A Theoretical Approach to Culture and the Study of Its Theory Essay

The concept of culture is a broad and elaborate subject that identifies with the common practices of different groups of people. Our textbook defines culture as the total pattern of human behavior and its products, embodied in thoughts, speech, action and artifacts. I personally view culture as a concept that helps us develop and identify within our own society, and societies of others. We see and experience culture everyday lives. It can be identified though groups in their beliefs, dress, language, traditions, music, food religion and â€Å"upbringing†. I personally come from a West Indian background, as my parents are from the Caribbean. Although I was born in America, foods I prepare are from Caribbean recipes. In my home calypso music is often played and if mother gets angry she begins to use words and put together words that would only make sense in our culture. Culture functions in such a way that is sociological, psychological and biological. For example sociologically, culture gives groups a sense of belonging. Psychologically groups of people create what they consider to be â€Å"normal behavioral patterns† that may be abnormal to one of a different cultural base. Culture functions biologically in the sense of reproducing their societies from generation to generation and the need for food and shelter to survive. We can tell someone of Asian decent not only by their physical traits, but also by their cultural practices. I believe our culture is embedded in us from the very beginning of our lives. From when we are babies our environment, family consciously and unconsciously molds us into learning a particular type of culture. Now more than ever because of technology and global diversity and integrations we see multiculturalism. This is where there is an acceptance of various cultures and the practice of more than one culture in people. There are significant differences in various cultural backgrounds, whether it’s Western or Eastern, but this is what makes culture ever evolving, continuously growing and intertwining. In the early stages some have tried to bring the connection between evolution and ethics. We have learned from theorists Charles Darwin who to life the theory of Human Evolution and natural selection, Sir Edwards B. Tylor who is noted for the concept of animism and Herbert Spencer whom is often linked to the phrase â€Å"Survival of the Fittest†. Charles Darwin was a pronounced and insightful theorist from the 18-19th century. What makes Charles Darwin best known is his theory of human evolution of man and natural selection. With Darwin’s human evolution, he came up with the concept that all like organisms came from simple form, which is â€Å"the origin of man†. In explaining Darwin’s theory of natural selection he believed more organisms are produced than can survive or reproduce. This creates an environment where they compete for resources and to reproduce successfully. His theory discloses some have successful genes/ traits and some do not. He believed the more powerful or successful traits/genes that are in organisms and ten passed on to offspring. The stronger traits are continuously passed on and as passed on lead to further success. Darwin believes these traits are â€Å"naturally selected†. In this way nature somehow selects traits that are more fitted for the various conditions in the environment in which they are in, these traits become and those traits tend to last over time. The steady accrual of the changing traits over an extended period of time in conjunction with a changing environment brings forth evolution. Hence linking to the phrase survival of the fittest. Over time as Darwin’s studies developed, he began to zoom in the links between animals and humans instincts. He was also convinced that organisms are all descended from common ancestors. To elaborate, he believed two organisms could be traced back through evolution at some point their linear will meet, and example would be human and chimpanzees. The success of Darwin’s theories lead to Darwinism which is the theory that all living things descended from an original common ancestor through natural selection and random variation without aid of intelligence or nonmaterial forces. Many theorists during Darwin’s concept and after used this as the foundation of their theories that they built on. Social Darwinism is where Darwin’s ideas were applied to society. Another cultural revolutionist or social Darwinists as they were referred to was Herbert Spencer. Hebert Spencer is well known for being an evolutionary theorists during the 1900s that took Darwin’ concepts of evolution to the next level. The phrase in which he is population for is â€Å"survival of the fittest† which as derived from Darwin’s concept of natural selection, but he indeed is the originator of this phrase. Spencer embraced Darwinism His theories also embodied Lamarckian and also saw selection as a means of maintaining human quality. When we hear survival of the fitness we think of possibly a battle in means of survival, but Spencer was more making reference to stronger species out living and out living the weaker ones and being able to increase and develop because of being stronger. He believed evolution evolving from simplest form to a more comprehensive form as in human beings, and that nature’s laws plays a role in the changes. Spencer also penned â€Å"Principles of Psychology† and stated that human minds were somehow linked to natural laws. What stood out to me about Spencer was his opposition in government assisting underclass. He was also against them from interjecting in economic and social affairs. He was against this because his view was it helped preserve the unfit or inferior people and assisted them in obtaining resources such as healthcare. He believed helping them would prove to be unbeneficial because it would only lead to them producing and/or reproducing more unfit people, possibly creating the â€Å"survival of the un-fittest†. He was adamant in thinking these people were lazy and did not want to work and assisting them would only enable them. In which the strong should prosper and the weak should be pushed aside Spencer also believed in individual competition and wanted to minimize government’s role in society to make survival only of stronger willed people. Lamarckism’s is the belief that organism pass on certain characteristics to offspring. Connected to his Lamarckian beliefs Herbert Spencer believed in a biological based hierarchy of races. He also believed as they grew they zoomed in on the â€Å"evolutionary history† of their race. To take this belief even further he believed characteristics even negative ones such as lying and stealing, from their race were passed down to children. Sir Edward Burnett Tylor fathered the currently accepted concept of animalism; he was influenced by Darwin’s theory of biological evolution. Development of culture and society from simple to complex forms. Europeans had sought to explain the existence of various â€Å"primitive† societies, some believing that such societies represented the lost tribes of Israel, others speculating that primitive peoples had degenerated since the time of Adam from an originally â€Å"barbarous† to an even lowlier â€Å"savage† state. European society was taken to epitomize the highest state of existence, â€Å"civilization. In the late 19th century, Edward Burnett Tylor and Lewis Henry Morgan elaborated the theory of unilinear evolution, specifying criteria for categorizing cultures according to their standing within a fixed system of growth of humanity as a whole and examining the modes and mechanisms of this growth. A widespread reaction followed; Franz Boas introduced the â€Å"culture history† approach, which concentrated on fieldwork among native peoples to identify actual cultural and historical processes rather than speculative stages of growth. Leslie White, Julian Steward, and others sought to revive aspects of sociocultural evolutionism, positing a progression ranging from bands and tribes at one end to chiefdoms and states at the other. More recently some anthropologists have adopted a general systems approach, examining cultures as emergent systems. Others continue to reject evolutionary thinking and look instead at historical contingencies, contacts with other cultures, and the operation of cultural symbol systems.

Globalization Is Good Essay

Taiwan: Discussion questions 1. How has ‘land reform’ contributed to the rapid industrialization of Taiwan? Back in the 1950s the government of Taiwan started to offer yields of land for families to own and operate off of. The land, which was supplied with food/crop, released man power for industry to prosper. As the government distributed the land, the owners took advantage. Taiwan’s rural beginnings lead to industrial wealth like Mr. Wang, shown in the film. These people’s homes acted as factories inside and out. There was originally cheap labor and long hours which allowed Taiwan to offer cheap goods for western markets. 2. What role have ‘Sweat Shops’ and long hours played in Taiwan’s ‘rags to riches’ story? The cheap labor and long hours of the sweat shops laid the groundwork for the prosperous future of the Taiwanese. This was encouraged by the reforming government at the time. All of these sweat shops were producing cheap goods for Western markets. The work was indeed long and hard but it was a crucial step in Taiwan’s road to riches. 3. The forces unleashed by rapid industrialization brought increased competition for labor in Taiwan. What impact did this increased competition have on wages and the standard of living of the Taiwanese people? Increased competition meant only the really competitive companies survived. Companies like ACER responded to increased competition with innovation. They invented devices like the first desktop calculator and the pen watch. They were training thousands of engineers every year in order to produce these high tech goods for other markets to buy. The leaders of ACER strive to make their products the best and therefore others rely on them for success. 4. According to the global computer giant ‘ACER’ which is based in Taiwan, what are the keys to Taiwan’s economic success? Taiwan’s economic success can be credited to the easy access to start a business in the country. Statistics show that 1 in every 6 families have/had their hands in on their own business. In other terms, Taiwan has less bureaucracy and restrictions than other countries and opens up doors for entrepreneurial families. A deregulated economy has opened doors for many men and women. 5. Taiwan has thrived in the global economy by specializing in what they do best! How have they managed to survive and prosper without producing their traditional rural products? Are there any dangers in this approach? When adults moved into factories and off the rural fields, they could afford to educate their children and therefore prepare them for a promising future in business ventures such as IT. Prosperity can then increase the return on the education. A good analogy they used was that the parents developed the boxes on the shelves and the kids produced the goods and software inside. Taiwan is constantly exposed to foreign competition which they take advantage of. 6. What role has globalization played in the increased wealth and improved political freedom of the people of Taiwan? Taiwan is a democracy, unlike 40 years ago when it was a dictatorship. There was a rapid transformation after the fall of their dictatorship. In the 1980s, Taiwan started to produce high tech gadgetry and the middle class started to rise and gain more freedom whether it be politics or economic rights. These laid the foundation for their stable democracy. Some even venture to call this Americanization. Taiwan has credited the businesses that have produced the best around the world as they work to adapt and expand (ie. Starbucks). Vietnam: Watching the Program: Discussion questions 7. What limits are placed on the employment of children in Nike factories in Vietnam? They do not employ any children under the age of 18 for footwear and age 16 for apparel. Child labor was outlawed in Vietnam in 1988 which allowed more room to educate the youth. What penalties are self-imposed by Nike on its factories if under-aged workers are discovered on site? The factory is responsible to pay the money for that child to complete school and continue paying them their wage. 8. Using the table that follows compare the life and conditions of Vietnamese factory workers working for Nike with the conditions of workers on farms or in State owned enterprises? What conclusions can you make from this? The business is good and Nike and doesn’t show any signs of letting down. The management of the company is also viewed as a strong aspect. Employees of Nike, who formerly worked on the farm, weren’t getting paid as much as on the farm- now they are getting as much as 5x more. By hearing these people interviewed and seeing how pleased they are, it is difficult to see what the anti-globalists are so stressed out about when it comes to companies like Nike. They seem to be â€Å"doing the right thing.† 9. What negative impacts for less developed countries and their workers can come from anti-globalization groups promoting boycotts of goods produced by multinationals such as Nike? It has the threat of scaring them away from businesses such as Nike when really it can benefit their economy. These anti-globalization groups do not see what Nike has done for the people of Vietnam. The rumors and perceptions they feed the public makes Nike look bad. 10. How has the workplace practices of Nike impacted positively on other workplaces in Vietnam? Nike’s growth in Vietnam has helped to stimulate the economy. Other workplaces look to model themselves off of them. The perception of Nike from the public is that they have a very good management, they have a clean and safe workplace, and they have very high employee satisfaction. All of this leads to increased output and increased profits. 11. How has Nike encouraged the growth of small businesses in Vietnam? Nike encourages others to start business in Vietnam by distributing loans to get them going. Many have prospered from this and business is now strong for them. 12. Will multinationals leave countries such as Vietnam once wage rates improve? What is the reaction of multinationals to this sort of argument? In the film, one man points out that Nike has been in countries like Thailand and Indonesia for 20 years. The productivity has gone up just as the wages have gone up. The people of Nike expect the same thing to occur in Vietnam. Even if they move on, Nike has played a pivotal role in developing the Vietnamese economy. Kenya : Watching the Program: Discussion questions 13. What factors are present within the Kenyan economy that discourage economic growth and improved living standards? Kenya closed its doors to globalization. The Kenyan government has never given farmers property rights. Land owners are not even allowed to build on their own land and develop it. All rights go to the government. Export restrictions create a lot of poverty. The poverty is due to the lack of reform. 14. What industries are portrayed as booming industries within the Kenyan economy? Why have they shown signs of success? The mobile phone industry is booming. The reason they have shown signs of success is because of their cheap prices and high demand. Also the secondhand clothing market is exposed to globalization and has led to their success. 15. What are subsidies, tariffs and import duties? What role does their imposition by developed countries play in limiting growth prospects and the adoption of ‘market capitalism’ in the less developed world? The government has begun to tax businesses like the secondhand clothing markets and therefore restrict them from gaining significant profits. Also, countries have set tariffs on a majority of agricultural goods Kenya has to offer them. This restricts exports for Kenya. However there are some European countries and some of the Americas that specifically have low tariffs on Kenya’s flower markets and allow Kenya to thrive there. The farmers also have subsidies on their crop restricting export to other markets outside of the country. Tariffs keep goods out and subsidies destroy markets on the homeland. 16. How do opponents of globalization, by their actions in the developed world, hinder the ability of less developed countries to improve living standards? Countries like Kenya don’t have the ability to compete in foreign markets because of the restrictions they face such as subsidies, tariffs, and import duties. Western civilization is shutting them and others out. We refuse to trade freely with goods such as agriculture and textiles. By dropping subsidies and tariffs, we could massively reduce the poverty in Africa.

A Comparative Study of the Similarities Between The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah and the Traditional Folk Tales

A Comparative Study of the Similarities Between The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah and the Traditional Folk Tales The Nightingale as a mistaken folktale. The Nightingale has many similarities to a traditional folktale story but it also differs in many ways. The similarities and differences are commonly found in the beginning, middle and ending of the story. Some of the similarities are the introduction to the story, the use of three repetitions, helper figures, and the resolution of conflict at the end of the story. It is evident that there are more similarities than differences and The Nightingale could easily be mistaken for a folktale. First of all, the story of The Nightingale starts off by creating a distant setting that happened long ago and makes it known that its an old story. Folktales, that are also known to be old stories, are characterized by the way the author introduces the story such as â€Å"once upon a time, in a far away kingdom†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Another common characteristic of a folktale that The Nightingale has is the plot and the beginning, middle, and end. In The Nightingale the beginning of the story focuses on creating an imaginary landscape, one that is a world of magic and beauty. This story creates an obstacle right from the start where the chamberlain is in search of the nightingale at the emperor’s request. In this part of the story, the conflict fell into the repetition of three’s, which is another characteristic of a folktale. Here, the chamberlain hears the cow mooing and thinks it is the bird, next he hears the frogs croaking and also thinks it is the bird, finally, he hear s the real nightingale bird. Another similarity between the traditional folktale and this story is that the story includes helper figures. The Nightingale has three—the chamberlain who helps find the nightingale bird for the emperor, the kitchen helper who takes the chamberlain to the forest to find the bird, and the nightingale bird itself, as it sings for the emperor to bring him back to good health. In the middle of the story, there wasn’t a main conflict like a traditional folktale would have. The conflict in the story also followed the sequence of three’s—the search for the bird, the bird that has escaped, and the sick emperor. The action in the story comes quickly such as the time when the emperor became ill. After the climax of the story, the end of the story approaches quickly much like the plot that happens in a folktale. A well-known characteristic of a folktale is that they have heroes who usually resolve the conflict/obstacle near the end of the story, which creates the usual happy ending. In The Nightingale the nightingale bird is recognized as the hero since he is the one who saves the emperor’s life. The bird resolves the conflict in the empire entirely because it suggests informing the emperor in the future about all of the things he did not know, such as who is rich and happy, who is hurt and poor etc. and the bird also volunteers itself to forever be there for the emperor, to sing to him, to keep him happy and in good health. Once the agreement is made between the emperor and the bird, the villain is defeated and the hero is rewarded. This creates the happy ending in the story, which is another characteristic in a folktale. It is evident that The Nightingale has many similarities with the traditional folktale. There are more similarities than differences and The Nightingale can easily be mistaken for a folktale. It has many of the characteristics identified in a folktale such as a villain, a hero, the sequence of three’s, a beginning that creates an imaginary landscape, a middle that has three different conflicts, and a happy ending where there is a resolution.

Media Diary Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Media Diary Analysis - Essay Example s, I also visit the i-tunes website/application where I listen to music as I dress and do a couple of my morning chores, which psyches me up for the good day ahead. During the day, I only get chances to blog or chat in between classes, during breaks and after the classes in the evening. However, this is not usually a fixed schedule as sometimes the classes might not take long, during breaks I’m sometimes caught up with other activities like finishing assignments (that’s when I get to do the research part) or discussing trending issues in the fashion and celebrity world. When am in school, I am mostly engaged in the media sections that I can access through my mobile phone hence programs and movies are sometimes rare for me to watch or even download; however, for music I listen to and download frequently. In the evenings, I get to watch and follow the popular programs and shows courtesy of the cable network; additionally, it’s the only time that most of my friends are free in between the week so am always active in almost all the social websites through the facilitation of the multiple applications. After all the shows that I follow are done sometimes I get to watch movies either online through Netflix or some that I may have bought; furthermore, at times I treat myself to some shopping online. During the weekend, most of my time is spent on the media since I do not get to go to school and most of my friends and relatives are also free or less busy; either from work or school also. The numbers of hours I spend on the media during the weekend are almost double those of the weekdays; my personal chores are the only things I partake in that do not involve the media. It is during this time that I get to catch up on the latest news that I missed during the week and engage in trends on the social sites, send pictures to family and friends, and do a little bit of shopping as I watch more programs and movies. In this situation they are a few comparisons in the way

Exploring Your Family's or a Friend's History of Immigration and how Essay

Exploring Your Family's or a Friend's History of Immigration and how it connects to some of the stories in The life stories - Essay Example When the opportunity came for Filipinos to be in America as Navy recruit or contracted worker, grandfather Protacio’s parents seized the opportunity and enlisted him to join the latter. As the oldest child in the family, grandfather Protacio was forced to accept the opportunity to help his family and build a better future for himself in the United States. Grandfather Protacio left the Philippines to be one of the â€Å"1946 boys† who arrived in U.S. territory as a contracted worker in farmlands. Much like the Syrian immigrants who were awed with the grandeur of New York (Holt 249), grandfather Protacio was equally awed by the richness of American farms compared to the ailing farms in his province and spent so much time at the farm during the day and exploring the city at night that he forgot his responsibilities in the Philippines for a while. Grandfather Protacio has heard a lot of America and its greatness as â€Å"the land of freedom and civilization† (Holt 25 7) thus, he was caught off guard to the racial discrimination when he arrived the same with the Japanese who felt humiliated because of discrimination and abused in his domestic job (Holt 260). At the time grandfather Protacio arrived in the U.S., the Congress has passed a law that permits Filipinos to qualify as American citizens. Despite of this, racial discrimination to Filipinos was very high. According to Melendy in his article â€Å"Filipino Americans†, Filipinos were discriminated due to their skin color and inability to speak English like the white Americans. Like the story of the Chitkara family and the Indian Ab-nen-la-de-ni who experienced the language barrier, grandfather Protacio had difficulty expressing his thoughts and feelings at work due to his limited English. He must â€Å"speak English or remain silent† (Holt 210) not only as a requirement but because the other employees were also immigrants of different nationalities and the only language they can communicate to each other is in English. Although farm works were not new to grandfather Protacio since he came from a family of farmers, the intense labor requiring more hours in the field, irregular meal provision, and unfit clothing for different seasons has taken its toll on his health. Striving to get off in his current situation, grandfather Protacio bargained with his employer to allow him to be a working student. Like Ab-nen-la-de-ni, grandfather Protacio â€Å"went to school in the morning and work in the afternoon† (Holt 211) and did his home works at night in a dimly lit room shared with the other farm workers. The bargain though has been difficult because the wife of his employer did not agree to allow non-American workers to attend school. If the Indian suffered from the attack and mismanagement of the Head Directress in the Institute (Holt 216), grandfather Protacio suffered from mistreatment of his employer’s wife by working unpaid overtime and was accu sed of stealing and selling boxes of fruits in the city. Worst of all, his employment visa was not renewed forcing him to resign and looked for another job that could ensure his stay in the country since he cannot afford to go back empty handed in the Philippines. Grandfather Protacio was desperate but his desire to succeed and help his family fueled him to continue despite the meager amount of money left in his wallet. Fortunately, he found a job in the

Family Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Family Law - Essay Example It is significant to note that marriage will always remain a viable institution because it focuses on procreation, which ensures continuity of humanity. Further, marriage assists in nurturing stronger and intelligent communities that generates a more steady society (Statsky 16). As much as technology has helped marriages, its negative effects on the institution are far reaching. For instance, social networking has led to broke many marriages because of addiction to the internet in order to keep up with the current events. Some married couples are unable to stay away from the internet and in turn give little attention to their families. Some couple through social media sites like Face book and Twitter sends flirty messages to the friends that can affect marriage in a negative manner (Statsky 32). Technology has assisted married couples to connect with old friends. Such freedom of connecting with old friends may bring suspicion to one partner in the institution because they can think his or her husband is flirting past lovers and in turn it leads to mistrust which eventually break the marriage. Since social networking encompasses things such as photo, chats, comments and information sharing, sometimes one partner who engages in social networking may make unreasonable decision in how they socialize with other people online. Unwanted behavior may be seen in the nature of sending flirty messages and sharing unsuitable videos and photos. Divorce is the legal dissolution of marriage between involved couples. Divorce cases are increasing tremendously and especially in the United States. Since the 20th century, marriage breaks have been breaking up and the peak was in the 1970s with the institution of no fault divorce. In State laws, the divorce can occur if any form of abuse directed to one partner can cause a great deal in marriage break. Abuse may take many forms including emotional

Unit 2 disucssion board Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Unit 2 disucssion board - Essay Example ive of a healthcare provider, the rights of a healthcare seeker are those rights, which enable the individual to ensure receipt of service of the individual’s choice without the interference of others in keeping with the dignity of the individual, as a human being. The reason for this is that only then can the healthcare provider ensure fulfilling all the obligations that are part of the provision of healthcare services to the satisfaction of the patient. An example here brings clarity to the definition. There is growing popularity for complementary or alternative medicine (CAM), as cultural intermingling takes place, owing to the increase in migration in modern times. At the time of seeking healthcare service, the service provider needs to provide all necessary information on CAM as part of the correlative obligation of disclosure, when seeking informed consent, which is part of the autonomy right of the individual. (Kerridge, H.I. & McPhee, R.J., 2004). The consequences of this definition imply changes in the existing understanding of providing healthcare services. The healthcare provider needs to take into consideration the rights of the healthcare seeker. No longer does the old patronizing view of ‘I know what’s best in your interest’ holds good. The healthcare seeker has a right to understand the various options available, and choose the option that the individual believes is the right mode of medical intervention. The patient-provider shared decision making model best accommodates the definition of right. The patient-provider shared decision-making model involves the use of discussions between the patient and the physician in coming to a decision on the suitable medical intervention. In this way the rights of the patient are covered, and the knowledge and skills of the physician are also brought into play. (Nguyent, T. T. & McPhee, J.S., 2003). The shared decision making model demonstrates how rights and obligations co-exist in the issue of the

B202 TMA01 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

B202 TMA01 - Essay Example It is applied when there is a new employee who takes a new position in an organization. This process involves a new worker being introduced to his or her managers, supervisors and colleagues. They are also shown new ways of doing things, new environment and the employment conditions to help them learn the job. For instance, at the workplace, one is introduced to the orientation on; the job requirements, office layout, local workplace issues or customs, health and safety information and the workstation. It also involves the use electronic mail and communication system, working conditions, processes and procedures. Apprenticeship is another training program where an agreement is established between a person (apprentice) who wishes to learn a skill and an employer who needs skilled employees. Apprenticeship is an industry -based learning system that involves combining the on-the -job experience with the theory learnt in the classroom. For example in an institution, apprenticeship for learners in a technical classroom may be a continuation from the secondary school system and then followed by successive years of on-the-job-training. When the apprentice completes the specified training period, a certificate of qualification is awarded. Shadowing is the type of training where individuals are given a chance to broaden their knowledge and understanding of a particular role that concerns their current department or other departments. In organizations for instance, it involves making observations on the day to day aspects of the roles, asking questions on various work practices and sharing of the best approaches that can improve on the performance of employees of an organization. Mentoring is the kind of developmental relationship whereby a person who has a long experience in a given field of study assists a person with less experience. At the workplace for instance, mentoring can take place in form of interacting face to face with persons that need constant help on how to carry out their activities. Coaching is a way through which a group of people are directed, instructed and trained with the aim of achieving a particular goal or the development of specific skills. For instance, when people are directed, it involves motivational speaking while training may involve the attending of workshops, seminars and supervised practice (Carter, and McMahon, 2005: 192). Job rotation is a situation whereby there is a lateral transfer of employees among the different positions and tasks within the workplace with the aim of acquiring different skills and responsibilities. In job rotation, the workers are given an opportunity to learn several different skills and perform those duties for a specific time period. In essence, job rotation enables individuals to gain some experience at the various phases in a business to expand their perspectives. For instance, at the senior management it may be done in readiness for a succession plan while at the lower management level job rotation may be done to ensure skill enhancement and also promotions. Tesco Supermarket It is a British supermarket with profits surpassing over billions of dollars. It has employees who are over 400,000 in number and the number of stores exceeds 3,720. It generally deals with foods, drinks, software, financial services, insurance, dental plans, electronics, clothing and internet services. Training at Tesco

Concept on synthesis on personal nursing philosopy Essay

Concept on synthesis on personal nursing philosopy - Essay Example concepts are aimed at increasing the responsibility of practitioners in the field as well enable medical institutions set instructional requirements in the organizational setting. In general, the concepts exhaust all the factors that may affect the field of nursing. This is made possible by four way categorical division of issues that affect the field. Each concept is divided into sections that address the problems that may affect the metaparadigm. The four concepts are (Keating, 2011); Keating (2011) is of the assumption that the concepts cover the nursing field extensively in terms of providing recommendations to tackle basic nursing problems. Moreover, the issue in nursing cannot be prevented without putting them in functional categories of problem solving. For instance, it may be a hectic task to tackle the issue affects the concept of environment under the same provisions in the concept of health. This metaparadigm focuses on the challenges and issue that affect the patients in regards to service delivery. Across the field, service delivery to customer is created by the ability of a practitioner to embrace the requirements by the patient population. However, the concept seeks to understand the appropriateness of client demands. In an argument by Keith (2008) the human nature in nursing is considered under physiology, psychology, cultural, spiritual and social perceptions. The five provisions ensure service delivery is obtained without the creation of conflict with patients social affiliations. For instance, it is an obvious assumption that different social and cultural affiliations have specific social preferences. Considering the cultural depth in the modern society, a medical practitioner should be able to deal with the challenges presented by these social preferences. For example, a patient may embrace the assumption that euthanasia is against their religious views and bel iefs. A nurse should be able to understand these personal requirements and address

Bullied Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Bullied - Essay Example Many innocent lives have been lost owing to this problem of bullying and these precious lives could have been saved if proper intervention and help was provided for these issues. Bullying can be defined as acts of aggression which tend to humiliate the victim through every possible mean. According to Olweus, ‘A student is being bullied or victimized when he or she is exposed, repeatedly and over time, to negative actions on the part of one or more other students’ (Olweus 2001 p 5-6). Thus, bullying is basically a means of degrading a person to an extent that he may lose his confidence and morale and tend to consider options like suicide as the only solution. Different incidents have marked the severity of this act of bullying. Innocent young teenagers have died due to being the victims of humiliation. The examples of Tylor Cementi who was an 18 year old boy and Phoebe Prince who was a 15 year old girl serve as eye openers to highlight the issue of bullying. Tylor Cementi was a bright and intelligent boy who enrolled new in his university. Cementi was a homosexual and his sexual orientation was used as a point to bully him. His colleagues plotted against him and made a video of his private encounter with his homosexual partner. They then posted it on the internet which served to publicize a private encounter of Clementi.

Dominos Pizza Essay Example for Free

Dominos Pizza Essay Before 2007, wheat prices didn’t have a pulse. We’d buy for the next six months and the price would be plus or minus 10 cents a bushel over the last six months. Then one day in 2008 wheat shot up $24 a bushel! Now, as a norm, we strategically consider corn, dairy, and wheat to better leverage our supply chain expertise and improve store economics. — John Macksood, executive vice president, Domino’s Pizza On the morning of August 22, 2011, John Macksood, executive vice president for supply chain services at Domino’s Pizza, Inc. (Domino’s), was reading the daily headlines while sitting in his office at the Domino’s World Resource Center, the company’s global headquarters in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Domino’s was the world’s second-largest pizza company and the largest pizza delivery quick-serve restaurant (QSR) chain. One item in particular jumped out at Macksood. An article, titled â€Å"Quiznos chain faces tough finance issues,† indicated that Denver-based Quiznos, a privately owned QSR sandwich company with 4,000 U. S. stores, was nearing bankruptcy due to â€Å"sharpening competition, waning sales, and debt woes. †1 One of the problems cited was Quiznos’ â€Å"protracted battle† with its franchisees over operating costs and profitability, with some franchisees blaming low or nonexistent store profit margins on Quiznos’ requirement that they buy food at â€Å"allegedly above-market prices from a Quiznos-mandated supplier network. †2 Analysts also blamed Quiznos’ problems on rising commodity prices, which had dramatically increased the cost of raw ingredients. As Macksood finished reading the article, he felt proud to have been part of a team at Domino’s that had proactively responded when the prices of wheat, corn, and dairy soared in 2007 and 2008. Since then, Domino’s senior leadership met on the last Thursday of every month to discuss the commodity market outlook and decide how purchasing decisions and supplier relationships should be managed in an increasingly volatile market. The goal of this strategic effort was to maintain an efficient supply chain, competitive prices, and quality menu items. â€Å"Now in 2011, we have become a well-informed group that is more comfortable with how we manage risk,† Macksood remarked. Domino’s approach to managing risk and costs both within the company-owned domestic supply chain system and at the store level was critical to its approximately 1,150 U. S. franchisees that collectively owned and operated 4,475 domestic stores in 2010. As a company built around a franchise model, Domino’s—which itself only owned 454 stores, all in the U. S. —was at the heart a supply chain and brand management business focused on supporting the franchised stores. â€Å"We call our headquarters the World Resource Center because Domino’s truly operates as a support system and resource for all of our franchisees,† said J. Patrick Doyle, CEO and president of Domino’s. â€Å"There is a reason we drilled through four floors of concrete to construct a pizza store as the centerpiece of a Professor David E. Bell, Research Associate Phillip Andrews, Global Research Group, and Agribusiness Program Director Mary Sh elman prepared this case. HBS cases are developed solely as the basis for class discussion. Cases are not intended to serve as endorsements, sources of primary data, or illustrations of effective or ineffective management. Copyright  © 2011, 2012 President and Fellows of Harvard College. To order copies or request permission to reproduce materials, call 1800-545- 7685, write Harvard Business School Publishing, Boston, MA 02163, or go to www. hbsp. harvard.edu/educators. This publication m ay not be digitized, photocopied, or otherwise reproduced, posted, or transmitted, without the permission of Harvard Business School. 512-004 Domino’s Pizza new atrium inside the World Resource Center. Not only do we use it to train all of our corporate employees to operate a Domino’s store, but its visibility serves as a constant reminder that our business hinges on the success of each and every one of our franchised stores. † Maintaining cost control was vitally important for Domino’s and the success of its franchisees’ stores. The U. S. pizza market was highly competitive, with both chains and independent â€Å"mom and pop† pizza stores battling for customers. The recent economic conditions had made the fight even fiercer with some recession-weary diners trading in pizza delivery for less-expensive frozen offerings from the grocer. 3 As such, companies like Domino’s could not simply pass increased costs on to consumers by raising the price of a pizza. â€Å"Domino’s was ahead of the curve when we first reacted to how a changing market would affect our supply chain costs,† Macksood said. â€Å"Chains that didn’t take a preemptive approach are hurting and independent pizza shops that have little influence over the price they pay for goods are really suffering. † In 2010 Domino’s recorded annual global retail sales of $6. 2 billion, the highest in company history and a 23% increase since 2006. 1 Domestically, the company saw room for another 1,000 stores in the U. S. market and the opportunity to increase sales through the addition of new menu items and by targeting different eating occasions. For example, Domino’s had begun to pursue a larger share of the lunch market by introducing sandwiches and pasta dishes to compete with Subway and Pizza Hut. This, however, meant that Domino’s historically simple menu would continue to expand with new ingredients, complexity, and costs that Macksood’s team would have to manage. (See Exhibit 1 for U. S. same-store sales growth and store counts. ) Outside the U. S. , Domino’s had identified many markets where the number of stores could be increased significantly. Internationally, Domino’s used a â€Å"master franchise† system that awarded a franchise for an entire country or region to one entity. This included the master franchisee’s right to operate its own supply-chain system. Macksood and his team had to determine how to bring the company’s domestic purchasing and supply management capabilities, and particularly its commodity pricing knowledge, to the rest of the world. As global commodity prices showed no signs of dropping, Macksood and others at Domino’s wondered if they should attempt to implement global buying for some product categories or develop supply chain partnerships with some or all of the master franchisees in order to control costs and reduce risks across the global brand. Company Background In 1960, brothers Tom and James Monaghan borrowed $500 to purchase the Dominick’s pizza store in Ypsilanti, Michigan. 4 After just a year in the pizza business, James traded his interest in the business to Tom for a Volkswagen Beetle. As the sole owner of the company, Tom renamed the business Domino’s Pizza, Inc. The company awarded its first franchise license in 1967 and the first franchised store was opened in Ypsilanti. Domino’s continued to license an increasing number of franchisees which led to the brand’s growth regionally and then nationally. Domino’s first international franchise license was granted in 1983 for a store in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. By the end of 1983, 1,000 Domino’s stores were in operation. When Macksood joined the company in 1986 as the general manager of the North Carolina regional supply chain center, Domino’s had just opened 954 U. S. units during the previous year, making it the fastest-growing pizza company in the country. Unlike its primary competitor Pizza Hut, Domino’s focused on pizza delivery and customer carryout and did not traditionally offer dine-in seating areas. As such, Tom Monaghan was dedicated to 1 Global retail sales represented sales by company-owned stores and franchised stores. 2 Domino’s Pizza 512-004 ensuring the efficiency of Domino’s delivery service. Despite the brand’s rapid growth, Monaghan kept the menu simple compared to other quick-serve restaurants. From Domino’s founding until 1989, the menu consisted of just one type of hand-tossed pizza dough available in two sizes (12-inch â€Å"small† and 16-inch â€Å"large†), 11 topping choices, and bottled Coca-Cola as the only beverage option. The first menu expansion occurred in 1989 when Domino’s introduced â€Å"deep-dish† pizza after market research showed that 40% of U. S. pizza customers preferred thicker crusts. The company’s first non-pizza item, breadsticks made from Domino’s hand-tossed pizza dough, was added to the menu in 1992. In 1993 industry trends led Domino’s to add medium and extra-large sized pizzas and to introduce thin-crust dough; in 1994, the menu was diversified even further with the introduction of chicken wings. Still, the menu remained simple so as to streamline production and maximize economies of scale on purchases of principal ingredients. While changes to the Domino’s menu were in response to consumer preferences and competitors’ offerings, Domino’s had led the competition in innovations that with time became standard in the industry. Domino’s was the first to utilize the belt-driven pizza oven, which had one temperature setting and a conveyor belt that continuously moved items through the oven, which resulted in consistent and effortless baking. Domino’s invented the â€Å"spoodle,† which was a cross between a spoon and a ladle, in 1985 to help reduce the time it took to â€Å"sauce† a pizza (see Exhibit 2 for photos). Domino’s was also the first major pizza chain to replace wooden and stainless steel pizza cooking trays with pizza screens that allowed for more even baking. To make sure that its pizzas arrived hot, the company was the first of the major pizza chains to use corrugated cardboard pizza boxes in the 1960s rather than thinner (and less expensive) boxes. Domino’s took its commitment to hot pizza a step further in 1998 when it developed the â€Å"Heat Wave† electrical delivery bag to keep pizza hot during transit. Between 1986 and 1993, Domino’s guaranteed that customers would receive their pizzas within 30 minutes of placing an order or they would get $3. 00 off. In 1999, with more than 6,500 stores in operation—including more than 1,700 stores outside the U. S. —Monaghan sold 93% of the company to Bain Capital for almost $1 billion and retired as CEO. 5 Bain installed David Brandon, the former head of Michigan-based marketing firm Valassis Communications, as president and CEO. While Brandon continued to focus on store operations, he also emphasized the importance of building the Domino’s brand. This included better definition and consistent execution of the consumer brand experience across every element—from stores, to trucks, to people—as Domino’s sought to accelerate its global expansion. In 2004, Domino’s was first recognized as the leading pizza delivery company in the U. S. based on reported consumer spending, a title the company held ever since. In July 2004, the company completed an IPO and began trading common stock on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol: DPZ). Over the next five years, Domino’s expanded its international footprint from 2,987 franchised stores in 2005 to 4,422 by 2010. Changes were also made to the company’s marketing strategy beginning in September 2008 when Russell Weiner was hired from Pepsi-Cola to serve as Domino’s executive vice president of Build the Brand and chief marketing officer. Weiner guided Domino’s away from its traditional practice of using price-driven â€Å"limited time† promotional offers, which created temporary sales spikes, and instead focused on developing new permanent product platforms that could be promoted through advertising. New offerings such as â€Å"Domino’s Oven-Baked Sandwiches† and â€Å"BreadBowl Pastas† were permanently added to the menu with the intention of creating sustained sales increases. In 2010, Domino’s delivered approximately 400 million pizzas in the U. S. , accounting for 71% of its U. S. pizza sales (the other 29% came from carryout) and generated record system-wide revenue of $1. 5 billion, of which $1. 4 billion came from domestic operations. (See Exhibit 3a and 3b for company 3 512-004 Domino’s Pizza financial reports. ) Doyle, a 13-year Domino’s veteran who took over from Brandon as CEO in March 2010, was proudest of the increase in same-store sales,2 which were up 9. 9% domestically and 6.9% internationally. â€Å" This is a tremendous feat for any brand, especially one that is 50-years old,† he remarked. In 2010, Forbes ranked Domino’s the number one â€Å"franchise for the money† and Pizza Today, a leading industry publication, named Domino’s the chain of the year, an honor that was repeated in 2011. 6 By July 2011, Domino’s had grown to 9,436 company-owned and franchised stores in all 50 U. S. states and across 65 international markets, making it the second-largest pizza company in the world behind Yum Brands’ Pizza Hut. Domino’s had approximately 10,900 employees, referred to as team members, spread across company-owned stores, supply chain centers, the World Resource Center, and regional offices. The company estimated that another 185,000 individuals were employed by independent Domino’s franchisees worldwide. For the first time in Domino’s history, international retail sales eclipsed U. S. sales in the second quarter of 2011 when overseas markets generated 51% of total company sales. The U. S. Quick-Serve Pizza Industry In 2010 there were 67,554 pizza stores in the U.S. , which represented 12% of all restaurants in the market. 7 Franchised or chain stores made up 60% of the units and generated half of the revenue; the remainder came from independently owned stores, which were often referred to as â€Å"mom and pops. †8 (See Table A for a list of the top U. S. -based chains. ) Independent pizza shops had always been a strong source of competition for consumer dollars even though these (usually) single units did not have the purchasing power or the advertising ability of the large chains. The pizza business in the U. S.generated $34 billion in sales revenues in 2010, accounting for 10% of all food industry sales. 9 Roughly two-thirds of the annual pizza segment revenue came from the pizza delivery business where Domino’s led the competition with 19. 8% of delivery sales. Table A Leading U. S. -based Pizza Chains, 2010 U. S. Sales ($ billions) $5. 0 $3. 3 $2. 1 $1. 1 Share of U. S. Market 14% 8% 6% 3% U. S. Units 7,566 4,929 2,781 2,500 International Units 5,715 4,475 688 200 Percent Franchised 84% 95% 82% 81% Company Pizza Hut Domino’s Pizza Papa John’s Pizza Little Caesars Source: Jonathan Maze, â€Å"2010 Franchise Times Top 200 Franchise Systems,† Franchise Times, October 2011, http://www. franchisetimes. com/content/page. php? page=00138, accessed September 2011; and, Domino’s company documents. Domino’s U. S. Franchise Structure From the time Monaghan signed the first Domino’s franchise agreement in 1967, a central tenet of its strategy was to make it as easy as possible for franchisees and store managers to run their stores. 2 Same-store sales growth was a statistic used by retailers and industry analysts to compare sales at stores that had been open for a year or more. It allowed investors to determine what portion of sales came from sales growth and what portion came from the opening of new stores. Although new stores were a positive factor, a saturation point—where future sales growth was determined by same-store sales growth and not simply the addition of new units—eventually occurred. 4 Domino’s Pizza 512-004 Domino’s had developed a cost-effective business model with low capital requirements, a focused menu of affordable pizza and other complementary items, and an interior specially designed to support delivery and carry-out. â€Å"At the store level, we believe that the simplicity and efficiency of our operations gives us significant advantages over our competitors, who in many cases, like Pizza Hut, also focus on dine-in,† said Stan â€Å"The Pizza Guy† Gage, vice president for training and development. Domino’s domestic stores and the majority of its international locations did not have extensive dine-in areas which cut costs for space, furnishings, and staff. As a result, Domino’s stores were small, averaging approximately 1,200 to 1,500 square feet in size with 15 to 20 employees. The units were relatively inexpensive to build, furnish, and maintain. The amount of capital investment required to open and operate a new Domino’s franchise location averaged $150,000 to $250,000, which was considered low in the QSR segment. The average Domino’s U. S. franchisee owned and operated three to four stores, and many had only one or two. At the end of 2010, only seven franchisees owned 50 or more stores with the largest domestic franchise operating 144 stores. This was different from many QSR franchise models in the U. S., which often awarded franchises on a regional basis with one franchisee owning many or all of the locations in a metropolitan area or state. Rather than controlling a region, a Domino’s franchisee was granted a specified delivery radius. The size of this delivery area was based on the ability to deliver a pizza from the store to the customer’s door in 10 minutes or less. To protect the brand, Domino’s placed rigorous standards on its franchisees such as usually requiring prospects to manage a Domino’s store for at least one year before they were granted a franchise. Generally, Domino’s also restricted franchisees from pursuing active, outside business endeavors so as to align the interests and success of the franchisees with that of the brand. Based on these two factors, the vast majority of Domino’s U. S. franchisees had historically come from within the Domino’s system; many started as a Domino’s delivery driver. Under a Domino’s franchise agreement, the owner was granted the right to exclusively operate in a particular area for a term of 10 years with an option to renew for an additional 10 years. In 2010, the average length of Domino’s relationship with its top 50 franchisees was 19. 5 years. Domino’s franchise contract renewal rate was over 99% and its collection rate on domestic franchise royalties and supply chain receivables was also over 99%. Each franchisee had discretion over the prices charged to its customers with some national sales promotions set at the corporate level. Domestic franchisees paid Domino’s a 5. 5% royalty fee on weekly sales3 and until 2009 made contributions to fund marketing and advertising at the national and local level, which varied by market. In 2009, all domestic franchisees amended their franchise agreements to include a flat marketing contribution of 5. 5%. As such, franchisees were no longer required to contribute to regional or local level advertising campaigns, although they were allowed to if they desired. (See Exhibit 4 for details of initial and ongoing franchisee costs). In 2010, average reported annual EBITDA per domestic franchise store was between $50,000 and $75,000 on average annual sales volume of $650,000 per unit. 3 The royalties generated by Domino’s franchise system, which included its U.S. and international franchisees, generated a steady stream of free cash. Domino’s used this free cash flow to reinvest in the company, such as funding technology enhancements and supply chain improvements, and also to buy back debt, repurchase stock, and pay dividends. 5 512-004 Domino’s Pizza U. S. Supply Chain System The supply chain system was the hub of Domino’s U. S. franchise model. Domestic franchisees were free to source and purchase their own menu ingredients and supplies as long as the items were approved by Domino’s and sourced from approved suppliers. However, the system had earned Domino’s a strong and dedicated following among its domestic franchisees; in 2011, over 99% of them choose to be customers of the Domino’s supply chain. As such, Domino’s provided virtually all of the company’s 4,900 U. S. stores with over 240 individual products including fresh pizza dough, menu ingredients such as cheese and pepperoni, and store supplies ranging from delivery boxes to cleaning products and toilet paper. Macksood explained how the U. S.supply chain created value: Our centralized purchasing, vertically integrated dough manufacturing, and nation-wide distribution system allows us to leverage Domino’s combined volume to achieve economies of scale and lower costs, and to tightly control quality. This system allows store managers to focus on store operations and customer service rather than worrying about making dough, grating cheese, and preparing toppings and sourcing other ingredients. This enhances our relationship with franchisees and ensures that every Domino’s customer gets a great pizza. Supply Chain System. Domino’s supply chain system was comprised of 19 facilities located in 15 states, which allowed for nationwide coverage. Of these facilities, 16 were regional dough manufacturing and supply chain centers (SCC). Domino’s also operated three other supply chain facilities, which included an equipment and supply distribution center 25 miles east of the World Resource Center in Michigan, a fresh produce facility in Georgia that supplied some franchisees with cut vegetables, and a â€Å"pressedproduct† plant in Illinois that manufactured thin-crust dough for distribution to the 16 SCCs. 4 (See Exhibit 5 for map and details of U. S. supply chain system. ) Domestic franchisees were required to purchase and use the company’s Pulse point-of-sale computer system. This system was used for taking customer orders, submitting store orders to their designated SCC, and for connecting with the Domino’s network. The Pulse system included forecasting software that allowed store managers and owners to track inventory and sales to customers. This differed from the forecasting tools utilized by Domino’s at its SCCs, which tallied total product and raw ingredient sales made to franchisees. This information was then used by a group of team members at the World Resource Center who conducted centralized replenishment of all 16 SCCs in the system. Each SCC manufactured fresh dough on a daily basis and served about 300 stores located within a one-day delivery radius. Each Domino’s store received an average of two full-service food deliveries per week, amounting to 515,000 total system-wide deliveries in 2010. Stores placed their orders for dough—which had a seven-day shelf life—and food and other supplies electronically via Pulse, usually by 5:00pm. SCCs actually began manufacturing dough at 5:00am using an internal forecast. Domino’s fleet of 200 leased tractor-trailers were loaded in the early evening and rolled out of the SCCs starting between 9:00pm and 10:00pm. Drivers unloaded food and supplies at the stores, stocked coolers and shelves (rotating items so older products would be used first), and even mopped the floor if they had tracked in mud or snow. Deliveries were typically made in the middle of the night to 4 Domino’s â€Å"pressed-product† facility produced thin-crust dough that was parbaked (e. g. , cooked for roughly 80% of the normal cooking time and then rapidly cooled and frozen) for distribution to the 16 SCCs. 6 Domino’s Pizza 512-004 minimize disruptions to store operations. Domino’s guaranteed delivery within 48 hours of when the order was placed and the company regularly achieved an on-time delivery performance rate of 95%, with the majority of orders delivered within 24 hours. Gage explained that ordering through Domino’s offered one-stop shopping and other benefits: The supply chain eliminates many of the typical back-of-store activities that our competitors’ managers must undertake—such as figuring out which supplier has the best price on cooking oil or what cleaning supplies to order. The single most important person in Domino’s is the store manager and this system allows them to focus on the quality and consistency of menu items and customer service. New franchisees were exposed to the efficiency of the supply chain system long before their first fresh dough order was placed with a SCC. The equipment and supply chain center was the first stop for franchisees worldwide. There, store owners could buy capital items such as ovens, coolers, pizza preparation areas, counters and fixtures, signage, and other large equipment as well as â€Å"re-use† items including delivery bags, uniforms, small wares, and promotional materials. â€Å"The operation was born out of the concept of selling and shipping a pizza store in a box, a model that dates back to the beginning of the company,† explained Jim Murabito, vice president of product management. â€Å"With an inventory of over 2,500 individual SKUs, this facility is a one-stop shop able to supply our franchisees with everything they need to set-up, open, and operate a Domino’s location. † Adding Value Domino’s domestic menu reached its largest and most diverse state in 2010 when the company offered four different pizza crusts, over 25 topping choices, eight oven-baked sandwich options, five pasta dishes, two types of chicken, two styles of breadsticks, and two baked dessert options. (See Exhibit 6a and 6b for Domino’s menu items.) Menu prices across the highly competitive pizza delivery industry were relatively identical; therefore, the major pizza chains had to differentiate themselves based on taste, quality, and customer experience. Domino’s helped franchisees maintain consistent quality while improving store economics using various tools, including the spoodle and the pizza oven that Domino’s had designed. Another important piece of equipment was â€Å"the makeline† station, which served as the assembly line for a pizza. The make-line, which was a metal counter with containers and refrigeration for ingredients and toppings, had been designed—and was continually being updated—to support speedy pizza making. For example, a refrigerated cheese catch tray under the counter—another Domino’s proprietary design—allowed pizza makers to quickly spread shredded cheese on a pizza without worrying about food waste. As a result, Domino’s head pizza trainer could prepare a pizza (e. g. , flatten and shape the fresh dough ball, apply sauce, and top with cheese and pepperoni) in 24 seconds. â€Å"These tools allow stores to consistently produce menu items that meet the Domino’s standard and delivery those items in the fast, efficient manner that is required for success in the pizza delivery segment,† explained Murabito. In fact, the only piece of cooking equipment in a Domino’s store was the belt-driven oven; there were no microwaves or stoves. This meant that all of the items on Domino’s domestic menu—pizzas, chicken, sandwiches, pasta, bread, and desserts—had been designed to cook at approximately 500 degrees Fahrenheit for six minutes. Not only were Domino’s franchisees attracted to the company’s domestic supply chain for its efficiency and consistency; their participation was also encouraged through a profit-sharing arrangement. Generally, Domino’s shared 50% of the pre-tax profits generated by its regional dough manufacturing and SCCs with the domestic franchisees who purchased all of their ingredients and supplies from the company. While franchisees were allowed to opt out of the supply chain with 7 512-004 Domino’s Pizza notice, doing so would eliminate their right to profit sharing. Participating franchisees were allocated a profit share based on the volume of their purchases from SCCs. This profit sharing reached a record level in 2010 and â€Å"continued to strengthen Domino’s ties with its franchise network by enhancing franchisees profitability while maintaining a source of revenue and earnings for Domino’s,† noted Macksood. â€Å"The greatest advantage of this arrangement is that it brings us closer to our franchisees and encourages us to work together to reduce costs and food waste. † Macksood provided an example of how his group responded to franchise feedback: With nine product groups accounting for 90% of sales volume in our supply chain, our biggest challenge is managing an increasing variety of ingredients. When pasta was introduced to the menu, we began supplying a cheese sauce that was packaged in a one-pound bag. Within a few months, franchisees reported that the amount was more than needed to meet their daily sales volume, which forced them to throw away product. We experimented with smaller packaging options and eventually settled on individual portion-sized packs. Smaller packaging is more expensive for us, but it creates less food waste for our franchisees. In addition to allowing Domino’s to work closely with franchisees to manage costs and gain product feedback, the supply chain also helped the company respond to natural disasters that could disrupt store sales. When Hurricane Katrina struck the U. S. Gulf Coast in 2005, Domino’s quickly placed trailers at stores that were destroyed or without electricity, allowing franchisees to feed rescue workers and displaced citizens. According to Macksood, Domino’s stores in the area were the last QSRs to close before the storm and the first to re-open. In the time since the hurricane, Domino’s encouraged franchisees in the area to build new stores that would be â€Å"hurricane ready with generators, an extra-large cooler, and the ability to reopen quickly. In February 2011, an ice storm paralyzed usually snow-free Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, just days before the area played host to the Super Bowl. Super Bowl Sunday was historically the pizza delivery industry’s busiest day of the year. The company was expecting to sell 1. 2 million pizzas nationwide with especially strong demand across the 123 stores serving the Dallas-Fort Worth market. 10 It was customary for SCC managers to monitor meteorological reports in their respective distribution regions. By doing so in this instance, the supply chain system was able to proactively position extra resources and make early deliveries when warned about the pending Texas storm, allowing Domino’s to meet customer demand on the day of the game. The Agricultural Commodity Market and Domino’s Suppliers. Historically, the agricultural commodity market—although cyclical—had been relatively stable and predictable. This continued to be the case even as prices for corn, milk, soybean oil, and wheat rose steadily from 2000 to 2005. However, global commodity prices soared in 2007 and 2008 due to record high oil prices, severe weather events, food security fears, and trade restrictions. The price of wheat, corn, rice, and oilseed crops nearly doubled. Some pricing relief came in late 2008 and in 2009 when the most serious global economic recession since the 1930s dampened demand. However, prices rose again at the beginning of 2010 as demand, driven primarily by developing countries undergoing rises in per capita incomes and population growth, outpaced supply. Reduced global inventories added to the price volatility, which was exacerbated by a high number of severe weather events. In the summer of 2010, droughts followed by fires in Russia, the world’s third-largest grain producer, reduced the country’s wheat production by 25% and led the government to stop exports. The U. S.commodity market followed the same global trends into 2011 due to a combination of factors, including droughts in key grain-producing regions, spring flooding on the Mississippi and 8 Domino’s Pizza 512-004 other U. S. rivers, low stocks, increased use of corn to produce biofuels, and rapidly rising oil prices. In April 2011, corn futures prices,5 which had increased almost 90% over the previous 12 months, reached a record high of $7. 44 per bushel and for the first time in a decade surpassed the price of wheat futures on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT). Only four months earlier, wheat had traded at a 31% premium over corn. The growing use of corn for ethanol in the biofuels industry and a rise in demand for livestock feed kept demand up and prices high. 6 Other factors, such as increased demand for corn feed in China, were also blamed for sustained high prices. 11 Rising corn prices hit protein producers particularly hard. Tyson Foods, Inc. , the largest meat producer in the world, cited higher poultry feed costs for a 21% year-on-year drop in its second quarter 2011 earnings. 12 From July 2010 to July 2011, the price that U. S. meat producers charged for chicken grew 4. 3% and was projected to increase another 5% by the end of 2011. Similarly, pork prices had increased 27% and both pork and chicken had reached record high prices. The trading price for milk, the primary ingredient in cheese, had escalated 56% 13 to a record high of $21. 39 per cwt (100 pounds) in July 2011,14 a price Macksood called â€Å"sticker shock. † Many meat and dairy producers started to include increasing amounts of wheat as a feed substit.

Moving away from hatred Essay Example for Free

Moving away from hatred Essay â€Å"On Saturday in the Serbian Town of Cacak (which is located in the Western-Central part of the country), fans of the local team Borac Cacak were conducting racial chants and wearing KKK attire aimed at one Mike Tamwanera. Usually when you have fans chanting or hissing at a player he usually plays for another team, but Tamwanera who is from Zimbabwe, plays for Borac Cacak. While arrests were made by Cacak police and the club has stated that these fans will be banned from future games, the act itself is extremely disgraceful. It is extremely disappointing to see Serbian people do this type of action The problem lies in the fact that these small group of fans who donned the garments known for extreme racism do not realize that the Ku Klux Klan have also been known to hate all minority groups including Slavic people who we Serbs are a part of. By wearing the white-cloth attire, these fans are showing that they support the hate done to their own people; its the same if Serbs wore Nazi uniforms and paraded around the town (Kross. 2006)† Looking back at these incidents, I am made to reflect on the acts of racism that I have seen and heard of here in America. One case here in America that has definitely struck a bone in me is the Jena Six (6) incident. As we know this is with regard to six (6) black teenagers beating up a white teenager and being charged with attempted murder and conspiracy. Looking at this incident, I am led to believe that the root of the case is rather complicated and is in fact rooted in decades of violence and aggression between Black and White Americans, which has led to a vicious cycle between the two. As Todd Lewan wrote in his article, â€Å"Clearly, something bad occurred in Jena, population 2,971, an old sawmill town in LaSalle Parish that, once upon a time, was Ku Klux Klan country. And, as most white and black residents readily agree, there is no good reason for embracing what unfolded here. † However, digging deeper into the story we see that the issue at heart is basically spawn by misunderstanding and hatred. Hatred that is drawn from differences we refuse to see beyond as human beings. This coupled by the fact that numerous injustices have been made in the past only add up to the existing problem. Racial acts are no longer the only scope of the norms and mores groups become socialized into but aggression and violence become a legitimate way by, which such groups express themselves. Looking back at the incident it is history repeating itself as Black Americans get back at White Americans for disputes and vice versa. In addition to this, the fact that racism is a group privilege as pointed out earlier only compounds the matter. This is since it bolsters the behavior and even perpetuates violent and aggressive acts such as the Jena 6 incident and even the beating of the gypsies in Europe. Moreover, the group does not see that such acts are wrong. Certain acts to them are merely a way by which they can express themselves and the like. Yet to think that even such actions are spawned from misunderstandings or inaccurate interpretations leads me to think that so much pain and suffering can actually be avoided if we simply open our minds. Taking into account the Jena Six incident as taken from Newsweek: â€Å"Decades of suppressed racial hostility spilled forth at the appearance of those swaying nooses. Word spread quickly that day; before long, scores of black students congregated under the tree. As black students, we didnt call it a protest, says Robert Bailey Jr. , one of the Jena Six. We just called it standing up for ourselves. School officials convened an assembly in early September, where local District Attorney Reed Walters appeared, flanked by police officers. I can be your best friend or your worst enemy, he told students, warning them to settle down. With a stroke of my pen, I can make your lives disappear. A visit to the school, along with the fact that the three white boys who admitted to hanging the nooses were only dealt a few days suspension, further inflamed the African-American community. It felt like they were saying, We can do what we want to those ns, says Marcus Jones, Bells father. Things reached a boil later in the semester. During the Thanksgiving holiday, someone set fire to the school, reducing the main academic wing to rubble (no one has been arrested, and though a link between what was ruled an arson and the racial discord hasnt been proved, many suspect there is one). The following day, Bailey was punched and beaten with beer bottles when he tried to enter a mostly white party in town. The white kid who threw the first punch was later charged with simple battery and given probation†¦ (Flores and Kovach. 2007). † We can see that the escalation to the whole incident could have been avoided if it was approached with more understanding from both races. It should not have been about White or Black but rather of what was socially and morally right or wrong. We have to realize that racism not only is morally wring but is also legally wrong. According to UN International Conventions, the term racial discrimination shall mean any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, color, descent, or national or ethnic origin which has the purpose or effect of nullifying or impairing the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal footing, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural or any other field of public life. Although it is defined and seen in a sociological standpoint as being a group privilege and can in a certain sense cause a debate as to whether or not such behavior exhibited by a group is deviant; the fact remains that it has moral, ethical and legal ramifications. Racism, be it in the form of a racial slur or an actual physical act (whether in retaliation or not) is just plain wrong. Yes there have been numerous indignations between various races in the past but we have to learn to bridge beyond differences in ethnicity and culture. Perhaps the next step in a progressive and linear development in achieving true equality is for us to start relearning the concepts we have learned. To unlearn what it is to hate and to start seeing others as being our equal. Of course this is easier said than done. In his article entitled â€Å"Racism in America: What has to happen for black and white to unite? † Jeff Hickman sites that a greater problem or obstacle to hurdle in overcoming racism is ignorance. In his words, â€Å"As we all know it takes only a very short time to teach a person to hate, and yet you can spend a lifetime in vain attempting to repair the misguided web of lies racism encompasses†¦One of the most difficult tasks in life to accomplish is to overcome the core fundamental principles that you are taught as a child. Parents, Grandparents, and role models, yield an enormous amount of influence in the moral development of a child (Hickman. 2007). † Taking this into account we can see that norms and mores carried from one racist group can actually be passed on to the next generation. Furthermore, studies have also shown the relationship of peers and role models in reinforcing a behavior. Such is the contention of Alfred Bandura, a psychologist who formulated the Social Learning Theory. According to his theory we learn basic skills and behaviors by observing what others or rather role models do. Given the case of racism the more alarming aspect is that violence and aggression are also passed on and reinforced. Rick Van Acker â€Å"the development of chronic aggressive and violent behavior is complex and appears to involve the interplay of multiple risk factors†¦factors related to family functioning, peer associations, and the community in which the child resides, however, probably account for the greatest variation in the learning and expression of aggression and violence† (pars. 3). Hence we have a vicious cycle that we must break. As they say, hate breeds hate. Going back to what Joseph Addison said, â€Å"If men would consider not so much where they differ, as wherein they agree, there would be far less of uncharitableness and angry feeling in the world. † This is something we must all take into heart. The problem raced by racism and the ignorance it has bred is not unique to White Americans, Black Americans, Serbians or what ever other race. The connotations we have and the diversity between races should not be viewed as taboo or dreadful. Instead we should learn to respect the diversity we have cross culturally and see it as part of what makes us beautiful. Moreover, we have to see beyond the differences and realize that we are all the same†¦that we are all human beings. Racism has always been both an instrument of discrimination and a tool of exploitation. But it manifests itself as a cultural phenomenon, susceptible to cultural solutions, such as multicultural education and the promotion of ethnic identities (Sivanandan pars. 1). It is not a hopeless scenario. We can change it through continuous education and culture sensitivity. We must remember that in the end, the world we live in does not shape our society but we as human beings are the ones that create, maintain and change the very fabric of the society we live in. References Fraser, Angus. The Peoples of Europe: The Gypsies. Blackwell Publishing P, 1995. Hickman, Jeff.â€Å"Racism in America: What has to happen for white and black to unite? † The People’s Media Company. 1 May 2007. 25 September 2007. http://www. associatedcontent. com/article/221501/racism_in_america_what_has_to_hap pen. html? page=3 UN International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. 7 March 1966. New York. Kovach, Gretel C. and Campo-Flores, Arian. â€Å"A Town In Turmoil. † Newsweek Society. (20-27 August 2007 Issue). 25 September 2007. http://www. msnbc. msn. com/id/20218937/site/newsweek/page/0/ Kross, Final. â€Å"Racism in Serbia and Kezman. † Fox Sports. 18 October 2006. 25 September 2007. http://community. foxsports. com/blogs/FinalKross/2006/10/18/Racism_in_Serbia_and_Kezman Lewan, Todd. â€Å"Black and white becomes gray in La. Town. † The Associated Press. 2007. 24 September 2007. http://news. yahoo. com/s/ap/20070922/ap_on_re_us/a_place_called_jena Race and Ethnicity. 31 March 2003. Elaine Leeder and US2 Design. 24 September 2007. http://www. sonoma. edu/users/l/leeder/index. htm Racism. 25 September 2007. Wkimedia Foundation, Inc. 25 September 2007. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Racism Shah, Anup. â€Å"Racism. † Global Issues. 20 December 2004. 24 September 2007. http://www. globalissues. org/HumanRights/Racism. asp#RacismagainstGypsies Sivanandan, A. â€Å"Poverty is the New Black. † The Guardian Unlimited. 17 August 2001. 25 September 2007. http://www. guardian. co. uk/globalisation/story/0,7369,538225,00. html World of Quotes. com. 2007. 2003 – 2006 Roy Russo. 24 September 2007. http://www. worldofquotes. com/topic/Difference/1/index. html. Van Acker, Rick. â€Å"Aggression and Violence: Factors Related to Their Development. † T/TAC. 1 May 1997. 25 September 2007. http://www. wm. edu/ttac/articles/challenging/aggression. html.

An Analysis of Such a Long Journey by Rohinton Mistry

An Analysis of Such a Long Journey by Rohinton Mistry AN EXPLORATION OF SOCIO- POLITICAL CONCERNS IN ROHINTON MISTRYS SUCH A LONG JOURNEY Abstract Social, political, and historical event continue to be a significant theme adopted by various writers throughout the world to reveal the situations that occurred in the past and continue till date. Contemporary Indian writers use these themes to reflect the impact of events and its effect on the ordinary people. They mainly focus on socio-political issues like war, violence, displaced communities, and marginalization. Rohinton Mistry is one among these writers whose works reflect the contemporary social and political life of the parsi community. Nostalgia, alienation, diaspora, politics and marginalization form the basic tenet of Rohinton Mistrys novels. Such a Long Journey is one of the important works by Mistry which explore the various aspects of India like culture, community, administration, society, life, and faith of the Parsi community. Mistry, re-portrays the historical backdrop of this group and nation as it has been in the post-independence period. This paper attempts to an alyze the experience, anguish, and the nostalgic feeling of the Parsi community in India even after the independence. Keywords: Nostalgia, diaspora, alienation and politics Introduction Parsis are the small group of people described as an ethno-religious minority who are the faithful followers of Zoroastrianism. These minority people are separated from Iran to avoid forced conversion into Islam community. Finally, they came to India and got settled and practiced their faith. India is like a heaven for them but they are subjected to marginalization. Parsis writing illustrates the life and experiences of the past and present-dayParsis in India. Being the minority community, the Parsis feel insecured, alienated, nostalgic and feel threatened by the dominant Hindu culture. These are also major themes in Parsis literature. According to N.S Dharan, post-independent Parsi writing in English is ethnocentric, culture-specific and community oriented (7).Many writers are inclined to write about the contemporary political condition of the nation and their community especially about the Parsi community who merely struggles under the governments hegemony. Bapsi Sidhwa, Firdaus Kanga, Boman Desai are well-known Parsi writers whose works reflect the contemporary socio-political issues faced by the Parsi community. Rohinton Mistry is one among these writers. He is of Indian origin and belongs to Parsi community. Mistry developed as a significant and notable literary figure during the contemporary periods. He was an Indo-Canadian novelist and short story writer. He was born in 1952 in Bombay and immigrated to Canada in 1975. He studied English and Philosophy as a part-time scholar at the University of Toronto. His notable fictional works are Such a Long Journey (1991), A Fine Balance (1995), and Family Matter (2002) and non-fictions are Tales from Firozsha Baag (1987), Searching for Stevenson (1994), and The scream (2006). His works are intact with the major themes like religion, community, politics, human relationship, diaspora, alienation, nostalgia, and homelessness. Such a Long Journey His first novel, Such a Long Journey portrays the common lifestyle and anxieties of the Parsi community during post-Independent India, it also explores the social, political, and cultural chaos during the early sixties and seventies. The title of the novel, Such a Long Journey has been taken from the poem The Journey of the magi by T.S. Eliot. A cold coming we had of it, Just the worst time of the year For a journey, and such a long journey. (qtd in Mistry i) Eliots poem is extremely emblematic. The journey of the three wise man who wants to visit the birthplace of Jesus Christ undertakes a hazardous journey and overcome many problems and difficulties in life. Similarly, this novel is also symbolic representing the long journey of the Gustard Noble who overcomes many ups and downs in his life. The novel is set in Bombay against the milieu of the Indo-Pakistan war in 1971 which gave raise to new independent country, Bangladesh. It also deals with the major political issues like corruption, domination, and unlawful government. The novel has won many awards like Governor Generals Award, the commonwealth writers prize for the best manuscript and has also shortlisted for the Prestigious Booker Prize. Such a Long Journey is one of the remarkable and best works by Rohinton Mistry which portrays the realistic conditions and political history of the Indian society especially the life of the Parsi community before and after independence. Mistry has well studied the history, social and political condition of India during his stay in Bombay and has adapted it in the novel, which is interesting and traditionally significant. Jasbir Jain says that, Rohinton Mistrys work raises a whole lot of other questions specifically related to the homeland and political memory. Neither nostalgia nor memory in itself can account for this rootedness and preoccupation with the homeland and the environment boundaries of the city of birth. (qtd in Dhodiya 42) Such a Long Journey is an imaginative story which explores the life and anguish of the middle-class Parsi people. Amrijit Singh says, Such a Long Journey is the story of Gustad Noble, the little man who holds on to his dignity, strength, and humanity in a sweltering tide of disappointment, confusion, betrayal and corruption (214). The author describes the pitiable circumstances and the melancholic story of Gustad Noble, who is the protagonist of the novel. He belongs to the middle-class Parsi community, who worked as a clerk in a bank. Being a clerk, he has to face many problems in life. He was a dedicated family man, works very hard to uphold his familys financial situation. Noble was a father of three children, elder son Sohrab, youngest son Darius and Roshan, his daughter. He lived in the Khodadad building with his family where most of the Parsis reside. Major Jimmy Bilimoria and Dinshawji are the faithful friends of him who also lived along with the Noble family in the Khodadad b uilding. Parsi communities are shaken by the rise of Shiv Sena in Bombay, the party promises to give job for the middle-class people. The party is against the South Indian immigrants, typically immigrants from Tamil Nadu especially the job seekers. The party Shiv Sena in the novel is despised by the Parsi people as the supporters of the Shiv Sena ill-treated the individuals of the Parsi community as a Parsi crow-eaters. Furthermore offending the communitys funeral cremations, Dinshawji and Gustadare frightened that the Parsis might become second-class citizens in the future. Gustad says, No future for minorities, with all these fascist Shiv Sena politics and Marathi language nonsense. It was going to be like the black people in America-twice as good as the white man to get half as much(SLJ 7). The novel charmingly reveals the certain political conflicts which affected the life of ordinary middle-class people. Dr. Paymaster says, Our beloved country is a patient with disease at an advanced stage. Dressing the wound or sprinkling rose-water over it to hide the smell of decaying tissue is useless. Fine words and promises will not cure the patient. The decaying part must be removed. You see, the municipal corruption is merely the bad smell, which will disappear as soon as the decaying government at the Centre is removed. (SLJ 313) The above quote describes the present political condition of India. Government is the only root cause of all the troubles and problems which occurs in India. Such problematic people should be thrown out of the country. Gustad Nobles hallucinations and ambitions are quite ambiguous. Many uncertain events have taken place in Nobles life. Firstly, his friend Major Jimmy who is a gentleman and also philosopher to him, suddenly disappears from the Khodadad building. Secondly, his son Sohrab refuses to register as a scholar in IIT where he got the admission. Noble has a great hope for his son Sohrabs future and wants to reclaim his familys lost prosperity. But his dreams are spoiled and he loses his hope on him. Moreover, Sohrabs unpleasant behavior during his sisters birthday was unbelievable which shocked Noble and he wanted to know the reason behind his unacceptable behavior. Sohrab replies: Its not suddenly. Im sick and tired of IIT, IIT, IIT all the time. Im not interested in it, Im n ot a jolly good fellow about it, and Im not going there. (SLJ 48) Sohrab discloses his wish to study Arts programme with his friends. Gustadwas unable to control his anger in front of his wife Dilnavaz, who herself was stumped, wants him to be quite. Noble says it is his obligation to look after his sons future. Gustad fears that there is no life and occupation for the minorities in Bombay mainly due to unlawful government. Dinshawji reminds the good old days of the parsis: What fun we used to haveà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.parsis were the kings of banking in those days. Such respect we used to get. Now the whole atmosphere only has been spoiled. Ever since that Indira nationalized the banks.(SLJ 38). Noble being an ordinary middle-class man had to face many trials in life. For example, the mysterious parcel which he had received from his friend Major Jimmy, slowly pulled him into a government deception including threats, corruption, and robbery which turns his life into a great tragedy. The mysterious parcel that contained ten lakh rupees invited a lot of trouble which puts him in addition to the existing problem. Moreover, the outside wall of the khodadad building that is considered as the sacred wall and security for his family is demolished by the government as a means of extending the road. These untoward incidents affects Noble so much that he feels frustrated and alienated. The wall is symbolic of the Parsi community. Once it is destroyed, Noble feels that the security of the Parsi community is under threat. Nilufer Bharucha says that the wall both includes and excludes. It is protective as well as reductive. It protects theParsee community from the ingressof the engulfing Indian world. However, it also makes this world isolationist (123). The problems multiplied when Noble found that his friend Major Jimmy Bilimoria was arrested. He is one of his close friends and also like a second father to Nobles children. He utters about his difficulties and Indias political situation during the tenure of Indira Gandhi as the prime minister. Major Jimmy was instructed through the phone by the PM Indira Gandhi to withdraw the sum of 60 lakh rupees from the SBI bank on the emergency basis. Later, police found that it was illegal money and PM refuses to accept that she was directly involved in the money scandal. Major Jimmy was arrested and tortured by the police. He was imprisoned for four years. Finally, he becomes bedridden and died due to heart attack before the period of his imprisonment gets over. This pitiable condition of the Major in the novel is very painful. Mistry beautifully describes the sorrowful situation of the Parsi people through Major Jimmy: On the bed lay nothing more than a shadow. The shadow of the powerfully built army man who once lived in Khodadad building. His hairline had receded, and sunken cheeks made the bones jut sharp and grotesque. The regal handlebar mustache was no more. His eyes had disappeared within their sockets. The neck, what he could see of it, was as scrawny as poor behest Dinshawjis while under the sheet there seemed barely a trace of those strong shoulders and deep chest which Gustard and Dilnavaz used to point out as a good example to their sons, reminding them always to walk erect, with chest out and stomach in, like Major Uncle. (SLJ 267) When Gustard returns from the funeral of Major Jimmy, Dilnavaz asks her son to speak to his father. But Sohrab refuses to speak to his father because he says to his mother about the fathers reaction towards him: its no use. I spoilt all his dreams, he is not interested in me anymore. (SLJ 321).The family is disintegrated due to politics. The distress of the Parsi community is well portrayed in Such a Long Journey. The inhabitants of Khodadad building represents the unity among the Parsi community. Mistry hints that when that wall is destroyed the community collapses. Mani Meitei notices that: though Mistry is highly imbued with an original writers imagination in the development of a flawless story in Such a Long Journey, his awareness of the contemporary social and political situation of India, particularly the period of the 1971 Indo-Pak war, is extremely exciting. As a realist, he wields the weapon of satire, which makes him a ruthless artist, a harsh political satirist and a devout critic of war. (9) Mistry portrays the agony of Parsi community during the reign of Indira Gandhi. The Parsi community stands as a marginalized minority community. Their sense of displacement is perfectly picturized by Mistry thus: Tell me what happens to my life, Rubbed out, just like that? Tell me (SLJ 74). Not only Gustad is affected but also the whole community which lives in the Khodadad building suffers. Gustad tries to bring in unity among the Hindus and the Parsis, but gets deeply hurt when the building collapses. His enthusiasm, thoughts, and desires was destroyed. Firstly, unexpected departure of major Billimoria from the Khodadad building. Secondly, his daughter Roshans illness, thirdly, Sohrabs disloyalty and finally tragic death of his friends makes him to suffer more. In addition to this, the Khodadad building collapses. Mistry stoically says it was becoming too much to bear, Roshans sickness, Jimmys treachery, Dinshawji stupidity, sohrabs betrayal, nothing but worry and sorrow and disapp ointment piling up around him, walling him in, and threatening to crush him. He moved his massaging hand from the forehead to his nape and closed his eyes (SLJ 177). All these incidences falls as a blow on Gustad head. Gustad makes a journey which is full of up and downs. Conclusion The novel clearly explores the socio-political issues which affect the lives of the characters and also the anxieties about their future as minority people. Mistry has effectively intertwined components of Parsi society and religion in his writing. It signifies different classes, professions, caste, and daily lives of the common parsi people in a unique way. He utilize his writing as a weapon against the exploiters and giving the reader information about the political exploitation and its consequence on the common middle-class people. In one of the interviews conducted by Ali Lakhani, Mistry says that a new country is revealed with its wonders, life isà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..a journey without destination. Sort of like a wall that goes on and on with pictures (1-2).Such a Long Journey thus beautifully reveals the huge picture of the Parsi community in India. Works Cited Bharucha, Nilufer.Rohinton Mistry: Ethnic Enclosures and Transcultural Spaces, Jaipur and New Delhi: Rawat Publications, 2003. Dharan, N.S. Ethnic Atrophy Syndrome in Rohinton Mistrys Fiction. Parsi Fiction Vol 2. ed. by Kapadia, Novy. New Delhi. 2004. Dodiya, Jaydipsinh. Perspectives on the Novels of Rohinton Mistry, New Delhi: Sarup Sons, 2006. Print. Meitei, Mani M.-Such A Long Journey and its Critical Acclaim The Fiction of Rohinton Mistry: Critical Studies, ed. Jaydipsinh Dodiya. New Delhi: Sarup and Sons, 2005. Mistry, Rohinton. Such a Long Journey. New York: Faber and Faber Ltd, 1991. Print. Singh, Amrijit. Rohinton Mistry(1952- ). Writers of Indian Diaspora,A Bio-Bibliographical Critical Source. ed. Nelson Emmanuel. Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1993. Lakhani, Ali The Long Journey of Rohinton Mistry. Interview at the Vancouver International Writers Festival. Canadian Fiction Magazine. 1989.www.rungh.org/issues/Rungh_v2_n1-2.pdf.

Being A Good Father :: essays research papers

Being A Good Father   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although the essay â€Å"My Father’s Son† and the poem â€Å"my father’s son† written by the same author, Mel Donalson and have similar titles, they have different ways to express the son’s feeling of his father’s character, merit and devotion to his family. Both essay and poem’s main ideas center around affection and father’s commitment to his family. However, the poem only describes the cold weather and the father’s image in his regular life style without expression of the author’s deep feeling. It is understandable that the poem mainly expresses the author’s naà ¯ve character during his childhood. On the other hand, the essay is more detail in describing the author’s different feelings from his journey from boyhood to manhood. Unlike the poem, Donalson focuses on his life’s experience and development with his changeable attitude to father: from ungratefulness and contemp t to thankfulness and respect. Although both the poem and essay are different in form and narrator, they share the same elements and visual images to support the author’s message of respect between a father and son.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The author, Donalson, uses visual images in both the poem and essay to describe the respectable father whom the author had. He uses the word â€Å"gladiator† to describe his father. â€Å"Gladiator† literally means man trained to fight with weapons at public shows in an arena; however, it symbolizes his father’s courage and tolerance of hard-working environment. In the poem, the poet portrays his father as â€Å"dark and beautiful† and uses the phrases â€Å"broadness of his back,† and â€Å"a large dry hand† to describe his father. â€Å"Dark and beautiful† tells the reader that the author knows his father’s humble origin in the South but he still appreciates his father’s appearance. â€Å"Broadness of his back† shows his father is a strong and powerful man. All those merits of his father give reason that his father is a respectable man. In the essay, similar descriptions used to describe his f ather like â€Å"dark shadow moving against the white background,† â€Å"dark face hidden beneath a knit cap,† and â€Å"his giant steps.† Donalson emphasizes his father is a big and powerful man. His endurance and responsibility to his family really please the author. His father never did anything special besides â€Å"piling the Christmas gifts† and â€Å"covering the car insurance† to his son but he can still manage to endear himself to his family.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In contrast to the poem, Donalson uses limited omniscient narrator in his essay to reveal to the reader his deep feelings of respect to his father.