Business Start-Up from Scratch Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Business Start-Up from Scratch - Essay Example Smart thinking should be employed in order to have potential for growth (Marinel 5). Factors to consider when starting There are various factors to consider before starting a business. One factor is the area of expertise and knowledge. The entrepreneurs must come together and evaluate the level of expertise in providing the good or service they intend to market through their business. For a business to be successful, the business partners must have some experience in the field in which they want to invest. Many businesses fail due to lack of knowledge. The exposure could come from employment in other companies or organizations offering similar products or services. The knowledge should be reinforced by research into the prospects of the product faring well in the market to avoid frustrations. Every niche of a business requires a specific set of skills and, therefore, some require more expertise than others. The knowledge should be coupled with the desire to succeed. Many starters fai l in business due to diminishing passion once they face hardships. The people who want to start the company must, therefore, have a culmination of passion if the business is to take off the ground (Marinel 5). The second factor to consider is the market and demand for the product. Before investing in the product, it would be necessary to determine how much of the product will be sold in certain duration. This is a crucial marker for projecting the profitability. The main reason for starting a business is to make a profit and profit involves sale volumes. The product should be sold in areas where its demand is felt. Some products do well in the local market while others would do well in the international market. Extensive research should be done in order to determine the area in which the product will have enough demand to sustain the development of the business. The target customers should also be established. This helps in demarcating the market into various segments based on facto rs such as the lifestyle, age, and income. Accuracy in determining a market segment is essential to facilitate the recouping of the initial cost as well as driving the business forward. This becomes facilitated by the products ability to satisfy a need in the market. The product launch should also be timely in order to develop a customer base (Longenecker 28). Competition should be the next factor to consider. The entrepreneurs should be able to determine the level of competition they expect when entering the market. This is critical in determining whether they have a competitive advantage against the already established would be competitors. The competitive advantage receives creation if the customers perceive the product to be of superior quality than the others in the market. The product concept should be judged on the opportunity, for business it creates. A brilliant concept does not necessarily imply a fantastic investment opportunity (Longenecker 29). Technology of making the product should also be considered. With time, technological advances evolve in production of many goods in the market. Technological aspect makes a key factor in increasing the competitive advantage by being able to produce higher units of the product, and increasing the cost effectiveness. Once the product to be marketed has been determined, the investors should evaluate their technology to determine if it will help them satisfy the demand effectively, and whether it will reduce

Ethan Frome Essay Example for Free

Ethan Frome Essay Ethan Frome had nothing but sickness and trouble. His life revolves around taking care of one invalid after another, from his father, his mother to his hypochondriac wife and finally ending up as a disfigured and very image of â€Å"ruin of a man†. He failed to achieve any of his ambitions to leave town and become an engineer and did not succeed even in his desire to run away with Mattie Silver. Aside from poverty, the rigid moral character of Ethan prevents him from going against the social conventions in favor of his personal ambitions and fulfillment. Set in New England, in the rural town of Starkfield, Massachusetts, this literary piece was written by Edith Wharton in 1922. The bleak environment of seemingly endless winter aptly sets the tone of the story and the fate of Ethan Frome. A narrator who was forced to stay in Starkfield because of a workers strike was instantly fascinated by Frome’s appearance that looks quite old for a man of fifty-two and disfigured since an accident twenty-four years ago when he first saw him outside of the post office. He went on to find out more about him as he had the story, bit by bit, from various people, and, as generally happens in such cases, each time it was a different story (1). The story of Ethan Frome is a portrayal of a passive and unhappy man who is weighed down by his duty to his wife and his bitter existence as a poor farmer. Ethan had been in Starksfield since his youth when his father died and he had to come home to take care of his ailing mother and their farm. Prior to this event, he was taking a technological course in Worcester but the lack of money prevented him from realizing his dream to become an engineer. He decided to marry Zenobia Pierce or Zeena, his cousin who came to help him care for his mother, after the burial as he was afraid to spend the winter alone. Though Zeena was lively and cheerful at first, she later on fell silent and sickly. He woulf often think that had his mother died in the springtime he would not have thought of offering marriage to Zeena. Her illnesses became her obsession as she would go on a monthly trip to Bettsbridge to see her doctor. For rural towns like Starkfield, people with sickness or complications are common topic for conversations and are â€Å"singled out for a great fate†. Zeena’s illness became her weapon that she uses to take control of the household and of Ethan. Mattie Silver actually came to the Fromes to do the household chores in exchange for the food and shelter as she was also destitute after the death of her parents. Since she was not used to doing housekeeping, Ethan would help her out in doing her chores just so she would not incur the wrath of Zeena. Ethan eventually fell in love with lively and cheerful Mattie who gave Ethan respite from the isolation and loveless match with a sickly and whining woman. The illicit relationship however advances to no more than holding of hands as both Mattie and Ethan are too afraid to defy the forces of social and marital duties. The time came though that Zeena decided to send Mattie away because of a broken red pickle dish that is symbolic in the story of the marriage of Ethan and Zeena. The idea of living apart from each other was unbearable for Mattie and Ethan that upon the suggestion of the former, they went on to take a sleigh ride that would crash them into the big elm tree. The attempted suicide failed leaving Ethan disfigured and Mattie a paralyzed woman. The irony of the story is that in the end Zeena seem to overcome her illness and became the caregiver of the now invalid, whining Mattie and the lame Ethan. The entire life of Ethan Frome had been a series of dreams destroyed because of the circumstances of him being poor and his adherence to social duty. His opportunity to leave town and finish education to eventually become an engineer was hindered when his father died and he has a farm and an ailing mother to take care of. Their farm as he said was â€Å"side-tracked† when the railroads where put up and no more people came to town. He blames this as the cause as to why his mother’s condition deteriorated. It could also mean the lost opportunities for the town and also to him as the place got left behind in the course of development. Ethan was one of the people stuck in Starkfield, a place where most of the smart ones get away(14) as Harmon Gow, the stage driver in the story, aptly puts it. The bleakness that surrounds Starkfield, for one thing, is not an environment that would nurture youth and create a field for dreams to come true. The narrator in the story noted that although he initially felt invigorated by the clear blue skies and shocking white of snow, this was soon followed by long periods of cold and darkness that he begun to understand the deadness of the community (15). In an environment that was neither nurturing nor bountiful, Ethan is further subdued into the tangled web of harshness and scarcity. The Fromes practically had to eke living from what little they could get from their farm for their survival. The connection between the land and the people is symbolic in the story. The environment made life for the townspeople difficult such as when Ethan and another man had to struggle in the sleet just to be able to transport logs. Starkfield is isolation in itself, with the places beyond it seen as a place to â€Å"get away† so as to seek a different fortune or freedom from the drab and coldness of the place. The limitations of the environment coupled with poverty further intensified the lost potentials of Ethan Frome. There was the poignant scene where the narrator accidentally left his biochemistry book in the sleigh and later on sees it in Frome’s hand. Ethan was both fascinated and humbled by the book as he exclaimed, There are things in that book that I didnt know the first word about (18). It shows that Ethan’s curiosity and intellect had very few outlets in that kind of environment. For a fifty-two year old man who found excitement in a book, it is painful to think of what he could have been had he got the chance to explore his potentials. The conflict between personal passion and social convention is another theme portrayed in the story. The character of Zeena and Mattie were so different that the reader would readily understand the choice of Ethan between them. Mattie symbolizes beauty and energy in her ways, in the colors that she uses from the ribbons in her hair to the dish that she illicitly uses whereas Zeena possesses the deathly and sickly qualities in life. The sexual and emotional frustration in the marriage of Zeena and Ethan is symbolized by the unused pickle dish. Though shown as Zeena’s most prized possession, it remains at the topmost of the china closet left and unused. The barren relationship that they have is further portrayed with them not having children and hardly ever sharing a conversation. Ethan fell in love with Mattie and had come to hate Zeena but his strong sense of marital duty prevents him from deciding to be with Mattie. He acts with uncertainty and frustration under the looming shadow of his obligation to Zeena that it created a conflict in him. Ethan is also hesitant to leave his sickly wife for he believes that if he went away it would leave Zeena alone and penniless. Even in the moment when Zeena went away, her presence was greatly felt in imagined visions and in the symbol of the cat. Conventionally, the society upholds marriage as a sacred bond and is, in fact, at the apex of the set social orders. A man and woman are joined in marriage; it is protected by the norms of the society to keep the union intact. The critical eyes of the society is so that it could even permeate walls of intimate moments like the evening that Ethan and Mattie spent together when Zeena went away from the town to see a doctor. Their excitement though withered when the cat broke the dish and the looming figure of Zeena in their minds. Zeena’s absence bear more weight that her presence that conversation became impossible. The circumstance does not allow them to attempt to recreate a fantasy of life together, spending an evening as a husband and wife would. Their passion was shrouded by guilt and the unseen eyes of the society that both of them felt in the situation. As Ethan noted in the warm lamplit room, with all its ancient implications of conformity and order, she (Mattie) seemed infinitely farther away from him and more unapproachable (54). Conformity and order in the living room reminded Ethan that it belongs to Zeena and Ethan and could never be Mattie and Ethan. And when Ethan crossed the line when showed the slightest act of passion by kissing a piece of cloth that she was sewing, Mattie was spurred into retreating, scared of the repercussions with the transgression made. Poverty also limited the illicit lovers from taking serious step in pursuing an adulterous affair. Mattie, for one, was in a very precarious condition being dependent on the Fromes for her daily sustenance. Having nowhere else to go, she is also afraid of going into that kind of relationship with Ethan that could take away the refuge that she now has. Ethan, on the other hand, his duty to his wife and even to the Hales prevents him from acting on the situation like the loan that he planned to take from the Hale in able to elope with Mattie. Ethan did not only sacrifice his chance on love but he also sacrificed his ambitions just so he can fulfill his social duties. He had to give up his dream to move out of Starkfield and of becoming an engineer to care for his father, his mother and the farm. And upon the death of his mother, he end up in frustrated desire to fulfill his dreams for he was trapped in a marriage with a sickly wife whom he cannot bear to leave because of her condition. Though a sympathetic character, Ethan Frome can be also frustrating because of his lack determination to change the course of his life. He allows circumstances to take over him and did not decidedly pursue his interests and ambitions. Like the epitaph of the original Ethan Frome in the graveyard with his wife Endurance, he endures rather than act on his fate in pursuit of happiness and fulfillment. In his relationship with Mattie, instead of finding the courage to address his dilemma he opted for suicide with his lover, which he did not even decide on but took on upon the suggestion of Mattie. This was his only bold decision in the entire novel but this too ended up as a failure leaving him ruined and destined to live his entire life with an invalid lover and a controlling wife. Though Ethan is a sensitive and decent person he lacks emotional strength and determination. Instead of mustering enough courage to defy conventions, he chose not to take decisions and face the consequences of it, The deadened vitality of Ethan Frome from the decades of frustrations and his inability to rise up beyond the circumstances had left him in a situation where is â€Å"not much difference between the Fromes up at the farm and the Fromes down in the graveyard†.

Evaluation of Hemodialysis Patients’ Tumor Marker

Evaluation of Hemodialysis Patients’ Tumor Marker CEA tumor marker level associates comorbidity of hemodialysis patients Purposes: Hemodialysis (HD) affects serum concentration of biomarkers. However, it remains unclear about the effect of HD on the levels of biomarkers, and efficacy of biomarkers in HD. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of HD on commonly used tumor markers. Methods: A total of 28 unselected patients (22 men, 6 women) with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), treated with maintenance HD, were enrolled in this study. GOT and tumor markers CA-153, CA-125, and CEA are measured. Results: The mean age was 57.6  ± 12.6 years, HD duration was 51.0  ± 34.0 months. Tumor marker CEA level is correlated to Charlson’s score of HD patients, levels of CA153 and CA125 are not correlated to age, duration of dialysis and Charlson’s score. GOT level is correlated to age, and Charlson’s score. Mean value of CEA level (5.9 ±4.0 ng/ml compared to normal value of 3 ng/ml for non-smoker and 5 ng/ml for smoker) is larger than normal value. Levels of CA153 (13.3 ±11.6 U/ml), CA125 (35.2 ±38.9 U/ml) and GOT value (20.4 ±8.9 U/L) fall in normal range. Conclusions: Concentration of CEA tumor marker is correlated with Charlson’s score which strongly correlated with HD outcome. GOT value is correlated with age and Charlson’s score which implies liver function drop in long term HD patients. Keywords: biomarkers, End-Stage Renal Disease, evaluation, hemodialysis, CEA. Introduction Hemodialysis (HD) is widely used for kidney failure patients who may represent a variety of underlying causes, including diabetes, hypertension, and glomerulonephritis. The dialysis membrane in artificial kidney tube filtrates out small molecules especially for small molecular weight proteins (i.e., et. al. shows that cancer-free HD man demonstrated significantly lower PSA compared to controls [8]. Here we examine the serum level of commonly used molecular biomarkers, i.e., CA-153, CA125, CEA, and GOT of HD patients. Patient and materials Study subjects Experiments performed in this study complied with the current laws and regulations in Taiwan, Republic of China. All procedures are followed by the ethnical guideline and approved by Kaohsiung Armed Forces Hospital committee, Taiwan. A total of 28 persons between the ages of 37 and 76 years with end-stage renal disease, receiving dialysis treatment three times per week, were enrolled in a prospective study in March 2008. Dialysis was carried out using a Nikkiso DBB-22B dialysis machine with 4 hours session. Dialyzer with APS 18MD (Asahi Kasei, Osaka, Japan, polysulfone membrane, surface area 1.8 m2, in vitro clearances for urea, 198 ml/min for QB-200 ml/min). Blood flow rate was setting at 200 ml/min. Patients with vascular success insufficiency which can’t reach required blood flow rate was excluded. Ultrafiltration rate (512 ±85 ml/h) was adjusted according to the patients’ needs. The flow and temperature of the dialysate was 500 ml/min and 37oC, respectively. Vascu lar access was either via an arterio-venous fistula (sixteen treatments), graft (nine treatments), or a Perm catheter (three treatment). Serum CA-153, CA125, CEA, GOT levels were measured before and immediately after HD using low-flux membrane. Blood/serum collection Serum samples were collected from HD patients during and after the course of HD treatment. 5 ml blood was collected in EDTA tube. The serum were then stored in 4oC and processed within 12 hours. The serum samples were centrifuged at 2000 rpm for 10 min prior to splitting into aliquots and stored at -20oC. Laboratory methods The serum levels of CA-153, CA125, CEA and GOT were measured with Abbott Axsym analyzer (Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, III). The reference ranges of the markers were: CA-153, 0-31.3 U/ml; CA-125, 0-35 U/ml; CEA, 0-3 ng/ml for non-smoker, and 0-5 ng/ml for smoker; GOT, 0-32 U/L. Statistical analysis The data reported are means  ± standard deviations (SD). Pearson correlation coefficient (r) was used for analyses of linear associations. Because the concentrations of serum tumor markers were not normally distributed, significance of differences was assessed by Wilcoxon Matched-Pairs Signed-Ranks Test. The level of statistical significance was always set at P Results Baseline demographic and clinical data We analyzed 28 patients, of which 22 were men and 6 were women. The baseline demographic and clinical data are summarized in Table 1. All patients are diagnosed as end-stage renal failure. The mean age was 57.8  ± 12.6 years. Mean dialysis vintage was 51.0  ± 34.0 months. Measurement of tumor marker concentration of hemodialysis patients The mean value of CA-153, CA125, and GOT fall in normal range (16.5 ±16.3 before hemodialysis, and 18.6 ±16.3 after hemodialysis, compared with 31.3 U/ml normal value, 35.2 ±38.9 before dialysis, and 34.3 ±41.2 after hemodialysis, compared to Correlates of serum markers Correlations between serum markers levels and age, duration of dialysis and Charlson’s score are tested. Of all variables, patient age and Charlson’s score are correlated with levels of some serum markers. CEA level was correlated with Charlson’s score (r=0.42, p=0.03) (Fig. 1).GOT level was correlated with age (r=0.42, p=0.02) (Fig. 2) and Charlson’s score (r=0.48, p=0.01) (Fig. 3). Other variables, including CA-153, CA125 is not correlated with age (r=0.07, p=0.7; r=0.2, p=0.3, respectively), and also not correlated with duration of HD, Charlson’s score (Table 2). Direct effect of hemodialysis on concentration of serum markers Since the data of CA-153, CA125, CEA and GOT fail in normal distribution test, Wilcoson signed rank tested is chosen to compare groups before and after hemodialysis. Groups of CA-153, CA125, CEA, and GOT before hemodialysis are not significantly different to that after hemodialysis (Table 3). Discussion CA-153, CA-125, CEA are commonly used tumor markers. CA-125 is a glycoprotein with high molecular weight (> 200 kDa), and is a cancer antigen for monitor mesothelium especially for ovarian cancer. Recently, CA-125 is used to monitor mesothelial cell viability in PD patients [9,10]. CEA is carcinoembryonic antigen with a molecular weight about 180-200 kDa, commonly used for monitoring gastric cancer [11], weakly correlate with carotid atherosclerosis [12], and with prognostic value of colorectal cancer in PD patients [13]. The mean value of CEA of 28 patients is higher than normal value, which is consistent with previous reports that patients with ESRD are usually with higher risk of cancer, and with higher levels of tumor markers [14]. In our cases, patient no.2, 5, 9, 13 and 27 were expired within 1 year after diagnosis. Patient no. 2 is finally diagnosed as hepatoma, patient no. 5 is cirrhosis of liver and died in septicemia, patient no. 9 is died in leukemia, and patient no 13 is died in lung cancer. It shows that high levels of CEA correlated with Charlson’s score which implies poor outcome, however it remain further confirmation. CA-153 is correlated to risk of liver disease. Though 8% patients were diagnosed liver diseases, but their GOT value fall in normal range, and CA-153 values of them were also normal. There are many reports indicated that long term hemodialysis may affect levels of biomarkers. We showed that biomarkers alter non-significantly after one HD procedure. It is interesting that recent report indicated acute effects of HD treatment on up- or down regulation of apoptotic genes in blood leucocytes [15] Tumor markers were produced by neoplastic cells, and can also be secreted by normal tissue. Many chronic diseases, e.g., inflammation, chronic bronchitis, cirrhosis of liver and renal diseases, affect the metabolism and elimination of tumor markers, may contribute the long term elevation of tumor markers. Our data show that short term effect of HD on patients is not significant. And all 4 serum markers are not correlated with duration of HD. It seems that the response of patients to HD doesn’t directly affect levels of these serum markers. However, CEA and GOT are shown to be candidates markers for monitoring HD outcome as they are positively correlated with Charlsonà ¢â‚¬â„¢s score. Table I Baseline demographic and clinical data GFR, glomerular filtration rate; NPCR, normalized protein catabolic rate, *Modified Charlson’s comorbidity score is calculated according to Beddhu S, 2000. Table II. Correlation of serum markers and age, duration of HD, and Charlson’s score. Table III. Comparison of serum tumor markers before and after hemodialysis Legends to Figures Figure 1.Scatter plots, regression line, and 95% confidence intervals reflecting correlations between serum levels of CEA and Charlson’s score of 28 HD patients. Figure 2.Scatter plots, regression line, and 95% confidence intervals reflecting correlations between serum levels of GOT and Charlson’s score of 28 HD patients. Figure 3.Scatter plots, regression line, and 95% confidence intervals reflecting correlations between serum levels of GOT and age of 28 HD patients.

The Manager From Uzbekistan English Language Essay

The Manager From Uzbekistan English Language Essay This time, the manager from Uzbekistan is heading to Malaysia, to the beautiful country of forests and mountains, located in southeast Asia. Malaysia is a very interesting country that combines the features of the West and East cultures, it uses the development system of the Western culture, but at the same time, remains the traditions of the East. The people, who live there, Malaysians, are really proud of their country, their history and their culture. The formation of the Malay culture was influenced by many nations in the past, including local inhabitants, Malays who moved there, Chinese and Indian traders and, of course, the British colonizers. Even now the Malaysia is a multicultural country, where people of different nations live and cooperate together, especially Malays, Chinese, Indians and Eurasians. The unity is also supported in Malaysias motto, which is directly translated as Unity is Strength. The Malaysian constitution proposes the freedom of religion, nevertheless, it has clearly stated that the Islam is the main state religion and Malay is the main language. British influence can be observed in Malaysias governance as Malaysia is a constitutional monarchy with a king, who is a head of state, the Malay constitution is also based on English Law. I personally think that for Uzbek manager it wont be as hard to understand Malaysian culture as we have the same religion and some similar traditions, but anyway lets help him. Hofstedes framework Lets look at the Malaysia in the framework of the Hofstedes model, which measures such cultural dimensions as the power distance, individualism and collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, masculinity and femininity, long-term and short-term orientations. Power distance According to (http://geert-hofstede.com/malaysia.html), power distance is the degree, by which the society tolerates the inequality of power and authority and the division on social stratas. In other words, are people comfortable with the idea that their society consists of poor people as well authoritative and powerful people? The statistics from (cont) show that Malaysia has a very high score of 104 in power distance index, which means that inequality of people is encouraged in this country, there is a strong hierarchy and every person has his own place. In the organizations, boss or manager is the source of power and his decisions are right like the law, so they must be performed by lower ranking employees without any challenges. Anyway, lower ranking employees always expect to be told what they should do. In addition, it means that contact with the boss can be achieved only through the command line. According to (http://typeandculture.org/Pages/C_papers93/20Ismail.pdf), survey sh owed that 69,4% of Malaysian managers use the sensing-judging style or tell style of communication with their subordinates, they always control and tell employees what to do. Individualism and collectivism Further dimension, individualism and collectivism, as it can be understood, refers to how people are treated in the culture as an individual person or they tend to belong to a certain group, in other words, do people say I or we about themselves. The statistics from (cont) show 26 low score in individualism index, which means that collectivism is more developed in Malaysia. People belong to a certain groups and there is a strong relationship between the group members, so that the group members always take care of each other. Success is considered to be the result of the group work performance. The individual person who doesnt belong to any group isnt respected and even counted. According to (http://www.idjrb.com/articlepdf/malaysiamanagers.pdf) there are lots of Malay proverbs promoting collectivism and here are the few: A heavy load should be borne together as well as a light load ,As a bamboo conduit makes a round jet of water, so taking counsel tog ether rounds men to one mind. Uncertainty avoidance The third dimension is uncertainty avoidance referring to(http://www.contentfy.com/malaysia-analysis/) , which shows the degree by which cultures are afraid of uncertainty and try to avoid it. Again the statistics from (cont) shows 36 index, meaning that Malay culture is more tolerate towards uncertainty. While USA tries to control the uncertainty by rules or actions to minimize it, the Malay culture dont have against uncertainty rules and they just let it be the way it is. Due to risk about future, people are more flexible to changes there. Masculinity and femininity The next dimension is masculinity and femininity, which describes the main cultural traits of society. This time, referring to (cont) Malaysia has 50, which means that it has features of both masculine and feminine cultures. Masculinity can be seen in placing male traits such as competitiveness, power and success as the main cultural values, whereas, for feminine cultures the important values are the life quality and relationships. Of course, most Malaysians work very hard in order to be successful, and, as a collectivistic culture, they also dont forget about importance of maintaining good relationship within the group, therefore Malays mostly try to combine both in the workplace. Long-term and short-time orientation Finally, I am pretty sure that Malays as a people, who tend to have relaxed time nature and who value the strong relationships and success, would prefer long-term orientations as only long period of time can help to achieve success and strong relationships. In addition, (http://www.contentfy.com/malaysia-analysis/) states that Malaysians do not rely on the short term goals but rather they focus on long term goals to be achieved which make them one of the developing nations of the world. Halls model Now we will find out the communication style of Malays using the Halls framework, which proposes that there are high-context and low-context communication cultures. I would surely state that Malays are the high-context communication culture. This decision is right with reference to (http://businesscommunication.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/09ABC05.pdf), which clarifies that high-context communication cultures build close relationships, they use indirect messages and analogous language, and they widely use non-verbal messages in the communication. Close Relationships Firstly, Malays tend to build close relationships during communication. Malays are very hospitable, they always welcome their guests serving them with their traditional food and drinks. This tradition has been also used now in business meetings. The main intention here is to create a comfortable atmosphere for communication. The (same) notes that even during meetings, Malays firstly try to build the relationship with his partner asking him a lot of personal questions. Only after that, the partners get to the business. Indirect messages Further, Malays are comfortable to use indirect messages. They talk around things and leave the message to be understood by the interpreter. For example, instead of telling the friend directly: I need the ride to home, they say: Oh I am so tired and I need to go home on bus, expecting the message to be interpreted as a desire to get a ride. According to (same), in Malay culture, due to the mutual respect, it is impolite to tell straightly the desire as it sounds demanding, moreover, it is impolite to express negative feelings directly or to say no. Non-verbal language Thirdly, Malays use the non-verbal messages more in their communication, because their language contains less verbal information, as a result, the Malay interpreter is more sensitive to non-verbal language. For example, according to (same), in Malay culture if the boy acts impolitely by interrupting elders, the long-lasting look of parents is understood by the boy as a sign that he was rude, whereas in USA culture, the boy may just think that parents are listening attentively. Analogous language Finally, according to (same), Malay language is more analogous. One word in Malay language has several meanings at the same time. For example, according to (same) the word beri that is translated as give has 12 meanings in the English language. These 4 factors surely demonstrate that Malays belong to high-context communication culture. Laurents model Laurent has conducted a global research in order to compare the managerial styles in different countries. Managers authority The first interested question was to know the spread of the managers authority outside of the organization in different countries. In my opinion, as Malaysia has a very high power distance, I am pretty sure that Malay managers are autocrats within the organization as well as in the society. Due to the collectivistic culture, either manager is an autocrat in the group of company employees or more likely he belongs to the higher ranking group of managers. Bypassing hirarchy Secondly, Laurent was interested in finding whether the employees are able to bypass the hierarchy for a benefit of effective work or not. According to (webintec), one of the Asian countries, China, has 66% of disagreement in bypassing the hierarchy. With reference to (http://typeandculture.org/Pages/C_papers93/20Ismail.pdf) , I found that the Malay managers are the same as Chinese managers in their value systems. In Malaysia, the power distance is very high, so the bypassing is not appreciated, moreover, it is the sign of disrespect of authority. Manager is an expert Thirdly, Laurent wanted to know is it important for managers to know answers on all work-related questions. According to (webintec), Asian countries show the highest scores for this statement, agreeing that the manager should be an expert in the organization. I think it happens because mostly, in Asian companies, people begin their career from the very beginning, getting promotion with time and expertise. So, as a manager who has experienced everything in the organization, it is important to know answers on all work-related questions. Therefore, the employees there cant become managers until they improve their knowledge to perfect. The manager who doesnt know the answer loses his face. Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck culture Now it is time to focus on Kluckhohn and Stodtbecks cultural theories which will help us to determine the value orientations of Malays. There are six values to identify, they are the relationship with nature, time orientation, human nature, behavior, relationship with others and spatial usage. Harmony with nature According to (http://typeandculture.org/Pages/C_papers93/20Ismail.pdf), Malays live in harmony with nature. It means that Malays coexist with the nature in balance like it is proposed in Feng Shui. That is why there are still lots of forests in the Malaysia, according to (http://www.indexmundi.com/malaysia/resource-usage.html), 62,3 % of Malaysian area is still covered by forest. However, harmony also implies the partial usage of nature resources, otherwise, the furniture company couldnt operate without the supply of woods. Time orientation Secondly, (yes) states that the Malay culture focuses mostly on future in time orientation. This implies focusing on long-term goals and planning strategies to accomplish the future achievements. However, Malays also believe that changes in present leads to the success in future. People nature Thirdly, (yes) determines that Malays view their peoples nature as neutral they think there are good people as well as bad people with reference to ying-yang . Malays trust each other, but they also dont forget about being careful. For example, according to (http://www.ediplomat.com/np/cultural_etiquette/ce_my.htm) for Malays the trust in partner is more important than the written contract, that is why the Malay may ask to repeat spoken business terms, but anyway signs contract for safety. Behavior Further, (yes) inform us that Malays behavior style is being. Being is all about our internal motives to do something that we value or enjoying our lives. Relationship with others Then, due to the combination of the high power index and collectivism, the Malays are subject to hierarchical relation to others in society. In other words, people belong to groups, but depending on his social status. For example, higher ranking people would belong to elite group of high ranking employees. Spatial usage Finally, of course as a collectivistic culture, Malays prefer public spatial usage over private. Malays as a collective workers are used to public spaces. In my opinion, it would be the big room with the big table, where everybody could sit face-to-face in order to work together. Trompenaars model Finally, we got to the Trompenaars model of cultural analysis, where we will distinguish between universalism and particularism, neutral and affective relationships, specific and diffuse relationships, achievement and ascription, sequential and synchronous time approaches, internal and external controls. According to (http://www.via-web.de/universalism-versus-particularism/), Asian countries have particularism tendencies, therefore, the relationship is the determinant of what practices should be applied. For example, before thinking of business, Malays firstly build the relationship with their partner. Depending on level of trust and relationship gained, the terms of agreements may change. For Malays even the spoken contract terms are more crucial than those of written. According to (http://www.contentfy.com/malaysia-analysis/) , Malaysian culture is very neutral, which means that people there control their emotions. They dont show their thoughts and feelings. They try to orient more on reasons than on emotions to act upon. This happened due to the impact of the Asian culture, where respect to other people is emphasized through being neutral in feelings and calm. Thirdly, with reference to (http://www.stanford.edu/group/scie/Career/Wisdom/spec_dif.htm) , it is clear that most East Asian cultures tend to have diffuse relationships, where their relationship also spreads beyond the workplace. As a collectivism is developed in Malay, the new employees who enters the organization, also belongs to the company team, which means that he is interdependent on the group even beyond the office. The ascription is more practiced in Malaysia, because of the hierarchy and respect to elders. The statuses are given depending on the age and authority. The following words from (http://www.ediplomat.com/np/cultural_etiquette/ce_my.htm) surely prove my words: Malays judge people by who they are rather than what they do. Malay attitude towards time is synchronous, according to (http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/seven-dimensions.htm), they see past, present and future as interwoven, and therefore their view of time is flexible. For example, (http://businesscommunication.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/09ABC05.pdf) notes that even on malay weddings, flexible time scheduling can be observed, because even if the wedding was announced to be held at afternoon, the guests were coming after twelve and even few in the evenings. However, this situation is changing nowadays. Malays as people, who are Muslims, believe in external locus of control or or in fatalism with reference to http://www.contentfy.com/malaysia-analysis/. Fatalism is the strong believe that everything happening good as well as bad is happening by the will of the God, as a result, religious believers are driven by feelings combined with their religious faith. Recommendations: For Uzbek manager, high hierarchy situation would be beneficial because the employees would perform everything told without a doubt, although manager should be active and thoughtful as he is the only decision maker, excluding the boss. Also, if the manager would have a boss, he is strongly recommended not to challenge his decisions. The manager should keep in mind that, in Malaysia, where the collectivism is high, he is going to manage not individuals, but the groups. The performance of the groups is more effective than of individuals, if managed well. As the collectivism is encouraged, also it is advisable for manager to head to Malaysia in groups beforehand or to enter the company group in order to be respected. Uzbek manager should be careful with decisions, because it is risky and difficult to make right decisions in such uncertainty atmosphere as it is found in Malaysia, especially if he hadnt lived there before. The combination of masculinity and femininity allows male as well as female manager to be sent there. Also, it means that manager should not only focus on succeeding on masculine values, but also he should make relationships with other managers, as in such culture belonging to group plays an important role. Due to the long-term orientation, manager should be focused on improving performance and planning strategies in the long-run. According to (http://businesscommunication.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/09ABC05.pdf), Malays have strong feelings of hospitality, therefore they serve their guests with snacks and drinks. Moreover, this tradition is now being used in business meetings. In that case, our manager should at least try the servings to show respect against the partner. However, It is only the beginning, as this process only creates atmosphere for communication. According to (http://www.ediplomat.com/np/cultural_etiquette/ce_my.htm) , before getting down to business, Malays tend to involve the partner into a very long conversation with a lot of personal questions in order to build a trust and relationship, so, I would advise our manager to be patient. According to (http://www.ediplomat.com/np/cultural_etiquette/ce_my.htm), Malay businessmen may try to renegotiate even after drafted written contract, it happens because spoken contract terms are more important for Malays than written ones, therefore as a manager, be ready for it. In addition, Malay businessmen will insist on concessions, but wont give up something in exchange, therefore plan several meetings beforehand. According to (http://businesscommunication.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/09ABC05.pdf) expressing the desire and expressing negative feelings is impolite for Malays, therefore as a high-context communication culture, they will be sending indirect messages and using non-verbal signals a lot. For our manager, it means that he should be more sensitive towards the expressed words searching for their hidden context and pay more attention to the non-verbal signals as they will help to decode the context more accurately. Dont bypass the hierarchy in Malaysia, you will lose your face. According to (webin tec), in Asian countries, the manager should be able to answer to any work-related question of the employee. If he couldnt answer, he loses his face, therefore, I advise our manager to be experienced, knowledgeable and to research on everything about companys operations. My personal suggestion is to be ready to the change in the work atmosphere, as I am pretty sure that the group work of Malays will be conducted in one room, where it would be noisy and all people would be sitting face-to face and discussing everything together. According to (http://www.ediplomat.com/np/cultural_etiquette/ce_my.htm), Malays judge person by who he is, therefore, the manager should be chosen appropriately by age, gender, background, family, previous status and so on. I would suggest that he should be a very experienced and knowledgeable senior manager, preferably male, with a diploma from a famous university and with work experience in most powerful companies, in addition he should be from well-bred family, and also the important thing is that he should be powerful and from the high social stata. Keep in mind that Malays have flexible time nature, so dont be angry if he comes late, however, according to (http://internationalbusiness.wikia.com/wiki/Things_you_should_avoid_in_Malaysian_Business_Meetings), if you are hosting an event you should be punctual. According to (http://internationalbusiness.wikia.com/wiki/Things_you_should_avoid_in_Malaysian_Business_Meetings) left hands and feet is considered as dirty, therefore never use your left hand or legs to do something. However, business cards taken with both hands are the sign of respect. In addition, carefully examine the taken card as it is very respectful. According to (http://www.backpacking-tips-asia.com/malaysia-culture.html#.UKqRcoc3aP1All),Malays are so polite that they cant say no , so dont be too trustful with yes answers. Avoid making meetings on Friday as it is the religious day and Muslims go to the mosque. If you want to invite to a dinner, keep in mind that they dont eat pork and dont drink alcohol; in addition they eat Halal food. If someone gives you a gift, you should give something of the same value in exchange or invite somewhere, in addition, I would advise not to open the gift in the presence of gift presenter. Remove the shoes before entering someones house According to (http://www.backpacking-tips-asia.com/malaysia-culture.html#.UKqRcoc3aP1), if someone invites you, bring a gift but avoid wrapping it in white, blue or black as they symbolize death, also yellow too as it is a royal color. If you want to visit mosque, wear long clothing and cover your head. According to ediplomat, pointing with a finger is insult, keeping the hands in pocket is anger and hitting fist into cupped hand is obscene, in addition, it is not allowed to touch someones head as head is considered as the home of the soul, so dont do all this. According to http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/malaysia.html, the family is considered as the centre of the social structure, that is why elders should be always respected, and it is not allowed to smoke near to them. When introducing, you should first introduce senior or higher-ranking executives and women first According to http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/malaysia.html, the concept of face is different here as it is the indicative of good name, characters and reputation of the generations. And you can easily lose your face if you criticize, disagree or insult someone; if you earn shame to your group; if you challenge an authority; if you deny a request or dont keep your promise. It is also told that, face can be saved by keeping yourself calm. Dont smile as it has several good as well as bad meanings. There are lots of rooms for prayers in the streets, so dont mess them up with restrooms. To greet a person you should lightly touch someones both hands and then bring your right hand to your chest and say Salam. Handshake with women is not allowed, until she offers it first. Just in case, simple smile and nodding is enough as a greeting.

The Violence of Christopher Marlowes The Jew of Malta Essay -- Jew of

The Violence of Christopher Marlowe's The Jew of Malta      Ã‚   Christopher Marlowe's The Jew of Malta is a violent, bloody, destructive play that literally jars the senses.   Part of this is due to the modern reader's background:   we see the characters through modern eyes, with distinct views of "low class" and "high class."   It would be easy, as such, to discount The Jew of Malta as only appealing to the base interests of its time, and it would be only slightly less easy to protest that it has meaning beyond any crude first glance, and that the extreme acts presented are merely metaphors for deeper social commentary.   Steane writes:    There is a general feeling that this is a play of distinctive character, and an equally widespread difference of opinion as to what that character exactly is.   Few plays have been given more names: tragedy, comedy, melodrama, farce, tragical-comical, farcical-satirical, 'terribly serious' or 'tediously trivial'; 'terrifying', it seems, cannot be too heavy a term, nor 'absurd' too light [sic]. (166)    The Jew of Malta is extreme, and is meant to be extreme.   The protagonist, Barabas, is gleeful, scheming evil, and does not represent anything other than himself.   Barabas, with his frequent asides, betrayals on top of betrayals, and unending blood-thirst, is the eye of the play's chaotic, whirling storm.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Marlowe, too often seen in Shakespeare's shadow as an inferior whose modest body of work either pales to the mighty canon of Shakespeare or merely subtly influences him as a popular contemporary, produced in The Jew of Malta, and in Barabas, wit and savagery, perhaps to a degree foreign to most audiences.   Much is also made of Barabas as a Jew... ...ontested status of Huckleberry Finn).   But a given work, even as edgy a work as The Jew of Malta, can be reasonably expect a fair break from the "liberal arts" critical interpreters, who, doubtless, will reveal hidden meanings, as well as postulate new meanings, in this worthy work in the coming years.          Works Cited Deats, Sara Munson, and Lisa S. Starks.   "'So neatly plotted, and so well perfom'd': Villain as Playwright in Marlowe's The Jew of Malta."   Theatre Journal.   Vol. 44, 1992.   375-389. Eliot, T. S.   "The Blank Verse of Marlowe."   The Sacred Wood.   London: Methuen, 1964.   86-94. Henderson, Philip.   Christopher Marlowe.   New York: Barnes & Noble, 1974. Marlowe, Christopher.   The Jew of Malta.   Ed. James R. Siemon.   London: Black, 1994. Steane, J. B.   Marlowe: A Critical Study.   London: Cambridge UP, 1964.    The Violence of Christopher Marlowe's The Jew of Malta Essay -- Jew of The Violence of Christopher Marlowe's The Jew of Malta      Ã‚   Christopher Marlowe's The Jew of Malta is a violent, bloody, destructive play that literally jars the senses.   Part of this is due to the modern reader's background:   we see the characters through modern eyes, with distinct views of "low class" and "high class."   It would be easy, as such, to discount The Jew of Malta as only appealing to the base interests of its time, and it would be only slightly less easy to protest that it has meaning beyond any crude first glance, and that the extreme acts presented are merely metaphors for deeper social commentary.   Steane writes:    There is a general feeling that this is a play of distinctive character, and an equally widespread difference of opinion as to what that character exactly is.   Few plays have been given more names: tragedy, comedy, melodrama, farce, tragical-comical, farcical-satirical, 'terribly serious' or 'tediously trivial'; 'terrifying', it seems, cannot be too heavy a term, nor 'absurd' too light [sic]. (166)    The Jew of Malta is extreme, and is meant to be extreme.   The protagonist, Barabas, is gleeful, scheming evil, and does not represent anything other than himself.   Barabas, with his frequent asides, betrayals on top of betrayals, and unending blood-thirst, is the eye of the play's chaotic, whirling storm.      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Marlowe, too often seen in Shakespeare's shadow as an inferior whose modest body of work either pales to the mighty canon of Shakespeare or merely subtly influences him as a popular contemporary, produced in The Jew of Malta, and in Barabas, wit and savagery, perhaps to a degree foreign to most audiences.   Much is also made of Barabas as a Jew... ...ontested status of Huckleberry Finn).   But a given work, even as edgy a work as The Jew of Malta, can be reasonably expect a fair break from the "liberal arts" critical interpreters, who, doubtless, will reveal hidden meanings, as well as postulate new meanings, in this worthy work in the coming years.          Works Cited Deats, Sara Munson, and Lisa S. Starks.   "'So neatly plotted, and so well perfom'd': Villain as Playwright in Marlowe's The Jew of Malta."   Theatre Journal.   Vol. 44, 1992.   375-389. Eliot, T. S.   "The Blank Verse of Marlowe."   The Sacred Wood.   London: Methuen, 1964.   86-94. Henderson, Philip.   Christopher Marlowe.   New York: Barnes & Noble, 1974. Marlowe, Christopher.   The Jew of Malta.   Ed. James R. Siemon.   London: Black, 1994. Steane, J. B.   Marlowe: A Critical Study.   London: Cambridge UP, 1964.   

Virginia Woolf as Feminist and a Psychoanalyst Essay -- Biography Biog

Virginia Woolf as Feminist and a Psychoanalyst When first introduced to the feminist and psychoanalytical approaches to literary criticism, it seems obvious that the two methods are opposed to each other; at the very least, one method -the psychoanalytic - would appear antagonistic to feminism. After all, there is much in Freud's earlier theories that a feminist would find appalling. It also seems to be a conflict that the feminists are winning: as feminist criticism gains in popularity, the psychoanalytic approach has apparently fallen into disfavour within the academic community. However, Freud's theories and psychological models continue to survive, and evolve, to the point where even certain feminists - namely the French - have employed aspects of Freud's theories to further their own studies. Critics such as Leclerc and Duras employ Freud's concept of the Oedipal Complex in their search for l'Ã ©criture feminine - a style of uniquely-feminine writing found in the pre-Oedipal stage that exists before the tyrannical foot of the father (the patriarchy) stamps it out. This is Psychoanalytic Theory and Feminism working together, to gain new insights into literature, old and new. Take, for instance, the works of Virginia Woolf: both the psychoanalyst and the feminist can find much of interest within her short stories and novels. Woolf is an important figure for feminists: not only was she one of the first female writers to gain the recognition she deserved during her own lifetime, but certain of her works, such as The Angel in the House and A Room of One's Own, were important and ground-breaking achievements in the female literary field. Feminist critics would approach Woolf's stories and essays by ... ...eminist, or a marxist, or even a deconstructionalist, even if but for a moment, by using multiple methods of literary analysis, a deeper and more fulfilling understanding of the text can be achieved. Works Consulted Blain, Virginia. "Narrative Voice and the Female Perspective in Virginia Woolf's Early Novels." Virginia Woolf: New Critical Essays. Ed. Patricia Clements and Isobel Grundy. London: Vision, 1983. 115-36. Fisher, Jane Elizabeth. "The Seduction of the Father: Virginia Woolf and Leslie Stephen." Women's Studies 18 (1990): 31-48. Hill, Katherine C. "Virginia Woolf and Leslie Stephen: History and Literary Revolution." PMLA 96.3 (1981) 351-62. Lee, Hermione. Virginia Woolf. London: Vintage, 1997. Squier, Susan M. Women Writers and the City: Essays in Feminist Literary Criticism. Ed. Susan M. Squier. Knoxville: U of Tennessee P, 1984. 114--33. Virginia Woolf as Feminist and a Psychoanalyst Essay -- Biography Biog Virginia Woolf as Feminist and a Psychoanalyst When first introduced to the feminist and psychoanalytical approaches to literary criticism, it seems obvious that the two methods are opposed to each other; at the very least, one method -the psychoanalytic - would appear antagonistic to feminism. After all, there is much in Freud's earlier theories that a feminist would find appalling. It also seems to be a conflict that the feminists are winning: as feminist criticism gains in popularity, the psychoanalytic approach has apparently fallen into disfavour within the academic community. However, Freud's theories and psychological models continue to survive, and evolve, to the point where even certain feminists - namely the French - have employed aspects of Freud's theories to further their own studies. Critics such as Leclerc and Duras employ Freud's concept of the Oedipal Complex in their search for l'Ã ©criture feminine - a style of uniquely-feminine writing found in the pre-Oedipal stage that exists before the tyrannical foot of the father (the patriarchy) stamps it out. This is Psychoanalytic Theory and Feminism working together, to gain new insights into literature, old and new. Take, for instance, the works of Virginia Woolf: both the psychoanalyst and the feminist can find much of interest within her short stories and novels. Woolf is an important figure for feminists: not only was she one of the first female writers to gain the recognition she deserved during her own lifetime, but certain of her works, such as The Angel in the House and A Room of One's Own, were important and ground-breaking achievements in the female literary field. Feminist critics would approach Woolf's stories and essays by ... ...eminist, or a marxist, or even a deconstructionalist, even if but for a moment, by using multiple methods of literary analysis, a deeper and more fulfilling understanding of the text can be achieved. Works Consulted Blain, Virginia. "Narrative Voice and the Female Perspective in Virginia Woolf's Early Novels." Virginia Woolf: New Critical Essays. Ed. Patricia Clements and Isobel Grundy. London: Vision, 1983. 115-36. Fisher, Jane Elizabeth. "The Seduction of the Father: Virginia Woolf and Leslie Stephen." Women's Studies 18 (1990): 31-48. Hill, Katherine C. "Virginia Woolf and Leslie Stephen: History and Literary Revolution." PMLA 96.3 (1981) 351-62. Lee, Hermione. Virginia Woolf. London: Vintage, 1997. Squier, Susan M. Women Writers and the City: Essays in Feminist Literary Criticism. Ed. Susan M. Squier. Knoxville: U of Tennessee P, 1984. 114--33.

European History Essay

The way the eastern civilization would live is how people dream of living today. The eastern peoples put others above themselves. The way the western civilization used to live is how we live today: caring about ourselves for the most part. Even though the eastern side of living is how most people wanted to live, there are some positive characteristics of the western side that are worth incorporating. A common problem today is that we don’t think. A trait of eastern culture is the being contemplative. There are countless problems that could be avoided if thought would have gone into the situation. Life is a strategy that is filled with decisions. It is inevitable that mistakes will be made, but there will be less if you think before you act. In life there are always consequences for your actions. What most people don’t realize is that there can be positive consequences. This is something that the western civilization honored; the rewards or the positive consequences of the life they lived. Having the good things in your life isn’t as rewarding as working for the grand prize. Towards the end of your life, what will you have that reflects what you work for? In the eastern civilization, working with less is held high in standards. As the years go by, people always want more and more but is it really necessary? For example, heated seats and electronic windows are nice in our vehicles but we don’t actually need them. The eastern peoples learned to work with what they were given, even if it was less than what they wanted. Technology is taking over the world. With this new interference with human life, the beautiful art of work will soon be forgotten. There are amazing things that humans can do as long as they work for it. The western civilization figured this out and put activity high on the list of standards. Life is short and there may be things that we miss if we don’t work to see what it has in store for us. Both the eastern and western civilization contain characteristics that would benefit the human race. A mixture of the two would be a perfect way to live. Placing others higher in value than yourself is a trait that isn’t common in the world today. Even though, putting others first is something great, you need to think about yourself too. You only have one life and one chance to make it the best. Do what makes you happy and you will see that others will come with you.