The Ramayana free essay sample

Anthropomorphism of the Divine Perhaps no single work of prose captures the breadth and depth of the meaning of the word dharma, than does the Ramayana. Not a religious book or divinely inspired text such as the Bible or Quran, the Ramayana was originally an epic poem that circulated for centuries by word of mouth before being written down, and thus expanded and contracted over the millennia in written form, dance, songs, movies and television series across a large portion of Asia. As such there is no absolutely correct or true version, but the general story is one of good vs.evil, portraying in dramatic fashion the virtuous and just behavior of the transcendent Rama, inevitably rising triumphantly after a series of initiations, tests, betrayal and deceit. It has given Indians a fantastic example of extraordinary behavior under extreme circumstances, but also provides ideals and wisdom for common daily life. Take this example from the beginning, when the sage Viswamithra convinces Rama’s father, King Dasaratha to allow his son to travel with him on a potentially dangerous journey; â€Å"You cannot count on the physical proximity of someone you love, all the time. We will write a custom essay sample on The Ramayana or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page A seed that sprouts at the foot of its parent tree remains stunted until it is transplanted†¦Every human being, when the time comes, has to depart and seek his fulfillment in his own way. † (Narayan 1972, 9) The above provides but one example from the Ramayana’s simple yet pure message that all classes, all castes can appreciate. It is a story that provides context for the concept of dharma; it shows how a god(s) in human form furnishes examples replete with compassion, justice, courage, loyalty, valor, selflessness and self-sacrifice. The concept of a god allowing himself to be born mortal in order to rid the world of evil is not exclusive to the western world. This paper will take a cursory look at this mythological tale as an anthropomorphism of the divine providing a model to replicate, specifically the relationships between children and parents, husbands and wives, and rulers and subjects. As a son, Rama demonstrates the ideal execution of his dharma at the request  of Kaikeyi, his stepmother when she has him banished to the forest for 14 years, abdicating the throne as King of Ayodhya following his father’s immanent retirement. He does not show disappointment when his stepmother speaks on his father’s behalf, stating how it is Rama’s duty to fulfill his father’s promise to her, â€Å"otherwise he (Dasaratha) will be damning himself in this and other worlds. You owe him a duty as his son. † (Narayan 1972, 45) At this Rama internalizes the initial shock of being removed as heir, expelled from his kingdom, with only bark for clothing. Knowing his father is broken hearted by his wife’s seemingly unjustified and irrational request, Rama nonetheless regards it as if he were commanded by his father, and states â€Å"I want you to know I am not in the least pained by this order. I will take your word as his. † (Narayan 1972, 45) Without complaint or outward display of disappointment Rama instead demonstrates grace and dignity, even as those around him are emotionally crushed and outraged at the turn of events. His birth mother sobs uncontrollably and wonders aloud at what offense he must have committed to justify what appears to be a punishment. Rama’s younger brother Lakshmana is so enraged he dons his weapons and equipment for battle, and swears to destroy anyone attempting to stop his brother from being king; â€Å"I’ll not relent or yield to the desire of a mere female†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Narayan 1972, 51). Rama takes the proverbial high road with his mother and brother, and instead places the blame on himself for accepting the offer of the throne so readily and reminds his brother that he should not be so irresponsible with his anger, â€Å"you must not utter such bitter remarks about people who after all are none other than your father and mother. Through grace and serenity does Rama distinguish himself from those whom demonstrate natural behavior in light of the circumstances; he reminds his brother of his recital of the Vedas and the examples of a godly life to counteract his irrationality. This entire chapter in the Ramayana highlights the complete subordination of a child to his parents, and abidance to their wishes. Rama himself states that these are higher than demands of a king (Bharatha), or a guru (Vasishtha) and there could be no word higher than that of a father; no conduct other than obedience to it (Narayan 1972, 60). In the case of husbands and wives in the Ramayana, perhaps it is the relationship of Rama and Sita that form the true basis for this story. Being the incarnate of Vishnu and Lakshmi, these two were seemingly made for one another and even though it was customary for kings to have many wives, Rama told Sita that he would forego this custom. In return, when Rama is subsequently dispatched for 14 years from Ayodhya, he tells Sita that it is not her responsibility to give up her life in the palace and he will return to her. Without hesitation she states that her place is by his side wherever he may be†¦Ã¢â‚¬ it will be a living death for me without you; a forest or a marble palace is all the same to me. † (Narayan 1972, 52) 1This faithfulness towards her husband demonstrates the truest virtue of an Indian woman; although she is afraid to leave the palace she follows unquestionably. When Soorpanaka appears to Rama he was stunned by her beauty; â€Å"her eyes flashed, teeth sparkled, her figure, waist and bosom were that of a chiseled figure† (Narayan 1972, 64) but he would not accept her as a wife even though she all but throws herself at him and tries desperately to seduce him. Of course he has none of it, and his brother Lakshmana disposes of her, nearly killing her if it were not her being a woman. Following Sita’s capture by Ravana, Rama makes allies with Sugreeva, and during a battle with Vila his brother (who rules the giant monkey race), mortally wounds him with an arrow. Dying, Vila questions why he sided with Sugreeva, and why he attacked him. In response Rama again gives insight to the husband and wife relationship; â€Å"you violated his wife’s honor and made her your own. Guarding a woman’s honor is the first duty laid on any intelligent being. † (Narayan 1972, 102). This vignette is important as it shows that the monkey race of beings from Kiskinda are subject to the same ethical codes as human society; of course this is analogous to the sudras or peasants of the caste system. The lessons of the Ramayana are applicable across the depth of the Varna caste system. Finally, the Ramayana offers a model of virtues and the concept of servitude for rulers regarding their subjects that exemplify what should be, as opposed to what is. After ruling for an untold number of years Dasaratha decides it is time to relinquish his throne to Rama, his oldest son. He notifies his assembly of this decision, and describes the qualities his son possesses; He is perfect and will be a perfect ruler. He has compassion, a sense of justice and courage, and he makes no distinctions between human beings- old or young, prince or peasant; he has the same consideration for everyone. In courage, valor, and all the qualities—none equal to him. He will be your best protector from any hostile force, be it human, subhuman or superhman†¦I hope I shall have your support in anointing him immediately as Emperor of Kosala. † (Narayan 1972, 34) Fittingly, following this speech the assembly let out a ‘joyous shout’ and a spokesman tells Dasaratha they have been long waiting for this moment. The quote above could be applied to a father and his children as readily as a king to his people; interestingly enough the great general Sun Tzu promoted treating his own soldiers as his beloved sons to instill loyalty. Undoubtedly the true measure of a great leader is inspiring loyalty over fealty, and the Ramayana highlights this again when Dasaratha speaks directly to Rama prior to taking over; â€Å"You will have to pursue a policy of absolute justice under all circumstances. Humility and soft speech—there could really be no limit to these virtues. There can be no place in a king’s heart for lust, anger, or meanness. † (Narayan 1972, 35) It is telling that in Thailand over the past two centuries nine kings have called themselves Rama; in honor of a fictional character no less! The Ramayana offers an idyllic view of a near perfect time and place, where all peoples knew their positions in society and acted in accordance with dharma. The fantastic characters offer the very best and very worst in human nature, magnified by godlike powers and abilities to prove their extraordinary character as ethical (or unethical) beings. It does not constitute a leap of logic to see how Rama evolved into a divine being over the centuries, from mythological character to a worshipped avatar of Vishnu. Regardless, this story has withstood the test of time and remains an important part of literature for great masses of people in Asia. The Ramayana constitutes the most readily consumable and most appealing example of dharma for its enduring audience. The Ramayana free essay sample Anthropomorphism of the Divine Perhaps no single work of prose captures the breadth and depth of the meaning of the word dharma, than does the Ramayana. Not a religious book or divinely inspired text such as the Bible or Quran, the Ramayana was originally an epic poem that circulated for centuries by word of mouth before being written down, and thus expanded and contracted over the millennia in written form, dance, songs, movies and television series across a large portion of Asia. As such there is no absolutely correct or true version, but the general story is one of good vs. vil, portraying in dramatic fashion the virtuous and just behavior of the transcendent Rama, inevitably rising triumphantly after a series of initiations, tests, betrayal and deceit. It has given Indians a fantastic example of extraordinary behavior under extreme circumstances, but also provides ideals and wisdom for common daily life. Take this example from the beginning, when the sage Viswamithra convinces Rama’s father, King Dasaratha to allow his son to travel with him on a potentially dangerous journey; â€Å"You cannot count on the physical proximity of someone you love, all the time. We will write a custom essay sample on The Ramayana or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page A seed that sprouts at the foot of its parent tree remains stunted until it is transplanted†¦Every human being, when the time comes, has to depart and seek his fulfillment in his own way. † (Narayan 1972, 9) The above provides but one example from the Ramayana’s simple yet pure message that all classes, all castes can appreciate. It is a story that provides context for the concept of dharma; it shows how a god(s) in human form furnishes examples replete with compassion, justice, courage, loyalty, valor, selflessness and self-sacrifice. The concept of a god allowing himself to be born mortal in order to rid the world of evil is not exclusive to the western world. This paper will take a cursory look at this mythological tale as an anthropomorphism of the divine providing a model to replicate, specifically the relationships between children and parents, husbands and wives, and rulers and subjects. As a son, Rama demonstrates the ideal execution of his dharma at the request f Kaikeyi, his stepmother when she has him banished to the forest for 14 years, abdicating the throne as King of Ayodhya following his father’s immanent retirement. He does not show disappointment when his stepmother speaks on his father’s behalf, stating how it is Rama’s duty to fulfill his father’s promise to her, â€Å"otherwise he (Dasaratha) will be damning himself in this and other worlds. You owe him a duty as his son. † (Narayan 1972, 45) At this Rama internalizes the initial shock of being removed as heir, expelled from his kingdom, with only bark for clothing. Knowing his father is broken hearted by his wife’s seemingly unjustified and irrational request, Rama nonetheless regards it as if he were commanded by his father, and states â€Å"I want you to know I am not in the least pained by this order. I will take your word as his. † (Narayan 1972, 45) Without complaint or outward display of disappointment Rama instead demonstrates grace and dignity, even as those around him are emotionally crushed and outraged at the turn of events. His birth mother sobs uncontrollably and wonders aloud at what offense he must have committed to justify what appears to be a punishment. Rama’s younger brother Lakshmana is so enraged he dons his weapons and equipment for battle, and swears to destroy anyone attempting to stop his brother from being king; â€Å"I’ll not relent or yield to the desire of a mere female†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Narayan 1972, 51). Rama takes the proverbial high road with his mother and brother, and instead places the blame on himself for accepting the offer of the throne so readily and reminds his brother that he should not be so irresponsible with his anger, â€Å"you must not utter such bitter remarks about people who after all are none other than your father and mother. (Narayan 1972, 51) Through grace and serenity does Rama distinguish himself from those whom demonstrate natural behavior in light of the circumstances; he reminds his brother of his recital of the Vedas and the examples of a godly life to counteract his irrationality. This entire chapter in the Ramayana highlights the complete subordination of a child to his parent s, and abidance to their wishes. Rama himself states that these are higher than demands of a king (Bharatha), or a guru (Vasishtha) and there could be no word higher than that of a father; no conduct other than obedience to it (Narayan 1972, 60). In the case of husbands and wives in the Ramayana, perhaps it is the relationship of Rama and Sita that form the true basis for this story. Being the incarnate of Vishnu and Lakshmi, these two were seemingly made for one another and even though it was customary for kings to have many wives, Rama told Sita that he would forego this custom. In return, when Rama is subsequently dispatched for 14 years from Ayodhya, he tells Sita that it is not her responsibility to give up her life in the palace and he will return to her. Without hesitation she states that her place is by his side wherever he may be†¦Ã¢â‚¬ it will be a living death for me without you; a forest or a marble palace is all the same to me. † (Narayan 1972, 52) 1This faithfulness towards her husband demonstrates the truest virtue of an Indian woman; although she is afraid to leave the palace she follows unquestionably. When Soorpanaka appears to Rama he was stunned by her beauty; â€Å"her eyes flashed, teeth sparkled, her figure, waist and bosom were that of a chiseled figure† (Narayan 1972, 64) but he would not accept her as a wife even though she all but throws herself at him and tries desperately to seduce him. Of course he has none of it, and his brother Lakshmana disposes of her, nearly killing her if it were not her being a woman. Following Sita’s capture by Ravana, Rama makes allies with Sugreeva, and during a battle with Vila his brother (who rules the giant monkey race), mortally wounds him with an arrow. Dying, Vila questions why he sided with Sugreeva, and why he attacked him. In response Rama again gives insight to the husband and wife relationship; â€Å"you violated his wife’s honor and made her your own. Guarding a woman’s honor is the first duty laid on any intelligent being. † (Narayan 1972, 102). This vignette is important as it shows that the monkey race of beings from Kiskinda are subject to the same ethical codes as human society; of course this is analogous to the sudras or peasants of the caste system. The lessons of the Ramayana are applicable across the depth of the Varna caste system. Finally, the Ramayana offers a model of virtues and the concept of servitude for rulers regarding their subjects that exemplify what should be, as opposed to what is. After ruling for an untold number of years Dasaratha decides it is time to relinquish his throne to Rama, his oldest son. He notifies his assembly of this decision, and describes the qualities his son possesses; He is perfect and will be a perfect ruler. He has compassion, a sense of justice and courage, and he makes no distinctions between human beings- old or young, prince or peasant; he has the same consideration for everyone. In courage, valor, and all the qualities—none equal to him. He will be your best protector from any hostile force, be it human, subhuman or superhman†¦I hope I shall have your support in anointing him immediately as Emperor of Kosala. † (Narayan 1972, 34) Fittingly, following this speech the assembly let out a ‘joyous shout’ and a spokesman tells Dasaratha they have been long waiting for this moment. The quote above could be applied to a father and his children as readily as a king to his people; interestingly enough the great general Sun Tzu promoted treating his own soldiers as his beloved sons to instill loyalty. Undoubtedly the true measure of a great leader is inspiring loyalty over fealty, and the Ramayana highlights this again when Dasaratha speaks directly to Rama prior to taking over; â€Å"You will have to pursue a policy of absolute justice under all circumstances. Humility and soft speech—there could really be no limit to these virtues. There can be no place in a king’s heart for lust, anger, or meanness. † (Narayan 1972, 35) It is telling that in Thailand over the past two centuries nine kings have called themselves Rama; in honor of a fictional character no less! The Ramayana offers an idyllic view of a near perfect time and place, where all peoples knew their positions in society and acted in accordance with dharma. The fantastic characters offer the very best and very worst in human nature, magnified by godlike powers and abilities to prove their extraordinary character as ethical (or unethical) beings. It does not constitute a leap of logic to see how Rama evolved into a divine being over the centuries, from mythological character to a worshipped avatar of Vishnu. Regardless, this story has withstood the test of time and remains an important part of literature for great masses of people in Asia. The Ramayana constitutes the most readily consumable and most appealing example of dharma for its enduring audience.

Abortion- Right to Choose essays

Abortion- Right to Choose essays Abortion is one of the most controversial issues around, and is an issue that will never be agreed upon. No government or group of people should assume that they have the right to dictate a persons life choices. People who say that they are "against abortion" are in effect no more than "anti-choice". These people want to put the life and future of a woman into the hands of the government. The choice a woman may make about abortion is private and should not be open to debate. The question of morality should not even come into play when considering abortion, because in this case the question is not of morality but of choice and constitutionality. In fact this right is protected by the ninth amendment, under which it states: "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people." This amendment allows, up to the end of the first trimester, the woman to have an abortion. This amendment in turn, is guaranteeing a woman a choice. People may say that abortion is the killing of a child, period. However, the "pro-choice" point of view is that a fetus is not yet a baby because it has yet to posses the criteria derived from our understanding of living human beings. As for the opposition who are against abortion, they seem to forget real life troubles that encompass having a child. One example is how the life of that person may be ruined if they are not given the option of abortion. An additional item not considered is the serious family strife that will be the result if a baby is forced to be born. With this alternatives arise such as adoption. The majority of people looking to adopt are middle class couples. Another fact is that most of the babies given up for adoption (or that are aborted) are of a mixed race. And, the truth is, is that most of the adopters do not want these types of children. This is a sad fact, but is tru ...

Managing Projects Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Managing Projects - Essay Example Another aspect of global or domestic management is ability of project manager to be able to monitor a project closely and control different dimensions such as, cost, quality and integration. These differences are sometime very different and sometimes very similar distinctions that can leave company leaders looking for contingency plans. Organization looking to get into globalization must take into consideration such differing factors as the language, expatriate, cultural, political, legal, economic, technological and many more that exist between the US and foreign countries. But only four of these items will be discussed in regards to globalization and the problems companies facing when venturing into foreign countries. The most common barrier organizations encounter going into foreign countries is language barriers. There are unspoken signals and gestures that are non verbal form of communication that that sometimes may be disregarded. Non verbal forms of communication include gestures, body language and semiotics, which refer to the underlying meaning of signs. Companies also encounter the issue of translation of document in English to various languages. For instance, the company I work for have subsidiaries in China, Japan, Taiwan and other parts of the world. On several occasion we have had problems with translations of our documents into various languages. ... ntages to the project team but more careful attention need to be given to development work, more careful attention needs to be given to the team of what is expected of them. Expatriates face the difficult of local team members not wanting to share their knowledge or lend a helping hand to an outsider. Using expatriates can be costly because the organization would have to provide housing and transportation and other amenities for the duration of the project. Cultural differences can be sub-group into attitudes, beliefs and values. Employee attitudes differ from country to country and this affects the way consumers in foreign countries react to certain scenarios. For instance, people in some foreign countries beliefs that a man should be the head of a business unit but in the US we belief in placing the most qualified person in the position. In terms of attitude, some cultures do not allow lower level employees to speak during a business because the respect is supposed to go to the head of the department. Lower level employees are required to brief their boss on every aspect of the business before the meet and during the meeting they are not allowed to comment or contradict. To illustrate how cultural differences can affect an international country I will use the example of the company I for, we were so insensitive to the religious beliefs of our Muslim countries who we conduct business with that we use a bi-product made from pig intestin e and at the end the drug product was reject by the Health Authorities of those countries. We had to find a substitute for the bi-product in order to keep the drug on the market. Other area of importance for companies to consider when entering into foreign markets is politics, which reflects the importance of the government and the legal

Calculated Versus Observed Underwater Sound Speed Essay

Calculated Versus Observed Underwater Sound Speed - Essay Example The speed of sound in air is approximately figured out by the formula . . . speed of sound (m/s) = 331.5 + 0.60 T(C). The speed or velocity, at which sound travels through water was first researched by Sir Isaac Newton in 1687 when he found that measurements of sound in fluids relied only on the physical properties of the fluid, such as elasticity and density (Funk & Wagnalls). The speed of sound in water is about four times greater than that in air. Although this seems to contradict the physical law that the denser the gas, the slower the speed of sound, the sound speed is actually determined more by the elasticity of the medium (Urick, 1983). In 1822, Daniel Colloden used an underwater bell in an attempt to calculate the speed of sound underwater in Lake Geneva, Switzerland. His attempts resulted in figures remarkably close to today's accepted values (Acoustics . . . 2006). But sound speed cannot be discussed without mention of Jaque Sturm, French mathematician, who made the first accurate measurements of sound velocity in water in 1826. World War I created a great necessity to study the propagation of sound under water, with more progress in World War II and increased understanding from current research (Funk & Wagnalls). ... His attempts resulted in figures remarkably close to today's accepted values (Acoustics . . . 2006). But sound speed cannot be discussed without mention of Jaque Sturm, French mathematician, who made the first accurate measurements of sound velocity in water in 1826. World War I created a great necessity to study the propagation of sound under water, with more progress in World War II and increased understanding from current research (Funk & Wagnalls). The fact that sound moves in a straight line in a medium of equal density (ibid.) led to studies of water variables. Sonar's accuracy depends upon: 1. The reflection of sounds propagated in water. 2. Whether sound is reflecting or refracting. 3. Levels of salinity, while generally constant in the open ocean, greatly changes how sound travels through shallow water. 4. Temperature, a foremost factor in sound speed calculations, usually becomes lower at greater depths of water, decreasing sound speed at about 3 m/sec per degree Celsius. Below 1000m, though, temperature becomes generally constant and pressure is the predominant consideration. But a depth change of about 165m can cause the same change in sound speed as a one-degree temperature drop. Acoustic Tomography (a type of underwater CT scan) and Sofar Floats are examples of technologies and instruments that measure the movement of large scale ocean water mass. A unique feature of the ocean is the Sofar Channel in the upper regions of the deep ocean. In this layer of the ocean, at about 1250 meters below the surface in the northwest Atlantic, the temperature and pressure act to provide a "long range acoustic path or channel"(Acoustic . . . 2006). The SOFAR float is an instrument designed to be neutrally buoyant at a certain depth and

Promote communication in health and social care Essay Example for Free

Promote communication in health and social care Essay Communication is one of the most essential tools we have to help us interact with other people around us. We use it constantly in our everyday lives whether it be at work, with friends or at home with our families. The way we communicate reflects our personality and the way we come across to other people and build trust and relationships. Reasons why people communicate. †¢ Building relationships with the people around us †¢ Maintaining relationships †¢ Sharing ideas and thoughts †¢ Expressing feelings and needs †¢ Gaining reassurance and acknowledgement †¢ Gaining information and sharing information When we have a new child starting we have an â€Å"all about me† form that we ask the parent to complete. We do this to get to know the child and his/her likes and dislikes so that they can feel comfortable and to start building a relationship with that child and parent. We sit down with the parent to have a talk about this and also ask them if they would like a drink so that they feel welcome and at ease. As well as building relationships with the children and parents it is important to build relationships with the people we work with. Asking them questions about themselves and telling them about yourself. When a parent brings a child in in the morning we greet them and the child saying good morning and smiling. Likewise when the child is collected saying goodbye and taking time talking to the parent about the childs day. This helps maintain the relationship with the parent and child. Letting them know that we have time to speak to them and to listen. Likewise talking to the other staff members about their interests or if they had a nice weekend. Greeting them when coming in also helps to maintain a good working relationship with them. It is important for adults as well as children that they feel listened to and feel like their ideas and thoughts are important. Listening to a child will not only help build a relationship with that child but also make the child feel valued and build their self esteem. Also listening to what they have to say and respecting their feelings is an important way to meet the childs needs. When we meet new people one of the first things we do is to share and gain information with that person. This will help to establish a relationship with that person. This is also a vital part of working well with other people. When starting at the setting I first of all did this with the other staff by telling them about me and learning about them and also learning about the setting and how they do things there. With the children I asked them questions like their names and about the important people in their lives. This has helped me build relationships not just with the children at the setting but also t he people that I work with. Especially with the children that I work with I am finding it very important in building a relationship with them to reassure them and acknowledge their achievements. Praising them and showing them with my body language that they are important. They respond well to doing â€Å"high 5s† and keeping eye contact while they are talking to me. Likewise using some of the same tools with parents and colleagues help to acknowledge and reassure them that I am interested in what they have to say. It is very important to be able to communicate well with the people you work with. Not just to be happy yourself and to feel valued but also to provide the best care for the children in your setting. It is also important to be able to communicate well with the parents so that they feel that their needs are being met. They need to be able to leave the children in your care knowing that they will be safe and happy. When communicating with people we dont just use our voices but also non-verbal communication like eye contact, touch and body language. The non-verbal communication can be more powerful than the verbal. At the setting where I work we have a little boy who isnt using many words yet to communicate. He will come and take your hand and show you what it is he  wants. Using the information we have in the â€Å"all about me† form we know that he likes animals and to watch The Jungle Book on DVD. So we get the animals out and talk to him about them, asking him what noises those animals make and what they like to eat. Non-verbal communication is also very powerful when speaking to adults. Looking a the person you are speaking to can give you an idea of how they are feeling and also how they are reacting to what you are saying. The way you say some thing might be understood one way face to face with a person but will be understood differently over the telephone. Likewise listening skills are a very good tool to communicate well with the people around you. If you dont take time to listen to the children you will not be able to build a relationship with them. Also being able to learn from the other staff at your setting is important and would be impossible without good listening skills. If the communication isnt clear it can lead to misunderstanding. This can happen easily especially with children at a young age. It can also be a factor that a child, parent or colleague come from a different culture. As I am from Denmark but have lived in the UK for more than 13 years now I have felt this first hand. When I first moved here I worked with a man who used to speak to me as if I didnt understand. That made me feel like I was inadequate whereas he probably thought he was helping me. On the other hand I have had people using long and difficult words that I didnt understand and therefore making me feel less able to communicate with them. Feeling comfortable enough to ask questions and to say to the people you work with that you didnt understand is very important so that misunderstandings dont happen. Using different skills of communication would also be very helpful to make sure that the person you are talking to will be able to understand you. You might have to simplify y our language or use visual aids like pictures or in some cases have to use outside help like a translator or a speech therapist. To me good communication is all about building relationships with the people around you. This is even more important in the area of work that we do with children. Not only building the relationship with the parents, children and  colleagues but to teach the children from a young age to also communicate well and to help them to learn to build their own relationships with us, the children around them and everywhere else that they meet other people. Book used for information: Level 3 Diploma Children Young peoples Workforce Early Learning and Childcare by Penny Tassoni, Kate Beith, Kath Bulman and Sue Griffin

And What I Say Essay -- essays research papers

The Great Depression lasted from October 24, 1929 until the economic recovery of the 1940s. On October 29, Black Thursday, the stock market crashed heavily, and continued to fall sharply throughout the coming weeks. As a result, the United States and the world were thrown into a decade of poverty and unemployment. The depression affected all sectors of the economy. Farm owners and agricultural workers suffered from falling crop prices. Businesses failed from a lack of investment support and a decline in the ability of the masses to afford their products. Banks closed their doors as the nation's citizens hoarded their money and defaulted on loan payments. Unemployment and abject poverty enveloped the nation. Herbert Hoover was President of the United Sates at the onset of the depression. His message to the people was one of continued belief in recovery, even in the face of worsening conditions. Though he eventually sparked some government action in an effort to curb the effects of the depression, he believed in the power of the economy to right itself without government intervention. The situation did not improve, and dissent grew throughout the nation. Hoover lost the presidency to Franklin Roosevelt in the 1932 election. FDR quickly shifted from a stance of non-intervention to a government policy of regulation and relief. During the first hundred days of his presidency, he and his highly trusted advisors, known as the Brain Trust, created the New Deal. Marshalling a previ...

How Luxury Brands Were Affected by Recession Essay

Bovis homes group PLC, a leading UK house builder, had to review its corporate plans as a result of the recession and major cuts in government spending on building projects. Gives the high level of change in economic and political environments, is there any point in corporate planning? Justify your answer with reference to the house building industry and/or other organisations or industries you know that have been affected by such changes. (40 marks) Post 2007, global economy has been reeling under recession. Recessionary pressure began with United States economy slowing down; however it has spread globally affecting all countries in some way or the other. Income level, employment have been affected badly. Consumption levels have gone down drastically, which affected consumer dependant countries, such as the UK. Traditionally, luxury brands have not been affected by recession so much, since they have been catering to the higher end class, which is not so affected by the economic downturn. However, in recent past, the luxury has been catering to the inspirational customers, whose consumption patterns are affected due to economic recession. During times like these, companies usually dependant on corporate planning. Some of them in order to grow, others – to survive. Corporate planning is the process of drawing up detailed action plans to achieve an organization’s goals and objectives, taking into account the resources of the organization and the environment within which it operates. Music and books retailer HMV Group became a company that was heavily affected by recession in 2008, as it had to close 60 UK stores in the next 12 months in response to declining sales. The 60 stores set to close represent roughly 10% of the group’s UK High Street presence, which comprises 285 HMV shops and 312 Waterstone’s outlets. The massive store closure of outlets was an attempt to survive, as they has been hammered by competition from digital downloads as well as supermarkets and online retailers undercutting it on price. As well as the store closures, HMV said it would implement other cost-cutting measures that would save it a further ? 10m per year. However HMV’s corporate planning hasn’t proved to be successful, as it turns out HMV’s share price has declined steadily throughout 2010, and the latest drop brings its cumulative fall to more than 75% over the last 13 months. Also the firm’s shares dropped 20% even further after it revealed the sales data, and admitted it was having trouble meeting the terms of a bank loan. As it turns out, HMV’s retail analyst didn’t expected music and DVD market falling that fast, despite their attempts to change their sales mix, offering iPods and live music in order to stay in the market. HMV is repeating Woolworths and Zavvi collapse during the recession. Fox described â€Å"extremely difficult† trading conditions with total sales of physical CDs and DVDs down 10% and 8% respectively against the same six-month period last year. Without a new console to fire the imagination the picture was even worse in video games where sales plunged 12%, a fall that was on top of the 30% slump seen in 2009. â€Å"It is not that value is moving from physical to the digital sales – it is just that value is being lost,† said Fox. Therefore the HMV is facing severe competition and tough times due to recession. Their corporate planning proved to be unsuccessful, they are trying to deal with already dead market, which don’t have any prerequisites to grow in the future. Poundland is complitely different business, with different approach and corporate plan, as they grow during the recession periods. They are aimed at consumer who requires value. Some of that is driven by the economy or the economic conditions, some of that is because the people have low disposable incomes and traditionally that’s been the case, and they have needed to seek value. During tough economic conditions, that was always the case. When US recession just took place, in 2008, poundland started to grow using external growth. At christmas 2008, when Woolworth post-administration 600 stores became available, poundland took 70 of those over three years. Big success from the very beginning was due to , very talented property team, who use a network of agents so they are are constantly searching for new opportunities of expansion. A number of other opportunities have arisen over the years as well and they have been able to convert those quite quickly because they had a new store opening team and a refurbishment programme, which really is about pie-cutting. So there’s a process. The average around 60 stores a year now, so over one a week, which I think is testament to the quality of the team, the sourcing of the stores and the continual improvement in the performance of the business, which of course helps finance those opportunities. In the recession – or difficult economic periods, all decisions needs to be discussed and implemented using professional team, which will make your business distinguish from arising competition. In the conclusion I would like to say that recession is not true for every business. As we have seen above, poundland did well during the recession period, as they targeting those on low-incomes and those, who willing to save, however a situation in a luxury industry differs: The wealthy are not much affected by economic downturn and to use luxury goods is a kind of addiction; it isn’t easy to change the lifestyle even if personal income dropped. The Geneva motor show 2013 is happening right now. Rolls Royce is selling better than they did last year, as is Lamborghini. The Middle East, Russia do not seem to be feeling the crunch for the time being. The general feeling is that desire for the super luxury brands remains high but purchases are being delayed. Lamborghini always under produce and have enough orders to remain keep production going for a long time whilst mass to mid luxury car factories are laying off workers, that is the trend that works in the luxury sector. However, the middle-class luxury brands will be heavily affected due to concept that was stated above with an example of poundland. Surely some of them could be richer during the trouble times, but most are struggling and haven’t the mind to spend freely money for luxury items as before. The wealthy never stop spending, they just change what they spend their money on. For example companies like Hermes, Alfred Dunhill, Vacheron Constatine, and Botega Veneta are designed to be recession proof. Marc Jacobs and Chanel on the other hand will feel the pain. As stated above its all about client base and how corporate plan was developed and implemented.