smoot-Hawley Tariff had a minor impact because trade formed only 6 percent of the U.S. economy, and reducing trade gave Americans only that much more money to spend domestically. Hoover's other attempts at government intervention came mostly during his last year in office, when the Depression was already at its depth; The first nations to come out of the Great Depression were Sweden, Germany, Great Britain, and then everyone else did so after they adopted the Keynesian solution of heavy deficit government spending and the Keynesian economic policies have eliminated the depression from the world's economies in the six decades that have followed. Works Cited WWW.huppi.com WWW.english.uiuc.edu Nelson Cary Kennedy, David Freedom From Fear: The American People in Depression and War Oxford, New York 1999 Oxford University Press   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Western Media on Pussy Riot

The Pussy Riot case has received much attention around the world based on the ethics of the court’s decision and freedom of expression. The Western media covers the news with facts with truth and consistency, however the information presented shows a favourite towards the side of the Russian band Pussy Riot and against the Putin government. Canadian news such as CTV, CBC and music news like Much Music covered the story with facts of Canadian citizens protesting against Pussy Riot’s two-year sentence to jail. The news has covered people protesting with signs on the street and using bias language against the Russian government.The United States’ news has also played a big role in supporting the band’s fight for freedom. News networks such as CNN, The Wall Street Journal and MTV have covered the news with favoured sided facts for the band. Stories of protest and government officials’ disapproval of the band’s sentence have all been published to the western public resulting in citizens fighting for the Russian band. Social networks such as Twitter played a big role in support of the band’s freedom. Celebrities such as Madonna and Jesse McCartney have also played a role in supporting for the Band.Western world views the court sentencing as a violation of freedom of speech. Western news cover stories with the question what, where, when rather to why. The western news reveals all the facts, however does not stress on the why and the reasons for the Russian court’s decisions. The readers receive a sense of injustice and wrong when reading news about the Pussy Riot’s case. The western world stresses on freedom and democracy and the Russian court imposed a strict and intolerance towards some sorts of behaviour of expression. The western news had made a positive outcome for the punk band, Pussy Riot.CTV, CBC and Much Music have covered news of Canadian citizens showing support for the Band. News about the band ’s arrest initiated as an arrest for freedom of speech against the Russian government. The news has escalated when the band got sentenced for two years for â€Å"hooliganism† and religious hatred. News headlines such as â€Å" Imprisoned Pussy Riot face tough life in penal colony† by CTV, â€Å"Pussy Riot supporters protest outside consulate in Toronto† and â€Å"Pussy Riot protest: Conviction of anti-Putin Pussy Riot band sparks worldwide protests† by CBC implies a dissent on the Russian court’s decision.Canadian news reports that the band faces charges for expressing their political views in a democratic country and North America have expressed disapproval to this action. Fans and Canadian supporters of freedom of expression have expressed their disapproval to the world by protesting on the streets, reported by news reports, and using social networks such as Twitter. Much Music has posted pictures of people protesting with signs that decla re, â€Å"Punk Rock is not a crime†, â€Å"Protect freedom of expression† and â€Å"free Pussy Riot†. These declarations exhibit a definite support for the band and disapproval for the Russian court’s decision.An example of Canadian news support of the band is CTV’s news report when the band was sentenced to jail Outside the Russian consulate on Bloor Street, about 100 people carried placards and musical instruments, The Canadian Press reported. â€Å"I felt it was so wrong on so many levels I felt I had to do something,† Toronto organizer Lynn Flatley told CTV’s Canada AM Friday morning, before the protest began. â€Å"I had never done anything like this but it was a tipping point for me. † Another protest got underway outside the Russian embassy in Ottawa around 1 p. m. hile another was scheduled to start at 6 p. m. in Montreal. The three band members, two of whom have young children, have been in jail since March when they b urst into a cathedral during services and recited a ‘punk prayer’ calling on the Virgin Mary to protect Russian citizens from Vladimir Putin, who was set to win a new term as president at the time. (CTV news: Pussy Riot supporters protest conviction outside consulate in Toronto) CTV has published the protester’s passion about their objection of the band’s sentence by quoting one of the protesters and describing the event.Also CTV has also mentioned that the band members have young children and describe they have been in jail since March, which implies an unfavourable and detest for the decision of the Court. CTV has insinuated questions of ethics such as â€Å"How can they sentence mothers to jail? † and â€Å" Why is the government against freedom of expression? † Western News also criticised the Russian government since Pussy Riot’s actions was a protest against the Putin government. Much Music has informed Canadian music fans with b ias information â€Å"Today Russian punks Pussy Riot received a two-year sentence for â€Å"hooliganism. That, of course, is in the eyes of their country’s authorities, but what the band were charged with was simply speaking out against a ruthless government. Knowing they weren’t likely to get off, they prepared a new single to help spread the message about the importance of free speech, with the song â€Å"Putin Light Up The Flames. † (Much Music News) Much Music has claimed the Russian government to be â€Å"ruthless† because they sentence a band for simply â€Å"speaking out†. Much Music, and other Canadian news, described the actions of Pussy Riot to be innocent.Pussy Riot has an opinion and their actions have made a controversy against the Russian government. Canada is known to be a democratic and free society and the actions of the Russian government have proven to have strict rules for freedom of expression. Canadian media is playing a big role in getting Canada rallied up against the Russian court. According to the rules of media ethics it is considered unethical for the media’s invention of the state, however Canadians are protesting for what they believe is right and that is the right of freedom of expression.The United States’ media reports on facts of the event. Similar to Canadian news, the media reports on facts that undermine the Russian court’s decisions. America’s news covered the story about Pussy Riot’s sentencing using words such as â€Å"lack of freedom of speech in Russia† and â€Å"restricting the freedom of expression and association† (CNN news). CNN covered news with quotations of the people involved on the case. Amnesty International and the UN have gotten involved of the Pussy Riot case with disapproval of the court’s decision.America’s government officials have also gotten involved by declaring protest against the court. CNN had repor ted all negative quotes and comments of the decision of the court, John Dalhuisen, director of Amnesty International's Europe and Central Asia Program, urged Russian authorities to overturn the sentence and release the trio unconditionally. He also highlighted recent measures â€Å"restricting the freedom of expression and association† introduced after a wave of popular protests that accompanied elections earlier this year. This trial is another example of the Kremlin's attempts to discourage and delegitimize dissent. It is likely to backfire,† he said. Human Rights Watch also said the women should never have been prosecuted for a hate crime. â€Å"The charges and verdict against the Pussy Riot band members distort both the facts and the law,† Hugh Williamson, the rights group's Europe and Central Asia director, said in a statement. This paragraph demonstrates that the Russian court’s decision on sentencing Pussy Riot in jail is absolutely unethical.The ba nd sentenced for â€Å"hooliganism† and religious hate crime by the Russian court have turned to violation of freedom of expression that violates rules of Human Rights. The Wall Street Journal has reported that the Prime Minister of Russia, Dmitry Medvedev, thought the jail sentencing was â€Å"too harsh† and the US Embassy in Moscow has claimed the sentence to be â€Å"disproportionate†. The US’s media reports their facts with quotes to support and strengthen the authenticity of story and therefore reinforce their disapproval of the Russian court.MTV have reported celebrities’ protest for the band. Madonna recently performed a riot-styled show wearing a mask, like what Pussy Riot did during their protest, during one of her shows in Moscow. Jesse McCartney had showed support for the band by using Twitter for expression. Celebrities have a huge influence on the world and it is another type of media that shows support towards Pussy Riot. America has a huge influence on the world and that influence may or may not help the band’s fight for freedom, however America’s media definitely implies strong condemnation for Russia’s government.Western media has shown strong evidence of support for Pussy Riot. The media hasn’t necessarily agreed with the band’s actions but they definitely do not agree the band’s sentence to jail for expressing their opinion. North Americans have shown support with protests on the streets and expressing their dissent by using social networks like Twitter. Canadian news reports show pictures and videos of people protests and American news like to use a lot of quotes that express dissent from important world figures.These obviously show a bias support for the band. The Western media fails to cover the side of the Russian’s court and the Church’s views and to why Pussy Riot was sentenced for 2 years. The band has protested against Putin’s government in a very important orthodox church in Russia that may have led to emotional undertakings. Whether or not the Pussy Riot’s sentence was too harsh or not, the Western media only portrayed a negative effect on the Russian court and a favour for the band’s freedom of expression.The protest from the Western citizens could have been influence by the Western news or may be influence by people’s justice to right of expression since Canada and America embrace the notion of freedom and expression. Current situation The three band members Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alyokhina, and Yekaterina Samustevich were arrested and threatened with seven years’ imprisonment. Their pretrial detention were extended for month, and finally on August 17, 2012, the three members were convicted of hooliganism, and each was sentenced to two years imprisonment.On the appeal hearing on October 1, 2012, Samustevich terminated the representation of her defense attorney because of the c onflict of their position. On October 10, Samustevich’s new attorney filed another appeal for Samustevich and argued that Samustevich did not committed hooliganism in the church, because â€Å"cathedral guards had stopped Samutsevich before she had time to get her guitar out of its case†. The appeal was accepted and the court released Samutsevich with two years in probation. The court upholds the conviction and sentences for the other two band members.The release of the Pussy Riot video had a significant impact on Russian society and the public debate. Since Russia is a regime that believes imprisonment can repress people’s political objection, the Pussy Riot’s case start the public debate of the involvement of the Catholic Church in politics, women’s right and freedom of expression. However, one of the outstanding factors of the Pussy Riot case was the numerous coverage over social media. According to the media monitor News Effector, 86% of the wo rld mass media had covered the Pussy Riot case.Compare to the Iraq, news reporters had limited and censored information from the government. However, regarding to the Pussy Riot case, the media’s establishment had been pushed to a higher lever. Right and left wings, celebrities, and supporters were all engaged in the debate o the Pussy Riot trial. Due to the massive media coverage, Pussy Riot was treated more like a positive propaganda. Western media coverage tend to became more subjective and assertive, they â€Å"failed to mention† several crucial points in order to get more supportive comments. ?

Issues Affecting Communication in the Workplace

This essay will focus primarily on three main issues that can undermine effective communication namely cultural diversity, emotions and language (Robbins et al. 2011 p. 331). The importance of feedback in an organisation to improve communication would also be reviewed (Iyer & Israel 2012 p. 55). Through feedback received, communication unveils opportunities to improve the individual and general performances of the organisation (Daneci-Patrau 2011 p. 496).Communication in an organisation comprises of many dimensions spanning formal and informal means of internal communication and external communications (Iyer & Israel 2012 p. 52). Communication is an ongoing process in which feelings, ideas, values and perceptions are transferred from one person to another through symbols which can be in the form of nonverbal, verbal and graphic communication (Dwyer 2009). Organisational communication refers to the transferring of information among members of an organisation, as well as in correctly u nderstanding the message contained in the information (Daneci-Patrau 2011p. 88). In order for an organisation to function effectively coordination of all aspects of the organisation must be achieved and this can only be done through effective communication which enables the organisation to meet its goals and objectives (Daneci-Patrau 2011). Effective communication is necessary in understanding management behaviour, reducing misunderstanding and building trust in and amongst members of an organisation (Daneci-Patrau 2011).Managers play an important role in ensuring the flow of communication through the organisation by using an effective system whereby feedback is received and acted upon (Daneci-Patrau 2011 496). Dwyer (2009 p. 9) states that leaders and managers with effective communication skills are able to work directly with people thereby minimising direct controls and encouraging more understanding, commitment, motivation and productivity within the organisation.The occurrence o f misunderstanding and inefficiency in an organisation can be attributed to lack of communication (Iyer & Israel 2012). Means of communication has grown significantly with the advancement in technology. Managers now have access to various communication channels such as emails, teleconferencing, computers, mobile phones and fax which speeds up the business of communicating (Alger, Delahunty & Diamantopoulos 1997).Communication channels must be established through appropriate methods and on all levels in an organisation both on an individual and group level between various people in the workplace ranging from clients, who are either internal or external to the organisation, staff members from within and outside it, those in managerial positions and line personnel (Klenk & Hickey 2010). The role of an organisation and management is to facilitate and coordinate communication within the organisation.Klenk & Hickey (2010) states that organisational communication relates to the transaction al and symbolic process that facilitates the coordination of activities through mutual adjustments of behaviour of individual parts to achieve a common goal. Communication in an organisation is not just the mere exchange of information, it is more comprehensive than that and includes constructive meanings between members of the organisation who influence each other in the context of asymmetrical power relationships during which they compete for power, resources and legitimacy (Klenk and Hickey 2010).Managers within organisations are in positions of power and personal influence in their relationships with employees and should be proactive in communicating with staff (White, Vanc & Stafford 2010). A number of studies have linked internal communication and the degree to which employees are given feedback to their job satisfaction and performance (White, Vanc & Stafford 2010).Vos (2009) measures performance in the communication area based on the following criteria: the management must s upport the holistic assessment of the organisation, the assessment must be an integral part of the communication function, the assessment process must be a team activity and those responsible for implementing these changes must be part of the team, the assessment must be well-prepared and well-organised and before commencement, those concerned should be well-informed of the organisation’s communication activities. Communication breakdown occurs when the message is not fully understood by the receiver.Breakdowns occur in situations when messages are distorted or blocked in some ways (Alger, Delahunty & Diamantopoulos 1997). These breakdowns are of major concern to the organisation as it may cost them both time and money (Alger, Delahunty & Diamantopoulos 1997). The first undermining factor we will be looking at is culture. Cultural diversity in the workplace is increasingly growing as most organisations today are multicultural in nature (Robbins et al. 2011). Culture is dynami c and a constantly changing in nature over time (Dwyer 2009).Communication barriers can also arise from different languages spoken, values and customs of individuals from various ethnic backgrounds. (Robbins, DeCenzo, Coulter &Woods 2011, p. 331). Culture refers to the norms, beliefs, customs, ethics, codes, mores, values, sentiments, behaviour and attitudes of individuals in a society (Kumar & Chakravarthi 2009). The more common the culture between two people, the greater the likelihood of achieving mutual understanding and effective communication(Alger, Delahunty & Diamantopoulos 1997).Culture can form barriers in communication when individuals are not aware of each other’s differences in values or customs (Kumar & Chakravarthi 2009). Managers today work with people from different nationalities and it is therefore important for them to be culturally competent through gaining knowledge of the cultural aspects of individual and countries they interact with to ensure effective and efficient communication (Todarita & Ranf 2009). Another issue that can undermine effective communication is one’s emotion.Emotions refer to the physiological and psychological state at the immediate time of communication (Smeltzer & Waltman 1984). Robbins et al. (2011) also defines emotions in regards to communication, as how a receiver feels when the message is received and how he or she interprets it. There are two types of emotional abilities namely managing emotions and the use of emotions to facilitate thinking and communication associated with job performance in an organisation (Lindebaum 2009).Emotional Intelligence (EI) is a term that is used to substantiate personal skills and characteristics that are responsible for the ways in which individuals behave, feel and relate to others in a job context (Dwyer 2009). Emotionally intelligent leaders are able to have the social skills and awareness to associate effectively in different settings (Dwyer 2009). In personal, social and business relationships, managers are able to build satisfying relationships nd make effective decisions based on their EI (Dwyer 2009). When emotions are running high, individuals often disregard rational and objective thinking process and substitute it with emotional judgements (Robbins et al. 2011, p. 331). ‘Learning to recognise emotions and empathise with others, developing high self-esteem, managing emotional upsets and anger are all emotional skills that managers and staff should learn’ (Dwyer 2009). In addition, use of language can affect communication adversely.To communicate effectively managers must learn to be clear and concise and tailor their language at an appropriate level so that their audience understands the meaning (Alger, Delahunty & Diamantopoulos 1997 p. 256). Due to the diverse backgrounds of employees in an organisation, different patterns of speech are formed easily in a specialized environment and this developed technical language i s known as jargon (Robbins et al. 2011).Although jargon may greatly help communication within specialized groups, it can impede communication among individuals who are not conversant with the language (Understanding and Managing Organisational Behaviour 2006). Age, education and cultural backgrounds are variables that influence the language a person uses and the definitions the individual applies to it (Robbins et al. 2011). An example of incorporating a language for better communication can be seen in Denmark where predominantly speaking Danish organisations are obliged to adopt English into their organisation (Tange & Lauring 2009). Language management and social interaction within the multilingual workplace national and corporate languages serve different needs and purposes, which is particularly evident  in  a country such as Denmark, where corporate language planning involves the imposition of an English  lingua franca  on  organisations  that are traditionally Dani sh-speaking’ (Tange & Lauring 2009). Tange & Lauring (2009) provides that language usage within multinational companies has suggested that multilingualism creates a complex managerial situation with great implications for cross-cultural communication. When communicating across cultures, awareness of the meaning of the words and idiomatic expressions in the language of another culture can prevent communication barriers and their consequences’ (Dwyer 2009 p. 41). Furthermore, feedback system is an example of a system that managers can use to improve communication in their respective organisation. Kaymaz (2011) defines feedback as the most important stage in the communication process. Communication is a two way process, and managers must be prepared to give feedback to employees and in return encourage feedback from employees (Hitt, Black, Porter & Hanson 2007).Receiving feedback is important as it indicates to the sender that their message has been received and correctly understood and interpreted (Robbins et al. 2011). Once received, feedback can trigger another idea from the sender, initiating yet another cycle of communication which triggers yet another round of feedback, thereby continuing the cyclical nature of the communication process (Understanding and Managing Organisational Behaviour 2006). The provision of feedback helps reduce the likelihood of misinterpretation to occur in the workplace (Iyer & Israel 2012 p. 2). For example in an organisation that sells goods and services directly to customers, the organisation can evaluate their performance by encouraging feedback from customers based on employee service and conduct. ‘Customer feedback can help to identify problem areas and strengths, and generate ideas for service improvements’ (Wirtz, Tambyah & Mattila 2010). Measuring performance should not be seen as extra work but rather as part of normal business operations. Feedback should be seen as a method for continuous assess ment and improvement.In this sense, it can be seen as a strategic feedback system that improves communication within the organisation in general. Performance measurement leads to transparency and in turn drives innovation and creativity (Vos 2009). In conclusion, organisations do not have independent existence, they associate with many groups and individuals by means of effective communication and feedback to achieve their results and desired outcomes (Alger, Delahunty & Diamantopoulos 1997). Interaction with organisations occurs through different channels of communication and by different methods.All organisations and managers need to be aware of the communication patterns that occur within their environment to ensure effective communication (Alger, Delahunty & Diamantopoulos 1997 p. 117). The complex world of management today presents countless occasions to those in managerial positions to express their ideas and convince or persuade others to accept their ideas (Showry & Manasa 2 012). However, it can be an ordeal if one fails to focus on the critical foundation which is effective communication (Showry & Manasa 2012).Factors such as language, culture and emotions can undermine effective communication in an organisation but through feed-back achieved, communication discloses opportunities to improve the individual and general performances of the organisation (Daneci-Patrau 2011). From this essay we can draw on the significance of effective communication in an organisation and how the lack of it can result in decreased productivity, poor interpersonal relationships between employees and employers and be the cause of other serious workplace issues that could lead to other negative outcomes (Mallet Hammer 2005). ReferencesAlger G, Delahunty, J, Diamantopoulos, A 1997, Business Management, 2nd edn, Oxford University Press. Daneci-Patrau, D. 2011, ‘Formal Communication in Organisation’, Economics, Management and Financial Markets, vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 4 87-497. Dwyer, J 2009, Communication in Business: Strategies and skills, 4th edn, Pearson Education Australia, Frenchs Forest. Hitt,M A, Black J S, Porter, L W, Hanson, D 2007 Management, Pearson Education Australia. Iyer, S, & Israel, D 2012, ‘Structural Equation Modelling for Testing the Impact of Organization Communication Satisfaction on Employee Engagement’,  South Asian Journal Of Management, 19, 1, pp. 1-81. Kaymaz, K 2011,  Ã¢â‚¬ËœPerformance Feedback: Individual Based Reflections and the Effect on Motivation’, Business and Economics Research Journalvol. 2, no. 4, pp. 115-134. Klenk, NL & Hickey, GM 2010, ‘Communication and Management Challenges in Large, Cross-sector Research Networks: A Canadian Case Study’,  Canadian Journal of Communication, vol. 35, no. 2, pp. 239-263. Kumar, M & Chakravarthi, K 2009, ‘Cross-Cultural Communication’,  ICFAI Journal of Soft Skills, 3, 2, pp. 43-47. Lindebaum, D 2009, ‘Rhetoric or Remedy? A Critique on Developing Emotional Intelligence', Academy Of Management Learning & Education, 8, 2, pp. 25-237. Mallet-Hammer, B 2005 ‘Communication in the Workplace’ Research Paper, University of Wisconsin, viewed 14 August 2012 . Robbins, S, DeCenzo, D, Coulter, M & Woods, M 2011, Management: The Essentials, Pearson, Frenchs Forest. Showry, M & Manasa, K 2012, ‘Effective Communication for Professional Excellence’, IUP Journal Of Soft Skills, pp. 39-46 Smeltzer, LR & Wlatman L 1984, Managerial Communication-Strategic Approach, Louisiana State University, John Wiley & Sons.Tange, H & Lauring, J 2009, ‘Language management and social interaction within the multilingual workplace’,  Journal of Communication Management,  vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 218-232. Todarita, E & Ranf, DE 2009, ‘The Necessity and Efficient Usage of Managerial Communication within Organisations during Crisis Situations. Drawing-Up the Content of a Crisis Planningà ¢â‚¬â„¢,  Annales Universitatis Apulensis : Series Oeconomica,  vol. 11, no. 2, pp. 796- 804. Understanding and Managing Organisational Behaviour 2006, Delta Publishing Company, California.Vos, M 2009, ‘Communication quality and added value: a measurement instrument for Municipalities’, Journal of Communication Management, vol. 13, no. 4, pp. 362-377. White, C, Vanc, A & Stafford, G 2010, ‘Internal Communication, Information Satisfaction, and Sense of Community: The Effect of Personal Influence’, Journal Of Public Relations Research, vol. 22, no. 1, pp. 65-84. Wirtz, J, Tambyah, SK, Mattila, AS 2010, Organizational learning from customer feedback Received by service employees: A social capital perspective, Journal of Service Management, vol. 21, no. 3, pp. 363-387.

Celebrate Thanksgiving in Spanish

Celebrate Thanksgiving in Spanish Prepare to speak Spanish on Thanksgiving by learning these words. Many of these words dont have much of a cultural context outside the U.S. and Canada (which celebrates its Thanksgiving in October), as no Spanish-speaking countries have a version of Thanksgiving. The phrase  for Thanksgiving, by the way, is Dà ­a de Accià ³n de Gracias. Thats a mouthful that could be translated literally as the day of the act of thanks. The French form is similar  -   the Canadian Thanksgiving is known as lAction de Grà ¢ce. Holiday-Related Words agradecido (por) - thankful (for)ciberlunes  - Cyber Mondayla colonia - colonycompartir, repartir - to shareel cuerno de la abundancia, la cornucopia - cornucopiael desfile - paradeDios - Godla familia - familyla festividad de la cosecha - harvest festivalel fà ºtbol americano - football (not soccer)gluglà º gluglà º - gobble gobble (turkey sound)las gracias - thanksel indio, la india, el indà ­gena americano, la indà ­gena americana  - American Indian, native Americanel noviembre - Novemberel otoà ±o - autumn, falllos parientes  - relativesel peregrino - pilgrimel viernes negro, el viernes de descuentos  - Black Friday Food-Related Words Keep in mind that names of foods dont necessarily translate well, or might not be understood in Spanish-speaking countries, due to cultural differences. For example, the various words that can be translated as pie include pastel, tarta, empanada, and even pay (pronounced similarly to the English word). All of those words except the last also refer to other types of desserts.Also, it is common with fruits and vegetables for a popular name to be applied to multiple botanical classifications. For example, there are at least eight species of tuberous plants called  Ãƒ ±ames (yams), and a few are unlike what you might find in the U.S.   el arndano rojo - cranberryel banquete - feastel budà ­n, el pudà ­n - puddingla cazuela - casserolela cena - dinnercomer - to eatla cucurbitcea,  la calabaza - squash (the same Spanish terms also are used for other related plants)el maà ­z - cornla mazorca de maà ­z - corn on the cobel à ±ame, la batata, el boniato - yamel panecillo - dinner rollel pastel (o la tarta) de calabaza  - pumpkin pieel pavo  - turkeyel pavo asado  - roast turkeyel purà © de patatas - mashed potatoesel relleno - stuffing, turkey dressingla salsa para carne - gravylas sobras, los restos - leftoverslas verduras - vegetables Vocabulary Notes Ñame, the word for yam is one of the few Spanish words to start with  Ãƒ ±. Among the more common ones are à ±oà ±o (insipid or dull) and words derived from it, à ±ora (red pepper), and à ±u (gnu). Panecillo shows how diminutive suffixes are used. Pan is the word for bread, so even if you didnt know what panecillo means, you might guess that it is a small type of bread. In Spanish, it is sometimes possible to distinguish between  male and female animals by using the masculine and feminine forms of the word. Thus a female turkey is una pava. Some other animal names follow a similar pattern: Una mona is a female monkey, una polla is a young hen (and also an off-color word with a different meaning), and una puerca is a sow. But dont assume that any feminine animal name refers to the feminine of the species. For example, una jirafa is a giraffe regardless of its sex. While  relleno would normally be used to refer to turkey stuffing, the same word can be used for just about any type of food filling. A stuffed chili, for example, is known as a chile relleno. While verduras is the word to use when talking about vegetables as a food, vegetales is used more often when talking about vegetables as a type of plant. Sample Sentences Los indios de la tribu de los Wampanoag enseà ±aron a los peregrinos cà ³mo sembrar maà ­z. (The Indians of the Wampanoag tribe taught the pilgrims how to plant corn.) No es difà ­cil prepara un pavo exquisito para celebrar el dà ­a con tus amigos y familiares. (It isnt difficult to prepare a delicious turkey for celebrating the day with your friends and family members.) Despuà ©s de la cena, vamos a ver un juego de fà ºtbol americano. (After dinner, well watch a football game.) Tenemos mucha gratitud por todo lo que tenemos. (Were grateful for everything we have.) Key Takeaways No Spanish-speaking country has a version of Thanksgiving, so native Spanish speakers in those countries may have little cultural context when dealing with Thanksgiving-related words.When translating holiday-related words to Spanish, keep in mind that there may be only a partial correlation between meanings. For example, while a gravy is salsa in Spanish, salsa can refer to many other types of sauce as well.The Spanish phrase for the holiday itself is a long one: Dia de Accià ³n de Gracias.

History of the European Union †Government (200 Level Course)

History of the European Union – Government (200 Level Course) Free Online Research Papers History of the European Union Government (200 Level Course) The European Union consists of 15 member states and from 2004 on there will be most probably 25-member states. But how were the beginnings and why was it founded. The EU had its beginnings in the economic sector but the integration of Europe was a main aim as well. Through the experience of two world wars it was clear that the European states had to develop a kind of connection between each other that was so intensive and interconnected that the conflicts of the future would be solved with peaceful measures. Six main motivations for the European Integration: 1. Peace keeping 2. Belonging to a special system of values 3. Increasing of the economic prosperity 4. More influence in foreign and security policy 5. More success in solving European wide problems 6. Strengthening of the national economy So in September 1946 Winston Churchill suggested in his well-known speech of Zà ¼rich an intergovernmental solution with a European court of justice. Also several new international institutions were founded to help regulate relationships between states on political and economic level for example the United Nations (Oct. 1945), international monetary fund (1945) and the General Agreement on Traffics and Trade (1948). In the Hague in May 1948 there were general agreements for closer relationships and a federal state of Europe or a closer union. Which lead to the building of the â€Å"Council of Europe† in May 1949 In 1950 a new treaty was founded, the so called â€Å"Shuman Plan† which was created to control the production of coal and steel in Western Germany and France, but in the end it was signed by six countries and so as additional partners were also included Italy, Belgium, Luxemburg and Holland. The treaty came in to effect in 1951 and is known as the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC/Europische Gemeinschaft fà ¼rKohle und Stahl). With this step a common market was established which was completely new, because the states who signed the treaty were surrendering a substantial proportion of their national sovereignty to the new created supranational institution. In 1955 the Benelux states made a proposal at the conference of Messina, which was lead by the Belgium foreign minister Paul Henri Spaak, to work together and combine on the nuclear energy sector also there were proposals for customs union (Zollunion). So they created a commission, which worked the details for the customs union and an Organisation for the development and using of nuclear energy out. Based on this it came to the treaty of Rom in 1957, it included the European Economic Community (EEC/Europische Wirtschafts Gemeinschaft) and a European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC/Euratom). Both treaties came in to force from the 1st of January in 1958. The EEC was a huge success and exceeded all expectations (à ¼bertraf alle Erwartungen), it made the EEC one of the most important Trade partners in the world, it lead to an growth of the GDP in Union states of 21,5% in the years of 1958-1962 also the industrial production grew about 37% in the same time. In the 1960s the integration process slowed down, because of the nuclear balance between USA and USSR the conflict lost its integrative effect, and national interests were more important and lead to doubts about the nessecarity of more integration steps. For example there were trials to change the decision-making process in the council of ministers from unanimous to the majority principle in 1966, but the French government was against it. Also in 1965 there were suggestions for a new financial system in agriculture but France has blocked it with so called â€Å"empty chair policy† (what means they withdrew all there Ministers from the council for over half a year). So it ended in the way that the principle of unanimous decision-making continued de facto. The stagnation ended with the early 70s in 1972 new members joined the EEC: Great Britain, Ireland and Denmark only Norway’s people said no to the integration through a referendum. Afterwards in the end of the 70s negotiations about the integration of Greece, Spain and Portugal started, not only for economic reasons, moreover to stabilise the democracy in these countries. In January 1981 Greece joined the EU followed by Spain and Portugal in January 1986. The next step was to create the â€Å"Single European Act (SEA/Einheitliche Europische Akte)† to give the European states an economic impulse to stop the European economy from falling behind the USA and Japan. So the main aim of the SEA was the internal market program (Binnenmarkt) with its four freedoms that were free traffic and exchange of 1. Goods 2. Persons 3. Service 4. Money Also the policy of the integration was stretched, new was development- and technological policy, the ecological policy and economic and currency as well as work protection and social policy. For further integration and an increased deepening, two intergovernmental conferences led to a monetary and political union in 1992 in the treaty of Maastricht which came to effect in end of 1993. The next treaty was in Amsterdam in 1997, which concerned the asylum in the EU the outbordercontrols etc. Finally I want to mention the treaty of Nice that aimed the foreign and security policy in the union and a list of basic and human rights in the EU. Research Papers on History of the European Union - Government (200 Level Course)Assess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropePETSTEL analysis of IndiaAppeasement Policy Towards the Outbreak of World War 2Definition of Export QuotasTwilight of the UAWInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationCapital PunishmentBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfBringing Democracy to Africa

Art And Architecture Of The Crusades History Essay

Art And Architecture Of The Crusades History Essay A man of eighty, wrote Lord Byron, has outlived probably three new schools of painting, two of architecture and poetry and a hundred in dress. Byrons sentiment would certainly ring true for most periods of those facets of human history, but the medieval time of the crusades was an exception to that rule to a large extent. Western Europe was nearly a century into the High Middle Age period when Pope Urban II called the first crusade at the Council of Clermont in 1095. This was the time of the medieval renaissance with an explosion of invention and advancement in invention, technology, culture and commercial pursuits. Painting, dress, and literature developed and were influenced on a local and regional basis. The primary influence the crusaders took with them to the Levant was architectural. Two architectural styles emerged in Western Europe during the time of the crusades – Romanesque from approximately the 11th to late 12th century, and Gothic from the 12th century to well pa st the end of the last crusade. These two styles were used in church design and construction. William the Conqueror, ultimately seizing England in 1066, helped to usher in another form (not style) of architecture that would change the landscape of medieval Europe – castles. With Romanesque architecture being in place by 1095 and Gothic soon to follow, the influence of Western European structural design and castles was set to follow them to the Holy Land, and they would bring back certain architectural influences as well as manuscript elements that would contribute to an already-growing renaissance. Church building in the Holy Land must be addressed both before and after the arrival of the Crusaders. Though Muslims had been tolerant of non-Muslims for some time, namely Christians and Jews as â€Å"People of the Book,† that tolerance and the amicable relations between them were beginning to show signs of stress. Persecution of non-Muslims began to increase after the year 1000. Muslims began destroying Christian and Jewish architecture, culminating in the ordered destruction of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on October 18, 1009, by Fatimid Caliph al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah. Denys Pringle, a specialist on church art and architecture in the Holy Land during the crusades, writes, â€Å"à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦by 1014, only a handful of church buildings, including the Nativity in Bethlehem and the monastery of St. Catherine on Mount Sinai, were left standing within the caliph’s lands.†Ã‚   [ 1 ]   The architectural history of the Holy Land is one that is fraught with the destruction of churches and monuments and their reconstruction when conditions improved. An example of this is the Anastasis, which was a rotunda in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. PRESENTATION IMAGE Photo – Christian religious icons, Istanbul, Turkey: Anastasis – Resurrection Fresco in Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem This is a fresco, or wall painting, depic ting the resurrection. The church was constructed by Constantine about 325 CE. It was later damaged during the Persian invasion of Jerusalem in 630 under Khosrau II, and finally ordered destroyed by Hakim. Pringle references this cycle of damage and destruction as creating a â€Å"tabula rasa,† or blank slate, upon which architecture Crusaders could later build. This was significant to the Crusade architecture that developed. The original buildings under Constantine were of course heavily influenced by Byzantine canons coupled with indigenous styles as was common to the familiarity of local people to provide easier acceptance for the sake of conversion. Had those structures remained intact, there would have been little if any room and certainly limited ability under even the most talented builder’s hand for Western influence to be added.

Quality Tools (IP-Unit3) Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Quality Tools (IP-Unit3) - Research Paper Example These delays can be avoided if a standard procedure is followed. The current check in and check out procedures lack a few essential steps required in the standard procedure. These steps although are small, yet they are very effective in terms of customer satisfaction. These missing steps are the confirmations of certain pieces of information at check-in and check-out. The standard procedure for check-in and check-out takes less time than the time required for the Hotel’s current check-in and check-out procedures. So it would be wise to align the Hotel’s procedures with the standard procedures. Apart from this other services the hotel need to be reviewed as well. These services include room service, newspaper delivery, automated teller machine (ATM), baggage storage, beverage area, complimentary concierge desk, elevators, gift shop, laundry/valet service, local area transportation, lounge, luggage hold, multi-lingual staff, news stand, safety deposit box, shoe shine stand, tour desk, audio/visual equipment rental, business center, express mail, fax According to the fish bone diagram, inefficient service can have several causes. These causes mainly revolve around the check-in and check-out procedures and customer service front desk. The fourth major contributor is other services which are in dire need of attention since they have not been functioning up to the standard. It is required that the hotel manages its services in accordance with the standard procedures to gain customer satisfaction. Following are the graphs based on the check-in and check-out data collected on 31st july of this year. The horizontal axis represents individual guests while the vertical axis represents the time taken in dealing with these guests. The ideal time has been mentioned earlier for both procedures and the variances above the ideal time are clearly

Becoming agile through mindfulness 2 Assignment

Becoming agile through mindfulness 2 - Assignment Example There are two types of mindfulness; organizational and individual. This classification is done to provide a clear distinction between the abilities of an organization or an individual. Individual mindfulness entails an individual’s ability to regularly come up with new categories in the interpretation and perception of the universe. Organizational mindfulness, on the other hand, refers to the cognitive aspects used to solve problems on an organizational level (Butler and Gray, 2006). Organizational mindfulness entails the continuous refinement and scrutiny of existing expectations depending on the ever changing environment. Such refinement and scrutiny ensures that uncertainties are handled accordingly (Weick and Sutcliffe, 2001). The following are the components that make up organizational mindfulness. Reluctance to Simplify Interactions – this refers to the ability of an organization to recognize complex processes and situations and find ways to view the problem from different angles (Nagle, McAvoy & Sammon, 2011). An organization that employs this component is able to identify different ways of handling complex issues, and situations that occur during the software development process. This is because all the views and opinions of the participants of the software development team are highly valued (Nagle, McAvoy & Sammon, 2011). For an organization to employ this component during the development, one of the following factors has to be included in the development process; 1. The participants should be free enough to express their ideas and opinions in regard to the development process. One of the participants of the Cork workshop talks of the aspect of incorporating the customer in the development process. When explaining to her colleagues about how the customer makes changes to the development process, one of the other participants questions whether there was a way to avoid all the changes imposed by the customer. He asked, â€Å"So there was n ot stopping that?†(21:07). This participant was concerned with the organizations over flexibility towards the customer. However, he was interested to learn whether the other participant felt the same. Being mindful of his colleague, he did not impose his opinion on her; instead he gave her a chance to express herself. After being given the chance to speak, the female gives her view. She says; â€Å"No, actually it’s a very positive thing, that’s to be welcomed because actually it’s put our project in front of the chief executive its put their client’s role within the organization in a higher level of importance and is actually informing the organization better about what they do, so those changes are actually quite nice† (21:08). 2. Analysis of customer requirements or any requirements should be prolonged. This goes a long way to ensure that all participants or stakeholders of a development process are fully aware of the current state of affa irs. Discussions that are held during the course of the development process should be conducted in such a manner that all those who do not fully grasp the situation are able to do so by the end of the discussion. This involves clarifying issues to persons who may not understand any technical jargon used. During the workshop held in Cork many

Interpersonal Communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Interpersonal Communication - Essay Example First, I am very opinionated. I do not necessarily have an opinion on every issue, but when I set my opinion on a certain issue, it is most probably because I evaluated the idea carefully and thoroughly. I have always thought that being such, I have the right to force my opinion on other people. I am usually like this with my friends, or those who are around my age bracket. I have no bad intentions in doing so. Usually, I become forceful in talks when I feel like I am doing the other person a favor by correcting his or her mistake. I usually put their opinion on the hot seat, and then point out the areas why that opinion is a mistake. I do it in a matter-of-fact manner that I usually do not care if the other person is getting offended or hurt. I notice that the other person will usually just say yes to me to close the topic, or keep quiet until he or she finds an opportunity to change the subject. Second, I have always believed that when I am right, I need to prove it. Sometimes, I go to lengths such as dissecting the issue just to show the other person that I was right. I do not have an issue in admitting that I am wrong if I am wrong, that is probably why I expect other people to be the same. I usually do this with my parents, especially when I feel that they underestimate my ideas just because I am younger and have lesser experiences than they have.I do not feel, however, like scoring points. ... I do not feel, however, like scoring points. I just want them to realize that there are times when I am right too. However, such conversations would end up either heatedly or with me being forced to shut up, which I do not appreciate. This would make me put a double effort in proving that I am right (usually by bringing up past conversations or arguments) when the next opportunity comes. Third, despite being opinionated and having strong character, I am a very happy person to be with. However, I seem to be very direct, or my sense of humor sometimes offends others who are a bit sensitive. For me, it is usually to break the ice or to encourage a cheerful mood when it gets awkward or dull. I always make it a point to be politically correct, but others still see my sense of humor as insensitive sometimes. While my upbeat personality may draw people to me and make them generally happy to be with me, I want to change some of my communication styles because I do not like offending or hurti ng people unnecessarily, even if they had been unintentional. Research on Self-Analysis of Communication Styles I have recently noticed how easy it is for my conversations with people who are close to me to go around in circles. What starts as a normal conversation would lead to an argument. Looking back to all those times, a big percentage of those arguments were due to trivial matters. I figured out it must have something to do with my communication styles. I remember a famous line that says, â€Å"It is not what you say, but how you say it.† This is the major point of my research regarding interpersonal communication. I believe that what is flawed is not my intention nor my message, but how I express my thoughts. As I have earlier mentioned, I

Endometriosis Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Endometriosis - Case Study Example However, the growth is less likely to be found in other areas such as the lungs. The misplaced tissues develop into growths that respond to the menstrual periods in a similar way as the uterine lining. Consequently, this allows blood to flow from these endometrial growths but cannot leave the body. Such an aspect subjects the person to internal bleeding, tissue breakdown and inflammations that can even cause infertility and bowel problems (Watson, 2007). Endometriosis differs from endometritis in various ways ranging from its causal effect, and the pathophysiology and its presentation on the affected organs. For instance, endometritis is an infection that occurs in the endometrium lining that may occur during a prolonged labor pains, uterine instrumentation or even a C-Section. It can be also be caused by sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhoea, chlamydia or a mix of the vaginal bacteria. These aspects make it differ from endometriosis that occurs as a response to hormones for tissue growth on the peritoneal cavity (Burrage and BSMO, 2013). The causal factor of endometriosis has remained unknown, however, for the endometritis it is caused by infections on the uterus. An individual with endometriosis may feel pain in their intestines, pelvic or even at their lower back. Additionally, they may experience pain during and after sexual play at the inner vaginal walls that may appear swollen. On the other hand, they may experience heavy menstrual cycles, or bleeding or spot between periods. This differs from endometritis in that the individual experiences abnormal vaginal discharges, with discomfort, swelling of their abdomen and pain in the pelvic region (Burrage and BSMO, 2013). While there is cure for endometritis that is subjected to antibiotics, endometriosis has no cure but there different treatments. The treatment for this female victim depends on the age and the intense of the pain associated with the endometriosis. If the patient

Why I want to be an HR Generalist Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Why I want to be an HR Generalist - Essay Example I qualify for this job also because I have about 18 months of experience of working as an HR Generalist with a company where I was required to manage the day-to-day operations, manage employee relations, administer the policies, programs, and procedures, arrange training and development programs for the employees, and address their individualistic and collective issues by serving as a medium of coordination between them and the top management. One thing that I love about working as an HR Generalist is that it involves a lot of strategic management. The HR Generalist has to manage things in a way that generates positive messages for the organizational personnel so that they feel intrinsically motivated to cooperate and be a part of the change. I look forward to this opportunity so that I can apply the concepts I gained through years of training and practical experience.

International Entrepreneurship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

International Entrepreneurship - Essay Example Behavioral pattern of the suppliers and the clients and concentration in the supply makes entrepreneurs more competitive in the global market. In the market where the customers are diverse, a different approach to the market may be of great benefit to entrepreneur in a new market (Keillor 2011). The trends of innovating products and services in a particular environment have been used by multinational companies in their new products. Taking for instance the travel business in the United States, the business involves serving both the natives and the international visitors. Globalization and liberalization of economies have allowed companies to invent new ideas suitable for the developing markets. Globalization has pressurized companies to continue innovating new ideas of conducting businesses. Though much innovation has been witnessed in the global market, entrepreneurs have found it harder to penetrate the market to ever changing business environment and competition (Griffin 2005). There is more opportunity for growth due to innovation and completion in the global market. Entrepreneurs in the global markets seem to prefer working centrally and doing business from a central position. However Companies benefit international market therefore centralization of business no longer applies in the global markets (Keillor 2011). The trend of business innovation is moving towards decentralization of markets. Entrepreneurs are considering a more involving business venture where the customers, suppliers and other stakeholders are closely involved in the product and services development. Such approach proves more beneficial in the globalised market just like the trend in expansion of markets. The global market has been a major target for entrepreneurs however more innovation is required to maintain the local market. The idea used in the global market is also applicable in the local market (Keillor 2011). Though the product innovation is crucial in entrepreneurship, the process innovation plays a central role. It is important in adapting to various business environments such as fixing of costs. Process innovation can be used by the businesses which are planning to have decentralized management. Basically each market will be managed according to the requirements and the policies guarding the market. 2. Internation al Trade Barriers Doing business in the international market faces challenges such as quotas, tariffs and non tariffs. Non traffic barriers are usually imposed by governments basically to restrict the quality imports. Such barriers restrict availability of products thus complicating the prices in the market. The result is high prices. A traffic barrier such as taxes, custom duties decreases the volumes of imports thus increasing the prices of products, thus the local market is favored.

Why I want to be an HR Generalist Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Why I want to be an HR Generalist - Essay Example I qualify for this job also because I have about 18 months of experience of working as an HR Generalist with a company where I was required to manage the day-to-day operations, manage employee relations, administer the policies, programs, and procedures, arrange training and development programs for the employees, and address their individualistic and collective issues by serving as a medium of coordination between them and the top management. One thing that I love about working as an HR Generalist is that it involves a lot of strategic management. The HR Generalist has to manage things in a way that generates positive messages for the organizational personnel so that they feel intrinsically motivated to cooperate and be a part of the change. I look forward to this opportunity so that I can apply the concepts I gained through years of training and practical experience.

Financial Planning and Forecasting Essay Example for Free

Financial Planning and Forecasting Essay We have also provided comprehensive documentation on the templates so that you do not need to guess or figure out how we implemented the models. All our template models are only in black and white color. We believe this is how a professional financial template should look like and also that this is the easiest way for you to understand and use the templates. All the input fields are marked with the ‘*’ symbol for you to identify them easily. Whether you are a financial analyst, investment banker or accounting personnel. Or whether you are a student aspiring to join the finance world or an entrepreneur needing to understand finance, we hope that you will find this package useful as we have spent our best effort and a lot of time in developing them. ConnectCode Pg iii Financial Planning and Forecasting Version 1. 0 1. 1. 1 Financial Planning and Forecasting Pro Forma Financial Statements Financial statements projections and forecasting are very common in corporate financial analysis. The reason is that it is very useful and important to forecast how much financing a company will require in future years. The projections are achieved by using historical sales, accounting data and assumptions on future sales and costs. These financial statements projections are known financial modeling as Pro Forma financial statements. 1. 2 Financial Statements Modeling This spreadsheet provides a template for financial statements forecasting. It requires simple financial statements inputs from the past 5 years and will automatically generate all the necessary Pro Forma Financial Statements projections outputs. The following diagram illustrates the process of using this template for financial statements forecasting.

Lim Goh Tong

Lim Goh Tong The person who I admire most is Lim Goh Tong, and thus i had choosen him for my Malaysian Studies term paper topic. There are many great things of Lim Goh Tong that I always admire. He is not only a hardworking person, but also a smart businessman who do the right thing at the right time, I think its safe to say the greatest businessman in Malaysia. Lim Goh Tong was raised in an lower middle-class home, a rustic environment in a village, and was forced to leave school at 16, but yet this didnt hold him back in achieving his dream. Malaysians, especially the young generation, have a lot to learn from Lim Goh Tong. His spirit and courage in meeting challenges have enabled him to rise from nobody to somebody. Even without the advantages of higher education, he has proven that nothing is impossible. 2. Parents and Background He was born in 1918 in Anxi, a county in the region of Quanzhou, Fujian Province. Anxi is well-known for its Oolong tea, and Tiegunyin. His forefathers originated from Penglai, Fujian. At an early time, they migrated to Anxi and settled down there. His grandfather was Lim Mei Chow. His father, Lim Shi Quan, was the eldest of four boys in the family. The other boys were Lim Mo Zi, Lim Mo Sen and Lim Mo Jin. Like Lim Goh Tong, his father and grandfather was an upright man, loved and respected by anyone. His mother, Goh Ban, did not come from a rich family. But she always had the principle of being a good wife and mother. A gentle, affable lady with strong religious beliefs, she loved her family deeply and set a great store by proper upbringing for her children. His father own a business of dealing in vegetable seeds, rabbits and other items, while his mother took care of her seven children. Despite her bound feet, she had to do a lot of heavy work. But she never complained. The couple worked perfectly as a team, in line with the age-old Chinese thinking that the man should take charge of external affairs and the woman, domestic matters. A good parental teachings is very important that could affect a childs life through his behaviour and attitude. Same goes to Lim Goh Tong, his parent had been tirelessly teaching them with traditional Chinese virtues. They kept telling him the importance of hardworking and perseverance. Such parental teachings have a big impact on him and he always have the thought of once he make a commitment to do something, he must try his best to accomplish it. His parent frequently says: Do good to others and youll be rewarded somehow. this has been locked in his mind always, making him a humble man that respected by everyone that works with him. 3. Origin of His Name Lim Goh Tong The name Goh Tong is Fujuan dialect, in Chinese it would be Wu Tong, meaning the parasol tree. According to southern Chinese legend story, the phoenix, the legendary king of the birds, would rest only on wutong trees. There is even a saying of planting a wutong tree to attract phoenix for good fortune. His parents name him after wutong tree was to hoped to bring Lim Goh Tong a good fortune. 4. His Childhood The 1911 Revolution led by Sun Yat Sen that brought an end to Chinas long history of imperial dynasties. Fortunately, his life was relatively sheltered in village, his family was a warm and happy one, he had a happy childhood and opportunity to start studying the Chinese classics at the age of six, when he was not studying, he used to help his father selling vegetable seeds, tea leaves and other goods by the roadside or in the neighboring town of Yongchun. But disaster strucked, his father passed away when he was 16. With the lost of his father, he was forced to leave school. As the oldest son, he had to take over the heavy burden of feeding seven mouths in the family. After getting over the shock and pain of losing his father, he took over his trading business, he faced all sorts of problems. On his first day of business in Yongchun, he had failed to make even a single sale. Life as seed seller was tough. He had to leave home before dawn everyday and walk all the way to Yongchun. Two years passed. He managed to save up about 100 dollars. But due to continuing of civil war came the threats of banditry in his native place. Faced with security problem and declining business, he decided to give up trading to work as a carpenter. This was to be his line for next two years. In the meantime, the situation in China was becoming more and more worrying. Apart from suffering the turmoil from fighting between warrng factions, the people were bracing themselves for a Japanese invasion. As it became increasingly difficult to support a family, many people were head to Nanyang for better opportunity. 5. Head to Malaya Follow his forth uncle footstep, Lim Mo Jin, who had emigrated to Malaya many years earlier and started a contracting business, was already a successful Class A contractor in Kuala Lumpur, he decided to venture out to Malaya and asked his mother if she would lend him part of the money for traveling expenses. And she agreed. In 1937, the year the Japanese staged the Lugouqiao / Marco Polo Bridge Incident (a battle between the Republic of Chinas National Revolutionary Army and the Imperial Japanese Army.). He set off for Malaya with a small suitcase and 175 dollars 100 from his mother and 75 from his own savings. He was 20 years old then. After sailing the South China Sea for eight days, he landed in Singapore, and left 120 dollars. He stayed for two days with his eldest sister before leaving for Kuala Lumpur by train. Kuah Shai Hai, elder brother of his eldest sisters husband, paid for his train ticket and also gave him two dollars for pocket money. In Kuala Lumpur, he lived with his fourth uncle, Lim Mo Jin, and worked for him as a carpenter. He was paid on a daily-wage basis. That meant earning 80 cents a day when there was work and nothing when there was none. Despite his low income, he managed to save up some money to send to his mother every month. In the mean time, he learn Malay Language while working for his uncle. After two-year stint with his uncle, he decided that with the experience he gained, he decided to start out as a building sub-contractor. His first job was to build a two-storey school at the 9th miles, Cheras Road, Kuala Lumpur. He completed the job successfully and made a profit of more than 100 dollars. Three years passed by quickly, he decided to take a risk in returning home. On 29th November 1940, he left for Xiamen by sea via Singapore and continued his journey home by way of Tongan. By then, the Japanese had overrun Xiamen but Tongan remained in the hands of the Nationalists. To avoid trouble, the ship he was sailing on flew the Japanese flag when it entered Xiamen waters and switched to the Chinese flag as soon as it was out of the sphere of Japanese control. He was arrived in Anxi safely. He worked as carpenter in his hometown for 7 months and 7 days then only decide to go back Malaya as the war environment was getting worst. As soon as he back to Malaya, the Japanese restr ict travels in and out of Fujian Province, if he were hesitated about leaving, Genting wouldnt have exist now. About four years later, his mom passed away, sadly, he didnt even have the chance to see her for the last time. He arrived in Kuala Lumpur on August 1941, his fourth uncle then made him a foreman to lead on contractor project. 6. Impact of Japanese invaded Malaya As the Sino-Japanese war continue, rumour about Japanese going to attack countries in Southeast Asia were sirred up. To monitor the movements of Japanese warships, the British colonial government in Malaya decided to build an observation tower on a beach in Penang. His fourth uncle was awarded the job after a successful tender. He entrusted Lim Goh Tong with the task of overseeing the project. He left for Penang immediately to make the necessary preparations. But before he could commence work, the Pacific War had broken out and the project was abandoned. He hurried back to Kuala Lumpur as the strong rumours that a Japanese invasion was going to start. Soon after, the Japanese troops landed, swept through the country and began their brutal occupation that lasted three years and eight months. Kuala Lumpur was in terror after Japanese soldiers overran the city in mid Janyary 1942. Lim Goh Tong and his fourth uncle and Aunt was hid in a rubber plantation near Ampang New Village. During the earlier part of the Japanese Occupation, he earned a living as a vegetable farmer, after eight months, he decided to switch to petty trading. By using his previous experience back home, he started by selling tea leaves, Tiger Balm and other goods in and around Kuala Lumpur. Every morning, he would set off on his bicycle, going from one village to another , shouting his wares along the way. In the course of moving around Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, he came into contact with some others from Anxi who were doing well in second-hand hardware trading. After saving up some money, he joined their ranks. Soon with proper management, his business picked up quickly and he managed ti accumulate a good amount of savings. In 1945, towards the end of World War II, a Japanese-owned steel mill in Klang bought a large quantity of scrap iron from him. Before its Japanese manager could settle the account, he was crippled after being involved in a gun battle with anti-Japanese fighters. Meanwhile, the war situation changed and all signs were pointing to an imminent Japanese surrender. Lim Goh Tong was worried as the debt owed by the steel mill would become irrecoverable, so he got someone to help him write letter for the Japanese manager to sign to certify that he had a large stock of unpaid-for scrap iron in the steel mill. This letter would enable him to claim it back from the relevant authorities that would take over the steel mill. The Japanese finally surrender and British troops returned, with the letter signed by the Japanese manager, he succeeded in claiming back hundreds of thousands of dollars as the stock of scrap iron from British authorities. When the British returned to Malaya, they brought along large quantities of machinery such as cranes, bulldozers and concrete mixers for reconstruction of public facilities. Upon completion of various projects three or four years later, they sold the used machinery to citizen. Lim Goh Tong see the opportunity as many abandoned mines and rubber plantations resumed operations, there was an urgent demand for heavy machinery, especially in the mining sector, so he bought many of the second-hand machines on offer, then reconditioning them and giving them a new coat of paint and resold them at two to three times the prices he had paid for them. 7. Construction Company Kien Huat In 1951, he started buying used bulldozers from military airbases in Johor and Singapore then sell it off to British-owned oil factory, iron mining company and contractor to earn the profit of the price differences.. Ever since he started dealing in heavy machinery, Lim accumulated a wide range of reconditioned machines as well as a substantial amount of cash to move into construction and related industries. In the name of his family construction company, Kien Huat Private Limited. It was first name as Huat Kee, until someone told Lim Goh Tong that companies that named themselves xxx Kee were usually small timers without great ambitions. In 1954, Kien Huat completed several government projects, including the construction of a 20-mile road from the Old Klang Road in Kuala Lumpur to the Majestic Cinema in the old town of Petaling Jaya. The project was completed in three years at a cost of $1 million. Kien Huat was awarded a contract by the Kuala Lumpur Municipal government to construct part of a four-mile sewer from the Kuala Lumpur Railway Station to Klang Road. Each sewer section was 10 feet long, six feet in internal diameter and weighed six tons. The project cost $4.1 million. Construction of the other 1.5 miles of the sewer was undertaken by another contractor. It was a challenging project because two contractors has failed to complete the task, the first one had worked on it for only eight months before quitting without succeeding laying even a single sewer section. The second contractor, a reputable British firm that had demanded a price several times the original before agreeing to take over the job, also failed to complete it. It was due to the soil conditions actually, the soil structure contain 80 percent of rock overlaid with sand and a high water table, but Lim Goh Tong successfully completed the project by using gravel pump instead of water pump by keeping the soil dry enough for concrete to work out. After four years of Kien Huat commencement, Kien Huat had proven its capabilities by successfully completing many major projects. In 1955, Kien Huat had upgraded to Class A Contractor, which means it is qualified to undertake public projects of any size. 7.1. Construction of Ayer Itam Dam Project in Penang Of all the projects undertaken by Kien Huat in 1950s, the one that it took the greatest pride in was the Ayer Itam Dam in Penang. It was not only a milestone for the country but also a first for the local construction industry. The $12 million dam was the first to be built in the country; it was also the first time that a local contractor had been given a construction job of such scale. The dam project was commissioned by the Water Works Department of the Penang government to supply drinking water to the islands residents. During the construction of Ayer Itam Dam, accidents do happens. The British consultant engineer was of the opinion the soil structure at the site was strong enough to support without using wooden until reach 10 feet deep. But Lim Goh Tong concern about the workers safety and it was unsafe to carry out excavation without supporting structures to prevent cave-in. Thus, he ignored the British advice and implemented wooden support for safety purposes, and the project p rogressed smoothly. One day, while Lim Goh Tong was away in Kuala Lumpur, the British engineer asked the workers to remove the wooden supports, and disaster struck, the cave-in occurred soon after killed five workers and injured more than 20 others. Lim Goh Tong rushed back immediately and the engineer admitted his mistake and apologised to Lim Goh Tong. The safety measure adopted once again, and the project was alright in the next four years and completed in 1962, which started in February 1957. The Ayer Itam Dam not only solved the drinking water shortage problem for the islanders, but also helped to prevent flooding during monsoon season. 7.2. Construction of Sultan Yahya Putra Bridge Project, Kota Bharu Ever since Kien Huat had upgraded to Class A Contractor, Kien Huat has becoming busier. Apart from building the dam project in Penang, it also constructed the main building, the mosque and hostel of the Teacher Training College at Pantai Valley in Kuala Lumpur. In 1962, Kien Huat was given the job of constructing the Sultan Yahya Putra Bridge in Kelantan. Costing RM5.2 million, the 2800-foot bridge linking Kotha Bharu and Pasir Mas and leading on to southern Thailand. 7.3. Construction of Hydroelectric Project, Cameron Highlands In 1962, Kien Huat had the opportunity to work on the RM20 million hydroelectric project in the Cameron Highlands, Pahang, The mission of Kien Huat was to construct two dams, one at the seventh mile and another at the 14th mile Tapah-Tanah Rata trunk road and four power stations. The project was designed to meet the growing demand for electric power in Kuala Lumpur. Upon completion of the project in 1968, he moved most of his heavy machinery to Kelantan to work on the Kemubu Irrigation Scheme project, which turned out to be an evenful one that almost make Lim Goh Tong to bankrupt 7.4. Construction of Kemubu Irrigation Scheme, Kelantan The Kemubu Irrigation Scheme is the second largest in Malaysia after the Muda Irrigation Scheme in Kedah, it was implemented by the Agriculture Ministry with a Rm30 million loan from the World Bank to enable farmers to carry out cropping on 47,000 acres of rice land in Kelantan. Kien Huat won the contract with a bid of Rm 54 million, a whopping RM 10 million lower than the closest rival bid of RM 64 million. Many in the same trade think that Lim Goh Tong has gone crazy with the huge lose of money, but instead Lim Goh Tong didnt give up but wanted to prove them wrong. The project was a complicated one that called for the construction of a network of some 570 km of criss-crossing irrigation canals. More than nine million cubic yards of irrigation canals. More than nine million cubic yards of earth had to be excavated and 2000 reinforced concrete structures fabricated for diverting water into paddy fields. In addition, they had to build more than 200 bridges that used up some 20000 feet of concrete pipes of diameters ranging from 3 to 6 feet. Based on Lim Goh Tong calculation, he would be able to make RM 3 million from the project. Work commenced on 1st August 1968 after the contract for the project had been signed. The French firm of Sogreah acted as project consultants. In the months that followed, the project face many problems, like delay in the Governments acquisitions of land, thefts of equipment and materials from work sites, severe flooding due to monsoons and the May 13, 1969 incident. Progress of work slowed down greatly. All the problems causes RM5 million loss at the end of the first year and causing financial problem. Just when the problem happened, Mr Chin Sophonpanich, then chariman of Bangkok Bank, gave him an overdraft. At that time his overdraft account with Bangkok Bank was more than RM5 million in the red. Cash flow problems aside, he then continue with his project, but unfortunately at the end of the first year, Kien Huat had managed to complete only five per cent of the project. And thus, the projects consultant was unhappy, and in the next two months, they kept issuing warning letters to Lim Goh Tong. In a single day on 19th August 1969, he received 29 registered letters, all with the same contents saying that they would sue him and make him a bankrupt. Lim Goh Tong decide to hit back and to meet with project manager, telling them the delay of project was created by late land acquisitions from the Government, all proven by documents and hence it is unfair to put the blame on Lim Goh Tong. Lim also make a bet of if he could finish only another five or six per cent of the project after six months, then the project manager could sue him to bankrupt, they have granted him permission to continue with the project then. Lim Goh Tong the scaled down the structures as he found the structure was over design, the consultants too approved his proposal. The change resulted in a much simpler and faster way of working, less than 4 months he had completed about 60 percent of the whole project. And eventually the Kemubu Irrigation was completed on schedule, Kien Huat not only managed to make a profit of RM4 million, but also help the Government save more than RM10 million in costs. 8. Join in Southern Bank While Lim Goh Tong was building the Ayer Itam Dam, he used to get his fuel supply from a petrol station at the foothill. In the view of frequent transactions, He decided, for convenience, to make out a RM 5000 cheque then have his purchases deducted there from, upon depletion of the amount, he would top up with another RM 5000 cheque. By chance, he knew the petrol station boss Tan Sri Loh Boon Siew, a well known Malaysian enterpreneur now. Later, Tan Sri Loh Boon Siew invited Lim Goh Tong to jon him, Low Yat, Tan Seng Kee and Lim Chong in establishing Southern Bank, Penang first local bank. Each of them own 20 per cent stake. Lim Goh Tong stake in the bank was then taken over by Tan Teong Hean, his eldest son-in-law and son of Tan Seng Kee. Today, Southern Bank is one of the 10 core banks in Malaysia. 9. Development of Genting Highlands His idea of developing a mountain reort was not the result of an active search for business opportunities, in fact it was pop up in his mind in one night in 1963. At that time, he was sub-contractor for the Cameron Highlands Hydroelectric Project. That night, he had dinner in Cameron Highlands with the German firms General Manager, chief engineer and nine other people. After a few rounds of liquor, he felt hot and went out for some fresh air, as he stood there taking in the enchanting highland night view, cool breeze blew over him. It was so soothing and refreshing that he just closed his eyes and took a deep breath of mountain air. Then a train of thought ran through his mind. The first thing that struck him was that in tropical Malaysia, everybody likes to retreat to a cool mountain resort for a holiday every noe and then. This could be seen from the popularity of Cameron Highlands with the local as well as foreign tourists. But Cameron Highlands was a good four or give hours drive from Kuala Lumpur and the roads uphill were narrow and winding. He was also convinced that as the standard of living rose steadily in a fast developing Malaysia, more and more people would visit moutain resorts for relaxation and recreation. A Kuala Lumpur resident for many years, he was familiar with the terrain of its surrounding areas. He knew the only likely place to find a mountain high enough for a resort was around Bentong in the east. The moment he returned to Kuala Lumpur, he got hold of a topographical map of the Bentong district and scanned it. Gunung Ulu Kali at a place called Genting Sempah caught his eyes immediately. Within days, he assembled a team to explore the mountain and its surrounding areas. During the expedition that lasted nine days and eight nights, they gathered a wealth of data on the topography, drainage, soil conditions and other relevant aspects of the region. During their survey, they discovered that the little known mountain is in between border of states of Pahang and Selangor. In te latter part of 1963, he began by putting in an application to the Pahang State Government for the land at Genting Sempah for development of a tourist resort. The Bentng District Officer advised him to approach the Federal Government directly as the yalready had a plan to develop Genting Sempah. Tan Sri Haji Mohd Noah bin Omar introduce him to Tunku Abdul Rahman, our first Prime Minister. Tunku Abdul Rahman confirmed that the Government had wanted to develop the mountrain, but the plan had been postponed due to the road of access that require about 15 years to complete. Moreover, the country was confronting with Indonesia. Putting huge amount of funds into the development of a holiday resort at that time would give ammunition to the opposition, thus Tunku Abdul Rahman decided to allow the private sector to carry out the project. After preparing a project paper within a week to Tunku Abdul Rahman, he approved Lim Goh Tong to start the project. On 27th April 1965, Tan Sri Haji Mohamad Noah and Lim Goh Tong incorporated a private company called Genting Highlands Sdn Bhd. For the next five years, they applied to the Pahang and Selangor State Government for 4940 hectares and 1110 hectares of freehold land respectively. With Tunkus recommendation, the Pahang State Government approved their application. However, the Selangor Menteri Besar Datuk Harun Idris would only give the land on a 99-year lease. Lim went to see Datuk Harun and explained to him that he needed a freehold land because it would take 30 to 40 years and enormous investments to build roads, hotels, staff quarters and to install water and electricity supplies in the jungle area. At last, his request has been granted. On 8th August 1965, he led a team of technicians and workers to begin work, the government then agreed to build a telecomunications tower half-way up the mountain for better reception but with condition of the road has to be completed in three years and promised giving RM900,000 subsidy. Since he had to complete it fast, he make his construction team to work in two shifts round the clock, seven days a week. Besides working flat out on the job, he also threw in all the resources and equipment of his family company, Kien Huat, including bulldozers, tractors, air compressors and lorries. To complicated matters, around this time Lim had to start work on th Kemubu Irrigation Scheme in Kelantan, the contract for which he had bid earlier. Supervising and co-ordinatiing the two projects at the same time stretched his physical endurance to the limits. He shuttled between Kuala Lumpur and Kelantan, to him there were no rest days on Sundays and public holidays. Fortunately they did meet the dea dline and receive the promised RM900,000 subsidy, a big amount at that time and a great help to them. There was, however, another problem happen before Gentings official opening. When it was all geared up to commence business in January 1971, Kuala Lumpur and its surrounding areas were hit by the worst rainstorms in a century. The road to Genting was closed by landslides at 180 locations. It took them some four months to repair the damaged sections. Finally, Genting opened its door for business on 8th May 1971. It was a dream come true for Lim Goh Tong 9.1. Development of Genting Casino Lim Goh Tong original vision for the Genting resort was a highland retreat where the old and the young families could come to holiday. On 31st March 1969 when our Bapa Malaysia Tunku Abdul Rahman made his first visit to Genting Highlands. In his speech, the Tunku said he was moved by Lim effects to develop, without Government help, a highland resort for all Malaysians and thus greatly contribute to the countrys tourism indusry. To help improve Genting to a better tourist spot, Government would consider an application from Genting to operate a casino. On 28th April 1969, Lim submitted his application for a casino licence to the Government through the Tunkus Private Secreatary, Datuk Nik Hassan. Later in afternoon, just six hours after Lim submitted his application, came the good news that it had been approved and he was asked to collect the approval letter, thus, Genting Highlands became the first and only casino licence holder in the country. The May 13th incident happened soon after that, the government stated policy that no more casino licences would be approved. Soon after that, Lim Goh Tong proceeding to Macau to meet Mr Stanley Ho, the owner of Macaus only casino, to discuss the issue of co-operation in running the casino. However, for certain reasons, they did not succeed in reaching an agreement. Two years later, Lim finally struck a deal with Chun Rak Won, the operator of the only casino in Seoul, Korea. They signed a three-year agreement with his company which was to provide the expertise in managing the Genting casino. Unfortunately, the co-opetaion lasted only nine months before it was terminated by mutal consent, Genting took over the entire casino operation, learnt the ropes of the trade over time and eventually mastered the management skills. 9.2. Obtain Pioneer Status from Government Based on an annual taxable income of RM 2 million, Genting would be paying RM800000 income tax every year (the corporate income tax rate then was 40%), or a total of RM4 million for five years. It was critical to the company during the period when it had to invest heavily in resort infrastructure development. A five-year tax holiday would enable Genting to plough back all its profits into developing hotels and other tourist facilities, including a man-made lake, a cable car system, a golf course and the Chin Swee Temple. Upon completion, these facilities would attract more visitors and generate earnings many times what the resert would otherwise be able to. More importantly, the government would have fattened a revenue cow that promised to keep on giving good milk for a long, long time. The officials saw merit in his argument. On their recommendation, Genting was granted a five-year pioneer status with effect from 8th May 1971. It is proved to be a win-win decision. The tax the Gover nment collected from Genting later was far greater than the amount exempted during the tax holiday. 9.3. Development of Gohtong Jaya In 1993, at the suggestion of Dr Mahathir, Genting Development Sdn Bhd, started started developing a township on an 81 hectare piece of land at the seventh milestone of Jalan Genting Highlands, around the site of the Genting Highlands, around the site of the Genting Skyway cable car station. The Prime Minister offered many valuable ideas on the development of the township. Its name, Gohtong Jaya, was chosen with Dr Mahathir. The name Jaya which means success in Bahasa Melayu. 9.4. Development of Chin Swee Temple In 1966, when construction of the access road had reached the site where the Chin Swee Temple stands now, several workers and Lim Goh Tong spent the night in a cave at the end of a hard days work. During his sleep, he dreamt of the Chin Swee god a god widely pray in his native Anxi county in the Fujian Province. Chin Swee god told him kindly that he could stake everything on the development of Genting Highlands because it was a promising land that held a bright future for him. He woke up with renewed confidence and made a secret swear that if he succeeded in developing the resort, he would build a temple. In 1975, he set up a temple-building committee to take charge of the implementation of the project. Work on Phase One of the project started in 1976 and was completed after three years at a cost of RM1.6 million. Lim Goh Tong even made a special trip to Anxi to bring back a statue of the Chin Swee deity which was officially installed in the temple on 20th September 1979. After 18 long years and costing over RM10 million, the Chin Swee Temple was officially opened on 29th March 1994. Chin Swee Temple is now a popular place of praying as well as a tourist attraction of the resort. 10. Origin of the Name Genting Genting Sempah, the orignial name of the place, sounded simple and pleasant enough to Lim Goh Tong and he liked it. However, he found it quite hard to pronounce for the name of a company and a resort, so he decided to drop the second word and retain Genting only. At first, the Chinese name Yin (Silver) Ding (Top) is used, since Cameron Highland in chinese is Jin Ma Lun (Jin means gold). Lim Goh Tong thought that Yin Ding was a fitting choice because it contains the silver, and to the Chinese, jin (Gold) and yin (Silver) symbolising wealth and prosperity. But it turned out many has start criticizing after the name of Yin Ding has put into use, many think Yin Ding doesnt have anything to do with a resort on top of mountain, and it was vulgar to have a name just to associated with gold and silver. At the end, his wife (Lee Kim Hua) suggest to use Yun Ding (Cloud Top) since genting is located on top of a high moutain where people can touch the clouds floating around she said. Yun Ding has been in use ever since. 11. Rest in Peace Lim Goh Tong died on 23 October 2007, at Subang Jaya Medical Centre (SJMC). He is survived by his wife Puan Sri Lee Kim Hua, and their six children and 19 grandchildren. His body was laid to rest at Gohtong Memorial Park at Gohtong Jaya on Monday 29 October 2007 12. Conclusion The story of Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong is an inspiring one, beginning with nothing to his name, he turned difficulties into opportunities, took much calculated risks and confounded sceptics through sheer foresight and perseverance. it gives us a lot of inspiration as we want to become a businessman. He work hard for his entire life to realise his own dream. He success to realise his o